Chapter 18: She Is My Friend, and I Will Take Care of This Matter!
Xiao Yixian's delicate face turned pale. She first looked at Mu Li with a hint of fear, then turned her violet eyes towards Gu Fei. Her eyes were filled with surprise and a faint trace of anxiety.
Xiao Yixian experiences panic, Emotion Value +100
She stood there, feeling rather helpless and unsure of what to do. Suddenly, with two people appearing one after the other, Xiao Yixian didn't know how to react. After all, Gu Fei gave her a more reliable feeling. Xiao Yixian looked at him helplessly, as if hoping he could offer an explanation. Otherwise, why would both of them suddenly appear behind her?
"Xiao Yixian, I noticed this person following you sneakily earlier and was worried he had ill intentions, so I followed," Gu Fei said calmly. He wasn't feeling guilty, as he hadn't done anything inappropriate. Instead, he preemptively placed a label of bad intentions on Mu Li.
Mu Li experiences anger, Emotion Value +10
Mu Li, who initially wanted to argue, glared at Gu Fei in a mix of shock and anger. However, he didn't dare to confront Gu Fei right away.
He had noticed during the mercenary selection earlier that this alchemist's identity wasn't simple. Besides, being a seasoned mercenary, the most essential skill he had was constant vigilance. Even though his attention was focused entirely on tracking Xiao Yixian earlier, staying alert was second nature to him. If Gu Fei had truly followed him all the way, there was no way he wouldn't have noticed!
So, this meant that Gu Fei either had exceptionally high strength or a very advanced stealth technique.
Thus, Mu Li could only glare at Gu Fei in anger, unable to act rashly.
Xiao Yixian, filled with trust in Gu Fei, believed that such a skilled alchemist wouldn't deceive her.
Xiao Yixian experiences gratitude, Emotion Value +100
She was full of gratitude toward Gu Fei and became even more wary of Mu Li. Mu Li had suddenly and without reason followed her, and he didn't want to be discovered… Could it be that her secret was exposed?
Xiao Yixian shook her head. She had hidden it so well, and no one around her had noticed. How could Mu Li possibly know?
To confirm her suspicion, Xiao Yixian wasn't willing to let the matter drop and pretend nothing had happened.
"Mu Li, why were you following me?" Xiao Yixian asked loudly, her voice steady. The dense forest around them felt oppressive, blocking out the sunlight. Xiao Yixian couldn't make out the expression on Mu Li's face.
He let out a couple of dark chuckles and slowly replied, "Heh, let me be direct then. There must be treasure down there!"
Seeing Xiao Yixian's persistence, Mu Li no longer bothered to hide his intentions and revealed the truth. Xiao Yixian staggered, her face showing obvious shock and confusion.
"I only told my assistant, Li Fei, about this," she said, her beautiful violet eyes filled with visible anger and sadness from the betrayal. "Did you… did you bribe her?"
Even someone as gentle and kind as Xiao Yixian wasn't completely without a temper. Li Fei wasn't just her assistant; Xiao Yixian had also considered her a close friend and confidante, sharing many secrets with her. She never expected that something known only to them would be revealed to Mu Li.
Who else could it have been but Li Fei?
Mu Li laughed heartily and admitted it with a nod. He enjoyed seeing the stunned and angry reactions of those who realized they'd been betrayed by their closest friends. Xiao Yixian's emotions were too volatile, and given that her talent and strength weren't in combat, she wasn't a threat. As for the other one—
Mu Li turned his gaze toward Gu Fei.
He smiled and said, "This young master, why not join the Wolf Head Mercenary Group in exploring this treasure?"
He stared at Gu Fei's still calm face, speaking slowly with a meaningful tone, "When the time comes, we'll split the treasure evenly, fifty-fifty."
Anyone else in Gu Fei's position- be it an alchemist, an assistant from the Myriad Medicine Pavilion, or even Boss Yao- would have eagerly agreed. After all, it was a golden opportunity to cooperate with the strongest mercenary group in Qingshan Town to divide up a treasure. Mu Li was even willing to let them have half.
Given his personality, the fact that Mu Li wasn't planning to kill them and take it all was already generous. Now, he was even willing to share half with Gu Fei—an incredible stroke of luck.
Mu Li leisurely cleaned his ears and blew on his fingertip. "So, what do you say?"
Gu Fei pretended to be tempted at first, purposely showed a hesitant expression. As expected, he noticed Mu Li's subtle grin.
Mu Li experiences pride, Emotion Value +10
Gu Fei raised an eyebrow.
This must be a trap.
He didn't believe that Mu Li was a generous person; it was likely that Mu Li planned to kill him and hide the body after they found the treasure, then return alone. Facing Mu Li's offer and his confident gaze, Gu Fei initially appeared ready to agree. But just as Mu Li's smile was about to reach his cheeks, Gu Fei's expression changed.
Without hesitation, he firmly rejected, "Someone like you isn't qualified to cooperate with me."
Mu Li experiences anger, Emotion Value +10
"What did you say?" Mu Li's eyes flared with anger as he started cracking his knuckles, the sound of bones grinding echoing in the air.
Seeing Gu Fei's resolute stance, Xiao Yixian stared at him, her emotions a mix of gratitude and reliance.
Xiao Yixian experiences gratitude, Emotion Value +80
Xiao Yixian experiences dependency, Emotion Value +80
Realizing Gu Fei wasn't willing to cooperate, Mu Li lost his patience. He grinned maliciously, revealing his true, ugly nature. "Since you refuse to cooperate, don't blame me… Even if you have a strong background, if you die quietly in the Magical Beast Mountain Range, no one will suspect the Wolf Head Mercenary Group!"
A sinister glint flashed in Mu Li's eyes as he stared coldly at Gu Fei, murderous intent brewing in his heart.
Gu Fei wasn't in a hurry to leave. With his current strength, not only was there no one in Qingshan Town who could match him, but there was no one in the entire Jia Ma Empire either.
Xiao Yixian had already taken refuge behind him. He stood in front of her, his tall figure shielding her from harm. Xiao Yixian couldn't help but feel a little dazed.
Under Mu Li's ominous gaze, it didn't take long for more than a dozen mercenaries to emerge from the dense forest. Gu Fei had anticipated this all along.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone