Chapter 142: Isn't it a surprise? Wasn't that unexpected?

The Dark Night Forest was not named for any grand significance; it was simply because the central region of the forest remained perpetually devoid of sunlight and moonlight, resembling an endless abyss of darkness.

"There is said to be a powerful lich in the center of the Dark Night Forest. Legend has it that a tier-six warrior once ventured halfway in, only to be swallowed by a tier-seven flame lion and refined into an undead soldier..." Zona, clad in fiery red mage robes, recounted the tale to Yun Xuan.

"A lich... an undead soldier... that sounds rather interesting," Yun Xuan said with a faint smile.

"By the way, what is your subjugation mission? Our team is clearing out tier-two wild boars on the outskirts. Recently, they've been charging into the surrounding farmlands and causing massive destruction. Each one is worth 500 crystal coins," Dogi asked, turning his head.

"My target is..." Before Yun Xuan could finish his sentence, a massive silver-white fierce tiger standing fully five meters tall suddenly materialized before them.

"A Wind Wolf!"

"Run!" Dogi, Doron, and Zona turned pale with fright, spinning around to sprint away while dragging Gwen along with them.

The spearmen Kel also turned and bolted, though he was a step too slow. Compounded by his existing injuries, the Wind Wolf snapped its jaws, releasing several razor-sharp wind blades that struck him squarely in the back.

"That spearmen really is down on his luck," Yun Xuan murmured, shaking his head as he stared at the Wind Wolf blocking his path.

"Yun Xuan, run! That's a tier-three magical beast, a Wind Wolf!" Gwen shrieked at the top of his lungs before his voice was cut off.

Wielding a withered wooden staff and encased in powered armor, Yun Xuan immediately activated the combat system.

With a sudden burst of speed, the Wind Wolf lunged straight at Yun Xuan, bringing its massive claw down in a ferocious swipe.

"Magic Bullet!" Hovering slightly higher in the air, Yun Xuan completed his spell charge.

*Boom!* The magic bullet slammed into the Wind Wolf's body, leaving visible scorch marks.

*Swish, swish, swish, swish, swish!* The Wind Wolf opened its maw, unleashing another barrage of wind blades.

Relying on the agility of the powered armor, Yun Xuan shifted left and right, dodging the incoming blades before firing another Magic Bullet. The action instantly depleted two-thirds of his remaining mana.

*Boom!* The exact spot previously scorched by the magic burst was struck once more, rupturing the skin and causing blood to flow. The injury only served to infuriate the beast further.

Leveraging the incredible mobility of the powered armor, Yun Xuan raised a sniper rifle and took aim.

*Bang!* A rapid series of sniper rounds struck the Wind Wolf squarely in its massive head. A final bullet pierced straight through a towering tree trunk, and the beast's colossal body collapsed heavily onto the ground in defeat.

"Done." Yun Xuan dropped to the ground and swiped his magic crystal card through the air. A flash of light illuminated the surroundings before vanishing instantly.

Retrieving the corpse of the Wind Wolf, Yun Xuan set off in pursuit of the direction Dogi and the others had fled. A lingering premonition told him this encounter was no mere coincidence.

...

Locating Dogi and his group was not difficult. When Zona had departed from Yun Xuan earlier, he had casually planted a micro-tracker onto her mage robes.

Activating the powered armor, Yun Xuan soared up into the canopy of a large tree, looking down at the scene unfolding below.

Zona's hands and feet were securely bound to a tree, while the brothers Dogi and Doron were currently tearing at Gwen's clothing.

"No... please, no..." Gwen's face was flushed red as he clutched his garments tightly around himself, looking all the more delicate and adorable.

"The person who was supposed to protect you is already dead. Once our brothers give you a child, Lord Gwen will surely thank us," Dogi sneered viciously.

*Rip, rip, rip, rip!* Gwen's clothes were moments away from being completely stripped away.

Yun Xuan dropped silently from the branches above, landing without a sound. He stood leisurely, watching Gwen, Dogi, and Doron with amusement.

"So gorgeous." Overcome by desire, Dogi could no longer hold back. With a few quick movements, he discarded his own outer garments while Doron firmly pinned Gwen's arms down.

*Rip!* The final barrier of clothing was torn away.

"I... you..." Staring at the person before him, Dogi suddenly broke out in a cold sweat.

"I am... a boy," Gwen whispered softly.

"Hhahahaha, Dogi, go ahead and continue. I'll just stand right here and watch," Yun Xuan chuckled openly. He had known the truth about Gwen's gender all along.

The flat chest combined with subtle behavioral cues—this was a classic cross-dressing trap.

Dogi's mind went completely blank. Should he proceed, or not? Wait—Gwen was actually a boy?!

Terrified, Dogi stumbled backward two steps. Glancing down at an anatomical reality that surpassed his own, Dogi abruptly averted his gaze.

"Put your clothes back on," Yun Xuan said, tossing a set of male garments to Gwen before casually slicing the ropes binding Zona.

"I'm sorry, Lord Gwen. I was momentarily possessed by evil thoughts," Dogi stammered, dropping to his knees.

"Just go," Gwen said, trembling slightly with fear.

"Thank you, Lord Gwen!" Panicking, Dogi grabbed Doron and fled into the distance.

"You really are a kind-hearted soul. But tell me, what is your relationship with Gwen City?" Yun Xuan asked with a smile, turning his gaze toward Gwen.

"My father is the count and also the lord of the city," Gwen murmured, lowering his head.

"How about this: I'll escort you out of the Dark Night Forest and back to Gwen City. In return, you pay me with an intermediate magic staff and a primary fire-element magic scroll. Deal?" Yun Xuan considered the proposition for a moment.

"Thank you. Please, escort me back to Gwen City, and I will give you everything you've asked for," Gwen said, bowing deeply.

"Let's move." Glancing at Zona as she climbed to her feet, the trio departed from the Dark Night Forest.

...

Upon returning to the town, Yun Xuan turned in his quest. The elfin receptionist cast a surprised glance his way before handing over a reward of 1,500 crystal coins, while Yun Xuan additionally netted 150 exchange points.

Gwen rented a carriage for 300 crystal coins to travel toward Gwen City. If not for his desire to keep his true strength concealed, Yun Xuan would have simply summoned the magical wolf Hachiko.

Ten crystal coins could buy a bowl of noodles, 100 crystal coins could purchase a standard set of clothing, and hiring transport for the journey to Gwen City cost 300 crystal coins, requiring half a day of travel.

Sitting inside the carriage alongside Gwen, Yun Xuan realized his most pressing need was offensive capabilities. Magic was naturally the best option, but for spells on the scale of Megumin's explosion magic, his current mana pool fell woefully short.

Yun Xuan had originally assumed chakra and magic would fuse together or undergo some form of evolution, but to his surprise, the two energies remained completely independent of one another.

Compared to traditional mages, Yun Xuan found himself leaning more toward the path of a ninja. Thanks to his special skill providing superhuman finger dexterity, his hand-seal execution speed had increased dramatically through practice.

A dual practitioner of magic and martial arts was also a viable route. Mages commanded immense destructive power, while warriors branched out into various specialized classes such as magic swordsmen, spearmen, swordsmen, and archers.

While mages possessed vast reserves of mana, warriors trained their physical bodies. Every warrior harbored a core of mana within them, which could be channeled to coat their weapons in elemental combat power.

*Clack, clack, clack, clack!* The chaotic sound of pounding hooves echoed from outside. Glancing out the carriage window, Yun Xuan's pupils constricted. Seizing Gwen by the collar, he burst straight through the wall of the carriage.

The driver was already dead, a fatal arrow piercing clean through his torso.

As Yun Xuan and Gwen hit the ground, they found themselves surrounded by over fifty armed men, among whom Dogi and Doron stood prominently.

"See that? Your misplaced kindness resulted in the senseless death of that driver, and now even a bystander like me has been dragged into this crisis. If you had possessed the resolve to kill them back then, word of your identity wouldn't have leaked out to attract a crowd like this, Gwen," Yun Xuan said indifferently.

"How could things turn out like this..." Gwen's face was painted with grief. Yun Xuan's words were entirely justified, but he had never harbored the intent to take someone's life—it was precisely his abhorrence of bloodshed and violence that had driven him away from Gwen City in the first place.

"Do you still lack the will to kill them now? Such a kind soul. In that case, you can let them entertain you properly. But if you truly wish to slay them, just shout it out loud," Yun Xuan said, stepping aside to put distance between himself and Gwen.

"Lord Fang, this is the pretty boy I told you about—the exact type you like best," Dogi fawned, flashing a flattering grin toward a one-eyed middle-aged man standing nearby.