[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-i-m-a-forest-warden-why-am-i-enslaving-a-succubu":3,"chapter-i-m-a-forest-warden-why-am-i-enslaving-a-succubu-i-m-a-forest-warden-why-am-i-enslaving-a-succubu-chapter-161":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","I'm a Forest Warden—Why Am I Enslaving a Succubus?",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2329205,4555,"Chapter 161: Clouds of Suspicion","i-m-a-forest-warden-why-am-i-enslaving-a-succubu-chapter-161",161,"\u003Cp>Half an hour ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shi Ying Town.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No. 2 Rank Street, Hyacinth Inn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fried Argyle lay lazily on a reclining chair, his gaze crossing the window, coldly observing the movements of the people on the street.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Creak—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The door opened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A mushroom person with a large red cap strode in boldly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His entire body was covered in white fungal growths like hair, and where his face should be was a half-open, vacant mouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My lord, it’s done.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each step this mushroom person took struck his thick wooden staff, which was covered in white hallucinogenic mushrooms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every vibration released a cloud of hallucinogenic spores.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He walked straight into it and took a deep breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Floating on air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Toru, how many times have I told you? When entering a confined space like this room, don’t release your damn hallucinogenic spores!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the corner of the room sat a woman, arms crossed, face displeased.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her body was frail and slender, her limbs slightly longer than normal, giving her an unusually light frame.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her eyes, hair, and skin all had a pale hue, as if shrouded in a faint halo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But these were secondary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The most striking feature was the white wings on her back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was an avian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The avian’s reprimand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mushroom person Toru paid no attention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He said, “Don’t underestimate the spores, Carolyne. Human towns always lack spore dispersion—that’s why their bodies are so weak.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t impose your mushroom people’s theories on others. Too many spores will kill other races.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Impossible? Spores give them nutrition and spiritual essence. Those who die from them have other bodily flaws—definitely not caused by the spores.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The avian Carolyne rolled her eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Too lazy to argue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fried Argyle on the recliner didn’t look at them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We need twelve arrays total. Toru, have you finished them all?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Toru spoke dully and thickly, “Only one done.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He then took a blissful inhale of hallucinogenic spores.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fried let out a silent sigh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You lazy bum! You’ve only finished one, and you dare come back so casually?! How dare you say it’s done?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The avian Carolyne had a fiery temper.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, she launched into another tirade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After scolding, she turned to Fried.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My lord! I told you not to hire mushroom people as mages—they’re nothing but spore addicts! They spend every day lost in hallucinatory fantasies and care nothing for the real world!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fried Argyle rose from the recliner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He turned his head toward the mushroom person Toru.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A deep red flame suddenly erupted from his neck upward, blazing fiercely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His facial hair and skin burned to ash.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Revealing a crimson-skinned, monstrous face of a hellish demon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This “Fried” stepped toward the mushroom person, yellow eyes flickering with pure magical energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Toru shuddered violently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instant agony tore through his mind, making him collapse to the floor, unable to stand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“S-sorry! Spare me, Lord Atlu!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Here, call me Fried Argyle!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lord Fried! Spare me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only after the demon Atlu had clearly absorbed Toru’s fear did he dispel the spell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Toru gasped like a drowning man surfacing, desperately sucking air into his lungs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He dared not act up again—not even picking up his mushroom staff.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And this demon lord understood well how to manage people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A slap, then a honeyed date.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He said, “The lie fabricated through Commissioner Humbert’s stepdaughter Tobeca won’t hold much longer. The people of Shi Ying Town will soon notice something’s wrong and restart their investigation into me. Before that, you must complete all twelve arrays! Toru, I know you’ve long desired the Demon Eye Mushroom from Hell. If you finish on time, I won’t hesitate to petition the Duke on your behalf.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mushroom person’s emotions shifted quickly—fear vanished, replaced at once by delight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I won’t disappoint you, my lord!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Saying this, he grabbed his staff and left to continue setting up the arrays.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Lord Atlu called him back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Remember to cast an anti-decay spell on the ritual materials in the arrays. Don’t forget last time’s failure—when the materials rotted and the ritual collapsed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lord Fried, you don’t understand—spore dispersion enhances ritual efficacy. Those damn anti-decay spells only block the spores. Last time’s failure was due to the ritual taking too long…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A threatening growl rumbled from the demon’s throat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly displeased by the defiance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Toru shrank his shoulders and whispered weakly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This time’s ritual materials have no fresh flesh—only bones and hardened hides. Without an anti-decay spell, it shouldn’t matter…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do it when I tell you! Don’t argue here!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, sir!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sensing his lord’s tone had turned sour again, he fled the room like a man escaping death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching the erratic mushroom mage leave,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the demon Atlu sighed, reverted to Fried Argyle’s form, and sat back down on the recliner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My lord, why go to such lengths for a mere Shi Ying Town? There’s no seventh-rank here—I could slaughter them all alone.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Said the avian Carolyne.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The situation on the far western frontier is more complex than you imagine, Carolyne. According to the intelligence Igo provided, there’s an eighth-rank scorpion woman here who once made a pact with the old king of Aitheron.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Eighth-rank?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her face paled, and she fell silent at once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their lord continued:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“For years—even during the dragon attack on Shi Ying Town fifty years ago—this scorpion woman never left the Windwall Forest. But recently, for reasons unknown, she left the forest and killed one of Igo’s bishops. In short, this eighth-rank is a major variable. Best not to provoke her.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My lord’s foresight is admirable.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t flatter me. The Duke has long coveted the Guardian Array protecting human cities. Fortunately, the southern Hell lord recently acted, drawing attention away—giving us our chance to come to the surface. Shi Ying Town is the only mid-to-small region with a Guardian Array. If we deliver this to him, the reward will be great. The Duke has a natural fondness for avians. When you rise one day, don’t forget my help.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“All thanks to your guidance. By the way, I heard there’s a forest warden here who’s a formidable fighter.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the demon Atlu smiled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I saw him at last night’s banquet—he’s truly exceptional. Even at sixth-rank, I couldn’t have lasted three blows against him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So strong?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Far stronger than a typical sixth-rank. But unfortunately, we’re seventh-rank. Besides securing the Guardian Array, our goal is to eliminate him. If we let him grow further, he’ll become a top-tier human powerhouse—and could severely hinder our plans to reclaim the surface from Hell.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1085,"2026-06-20T19:55:30.170Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","01c87d74f389ca8190b62ef1ef0008d09c8ceabf4a34d7eaead03b7316e7ece7","i-m-a-forest-warden-why-am-i-enslaving-a-succubu-chapter-162","i-m-a-forest-warden-why-am-i-enslaving-a-succubu-chapter-160",704,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fi-m-a-forest-warden-why-am-i-enslaving-a-succubu-cover.jpg"]