Chapter 296: Jealousy

The three women each had their own unique charm; simply standing together, they formed a stunning sight.

The elf was exquisitely perfect, her flawless face and figure seeming to radiate holy light; Pan Ni had a fiery figure, carrying a hint of lazy, slightly clumsy married-woman vibes; Chris wore a cunning expression, her long eyes shadowed in black, as sly as a fox.

The warrior Ryan stared in shock, his eyes widening until they nearly popped out, his gaze fixed tightly on following Kali.

After all, it was human aesthetics; he was stunned by the elf's appearance, drool practically hanging from his mouth.

But seeing them surround Rod, he suddenly woke up with a grimace.

【Jealousy +358】

Rod nodded to the elf.

"Kali, sorry to trouble you."

Troubling her like this every day, he felt a bit embarrassed.

Should he buy this learned Young Lady something nice as a reward?

"Since I decided to rely on the forest to advance, the crisis concerning the forest is no longer just your problem alone."

The elf maintained her usual scowl, her words cold.

Seeing her master ignore her, Pan Ni went to greet the succubus who had transformed into a little peasant woman.

"Senior Tally!"

Who knows what relationship the two had; at least recently, they seemed to get along quite well.

Chris was asking Rod for her reward.

She and Pan Ni had been assigned to block the beast-men patients at the front line.

The reward wasn't much, just the five hundred thousand Jin Along she had been applying for a few days ago to invest in the farm.

"Next time, for sure."

Hearing the perfunctory answer again, the Banshee was displeased.

"Wanting the horse to run but not letting it eat grass, Master, how can you lead our forest sisterhood like this? Who in the sisterhood will obey you in the future?"

She began to elevate the issue.

The ghoul Pan Ni was displeased at this moment, not with Rod, but with this roommate:

"Chris, how can you say that? Master, I, Pan Ni, am different; I obey all of Master's arrangements, I need no reward, I need no bonus, I just need Master to come see me from time to time... though not for as long as last time, I'm still swelling up."

"Tsk, green-tea ghoul."

The Banshee clicked her tongue and cursed.

Rod smiled and pinched her cheek: "Little thing, do you understand your position? I'll give you a chance to reorganize your words."

Chris felt her master's expression was terrifying, and his gaze was vaguely peeking at the Bai Tu inside her collar; she quickly hunched her shoulders and slid to the ground in apology at light speed.

After receiving approval, she reluctantly went toward the front-line mountain path while bickering with Pan Ni.

Pan Ni's strength was not bad, and corpses were the one thing least lacking there; her 【Necromancy Legion】 should be able to play a major role.

Leaving the zombie Selena to hold the line.

The rest headed to check the waterway near the Hansen River.

"Hmph! Is this your way of handling things? Ranger Rod! Is this how you stole your reputation by hiding behind women?!"

The warrior Ryan suddenly roared.

His face full of indignation and righteous fury.

Rod had just taken out the Crystal Swan to cast the Mass Flight spell; hearing the shout, he and everyone else turned around in unison.

"Who is this person?"

Kali's expression was as cold as ice.

"A friend of Cecile, named Ryan."

Rod said.

He did have some breadth of mind; he didn't care much about others' doubts; time would prove everything.

Furthermore, from the perspective of employing people, although this Ryan seemed a bit prone to jealousy and petty squabbles, he was ultimately a Tier Seven Spiritual Warrior, so his combat power should not be poor.

The defense of Shi Ying Town was still insufficient; it would be even better if the City Hall could recruit him to establish a labor contract.

After all, there was the Wendigo as a precedent.

Seeing Rod's calm face, not listening to his words at all.

He even looked Ryan up and down, as if inspecting cheap labor.

Anger rose in his heart!

【Rage +53】

【Jealousy +326】

Then, a hurried denial rang out among the crowd.

"Not a friend! Just an acquaintance!"

The Tiefling girl's tone was so resolute it could pierce a man's heart.

She looked anxiously at the Ranger beside her, her eyes showing no trace of anyone else.

Ryan froze in place.

His originally bold and impassioned expression couldn't be maintained; the corners of his mouth twitched.

The atmosphere among the crowd froze for a second or two.

Then it was shattered by a burst of loud laughter.

"Hahahaha—"

Tally held Rod's arm with one hand and pointed at the other person with the other.

"He's broken! Hahaha—Is this the 'broken defense' you talked about, Master? Hahaha—"

Succubi always have strange senses of humor.

Rod tapped her head, telling her to stop laughing.

Ryan's expression was somewhat embarrassed, but he quickly turned cold, frowning:

"Cecile, I thought we had a chance. I was even willing to endure your demon bloodline and that disgusting sulfur smell."

Hearing this, Cecile's small face stiffened; she awkwardly offered no response.

Those words also pierced her heart.

Rod naturally knew this was always the point she cared about.

He sighed.

"If I let a disciple entrusted by a friend get bullied, then I, a decent person, would lose face."

He patted the shoulder of the girl behind him, moving her to stand before him.

"Don't hide."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Rod, I was just—"

"Go punch him."

Cecile looked at the man before her in shock.

Rod smiled back: "Let me teach you a spiritual warrior's way of handling things—if you can use violence, never use words."

"Wha—"

Crack—

【Pain Lash】 lightly flicked across her arm, and a surge of buffing power immediately erupted throughout her body.

"But he's a Tier Seven—"

Before she could finish, Cecile immediately noticed Rod's surface overflowing with wisps of blue-white mist carrying soul power.

The next moment.

The blue-white mist suddenly gathered behind him, expanding at high speed.

A massive bronze dragon war soul, clad in heavy bronze-scale armor, with every muscle containing explosive power, stood proudly like a mountain, manifesting.

Immediately, a deafening dragon roar echoed through the clouds.

Like thunder, it tore the surrounding air apart.

Dragon Roar!

Ryan displayed an expression of intense terror, but the next moment, he was suppressed by the dragon pressure right at his doorstep.

Stunned!

After all, he was a Tier Seven spiritual warrior; his powerful will and physique began to take effect, and he was on the verge of breaking free from the stun.

Rod secretly flicked his hand, casting another 【Mirage Net】 on him, directly controlling him on the spot.

The hesitation on Cecile's face vanished, replaced by the resolve and calm a warrior should possess.

She did not use spiritual spells, but she did not hold back either.

She coldly drew her fist to her side, expanded her chest to its limit, then, carrying a white airflow, smashed a fierce punch right into Ryan's face!

"Ugh!!"

Ryan fell clumsily to the ground, breaking free from the negative effects.

"Get lost!"

The Tiefling girl before him roared, her eyes full of disgust.

At that moment, huge panic suddenly appeared on Ryan's face; he was not looking at the girl, but at the Gao Dayingjun man standing behind her.

The dim yellow haze seemed to place the man's face in shadow; he made a throat-slitting threatening gesture toward him, his lower half a blurred, smiling face brimming with killing intent.

(End of this chapter)