Chapter 73: Chapter 69: Ali the Ice Wolf Maiden

Lena wouldn’t voice her own difficulties. Doing so would serve no purpose other than spreading negativity to the friendly Adventurer before her.

Although Lin Mo could sense her low spirits, he couldn’t read minds, so he just assumed she didn’t want to talk about the topic.

So, he changed the subject and asked, "Your friend, Ali, can you tell me what she’s like?"

"Ali has the blood of the Ice Wolf Race in her..."

Lena immediately pulled herself from her melancholy and began to earnestly give Lin Mo an introduction: "You’ve probably heard of this race."

Lin Mo shook his head. His understanding of this world was limited to the few beginner manuals he had bought from Lena. He remembered most of what was in them, but other than that, all he knew came from rumors he’d occasionally overheard in taverns.

That information, however, didn’t happen to mention Beastmen. As a result, his knowledge of the race was practically zero, and he had no concept of what the Ice Wolf Race bloodline even was.

Lena was a little surprised but didn’t show it. Instead, she patiently explained, "Within each tribe of Beastmen, there are special bloodlines. Individuals who possess these bloodlines gain talent and potential far surpassing their kin, and thus they often become the leaders of the tribe, or even the ’Royal Family’."

"The Ice Wolf Race bloodline is a very powerful, special bloodline among the Wolf Race."

Lin Mo immediately understood. "So it’s like Goblins and Mutated Goblins, or Cat Demons and Cursed Cat Demons?"

"You could understand it that way."

Lena nodded. "Though her Ice Wolf Race bloodline has been diluted over several generations, it still grants her considerable strength. That’s why she took up the life of an Adventurer."

"So, what’s her current strength, specifically...?"

"Ali officially became an Adventurer a little over half a year ago, so she hasn’t been adventuring for very long. But her strength should be close to the level of a Professional."

"A Level 0.8 Professional?"

Lena mulled over the term, then nodded repeatedly. "Something like that, meow. It’s a very fitting description!"

Lin Mo nodded. "What else? For example, her appearance, personality, that sort of thing."

He’d already found out what he needed to know; compared to that, he was actually more curious about these details.

’After all, she’s a beast girl, just like Lena!’

"Personality and appearance, meow?"

Because it was an inquiry about a future teammate, Lena had focused on introducing Ali’s race, talents, and adventuring experience. She hadn’t expected Lin Mo to ask about these things at all, so she took a moment to organize her words before continuing:

"Ali’s very easy to get along with, and she’s very warm toward people. When I was having a hard time before, she helped pay my rent a few times, and her party members also borrow money from her often..."

The first part was fine, but that last sentence gave Lin Mo pause.

’That’s more than just being nice, isn’t it? Even for Adventurers in the same party, who would casually borrow money from someone unless they had a special relationship?’

’The crucial part is, she actually lent it to them. And from Lena’s description, it wasn’t just once or twice, but often.’

"As for her appearance..."

Lena glanced cautiously at Lin Mo. Of all things, this was the one she really didn’t know how to describe.

’In the eyes of humans, Half-Beastmen must all seem strange, right?’

’Even if Mr. Lin Mo is a good person and wouldn’t shun them for it, that’s only because of his kindness.’

’Lena had warned herself many times not to get carried away by Mr. Lin Mo’s goodwill.’

"Lena!"

Just as she was struggling, a voice suddenly called out from behind her.

Lin Mo turned to look and saw a young woman jogging over with light, quick steps.

She had short, ice-blue hair and long ears on her head. The ears were also ice-blue, but with a bit of light gray fluff at the very tips.

Her face was very pretty, her delicate features carrying a hint of heroic spirit. This, combined with her somewhat youthful face, blended into a peculiar feeling, inexplicably reminding Lin Mo of the tenacious and unyielding Warriors captured by the enemy in certain... indescribable works.

And so, his thoughts naturally drifted to the scenes where those Warriors finally submitted, eyes rolling back, after rounds of "torture."

’What a sin, what a sin...’

Pushing those inappropriate images to the back of his mind, Lin Mo smiled at the young woman before him.

"Hello. You must be Miss Ali?"

"Ah... H-Hello!"

Ali noticed Lin Mo, and her initially joyous expression immediately became strained. She took a couple of steps back and gave a slight bow.

"Don’t be nervous, Ali. This is Mr. Lin Mo."

Lena introduced him with a light laugh.

’Lin Mo?’

Ali had been hearing that name a lot recently. Lena talked about him so much every day, Ali felt like her ears were about to grow calluses.

So, she couldn’t help but cast a curious gaze toward the handsome young man. Just as Lena had said, he had a very gentle face.

"Sorry, are you working? Did I interrupt you...?"

"Not at all, not at all! Actually, we were waiting for you, meow~"

When speaking with Ali, Lena’s tone was noticeably more relaxed, and her voice became more lively and animated.

"Waiting for me?"

Ali pointed to herself with a confused expression.

"Isn’t your party recruiting recently? And Mr. Lin Mo happens to be looking for a party right now... And he’s a Professional, you know!"

Lena dropped this bombshell before Ali’s doubts could even begin to brew.

A Professional?!

Ali’s mouth fell open in surprise. ’If I remember correctly, didn’t this Mr. Lin Mo just register a little while ago?’

"Hehe, Mr. Lin Mo is really amazing..."

Lena smiled smugly, like a child showing off her favorite toy.

"If he’s a Professional, then of course it shouldn’t be a problem, but I still have to ask our captain."

Lin Mo nodded. "When are you planning to set out on a quest?"

"If the captain agrees to let you join, it should be tomorrow... We’re planning to take the Earth Bear quest posted by Mr. Edgar from the smithy. Besides that, we’ve also taken on two other simpler, smaller quests."

The Earth Bear quest was, as it happened, one of the two options Lin Mo had previously picked out for himself.

"Then I’ll trouble you to go back and ask your captain. Should I wait here? Or should we meet at the Association tomorrow morning?"

"Please wait a moment! I’ll go now, I’ll be right back!"

As she spoke, Ali waved to Lena and then hurried out of the Association.

Lin Mo’s gaze was involuntarily drawn to the tail behind her.

Unlike Lena’s slender tail, Ali’s was bigger and fluffier, looking very fuzzy.

’I wonder what it would feel like to touch it?’

Still no other Adventurers came to Lena for business, so Lin Mo turned his head and continued chatting with the young receptionist.