Setting Out

The villagers around him looked at Ryan with admiration, and at this moment, Evelyn seemed to grasp a deeper meaning. She stared at the scene, her heart filled with complex emotions, hesitant to speak. Eventually, her gaze towards Ryan became eager, showing deep respect for the responsibility and courage he bore, as well as his compassion for ordinary people. Evelyn had seen countless people, some with immense power and others with brilliant talents, but she had never seen anyone like Ryan, who selflessly gave to the weak.

He was an undeniable fool! Of course, that was also what attracted her to him the most.

"What? You would give up a generous reward for these ordinary people!" Chris and the others looked at Ryan as if he were a freak, their faces filled with disbelief.

The Lester continent is vast and boundless, and humans have been the dominant force on this land for a hundred thousand years. Even the Arnold Kingdom, a vassal kingdom under the rule of the Aispa Magic Empire, has a population of fifty million! In their eyes, human life is the cheapest thing in this dog-eat-dog world. But since the kid gave up the bounty, it meant that the magic crystals they would end up dividing would not decrease because of Ryan's participation! This was pleasing news no matter how one looked at it!

Thinking this, Chris, Olaf, and the others simultaneously cast appreciative glances at Ryan.

"Alright! Noble mage, sir! I will also strive to fulfill my promise and find that monster's whereabouts as soon as possible! Because..." Evelyn gave Ryan a flirtatious smile,"my promise is also something money can't measure!"

After saying that, Evelyn walked up with a smile, her charming and delicate face suddenly coming close to Ryan's, and then she boldly kissed him on the cheek.

When Evelyn's lips touched Ryan's cheek, his heartbeat seemed to stop for a moment, and the whole world quieted down. He could feel her warmth and softness, but more so, he was surprised and confused. He hadn't anticipated this moment; his brain momentarily froze, unable to comprehend what had happened.

Seeing Ryan's dumbfounded and puzzled expression, Evelyn couldn't help but laugh, looking at her"masterpiece" on the boy's face before suddenly releasing magic power and flying into the air.

"There's no time to waste, I'm going to look for the monster's trail now! Get ready, we'll set off when I return!" Evelyn's tone became serious, her gaze directed at Chris, Olaf, and the others.

"No problem! Evelyn, don't you trust me? I never lag behind like some people!" Olaf said with a playful smile, glancing at Chris not far away.

Chris snorted coldly, too lazy to continue bickering with Olaf.

"Little handsome boy! Get ready too! Wait for sister to come back!" Before leaving, Evelin gave Ryan a flirtatious look.

When Ryan snapped back to reality, Evelyn had already vanished into the sky, leaving him staring at the empty air and chuckling to himself:"Flirting and running off, huh? Not going to happen again! Next time, you're in for a real talking-to!"

At that moment, his sister Alice, who had appeared behind him at some point, tugged at his clothes in a huff, looking quite displeased.

"Brother! Why did you let her kiss you?" she pouted unhappily, frowning.

Ryan, finding his sister's jealousy amusing, quickly tried to appease her with a smile:"Alright, alright, I'll be more careful next time. I'll make sure to give her a proper talking-to!"

"Kneel down!" Alice commanded, still in a huff.

Ryan obediently crouched down, his eyes leveling with Alice's.

Alice then reached out and tried to rub off the bright red lipstick mark Evelyn had left on her brother's left cheek.

After struggling for a while and realizing she couldn't get it off, Alice stopped trying to rub it away and instead, in a gesture of claiming her territory, began to pepper his right cheek with kisses, quickly covering it in saliva.

"Alice, calm down..." Ryan, feeling the teasing glances of everyone around, couldn't help but feel embarrassed.

"Why can she kiss Brother and I can't?" Alice, noticing her brother's reluctance, immediately became indignant, puffing up in annoyance.

Ryan, helpless and not wanting to upset his sister despite internally disapproving of her actions, silently accepted Alice's antics.

In the end, to appease his sister, a resigned Ryan spent 1000 points in the system store to buy ten colorful lollipops.

Alice, having received the lollipops she desired, no longer felt like sulking with Ryan and happily went off to share them with Annie.

Time flew, and as the sun set and dusk approached, Evelyn returned to the village, with good news. She had found the monster's trail!

Ryan, after temporarily entrusting his sister to Annie's care, gathered with Evelyn and the others in an open area outside the village.

"Well done, Evelyn! You're indeed the most reliable!" Olaf excitedly praised the enchanting figure before him.

"Let's move! Time waits for no one! The monster is probably hunting in a village 40 kilometers north by now. We must hurry if we want to catch it before it finishes its hunt. Otherwise, if it escapes, we'll lose our chance to eliminate it for good!" Evelyn's usual playful demeanor was replaced with seriousness.

No sooner had she finished speaking than she leapt onto her horse. The others nodded, mounted their horses without further ado.

Ryan initially planned to use the power of"Wings of the Gale" to catch up, but he changed his mind, realizing the epic equipment's value could invoke strong envy from others. After all, his meeting with these mages was by chance, without deep mutual understanding. Thus, Ryan decided to keep a low profile, avoiding showing off his strength unnecessarily, to prevent unwanted attention.

Noticing Ryan lacked a horse, Evelyn extended her hand with a smile, inviting him to ride together. Ryan, without being pretentious, took her hand and gracefully jumped onto the horse, wrapping his arms around Evelyn's slender waist from behind.

"Giggle, handsome, you better hold on tight. My riding skills are quite good!" Evelyn teased, looking over her shoulder at the arms around her waist.

"Oh? How good?" Ryan, not one to back down, became proactive, with a mischievous smile, he playfully slapped Evelyn's alluring buttocks.

Evelyn turned slightly, her eyes gleaming with a defiant and playful smile. Biting her lower lip gently, she spoke in a tone filled with elusive charm,"Are you challenging my limits, or seeking a special kind of response?" Her voice was soft and seductive, silently inviting Ryan to explore unknown boundaries. She even intentionally wiggled her buttocks.

Ryan instantly regretted his impulsive act. He thought he could easily handle Evelyn's flirtations, but reality proved more complex. The moment Evelyn's buttocks gently swayed against him, Ryan's thoughts scattered. He tried to remain calm, feigning indifference, but it was futile. His heartbeat accelerated, his blood as if ignited, boiling within him, every inch of his skin filled with an uncontrollable warmth. His primal instincts made him wish he could pin Evelyn down and dominate her right then and there!

This damned enchantress was truly taxing!

Seeing the boy's flustered expression behind her, Evelyn wore a smug smile, then pulled the reins and sped off.

Olaf watched the two speeding away, a playful smirk on his face,"This kid's really green! If it were me, I'd have pinned that little temptress down right there and then!"

"Aren't you afraid Evelyn would cut off that little bit of meat between your legs?" Gruff, teased from the side.

"Bug off!" Olaf glared at him, kicked his horse's flanks, and galloped away.

Laughter erupted among them as they all spurred their horses to catch up.

After two hours of hard riding, Ryan and the group arrived at a village fifty kilometers to the north, where flames reached towards the sky. The village was eerily silent, its grounds littered with the bodies of villagers, countless in number. The thick scent of blood filled the air, causing Ryan's brows to furrow tightly.

However, Evelyn and the others seemed accustomed to such scenes. They dismounted and coldly scanned the surroundings for any trace of the monster.

"Evelyn, are we too late?" Chris, observing the quiet desolation of the village, couldn't help but feel a wave of doubt.

"Stay sharp! He might be lurking in the shadows!" Evelyn's expression was serious as she drew her elegant longsword, vigilant.

They cautiously moved through the village and soon, in the central area, in an unremarkable courtyard, they spotted a sinister figure. The figure was seen from behind, grotesquely feasting on an infant's corpse, a sight so bloody and horrifying it sent chills down the spine.

Ryan immediately recognized the creature, confirming it was the same monster he had encountered the night before.

The ground of the courtyard was littered with the bodies of infants and children, their deaths gruesome beyond words. Some were drained of blood, while others had been partially devoured, fueling Ryan's rage.

Yet, excitement flickered in the eyes of Evelyn and the others.

"We finally found the damned monster!" Chris exclaimed with excitement.

"Heh, it seems this monster hasn't reached level 40 yet. We've come at the perfect time!" Olaf felt relieved, sensing the monster's aura.

"Quit the chatter! Let's join forces and deal with this beast right away!" Gruff, eager and ready, rubbed his hands together in anticipation.