Chapter 138: The Unfathomable Person

"I must say, you orchestrated this round quite well—using my hand to flush out Bei Yuming and then sweeping everyone up in one go," Luo Ning said, rolling up her sleeves with one hand while pouring tea for him with the other.

The exterior of the bungalow appeared humble, but the interior was a world of its own. Two oil paintings hung on the walls, the wooden floor was spotless, and the table was adorned with precious silver utensils. The cup from which she poured tea for Ye Ran was silver as well.

Behind her stood a screen, where swirling white vapor rose, as if something were being steamed. Beyond the screen sat another figure. Ye Ran knew it was this person who had suppressed his uncontrollable bloodlust earlier; by his estimation, this individual's power was not much inferior to that of the Blood Lion, Duma.

"But tell me, Ye Ran, why have you gone to such lengths to oppose us? Do we have some sort of grievance?" Luo Ning set down the teapot and began to flutter her folding fan.

Ye Ran did not answer her question. Instead, he asked, "Why don't you start by explaining the situation with Alisa?"

He was heavily injured, yet after applying some styptic powder, he sat composed and at ease.

"An explanation, is it?" Luo Ning chuckled, fanning herself languidly. "It was merely to prevent any unexpected developments in the underground nest. It was a contingency I had reserved, not aimed specifically at you. In the underground nest, she didn't hold you back, did she?"

"The underground nest, the Thousand-Mile Flame Dragon Spear, the God-Hunting Clan, the Hunter's Pit, the Forbidden Zone for New Species... Luo Ning, how many secrets are you still hiding?"

"You ask why I've gone to such lengths to target you—aren't these reasons enough?"

Colluding with the God-Hunting Clan, partnering with the Forbidden Zone for New Species, and seizing the Thousand-Mile Flame Dragon Spear—any one of these was enough to earn Ye Ran's disgust. Furthermore, the incident involving the Blood Clan's secret treasure had dragged nearly every race in the Ibo Evil Lands into the conflict, causing countless casualties.

Luo Ning smiled and shook her head. "Those were all later events. Ye Ran, when you and Meng Qi came to probe me and had the people of Linshuang City attack me, the matter of Bei Yuming hadn't been exposed yet. None of the reasons you mentioned existed then. Even back then, you were already hostile toward me. From the very beginning, you viewed me as an enemy."

Ye Ran’s brows furrowed inadvertently. It seemed she was right; even before the truth came to light, he had held no fondness for this woman.

"The reason no longer matters. What matters is..."

Luo Ning shook her head, cutting him off. "Ye Ran, the reason is very important. You have never been willing to admit the wariness you feel toward me and Bei Yuming deep down."

"The reason you have always targeted us is that you believe that if people like me and Bei Yuming were to commit evil, the harm caused would be far more severe than that of ordinary villains—even if we haven't actually done anything yet."

Ye Ran sneered, "Does such an 'even if' still exist now?"

Luo Ning chuckled softly. "Although your scheme this time was full of holes, one thing was true: I really did think Bei Yuming intended to shift all the blame onto me. Apart from that, everything was within our control. Now that you have played all your cards, while Bei Yuming and I have only revealed the tip of the iceberg—Ye Ran, even if you defeated the Black Snake and the White Snake, defeated Alisa, and captured Aivi, you still haven't won this game."

She closed her fan and took a sip of tea. After a moment of silence, she smiled enchantingly. "You are quite lucky, Ye Ran. Both Bei Yuming and I will be withdrawing from the Ibo Evil Lands."

"Oh? Is that so?"

Ye Ran set down his cup. His expression remained calm, but his mind was racing. Both Bei Yuming and Luo Ning still held strength in reserve; choosing to withdraw at this moment must have had other reasons.

"Grusburg, the Forbidden Zone for New Species, and the Island of Slaughter—the relationships between the three are delicate. We must cooperate while guarding against one another. The location of the Ibo Evil Lands is unique. For years, we have been keeping each other in check, consuming too much of our strength. Otherwise, do you think those dwarves and elves could have gained a foothold here?"

"If it weren't for Grusburg and the Forbidden Zone for New Species, I could have driven everyone blocking my path out of here in a single day." Her tone was peaceful, yet it carried immense confidence.

"Now, the situation in Grusburg has just stabilized and requires us to recuperate. The Forbidden Zone for New Species needs to cultivate new Life-Crafters and strange species, and the Island of Slaughter must deal with enemies from across the ocean. We no longer have the energy to waste time here."

"Since we have decided to leave, I might as well do you a favor and gift the iron mine to you."

Ye Ran held his cup in silence. He did not dare to lose focus for a second while conversing with Luo Ning, suspecting the truth of every word she uttered.

After a long while, Ye Ran said, "If it is something forced upon you, what kind of favor is that?"

He did not want to owe anyone a debt, but the temptation of the iron mine was hard to resist. That represented a stable source of wealth; with the mine, he could easily build a magnificent temple.

"Don't be coy. If you don't want it, I'll give it to someone else," Luo Ning said.

"I want it! I didn't say I didn't want it," Ye Ran quickly replied, lowering his head to look at his teacup.

Luo Ning could not help but smile. "Then let's handle the paperwork and draw up an agreement. I will transfer the iron mine to you now."

"Paperwork? Didn't you say you were giving it to me?"

"Even so, we must draw up an agreement. You must remember this favor and repay me well if you have the chance in the future."

What a little fox...

"Additionally, Alisa will remain to assist you," she added. Seeing Ye Ran looking at her with a wry smile, she continued, "Rest assured, she won't spy on you, but I must stay informed of the movements made by Grusburg and the Forbidden Zone for New Species within the Ibo Evil Lands."

After Ye Ran left, Luo Ning sat alone, drinking tea while looking at the transfer documents. Behind the screen, the white vapor swirled, and a figure gradually solidified.

"Martial Ancestor, what do you think of him?"

"His aptitude is above average, and his source is unique. He can cultivate a Battle Body."

"A Battle Body," Luo Ning could not help but chuckle. She shook her head and stirred the tea leaves with the bottle cap. "The enemies from across the ocean are growing stronger, yet the Island of Slaughter remains fractured. Perhaps when he has accumulated enough strength here, he can be of help to us."

"Perhaps acting as his strategist would be a good choice."

Outside the bungalow, in the shanty, Aivi, Huben, and Alisa were whispering to each other. As a return gift for the iron mine, Aivi naturally had to be exchanged to Luo Ning. In the distance, Delis stood with her arms crossed, looking indignant.

"Alisa, come for a walk with me." Ye Ran approached the shanty.

Alisa, who had been playing with a carving knife, nodded and walked out of the shanty, accompanying him along the messy dirt path.

"Now you must tell me the source of that power." Although it was well-hidden, that face—identical to his own—was already etched into his mind, especially those emotionless eyes. If he could not understand the origin of that face, he would never have peace of mind.

Alisa said, "The Demon Race. The power of the ancestors."

Ye Ran shook his head. "That is not a power of the same origin as mine. What I felt was combat power akin to the power of calamity."

Alisa glanced at him and whispered with a faint smile, "That is... the power of the Ghost Moon."