Becoming a wet nurse is not the end of the story.

"Miss Olihils, something terrible has happened! We've spotted a group of thieves ahead, and it seems they might be..."

Just as Lin Xueyin was wondering how to face Olihirs, she heard a lizard scout from the Fire Phoenix appear before Olihirs and report the strange phenomenon he had discovered.

"Traces of thieves?" His expression darkened slightly, but he didn't panic at the sudden discovery. Instead, he calmly glanced at his subordinates.

"Okay, I'll go back and check. You keep an eye on this woman for me and take her to the commander so he can keep an eye on her."

"Huh? She is..."

The lizard scout, suddenly entrusted with this important task, was a little stunned. This was a priest, after all. If he got injured in the future, he would have to seek her treatment. If he offended her, wouldn't that bring a lot of trouble to his future?

"What do you mean 'ah'? Cheer up! These thieves are probably up to no good." As he spoke, he glanced at the somewhat dazed girl beside him.

Seeing that the other party still didn't trust her, Lin Xueyin simply snorted coldly, "You, come with me."

Turning around, he led the lizard scout toward the central tent of the Jade Glazed Tile. Really, he had already said he would help, yet he was still being treated like a traitor. Did he, Lin, have no dignity? Did they really think he, a priest, had no temper?

With a pout, he kicked a stray pebble far away before turning his face to look at the lizardman behind him, still feeling a little uneasy.

When I first arrived here, I was being chased by lizardmen and they even tried to sell me into slavery to the demons. If Nana hadn't saved me, I might have actually become the female lead in the anime series.

Now, another lizardman scout was standing behind her. It would be hard to believe that she didn't harbor any regional prejudice, but since he had been very nice to her, Lin Xueyin felt embarrassed to say anything disrespectful to him.

The simple camp formed by the mercenary group of several hundred people was not very large. Before long, they arrived outside Yu Liuli's tent. To be honest, they didn't quite understand why they always traveled for half a day in the morning and set up camp to rest before it got dark in the afternoon.

Is this the kind of action a large mercenary group would take when carrying out a mission, or is this a mission-specific approach unique to the Fire Phoenix Mercenary Group?

Still filled with questions from the past few days, Lin Xueyin happily skipped and jumped into Yu Liuli's plump and soft embrace. This wasn't an attempt to take advantage of her; it was a loving hug. Thinking this, Lin Xueyin smiled like a cat that had just stolen some cream.

"Little girl, where's Olithis? Isn't she always by your side?"

Emmm, I'm not happy with what you're saying. Who would want to be inseparable from a woman who always has a cold face and acts like they owe her millions?

"Captain, it's like this. I spotted some thieves outside, so our captain went out to look for other clues and asked me to escort Miss Yukine here."

"Escort?" Yu Liuli asked with a hint of confusion, but she didn't utter the word that had made Lin Xueyin furious. She simply smiled at the girl in front of her.

"She wouldn't let you lead the way, but she made you escort Xueyin back. It seems she's not as heartless as she appears."

"Huh? Heartless. When has she ever shown me any affection? She clearly bullies me every day. It's always something I can't do or touch. She follows me around all the time, and I have no freedom at all. If she has any affection, then please take that affection away right now."

As if she were disgusted by something, Lin Xueyin casually waved her right hand, as if she were trying to shake something off. This elicited a light, melodious laugh from Yu Liuli.

"Alright, you can go out now. I want to have a good chat with Xueyin."

Seeing his subordinate's amazed expression at Lin Xueyin's disdainful look, he couldn't help but find it amusing. However, considering the questions he wanted to ask her, he decided to ask him to step aside for the time being.

As the lizardmen scouts left, Yu Liuli and Lin Xueyin discussed some private matters, which led to Lin Xueyin's blushing cries and Yu Liuli's happy, triumphant laughter echoing from inside the tent.

Not far from the main camp, Orichils stood quietly, looking at the several mercenaries who had been dead for some time in front of him, his brows furrowed tightly.

A stench of death that she absolutely loathed kept assaulting her sense of smell, even making her feel nauseous. However, she couldn't help but wonder who had killed these mercenaries.

In a few leaps, he quickly returned to his mercenary group. However, Orichils did not notice that the corpses that had just been lying on the ground suddenly opened their eyes, their scarlet pupils filled with madness.

Volume 5: The Winged Ones and the Dwarves: Chapter 4: The Mercenaries' Welcome

Olihirs quietly returned to the camp. She had carefully searched the area and found many footprints, but the chaotic footprints only made her more confused.

As a powerful elven ranger, her abilities are beyond question. However, the appearance of so many confusing clues at this moment has made her somewhat concerned.

There were dead people everywhere, and judging from their clothes, they were all mercenaries. This made her feel that things were getting more complicated, and that the road ahead might not be as simple as she had imagined.

Her rapidly departing figure was seen by a crow, who watched her leave coldly and without a trace of emotion, not uttering a single sound.

Inside the camp, Lin Xueyin and several other ordinary mages sat around the fire, looking expectantly at the whole lamb in front of them, which was almost cooked and exuded a tempting aroma.

"Hmm, it really smells quite nice."

Lin Xueyin, her eyes crinkling with laughter, sat in Yu Liuli's lap. Although it was soft and warm, she struggled slightly at first, but couldn't break free at all and could only let it be.

Yes, I really didn't want to sit there; I just couldn't break free. I mentally gave myself a final, definitive answer to my actions.

"Xueyin, this was specially made for you by our head chef Moratti to welcome you. How is it? Aren't you happy?"

A slightly rounded chin rested gently on Lin Xueyin's head, and she inhaled the faint fragrance emanating from it. That charming scent brought her a sense of peace.

"Yes, of course I'm happy. Thank you, Chef Mo." Morati handed her a piece of sliced ​​roasted lamb, which she ate with relish. The aroma of the meat and the rich flavor of the fat made Lin Xueyin's eyes crinkle into small bridges with joy.

"Mmm, it's really delicious."

"Eat more if you like it." He cut off another piece of roasted mutton for her and handed it to her. Lin Xueyin ate the mutton that he had roasted himself with gusto, feeling a sense of satisfaction.

I accidentally cut my hand before and needed to rest for a few days, but this little girl saw it and healed my injury with a basic healing spell.

In addition, the hidden injuries he had sustained while learning the art had been slowly healed by her, which filled Morati with gratitude towards Lin Xueyin.

This initial test of skill also made many members of the Fire Phoenix Mercenary Group aware that they had such a priest by their side, which calmed down the somewhat restless atmosphere caused by the mission.

"Xueyin, let me toast you."

"Um, can I not drink? I'm not very good at it."

Seeing a mercenary pick up a wine bag from afar and raise it high towards her, Lin Xueyin seemed a little flustered, as it was the first time she had been toasted in this way.

Seeing how clueless her subordinate was, Yu Liuli could only roll her eyes at him. However, she also knew that it was not the right time to contradict him, so she signaled to the person next to her to bring her a water bag.

"Yukine, this contains the juice of Kira fruit. You can try it."

Having said that, he turned to the others and said, "The mission isn't over yet, everyone needs to stay focused. Although we're having a good time today, the alcohol..."

The rest of the sentence was left unsaid, but the meaning was clear: it's best to avoid alcohol in this kind of environment; the desire for food and the will to survive should not be combined.

Deputy Commander Andreik approached Lin Xueyin with an unidentified fruit. "Xueyin, this is a Qila fruit, the raw material for the juice the commander makes. It tastes pretty good, you should try it."

Being away from home for extended periods, the availability of fresh fruits and vegetables is a luxury. Although the Fire Phoenix Mercenary Group is one of the Empire's top mercenary groups, it cannot provide this service, making fresh fruit a true luxury.

The fact that someone would give something like this to Lin Xueyin shows that they value her highly. Lin Xueyin understood this and was about to refuse when the other person forcefully stuffed it into her hand.

"Take it. It's not much, but this is a forest, so we can still pick some fruit."

As for the pear-like Qila fruit in her hand, Lin Xueyin looked back at the jade glass she was holding and saw that it also had an approving expression. Only then did she feel relieved enough to accept it.

"Thank you."

"Don't be so polite. Now that you've joined our Fire Phoenix family, you're one of us. There's no need to be so formal."

The girl before him had a pair of smiling eyes that held no words, and Andrek felt his heart almost melt. This feeling was like seeing his younger sister from home.

Well, after this mission is over, I'll go back and see my sister. I wonder how she's doing now.

Take a big bite of this kiwifruit. Although it looks a bit like a pear on the outside, the taste is quite different. It's a bit astringent, but inside there's a very fragrant flavor. Every chew leaves a lingering fragrance on your lips and teeth.

"Mmm, it's delicious."

"Haha, as long as it tastes good, it's just a pity that this isn't the origin of the Kila fruit. Otherwise, we could have picked more and let you enjoy it to your heart's content."

Hearing Andreek say that, Lin Xueyin felt a little embarrassed and waved her hand, saying that she didn't need to take such good care of herself.

Just as everyone was chatting and laughing, Orichalcos arrived quickly and, with a few leaps, landed in front of Yu Liuli and the others.

He frowned, glanced closely at the girl who had just been laughing and joking but had cowered behind Yu Liuli as soon as he showed his face, and then whispered in Yu Liuli's ear.

"Commander, there's a problem here. I think we need to leave as soon as possible."

"Is there a problem?" Yu Liuli looked at Orichils in surprise. This was the first time she had ever been so serious and even cautious. Even when she encountered a young dragon that had run away from Dragon Island to the mainland, she hadn't been this careful.

“That’s right. I have a bad feeling about this place. I think all those mercenary groups have been wiped out. An enemy that leaves no survivors must be a force to be reckoned with.”

After a moment of contemplation, his gaze unconsciously swept over Lin Xueyin, which greatly displeased Orichils.

"Commander, at this critical moment, please consider the overall situation."

Volume 5: The Winged Race and the Dwarves: Chapter 5 Night Raid

Orichalcos still clearly shows his distrust of Lin Xueyin, and even his cautious suspicion regarding her sudden appearance.

His words revealed his true feelings, which made the other members of the group feel somewhat awkward as they watched the low-pressure atmosphere of the entire team.

At this moment, facing the other party's extremely cold attitude, Lin Xueyin still didn't show much expression. She simply nodded slightly and turned to leave, continuing to gnaw on the piece of mutton that Morati had given her earlier.

Seeing that the other party left so tactfully, Orichils naturally didn't say anything more. However, seeing Yu Liuli's somewhat dissatisfied expression, he pulled her aside and told her everything he had seen.

As a group leader, she must be fully aware of this kind of situation, and even know her current predicament. It's best to avoid holding banquets of this nature.

After listening to Orichalcos's suggestion, Yu Liuli sighed softly. She knew this all too well, but the high pressure had left everyone mentally exhausted. This time, she could have taken advantage of Xueyin's opportunity to let everyone relax a little, but instead, she pulled this stunt.

Should we say she made a mistake? She was also considering the whole group. Should we say she had a problem? But no matter how you look at it, this result is acceptable.

As for Yukine, whether she is an enemy or not is not important, because she believes in Orichalcos's ability to kill him the moment she discovers him. However, she really cannot bring herself to strike first when she is unsure whether the other party is an enemy.

Not only Olihirs, but even Andreik had previously suggested taking precautions, but he rejected them all. He didn't know why, but he had a lot of confidence in that little girl.

And so, what was supposed to be a lively dinner party ended rather abruptly, though everyone was somewhat relieved.

Calling out to their friends, the group continued chatting as they left. Similarly, the soldiers on duty also received plenty of delicious food, and as they devoured it, they talked about today's protagonist, Lin Xueyin.

Everyone seemed to have a natural affinity for this young female priest who suddenly appeared. Of course, everyone would like to have a priest in their team, as it would provide an extra layer of protection on the battlefield.

No one wants to die, not even mercenaries who live on the edge of death every day. Being able to complete their missions alive is what mercenaries desire most.

As night deepened, the wind rustled through the treetops, and flickering lights shone in the center of the dark road. Everything was peaceful, except for the faint crimson glow that appeared in the woods at that moment.

"Hehehe, I didn't expect that person to send me supplies again. I haven't even used up the previous supplies, and this time they've sent quite a lot. It seems that person is in a hurry."

"However, the medicine is almost ready now, and we are just waiting for the final experimental results so that it can be used directly in actual combat."

Beneath the long black robe, a sinister voice emanated, and around him stood fully armed warriors. If one were to look closely, one would find that these warriors' eyes had long lost their luster, and they were like walking corpses, knowing only how to advance and attack.

With the enemy camp now within sight, the man simply waved his arm, and the zombie-like warriors began to slowly advance towards the enemy camp.

The flickering firelight illuminated half of the road, and many mercenaries were talking about what had happened that night, while others were talking about their families and friends.

"Have you met that pastor named Xueyin? I heard she's incredibly beautiful. I wonder who will be lucky enough to become her man."

"Haha, that's beyond our comprehension, but I think it's probably the children of those important people. After all, they're priests."

"Yes, that's true. Priests are getting more and more powerful these days, far more powerful than mages. I really don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing."

"Haha, that's not something we can... What is it then?" Before he could say anything more, he saw dark shadows in the distance, as if something was approaching his camp.

"Listen up, everyone in front! This is the camp of the Fire Phoenix Mercenary Group. Stop here!"

As the people gradually approached from outside, they seemed to be mercenaries, which made the soldiers on duty even more nervous.