Find a Troubled Girl after leaving the Guild-Chapter 468 - 249: Methods to Restrain the Curse (Part 2)
Otto shouldn’t have poured so much knowledge into her at once. Li Ang didn’t know if he wanted to give the Moon Concealing Rabbit and Li Ang a chance to talk, or if he had another intention.
Meimei often glanced over at Li Ang and Akuya, already starting to daydream.
But the pink rabbit didn’t immediately return.
It lingered on his shoulder for a while, then spoke, "Oh well, oh well, after all, I am the guardian of the world. To prevent more demons in the world, even if you’ve offended me, I’ll help you first."
"Thank you so much."
Li Ang immediately showered her with compliments, making the rabbit lift its head proudly.
"I’ll tell you a magic for spiritual manipulation. Use it to bind the demon curse to your arm. That way, even if it can’t be resolved immediately, only one arm will be demonized. Listen carefully..."
The rabbit had just started when it suddenly shivered, "No, no, the more I think about it, the angrier I get. You still need to show some sincerity!"
"Lord Water Dragon, please tell me."
"Nothing will happen to you in three days. You still have things to do on Mengze Island. In the three days, find a way to please me, make me happy, and I’ll teach you. You don’t need to find toys. Is that reasonable?"
It’s a seller’s market now, so whatever she says, Li Ang can only agree.
He immediately began to consider how to please the Six Water Dragons.
First, is she a rabbit or a dragon? Does she like material things or gestures?
After thinking for a moment, Li Ang decided to consult Farina and Meimei before making a decision.
The Sea Thorn Dragon traveled through the wetlands, reaching the outskirts of Huanwo Village.
It pulled a grass sled to a high place with a better view, suitable for Li Ang to communicate the location he found.
Using the Armor of Wind, he flew into the air, observed the surroundings, and then asked Meimei to summon Diana.
Although with the current strength of the Star Soul of the Creation Tree, members of the Star Flower Travel Corps and related people should be able to bring out Diana anywhere on the island, Li Ang wasn’t familiar with her, and phrasing things would be awkward, so he asked Meimei to do it.
The Immortal Spirit Maiden flapped her wings, coalescing her form among fallen leaves and flowers. Upon seeing her, Li Ang recalled he could first ask her if there was any special magic power fluctuation, which might save the trouble of searching.
If Meluna was truly on the island, breaking through to Legendary and causing Huanwo Village’s concealment method to fail, or even causing spatial disturbances leading Yijie Association people to mistakenly enter the village, perhaps Diana, familiar with the island, could find clues.
After hearing his description, the Immortal Spirit Maiden just shook her head, indicating she hadn’t felt such a thing.
"Well, there’s nothing to do about it. After all, it’s just my speculation," Otto said.
Next, it would be up to Li Ang’s familiarity with Meluna to search while guessing.
"Diana, in the places I pointed out, which has the most abundant fruits? I’m not looking for quantity and variety, but something easily found and picked."
Li Ang was searching for locations based on living convenience, according to Meluna’s standards of convenience.
For her, a rented room with a complete bathroom wasn’t convenient; the best would be to roll left from bed into a bathtub to wash, roll back, and dry off automatically, then roll right to a table with prepared meals and fruits.
When enlightened in Sword Dao, she was focused enough, but besides that, she was really lazy. It was hard to get her to move for anything.
Well, except when bodies entwined.
Li Ang had wondered countless times what circumstances allowed her to develop such a lifestyle?
Anyway, if Meluna were breaking through on the island now, her first choice would be a place with everything she needed.
She could sleep in the trees, and if dirty, a pond below; food would be within reach. Since she seemed like a wild person when encountered, she probably had the ability to discern poisonous fruits... More or less. Overall, whatever she chose for sustenance wouldn’t be hard-to-gather wild berries. Unlike Zoe, she’d never pick an entire basin at once.
Though with her strength, hunting was effortless, she would never skin, clean, and roast meat on a stick. She wasn’t barbaric enough to eat raw, either. Generally, she chose not to eat.
So, Li Ang had cooked many dishes for her. Though initially lacking in skill, he later improved enough for her to remember the dishes.
After pondering too much and getting frustrated, he threw these memories out of his mind.
Diana fluttered her wings, thin as cicada wings, to guide everyone.
The first location was just as Li Ang expected.
The thick tree trunks were suitable for setting up a treehouse or simply sleeping directly, and there were many clear ponds. Some trees bore fruit resembling oranges.
"The fruits have been picked." Li Ang looked at the marks on the trees.
"Did she change locations?" Otto asked.
As soon as the old man spoke, a monkey swung over from afar, picking fruit while warily watching the group.
"She probably hasn’t been here, it was eaten by a beast. Next location." 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺
Honestly, as the monkey approached, Li Ang had mentally prepared it might be her, though it wasn’t.
With Diana providing directions, the group’s destinations were precise and clear. The entire island seemed like an extension of her body, and she could answer almost anything they asked.
Even Otto felt fortunate to start the search after assisting the Flower God; otherwise, it would have taken much more effort.
However, after switching several locations, they found neither Meluna nor traces of anyone living there.
They even encountered Mengze Island villagers, who curiously inquired what Li Ang and the group of four were doing. Assuming they were a family out on a trip, they were told it wasn’t a tourist area.
Li Ang casually asked locals if anyone had lived in the area, receiving only a bewildered look.
To others, who would live in such a place? Even if living, wouldn’t they build a treehouse or something, instead of camping in the wilderness?
"The person we’re looking for is quite peculiar, never mind, thank you." Li Ang waved goodbye to the locals, then sighed heavily.
"You have it tough," Otto said.
"It’s not too difficult, but every time I think of her, it just wears me out."
"So, Grandpa Otto and Brother Li Ang are looking for someone?" Meimei asked from the side.
"Yes." Both nodded to the girl.
"Choosing such a nice place to live, that person knows how to pick spots," the young girl praised.
Li Ang looked at the environment he chose, which was just a possible location where Meluna might be. Good location or not, with the lush vegetation and rich resources of Mengze Island, it was far from considered good.
"What’s so good about it."
"Look, waking up in a tree, you can jump into the water and play, and when tired, fruit is right next to you. Sometimes, when I don’t want to help my mom and dad, I wish to hide in a good place. If it were a place like this, I could hide for a long time."
"Never learn to do that," Li Ang quickly warned.
"Uh, okay."
As they rode the grass sled to the next location, Meimei moved past Farina and Otto to sit beside Li Ang.
"Big brother, I have a question."
"Go ahead."
The young girl twirled her slender white hair with her fingers, blinking her sea-blue eyes, and said, "To become strong, it seems like you don’t need to learn Swordsmanship, only Magic is fine."
Li Ang sensed Otto’s breathing getting heavier on the other side.
"Swordsmanship, or the path of warriors and fighters, indeed differs from that of casters."
There’s a stereotype that warriors aren’t glamorous, present in almost any fantasy work, and it’s based on real reasons, primarily the entry barriers.
Even in a world where both the Martial Path and Magic can reach the pinnacle, casters are considered more ’noble’ than fighters because Magic always requires more foundational conditions to learn.
So, many people have no choice but to take the path of the fighter, then choose their weapon.
In Li Ang’s view, Otto choosing to use a sword might either be out of preference, or because he, being of the Horned Race, possessed physical strength that gave him an advantage.
Huanwo Village still retains some magic traditions, and there are casters maintaining the village barrier, so if Meimei wanted to pursue Magic, there’s no problem with it.
But the question is—
"Why did you choose to learn Swordsmanship from Grandpa Otto before?"
"Because it was boring just to stay around. Only Grandpa Otto ventured outside the village, and he carried a weapon, not various tools, just seemed different."
Ah, so it was due to childlike curiosity.
Though Meimei came off as mystical in her several appearances, perhaps she used her innate talent to sense things invisible to the common folk through Magic and inspiration, but she was essentially still a child.
Children indeed can be capricious, but it would make Otto feel quite hurt.
"Are you perhaps intending to learn Magic from me?" Li Ang asked.
Meimei immediately nodded, "Swordsmanship is too tiring."
