parentshiftbook Chapter 15 The Flower Thief is on the Move!
Chapter 15 The Flower Thief is on the Move!
The good news is that Su Lan has found the Netherworld Flower, so she doesn't have to wait for Seraya to return next month.
The bad news is that the flowers are growing around an altar, within the patrol area of Sean's elite guard.
A red mist shrouded the edge of the altar, obscuring the view inside.
But from time to time, a polluted aura accompanied by magical vibrations could be heard, as if some kind of ritual was being performed.
The two circled the altar several times but couldn't find a suitable breakthrough, so they had to retreat temporarily and discuss countermeasures.
"There are three groups of people patrolling every ten minutes or so. Should we sneak past them underground?"
Tia looked at the pocket watch, eager to try it out.
"Didn't Su Lan say that the Netherworld Flower can be cultivated using its roots? It would be so exciting if we climbed up, dug up the roots, and ran away!"
Climbing up to pick flowers, while enduring the eerie red mist, must have been quite thrilling.
We might even be chased into the tunnel by the guards.
However, the underground area is Tia's home turf. By making a few detours in advance, shaking off the pursuers will not be a problem.
But Su Lan was worried about another risk:
curse.
The red mist carried an unusual odor, somewhat similar to the smell emanating from Luca's blood.
Having witnessed Luca's tragic fate, and knowing that "trainee judge Su Lan" had also died from a cult's curse, he dared not be negligent in the slightest.
"No rush, let's test the waters first."
Su Lan decided to take a safer approach, so she squatted down on the spot and started drawing a sketch.
"Let's go around to the other side first, cut off the road we came from, and then dig a section inland, setting up a few branch roads, so that Sean won't think it was us."
He hasn't fully developed yet, so it's not advisable for him to have a direct confrontation with Sean.
"Hmm..." Tia seemed to be thinking.
"It's the same principle as leaving some crumbs in Hecate's room when you're sneaking snacks from Seraya!"
Su Lan glanced at Tia but didn't reply.
"Then we'll sneak in from that side, and you slowly dig upwards, trying to find the closest distance where you can use magic."
He had Tia try it out earlier; the red mist at the altar had a suppressive effect on magic.
Using magic too close will provoke a counterattack from the red mist, which may even swirl back and react violently with the polluted aura emanating from Tia!
Although Tia was unharmed, their location was almost exposed because of it!
"Ah~" Tia suddenly realized:
"Sister Seraya has set a trap outside the snacks. We need to probe around and find the area that will trigger the alarm!"
Su Lan couldn't help but glare at Tia.
That's true...
But we're discussing tactics now, and if we're not careful, we'll be chased all over the place. Can we be a little more serious?
Tia blinked, her eyes shining with a clear light.
"Okay, you're right." What else could Su Lan say?
"If we can dig up the flower using magic, that would be best. If not..." He paused, "I'll take matters into my own hands."
"Wow, there's even a part where they force their way in and snatch the snacks!" Tia exclaimed in surprise.
In fact, Tia couldn't understand why Su Lan was "personally taking charge" of something.
In her mind, Su Lan was very capable in every aspect, but she was completely clueless about magic and martial arts.
However, Su Lan never lied to her; if she said she had a way, she definitely did!
Tia stopped hesitating, flicked her tail, and turned around: "Shall we get started?"
"Action!" Su Lan gave the order.
I was busy until evening, and the preparations were finally completed.
The two arrived at the most lush spot of the Netherworld Flower and began to probe upwards little by little from the ground.
Slow and steady wins the race. Feeling a bit bored, Su Lan suddenly spoke up:
"Speaking of which, what exactly are these snacks you've been talking about?"
To get snacks, they resorted to framing, testing, and even surprise attacks...
He had a feeling that it was something extraordinary, which made him unable to suppress his curiosity.
Speaking of snacks, Tia unconsciously swallowed.
"Yes, it's Celia's special deep-sea squid strips. They're very chewy and burst with juice, they're so delicious!"
"I ate one when I was at level two, and I was unconscious for three days. When I woke up, I directly broke through to level three!"
Tia shrank behind the big tail and said shyly:
"Sister Seraya said that while I was unconscious, she dug a huge hole in the hold, almost sinking the ship!"
"She seemed really angry. She hung me on the mast and left me exposed to the sea breeze all day, saying it would help me clear my head and reduce the swelling..."
Su Lan's eyes twitched as she listened.
This isn't a snack!
It looks like the tentacles of some kind of deep-sea monster, doesn't it?
It's heavily polluted, the kind that even the monster girl, who is the "source of pollution," can't stand!
No wonder they set a trap!
This isn't food hoarding, it's life-saving!
Who knows, the big hole in the bottom of the ship that he saw earlier was dug by Tia when she was tearing down the house!
"Does Su Lan have one too? I feel like if I eat one more, I can break through to the fourth tier and better protect Su Lan!"
Tia's eyes were expectant.
"Ahem, let's talk about snacks later," Su Lan quickly steered the conversation back on track:
"How's the probing going? How far are we from the Netherworld Flower?"
"That's what I was just about to say," the light in Tia's hand went out:
"There are still more than ten meters to go. If we go any higher, we will enter the range of the red mist, and my magic will be impacted. If I go all out, I should be able to shorten the distance to five meters."
She frowned slightly: "But those patrolling metal lumps will definitely notice something amiss, and we won't be able to dig much before we have to run away!"
"It's alright, I'll take care of it." Su Lan stroked her chin and struck a pose.
"Get the cart ready, and just wait to use the ground subsidence spell to pack it up!"
He had originally planned to buy goods this time, and he brought the cart specifically for this purpose. He never expected it to come in so handy.
Tia scratched her round ears, puzzled.
The atmosphere suddenly became a little awkward.
Fortunately, this situation did not last long.
The ground above shook as a troop of guards passed by.
Su Lan placed one foot on the step, her eyes fixed on her pocket watch, and began to keep track of time.
"Now!"
Su Lan leaped into the air and sprinted upwards.
The moment he collided with the red mist, he reached out and touched the scale between his eyebrows.
"Rejection!"
Mental energy surged into the scales, and a light blue barrier opened up from between his fingers.
The next second, the world became clear.
Where the barrier passed, a vacuum zone was created, expelling not only mist, but also magic, curses, and even pollution.
"Tia, I can't hold on much longer, now's the time!"
"Understood!"
Tia quickly pressed her hands against the wall, magic covering her entire body, even coating the tip of her tail with a bright yellow.
She began to unleash her full power.
Su Lan acknowledged Tia's magic, and the magic passed through the barrier without any hindrance.
A huge magic circle was drawn above their heads.
Ten seconds later.
"It's done! The top is about to collapse, Su Lan, come down quickly!" Tia said anxiously.
"Alright!" Su Lan withdrew her mental energy, not bothering to look around any longer, and leaped down the steps in two quick steps.
A wave of intense fatigue washed over him, and he swayed.
Fortunately, Tia caught him in time.
Splash!
The soil, roots, and even a corner of the altar above quietly collapsed.
"Quick, quick, pack up, next place!"
Ignoring their exhaustion, Su Lan and Tia grabbed bags and started loading them into the cart, not caring what they contained.
Half an hour later.
The three teams of guards assembled, looking at the corner of the altar, which had been dug up, with the ground covered in dirt and flowers, completely bewildered.
Why go through all that trouble to break through the altar's defenses just to dig up some wild grass?
What is this for?