Lifa pouted, “You’re no fun. I’d rather play with a ball than with you.”
Adair felt himself almost explode with frustration at the ‘idiot’. He demanded, “Surely there should be a record of this thing entering the world under your jurisdiction?”
Lifa scoffed, “It snuck in. What record would there be?”
“Did you not sense anything at all?”
Lifa stated matter-of-factly, “If I had, I wouldn’t have waited until now to retrieve it.”
“As a resident of this world, I genuinely feel sorrow for it. I’m starting to think you, the administrator, are a fake!”
Lifa replied honestly, “It’s real, but I truly don’t know how it got in. It’s almost as if it has my house key.”
“…” Adair grumbled, “Are you sure you’re not just trying to make trouble for me because I’m living too comfortably? Someone throws a ticking time bomb into your house, and you don’t feel a thing?”
Lifa retorted, “If someone hides a ticking time bomb in your house and lets you know about it, how is that any different from not throwing it at all?”
Adair felt like her words made sense, yet something still seemed off.
“Do you know who threw that ticking time bomb?”
“If I knew, would I need to ask you to go find those foreign objects yourself?”
“Aren’t you going to investigate?”
“Isn’t it precisely because I can’t investigate it right now that I’m standing here, discussing it with you politely?”
Adair and Lifa stared at each other, large eyes meeting small. After a long moment, Adair clutched his somewhat muddled head and asked, “What were we talking about again?”
Lifa thought for a moment. “I think it was about a ticking time bomb.”
“Oh, a ticking time bomb!” Adair clapped his hands, a look of sudden realization on his face. Then, he immediately punched himself in the head. A ticking time bomb, my foot! He had almost been led astray by this idiot.
“Information! You can’t ask me to find something without giving me any intelligence. Your radar only has a 100-meter scanning range. You know how big this world is, right?!”
Lifa said meekly, “Can I owe you the information for now? I really don’t know. Some scoundrel exploited a loophole in the management system and crammed something into the world. I haven’t found any records.”
“I’ve already asked a reliable senior to help me investigate and track down that scoundrel. If there’s any intelligence to be had, foreign objects usually cause quite a stir when used in this world.”
Seeing that Adair was still dissatisfied, Lifa quickly tried to sway him with reason and emotion. “I won’t set a specific deadline for this task. But at least when incidents like these suspected foreign objects occur, you must remember to retrieve them. Otherwise, big problems will arise.”
“No matter what, this is for the good of our world. I’m not just relying on you alone; there will be helpers. And, I can give you benefits.”
“Benefits?”
As Lifa puffed out her chest and raised her head, Adair’s gaze, in a very masculine way, fixed on a certain protrusion. Lifa immediately crossed her arms defensively and stepped back, threatening, “I’m not selling myself! I am a goddess; don’t go too far, or I’ll smite you!”
Adair said coldly, “Give it a rest, you flat board.”
Lifa was furious! This man was utterly worthless compared to Isaac!
Was it her fault? Besides, how could one conquer the world without a flat chest? Sure enough, he looked down on others; she couldn’t expect him to appreciate her beauty.
“Since there are rewards, give me something more practical. I’m a Black Dragon hybrid; help me resolve my bloodline curse.”
Still fuming, Lifa blurted out, “No way.”
“Hmm?”
Lifa snapped back to reality and quickly corrected herself, “Ah, no. I mean, I can’t do it.”
“Are you really a goddess?” Adair asked with some suspicion. “How come you’re useless at everything?”
Lifa spread her hands. “I can’t help it. Under non-special circumstances, I cannot directly interfere with the creatures of this world. My previous threat to you was only by adjusting your luck. But the reward you want directly affects the physical body, so I’m helpless, unless you can bring your physical body here too.”
Lifa’s voice grew weaker. “Even Isaac, whom I chose, I don’t directly provide him with power. At most, I tell him cultivation methods and the locations of some treasures. But what you’re asking for…”
Adair gazed at this useless goddess with utter disappointment.
“It’s truly not easy for Isaac to have become so strong. That person seems more talented than I imagined. Alas, you at least have information about how to lift my bloodline curse, right?”
Lifa’s eyes lit up; this she knew. She immediately nodded. “Yes, yes, I have that.”
Adair’s eyes brightened. “I don’t just want Black Dragon blood; I also need the Dragon Clan’s trial.”
She knew that too. Lifa instantly grew bolder. “Yes, yes.”
“Then tell me quickly.”
Lifa asked strangely, “How can you ask for a reward when you haven’t completed the mission? At least find the complete Desire Gene Amplifier; there are already clues for that, right?”
“You… fine.”
Adair was puzzled; how was her IQ suddenly online now?
“Well then, let’s stop here. I still need to investigate who is plotting against me. Bye-bye.”
Lifa waved her hand, and Adair felt his consciousness gradually blur before he fell into a deep slumber.
****
In reality, Adair felt his face suddenly become sticky, as if something was licking him.
Opening his eyes, he saw Yuzu’s dog head, its tongue extended, licking his face, making it impossible for Adair to rest.
Adair sat up and picked up Yuzu. Ye Xi, who had been beside him, had already left, her whereabouts unknown.
“What are you doing? And where’s Ye Xi?”
“Woof woof!”
Adair watched Yuzu howl wildly, unable to understand what it was barking about.
There was nothing he could do; Yuzu could understand human speech, but Adair couldn’t understand wolf language.
Thinking about it this way, he felt as if his intelligence was inferior to that of a young wolf.
Adair placed Yuzu on the ground. Yuzu waited anxiously beside him, occasionally biting Adair’s pant leg and pulling him outwards.
Following Yuzu’s lead, Adair arrived at the dining area of the residence. A round table was laden with a sumptuous meal.
Rod, Ye Xi, and the others were already seated, waiting only for Adair.
“Sorry, I’m late.”
From the position of the sun overhead, Adair understood that what they were eating now was likely no longer breakfast.
Yuzu, having completed its task of waking Adair, darted over to Ye Xi’s side, seeking a reward.
Ye Xi’s left arm was still bandaged, but from her calm demeanor, this injury didn’t seem to affect her much.
Ye Xi poured Yuzu’s long-awaited dog food into a nearby dish, and the gluttonous Yuzu began to eat heartily.
Adair understood then. No wonder this foodie had been so anxious; he had delayed its meal.
Adair sat directly next to Ye Xi and quietly asked, “Why didn’t you call me?”
Ye Xi’s expression was a little strange. She asked, “Do you really want to know?”
Adair was a little confused. “What’s wrong?”
Ye Xi then told Adair what she had seen after waking up.
Ye Xi had woken up early and intended to wake Adair, but when she gently shook him, the strange phenomenon that appeared on his body made her stop.
Adair’s body suddenly emitted colorful light, and then several large characters slowly floated out of him.
“This goddess has matters to discuss with this person. Idlers, do not disturb!”
Adair: “…”
This goddess definitely dyed her hair; she must have had blue hair before!
“I know,” Adair said, covering his head helplessly.
Seeing this, Rod asked with concern, “Brother Adair, are you alright?”
Adair waved his hand. “I’m fine, I’m fine. Oh, by the way, is that old man I brought back yesterday still here?”
Rocco replied, “He is. He’s being held in a room, blindfolded. Servants have already been sent to feed him and give him water.”
“I want to take him out of the city. I originally intended to leave with the garbage truck at dawn, but now it seems that plan is off. Can you make arrangements?”
Rod nodded. “No problem. We’re planning to head towards the Sky Garden today; we can give you a ride.”
Adair paused, surprised. “You’re actually going? My original intention was for you to find an excuse to stay in the city.”
Rocco shrugged. “You should ask your brother Rod about that.”
Adair looked at Rod with confusion. The shy young man said weakly, “I thought it would be better to make a pretense into reality. Because these past few days, I was responsible for attracting reinforcements from outside, and I ended up finding Baron Brandon from the neighboring territory. He has always disapproved of Baron Quentin’s actions, and this time he’s willing to help us. He’ll dispatch his territory’s cavalry regiment to assist us.”
“And the necessary route from his territory to here passes through the Sky Garden. I thought that since that’s the case, we might as well go and meet them. On one hand, it would lull Baron Quentin into a false sense of security, and on the other, it could conceal the cavalry regiment’s true purpose. Otherwise, a cavalry regiment passing through the Sky Garden would be too conspicuous.”
“Brother Adair’s whereabouts are unpredictable, so I discussed it with Second Brother at the time, and we ultimately decided on this.” Rod looked at Adair with a hint of longing, seemingly hoping for his approval. This sudden big brother and his actions were like those heroes in novels, causing the still-developing youth to have an idol-like admiration for Adair.
Rocco felt gloomy. ‘So, you mean I’m not as reliable as Adair? After all that, I’m just a backup?’
Adair re-evaluated Rod. This quick-witted adaptation changed his previous impression of Rod.
He had originally thought this was just an innocent, kind, and naive child, protected by his father and brothers.
Now it seemed Rod was not as much of a ‘flower vase’ as Adair had thought; it was only his somewhat immature mindset that hindered his talent.
The idea was excellent, but he lacked decisiveness and confidence. However, this already made Adair, who was about to become his life mentor, relieved. It seemed he wouldn’t be too exhausted.
“Was I too hasty?”
Rod, seeing Adair remain silent for a long time, felt a little uncertain.
“No, you did surprisingly well,” Adair affirmed. “A good strategy should adapt to the situation; rigid adherence is to be avoided. You did great. Be more confident next time.”
“Mm!” Rod showed a childlike, pure smile.
Adair sighed at the sight. This kind of smile probably wouldn’t last long. The cruel struggles of the royal family would inevitably deliver heavy blows and the baptism of blood to this young man. Such was the price of growth.
Adair suddenly thought of Baron Quentin. With such a major incident at his mansion—his cooperative partner betrayed, and his old butler mysteriously missing—he was probably unable to eat or sleep, as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.