Otherworld Advance Team
Chapter 1661 - 1654: Lady Lanxiu

Chapter 1661: Chapter 1654: Lady Lanxiu

As they approached the government office, the surrounding crowd noticeably grew larger, and Baiyang Yu grew increasingly restless, uncertain whether he was feeling fear or anticipation.

Cheng Ziang looked ahead and saw a woman standing at the gate of the government office, hands on her hips, fearlessly staring straight at him.

Around her stood a crowd formed like an iron barrel, but they were all silent, quietly waiting together with the woman for the arrival of the carriage.

"Who is that..."

Cheng Ziang hesitated and glanced at Baiyang Yu, only to find his attention entirely absorbed by the woman, with a silly grin on his face.

"He really makes no effort to conceal his feelings..." Cheng Ziang shook his head helplessly and sighed.

As the carriage drew closer, Cheng Ziang observed the woman carefully. She was clearly one of the wildfolk, as the shared characteristics were too distinct. She seemed about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old and was very tall.

But what set her apart was her beauty. She possessed both the charm of a mature woman and the untamed liveliness of a young girl.

Her clothing style was similar to that of other wildfolk, yet surprisingly elegant. Her outfit was predominantly indigo, with off-white trim at the sleeves and hem. The layered ensemble, paired with her accessories, made her strikingly noticeable.

Silver-white ornaments adorned her chest, wrists, and ankles, and her head was wrapped in a peculiar indigo headpiece equally adorned with silver-white decorations.

These ornaments differed from the traditional style of the Kyushu people and were clearly imbued with the distinct cultural flavor of the Qi State wildfolk, reflecting local ethnic identity.

The woman’s posture was eye-catching—she stood with hands on her hips, left shoulder forward, and her body slightly tilted. She looked upward at Cheng Ziang and the others, exuding a sense of confidence that was simultaneously approachable yet formidable.

Her face bore a faint smile that suggested she was pleased with the arrival of the advance team. But the smile carried a subtle sense of distance, as though she was worried their arrival might alter the fate of Tianguan Town.

The carriage stopped in front of the woman, and Baiyang Yu jumped down eagerly, approaching her with a broad smile. The woman only cast him a cursory glance, her smile unchanged, and paid him little attention.

"Bahàn greets the leader!"

Bahàn stepped forward, pressing his left hand against the hilt of his blade while his right hand rested at the height of his navel. He then knelt on one knee, lowering his head respectfully before the woman.

"So this is the renowned Saint?" the woman asked with amusement as she looked toward the carriage.

Her voice was melodic and alluring, yet carried the high-pitched tinkle unique to young women.

"We are the Four Guardians under the Saint’s command. Greetings to the Manor Lord." Cheng Ziang and the others jumped off the carriage, respectfully paying their salutations.

"I am the leader of these people. You may simply call me Lady Lanxiu," the woman said with a playful smile.

"Lady Lanxiu... So she is indeed a married woman..." Hu Daoke muttered in Chinese.

It appeared that, barring any unforeseen circumstances, Lady Lanxiu was likely the leader of the entire Qi State wildfolk.

Initially hearing the title ’leader,’ Cheng Ziang instinctively thought it referred to a man, but he hadn’t expected it to be such a young woman. This came as a surprise to him.

"A pleasure to meet you, Lady Lanxiu," Cheng Ziang said with a nod.

"Is the Saint inside the carriage?" Lady Lanxiu asked curiously, her gaze lingering on the vehicle.

"Yes," Cheng Ziang replied with a nod.

As soon as the words left his mouth, the carriage door was opened by Tangmo. Immediately, Luo’er emerged with his saintly grace, once again captivating the crowd to the point of exclamations. Even Lady Lanxiu seemed to pale in comparison to the striking presence of Luo’er.

The moment Lady Lanxiu laid eyes on Luo’er, her smile froze into an expression of awe. Confronted by Luo’er’s matchless elegance, she felt, for the first time, deeply inadequate—how could such an extraordinary man exist in this world?

"On behalf of the divine, I thank Lady Lanxiu for her efforts in ensuring the survival of the clans and in the liberation of the Demon Clan," Luo’er said in his ethereal voice.

As he spoke, the surrounding crowd instinctively silenced themselves, listening attentively to every word he said. For them, this was a rare and cherished experience.

"No, no need to thank me," Lady Lanxiu said haltingly, blinking in slight confusion.

Her gaze remained fixed on Luo’er, which deeply annoyed Tangmo, prompting her to cough loudly with irritation.

The cough jolted Lady Lanxiu from her reverie, causing her to quickly avert her gaze. A faint blush rose on her cheeks. Just as she was regaining her composure and about to speak with Luo’er, he had already returned to the carriage, with Tangmo slamming the door shut forcefully, creating a loud thud.

"Uh... The Saint is very pleased with Lady Lanxiu’s efforts," Cheng Ziang attempted to smooth over the awkward atmosphere by speaking up.

"So this is the Saint... Indeed, such beauty is as though descended from heaven, rarely seen by mortals," Lady Lanxiu sighed deeply in admiration.

"Uh..." Cheng Ziang felt a bit awkward. Her title of ’Lady’ implied that she had a husband, and for a married woman to make such remarks seemed somewhat inappropriate.

Of course, he did not understand the customs here. Kyushu was not ancient China, so he could not presume that the norms of ancient China applied here as well.

"Hmph, what’s so heavenly about it? I experience it every day and even indulge in it!" Tangmo said angrily from within the carriage, her back pressed against the door.

"You’re at it again..." Luo’er sighed helplessly.

"Did you see the look she gave you? She looked like she wanted to devour you," Tangmo said, furrowing her brows.

"I don’t like her," Luo’er said matter-of-factly.

"What if she resorts to force?" Tangmo asked seriously.

"That’s impossible—I’m a man. Wouldn’t I resist?" Luo’er replied with obvious logic.

"What if she drugs you? What if she ties you up? What if..." Tangmo fretted.

She didn’t doubt Luo’er’s unwillingness to reciprocate since she understood him well. Despite being the oldest among the elves, Luo’er was actually the most innocent. Matters of chastity were something he valued greatly.

Luo’er wasn’t the type of man who acted on impulse; he harbored a unique physiological fastidiousness, instinctively rejecting physical closeness that made him uncomfortable.

Tangmo had succeeded in pushing boundaries primarily due to her persistence and the extended time they had spent together, allowing Luo’er to tolerate some of her excessive behavior.

In fact, Tangmo and Luo’er had been acquainted for nearly a decade now. If Luo’er had ever given in over these years, their child would probably be as tall as a dog by now.

"No, I need to act first. If someone else snatches you away, I’ll regret it bitterly," Tangmo breathed deeply, releasing a wolfish growl of determination.

"Don’t mess around. Matters of the heart can’t be forced," Luo’er instinctively stepped back, looking helpless.

"Isn’t our bond deep enough?" Tangmo questioned.

"We’re in the carriage..." Luo’er began to blush.

"It doesn’t matter where. You always find excuses everywhere. I fell for your tricks in the past, which stopped me from going further," Tangmo’s breathing grew heavier.

"Stop it, I’m truly afraid of you. Let’s talk when no one’s around," Luo’er stammered, curling up as the blush spread to the tips of his ears.

"Are you serious?" Tangmo asked, her eyes reddened.

"Serious," Luo’er nodded gently.

"Hehehe," upon hearing this, Tangmo transformed her desires into joy, embracing him and leaning against his chest with a silly laugh.

"What’s gotten into you today? Why are you so restless?" Luo’er asked, finally letting out a sigh of relief.

"It’s nothing. Just feeling... lonely. The kind of loneliness where the person I love is right by my side, yet I still feel it," Tangmo confessed.

"Indeed, a platonic love—is it really just a concept?" Luo’er sighed, lost in thought.

"What platonic love? It’s clearly you being overly sentimental and dragging things out. I don’t mind sharing with Yue’er, but you’re always hesitating," Tangmo said bitterly, her gaze accusing.

"That’s because..." Luo’er hesitated.

"Luo’er," Tangmo held his face and gazed at him earnestly, "We are elves. Yue’er is only human. Her happiness is always fleeting, while ours can last forever. Don’t squander her most beautiful years; she can’t afford to wait."

"I understand..." Luo’er lowered his head, sinking into contemplation.