Chapter 68: An Idol?
Green glanced at Laura, who was surrounded by his men, and spoke solemnly, "Greetings we are friends of the Markey Delphi Merchant Union. My master wishes to meet with your clan's chancellors."
Green deliberately addressed Zhao Hai as "mister" instead of using his name. This was a conscious decision based on their current circumstances. As a Magician's follower, Green referred to the Magician as "mister" as a sign of respect.
Laura understood the meaning behind Green's words, and she nodded in agreement. However, she hesitated slightly. She now possessed a valuable treasure, and she wondered if the other party might be interested in it. If she were to follow Green and Zhao Hai, would it put her in danger?
Green, being a worldly person, understood Laura's concerns. He didn't blame her for her hesitation because it was only natural for people to prioritize their own safety.
Although Laura didn't plan to accompany Green to meet Zhao Hai, she felt obligated to express her gratitude. After all, he had saved her life. It wouldn't be right to leave without thanking him. Laura jumped off the carriage and approached Green. She bowed and said, "Mighty Warrior Green, I sincerely thank you for saving me. May I have the honor of meeting the esteemed Magician?"
Despite Laura's polite words, her true intentions were clear. She implied that she couldn't go with them and instead requested Zhao Hai to come out and meet her.
Green glanced at Laura and nodded. He turned around and walked out of the Alien's mouth. Green realized that it might not be possible for them to meet with Laura. Although they didn't know why Laura had been attacked by the undead Mercenary Group, it was crucial for the Buda Family's well-being that they couldn't meet with her.
Inside the Alien's room, Zhao Hai, Merine, and Meg were waiting for Green. Zhao Hai had initially intended to go and meet Laura directly, but Green believed it would be inappropriate and asked Zhao Hai to wait inside.
Approaching Zhao Hai, Green said, "Young Master, the young girl outside is Laura from the Markey Family. When you meet her, if she asks about the undead Mercenary Group, say that we repelled them. Don't mention that we've completely subdued them."
Zhao Hai nodded and replied, "Don't worry, Grandpa Green. I know what to say." He then followed Green and Meg as they walked outside. Merine chose to stay behind.
Laura anxiously stood there, uncertain about how the Magician would respond to her request. She realized that she had been somewhat impolite, but she couldn't take any risks considering the valuable treasure she possessed.
However, she also knew that Dark Magicians were often unpredictable and eccentric. She worried if her actions had offended the Dark Magician. If the Dark Magician decided to confront her, she might not make it out alive.
Regret crept into Laura's mind. She thought she should have agreed to the other party's request to meet the Magician together. If the other party truly intended to take the Undead method ball, her current strength alone would be insufficient to defend it.
As Laura pondered her regret, she suddenly noticed three figures emerging from the mouth of the Undead Creature. Leading the way was a Warrior, followed by a Dark Magician in the middle. The Dark Magician appeared average in height and size, wearing a long Dark Magic robe of rather poor quality. In his hand, he held a Magic Staff.
With her businessman's eye, Laura could discern that both the Magician's robe and Magic Staff were cheap goods, of low quality. However, the Magician's demeanor intrigued Laura. His temperament was unique, seemingly ordinary yet distinctly remarkable. It was a contradictory temperament that somehow harmonized within him.
At the same time, Laura observed a particular detail—the Magician's hand. Although his Magic Robe concealed most of his body, the hand gripping the Magic Staff was exposed. When Laura caught sight of that hand, her eyes involuntarily narrowed.
The hand held no signs of fear, bony thinness, or numerous wrinkles. It was a man's hand with fair and exquisite skin, devoid of calluses—a hand that showed meticulous care. Most importantly, the hand belied the age of its owner!
From that hand alone, Laura could easily determine that the owner, the Master, was not over 30 years old! A Dark Magician at the Advanced level, not older than 30—what did that signify? It represented a pinnacle existence on the continent, a symbol of power and an infinite bright future. For prestigious clans, such an individual was akin to a charm, awaiting the turning point for the clan's formidable growth.
However, Laura had also dealt with Clan business for several years and had witnessed magnificent scenes. Therefore, she momentarily gazed in astonishment but quickly regained her composure.
In contrast to Laura, Zhao Hai was filled with excitement. However, his excitement did not stem from any other reason but rather from Laura's appearance.
Laura was undeniably attractive, but Zhao Hai had encountered many beautiful women on Earth and had never felt such excitement solely based on appearance. The reason for his excitement was that Laura resembled someone he knew.
Back on Earth, Zhao Hai was a bit of a nerd who greatly enjoyed listening to music. Due to his limited exposure to foreign cultures, he primarily listened to Chinese songs, with little knowledge of singers from other countries. However, there was one name that he knew: Taylor Swift, a rising star in American country music. When Zhao Hai discovered Taylor, he was already in his early twenties, while Taylor herself was not yet 20. He found her appearance delightful, and her singing style captivated him. Zhao Hai quickly became a fan, even setting Taylor's picture as his computer desktop wallpaper.
Now, seeing Laura's almost identical resemblance to Taylor was like a dream come true for Zhao Hai. The resemblance was uncanny. Zhao Hai had checked Taylor's profile and knew that she stood at an impressive height of over 1.8 meters, making the average man feel quite inadequate. And here was Laura, who shared the same tall figure, blonde hair, and blue eyes—an exact match in simplicity.
The only difference was that Laura possessed a martial arts aura that Taylor lacked. This added an inexplicable appeal to Laura. Any man who laid eyes on her would be compelled to conquer her.
Seeing his idol come to life before his very eyes, how could Zhao Hai not be excited? He knew full well that the person in front of him wasn't Taylor, but he couldn't help but feel overwhelmed with excitement. The resemblance between the two was truly striking.
Laura noticed that Zhao Hai had been staring at her with an infatuated look, albeit hidden behind the Magic Robe he wore. The intensity of his gaze could potentially cause a great disturbance within Laura.
Taking a deep breath, Laura approached Zhao Hai and respectfully said, "Respectable Magician, I deeply bow to you and express my gratitude for your assistance. Please accept my sincerest thanks."
Zhao Hai snapped out of his daze, inhaling deeply to regain his composure. He gradually calmed down, reminding himself that he was approaching his thirties. His admiration for Laura was akin to being a fan of a celebrity—a level-headed liking, rather than an overly obsessive one. Moreover, he was aware that the person standing before him was not Taylor, but Laura.
In a composed manner, Zhao Hai replied, "Miss Laura, you're too kind. We arrived just in time. Undead Mercenary Group has earned a notorious reputation on the continent, and it would have been fitting to eliminate them. Unfortunately, they managed to escape in the end."
Laura was taken aback. She had noticed Green discreetly hiding two humanoid figures behind a soil slope, but she refrained from probing further. The infamous reputation of the undead Mercenary Group had already spread far and wide. If they were easily dealt with, they would not have caused havoc for such a long time on the continent. Laura's previous speculation about the young age of this Dark Magician was confirmed by his voice.
Smiling, Laura said to Zhao Hai, "Mister, there's no need for regrets. If the undead Mercenary Group were so easily defeated, they would not have caused chaos for such a long time. I am truly sorry for the trouble they have brought upon you, but rest assured, the undead Mercenary Group will be eliminated by experts from my Clan as soon as I return. Please have faith in that."
Zhao Hai smiled faintly and said, "Miss Laura, you are too kind. The insignificant undead Mercenary Group is not worth my concern. There's no need for you to worry."
Upon hearing Zhao Hai's words, Laura nodded in agreement. If someone else had said this, Laura might not have believed them. However, after witnessing Zhao Hai's power firsthand, she knew that he wasn't just boasting. Not only was he an 8th level Warrior, but even the Undead Creatures he summoned were enough to deal with the members of the undead Mercenary Group.
At that moment, Green looked at the sky and turned to Zhao Hai, saying, "Sir, it's getting late. Shouldn't we continue our journey?"
Zhao Hai understood Green's intention. They should leave now. Their purpose was to establish contact with the Markey Family, but they didn't want to get too involved. Zhao Hai didn't want Markey Family to perceive their actions as an act of coercion.
Just as Zhao Hai was about to make a move, Laura spoke up, "Mister, we plan to camp here tonight. If you don't mind, I would like to invite you to stay. I would be grateful if you could join us for a meal tonight as a token of my appreciation."
Zhao Hai shook his head and replied, "Miss Laura, I appreciate your kind offer, but we have other matters to attend to. Perhaps we will have the opportunity to meet again in the future." With that, he turned and walked towards Alien.
Laura became anxious and hurriedly took a few steps forward, grabbing onto Zhao Hai's Magic Robe. She said, "Mister, please wait a moment." Laura's touch naturally caused Zhao Hai to stop. Laura couldn't explain it, but she sensed a refreshing fragrance emanating from Zhao Hai's body, like the scent of spring on the prairie, invigorating and full of vitality.