The Armored Turtle Snake, without its heavy carapace, was already a tiger that had its teeth pulled out.
The Ice Flower Adventure Team pursued their victory, and in just a few minutes, they had dealt with this massive magical creature.
On the side of the Adventurer's Guild, the spectating crowd also let out a cheer.
Gazes of admiration or surprise fell upon Lin Da.
Although they did not know how Lin Da had learned of the Armored Turtle Snake's weakness, his willingness to share this secret publicly was a great boon to all adventurers.
Without Lin Da's Golden Advice, the members of the Ice Flower Adventure Team would have used their Town Portal Scrolls by now, retreating from the twelfth floor in disgrace.
Jeban, a logistics member of Ice Flower, had his face turn red, almost kneeling down in excitement.
Had Lin Da not helped today, not only would everyone have lost a Town Portal Scroll, but it would have been a severe blow to the morale of the Ice Flower Adventure Team.
"Mr. Lin Da, please do visit the Ice Flower Adventure Team, oh no, another day our captain will surely visit you!"
"No need to be polite, let's help each other out in the future," Lin Da said with a light smile.
Next to him, Kafni was constantly pulling at his sleeve, hinting with 'we strongly need money' eyes.
Lin Da pretended not to see.
In the crystal screen, Isa bowed deeply, wiped the sweat from her forehead, and smiled, "Lin Da, you're still there, right? I've changed my mind now, I will definitely make you a member of Ice Flower."
Upon hearing this, a wave of jeers spread through the crowd, and the way people looked at Lin Da started to change.
Many did not know that Lin Da had left the Snow Goose Adventure Team, and now with Ice Flower's captain extending a cordial invitation, in their eyes, it was nothing short of poaching from the Snow Goose Adventure Team.
Given the poor relationship between Snow Goose and the Ice Flower Captain, it wouldn't be surprising if that red-haired girl showed up on their doorstep any moment.
The crowd also grew curious on how Lin Da managed to catch the attention of two adventure team captains who couldn't stand each other.
The Golden Advice earlier, if it had been anyone else, Isa probably wouldn't have trusted them.
Because it was Lin Da, Isa trusted enough to consume the Gluttony Potion, using the massively draining 'Ice Blade Waltz'.
Realizing this, many adventurers felt as if they had a lemon in their mouths, incredibly sour.
Only Lin Da felt it very troublesome.
He wouldn't join any team, even if Isa's invitation was very sincere.
"Right... those two level 20 Demon Cores," he said to Jeban.
"No need to return them, of course not!" Jeban said with a laugh, "I'd gladly give you two more level 20 Demon Cores."
But, compared to Lin Da's favor, level 20 Demon Cores were hardly enough!
How to properly thank Lin Da, would have to be decided after Isa returned.
"Oh.
Lin Da waited for a while, but didn't see Jeban reach into his bag.
Not quite the sharpest tool in the shed, this guy.
After leaving under Jeban's respectful escort, Kafni could not hold back anymore: "Ask for money, are you stupid, why didn't you ask that guy for gold coins?"
Lin Da shook his head, "If they don't proffer it and you have to ask, you use up at least half the goodwill. Besides, Isa has a good reputation; she won't forget today's events. We all are in White Dove City, seeing each other often; who knows when we might need Isa's help again. Keeping this goodwill is far better than asking for some gold coins."
Besides, they still had nine silver coins. They weren't at the end of their resources yet.
After hearing this, Kafni pondered, "You really know a lot."
It was, after all, Lin Da's thorn-in-the-neck technique.
Lin Da thought.
...
An hour later, in the Inner City District at "Tequila's Home" tavern.
In the luxurious private room on the third floor, the Ice Flower Adventure Team was having a celebration banquet.
Isa, dressed casually with her silver hair tied back with an orange headband into a ponytail, sat at the head of the round table and spoke to Jeban, who had just rushed over:
"Did you find out why Lin Da left the Snow Goose Adventure Team?"
At the mention of Lin Da, the members of the Ice Flower team all got a bit excited, talking over one another:
"Captain, we must recruit him, I've been wanting to test my Healing Art against that 'Eye of Wisdom' for a while now."
"Yes, even though he dropped to level 0, which is quite tragic, catching up later, he can quickly become a major asset to the team, worth cultivating."
"Just because he was once part of the Snow Goose Adventure Team and is willing to help us, he deserves exceptional inclusion."
The members of the Ice Flower, both men and women, unanimously praised Lin Da.
Logistics officer Jeban, panting, said, "Captain, I got it from Chloe with just some snacks, I bought her off!"
"Chloe said that Lin Da was kicked out by Lia for being too weak, and Lia also declared that if Lin Da ever comes back, no one is allowed to sympathize with him."
"Looks like, Lin Da definitely won't be returning to the Snow Goose Adventure Team."
Jeban couldn't help but smile, "This is a great opportunity."
Isa nodded.
She was thinking, no matter what, she had to find a way to get Lin Da to join Ice Flower, a talented Healer is worth training from scratch.
But, how would she repay today's favor? Someone like Lin Da probably doesn't lack Gold Coins; he must have saved quite a lot in the Snow Goose Adventure Team.
Besides, offering Gold Coins would seem vulgar and might lower her impression in Lin Da's eyes.
Concerned about how to return the favor, Isa who always disliked owing anyone anything, fell into a dilemma.
The team's close confidante, and fellow Healer, Fannis suddenly leaned in, a sly twinkle in her eye, "Lord Captain, at your age, shouldn't you consider finding a boyfriend? Dating that Lin Da would surely make him happy! After all, Lord Captain is so beautiful!"
"A date?"
Isa's face flushed as she slammed her large wooden mug full of Wheat Beer onto the table, annoyed, "I'm still young, not yet at the age to need a boyfriend!"
"Hahahahaha."
Laughter and cheerful voices filled the room.
...
"At the next meeting, we should congratulate Isa on breaking through the 12th floor and entering the list of top teams in White Dove City."
Under the night sky, Lin Da, with Kafni in tow, hurried towards the rental housing area.
In his mind, he replayed the scene on the crystal screen of the Ice Flower Adventure Team working in perfect harmony, jointly attacking the Armored Turtle Snake, and he felt a pang of envy.
Every member of Ice Flower genuinely trusted Isa, and Isa reciprocated that trust with her team members.
When Isa charged at the Armored Turtle Snake, all the members followed her forward, entering the attack range of the Armored Turtle Snake.
Even though the team members internally questioned the correctness of Isa's actions.
Lin Da thought back to his time with the Snow Goose Adventure Team and immediately got a headache.
In terms of individual skills, the members of Snow Goose were much more powerful than those of Ice Flower, but they acted like a disconnected group when combined.
He too wished to form a team like Ice Flower.
But creating a team required registration at the Adventurer's Guild.
Only the jobless 'freelancers' have the qualifications to form a team.
Lin Da frowned as he scratched his head.
Currently, he was, in a strict sense, still part of the Snow Goose Adventure Team.
To become a 'freelancer', he would need the captain's signature on a resignation form and a stamp from the Adventurer's Guild.
Then he needed to pray in front of the World Tree Goddess' statue to fully revoke his Snow Goose member status.
```
Getting the team withdrawal certificate shouldn't be difficult.
Lin Da thought for a moment and then let go, that Lia wouldn't let him stay.
Deliberately holding him up was also unlikely.
According to the Empire's Adventurer's Law Article Thirty-Five: if Lia stalled him, he could apply to the Adventurer's Guild for a forced withdrawal.
Although it might drag on for a few days, just to be annoying, but based on Lin Da's understanding of Lia, she disdained such petty tricks.
Just like her Fire Series Battle Qi, she was as fiery and impetuous as flames.
He figured as soon as he went over, without needing to speak, she would throw the withdrawal certificate in his face.
"That's good, saves the hassle of arguing."
Lin Da, with hands in pockets, and Kafni headed towards their rental destination.
...
"Where's my grand villa, my big swimming pool? You're making me live in a place like this?"
In the middle of a decrepit old neighborhood, Kafni wailed.
What met the eyes was a row of tube buildings with yellowing walls, as old and shaky as an eighty-year-old man on his last legs in the wind.
Kafni learned from Lin Da and that old landlady's conversation that the apartment was only 50 square meters, without a private bathroom, communal, shared by the whole floor.
Bathing with others, no thanks!
Kafni still wanted to hide her big embarrassing bear.
She had never lived in such a rubbish place in her life.
Lin Da, however, didn't care at all and haggled with the landlady: "2 silver coins a month, I plan to stay long-term!"
"Oh dear, if it weren't for 'Eye of Wisdom' sir, I definitely wouldn't agree."
The gossipy rent-collecting landlady looked at Lin Da: "What happened to those girls? Back in the day, you were the only one who could make four girls willingly live in a place like this."
Three years ago, Lin Da was seen every day with four beautiful girls, and it was rumored they partied every day in the house.
Living in a rundown house but still managing to bewitch four girls left a deep impression on the landlady.
"Cough, cough, I came alone." Noticing that the landlady was peeking at Kafni and giving him a knowing smile, Lin Da quickly cleared his throat: "So is 8 silver coins enough? Let's get on with the check-in."
"For 'Eye of Wisdom's' sake, auntie will take one off, 6 coins."
"Really? Thank you so much!"
Lin Da quickly signed the rental contract and, with a dejected Kafni, went to the third floor, hearing her mutter 'don't want to live here', 'too shabby', 'how can a worthless hero treat a deity like this' and other complaints.
"That's enough, not sleeping on the streets is already pretty good; having a house in Sparrow District means you don't have to worry about safety. Look on the bright side, you won't be targeted by Black Uncle."
Lin Da tried to cheer Kafni up optimistically.
"Heh, someone else should have been the hero," Kafni retorted sarcastically.
Ignoring the sullen deity with golden hair, Lin Da took a key from his pocket. It had a worn sticker with unclear handwriting, barely making out '305'.
Huh?
Lin Da blinked in surprise.
Wasn't this the room he and the others lived in three years ago?
The Snow Goose Adventure Team was extremely poor in the early days, and although the girls like Lia came from distinguished backgrounds, each seemed to have their own difficulties. Together, they managed to scrape up a single gold coin.
Now, three years later, coming to rent again, it was the same room.
Coincidence, or was it the landlady's deliberate arrangement...?
Fighting alongside someone new at the place where he once battled might seem quite thrilling to that landlady.
```
```
But the reality was not like that at all. In the early days of the Snow Goose Adventure Team, they spent all day fighting monsters, training, then coming back to eat before crashing into bed. Their minds were solely on the World Tree Secret Realm; there was no time for other activities.
Lin Da couldn't help but frown. Living in this kind of house would only remind him of the old Snow Goose Adventure Team, inevitably making him feel uncomfortable.
"What are you dazing out for? Hurry up and go in!"
Kafni, both tired and hungry, was already displeased, and with Lin Da stupidly daydreaming, she grabbed the key from him in frustration.
With a click, the door opened, and Kafni pushed her way in.
Apparently, the place had not been aired out for too long; a damp and musty smell assaulted their senses as they entered.
Kafni immediately pinched her nose, her face turning bitter.
As for Lin Da, the sight of the familiar old furniture in the small rental room was like overturning a jar of mixed emotions. Many scenes that had been sealed in the corners of his memory seemed to be unlocked by this rusty key, coming at him thick and fast.
"What's wrong with you?"
"It's nothing."
"Oh."
Kafni didn't bother with him anymore and started to look around the room.
One bedroom, one living room, with a separate bathroom.
When the light was turned on, its dim yellow glow made the narrow space feel even more constricting, almost suffocating.
Kafni continued to complain.
Lin Da, as if he hadn't heard, wandered through the dust-covered living room.
He looked at the mahogany round table, which had lost much of its paint and was pocked with dents, and felt a tinge of emotion.
Those dents were made by Klrona, who used an iron ladle to serve food.
With no toys to play with while waiting for dinner, she would bang the spoon on the table. Each time Klrona did that, she'd puff out her little chest with an excuse, "It's because our team is so poor we can't even afford toys, so I have to play with this!"
Across from the door, where the round table faced, was Lia's seat. Lin Da sat opposite, with Lin Xi right next to him, and Aiko and Klrona to each side.
Seeing the objects brought back a flood of memories, vividly coming to life in Lin Da's mind.
He sat down in his own seat.
That moment, it was as if something had come alive. In a daze, he seemed to return to the scene from three years ago, stored in his memory.
"What are you looking at? Aren't we toasting?"
The voice that sounded like an illusion echoed in his ears. Lin Da looked up incredulously.
Across the round table, a girl with fiery red hair and a fresh, youthful face was holding a large oak cup, tilting her head and looking at him oddly.
"Eh? Lin Da, are you tired already? You're such small fry!"
Klrona held the cup with both hands, her snow-white feet stretched out under the table, swinging back and forth like a swing, laughing mischievously.
"Shall I cook next time?" Aiko's tone was a bit worried, as if she felt bad that Lin Da always had to cook.
"Brother?" Lin Xi, a delicate girl with soft black hair, was also looking at him with concern.
Lin Da's gaze lingered on her for a long time.
But the protagonist today was not Lin Xi.
Lin Da thought for a moment about what had happened at that time...
If he remembered correctly, today was the day they failed on the second layer of the World Tree. Luck was terrible; they were randomly sent to a Mystic Realm that was highly incompatible with the Snow Goose Adventure Team. Someone didn't follow orders and broke away from the group, rushing into the midst of the magical creatures. If not for a Town Portal Scroll, the Snow Goose Adventure Team would have been wiped out.
It was from this painful lesson of the second layer that Lin Da started the habit of collecting Magic Potions.
Under his adamant request, from then on the team had to exceed the level recommended by the Adventurer's Guild for the corresponding layer, be skilled in the boss strategies of every random map, capable of a hundred percent success rate before agreeing to attempt a strategy.
```
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