Chapter 657

The file Lu Mi picked up was precisely the dossier on last year's massacre in Tizamo Town.

It defined the entire incident as follows: a gentleman and his servant, hunting near Tizamo Town, ventured deep into the primordial forest, committed some act that enraged a large indigenous tribe, which then organized a massive force and launched a surprise attack on Tizamo Town that night, killing many—including the gentleman, his servant, several patrol officers assigned to Tizamo Town, and countless innocents.

Subsequently, General Kuiraili dispatched additional troops to garrison the area, and the indigenous tribe retreated deep into the forest.

There are truly many powerful tribes in the primordial forests of the Southern Continent… Lu Mi sighed sincerely after finishing the dossier.

This is also one of the defining features of the Southern Continent, a historical issue inherited from the Baylang Empire era.

——Although ancient empires had numerous high-ranking strong individuals and a large number of mid- and low-rank extraordinary people, they were limited by technological means, population size, and the scarcity of specific traits, allowing effective governance only in cities with favorable geography and the surrounding towns and villages built on fertile plains, grasslands, and river valleys; they could not penetrate into primordial forests or deep mountains with poor natural conditions, and thus lacked the motivation to eradicate them.

When the nations of the Northern Continent invaded and the Baylang Empire fractured, and other states fell or changed dynasties, many rebels also retreated into these regions, making the primordial forests and deep mountains even more dangerous.

In contrast, after Emperor Luo Saier ignited the Industrial Revolution, similar conditions on the Northern Continent became increasingly rare; today, only a few such pockets may remain scattered among the mountains of Zhongnan.

"Judging solely from the dossier, there's no trace of an 'April Fools'' prank, nor any sign of a devil's presence…" Lu Mi set down this dossier and picked up another.

He was searching for the words "dream" and "festival."

——"Dream Festival," the phrase Xisuo uttered before dying, was composed of the two fragments "dream" and "festival."

Unfortunately, the patrol force had only existed for six or seven years and had no records of Tizamo Town's earlier problems; during these six or seven years, nothing that occurred in Tizamo Town involved dreams or festivals.

Lu Mi was not disappointed. He set the dossiers aside and said to Jia Mou:

"Can I make a complete copy of all these?"

"No problem." Jia Mou knew Louis Berry was about to summon the "Knowledge Rabbit."

At that moment, Lei Yasa entered with other patrol officers, placing a small but heavy cloth sack before Lu Mi.

"Your bounty. Confirm it," Lei Yasa said in Dutan.

Lu Mi lifted the sack and emptied its contents onto the table.

There were banknotes from Intis and a large quantity of gold coins; Lu Mi counted them briefly and confirmed there was no issue.

After Lei Yasa and the other patrol officers left, Lu Mi turned to Jia Mou and smiled, pushing the sack toward him.

"You…" Jia Mou's eyes widened abruptly, hesitating to ask.

Lu Mi smiled in reply:

"I said I would forfeit the official reward."

"But I haven't done anything yet…" Jia Mou instinctively protested.

Lu Mi chuckled:

"Your intelligence was vital, but this money must be shared with Kolobo."

"Also, help me with one thing."

This money is compensation for your intelligence and the danger we endured… Jia Mou gripped the sack and asked:

"What is it?"

"Find me several people born and raised in Tizamo Town who now live in Pailos Port, and also several others who have visited Tizamo Town multiple times but have no ties to it; bring them one by one to my residence." Lu Mi made his request.

Jia Mou listened carefully, then quietly exhaled:

"No problem."

This task was simple!

Back at the Aurea Hotel, Lu Mi had just laid out the dossiers copied by the "Knowledge Rabbit" and was preparing for detailed study when the doorbell rang.

With a jingling chime, Lu Jianuo hurried to open the door.

Soon, he shouted:

"Boss, Mr. Yivelistar wants to visit you."

Yivelistar? That Yivelistar who lives eighteen levels underground, with numerous undead servants, suspected of being a "Soul of Resentment"? He's coming to see me? Lu Mi raised an eyebrow, tucked away the dossier, and stepped out of the master bedroom.

…………

Tier, Memorial District.

Inside the apartment rented by Fu Lan Ka and Jianna.

After seeing off Anthony, Fu Lan Ka returned to the master bedroom and seriously considered her progress in digesting the "Joy" elixir.

Though she knew Lu Mi's case was exceptional—no one normally digests elixirs that fast, or advances to Sequence 5 in less than a year—she was still shaken.

It was the disappointment and frustration of approaching Lu Mi as a protector—no, a brother—only to be overtaken within seven months.

She too wanted to advance to Sequence 5 quickly, to become the "Pain Witch."

In truth, she had already surpassed most witches in digesting the "Joy" elixir and had made solid progress exploring its other meanings and symbols; she didn't need to rush so desperately—but how could she not when living beside someone whose advancement rate was outright monstrous?

"Sigh, I need to find a source of joy—both in the ordinary sense and in its broader extension; both are essential, neither can be missing. Only then can I digest faster. This is like left foot and right foot—you need both to walk, not keep hopping on one leg…" Fu Lan Ka's thoughts were clear, but she had no idea how to begin. "Sigh, but how do I even bring it up? Should I ask Brunss and her lovers for help?"

As Fu Lan Ka paced back and forth, she suddenly heard a knock on the bedroom door.

Jianna? Fu Lan Ka stopped, turned, and said toward the door:

"Come in."

There stood Jianna, dressed in casual attire, wearing a cream-colored fluffy long dress.

"Why are you suddenly so polite?" Fu Lan Ka asked, unsettled.

Jianna burst out laughing:

"Damn it! I've always been polite! You just never closed your door—only shut it at night—so how was I supposed to knock?"

As she spoke, Jianna's expression turned rueful.

She calmed herself, then smiled:

"Are you troubled by digesting the 'Joy' elixir? Do you lack a suitable partner?"

"Yes, but I already said—" Fu Lan Ka tried to explain.

Jianna cut her off:

"What about me?"

"Huh?" Fu Lan Ka froze.

She suspected she'd hallucinated.

Jianna's clear face broke into a seductive smile, just as she had when portraying the flamboyant "little tramp."

She brushed aside a strand of hair falling from her ear and smiled:

"Didn't you tell the 'Black Witch' we were lovers?"

"Then why not use me to digest the 'Joy' elixir?"

"But, but…" Fu Lan Ka's head spun, "Why would you do this?"

Jianna stepped closer to Fu Lan Ka, still wearing that alluring smile:

"I want to experience joy. I will become joy myself."

The sudden surprise turned to alarm; Fu Lan Ka studied Jianna closely, wondering if she'd been affected by something.

Only when Jianna stood before her, the familiar scent filling her nose, did Fu Lan Ka suddenly realize and blurt out:

"You're trying to help me?"

"You're doing this because I've lacked a partner to digest 'Joy'—you want to help me with this?"

Jianna paused, then whispered with a soft laugh:

"That's one reason."

She tilted her head slightly, studying Fu Lan Ka's face, and sincerely praised:

"You're so beautiful…"

Fu Lan Ka fell silent, then asked seriously:

"Then… do you love me? Romantic love?"

"I like you," Jianna answered without hesitation, her eyes shimmering, smiling softly, "You're so cheerful, so interesting, with such a good personality and so much charm—how could I not like you?"

She lowered her eyes, bit her lip, and said:

"I won't lie to you.

"To me, you are a light that entered my life, bringing hope, bringing warmth.

"You are the person I trust most, my best friend, the perfect older sister in my heart—but I have never imagined, and cannot imagine, romantic love between us."

When Fu Lan Ka heard "I won't lie to you," her heart sank slowly, filled with indescribable pain.

"To me, you are a light that entered my life, bringing hope, bringing warmth."

She raised her right hand slightly and whispered:

When Franca heard "I don't want to lie to you," her heart slowly sank, surging with an indescribable pain.

"Damn it! Why are you so stubborn?" Jianna, already shy, embarrassed, and struggling to hold back, had forced herself to pretend this was just performance—but hearing Fu Lan Ka's refusal, she finally snapped, "Doesn't love mean you can't sleep together? Are you really a pure love witch?"

"I just feel…" Fu Lan Ka stammered, "I can with others, but not you. I can't accept you doing this out of sacrifice…"

Before she finished speaking, her mouth was covered by Jianna's soft lips, clumsily licking and nibbling.

Long-suppressed longing, months of restraint, residual demonic corruption, and the influence of the "Joy" elixir drove Fu Lan Ka to respond, guiding Jianna's tongue.

She sank into it—until Jianna pulled back, gasping for breath.

"Sacrifice? Sacrifice my ass! You're being so awkward, so timid, like some naive girl—weren't you always joking that you wanted me to experience real joy? Then come on!" Jianna's cheeks flushed, her eyes glistening, staring at Fu Lan Ka with fierce passion, like a fiery, aggressive little lioness.

Fu Lan Ka suddenly realized: part of Jianna's personality when she once played the "little tramp" in the market district hadn't been an act—it had been real.

Jianna kissed her again, and Fu Lan Ka couldn't refuse.

She savored the fragrance, sweetness, and heat of joy—yet grieved that this was only help, not love.

Franca suddenly realized that some of Jian Na's traits when she had once operated under the identity of "little bitch" in the Market District were not merely performative—they were genuinely part of her.

Jian Na kissed her again, and Franca could not refuse.

She savored the fragrant, sweet, and fiery pleasure, yet grieved that this was merely assistance, not love.

In that instant, a sentence surfaced in her mind:

In pain, find delight; in delight, sink into ruin.

(End of Chapter)