Chapter 349: A Good Show

The addition of Ning Zhao and Senior Zhu Zhu Xuan's team instantly made the already composition-complex Guardian Alliance even more... complex.

During the second day's travel, the atmosphere within the team noticeably grew much tenser, and the entire Guardian Alliance directly split into three factions.

One faction was led by outsiders like Zhao Zhao Jieyang and Gu Ying; one faction had Li Luo, Lv Qing'er, and Qin Qin Zhulu at its core but appeared to be the weakest; and the third faction was the newly joined trio of Ning Zhao, Senior Zhu Zhu Xuan, and Lin Suo.

Obviously, Zhao Zhao Jieyang's side was the strongest in terms of power, while Ning Zhao and Senior Zhu Zhu Xuan's side was at a disadvantage in numbers, though their strength wasn't weak either. Coupled with the need to guard against outside enemies, Zhao Zhao Jieyang's side, without full preparation, couldn't recklessly make enemies.

So for the time being, everyone maintained some restraint.

Of course, restraint was restraint, but some conflicts were unavoidable. Li Luo, meanwhile, played the peacemaker, standing in the middle constantly mediating relations between both sides.

Like a wronged little daughter-in-law.

The Guardian Alliance, under these circumstances, continued advancing toward the direction of the Many Treasures Pool.

And throughout this day, the Guardian Alliance still encountered ambushes from some teams. After a fierce battle, everyone ultimately repelled the enemies and reaped considerable gains.

At night, the daily much-anticipated "gold-splitting segment" arrived.

Beside the bonfire, Li Luo stuffed a piece of golden-brown roasted meat into his mouth, savoring the deliciousness spreading through it, his face full of contentment.

Then he cut off a small piece from the bonfire and handed it to Lv Qing'er beside him.

Lv Qing'er took it, flashed Li Luo a sweet smile, then began tasting it with reserved elegance. Oil glistened on her red lips, shining alluringly under the bonfire's light.

Qin Qin Zhulu beside them was wolfing down food with no regard for image. After finishing, he grumbled somewhat sullenly, "This Golden Dragon Doomain is way too boring. This isn't the place I wanted."

What he had originally looked forward to was a thrilling escape filled with constant pursuit, but he never expected the situation to inexplicably turn into being tenderly protected by a group of top-tier bodyguards.

Although teams had been ambushing them these past few days, neither he nor Li Luo got a chance to act. The main reason was that Li Luo righteously told him their most important task was to protect Lv Qing'er, so they absolutely couldn't leave her side by even half a step.

Qin Qin Zhulu couldn't argue with this reasoning, because even Zhao Zhao Jieyang's side had expressed approval. Of course, their main reason might have been that they didn't want the three of them to leave their surveillance range.

But regardless, these past few days, Qin Qin Zhulu hadn't had a single chance to act. He could only watch helplessly as Zhao Zhao Jieyang and the others fought battle after battle, while he could only stand by itching for action and poke at trees to vent.

Facing Qin Qin Zhulu's complaints, Li Luo could only give him a look. This brute really didn't know what was good for him. To bring about the current situation, he had no idea how much blood, sweat, and tears he'd shed, and this guy still found it too dull?

"If you're bored, eat more. Look at Qing'er—doesn't she have a great appetite? I feel like she's gotten a little plumper these past few days," Li Luo said.

Lv Qing'er beside him was startled and quickly felt her fair, smooth cheeks: "Really? Where did I get plumper?"

Li Luo hadn't expected such a big reaction from her and could only laugh dryly: "No, no, I was just kidding."

Lv Qing'er glared at Li Luo in shy annoyance, then pinched her small fist and punched him.

Li Luo could only take it. Then he sensed the atmosphere turning a bit off. Looking up, he saw Zhao Zhao Jieyang, Gu Ying, Senior Zhu Zhu Xuan, and the others by the bonfire, all staring at them expressionlessly.

Li Luo could sense the resentment emanating from them.

After all, they fought for their lives outside every day, getting battered and bloody, and now that they were back licking their wounds, they still had to take this kind of critical hit?

They really wanted to flip the table and quit.

"Ahem..."

Facing everyone's resentment, Li Luo cleared his throat and quickly changed the subject: "Let's talk about something happy, like today's distribution."

He directly pulled out a cloth bag, then upended it onto the ground before him. A crisp sound rang out as a pile of glittering, golden little cuties rolled out.

These were exactly the dao gold harvested today.

Every gaze in the field blazed over at this moment.

In the Guardian Alliance, the daily dao gold harvest was always managed by Li Luo first, mainly because their squad was the weakest, which put everyone at ease.

"This is all the dao gold harvested today."

Meeting everyone's burning gazes, Li Luo pulled a wooden stick from the bonfire, then divided the dao gold into equal portions with a beaming smile.

"Thanks for your hard work, everyone. Take your share," he said.

"Wait a moment."

But at this point, Zhao Zhao Jieyang suddenly spoke up. He stared at one of the portions of dao gold and said coldly, "There's one extra portion today, isn't there?"

Li Luo was taken aback, then smiled: "That portion is for them."

He pointed toward Ning Zhao and Senior Zhu Zhu Xuan's side.

"We never agreed to let them split dao gold equally with us every day," Zhao Zhao Jieyang snorted coldly.

At these words, Ning Zhao and Senior Zhu Zhu Xuan's expressions immediately changed, and they cast somewhat gloomy looks toward Zhao Zhao Jieyang: "What do you mean? Don't go looking for trouble."

"We also repelled enemies today. Why shouldn't we get a share?"

Earlier, when Li Luo had taken out today's harvested dao gold, they had been secretly shocked, because the harvest they'd mixed in for several days before hadn't been as much as this single day's take.

Only now did they truly feel how strong the treasure-gathering effect of Lv Qing'er's Golden Dragon Qi was. No wonder Zhao Zhao Jieyang and the others were so resistant to outsiders joining—after all, this was tangible benefit.

Gu Ying said, "It's not that we can't share with you, but there's no need for you to get the same amount as us right off the bat, is there? At the very least, you should prove yourselves for a few days first, right?"

Senior Zhu Zhu Xuan's face turned icy. With a flick of his sleeve, fiery-red phaseforce swept out, directly sweeping up the pile of dao gold Li Luo had allocated to them, then pocketing it.

"Enough with the nonsense. This is what we're owed. Qing'er is a person of our Great Xia Golden Dragon Treasure House. The fact that we let you share in this dao gold distribution is already giving you plenty of face."

"If you're still not satisfied and want to do something about it, we'll see it through to the end. Worst case, we just go our separate ways."

Zhao Zhao Jieyang's face instantly darkened, fury surfacing in his eyes: "What big talk! What do you even count as?!"

He sprang up abruptly, deep-red phaseforce surging, high temperatures spreading.

The originally somewhat harmonious atmosphere instantly became taut with hostility.

Li Luo hurriedly stood up, his face anxious: "Oh my, what are you doing? There's no need to make things this ugly. Now isn't the time for internal conflict. Although we repelled some coveters today, the trouble isn't fully resolved yet. If we fight among ourselves, won't that just give them an opening?"

"Give me some face and bear with it for now."

He waved his hand, then looked toward Ning Zhao and Senior Zhu Zhu Xuan's side and said, "After all, you just joined. Sometimes you need to put in a little more effort. How about this: tonight's night watch is yours. Deal?"

Senior Zhu Zhu Xuan glanced at Li Luo. He really didn't want to clash with Zhao Zhao Jieyang's side here, after all, they had the numbers advantage, so he just nodded indifferently.

Then he stood up directly and led Ning Zhao and Lin Suo toward the distance.

Only then did the atmosphere by the bonfire gradually ease.

However, as the bonfire crackled, Li Luo still caught the glint of vicious light in Zhao Zhao Jieyang and Gu Ying's eyes. So, he sighed with a somewhat world-weary air.

Damn it. Acting all day, and tonight there's finally going to be a good show.