Adair: “!!!”
‘So the retaliation wasn’t over yet!’
Feeling a subtle vibration beneath her feet, Ye Xi sneered at Adair. She then activated ‘Existence Erasure’ to confound the underground predator’s movements, ensuring she remained invisible until the creature dealt with Adair.
Adair’s perception of danger had recently become quite acute. Though he lacked Ye Xi’s sharp senses, his instincts screamed that peril lurked beneath his feet.
A vine tendril suddenly burst from the earth beside Adair’s foot, intent on binding him.
Fortunately, Adair had already been on guard. He nimbly dodged the vine whip attack, leaping clear of its snaking coils.
Yet, this was far from over. Streaks of vine whips shot out from beneath the grassland, relentlessly pursuing Adair.
“Damn it!”
Ye Xi stood aside, watching Adair nimbly evade the vines’ onslaught, and nodded to herself in approval.
He was, after all, not a blockhead like a Kila Monkey. Though his training period had been brief, Adair had diligently absorbed the knowledge and skills imparted.
He utilized energy-saving movements to achieve maximum evasion. For unavoidable attacks, he would attempt to adjust his body posture to dissipate most of the force, ensuring his vital areas remained safe from heavy blows.
However, intense activity while carrying a heavy load proved too strenuous.
Adair’s movements visibly slowed, while the number and frequency of the vine attacks surged. Clearly, the predator had not expected to expend so much effort on such an insignificant ‘ant’.
Adair’s severe fatigue led to his body stiffening. In a moment of carelessness, he was struck head-on by a vine whip and slammed heavily to the ground.
Seeing this, Ye Xi could no longer merely observe. After a considerable wait, the predator still hadn’t emerged from underground. Ye Xi could sense what a colossal creature the underground hunter was, several times larger than the plump worm she had previously encountered.
For enemies of such immense size, attacking vital points was the safest approach; other areas would likely prove ineffective. Ye Xi abandoned any thought of killing the predator, deeming it an unrewarding effort.
She stomped heavily on the grass, soaring like an arrow piercing the clouds. She weaved through the dense vine whips, pulling Adair out of the encirclement before they could subject him to a ferocious tentacle play, then moved at high speed away from the predator.
The predator, seeing its prey being rescued, frantically pursued with its vine whips, but its efforts were in vain.
There was a vast difference in speed between the vine whips and Ye Xi. In no time, Ye Xi had moved beyond the predator’s attack range.
“Still, isn’t that attack range a bit too large?”
Ye Xi gazed at the nearby boundary of the Green Grassland. The vine whips had pursued them for roughly a kilometer, reaching this very point.
“Speaking of which, does Helada’s Green Grassland have predators of this caliber? It certainly makes one suspicious.”
Adair was being carried by Ye Xi, yet this did not prevent him from hanging limply and pondering the situation.
“Huh, aren’t you going to put me down?”
Noticing that Ye Xi seemed intent on continuing to carry him, Adair looked at her, puzzled. He saw her frowning deeply as she scanned a thicket outside the Green Grassland.
“Don’t speak. We’re being watched.”
With that, Ye Xi quickly departed from the area, carrying both Yuzu and Adair.
In the area Ye Xi had just scanned, several furtive figures poked their heads out, documenting the situation. One of the leaders turned to their companions and instructed, “Go, report this situation to the Duke.”
“Yes.”
One person swiftly departed, while the others remained crouched, closely monitoring the Green Grassland.
****
Elsewhere, Ye Xi only placed Adair and Yuzu on the ground after confirming they had evaded surveillance.
Adair rose and asked Ye Xi, “How strong were the observers?”
“Not strong. I could deal with them easily. But given the grassland’s predator and certain encumbrances, I didn’t think it was a good time to act.”
“Indeed, with Yuzu and I there, and that unknown predator, it wouldn’t have been easy for you to make a move.”
Adair, with his self-awareness, understood Ye Xi’s meaning perfectly.
He opened his magic map once more, realizing that Ye Xi hadn’t been moving aimlessly. Though in Adair’s perception she seemed to be darting left and right, she was actually moving steadily closer to the Helada region’s lord’s city. They were now not far from it.
Adair put away the map and suggested, “It seems many unusual incidents have occurred in the Helada region. Once we enter the city, let’s first gather information at a teahouse, then visit the Duke. How does that sound?”
Ye Xi shrugged. “As you wish.”
While Adair knew Ye Xi wouldn’t object, not objecting was one thing, and seeking her opinion was another. Just as Ye Xi rarely allowed him to be humiliated in front of outsiders, Adair, in his own way, respected Ye Xi.
The two arrived at the lord’s city, where the atmosphere was entirely different from Quentin’s domain. As one of the few large cities in the country, its overall layout and planning were meticulously crafted.
The roads were clean and spacious, the streets beautifully landscaped with vibrant flowers adorning both sides, making the city exceptionally picturesque. Convenient transportation and a variety of shops contributed to the city’s lively and prosperous ambiance. Quentin’s management style, which pushed the wealth gap to its extreme, could not conceal the overall backward and stagnant appearance of the city, no matter how magnificent the inner city might be.
Most people living in this city wore happy smiles. Adair felt a little relieved, seeing that the information he had was accurate; the Duke was not an incompetent ruler. Of course, even if the territory was well-managed, it didn’t necessarily mean the Duke was beyond reproach, which was why Adair wanted to investigate privately first.
Adair’s first task was to visit the commercial street to buy several outfits of different styles. He then changed into more elegant and tasteful attire, ensuring his first impression would be that of a refined young noble.
As for Ye Xi, she merely needed to fulfill her role as a maid.
Thus, a wealthy young man, accompanied by his personal maid, strolled confidently into a teahouse. They found a table by a window in a bustling area and settled down.
Adair ordered several expensive teas, pretending to savor them, but in reality, he was listening intently to the idle chatter from other tables.
“Why isn’t the Green Grassland open yet? I have to take such a long detour to transport goods.”
Suddenly, Adair overheard information that piqued his interest.
“Exactly. The Duke ordered the grassland sealed at the beginning of the month, and there’s still no word on why.”
“I actually heard some news about that. You know about the large-scale disappearance of cattle and sheep before the Green Grassland was closed, right? A shepherd friend of mine said…”
The speaker’s voice dropped, and Adair couldn’t quite catch the rest. After a moment of contemplation, he stood up and approached their table. He politely said, “Excuse me, I apologize for interrupting.”
The men were startled by Adair’s sudden address. However, his luxurious clothing, distinguished demeanor, the stunning maid behind him, and his courteous tone immediately dispelled any annoyance they might have felt from the interruption. While they didn’t know which noble family Adair belonged to, these seasoned merchants understood the importance of befriending, rather than antagonizing, those in power.
One man, who appeared quite experienced, amicably replied, “It’s no trouble at all, sir. We were just chatting idly. Is there something you need?”
Adair nodded and stated, “You all seem to have lived in the Helada region for a long time, so I presume you are quite familiar with this area. I wish to inquire about a few matters. If it’s convenient, would you mind joining me for a chat? I have already prepared some excellent tea to treat you.”
Adair’s humble and refined tone made it difficult for them to refuse. Since he had invited them to tea, they couldn’t possibly be so impolite. So, the men moved to Adair’s table, where he introduced the various precious teas.
After discerning their preferences, Adair subtly gestured to Ye Xi. Understanding his intent, Ye Xi stepped forward to pour tea for them.
With a beautiful woman serving tea, and an extraordinary noble willing to share a table, these men, though not inexperienced youths, were still flattered. One of them, though basking in the attention, hadn’t forgotten Adair’s purpose and inquired, “May I ask what you wish to know, sir?”
Adair, with a gentle smile, replied, “To be frank, I have only recently come of age and do not wish to rely solely on my family’s influence. I aspire to forge my own path. I happened to hear that the pastures of the Green Grassland in the Helada region are lush, and the livestock raised there are of exceptional quality. Therefore, I traveled all the way from the capital with the intention of investing. However, upon arriving today, I discovered that the Green Grassland appears to be closed. I hadn’t heard of this situation before my arrival, and I just overheard that you gentlemen seem to have some knowledge. If it’s convenient, I hope you can inform me of the reason.”
The men immediately seized upon the keywords ‘family’ and ‘capital’ in Adair’s speech, instantly realizing that he was a distinguished noble from the capital. This elevated Adair’s status in their eyes even further.
“Ah, that matter,” one of them (Man A) said with regret. “You certainly have good judgment, sir. The livestock from the Green Grassland are renowned nationwide, and with your status, you would undoubtedly be able to secure a share. However, it’s a pity that the Green Grassland has undergone unusual changes recently. The Duke has ordered the entire Green Grassland sealed, strictly forbidding outsiders from entering. Anyone found will be immediately arrested.”
Adair raised an eyebrow. He and Ye Xi hadn’t encountered any patrols when they left, only a few lurking scouts. He presumed Ye Xi had been quick enough to evade surveillance before soldiers could arrive.
Adair inquired, “When will the Green Grassland reopen?”
“Who knows? There’s been no news since the beginning of the month.”
Adair pondered, ‘Beginning of the month? That’s around the time they first entered Quentin’s territory.’
Adair pressed on, “Do you know the reason?”
Another passerby (Man B) chimed in, “Ah, about that, although the Duke has completely suppressed the news, I have a friend who used to be a shepherd in the Green Grassland. I heard from him that a monster appeared there, not only slaughtering livestock but also attacking people. Many shepherds and their animals have ended up in that monster’s belly.”