The bright moon still hung high in the sky.
Waving his wand, he used Earth Magic to lift a rock from deep underground.
“Golem Creation!”
A golem roughly the same size as Li Xiuman appeared inside the cramped tent.
Next, Li Xiuman dressed this golem in his own clothes and had it lie down on the bed.
This way, it could at least deceive others for a bit, or buy some time if discovered.
Then, Li Xiuman used Earth Magic to dig a tunnel from underground and left the tent.
As he left, he couldn't help but look back.
“I am truly sorry. I will not forget the kindness and righteousness of you two.”
“But, good people are destined to be held at gunpoint.”
Like an industrious gopher, Li Xiuman dug his tunnel rapidly.
Reckoning the distance was about right, Li Xiuman turned his wand and began digging upward.
Before long, he successfully returned to the surface.
Along the way, he restored the underground tunnel back to its original state. After all, attention to detail determined success or failure.
Li Xiuman was very meticulous in this regard.
Patting off the little dust clinging to his body, Li Xiuman turned his head to survey his surroundings.
A dense forest surrounded him, and not far away was a lake reflecting the bright moon like a mirror.
“What a beautiful view.”
The three of them said in unison.
One could say the moon was truly beautiful tonight. Combined with the pristine lake, the full moon of this night painted a tranquil and natural scene.
The two elements complemented each other perfectly. Surely, whoever gazed upon this beauty would be thoroughly captivated.
Stepping in here was like wandering into an elven...
Wait a minute! Who was talking?!
Li Xiuman instantly went on high alert and looked around.
Only then did he see a ripple in the empty air nearby, and Lumina's figure materialized out of thin air.
An invisibility magic item? He wanted one so badly!
“...”
The two stared at each other, remaining silent for a long time.
Damn it, his inner thoughts had slipped out. Regardless, he needed to calm down and think.
Why was Lumina following him?
How did she discover him?
His plan had been absolutely seamless!
Was she already controlled by that succubus, Lucia?
When did that happen? Didn't this mean the succubus had known his whereabouts for a long time?
Could it be... that the outside was currently teeming with succubi?
Was he... about to meet his end?
To think he would fail in a place like this... No! There was still a chance!
He still had Number Zero and his other golems hidden away. Even if he was surrounded by succubi, there was still a chance to break through!
He just felt as though he had forgotten something...
...
The Skeleton!
He had actually managed to see through her invisibility magic and follow her here!
Was he sent by the nobles?!
Had he noticed her from the very start, sent by the count to keep tabs on her?!
And weren't there rumors that the Skeleton and the nobility were at odds? It was actually a lie!
Right now... was the outside crawling with guards, completely surrounding her?
To think that she, a dignified, genius beautiful young thief, would fall here?
...No, there was still a chance!
The treasure the nobles wanted to recover was still in her possession. Since they would be afraid of damaging the artifact, she still had some room to maneuver!
She just felt as though she had forgotten something!
...
My Amnesia Gem!
It seemed those two fellows must have forgotten about him.
What was going on with those two? Had they realized he wanted to use them?
Or had his smuggling operation been uncovered, and they were agents sent by the nobility?
If so, wouldn't that mean the batch of cargo he was actually transporting would also...
Manshius, who had disguised himself as a tree using a magic item, felt so heart-wrenched he could hardly breathe.
Right now, he only wanted those two above him to hurry up and leave so he could flee far away and escape this painful place.
...
“Skeleton, it seems you noticed a long time ago.”
Lumina spoke after a brief silence.
In her mind, the fact that Li Xiuman had followed her here meant her movements had been compromised from the very beginning.
Li Xiuman fell silent for a moment upon hearing Lumina's words.
What did she mean by noticing a long time ago?
So, she really was under a succubus's control? Which one was it? Lucia?
Come to think of it, Lucia and Lumina both started with “Lu”!
Li Xiuman's thoughts were a bit of a mess.
“Who is the one controlling you from behind?”
Li Xiuman asked.
He was very curious as to which succubus could control Lumina so seamlessly that he hadn't detected a single flaw.
The one controlling me from behind?
Lumina was taken aback, but then it clicked.
Was he asking who had hired her to steal Count Wit's treasure?
It seemed the Skeleton was indeed Count Wit's trusted confidant, ordered by the count to disguise himself and stay close to pry information about her employer.
“Do you really think I would tell you?”
“Right now, we are probably surrounded out there. Is there even any point in talking?”
Lumina put on an indifferent front, testing Li Xiuman.
She wanted to know if the guards had indeed formed an encirclement outside.
And whether she still stood a chance at breaking through.
Hearing this, Li Xiuman's heart skipped a beat.
They were already surrounded outside.
As expected of Lucia, she had completed the encirclement without a sound.
His golems hadn't sensed a thing, which spoke volumes of her unfathomable methods.
If it weren't for the calm and composed expression on Lumina's face, he might have thought she was bluffing.
Unfortunately, the Lumina standing before him was merely a controlled puppet, so holding her hostage wouldn't do any good.
It was likely for this exact reason that she dared to lurk by his side so boldly.
“There is a point.”
“An all-out fight where we both end up ruined won't benefit either of us.”
Li Xiuman wanted to convey to Lumina that keeping him alive would be more valuable for research.
By keeping them hesitant while he plotted behind the scenes, his chances of escaping would be much higher.
Hearing Li Xiuman's response, Lumina's heart also skipped a beat.
They really were surrounded!
And so stealthily too...
When did those brainless guards and aristocratic fools develop such competence?
Using the Skeleton as an inside agent while silently closing the net.
However, it wasn't all bad news. The nobility were indeed afraid she would destroy the treasure in a desperate struggle, so they wouldn't use excessive force.
This was her only opportunity.
With this in mind, Lumina quickly devised a plan.
“I am glad you understand that, Skeleton.”
“It's not like we can't sit down and talk. If we keep dragging this out, the people waiting outside might get impatient.”
Meanwhile, inside the tree that Manshius had disguised himself as:
Manshius couldn't hear very clearly. He only caught words like “encirclement,” “all-out fight,” and “inescapable net.”
Oh, my god.
I was only smuggling some ore! Is such a massive operation really necessary?
One would think he had smuggled Count Wit's wife and daughter.
Manshius tried his best to think with his clever brain.
It wasn't hard to reach a conclusion: that bastard Count Wit was going to make an example of him.
To go to such lengths just to deter other smugglers...
How terribly unlucky of him to run straight into this hornets' nest.
It seemed he could no longer stay hidden. With the area surrounded, a thorough, inch-by-inch search would inevitably uncover him sooner or later.
By then, he really would be the chicken slaughtered to warn the monkeys.
Rate on N.U.
