Chapter 216 ·What Do You Want to Take?

【She ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍seems quite interested in you. There’s no killing intent.】

No ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍killing intent?

Lilia ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍glanced at the sharp nails only a few centimeters from her neck and wondered if the system had some misunderstanding of the phrase “no killing intent.”

Just ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍as she was about to risk everything—

The ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍expressionless mermaid queen in front of her suddenly curled her lips.

She ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍smiled.

That single smile instantly dispelled the terrifying pressure that had kept others at a distance.

In its place was a kind of enchanting laziness that made one feel dazed.

Like the most beautiful yet most deadly poisonous flower blooming in the depths of the sea.

“Interesting.”

Her voice carried a unique magnetism.

Her fingertip tapped lightly on Lilia’s collarbone.

“A mere human…”

The mermaid tilted her head slightly, a trace of curiosity flashing through her deep blue eyes.

“Yet inside your body, you’re hiding that old tree spirit’s thing, and that disgusting stuff from the undead side.”

Lilia’s heart skipped.

What the hell?

She could see that too?

“And…”

The mermaid’s finger slid down along Lilia’s collarbone and finally stopped at her chest.

There, her heart was beating faster than ever before.

“This scent…”

The mermaid frowned, as if recalling something. Her expression turned strange.

“That madwoman… still left a mark on you?”

Lilia’s scalp went numb.

It’s over.

Everything’s exposed!

Judging by that tone, these two clearly knew each other!

And their relationship was definitely not good!

Thinking about it, it made sense—two beings standing at the peak of the Demon Realm, both abnormal. There could only be one at the top… unless one was male and one female… no, both were female.

Then they were definitely enemies!

Lilia’s mind raced.

If she admitted she was Hera’s maid, would she be torn apart as a punching bag?

After all, with Hera’s mouth, she must have offended plenty of people.

But if she didn’t admit it…

That scent on her body, marinated by Hera, couldn’t be washed away no matter what.

“Um… I…”

Lilia stammered, cold sweat sliding down her temples.

“I was just passing by… really, I’m not close to that mad— that lady. I’m just a helper…”

The mermaid clearly didn’t believe her.

That cold finger pressed slightly harder, making Lilia’s chest ache.

“Not close?”

The mermaid chuckled softly, a dangerous glint flashing in her eyes.

“Not close, yet she left such a deep mark in your soul? She even consumed her own origin to reshape your body so you could bear these two seeds?”

“Little thing, lying will get your tongue pulled out.”

Lilia wanted to cry.

Boss! When were you ever this good to me?!

So this body was reshaped at the cost of your origin? And I’ve been cursing you every day—wasn’t that a bit too ungrateful?

This mermaid was clearly Hera’s enemy!

Lilia could feel that as the topic of “Hera” deepened, the surrounding temperature was dropping rapidly.

That beautiful icy-blue tail was unconsciously striking the ground, turning hard white bones into powder.

This was clearly a precursor to picking a fight!

“Actually…”

Lilia swallowed, about to spin a tragic story like “I’m an innocent girl kidnapped by Hera” to gain sympathy.

At that moment—

Boom!

The edge of the bone palace suddenly exploded open.

A black-red figure, carrying the smell of fish and seawater, crashed in like a cannonball.

“Pah, pah, pah! Disgusting!”

Before the figure could even be seen clearly, that arrogant loli voice rang out first.

“This lousy ship isn’t crispy at all! It’s all metal! Hurts my teeth!”

As the dust settled—

Dora still held half a ship anchor in her hand. Her delicate little face was covered in soot, and her dragon horns were still emitting heat.

She complained while swaggering in.

Then—

She saw the Deep Sea Queen cornering Lilia.

“Hmm?”

Dora casually tossed the anchor aside, smashing several rib-like pillars.

Her dark golden vertical pupils instantly lit up, like she had spotted the ultimate delicacy.

“Alive?”

She swallowed her saliva, staring fixedly at the mermaid’s crystalline tail, which looked incredibly fresh and delicious.

“This color… looks way tastier than that dull gray earlier! I knew it—fresh is always better!”

Lilia’s vision went dark.

Ancestor!

My dear ancestor!

At a time like this, you’re still thinking about eating? Didn’t you just see her crush an entire fleet?

Are you trying to get us killed faster?!

But Dora clearly lacked the ability to read the room.

Ignoring the tense atmosphere, she strode forward arrogantly, wedging herself between the two and forcefully pulling Lilia out from under the mermaid’s fingertip.

“Hey, you.”

Dora shielded Lilia behind her, raised her chin, and pointed at the mermaid with complete confidence.

“Since you’re awake, hurry up and hand over the good stuff! Our leader said that if we woke you up, we’d get a seafood feast!”

Lilia wanted to die.

When had she ever said something like that?

And what the hell was “leader”?

The mermaid paused.

She withdrew her hand, her deep blue eyes shifting to Dora, narrowing slightly.

“A dragon?”

She seemed somewhat surprised, then glanced at Lilia behind Dora.

“Your combination is quite… novel.”

“Of course!”

Before Lilia could figure out how to explain, Dora had already proudly taken over.

“We’re the ‘Black Sea Sunset Red Tour Group’! We specialize in coming here to find food—no, I mean, travel!”

“……”

Lilia covered her face.

That nonsense she had made up before—wouldn’t even fool a three-year-old.

But unexpectedly, the mermaid didn’t get angry.

She stared at Dora for a few seconds, then at Lilia, who looked completely dead inside, and suddenly let out a soft laugh.

“A tour group?”

She shook her head lightly. That beautiful tail swayed again as her body drifted back, returning to sit on what remained of the throne ruins.

The sense of danger was still there, but the immediate killing intent had faded considerably.

“Fine.”

She leaned lazily against the white bones, twirling a strand of her damp hair around her finger, her gaze sweeping over Lilia.

“Since you’re here for ‘tourism,’ then tell me.”

“That madwoman… what exactly did she send you to this hellhole to take?”

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