Chapter 40: Lousy Master

Mo Xiao didn’t go out to deal with the leftover traces. The more you moved, the more flaws you left behind.

Even if they discovered those sword marks, they couldn’t accurately deduce who had done it. There were too many book spirits in this world that used swords.

The two took a detour toward the forest, not noticing the tracker behind them standing on the small hill where they’d previously hidden.

After a long while, the small hill welcomed its third batch of guests today.

A group of mysterious people draped in black robes stood atop the hill, seemingly searching for something.

“Boss, nothing found. The convoy doesn’t seem to have passed through here today. There aren’t even wheel tracks left.”

“Boss, no footprints, scents, or any residual traces of anyone found.”

“Oh? Are you trying to tell me that convoy that set out from the city mysteriously vanished halfway, as if swallowed by a nether hole?

What kind of joke is this!? Search for me!”

The leading black-robed figure roared in anger. Behind him suddenly appeared a blood-red-skinned minotaur nearly three meters tall.

The minotaur let out a roar, raised its crimson axe high, and brought it down hard. A massive crack nearly a hundred meters long spread from the hill all the way to the small path.

“Damn it! There’s really nothing!”

“Hurry up and go search for traces of the convoy! If you don’t find any leads within three days, don’t even think about getting your wages this month!”

“Yes! Boss!”

The black-robed figures quickly scattered to search for the convoy’s trail. The only one left on the hill was the leader, a thin, small young man.

Morketz Polk’s face was now incomparably gloomy. This batch of goods was worth five hundred thousand feather coins, and now it had mysteriously vanished halfway!

He thought about how he wouldn’t be able to deliver on time. That big boss on the other end, Bloodhand Shuke, was not easy to deal with.

Damn it! Who the hell is messing with me! Once I catch you, I’ll tear you into ten thousand pieces!

Boom!

Blood-colored flames ignited on the small hill, followed by a violent explosion. In moments it was razed to the ground, never to welcome guests again.

And the black-robed figure’s silhouette had completely vanished, including that violent blood-colored minotaur.

“Hm? Master, did you hear any strange sounds?”

Mo Xiao looked back into the distance toward the previous small hill’s location. Faint, subtle sounds of an explosion were coming from over there.

Could the bandits raised by the city lord have discovered the convoy’s disappearance?

Right, those bandits did have some monitoring duties to begin with. Not finding the convoy passing through at a specific time and coming to investigate was completely normal.

“No, I didn’t. This equipment is so heavy and stuffy. How about I don’t wear it? Mo Xiao, you wear it?”

Bai Yuan tilted her ear to listen but didn’t hear any strange sounds. The chirping of birds, though, she heard often.

“I can’t wear it, and this equipment would affect my performance. Lousy master, just hold on a bit longer, okay?”

By now Mo Xiao and Bai Yuan had stepped into the Green Spirit Forest. The forest environment was quite hot and humid.

After walking only a short few hundred meters, Bai Yuan was already drenched in sweat. Her body felt stuffy and hot, completely uncomfortable.

“How much farther is it? Huff~ The wilderness really isn’t fun.”

Bai Yuan pouted her little mouth in displeasure. Sweat slid down her little face to the edge of her lips.

“I’m doomed. Today my body is definitely going to reek of sweat. Sigh~ Is this light armor even useful…”

“Not a big problem. Even if my lousy master smells a bit, I won’t dislike you.”

Mo Xiao kindly comforted her. Her own body was quite cool. The forest’s weeds couldn’t even brush against her.

“Then I’m really grateful to you, wuu~”

Bai Yuan rolled her eyes and let out a cute mournful whimper, obediently following Mo Xiao’s footsteps. Now she could only keep going.

After some more time, the two arrived at a sea of white spirit flowers. A gentle breeze blew softly, and a faint floral fragrance drifted about.

Bai Yuan took a deep breath, feeling relaxed and joyful. It was finally not so stuffy and hot here.

“Don’t just stand there. There are lots of ants below. Be careful not to let them crawl inside.”

Mo Xiao gave a reminder. Her small body darted into the sea of flowers to search for the flower spirit water she needed.

Bai Yuan’s little face paled as she looked down carefully. She suddenly saw a black ball, and looking closer, it was actually a pile of little ants scurrying around chaotically.

Quite a few were even heading toward her little feet. She was wearing light armor—if these little things got inside, it would be terrible.

“Eek! Mo Xiao, wait for me!”

After being badly startled, she hurriedly followed Mo Xiao, not daring to stay in place.

“Alright, this much should be enough, right?”

Mo Xiao held a small backpack containing five small bottles of flower spirit water. Later she’d exchange two bottles for money, and the rest would be for Bai Yuan to use.

“Tch~ I thought there’d be bandits guarding this place, but there aren’t. They’re way too extravagant.”

Mo Xiao muttered quietly. After hearing about the bandits, she’d thought this flower field might have been discovered by them. Now it seemed not.

Of course, it was also possible they’d come too early and those guys hadn’t come to collect yet.

“This place isn’t safe to linger. Master, let’s hurry.”

“Huh? Can’t I rest for just a little bit? Huff!”

Bai Yuan was panting from exhaustion. Originally a book spirit provided some physical feedback to its author, but Mo Xiao was too weak right now. First-tier, one-star had almost no effect.

Her constitution was still as bad as before. After walking two kilometers outside, she was exhausted beyond belief.

“I’d love to let Master rest more, but the people behind us won’t allow it. If my lousy master doesn’t want to die, keep up.”

Mo Xiao saw her little face pale and covered in cold sweat, looking so pitiful, and felt a bit of heartache. But now really wasn’t the time to rest.

If her guess was right, those people would definitely search the surrounding area after discovering the convoy was destroyed.

The people they’d saved earlier—she didn’t even know if they could escape. And they themselves might be discovered by those searchers.

From the rumors she’d heard earlier, those bandits definitely wouldn’t let them off. So their current situation was quite dangerous.

“Yeah, let’s hurry…”

Bai Yuan couldn’t voice any complaints. This was all to make money, and also to find materials for herself to learn ink-making.

Mo Xiao quite liked Bai Yuan’s tenacious nature. Of course, if she could, she’d rather raise Bai Yuan like a little princess.

Unfortunately, she’d known in her previous life that wouldn’t work. Some things needed Bai Yuan herself to do.

It wasn’t that Mo Xiao hadn’t considered having herself, a book spirit, go conquer the two gods. But it would inevitably be more suitable for her master. She was the person of this world.

Mo Xiao wasn’t. Even if she conquered them, it’d be useless. The two gods wouldn’t change because of her. They would only change because of Bai Yuan.

This was where Mo Xiao felt extremely frustrated. As a book spirit, she couldn’t leave Bai Yuan. When the time came, she’d probably have to be a maid for the two gods…

“Mo Xiao, what are you thinking about? You’re thinking so intently.”

Bai Yuan witnessed Mo Xiao’s dazed little expression with her own eyes, yet her feet were still so nimble, walking through the forest as if on flat ground. Bai Yuan couldn’t help but admire her.

“I was wondering if my lousy master is holding in her pee, walking so awkwardly and so slowly…”

Mo Xiao snapped back to reality and revealed a slightly disdainful smile to tease her master, though her eyes were looking toward the depths of the forest.

“You! How did you know…”

“What!?”

Bai Yuan’s pretty face reddened slightly, and she answered in embarrassment in a small voice.

Suddenly her body was pulled aside by Mo Xiao’s hand. A cold light shot from the distance in the forest, landing exactly where Bai Yuan had been standing.

“Careful, someone’s found us. Master, hide yourself. I’m going to kill them!”

Mo Xiao had been distracted just now and hadn’t noticed the book spirits hidden in the dark. Only now did she discover two book spirits hiding a hundred meters away, launching a sneak attack.