Chapter 36: Old Town

At this moment, Ye Xi, one of the parties involved in the incident, was still completely unaware of it.

She was still happily following Yasuo, frantically leveling up in the Clear Water Lake dungeon.

When the last giant lake-bottom worm, emitting a foul stench, turned into experience points under Yasuo's violent Lightning Rush Sword Qi.

“Swish!”

A white light of leveling up once again illuminated Ye Xi’s body!

She had successfully reached Rank 10!

Feeling the Holy Light power surging within her, which was more than a notch stronger than before.

Ye Xi’s pretty face was filled with an uncontrollable joy.

Too fast!

This leveling speed was simply unbelievably fast!

She had originally thought that it would take her at least two or three days of sleepless hard work to reach Rank 10.

But what was the result?

It was easily accomplished in just over half a day!

If they were to clear this nightmare difficulty Clear Water Lake dungeon one more time...

She might even be able to rush to Rank 12 in one go today!

Thinking of this, Ye Xi’s beautiful eyes sparkled.

She turned to look at Yasuo beside her and tentatively asked:

“Um, Brother Yasuo, should we clear it one more time?”

At this moment, Zhou Huai had long since fallen asleep, and Yasuo was entirely controlled by the Smart Core AI.

Hearing Ye Xi’s question, the AI, simulating human politeness, nodded slightly.

Yasuo said: “If Young Miss wishes to go again, it is not impossible.”

“Ah?”

A big question mark slowly appeared above Ye Xi’s head.

What was wrong with this man...?

Why was his tone of voice different from before?

Before, wasn’t he always cold, cool, and a man of few words?

Now he was even calling her “Young Miss”?

However, Ye Xi didn’t overthink it, assuming he was just in a good mood.

So, the three of them turned and left the dungeon portal.

They planned to re-enter after the dungeon cooled down and reset.

However, just as they stepped out of the dungeon portal and returned to the bustling lakeside camp outside—

“Miss Ye!!”

“It’s Miss Ye! It really is you!”

From a distance, a shout of surprise and joy came.

Ye Xi looked over at the sound, a hint of surprise appearing on her pretty face.

She saw several burly men wearing the Ye family’s standard guard uniforms running quickly towards them.

She recognized the one leading them; he was a squad leader by her father’s side.

She was a little surprised: “Uncle Zhang? Why are you here?”

The burly man, called Uncle Zhang, looked Ye Xi up and down. Seeing that she was safe and sound, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

“My Young Miss! The Master heard you were abducted and nearly went crazy! He specially sent us to find you immediately!”

“Are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere?”

“Abducted?” Ye Xi blinked her beautiful big eyes, a little confused.

She subconsciously took out her phone from her spatial ring.

She didn’t know until she looked, and when she looked, she was shocked!

On the phone screen, there were more than thirty missed calls.

Without exception, they were all from her father, Ye Zhentian.

She had been focused on farming monsters in the dungeon earlier and hadn’t noticed at all.

Ye Xi stuck out her little tongue and quickly called her father back.

The call was answered almost instantly.

“Xi’er! Where are you now?! Are you alright?! What did that damned scoundrel do to you?!”

On the other end of the phone, Ye Zhentian, the Ye family patriarch, his loud and anxious voice, made Ye Xi’s ears tingle.

“Hello? Dad! Don’t worry, I’m fine!” Ye Xi quickly explained.

“How could I possibly be abducted for no reason?!”

“It’s just that my friend brought me to level up! There was a small misunderstanding!”

Ye Zhentian heard this, his tone still carrying a hint of suspicion and deep worry: “Friend? What friend? Male or female? Is he reliable? You, girl, are just too naive and easily deceived!”

“Oh, Dad! You can rest assured! He really is a friend! He’s a very good person!” Ye Xi was a little exasperated.

“I was just too engrossed in leveling up and forgot to check my phone, which made you worry.”

Ye Zhentian on the other end of the phone was silent for a few seconds, his tone softened a bit, but still carried an unchallengeable command:

“I don’t care what misunderstanding or not, you! Now! Immediately! Come back to me!”

“Zhang Meng and the others have found you, let them escort you, and come home now!”

“Oh... alright.” Ye Xi sighed helplessly, knowing that her father was truly frantic this time.

After hanging up the phone, she looked apologetically at Yasuo and Molly:

“Um... Brother Yasuo, Sister Molly, my dad wants me to go back for a bit, so I probably can’t level up with you today.”

Yasuo maintained his polite demeanor: “Young Miss, travel safely, and take care on your journey.”

Molly, seeing her boss being so polite, quickly followed suit and gave a sweet smile: “Miss Ye, goodbye, let’s play together again when you have time!”

Just then, the Ye family guard named Uncle Zhang’s gaze fell on Yasuo with ill intent, his tone cold:

“Boy! Was it you who abducted our Young Miss?”

“You have a lot of guts!”

As he spoke, the Aura of a professional suddenly erupted from him; he was actually a Shield Warrior above Rank 20, subtly indicating an intention to fight!

Ye Xi was startled by this and quickly stepped forward to stop him:

“Uncle Zhang! It wasn’t him! This is a misunderstanding! He’s my friend! He brought me here to level up!”

Uncle Zhang frowned, suspiciously scrutinizing Yasuo, but seeing his Young Miss defending him so strongly, he couldn’t act out any further.

He snorted coldly and glared fiercely at Yasuo:

“Hmph! For the Young Miss’s safety, I’ll spare you this once today!”

“Boy, you’d better pray for yourself, don’t let me see you in the city again!”

After speaking, he escorted Ye Xi, along with the other Ye family guards, and hurriedly departed towards Tianhai City.

Watching Ye Xi’s retreating figure, a subtle glint flashed in Yasuo’s deep eyes.

He suddenly lowered his voice and said to Molly beside him:

“Quick, run!”

Molly was admiringly watching Ye Xi leave, surrounded by so many people. Hearing this, she was startled and somewhat confused:

“Boss, where... where are we going?”

“Isn’t the dungeon still on cooldown?”

Yasuo’s tone was concise and grave:

“The enemy has arrived, and their intent is on us.”

As he spoke, several figures in the distance were already subtly approaching Yasuo’s location.

They were all people from the Radiant Alliance.

They had already heard Lu Qi’s description of Yasuo’s appearance.

So Yasuo had been targeted as soon as he appeared!

Yasuo wasted no time, he scooped up the petite Molly beside him, placing her securely on his back.

With a flash of Lightning Rush beneath his feet, he dashed like lightning towards the dense jungle nearby!

“Don’t let them escape! Stop him!”

Among the pursuers, a control-type professional roared, pressing his hands fiercely on the ground!

“Rampant Vines!”

In an instant!

From the ground in front of Yasuo, countless thick, dark green vines, as thick as bowls, burst forth, writhing like venomous snakes, madly entangling him!

Yasuo’s eyes narrowed; he didn’t retreat but instead advanced!

He suddenly leaped high, dodging the vines’ entanglement!

At the same time!

“Ground Spike Assault!”

The ground beneath his feet suddenly bulged with sharp, earthy yellow spikes, gleaming with a chilling light that made one’s heart palpitate!

The timing was perfectly executed.

However!

Yasuo, mid-air, actually twisted his body.

His right foot precisely touched the tip of a ground spike, and he pushed off fiercely!

【Lightning Rush】!

Screech—!

His figure transformed into a zigzagging electric arc, narrowly avoiding the entanglement of the vines and the barrage of ground spikes, instantly dashing over ten meters, plunging into the dark, dense forest!

“Hmph! He’s got some tricks!”

“But today, you can’t escape!”

The leader of a Radiant Alliance squad, a glimmer of surprise flashed in his eyes, then turned into ruthlessness.

“We’ll chase first! Hold him up!”

“The others, immediately notify our guild brothers in the vicinity.”

“The target has appeared, tell them to surround him from all directions! Today, he must not be allowed to escape the Clear Water Lake area!”

At his command, five or six Radiant Alliance elites, all above Rank 20, spread out, chasing into the dense forest like leopards!

In the dense forest, Yasuo carried Molly, his speed undiminished, maneuvering through the complex terrain.

“Molly! Quickly scout for pursuers!”

Molly, who had been jostled senseless, finally tensed up and regained her composure.

She quickly summoned several scout spirit eagles, spreading them out in all directions.

Closing her eyes, she shared their vision.

A moment later, she opened her eyes, her face a little pale, and reported urgently:

“Boss! Six people are following us from behind! They’re very fast! Their Rank is at least ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ above 25!”

“Wait a minute! Three more people are outflanking us from the northeast!”

“Boss, what should we do? It looks like we’re surrounded!”

Yasuo’s expression was calm, his Smart Core AI operating rapidly.

He looked ahead and suddenly spoke: “Where is this place ahead?”

Molly carefully identified it through the spirit eagles’ vision.

Ahead, a dilapidated city outline was faintly visible—ruined walls, overgrown with weeds, exuding a sense of death and ominousness.

From a distance, terrifying roars of strange beasts could still be heard.

Molly’s face instantly grew even paler.

“That... that’s the Old City District of Tianhai City.”

“After the Abyssal invasion, it was completely abandoned, and now it’s almost entirely occupied by powerful strange beasts!”

Molly’s face was filled with panic: “Boss, don’t tell me you want to go in there?”

“It’s very dangerous there; the average Rank of the strange beasts is above 20.”

“I heard there are even several Rank 30 bosses inside!”

Yasuo heard this but remained unshaken.

“To be placed in a death trap and then find a way to survive, this is what it means.”

“Enter!”

With that, he stepped over the dilapidated city wall of the Old City District.