A perfect plan

“I don’t have much confidence either,” Livia said, “I’m just trying it out, and I’ve even prepared for the worst. It’s really heaven’s will… No, this is the result of our own efforts this time!”

The two couldn’t hide their excitement, stunning Ilya and Flora standing beside them.

In their eyes, this was just like lighting paper and firewood – burning, burning out, disappearing, nothing special. Therefore, they couldn’t understand the excitement of the two at all.

“Sisi~ Why are you so happy? Using fire against a horde of goblins is indeed a good idea, but I can also cast fireballs with magic. You’re working so hard, why not pile up firewood at the city gate and light it?”

Ilya also crossed her arms and nodded faintly, “With this time, we could have reinforced the city defenses by another layer.”

“No, no, no, it’s completely different!”

Livia found a cloth bag and put all the powder into it, dividing it into two bags and pressing them down firmly.

“This is the final step. You’ll know its effects soon. Let’s go, how are the defenses being built at the west gate? We… have to go to North Mountain together!”

“Basically, everything has been carried out according to your plan. They wouldn’t dare slack off.”

“Mhm, that’s good. Actually, I also considered the strategy of throwing firewood and letting Flora ignite it with magic, but it would inevitably require carrying a lot of firewood up the mountain, making a lot of noise, and consuming magic power. The effect would only be burning, with no impact, and it wouldn’t be able to effectively damage the goblins.”

Saying this, Livia scratched her head awkwardly and handed the cloth bag over, “I, I don’t have the strength. Can you help me pack them tightly? The tighter the better.”

“Heh, I’ll see what you can come up with.”

Ilya narrowed her eyes, then raised her fist and smashed it down on the cloth bag again and again.

Flora also approached with a smile, rotated her wrists a few times, raised her little fists, and smashed down fiercely!

“Hiss…”

Livia and Alice huddled together, shrinking into a corner of the room, silently watching the two.

“Via, you say, Xiao Fu Fu looks so delicate, where does she get her strength…?”

“Are you asking me? Then let me ask you, how can that tall and slender Ilya smash the cloth bag so loudly? No, what’s with that nickname!?”

Livia, the entire loli leaning forward, tilted her small head, her red eyes widened as she observed Big Thunder, “You’re already calling her that? Will you be calling her Fu-husband tomorrow?”

“Scram, scram, scram. She insisted on calling me by my nickname, so this is just returning the courtesy. Look at you, how are you doing? You saved that person, yet she still has a cold expression. I really saved her better than you did~”

“Heh, what do you know? This is called being straightforward. Besides, don’t think that just because she’s close to you, she won’t tie you up and whip you behind your back.”

The two whispered to each other for a short while, then saw that the cloth bag had been packed tightly.

“That’s good!”

Livia picked it up and inspected it, nodding with satisfaction.

The cloth bag still felt warm. Touching it carefully by hand, it was hard and granular.

She put one of them into her satchel and held the other in her hand, turning around quickly, “Let’s go, we’re going to North Mountain together!”

“What about the west gate?”

Ilya’s gaze pierced through the wooden window, looking into the distance, “The three of you go to North Mountain, and I’ll take the militia to the west gate alone.”

As soon as she said this, Flora and Alice both nodded.

Flora knew Ilya’s strength and her leadership abilities. Leaving the west gate to her, just for defense, would definitely hold out for a full day.

Alice, on the other hand, believed in the power of gunpowder. With the silver-haired woman carrying that small bag, she would have more than enough to deal with the trash goblins.

Just as the three had finalized their plans, Livia shuddered, a hint of determination appearing in her red eyes, “No!”

“…What?”

Ilya frowned. Since she could remember, no one had ever dared to speak to her so loudly.

“We four must go together. We are indispensable!”

Livia had already made deductions in her mind and formulated a perfect plan.

“We need to annihilate the goblins to the north as quickly as possible, and then return before the west gate falls.”

She stood up straight, staggered, her body swaying violently.

Then she supported her forehead and raised the cloth bag.

“This thing can effectively cause damage and deterrence to goblins. Coupled with the three rings of defense fortifications we’ve temporarily set up, I estimate that the west gate can hold for half an hour, probably… no, it will definitely hold.”

“Are you confident?”

Ilya walked over, silently leaning her shoulder against the white-haired loli, who looked like she might collapse at any moment. The latter nodded vigorously, “I’m confident. I’ve calculated everything.”

“Alright, let’s go then.”

Ilya didn’t hesitate and squatted down.

The white-haired loli tilted her head, “?”

“Get on, I’ll carry you.”

“This, this… how embarrassing…”

Livia’s face instantly flushed red. Flora, on the other hand, swayed her shoulders with a smile, “Go on, go on~ Otherwise, can you even walk, little one~?”

“Mhm…”

“In a way, Ya Ya has achieved something unprecedented~ Oh right,” Flora turned slightly, looking at Alice with a smile, “Do you want to come up too?”

“I, I don’t need to!”

The golden Big Thunder immediately stood at attention, “This young lady has great stamina and can run very fast!”

“Sigh~ What a shame. I was wondering what it would feel like to have Sisi on my back, hehehe~”

“…”

As expected, she had ulterior motives.

Thus, Ilya carried Livia on her back, Flora held Alice’s hand, and under the dark night, the four silently slipped into the dense forest.

Livia’s arms rested weakly on Ilya’s shoulders, her breathing shallow but carrying a long-suppressed urgency.

Her scarlet eyes twinkled with a cold light, as if burning with an inextinguishable cold flame.

“It’s just ahead.”

Only faint moonlight spilled through the forest canopy. Tree shadows swayed, as if countless eyes were peering from the darkness. Livia whispered to remind them.

“Be careful of your surroundings. There might be goblins hiding in the bushes.”

The moonlight was obscured by thick clouds, and only the occasional sound of wind brushed past the treetops, bringing a hint of cold. All of them widened their eyes. In this oppressive environment, even though they were facing goblins, they felt an indescribable tension.

“Are you scared?”

Ilya slowed her steps, feeling the little white ball behind her trembling slightly.

Like a small young beast.

For some reason, even though she knew that the person behind her had once desecrated her, she couldn’t muster any trace of anger. Instead, a strange feeling welled up deep within her heart.

Was it because her wounds had healed? Or was it due to that self-sacrificing act? Or perhaps hearing her resolute decision now? Or maybe, an inexplicable sense of loss in her heart…

She seemed to have dreamt of being killed by goblins. In the dream, she desperately wanted to see this white ball again.

Ilya couldn’t understand when she had first noticed her.

Gentle, kind, lively, resilient, resolute. These were completely incompatible personalities, yet they were all converged in one person at this moment.

Strange.

It was truly strange.

At this moment, I should be lost in dreams, resting, and waiting for my guards to find me tomorrow to execute those rebellious two, and then leave.

If everything went smoothly, our paths would never cross again.

But the world was never smooth.

Am I running through the deep forest carrying her?

Ha, I must be crazy to believe a child’s words.

Just as Ilya frowned and sighed, the little white ball’s voice reached her ears…