[{"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-188":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},2329232,4555,"Chapter 188: Location and Spirit Seed","i-m-a-forest-warden-why-am-i-enslaving-a-succubu-chapter-188",188,"\u003Cp>The plague mage Amel did not directly participate in the kidnapping.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The spell [Withering Plants] was cast through another spell called [Frayed Disc], a white disc capable of storing spells, which releases them instantly upon shattering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike magic rings, the [Frayed Disc] requires no infusion of spirituality or magic—the spell’s power comes entirely from the person who stored it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luo De rubbed his chin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another white disc, just like the [Brittley’s Ceramic Disc] seized by Dimeya.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such identical spells suggest the same person intended to kidnap the Tree Spirit and infiltrate Sharon’s healing cottage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Given the perpetrator’s habits, they likely planned to kidnap Sharon, a dog-person—but for some reason, they withdrew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The half-wolf druid had already eliminated all the bandits; she approached with the heavy, rhythmic steps of a Xiao bear, radiating power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huh—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She raised her blood-smeared bear paw, tipped with hooked claws, and swung it down without hesitation toward the leader’s head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luo De waved his hand at her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wait, Dr. Druid.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She turned to Luo De, her Xiao bear’s round eyes filled with confusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luo De explained: “He still has accomplices, and the mastermind is hiding in the shadows. Killing him now may still lead to more withering.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The druid heeded his advice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A pulse of magical light rose from the ground, cleansing the blood from her body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then she cast [Wild Shape], reverting into the blue-and-white giant wolf.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She moved close beside the leader, baring her fangs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The leader flinched, then spilled everything—revealing even the plague doctor’s undergarment color.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though his knowledge was limited.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Another seventh-rank?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luo De thought to himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With recent instability, places like Dusk Hill, where seventh-ranks were once unseen for a year, were now swirling with activity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After consuming ten Spirit Seeds and enduring intense cultivation during this period,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luo De’s physical strength had increased dramatically.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This half-seventh-rank beneath his feet? He could kill him without using any offensive spiritual arts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He couldn’t help but marvel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>True warriors shouldn’t bother with flashy spiritual arts—plain strikes are the ultimate move; who can stand against me?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But saying that doesn’t mean much—mages have countless tricks, especially as they rise in rank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pure physical strength alone rarely gains the upper hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Haven’t you seen high-rank mages effortlessly crush giants with maxed-out strength?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Snow Hill Evening News once mentioned a spell called [Dulac’s Glass Transformation].\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thick skin means nothing—once cast, it turns giants into fragile glass.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though bards’ news often exaggerates, it still shows how varied mages’ techniques are.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luo De asked: “Where is he? Where is the plague mage Amel?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I—I don’t know now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The blue-and-white wolf immediately growled at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you mean, ‘don’t know now’?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luo De instinctively reached to pat the wolf’s head—but remembered this was a seventh-rank, and forcibly retracted his hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Amel moves unpredictably; we’ve never found him. He only appears when he needs something.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh? Then you’re useless.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No no no! I’m still useful! We agreed to meet him two days from now at Ik Hill in Dusk Hill to deliver the goods. Amel is extremely cautious—if he senses a stranger, he won’t show!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing this,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luo De fell into thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ik Hill in Dusk Hill? Two days from now?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Isn’t that exactly the date and location of the Coral Bay negotiations?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Ruin Brotherhood has long colluded with rebel mages from Coral Bay. Given Amel’s reclusive habits, he might appear near the negotiations—and simply retrieve the kidnapped specimens.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luo De originally had no interest in Coral Bay’s people; he didn’t care about the negotiations, even considered skipping them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, he realized he must attend—and bring hidden allies to ambush the plague mage, catching him off guard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luo De told the giant wolf druid about this plan and asked if she’d join the ambush.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The wolf-woman still didn’t speak to him—but nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That counted as communication.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rest was simple: Luo De disposed of the corpses and escorted the minor leader to the city hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, he was a half-seventh-rank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luo De chose to break both his arms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The witch Dimeya took great interest upon hearing this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, kidnapping sentient races was a grave crime, and this man served the plague mage—Sharon had once been threatened by him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether privately or publicly, she had to act.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She enchanted him with multiple magical restraints and threw him into the dungeon, assigning Zhuanren  to continue interrogating him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the time this was done, it was noon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luo De hurried back to the forest to inform the girls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Yu District, temporary hospital treehouse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Outside the magical treehouse, a Striped Canopy had been set up, with several magical tree-tables and chairs beneath it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It looked like a perfect picnic spot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was recently commissioned by the half-deer girl Xiao Ke for the patients’ mental well-being, crafted by Kali.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone gathered here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The elf Kali received several white ceramic [Frayed Discs] from Luo De.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She cast several identification spells upon them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She said: “They’re all [Withering Plants], plus [Nature Rejection], [Rotting Wood Binding], and [Soul Decay]—all spells targeting Tree Spirits.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She glanced at the motionless Tree Spirit, Vivian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She remained expressionless, blinking her innocent white eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the half-deer girl Xiao Ke was furious—her fists clenched, trembling with rage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Worse than that, this is deadly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kali picked out a vine glimmering with purple light from Luo De’s seized items:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I call it [Curse of Rotting Wood]. Made from a part of a Tree Spirit, it requires a cruel ritual to kill three or more Tree Spirits, twisting their souls into a weapon specifically designed to harm Tree Spirits. It drastically weakens their connection to nature, preventing them from using most of their innate spiritual arts.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone’s faces darkened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The elf reassured them: “This isn’t a mass-produced artifact—at least we don’t have to fear the enemy having more of them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luo De asked: “Why does the plague mage have so many techniques targeting Tree Spirits?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During the Jade City trip, one of Bahadur’s students had mentioned researching many Tree Spirits—this race seemed especially alluring to mages.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kali sighed: “Because of Spirit Seeds. Tree Spirits are the only race capable of producing them. Their power is too great—this is why many risk everything. That’s also why the Spirit Seed Protection Association exists.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luo De’s expression turned strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In his palm, a familiar sensation suddenly appeared—and soon, a Spirit Seed materialized.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1065,"2026-06-20T19:55:30.170Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","64c55cce19200686c26dded362d1675414ddd2930c836df82f82d4be2601eaad","i-m-a-forest-warden-why-am-i-enslaving-a-succubu-chapter-189","i-m-a-forest-warden-why-am-i-enslaving-a-succubu-chapter-187",704,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fi-m-a-forest-warden-why-am-i-enslaving-a-succubu-cover.jpg"]