The area in front of the Adventurers' Guild had descended into chaos, like a boiling pot of porridge.
Shouts, curses, and the clang of armor filled the air, punctuated by the occasional sharp whistle from onlookers eager for drama, creating an atmosphere thick with twisted glee.
As Lin Qingyue and her group approached, the distinctly local cacophony of conflict pierced their ears.
"Buck! You son of a bitch! How dare you touch Lina?!"
A heavily armored giant's face flushed crimson, his finger nearly jabbing through the skinny swordsman's nose.
Buck, the slender swordsman, his fury escalating, slapped the man's hand away and roared back, his voice cracking with rage.
"Shut your goddamn mouth! It's your girl who clings to me like she's never seen a man before, begging me not to stop! Twisting her hips like a water snake, hoarse from moaning but still wanting more!"
His tone abruptly shifted, venom dripping from his words.
"And you! You dared seduce Sherry! I'll cripple you today!"
The burly giant chuckled coldly, his voice dripping with mockery.
"Seduce? Buck, are you insulting Sherry's taste or my prowess? She crawled into my bed last night herself, begging me to play with her—said it was way more satisfying than your limp-dicked bullshit!"
Under the relentless hammer of the Truth and Echo of the Heart's Abyss rules, furious accusations and perverse boasts intertwined in a grotesque dance.
They firmly believed in their innocence, claiming to be victims of their partners' active seduction.
Yet they also felt a secret, twisted pride in having cuckolded their partners.
Meanwhile, the two female protagonists of this storm leaned listlessly against the wall, utterly bored.
One was Sherry, the shield warrior, her arms crossed. Her robust physique resembled that of a mother bear, with chest armor larger than an average person's head.
Its gravity-defying projection made one wonder if Earth's gravitational pull was unusually lenient toward her.
The other was Lina, the Assassin, toying with her dagger. Her lithe, muscular figure was sheathed in tight leather pants that hugged her long, powerful legs, radiating feral explosiveness.
Both women wore the same languid indifference on their faces.
Is this all? Sherry yawned.
"Sigh, Lina, your Gru is still so impulsive."
Lina chuckled softly, her voice laced with lazy pride.
"What can you do? Men are so possessive. By the way, how was he last night?"
"Decent. His 'hardware' is top-tier, and he's upgraded his techniques." Sherry pursed her lips, her assessment as casual as if she were discussing a dish. She cast a pointed glance at Lina's waist. "But his stamina could use work. Unlike my Buck—he really digs in when he gets going."
Lina whistled playfully.
"Tsk, Buck's stamina is indeed impressive—he kept me up half the night. But his repertoire is so limited; it's always the same few moves."
Sherry let out a low, victorious chuckle.
"Naturally. How could I ever be interested in someone without stamina?"
She pursed her lips, her tone shifting to one of technical discussion, tinged with regret.
"Honestly, Lina, I just wanted to guide them into letting go of their silly possessiveness and try mixed doubles. Look what happened."
"Seriously, no sense of adventure at all. How boring. What a shame—I was looking forward to discussing this face-to-face with you."
Lin Xiyue couldn't hold back any longer.
She clamped a hand over her mouth, her shoulders shaking violently.
Her bright eyes curved into crescent moons as she frantically signaled Su Wan beside her.
Her frantic mental message screamed: Did you hear that?! Su Wan, did you hear that?! This joke is from hell! Absolutely outrageous!
"Yikes!"
Xia Lian's cheeks flushed crimson instantly. She was so mortified she wished she could dig a hole with her dual swords and bury herself alive right there. This situation was more unbearable than facing a hundred Stitched Abominations!
Su Wan forced her expression to remain icily impassive, like the Icy Top Student she was known to be.
But her rigidly tense body and the faint wisps of frost that subtly emanated from her fingertips betrayed her inner turmoil.
This twisted, unrestrained love triangle was relentlessly chipping away at the propriety and restraint she had cultivated since childhood.
The Su Family's ancestral teachings had never prepared her for anything like this!
"Shameless!" she hissed through clenched teeth.
Lin Qingyue, however, remained as languid as ever. She even took another interested glance, the curve of her lips brimming with pure amusement.
Just as I predicted.
The Echo of the Heart's Abyss and Truth—they're a perfect machine for manufacturing conflict.
Her gaze flicked between the two men still hurling insults at each other and the woman watching the spectacle with amusement.
One amplifies jealousy, possessiveness, hedonism, and the worship of strength; the other forces people to speak their truths plainly.
If I wanted to stir up chaos here, I wouldn't even need to lift a finger. A gentle nudge would be enough to ignite the most spectacular drama.
Lin Qingyue's interest in this doomed farce had reached its limit.
Leading her team, she bypassed the still-bickering crowd and headed straight for the mission handover counter.
The four young women, covered in dirt and grime, their bodies bearing the marks of battle, were striking enough to draw attention on their own.
"Look, it's those rookies who went to the Silent Forest... Wait, they actually made it back alive?!"
"Hiss... Judging by how disheveled and terrified they look, they must have chickened out and abandoned the mission. But escaping from those long-eared freaks' territory alive is already a stroke of luck."
Lin Qingyue paid no attention to the murmurs around her.
She walked to the counter and gently placed the pointed Witch's Hat, embroidered with silver moons and stars, and a Magic Crystal containing recorded images on the surface.
"Hello, I'm submitting a mission."
Behind the counter, a Rabbit-man Race receptionist was propping her chin on her hand, her long rabbit ears drooping listlessly.
But the moment her gaze fell upon the Witch's Hat, she snapped to full alertness.
Her drooping ears shot bolt upright with a whoosh.
Sharp-eyed adventurers nearby noticed the commotion.
"Hey, look at that rabbit! Her ears are bristling!"
"What are those girls pulling out? A Witch's Hat? Could it be... did they stumble upon an artifact by sheer luck?"
Before more people could get a good look, the receptionist, as if someone had stepped on her tail, slammed her paw down on a button.
A soft, luminous barrier instantly enveloped the counter, sealing it off from prying eyes and the surrounding noise.
Inside the display, she abruptly sat up straight, picked up the hat, and examined it closely. With trembling hands, she activated the Magic Crystal.
The projection showed a frenzied human female Mage, bouncing around to prove she was alive and well.
The receptionist's breath caught for a moment.
She immediately shut off the projection and, in a grave and cautious tone, said to Lin Qingyue:
"Please... please wait a moment."
Daring not show any further negligence, she swiftly worked behind the counter, her voice filled with awe.
"Respected 'Quantum Battleship' team, mission completion confirmed."
A heavy coin pouch was handed over, accompanied by a small, exquisite ebony box, its lid bearing the insignia of the Raya Lucaria Magic Academy: twin towers and a crescent moon.
"Thank you for completing the quest. This is your reward."
The settlement process was discreet and swift, clearly intended to protect them from being targeted by hungry wolves after receiving such a large sum.
Lin Qingyue accepted the coin pouch and stowed it away. Then, she picked up the small box, waved it in front of Su Wan, and smirked.
"Here, Icy Top Student, yours. Just don't get so engrossed in your books that you forget to come home."
Su Wan's breath hitched slightly as her gaze locked onto the emblem.
Without a word of thanks, she silently reached out and took the wooden box.
The moment her fingertips brushed the cool wood, the icy aura surrounding her seemed to soften ever so slightly.
[Ding~ You've resolved the most challenging problem with unparalleled elegance, perfectly manipulating information and maintaining your character persona, filling your journey with dramatic delight!~]
[Elation Value +800!~]
Lin Qingyue beamed with satisfaction.
Leaving the counter, she lowered her voice, suggesting in a seductive tone:
"Now that we have the funds, shall we follow the plan and visit 'Tender Village' tonight?"
"Tender Village?" Xia Lian repeated the name, her cheeks flushing uncontrollably. Still, she managed to whisper the crucial question:
"But... wouldn't it be strange for four girls to go to a place like that?"
"Strange? No, that's called professionalism."
Lin Qingyue winked at her, her tone utterly matter-of-fact.
"Think about it."
"Four pitiful girls, covered in dust and grime, having narrowly escaped death from the Forbidden Zone."
"Clutching a hefty sum of 'blood money.'"
"Uncertain if they'll even survive until tomorrow, they rush to the city's most extravagant district to drown their sorrows in hedonistic revelry..."
She paused, a faint smile playing on her lips as she concluded.
"Doesn't that character profile suddenly become both plausible and richly detailed?"