Chapter 105: Bonfire and Barbecue

Speaking of which, after personally witnessing her summoned Storm Bear being killed, the Storm Sorceress never touched another summoning scroll. It seems she was somewhat traumatized. Even though this was just a regular summoning scroll gifted by the Wilderness Hunter.

Now, with a level 15 Death Dragonfly, her spirits soared once more.

"Ah! That’s so sly, Meilin!" Elia shouted, nearly leaping off the Death Dragonfly to pounce on her.

"Well, we shouldn’t leave empty-handed," the Barbarian Priestess echoed, sidling up to Luo Yong and waiting for another Death Dragonfly to fly by.

"Is the Glorious Set not enough? Why have you all returned?" Luo Yong asked.

"We’re just missing a tiny bit!" the Storm Sorceress replied, winking mischievously. "Besides, we’ll be expanding the team in the future. Better to prepare more—it's always good to be ready!"

"Alright..." Luo Yong glanced at the nearby heroes, their eyes fixed hopefully upon them.

Would this stir up resentment?

The Gale Squad was now firmly standing at the eye of the storm, and Luo Yong felt he was losing his grip on the spinning world...

But so what? Let things be as they will!

Thus, under the watchful gaze of the crowd, each team member contracted several Death Dragonflies—all at level 15. Then, swaggering, they left the area.

Luo Yong, feeling quite pleased, did not use a teleport scroll. Instead, he controlled the Death Dragonflies, forming them into a squadron—sometimes shaping them into the character for "ox," sometimes into the letter "B." Amidst the humming, they vanished from everyone's sight.

"Is their squad still recruiting... I want in."

"Though I was once a squad leader myself, I’d happily be just a team member for these perks—anything goes!"

"I heard the Gale Squad’s newest member used to be a squad leader, too..."

A few squad leaders who had planned to cooperate with the Gale Squad were now contemplating striking out on their own.

"A flight formation, only level fifteen, and already not to be underestimated!"

In the Fearless Order, Handsome watched them leave, reciting the words impassively.

At this moment, Orlan returned, bringing with him a thoroughly battered Byleron.

"Report, Commander: when I arrived at the Mage Guild, the steward was there... just sitting. So I brought him back," Orlan said.

"Did the Mage Guild say anything?" Handsome asked.

"Uh... They said teams should avoid private conflicts. If anything happens, the Mage Guild won't just stand by," Orlan answered honestly.

"Byleron, how are you?"

"I’m injured, but treated. A bit of rest and I’ll be fine," Byleron replied, looking dispirited. This failed expedition hit him hard, dampening his spirits and making him much more reserved.

"Alright, go rest!" Handsome sighed, his gaze returning to the Land of Divine Lament.

"Was I too soft-hearted? Or just too late to act?"

"No, it’s our strength that’s lacking. The Mage Guild and the Hero Association stand above all teams—they’re simply unbeatable..."

Beside Handsome, a shadow appeared, cloaked entirely in a pitch-black robe.

...

Wendy and her group delivered yet another batch of quest items to the camp, completing the exchange. At last, each person could claim a piece of the Glorious Set.

"Ah, I’m so satisfied!" Elia sighed deeply, cradling her set scroll, cherishing it immensely.

"How pathetic—just one Glorious Set, and you’re this happy!" the Barbarian Priestess criticized bluntly.

"I am pathetic! Mind your own business!" Elia rolled her eyes, snapping back.

"Alright, enough squabbling. Now’s the time to focus on boosting our strength," Luo Yong waved his hand, quelling the pointless argument.

"Captain, where are we headed?" Wendy asked.

"There’s something I left at the Stonehenge. We’re going to retrieve it," Luo Yong replied calmly.

"What is it?" the Storm Sorceress inquired.

"Something good!" Luo Yong smiled mysteriously, refusing to elaborate and urging everyone to pick up the pace.

Soon, the group arrived at the Stonehenge, where they saw a wild boar tied up, struggling occasionally and snorting softly. Upon hearing the buzzing, its body stiffened, and it promptly feigned death.

A beast, desperate to survive, was deploying all its acting skills.

"Today, we’ll celebrate here. I, your captain, have prepared a wild boar. Everyone, cook it yourselves!" Luo Yong announced.

"Oink!"

The boar seemed to understand Luo Yong’s words and struggled fiercely, its will to live overwhelming.

But faced with a group of mischievous ladies with ambiguous smiles, whatever it did was futile.

"Captain, with Dodo absent, are we really cooking for ourselves?" Elia asked.

"Yes, Dodo is busy these days," Luo Yong nodded. "Today’s events spoke for themselves. No need for me to explain—you all know that if we don’t keep leveling up, sooner or later we’ll suffer!"

"So now you have level 15 mounts, Glorious Sets starting at level 20; next step is to grind experience and level up!"

"And I happen to have a mid-tier—"

"The Forest Secret Realm!"

Before Luo Yong could finish, several teammates shouted excitedly, eager and ready to go.

"Mid-tier?" Lillian blinked in surprise.

"Forest Secret Realm?" Mira looked puzzled.

"That’s right. When Captain Luo Yong made his first wish, he got a mid-tier secret realm, but our levels were too low then. We entered a treasure mountain and left empty-handed—it was really..." Elia explained.

"Enough talk—let’s kill the pig!" Luo Yong waved his hand, and everyone rushed over, raising their staffs and weapons.

"Flame-roasted pork!"

"Holy Light sanitization!"

"Storm wash!"

"Weaken, stun, poison, slow, fear, paralyze..."

"..."

"Elia?! Are you out of your mind? This is our food, why are you poisoning it?"

"Are you trying to poison me and inherit my Glorious Set?!"

"Uh..."

Facing the group’s outcry, Elia was bewildered for a moment, but quickly recovered, sticking out her tongue sheepishly. "Sorry, I—I was just too excited and forgot..."

"Tch!"

"Honestly, you’re impossible!"

"Holy Light, cleanse the poison!"

The Barbarian Priestess raised her staff, bathed in the sacred radiance, looking exceptionally beautiful.

Moments later, a bonfire was lit, and the prepared pork was roasted over it, filling the air with a delicious aroma.

"Ah, you can smell it from afar—so you really are here!" Suddenly, a familiar voice rang out. The Holy Light Sorceress and the True Word Sorceress arrived together, followed by several guards.

"Such refined tastes!" True Word Sorceress remarked.

"Greetings, esteemed ones!" Luo Yong stepped forward to greet them.

"Well, well, who could compare to you?" the Holy Light Sorceress shot him a strange look.

"Eh?" Luo Yong was puzzled, glancing at Wendy to quietly inquire about the accounts and dividends.

"What’s going on? Is something wrong?" Wendy reassured Luo Yong with a gesture, then approached the two sorceresses to ask.

"It’s nothing major—just this!" The Holy Light Sorceress pointed to the long line of Death Dragonflies nearby. "Heard you made quite a splash, brought back loads of mounts, so we came to see for ourselves."

"We were worried you’d run into trouble!" True Word Sorceress added.

"I see."

Luo Yong breathed a sigh of relief. "I didn’t intend to attract so much attention, but everyone’s got their eyes on us. Even if I wanted to keep a low profile, it’s impossible now. So this is how it has to be!"

"What a predicament!" The Holy Light Sorceress sighed, her gaze intense as she fixed on Luo Yong. "Do us a favor—get us a few as well?"

"Oh, sister, just say the word! I’ll do as you ask!" Luo Yong grinned. "Shall we go now?"

"Now?" The Holy Light Sorceress asked.

"Right now!" Luo Yong nodded, not daring to delay.

"Smart fellow!" The Holy Light Sorceress nodded, smiling. "Let’s go, and calling me sister won’t go unrewarded—I’ll back you up!"

"Hehe, thank you both!" Luo Yong laughed, nodded to Wendy, and opened a portal, stepping through first.

"Well, guess I’m along for the ride," the True Word Sorceress shook her head, smiling wryly.

"Alright, don’t act coy now!" The Holy Light Sorceress retorted, following Luo Yong into the portal.

"Sigh..." The True Word Sorceress followed.

The guards went last.

"Looks like there won’t be enough pork to go around!" the Barbarian Priestess remarked.

Buzz!

Suddenly, a Death Dragonfly took off, circling above the nearby woods, sensing something amiss.

"Oh dear!" The Storm Sorceress, her hair ruffled by the wind, jumped up and looked off into the distance. "Looks like there’s no peace for this pork!"

"Who’s there?!"

"Show yourself if you dare!"

Several beautiful teammates shouted together.

But there was no response.

Around them, several Death Dragonflies had already taken flight, and the rest had mysterious lights flickering in their compound eyes, strange magic surging.

Goodness, with this display, anyone planning a surprise attack would be scared off, wary of a counterstrike.