The sun had already dipped low in the west. Night was on the verge of descending. Robin kept glancing towards the courtyard gate, puzzled as to where her master had gone and why he hadn't returned for so long.

Anjiliya had changed into a fresh pair of trousers and was practicing alone. Both were the type who rarely spoke, lending a profound quietness to the courtyard for a time.

Robin checked the time. Feeling it was high time to prepare dinner, she ceased her Tai Chi practice. Seeing Robin start her evening preparations, Angelia walked over to help; they worked together with a striking, unspoken understanding.

Not long passed before the meal was ready, yet Zhong Shenxiu had still not returned. Neither of them dared to eat first, instead sitting down to wait.

Another half an hour drifted by before Zhong Shenxiu finally strolled back, leisurely and relaxed, his face beaming with satisfaction.

Zhong Shenxiu’s outing had been immensely fruitful. He had spent time immersed in the library of the “Dubla Magic and Martial Arts Academy,” devouring countless tomes, with the greatest attention paid to those concerning Light Magic.

On his journey back, Zhong Shenxiu tested his new skills. He could now instantly cast fourth-level Light Magic! Given more time, he could have mastered even higher-tier spells, but the library had closing hours, forcing him to wait for another visit.

The library truly was a marvelous place!

“Master, you’re back,” Robin murmured, rising gently to her feet.

Seeing Zhong Shenxiu, Angelia was instantly reminded of their recent awkward encounter, a flush rising unbidden to her cheeks.

“You two eat first. Don’t wait for me!” Zhong Shenxiu said with a smile. He was itching to resume his research into the effect of Light Magic on the Skeleton Rooster. This time would be different; now that he could wield the magic himself, his study would surely be far more profound, potentially leading to a major breakthrough!

.

Meanwhile, Charlotte and the others, led by Cecil, had arrived at their destination. The spot they currently occupied was precisely where Zhong Shenxiu and Robin had clashed fiercely with the “Double Axe Mercenary Group” days before.

Since a considerable amount of time had passed, the bloodstains and any scattered relics were long gone, but the disturbed terrain still offered faint traces of what had transpired.

Charlotte was a person of meticulous observation. Although she lacked Zhong Shenxiu’s superhuman deductive prowess, she still managed to deduce that a battle had taken place here—a fierce one at that!

She couldn't logically ascertain the combatants' heights or professions, yet she vaguely suspected it had been a fight where the odds were heavily stacked against one side.

Could the rumor be true?

Charlotte couldn’t help but think so now; every sign suggested a battle fought with a vast disparity in numbers!

Just who possessed such formidable power? The shock currently rocking Charlotte was like the relentless, surging waves of the sea, refusing to subside.

Though, in Charlotte’s estimation, the “Double Axe Mercenary Group” was merely a low-tier mercenary unit, they had successfully ambushed the “Cloud-Rending Mercenary Group.” Even though she hadn't been present, she knew that the “Double Axe” group had numerous mages and magical beasts, making them far too many for just a few people to handle.

Charlotte, at least, possessed self-awareness; she knew she couldn't take on the entire “Double Axe Mercenary Group” single-handedly, despite her confidence in her own strength.

Although she had concluded a fierce fight occurred here, she couldn't confirm if the “Double Axe Mercenary Group” had truly been annihilated, as the rumors claimed. It seemed the path to the truth lay in interrogating the girl named “Angelia.”

“Mr. Cecil, are there any exceptionally powerful individuals in your town?” Charlotte asked casually.

“That’s hard for me to say. However, I do know of a student at the ‘Xiahu You Magic and Martial Arts Academy’ named Austin who is very formidable. He has won the ‘Academy Ranking Tournament’ for two consecutive years, and unless something unforeseen happens, he’s expected to claim this year’s title as well,” Cecil said softly.

Charlotte did not press further, quietly noting the name down.

Cecil, perhaps finally finding a comfortable subject, continued, “I have a cousin named Laurent; he is quite strong too, but he has lost to Austin two years in a row.”

Cecil had no idea that Charlotte had already met Laurent—she had seen him in Old Danny’s courtyard when they were renting rooms.

“Oh, right!” Cecil seemed to recall something else and added with a quick smile, “There is also a girl named Angelia, who is quite strong, but she has lost to my cousin for two years running, only managing third place. Isn't that a strange coincidence? I wonder what fate has in store for them this year?”

Upon hearing the name "Angelia," Charlotte visibly stiffened and couldn't help but look up to ask, “Is this girl named Angelia very strong?”

“Yes, very strong,” Cecil replied simply.

“I heard this Angelia is quite close with two children. Do you know what kind of children they are?” Charlotte inquired again, probing cautiously, never expecting Cecil to hand her another vital clue.

“Ah, you aren't talking about those two, are you!”

Cecil paused for a moment, then realized. He clearly recalled Angelia accompanying Zhong Shenxiu to his house a few days prior to sell artifacts—the shield from the battle at the factory had left a deep impression on him.

“Who are you talking about?” Charlotte pressed, excitement coloring her voice.

“The two little ones who just registered at my sister’s place. You saw them, didn’t you?”

Cecil looked at Charlotte with surprise, wondering why she was so curious. Were they perhaps also interested in buying artifacts? Yet they didn't look like it. What was their true purpose?

“You mean the little boy we just saw?” Charlotte’s expression shifted to one of astonishment. She couldn't believe that the little boy she had met three times was the person they were searching for!

Wait a moment!

Just then, Charlotte’s body trembled again, for a thought struck her—a thought that had been bothering her deeply. She suddenly pictured the girl digging a pit in the Magical Beast Forest, the girl who won matches with kicks. Were they the same person? And both connected to that little boy? Could it be... she was Angelia!?

In that instant, Charlotte stood stunned, rooted to the spot. She hadn't anticipated the situation would become so convoluted, nor that such coincidences existed in the world!

“Commander Charlotte, are you alright?” Cecil asked kindly.

“Oh, I’m fine, I apologize, I zoned out for a moment,” Charlotte recovered, offering an apologetic smile.

Cecil chuckled weakly, signaling it was no trouble.

“Mr. Cecil, do you mind if we walk a bit further?” Charlotte inquired. She felt they might uncover some unexpected leads elsewhere.

Cecil naturally agreed, and the group continued moving forward.

“Commander, look!” While walking, Fern suddenly shouted, pointing to the sky.

Everyone followed his gaze and saw a Swift Eagle circling above them.

“Commander, should we shoot it down?” another person asked.

Before Charlotte could respond, Cecil interjected, “Don’t worry about it. This ‘Swift Eagle’ often circles this area but never attacks randomly. I’ve seen it several times when I’m here!”

“Ignore it, let’s keep moving!” Charlotte finally spoke.

Truly befitting a commander, her decision was astute. They would never know that the Swift Eagle overhead belonged to Zhong Shenxiu; if they had shot it down, well, there would have been quite a spectacle. Thankfully, they refrained!

The group advanced another ten li without spotting anything unusual. Just as Charlotte was beginning to feel that continuing their walk was pointless, the sharp sounds of clashing metal caught her attention!

What was that? Were people fighting here? Could it be members of the “Double Axe Mercenary Group”?

Guided by the maxim, “Better to look and be wrong than to miss an opportunity,” Charlotte decided she had to see what was happening!

Cecil had also heard the noise, but he didn't retreat, taking on the role of her escort. Though, whether he was escorting her or she him remained debatable!

However, when they approached, they froze in surprise. It wasn't a fight at all—it was sparring! And the two men sparring were people they had seen before: Solomon and Laurent!

Ever since being defeated by Angelia that day, Laurent had been gloomy, feeling as if a stone was lodged in his heart, unable to accept his defeat.

Why had the tables turned so drastically after only a few days?

Laurent was a young man full of spirit, though not yet fully matured. How could he tolerate this outcome? As the saying went, either break out in a rebellion or perish in silence; he ultimately chose to erupt.

Like Angelia, he requested an extended leave from the academy and resolved to undergo Devil's training under Solomon. The sound of clashing metal moments ago was the sound of their longswords meeting.

“Laurent, what are you doing here?” Cecil asked in astonishment.

As Charlotte and her group appeared, Laurent and Solomon halted their exchange. Truthfully, Laurent’s surprise matched Cecil’s.

“Big Brother Cecil, what are you doing here?”

“Nothing much, just accompanying some friends around!” Cecil glanced at Charlotte and her group as he emphasized the word “friends.”

Seeing their indifferent expressions, he was put at ease and briefly introduced everyone to each other. However, when mentioning Solomon, he felt a surge of awkwardness, as he didn't recognize the man!

“This is a student from my sister’s academy, his name is Solomon!” Laurent quickly introduced.

After some brief pleasantries, Cecil turned to Charlotte and said, “Commander Charlotte, weren’t you very curious about Angelia and those two children? You should ask my cousin; he might know more details than I do!”

“You are inquiring about Angelia and those two children?” Solomon asked, his eyes wide with alarm. It was understandable; they were trying to hide, not expecting someone to actively seek them out.

Charlotte nodded, adding, “I hope you can tell me everything you know!”

Solomon stared for a moment, then uttered something that shocked Charlotte:

“I strongly advise you not to inquire about those two children, because they are not people you can afford to provoke!”

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