Chapter 422: Attack

"Who are you? A man of Bugo Torres?"

Wen Na Puwei gripped the floating pendant, pressing it firmly against her chest, watching Luo De with caution.

As light and shadow interwove, the thin, form-fitting silk gown became slightly translucent.

Beneath the glow, her figure held not an ounce of excess flesh, perfectly proportioned in golden ratio.

Her silhouette—tapered like a teardrop, slender-waisted with long legs—was mesmerizing, deadly.

By human standards, Wen Na Puwei was indeed a rare beauty.

Luo De's thoughts stirred, ripples forming on his still, deep-hearted composure.

Hm?

Strange.

I, Luo De, have always lived with integrity—I've only ever been drawn to non-human races. Why am I feeling something for her?

"As I said, I came here to trade with you, not as any agent of Bugo Torres."

"So this is how you conduct trade? Show up and strike first?"

Wen Na forced herself to calm down, feigning composure as she spoke.

Yet her trembling voice betrayed her fear.

A man suddenly bursting into her home—though handsome—choosing precisely this moment, when she was reduced to nothing but her undergarments, made his intentions unmistakably lewd.

And his arrival was terrifying, more skilled and effortless than many adventurers.

Before her father's death, she had been a pampered princess; even after her fall, she'd relied on magical artifacts to alter her appearance and the care of the succubus Kali, never truly facing such a situation.

Fear was inevitable.

"Miss Wen Na is already a startled bird; I merely feared that sudden contact might scare her away."

Luo De smiled, activating the domain power of 【True Deception】: "Relax. I won't harm you."

Yet.

The girl's pale blue hair framed eyes that showed not the slightest easing of vigilance.

Oh? It didn't work?

She can resist domain-level power?

Now that's interesting.

Since that failed, Luo De cut straight to the point: "I'm here for the White Dragon Horn Seal. Rumor says the one Bugo Torres holds is fake. If you give me the real one, I'll get you to safety—then you won't have to worry about being wanted."

"Wanted? That's a lie! I never conspired with lizardmen, never rebelled, never killed my father! This is all Bugo Torres's plot—he's the true culprit!"

The word "wanted" clearly pierced her.

Wen Na's eyes reddened as she retorted passionately.

"Is that so? Too bad. But with your current strength, undoing this injustice seems impossible. Why not go somewhere safe first? Rest for decades, then make your Dragon King return all the stronger."

"My father's killer is right before me—how could a daughter possibly live one day without avenging him? I will not leave Axe Beach!"

At that moment, Tally poked her head out from the shadows.

"Master, why waste words? Just let Shi Laimu bite off her head!"

"Ah! What is that?!"

Wen Na was startled by the sudden appearance of the head on the floor, stumbling backward and collapsing onto her rear.

"That's a last resort. Withdraw the shadow."

Shi Laimu's 【Memory Devour】 is irreversible—if it swallows her head but finds no relevant memories, it'll only make things worse.

Besides, Wen Na seems to possess a magical item granting mental resistance—【Memory Devour】 might not even work.

As for forcing her by violence…

For a daughter drowning in grief and showing signs of self-destruction, it might not be effective.

"Alright~~"

Tally obediently replied.

The shadow ribbons wrapped around the elliptical field, retracting like rewinding film.

Then her expression turned serious as she gazed downward: "Someone's coming."

"I know."

Luo De walked slowly to Wen Na's side, offering a gentle smile:

"In my homeland, there's an old saying: 'Those who recognize the times…' no—better: 'As long as the green mountains remain, firewood will never run out.' I've shown enough sincerity. Everything I said is true. Consider it carefully."

Saying this,

he placed his palm on the elliptical force field.

【Dragon Heart】 【Dragon Power Technique】 【Wave-Boosting Strength】 【Fungal Warrior Constitution】 【Power Liberation 900%】.

All enhancements activated simultaneously!

CRACK!!

A sharp, shattering sound erupted!

Wen Na stared in horror as his broad hand unleashed immense force, cracking the elliptical magical field with grotesque fissures.

"How is this possible? This is a high-level magical item forged by an eighth-rank mage!"

BOOM!!

At the same moment,

a muffled crash echoed from the living room outside.

Instantly, the quiet villa erupted into chaos.

Roosters crowed, geese squawked, passersby chattered—their voices reverberated through the sealed space.

Then the succubus Kali's furious curses rose, followed by the clashing of metal and the sounds of combat.

Less than two seconds later, Kali screamed loudly, then a thud as something was knocked over.

STOMP-STOMP-STOMP!!

Rapid footsteps rushed up the stairs!

The heavy tread finally jolted Wen Na into awareness—her face turned ashen.

Her first thought: this man before her. Her eyes filled with grief and fury—how could I have even considered trusting you?!

"It's you!"

"Wrong guess."

Luo De grinned. While 【Power Liberation】 still held, he stepped back two paces near the door, spun on his heel, and delivered a powerful kick.

BOOM!

The door burst open just then—the burly man wielding a dagger had no time to react before the kick struck him, sending him crashing through the corridor railing and tumbling into the first-floor living room, unconscious instantly.

The other two men, still jammed in the hallway, froze, daggers and short swords raised.

They glanced at their fallen seventh-rank ally below—chest caved in, life or death unknown—then at the towering man in the room, and clearly recognized the fallen target: Wen Na Puwei.

All swallowed hard.

For some reason, they couldn't recall the man's face—it was as if veiled in mist.

"Go."

"Mister, the Axe Beach Militia is apprehending a dangerous criminal. Please step aside."

"What's your weekly pay? Worth dying for?"

Their faces darkened; they hesitated.

Luo De had no patience. He raised his hand and unleashed a strengthened 【Repulsion Technique】.

An invisible, powerful repulsive force spread like an umbrella—BOOM! they and the door were blasted together into the first-floor hall.

They were sensible.

The six-rank men, thick-skinned and tough, landed unharmed; they knew Luo De had held back. They lay there screaming loudly, not daring to advance.

Luo De turned back to Wen Na, still on the floor, extended his hand, and offered that slick, gentle smile again.

"Let's go. Reinforcements are coming."

Wen Na stared, uncertain—first at the massive hole blasted through the wooden wall, then at the man before her.

For some reason, a strange sense of safety welled inside her.

Unconsciously, her delicate hand reached forward and clasped Luo De's large one.

(End of Chapter)