Chapter 560: [ I can smell him! ]

“Ano…”

“Ah! Sorry about that… ah! Where are we again?”

As the three women started chatting happily, Si Mulan was surprised in finding out that she apparently become a spectator rather than one of the stars. At this moment, even Qin Han and the rest had already arrived behind Si Mulan and was looking at Layla and the others with curiosity—Qin Han, most especially.

The way he looks at Layla was quite complex—

“My name is Si Mulan… ano, nice to meet you and thank you for saving us!”

“Si Mulan…? Ah, as expected a Han person?”

“Eh? Han…?”

“Hm? Am I wrong?”

Seeing Si Mulan’s bewildered expression after hearing an unfamiliar word, Layla tilted asked, somewhat surprised.

“Hello, my name is Qin Han! Thank you for saving me and my group!” Qin Han suddenly made his way and greeted with quite an excited voice. He stared at Layla with obvious sparkles on his eyes.

“Hello,” Layla responded with a somewhat stiff smile. However, the two Demi-Foxes; Li Tian and Li Lian stepped forward with a gaze that could kill, they glared at Qin Han.

“Move,” Li Tian said with a cold gaze. Green Fox Fires appeared around her. “Move closer and I’ll kill you, human!”

“…?!”

Qin Han was startled by Li Tian’s intimidation and hurriedly retreated.

His face pale and sweaty.

Although their strength seemed to be comparable to him or probably a bit inferior, however, for some reason, the killing intent they exuded was more potent and dense compared to him. It's much, much stronger and more horrifying that he could barely bear it.

Actually, Layla and the rest was a bit weaker compared to Qin Han and the rest due to world’s restriction. However, in terms of aura, Li Tian and the others were more vigorous as they fought and fought every day compared to Qin Han and the rest.

Furthermore, although Qin Han and the rest has apparently possessed higher level compared to them, because of the latter was challenging Dungeon after Dungeons in Earth, their power was more potent and strong despite the snail-like advancement of their levels due to what they call ‘Experience Compression’.

That is why now, although there was a world’s difference, their real power levels are actually not that far ahead of the mortals like Layla and the others.

Besides, one of them was one of the Law Enforces of a World; Monster King Alkrasha. Although it came from a mortal world and was weaker compared to the Celestial Realm’s Monster King due to restriction, they are after all, still Monster Kings!

Seeing Li Tian and Li Lian’s overbearing protectiveness, Layla could only smile wryly while shaking her head. However, she wasn’t against it—she just doesn’t have any interest in men...no, that should be, she has no interest in any other men. She had already vowed maidenhood for the sake of her own love.

… Ignoring the small interlude, they continued their introduction while the rest of was battling against the giant snake monster. However, unlike Si Mulan and her group, there was no feeling of anxiety that could be found in Layla’s group. After all, they held unwavering confidence in her team.

*** ***

“… And that was when Miss Layla and the others appeared, saving us.”

“I see, so it was during such circumstances...”

Layla and the others listened seriously to Bu Fanyi and Si Mulan’s narration of their experience.

After successfully defeating the giant snake python, the two groups decided to stop for a moment and rest. Si Mulan’s group in particular, as they were the ones who suffered quite a bit from the monster’s ambush, even leading to losing one of them.

Exhaustion from the battle, sorrow from losing a friend—they certainly needed a break from it.

With magic, it was easy to start a fire on the dry grass and twigs that Li Tian and Li Lian had gathered. Once the small cracking fire was lit, the members of the two groups immediately gathered around it, conversing and exchanging information.

“Hmm… But this is weird,” Liu Muxiao muttered with a frown. “You say you aren’t a Chinese and also haven’t heard China…”

She stopped eating to think. The meal that Layla and Xue Ling had prepared was delicious, but there were lots of things she had to think about.

Not knowing the Bianchi Family was already strange enough but…

Liu Muxiao and Layla look at each other.

The red flame lit up their faces.

“I don’t know if it’s possible but they don’t seem to be native in this Dungeon… then, from another world…?”

“Probably…”

“However, can I look at your phone for a bit, Miss Mulan?”

“Eh?”

As Liu Muxiao and Layla were discussing something quietly at the side, Celty suddenly turned towards Si Mulan, curious but with a bit of excitement.

“Phone?” Si Mulan tilted her head in confusion. But Celty just smiled and pointed at the Dawn Communicator at Si Mulan’s hand.

"Ah, now that you say it, it indeed is a phone!"

“That…” However, Celty next sentence almost caused all the girls to have a heart attack. “I can smell husband from that… you know my husband, right?”

“““WHAT?!!”””

Layla’s body trembled.

Qin Han and Bu Fanyi and the rest of their group were startled awake by the sudden scream.

“Celty! What did you say? Is Allen really here?!”

“Eh? Wait, I, I don’t know anyone named Allen… I’m sorry, I,” Si Mulan immediately denied in a flustered manner.

But Celty wasn’t fazed and was confident of her speculation. She smiled softly as she grabbed Si Mulan’s Dawn Communicator without any permission. Si Mulan wanted to protest but the girl’s gaze immediately shut her up.

She wanted to cry… what the heck is going on now?!

Daylight robbery?!

Alkrasha and the others scooted over Celty, their expression calm but their eyes revealed hope and excitement.

“See this…? Isn’t this the mark of 'Akatsuki'? Not just that, although faint, I can still feel the aura of husband from it!”

“Akatsuki?”

“Now that you say it, it’s faint so it’s easy to overlook but if you focus on it, it really did emit Allen’s aura. This distinct mishmash yet unique smell are indeed coming from him…!” Alkrasha vetoed.

“Of course! As long as it’s husband’s aura! I would surely feel it no matter how minuscule it is!”

Celty declared confidently.

“I, I’m sorry but… what’s Akatsuki? That, that mark is a symbol of Dawn!”

Upon arriving in the Divine Martial Continent, Allen didn’t use the name ‘Akatsuki’ instead, the English word—[ Dawn ]. It was not due to any particular reason but because, Allen discovered that Japan, or should it say, the Shinto Country also existed in this realm. In that area, Akatsuki might also exist—is what he thought, so, Allen used ‘Dawn’ instead.

Dawn Organization.

Upon hearing Si Mulan’s words, Layla and the others instantly felt their hopes rose up. It was like gasoline being thrown in a blazing fire as it surges through every nerve in their bodies, making them extremely shivery.

“Dawn—of course, Miss Mulan, don’t you know, in some language, Dawn is called—[Akatsuki]!”

!!!?

Si Mulan was still confused. However, when she was about to say anything, behind her, suddenly, two figures appeared. Alkrasha and Liu Muxiao grasped each of her shoulders, pressuring her down. The aura coming from the two, terrified her—though, it wasn’t just her, all of Layla’s group members had the same tense expression—hopeful, excited. They look at her like wolves seeing a solitary lamb! Terrifying!

“Rather than that, let's do it this way--what is the name of your leader?”

Liu Muxiao muttered with a faint smile.

“…leader?”

“What Dawn? What are they talking about?”

As Si Mulan was being pressured by Liu Muxiao and the others, Qin Han and the rest of his group could only stare bewildered, curious as well but also worried about Si Mulan—though, they didn’t know how to join the conversation and interpose.

“I know not much about it, but shouldn’t you already have heard by it? Haven’t you remembered what happened before we entered the Mountain? The one who they call Pain?”

“That, that man?! Does, does Mulan a member of that organization?!”

Qin Han asked, surprised. He had also seen that infamous mysterious man, and was also one of those who felt that mountain-like pressure, even causing him to kneel down, gasping for his breath!

That was a truly horrifying experience...

That's the moment they realized, their Heavens above Heavens, Mountain above Mountains, and People above People...!

“Ah, she is…” Bu Fanyi shrugged with a wry smile.

“Dawn Organization… what kind of organization was it?”

“I’m not too sure… you should ask your cousin about it. She knows more than me, after all, she is a member of it!”

Bu Fanyi, as well as Qin Han and the others, stared at the commotion happening before them.

The newly arrived group was feeling tense and excited; they seemed to have forgotten their existence as they pushed Si Mulan to answer their questions.

Si Mulan bit their lips, not knowing whether she should answer them or not.

What if they are an enemy?

Wouldn’t it be betraying her master?

Thus, she was a bit hesitant about relaying any information thoughtlessly again…!

As if seeing her doubts, Liu Muxiao muttered with a faint smile; “No need to worry. If he was him who we expected him to be, then we are surely not an enemy. In fact, we are his family… and because of some circumstances, we are cut off from him, now we are frantically looking for him."

"We missed him already, and we know for sure that he does to us as well.”

“He is my husband… please help us!”

Alkrasha unusually lowered her head and asked. This was unimaginable for her in the past but now, due to desperately missing Allen, although it didn’t show on her appearance, she was close to breaking down.

This was also the reason why she followed Layla’s expedition and left her child in Thumbeline’s care. Although she wanted to be with her child more, finding Allen and confirming that he was alright was the most important for her at this moment.

She wasn’t like Mia who was buried in work and responsibility and only relied on her trust and belief of him—she was like Layla who was feeling anxious and might break down if she would do nothing about it.

Bzzzz. Wooosh. Bzzz.

To keep the fire from going out,

Xue Ling threw pieces of wood into the flame. The pieces shone brightly and popped repeatedly, and the fire grew slightly larger.

Although there was a chance that they would be found by monsters, the fire was needed to keep them from being attacked by wild beasts in the forest, and to keep warm. Since Liu Muxiao and the rest had picked a good spot, the fire was being covered by the surroundings, so the chances of being found were minimal.

Although this area was a clearing that almost looked like wide grassland, there were many flowering plants above knee-height.

This provided cover resulting in poor visibility.

The area illuminated by the fire should probably be out of view.

“… Ye Wushuang…” After hearing what they said, Si Mulan trusted them and speak the name of her master—the leader of the Organization. “I don’t know about any Allen Bando but my master is named… Ye Wushuang…!”

“… …”

At that moment, Layla and the others' expressions froze up all at once.

This change didn’t bypass Si Mulan’s notice and felt her eyes narrowed.

… Somehow she got the feeling that the temperature just rose by 2, 3 degrees.

Receiving everyone’s heated and excited gaze, Si Mulan stared at them with a stiff expression.

“It’s him…”

Midway, Layla’s voice lowered, but it still strangely echoed through the forest.

Then the crowd quietened down and turned into an awkward silence.

"YESSSSSSS!!!!!!"

“AHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!”

Celty burst out in a peal of loud laughter, startling Si Mulan and her group. Oddly enough, no one cared about her sudden outburst and was instead, most were occupied by their own thoughts and excitement.

“It’s him! I know it! It’s him!! God wouldn’t take him away from me! That’s right! He would always come back, he would always return to my side!! Ha ha ha ha ha!!” Celty laughed hysterically.

Although her voice was filled with happiness and joy, large beads of tears fall out of her eyes as she continued to laugh like a crazy woman.

Layla, on the other hand, tried to smile, but she couldn't.

She tried to talk, but her throat got hoarse.

“Allen… buho… Allen, I finally found you...aaaahhhh…”

The only thing she could do was shed tears, tears--not of sadness and sorrow but tears of joy and utter happiness.

She finally found what she had lost…!

*** ***