Chapter 622: The Return of the Weight-Loss Method and the Banquet

"You?"

Luo De couldn't resist and pulled Little Bangde from behind him to the front.

Even a stern father feels awkward when confronted with youthful budding innocence.

But Little Bangde had no such thoughts at all.

Her adorable little face still beamed with a bright smile, cheerfully squeezed between Tally and Vivian, also nestled in Luo De's arms.

Luo De grimaced and closed his eyes, beginning to clear his thoughts.

Tally wore a mischievous grin.

She stealthily slipped her hand inside Luo De's shirt, her index finger rubbing against that spot beside his heart.

She bit her lower lip, eyes sultry, utterly alluring.

"Of course! Recently, Cui Qian taught me a bow spirit art that releases thunderstorms!"

Little Bangde tilted her face up and mimed drawing a bow.

She puckered her lips and made a "shoo" sound, jabbing her index finger like an arrow against Luo De's face, then burst into giggles at her own antics.

Luo De glanced curiously at the giant squirrel Cui Qian beside him.

She had also patted Luo De's body earlier, but couldn't handle the electric shock, so she simply sat aside, munching on a small cookie.

Sensing Luo De's gaze,

she puffed out her cheeks proudly: "Don't underestimate the abilities of the Lota-tosk gray squirrel, Mr. Luo De—I'm far more learned than you imagine!"

Bangde laughed and spoiled it: "She found it in the ruins of the Tree Realm, and she's lying again."

As she spoke,

she paused, sensing something pressing against her belly; she was just about to look down when Luo De pulled her away.

"Bangde! We agreed you wouldn't tell anyone!"

"But Luo De isn't 'anyone'~"

"... lright, for you, that's true."

Speaking of the Tree Realm, Luo De couldn't help asking: "Cui Qian, are you sure it's fine not to return with your companions?"

"I'll go back eventually—once I've succeeded in losing weight."

"..."

He glanced at the giant squirrel's increasingly swollen waistline.

Luo De suddenly felt a sense of responsibility.

"Would you like me to cut down on your allowance? Cui Qian, you really are too fat."

"No no, I've already found a new weight-loss method!"

Cui Qian crossed her arms triumphantly. "The weight-loss mage of Shi Ying Town told me—the 16+8 weight-loss method!"

"Eight hours to eat all your meals in a day, and fast for sixteen? That's not recommended. You can train with me or Lin Saixier."

"Of course not like that—how could anyone finish a day's meals in eight hours?"

"...?"

"The 16+8 means eating eight meals within sixteen hours—spreading out your calorie intake! Isn't that brilliant!?"

Luo De fell silent for a moment.

He looked at Tally.

"Go break that weight-loss mage's legs."

"Okay~~"

After a brief rest,

the girls resumed their rhythm of planting trees.

With no distractions, Luo De's 【Thunder-Striking Tendons】 quickly took root.

For the next phase of slow, steady cultivation, he planned to have the Harpy tribe chief from Hawk Claw Gorge take over.

Bangde?

She couldn't.

Luo De instinctively glanced over and saw the little mare's face flushed red, stealing sideways glances at his crotch.

"..."

He'd have to have Xiao Ke give her some proper health education.

After a victory, the forest naturally held a small celebration.

But Shi Ying Town still had conscription officers present, so a loud party wasn't appropriate.

A few days later, once the Hunterwind Guild leader Eve and the Tooth Fairy Rosalia had recovered sufficiently, they secretly held a bonfire banquet at Coral Bay Manor.

The two ladies also arrived discreetly.

Upon arrival, they were speechless.

It was overwhelmingly female—aside from a few delicate, gender-ambiguous little "auction items," Luo De was the only adult man present.

Still, it was lively enough thanks to the rescued children.

Otherwise, they might have thought this was the forest warden's silver party.

From afar, they saw a wisp of white smoke rising within the rain-repelling magical barrier.

The forest warden was busy flipping meat and brushing on sauce.

In this chilly, drizzly late-spring weather, hot meat was always popular.

So much so that around the man, led by the little mare Bangde and the giant squirrel Cui Qian, a thick crowd of girls of all races, their eyes gleaming with hunger, gathered.

Older girls, too shy to jostle for food, willingly took on the task of roasting meat.

But no matter how delicious the meat, the crowd around others always paled beside Luo De's.

The other forest companions?

Some, like the zombie Selina and the vampire Vanessa, sat in small groups chatting.

Others, like the female orc Amy, the dog-people Sharon, and the witch Dimia, played with the rescued children.

Some, like the half-deer Xiao Ke and the tree spirit Vivian, sat quietly in a corner, huddled together resting.

Others, like the elf Carist, the arachne elf Yuna, and the halfling Lily, helped prepare lighter dishes.

Of course,

there were also troublemakers like the ghoul Pan Ni and the banshee Krist.

The former meant well but caused chaos—tripping people, knocking things over; the latter pursued attention through recklessness, always turning everything into a mess.

Eve felt awkward, unfamiliar with them.

So she and Rosalia went to greet Luo De.

"Ah, you're here—wait a moment."

"Let me help."

Rosalia rolled up her sleeves, revealing arms as white as jade.

The side effects of mass insectification had faded.

Leader Eve thought for a moment, then didn't help—she picked up a plate and joined the girls waiting for food.

After waiting a long while, she finally got a piece of meat.

She couldn't help asking:

"How do you plan to handle the new strain of crystalline disease, Mr. Luo De?"

"Naturally, hand it over to familiar mages to analyze and develop a targeted vaccine in advance—who knows which of Ig's labs has produced results?"

Luo De glanced at her and smiled. "You want to give it to your Minister Marke?"

In earlier conversation, they'd briefly discussed this figure on the front lines of resistance against Ig within the Kingdom of Aitheron.

Eve fell silent for a moment, then shook her head.

"Knowing Ig's goal allows us to act precisely—but now it's a battle above us. Ig holds too deep a grip on the city of Can Guang; exposing them too soon risks our complete destruction."

"Do as you wish. We have our own tasks here."

Kat, besides spreading Ig's true objectives, also secretly investigates Ig's outposts and labs with the Hero Alliance.

One by one, when the time comes, Luo De will show up and destroy them—kill them.

It's troublesome, yes.

But he can't just storm Can Guang and start killing, can he?

The Kingdom of Aitheron, though crumbling, still has three thousand nails holding it together—not to mention the Guardian Array, legions of specialized defensive and offensive mages, and seven or eight ninth-rank mages ready to swarm.

This isn't a joke.

Eve frowned slightly, then shook her head again.

As a soldier, she clearly disapproved of this underground resistance's methods—but that didn't prevent cooperation.

"Let's keep in touch, help each other mutually."

(End of Chapter)