Chapter 46: Saving Big Sister

“Dragon…” 

Bai Yue Ling murmured to herself.

Dragons, the most powerful creatures in World of Fate, bar none.

Renowned for their strength, mystery, and ancient lineage, their very existence was a living history, an embodiment of ancient legends, inspiring both awe and endless fascination.

Dragons lived long, their power growing with age.

But in today’s World of Fate, most were young dragons under a thousand years old; the ancient ones had largely perished in the God War.

Even young dragons were rarely provoked, as they were natural spellcasters with vibrant magic in their blood.

Their presence signaled the toughest battles, the gravest dangers—and, of course, the richest treasures.

Unless blinded by greed, anyone spotting dragon tracks in the wild would flee as far as possible, as fast as possible.

Bai Yue Ling, Ying Ye, and Aiya stepped off the carriage, cautiously eyeing the scene ahead.

What was once a vibrant forest had been ravaged by a dragon’s fury.

Roaring gales mixed with flames had reduced the woods to ashes, with thick smoke billowing and firelight soaring.

From the distance came faint, terrifying roars.

Five wrecked carriages littered the road, their wheels shattered and compartments tilted.

Scattered around were several charred, unrecognizable corpses, clear victims of a horrific attack.

At the sight, Ying Ye instinctively gagged, her face paling.

Her past kills had been players, who vanished into white light upon death.

This was her first encounter with such visceral corpses.

Bai Yue Ling and Aiya were unfazed.

Aiya crouched to inspect the bodies.

“These were likely priestesses of the Goddess of Nature’s Followers. Bad luck—they were hit by a dragon, and it happened recently.”

“Not just a dragon.”

Bai Yue Ling casually flipped one corpse over.

“Look closely at the wounds—there are blade marks.”

Ying Ye, stunned by Bai Yue Ling’s fearlessness, felt her fading awe rekindle.

Little White… she’s not scared at all?

Gritting her teeth, Ying Ye suppressed her fear and forced herself closer.

“This was a planned ambush,” 

Bai Yue Ling deduced, drawing on her vast game experience.

“Someone bribed the dragon with treasure to attack the carriages and cover the scene, but the real killers were another group. There’s a trail of footprints leading out, meaning one surviving priestess escaped into the forest.”

“But the attackers followed, and the dragon’s still there,” 

Aiya said, her sword-like brows furrowing.

“Do we stay out of it, or go help?”

Ignoring the matter would save time, letting them reach the Rose Kingdom’s capital by dawn.

But helping… the escaping priestess might already be dead.

Facing a dragon and unknown enemies would be risky, potentially dragging them into grave danger.

Was it worth the risk?

Bai Yue Ling hesitated, weighing her options.

Aiya waited quietly, her eyes gleaming with anticipation.

From Aiya’s clear gaze, Bai Yue Ling could tell that, despite her fall to the Dark Faction, her core desire to punish evil and uphold justice remained.

When faced with someone in need, she still thought like a holy knight, eager to aid the weak…

But helping might mean tempting the survivor to Dark Fall.

Bai Yue Ling stood abruptly.

“We’ve got time. Let’s go check it out.”

After all, idling in a game was boring.

Why not take on a new quest?

Maybe she’d even heroically save a beautiful, alluring big sister.

[New Quest Triggered]

[Quest Name: Attacked Nature Priestess]

[Difficulty: Normal]

[Description: Investigate the truth behind the attack on the Nature priestess’s caravan.]

[Rewards: Equipment “Emerald Crown,” 500 Gold Coins]

[Note: This quest really can save a big sister.]

***

Leaving the carriage by the roadside, the trio followed the escaping priestess’s footprints into the forest.

Fallen trees littered the path, a testament to the dragon’s terrifying wingbeats.

Further in, they heard sounds of combat.

Instead of charging in, they hid behind a fallen tree to assess the situation.

A young woman stood surrounded by black-clad figures.

She wore a green robe with silver trim, her body marred by gashes oozing blood.

Pale-faced, with blood trickling from her lips, she struggled to manipulate vines around her, fending off the relentless assault of the black-clad attackers.

The assailants, about fifteen in number, were shrouded in black, their faces concealed by cloth, revealing nothing.

Each wielded a curved blade, hacking at the thick vines with force and murderous intent.

The standoff held for now, but the priestess’s mana would eventually run dry.

Once it did, the black-clad figures would overwhelm her, and she’d fall to their blades.

Cautiously, Bai Yue Ling cast Appraisal.

[Name: Black-Clad Figures (Group)]

[Race: Unknown]

[Level: 20–29]

[Description: Mysterious and unidentifiable.]

[Note: Black cloth does hide identities, but it won’t work on you.]

“Does this system have to mock me every time?” Bai Yue Ling grumbled.

A roar echoed from the sky as a massive red figure swooped low.

Bai Yue Ling cast Appraisal again.

[Name: Juvenile Red Dragon]

[Race: Dragon]

[Level: 11]

[Description: The most ferocious and greedy dragon type, dwelling in mountains and hills, disdainful of all other beings, capable of spewing scorching flame breath.]

[Note: If you’ve got enough gold, you might hire it to work for you.]

“Good thing it’s just a juvenile red dragon,” Bai Yue Ling whispered.

“Its combat power is about level 20 for a human—not a big deal.

The real threat is those black-clad figures, with levels between 20 and 30.”

“Leave it to me,” Aiya said, her body glowing with faint golden Holy Light.

She hefted her great spear and charged.

Meanwhile, the black-clad figures noticed the intruders, their focused assault on the priestess faltering briefly.

Aiya narrowed her eyes, sensing something off.

The moment they saw her, their movements and gazes betrayed a subtle stiffness and panic.

“You know me?”