Close Combat Mage

Chapter 286 – Unexpected Change Pt. 2

Effort doesn’t turn back on resolute people. After a long while…Suo Jia heard that Chef Lauren was a very dedicated chef that would personally go buy groceries at the market every day. She would gather all her ingredients outside every morning at 6am.

Suo Jia’s group was overjoyed at the news, and they prepared to stop Lauren Aili. As long as they could persuade her to join them as a technical expert, they wouldn’t have any problems.

The next morning, the three of them rushed outside to the market entrance to wait. Not long afterwards, Nicole lightly nudged Suo Jia and whispered, “Quick, look over there! She’s arrived…”

Suo Jia and Xiang Yun hurriedly concentrated and looked in the direction Nicole was pointing towards. They noticed a middle-aged woman wearing plain and simple clothes, slowly entering the market while accompanied by six imperial bodyguards.

After silently organizing the words he planned to say, Suo Jia strode over to meet Lauren. As for Nicole and Xiang Yun, they stayed in their original spots. To avoid scaring off the other party, it was best not to all go at once.

Xiang Yun and Nicole watched as Suo Jia walked straight up to Lauren and smiled. “You must be Miss Lauren Aili, right?”

When Suo Jia first blocked their path, Lauren Aili started. But she soon recovered her calm. At the same time, three of the six bodyguards behind her held Suo Jia back and said forcefully, “Lady Lauren is currently gathering ingredients. Nobody is to interrupt her. Those that agitate Lady Lauren….are to be executed!”

Despite the bodyguard’s threat, Suo Jia maintained his smile, and didn’t move at all. There’s no way he would pay any mind to these mere bodyguards. A single Diamond Charge would be enough to crush these guys into pulp!

Suo Jia looked straight past the bodyguards and said to Lauren, “I’ve come from the distant Holy Light Empire specifically to meet with Miss Lauren. I’d like to exchange some words for you; can you please give me a few minutes of your time?”

Lauren seemed to be astonished by this. After some thinking, she softly said, “You three, step down!”

Against Suo Jia’s expectations, the three bodyguards respectfully obeyed Lauren’s commands, and retreated behind her! He looked at Lauren in bewilderment, and then back at the six bodyguards behind her. Weren’t they…supposed to be watching over her?

Suo Jia stepped forward a few steps and stopped before Lauren. “Miss Lauren, I’ll get straight to the point. I’m from Holy Light Empire, and I’ve come today to invite you to become our companion in adventuring through the Greater Trade Routes. Would Miss Lauren be willing to accept?”

“Haha…” With a gentle laugh, Lauren shook her head and said, “That won’t do, young friend. I have such a weary old body now, and am no longer suited to go out traveling. I think…”

Seeing that Lauren seemed about to reject, Suo Jia couldn’t help but grow vexed. He anxiously interrupted Lauren’s words, “I know, it must be due to the slave necklace. Don’t worry, I can…”

Without waiting for Suo Jia to finish speaking, Lauren stretched out her hand to stop Suo Jia and smiled as she pulled down the color of her clothes. With a smile, she said, “Look, I don’t have a slave necklace. The reason I stay here is truly because I don’t want to leave. I’m already old, and I really can’t go adventuring anymore.”

She then chuckled and continued, “I’m doing very well right now. His Majesty also treats me very well. Right now…my entire family lives here. I can’t possibly leave them. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

Suo Jia couldn’t help but sharply gasp at Lauren’s words. It looked like this Majara Emperor really couldn’t leave this chef. In order for her to live her life nicely, he’d even bought her entire family. Moreover, he’d released them from their slave necklaces. It looked like…their operation this time had been wasted.

Suo Jia probed around a bit more. From their conversation, Suo Jia learned that Lauren was very happy with her current life. The Emperor treated both her and her family very well, and they had only been able to reunite because the Emperor had used a large amount of money to purchase them all. She no longer wanted to be split apart from them. Moreover…she had to repay the Emperor’s benevolence, so she definitely wouldn’t leave.

Unable to force her, Suo Jia could only leave. If Lauren had been in a difficult situation, perhaps he would’ve been able to think of a solution. However, the problem was that she didn’t have any challenges right now; she simply was unwilling to leave. There was nothing Suo Jia could do.

Suo Jia reunited again with Xiang Yun and Nicole, and the three of them dejectedly left the city. After replenishing their supplies within the city, they left Majara Empire the next morning. As for a chef, they could only continue trying to gather information.

Night slowly approached. After traveling for the entire day, the three people were currently sitting around a bonfire, all of them in a blank daze. Since they hadn’t been able to invite a chef, they were all in pretty low spirits. None of them felt like talking.

“Hmm?” Xiang Yun body suddenly went rigid. He looked around in alarm, having seemingly noticed something.

Suo Jia looked at Xiang Yun in bewilderment and asked, “What happened, Xiang Yun? Is there something wrong?”

Xiang Yun gravely knit his brows together and nodded, “Yes. Just now, I seemed to have heard some sound of activity. But when I tried to focus on it more, it disappeared!”

Suo Jia sighed and didn’t pay any mind to it. “It’s fine, it’s probably some passersby. They wouldn’t have any hostility towards us anyways. Otherwise, I would’ve definitely sensed them.”

As soon as Suo Jia finished speaking, Xiang Yun suddenly turned his head and said to a nearby tree, “Friend, since you’ve come, there’s no need to hide. Come on out!”

Following Xiang Yun’s voice, a blue and black figure suddenly jumped up from the large tree. Like a flash of lightning, the figure covered several meters, and borrowing power from another large tree, the body soared across the air and swooped back down.

“Bring it on!” A murderous aura seemed to flash across Xiang Yun’s face. Without saying a word, he gave a loud bellow, and directly reached towards his back with his right hand. In an instant…a large, shoulders-broad blade appeared in Xiang Yun’s hands.

Xiang Yun faced the enemy currently jumping down from the sky, and sent out dozens of slashes. However, the other party showed no signs of fighting back. The blue and black figure spiraled around in the air like a dragon. His legs split apart as his two feet came blasting down at Xiang Yun like a tempest.

“Clang! Clang! Clang…” In a mere instant, the wide, shoulders-broad battle blade exchanged attacks with the other party at least a dozen times. Neither side held back much, and neither of them really suffered anything.

However, the opposite party was in midair after all, and had nothing to borrow power from. After a long period of fighting, he’d naturally be the one at a disadvantage. The figure realized this point and suddenly jumped off Xiang Yun’s blade, his body soaring through the air in a backward flip before lightly landing on the ground five meters away.

The mysterious guest proudly straightened his body with his hands in his pockets, seemingly about to say something. But just then, the battle-addicted Xiang Yun completely ignored this, and brandished the Chasm Moon Blade, causing attacks to surge over like a strong tide.

No person could possibly remain unconcerned when confronted against Xiang YUn’s attacks. Seeing the heavy, cold waves of attack from the blade, the mysterious guest suddenly flipped upside down. With his palms on the ground, his feet split apart as his body spun like a whirlwind. With the impetus from his legs, the mysterious guest’s feet welcomed Xiang Yun like a hurricane.

“Clang! Clang! Clang…” Fierce sounds of collision rang out as the mysterious guest’s feet came into contact with Xiang Yun a dozen times. Afterwards…his body straightened up, and his feet danced in the breeze like flowers. In an instant, layers of footprints covered Xiang Yun’s body, forcing him backwards.

After staggering back a few steps, Xiang Yun grit his teeth and let out a yell. Rather than retreating, he advanced. He raised the large, broad blade over his head, and with a flash of yellow light, it came down at the mysterious guest with a world-shaking slash!