Soon, Wildfire Town was completely locked down.
After leaving the laboratory, the magic apprentices quickly dispersed in all directions.
The top priority was to block all the roads out of the town.
This was to prevent Barbara from escaping the town.
Next, catching her would be much easier, it was just a matter of time.
In fact, in the minds of the most experienced magic apprentices, simply blocking the roads was enough.
After all, someone like Barbara, a wealthy young lady with no experience, would definitely be eager to break through, right?
There's a high probability she would run right into the blockade.
They might as well just wait.
However, soon, the magic apprentices who thought it would be easy to block Barbara were somewhat surprised to find:
There wasn't even the slightest hint of Barbara trying to break through!
"This is a bit strange."
A magic apprentice with a burn scar on his face frowned and snorted, "Did that girl escape the town ahead of us before we locked it down?
Or did she know we'd block her and decided to do the opposite, hiding in the town instead?"
This person was smart and guessed part of it correctly.
Barbara indeed did not break through to the outside of the town immediately but stayed inside first.
But it wasn't to do the opposite deliberately.
It was because she encountered Andrew.
This brings us to the reason why Barbara chose to take action to save Andrew despite being seriously injured—
A young girl fleeing for her life, who happened to meet Andrew after he had left the "Living People Cemetery" and ran into Raymond's group.
Under normal circumstances, it was impossible to stop and meddle in such a matter.
Barbara's original plan indeed was to: completely ignore it!
Then she intended to head north of the town as quickly as possible and force a breakthrough.
The reason for choosing to break through from the north was because if she remembered correctly, the nearest town around Wildfire Town was to the north, "Baal Town."
As for how to safely travel the beast-infested road between Wildfire Town and Baal Town without the protection of the Crimson Knights, that was something to consider after breaking through.
If she didn't break through, she was certainly doomed.
Even if she did break through, although it was still a life-and-death situation, there might still be a sliver of hope!
"Hang in there, Barbara! Don't let the efforts of those knights who laid down their lives for my chance to escape be in vain!"
Barbara gritted her teeth, constantly encouraging herself.
However, just as Barbara planned to quietly pass by Andrew and Raymond according to her plan.
The "Warm Fire Order" she was carrying suddenly heated up quickly, almost burning with warmth.
"Hmm?"
Barbara was stunned, then overjoyed.
The Warm Fire Order was the most important legacy of the Warm Fire Commerce Association, none whatsoever.
It's not a powerful magic artifact. It's just... an inconspicuous pendant hanging around the neck.
But this pendant had guided the predecessors of the commerce association more than once in history to make the right choice in critical moments, leading their people out of danger and toward the light.
The Warm Fire Order that has been passed down to today only has two remaining.
One is in the hands of the president of the commerce association.
The other is hanging on Barbara's chest!
Her father's words seemed to echo in her ears again: "Remember to listen to the guidance of the 'Warm Fire Order' at crucial moments! It will show you the path to break through hardships."
Barbara immediately went to carefully sense it.
The guidance of the Warm Fire Order at this moment was...
To turn around and save that guy surrounded by the ruffians?
"Uh, this..."
Barbara was skeptical.
Although she didn't quite understand this strange guidance.
Barbara now realized how important it was to "listen to Father"!
Added to that, the Warm Fire Order was indeed a legendary item of the Warm Fire Commerce Association.
Barbara hesitated for a brief moment, gritted her teeth, and then turned back to help Andrew.
Thus came the scene where Andrew and Raymond were about to collide fiercely, and Raymond got enveloped and tied up by a sudden "Orange Flame Chain."
This is what puzzled Andrew, the reason why Barbara, despite being injured, chose to save him!
Honestly, at the moment she took action, Barbara wasn't really thinking about saving Andrew.
She had no idea that the person surrounded by Raymond and others was actually the "fire scene hero Andrew" that she had heard many people talk about during the day.
What she was actually thinking was:
"The guidance of the Warm Fire Order cannot be wrong!
This should be my opportunity to escape!"
With the idea of "looking for an escape opportunity" in mind, after intercepting Raymond, Barbara immediately glanced at Andrew, whom she had just rescued, full of anticipation.
But the result was: Isn't he just a regular person?!
Where's the promised opportunity to escape?
Later, when she saw Raymond fall, Barbara was inexplicably surprised.
She suspected Andrew again: "Did you do something to this big guy?"
Andrew wasn't aware that when Barbara, with a questioning attitude, asked this question so coolly, deep down she actually hoped he would boastfully reply, "Yes, I took down this big guy! I'm actually a hidden master, stick with me and you won't have to worry about Hubert!"
But what happened?
Andrew, with the perfect acting of his newly acquired Water Soul Constitution, once again deceived Barbara magnificently.
Causing Barbara to internally collapse and complain: Where's the promised escape opportunity?! The Warm Fire Order is not guiding me, it's tricking me!
Later, when Barbara, her magic power exhausted, collapsed into Andrew's arms, she still couldn't believe that this guy, who didn't seem much older than her, would be her opportunity to escape.
Until…
When Andrew held her with his fists, mobilized the Water Magic he had recently obtained, activated the "Water Spirit Technique" to transform it into a "Seed of the Water Spirit," and injected it into Barbara to heal her injuries.
At that moment, Andrew's thought was: "Would using Water Magic to heal a Fire Mage result in a negative effect, failing to save but instead harming her?"
In reality, Barbara's feeling was: So...comfortable!
Due to her personality, Barbara didn't show it, so Andrew wasn't aware that his Water Healing Technique, used on Barbara, the Warm Fire Mage from the Warm Fire Commerce Association, not only didn't cause any "water overcomes fire" harm to the girl.
Instead, it was even more effective than what an average person would experience from the Water Spirit Technique!
As the owner of the Fire Extinguishing Upgrade Method, Andrew, a Water Mage, when encountering Barbara, a Warm Fire Mage, it seemed not like a "water overcomes fire" relationship, but rather some kind of different chemical reaction occurred.
"I... my name is Barbara." She finally lowered her guard and revealed her identity to Andrew.
"Hmm, Barbara, right? I'm Andrew."
Hmm? Andrew?
Why does this name sound familiar...
Ah, it was that rescue hero I heard about during the day.
Barbara thought in a daze.
Her injuries were quite severe, and even if she didn't die, there would inevitably be aftereffects.
Mages from the Magic Guild, once they injure someone, often cause difficult-to-heal chronic ailments. This is a major difference between the Magic Guild mages and the Warm Fire Commerce Association mages.
Thankfully, Andrew used Water Magic combined with the "Water Spirit Technique" to stabilize Barbara's injuries in time.
Barbara falling into a coma was actually a sign of her injuries improving, and her body's self-protection mechanism beginning to function again.
However, before losing consciousness, Barbara still had confusion and concern in her heart: "Healing magic, though very rare in Fire Magic (she subconsciously assumed Andrew was a Warm Fire Mage like her), is considered a talent. But ultimately, it can't be used to counter Hubert!
Is this Andrew really my opportunity to escape?"
Thinking this, she couldn't hold on any longer and passed out.
At this moment.
The last glimmer of sunset was finally fading at the horizon's end.
Andrew held the beautiful girl who had fainted in his arms, silent.
Now, dear readers, you all already know: the story of how Barbara was injured by Hubert, why Barbara insisted on saving Andrew despite being wounded, and how beneath Barbara's exquisite, cool exterior lies an inner world as ordinary as any girl, capable of anger, grumbling, and breaking down.
But from the perspective of our protagonist Andrew—
He's still in the dark! Completely!
Andrew thought to himself, you didn't explain why you saved me... well, that's fine.
But at least tell me how you were injured by Hubert? What exactly is Hubert's strength? How many people does he have under him?
Did Hubert get injured when he hurt you?
Where should I take you if I'm to lead you away?
Does the Warm Fire Commerce Association have reinforcements?
——Important information like these, at least give me some clues before you faint, hey!
Andrew thought, I originally just wanted to find an ally to deal with this "old fire" Hubert together.
I just felt: maybe the correct way to navigate this Flame Realm doesn't have to be all about leveling up through battles, or the War God returning and rallying three thousand Water Elements with a single call, but perhaps... this protagonist has magic power but is willing to be a live-in son-in-law?
I just wanted to latch onto a big shot!
But the big shot ended up asking me to save her and lead her away...
"The problem is..."
Andrew's expression held a light (egg) touch of helplessness and melancholy, "I haven't even prepared myself to be a big shot yet."