The three moved to an orc restaurant in the inner city.

The food here is mainly meat-based, and it is said that the chef once served in logistics for a Steel-class adventure team and is famous in White Dove City for his culinary skills.

Linda paid ten gold coins for today's meal.

Grilled bear paws, pork knuckles, monitor lizard tails... all topped with a layer of red chili peppers and cooked with artificially bred slime oil.

In addition, various spices from the secret realm of the World Tree make it a feast for the eyes, nose, and palate, making it incredibly tempting.

Having been hungry all day, Linda and her companions immediately began to wolf down their food.

As an orc, Lulu revealed her wild side while eating. With a gentle bite of her sharp tiger teeth, she broke the meat and bone of the pork knuckle.

Its tiny mouth can devour a large amount of food in every bite, like a whirlwind.

Linda and Kaphni combined didn't eat as much as Lulu, who was the smallest of the three.

"cheers."

Linda picked up a napkin and wiped the oil off her hands, then raised an oversized oak glass filled with ale.

Ale is loved by almost all adventurers, and Lulu was no exception. The group raised their glasses and clinked them together.

Shortly afterward, they had eaten and drunk their fill.

The three of them, with their round bellies sticking out, drank water and rested.

Lulu suddenly asked, "Is this all there is to your team?"

Lulu cannot enter the small secret realm that is too low in level. If the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team enters the World Tree Secret Realm, there will only be two of them.

The lower levels are manageable, with less danger. But once you reach the third or fourth level, the lack of a front-line class becomes a serious problem.

Linda said helplessly, "I'm thinking about recruiting people, but it's too difficult to find good members."

“I know someone.” Lulu lowered her head, using a short dagger to trim the claws in her beast form, sharpening them even more, and said, “If you need someone, I can recommend her to you.”

"Oh? What kind of person is he?" Linda asked.

"She... doesn't really like strangers. But if you invite her, she might join the team."

"What about talent and career?"

Linda is very concerned about this.

If it were an ordinary adventurer, forcibly taking the other person up would put too much pressure on that person and would also be a burden to the team.

"Better to have nothing than something bad," is Linda's philosophy.

Lulu's voice was full of confidence: "Don't worry, that child's talent has attracted invitations from several steel adventure teams."

"An Iron-class adventurer group? She didn't join?"

"Hmm. That child is rather shy, but if it were you, I think it wouldn't be a problem."

Lulu gave him a cryptic look: "That kid is a mage, around level 15. Your team is lucky to have him."

After hearing this, Linda felt a chill run down her spine. Could Lulu really be so kind, thinking of the team so soon after joining?

"Where is the person you're talking about?" he asked calmly.

“Red Peach City,” Lulu replied.

Linda raised an eyebrow.

Red Peach City?

That was Leah's hometown.

Before Linda's eyes, the figure of a graceful and elegant red-haired lady seemed to appear.

Lydia's mother, Mrs. Belinne.

Two years ago,

Linda met privately with Mrs. Bellini, who had come all the way from Red Peach City.

The lady pleaded with him in a soft voice to take care of her disobedient daughter, Leah.

At that time, Leah was quite normal, so Linda readily agreed.

Now that he has parted ways with the Snow Goose Adventure Team, it would be awkward if he met that lady again.

but...

Hongtao City is so big, it's impossible for us to just happen to meet there?

Linda pondered, silently noting down the address Lulu had given her.

After finishing their meal, the group left the restaurant.

Linda and Lulu exchanged their addresses for easier communication, and then returned to their rented apartments.

Under the crooked, dim yellow streetlights.

Lulu stared at Linda's retreating figure with a flicker in her eyes.

If the other side can bring out that kid from Red Peach City, he must be the captain.

The child wouldn't accept any invitations except from the captain.

Lulu also had things to do.

She found a passerby and easily found out the location of the neighborhood where the famous adventure team, the Snow Goose Adventure Team, lived.

It's located in the inner city, within the first ring road, a well-known affluent area, and is easy to find.

Lulu is going to meet Xueyan's 'Linda'.

One is 'Linda', and the other is 'Richard'.

There must be someone she's looking for.

It has been nearly three years since Lulu became a witch and began searching for the mysteriously missing captain.

Lulu will not give up her search until she receives an apology.

These three years,

Why did the other party disappear? What were they doing? Did they feel even a little bit of guilt towards the team members during those three years?

Lulu was grateful to the captain for freeing her from the slave traders, but she also resented them for using her as a tool.

Go to the higher levels of the World Tree and kick her out of the team.

She risked her life for the team, yet left not a trace of herself.

Lulu was not willing to accept it!

She became a witch simply to make the other party apologize for kicking her out of the team.

Perhaps an apology isn't that important.

But this has become Lulu's mental support that has enabled her to persevere when the witch's corruption takes effect.

Having received that apology, I had no regrets.

The late summer breeze carried a hint of coolness, ruffling the girl's pale blue hair.

Lulu's hands, which had been tucked into her pockets, quietly transformed into beast claws, stopping a carriage and heading towards the neighborhood where the Snow Goose Adventure Team was located.

...

night.

The villa of the Snow Goose Adventure Team.

The atmosphere in the second-floor conference room was somber and oppressive.

The team members sat around a long table, each with a face etched with exhaustion.

Aiko sat sullenly in her wheelchair, the only sounds she could hear were the breathing of the crowd and the stern reprimand of a certain red-haired girl.

"Why did we suffer such heavy losses? The front line was blocking the monsters' attacks perfectly well, but I was held back and couldn't even successfully activate my 'charge' skill!"

"The healer is the same; their healing spells are so slow to cast, they're never timely!"

"The same applies to mages! Be careful not to attract the monsters' aggro!"

Lia pointed at everyone with a livid face, stomping her feet angrily.

Ai Ke, whose name was called, lowered her head, bit her lip, rubbed her temples, and tried her best to suppress the urge to flip the table.

Aiko admitted that she had problems with this strategy.

I always miscalculate the monster's aggro level, and when I use skills to deal damage, I end up getting targeted by the monster.

Ai Ke acknowledged this.

But Leah's problem seems bigger?

They charged aimlessly through the monster horde, wasting countless magical energy and scrolls trying to save Lia.

Objectively speaking, Lia's total damage to monsters was the highest among the team members, but that was only achieved by having the entire team assist her!

But Leah believed that all the harm was her own doing.

Eko killed a Swift Rock Lizard, which she also mistook for stealing a monster.