In fact, ever since he became the captain of this team — even if it was just in name, Fang Hong had increasingly begun to think from Miss Sicape's former perspective, reflecting on whether all the decisions he had taken for granted were indeed correct.

And whether they might bring unnecessary danger to those around him —

He looked up.

Not far away, Tianlan was still tuning Kane's Anointment, occasionally producing a couple of ear-piercing noises, which had prompted Parker from the opposite house to come out more than once to protest. He told her not to make so much noise in the late evening as it disturbed the sacred rest of the Papalarians.

However, the young French girl didn't care so much. The rain poured down like a flood, lightning flashed and thunder rolled above the forest, her 'play' of the instrument wasn't louder than the rain, let alone the thunder, so it couldn't possibly have any effect.

After some arguing, she simply ignored the Papalarian and excitedly ran over to find Fang Hong. "Brother Ade, I've tuned it, how about I play a piece for you."

"Sure."

"No way." Fang Hong and Luo Yu answered simultaneously.

Luo Yu's expression was odd, and he opened his mouth to say something, but it was too late. Tianlan shrieked in excitement: "Great, I haven't played the twelve-string guitar in a long time, I used to practice a lot back at the trainee camp."

Fang Hong absolutely believed that.

The trainees of the Grand Guild were different from these makeshift teams of Invokers; they were either from youth camps or sports clubs or selected from virtual league competitions. They had shown talent in certain areas before becoming trainees and generally received targeted training.

For example, Gita was a natural historian who even had a magic guided book before becoming one — it wasn't prepared just for her, but which ordinary Invoker had such conditions? And Luo Yu was an elementalist, although he preferred to be a combat artisan, the fact was his talent in alchemy was only mediocre at best.

As for Tianlan, she had already stated her goal was to be a bard, so even though she could only choose a life profession at the trainee stage right now, she had still learned or gotten acquainted with some aspects of a bard's abilities.

Like playing instruments, for example.

The Apple of Eden — one of Elpuria's Songs of Praise, had the ability to calm the mind and help retrieve lost experiences, knowledge, and memories from the past. This was one of the most foundational non-combat pieces for bards, and a favorite among budding poets — its actual utility allowed people to slowly trace back the cognitive experience gained within the previous twenty-four hours, obtaining an additional one percent of the total experience gained within the day for each Talia Tick (about four minutes) played, up to a maximum of fifteen percent.

Moreover, even without that ability, listening to a pleasant melody by the campfire for a little while every day was good for boosting the team's morale, making bards a popular profession everywhere.

"Stop, stop, stop —"

But only a few seconds into her playing, Fang Hong's expression changed drastically, and he interrupted the French girl.

"All right, all right," he said, wiping sweat from his brow. "It was just a test, no need to play anymore."

"Ah, why?" Tianlan asked, holding her twelve-string guitar, not understanding at all. "Brother Ade, isn't experience and knowledge in Eteliria gained through what one sees and hears? Doesn't everyone gain some cognitive experience every day? There's an opportunity right now, even a little is some extra experience, right?"

"As for why..." Fang Hong's face was turning green.

Now he understood why Luo Yu had been opposed earlier.

Of course, Tianlan's level of play on the twelve-string guitar was actually not low; even the tunes she played could be described as delightful and intoxicating. But the problem arose the moment she began to sing Eden's Poem after the prelude.

Saying she was off-key was a rather euphemistic way to put it; she was tone-deaf, frankly.

Eden's Poem was a long ode praising the Forest Goddess, the youthful lady Ameya, with Eden being her mortal alias, and the original poem was about a beautiful and benign love story.

But Tianlan began to sing off-key from the very first word, and by the end, the scene unfolding before Fang Hong looked like this: a dark forest, a sinister ancient castle, an ugly witch, a poisoned apple, schemes and tricks, deception and betrayal.

It was just the beginning of the first round, and it nearly made him and Luo Yu's hair stand on end. As for that bit of extra experience—forget it, forget it. It wasn't worth their lives for a bit of experience.

Both of them were pale and sweaty, stammering and unsure how to divert Tianlan's attention when their savior appeared at the other end of Saddle Bridge. Atira, who was on night duty, showed up there, calling out to them through the rain:

"Someone's coming, Ade!"

Fang Hong felt as if he'd been pardoned, and hurriedly asked, "Miss Atira, who is it, how many, from which direction, are they coming for us?"

Although Tianlan was disgruntled, he didn't dare to act up in front of the elf girl, and could only sulk with his twelve-string guitar off to one side.

Atira glanced at the two men and shook her head: "Not sure, but probably quite a few, from our front right, seems like they are heading our way."

Upon hearing this, Fang Hong couldn't help but frown, the description brought to mind the attack from the day before. Tianlan was surprised to hear it as well: "Front right, how did those people get ahead of us?"

"It doesn't have to be them." On hearing the commotion outside, Reed and the Papalarians also came out from the other building. But since the suspension bridge between the two platforms had been broken and not yet repaired, Parker could only shout from that side.

"Who else could it be if not them?" Tianlan was fuming when he spoke of those people. "Good timing, with Brother Ade and Mr. Big Cat here this time, let's give them what for, we haven't avenged Gita yet!"

And Atira looked at Fang Hong.

Fang Hong understood the elf girl's meaning—

Among all those here, naturally, the highest leveled were Reed and Hilveld's maid, Xiesta. Big Cat was a Level 13 warrior, Level 12 priest, which together made him exactly a Level 20 paladin. As for Xiesta, the others didn't know exactly how high her level was, but according to Hilveld, it should be slightly below Reed's.

Although the two of them were highly leveled, in terms of passive perception of the surrounding environment, they were not as good as Atira.

The elf girl herself was a hunter as well as a druid, and with the natural advantage of her elongated elven ears, she could sometimes hear faint noises from miles away when conditions were right.

However, among all present, when it came to the strongest active scouting ability—

The person was himself—

"Now?" Fang Hong asked.

Atira nodded.

Fang Hong quickly turned the throttle valve on the Magic Guided Reactor behind him and raised his right hand. A slight glow emanated from the Magic Power Sensing Crystal on his control gloves—he pulled down his wind goggles. Amid Luo Yu's envious gaze, there was a light buzzing sound.

One after another, four clockwork fairies flew out of the room, circled the platform, and then spread out in four directions into the curtain of rain, zooming towards the direction Atira had mentioned.

Watching this scene unfold—

Everyone couldn't help but feel a moment of awe.

The improvement a skilled combat artisan could bring to a team was undeniable.

...

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