Chapter 316: Hold Tight

The star spirit Hali immediately agreed.

About half an hour later, she arrived flying in.

But the male star spirit Jeremy was nowhere to be seen—she came alone, looking slightly worn from travel.

It seemed she had rushed here the moment she received Luo De's message.

This left Luo De genuinely surprised.

He didn't recall having any special relationship with this star spirit.

He'd thrown her several flirtatious glances and shown off a few times, but all had vanished into silence, with no response at all.

He had even assumed she was like Kalist— a cold, distant woman.

Could she be cold outside but warm inside?

"A woman?"

Star spirit Hali spotted a white-robed mage amid the vortex of ice littered with remains.

She was short, but her bust and hips gave her a remarkably proportioned figure.

She secretly felt displeased.

You summoned me—and brought a girl along? What were those flirtatious glances you threw me before?

Then again, that's not right.

The first time we met, he was already accompanied by two girls.

After a moment's thought, she set aside her annoyance and turned her mind to how she could raise his fondness for her.

"Miss Hali, you've grown even more beautiful in just two days."

Luo De smiled and spoke.

Then he introduced her to Ouna.

But Ouna had specifically warned him not to reveal her identity with the Magic Control League's Containment Division.

"The Mycelium Clan is a newly relocated mushroom tribe. We don't know their exact location, but on the way here, I contacted a friend from the Umbrella Clan who said he'd help us inquire. Let's go meet him first."

After exchanging greetings,

Hali spoke concisely.

Having a lead is best—far better than blindly searching the vast Koshi Plains.

And mushroom folk live underground; if Luo De had to search inch by inch, he might never find them.

No further words were spoken.

The three each activated flight magic, with Hali leading the way.

After nearly an hour of travel,

They landed at the edge of a thorn forest.

In winter, the thorn forest held no green at all; the trees looked like brown vines bursting from the ground, sprawling wildly.

Their surfaces bristled with sharp thorns; no one would dare pass through here.

At the forest's edge,

a tall mushroom folk with a round, bloated belly waved at them.

"This is Noah of the Umbrella Clan. If anyone on the Koshi Plains knows mushroom folk whereabouts, it's him."

Hali led off with praise and introduction.

Luo De and Ouna also showered him with compliments.

This mushroom folk Noah was easy to flatter.

He laughed heartily, slapped his belly, and swore he'd lead them straight to the Mycelium Clan's location.

Still need to find them?

Luo De thought for a moment, then nodded.

After all, they were newly relocated; their tribal location was private and wouldn't be revealed lightly.

Noah looked simple-minded and didn't notice the worry in Luo De and Ouna's eyes.

Star spirit Hali, as the intermediary, took on the role of offering reassurance.

"Don't worry, Mr. Luo De, Miss Ouna. Mushroom folk communicate through spores and leave 'messages' along their paths. Noah will surely help us."

Ouna nodded.

As a rabbit folk skilled in spirit magic, they had notable weaknesses.

Star destiny, prophecy, and perception were their weakest areas; if she had to find someone alone, she'd likely have to return to the Magic Control League for help.

And even then, she'd probably resort to the slow, brute-force method of searching inch by inch—nothing compared to Noah's local efficiency.

After the conversation ended,

everyone immediately began searching.

Mushroom folk Noah's first destination was the Sporelight Colony on the eastern edge of the Koshi Plains—the colony closest to the damp marshes.

And its inhabitants had directly interacted with the Mycelium Clan.

The group sped up.

But the journey was long; they flew for two full hours before arriving.

Information gathering went smoothly.

After giving twelve vials of soil fertility magic potion, Noah learned the Mycelium Clan's underground location.

The group immediately set off again without pause.

"Truly, Mr. Noah, you found it at once!"

Ouna praised.

Now that they had the location, she finally relaxed a little.

Mushroom folk Noah scratched his head.

A little embarrassed: "The Sporelight folks are hard to deal with. Without Mr. Luo De's magic potions, I doubt I could've gotten this far so easily."

Mushroom folk have no particular preferences.

But they do require specific soil fertility for their habitats.

Such magic potions are rarely kept on hand; Ouna and Hali, both of high rank, certainly wouldn't carry items unrelated to themselves.

Luo De was different—he was, after all, a forest warden.

He also ran a farm, so he had ample knowledge and supplies regarding soil fertility; twelve vials were nothing.

"It's mainly thanks to Mr. Noah's connections that we succeeded so smoothly."

Luo De smiled, willingly giving him the credit.

Noah burst into chuckling laughter.

His round, single-colored yellow eyes resembled a cartoon character's, and his gaze toward Luo De grew even warmer.

Ouna secretly winked at him, smiling sweetly.

Star spirit Hali watched, silently guessing his identity.

As she'd suspected, Luo De—with such power—could never be an unknown.

She didn't even need to spend time investigating.

Just by checking old newspapers from Dusk Hill, she easily pinned down his name: "Forest Warden Luo De of the Windwall Forest."

But Luo De is a common name.

So until now, she'd only vaguely suspected, never dared to confirm.

Only today, seeing Luo De pull out a large quantity of plant materials and potions, did she become certain.

"He single-handedly drove off two seventh-rank Infernal claws—even when he was only at early sixth rank."

Hali's blue eyes fixed on Luo De, sparkling with admiration.

Though recent bard-made newspapers exaggerate, they still prove his potential.

He stands just one step from seventh rank; if I can win him over, I'll secure a place for myself within the Star Association.

But

Doesn't he have too many women around him?

Hali fell into deep thought.

How do you control a potential asset who's never short of women?

Take the initiative?

No—the newspapers say he keeps a succubus; no one outdoes a succubus in seduction.

Then be cold and distant—become a woman he can't have?

Also no.

The Windwall Forest is home to tree spirits known for emotional detachment and elves with foul tempers—those are racial traits; they can't be matched.

Hali began rummaging through novels she'd read.

As an unmarried old maid, during other star spirit family gatherings, she'd only stay home reading novels and romance tales.

"Clearly, he prefers non-human races—should I leverage racial traits?"

Aren't we star spirits semi-transparent?

Isn't my body itself the greatest trait?!

If I casually reveal my figure before him, won't I easily control him completely?!

Yes!

Done!

Haley, a workaholic woman approaching forty and never having dated, began her strategy of control.

First step: she quietly slipped off the long dress beneath her spacious mage robe, leaving only a tiny pair of shorts.

(End of chapter)