Witch Redemption

Cultural differences naturally lead to estrangement, but more importantly, people tend to act out when they're well-fed.

The Witch Cult treated these witches well, which led to a decline in their sense of crisis. Once this sense of crisis declined, the witches would engage in inexplicable "class struggles" in order to "steal credit" and so on. They would all want their small group to become stronger and more eye-catching in order to gain the appreciation of their superiors.

Lanssie admitted that she and her former captain had similar thoughts before experiencing that torrent of darkness, desperately trying to prove themselves and gain Major General Abbott's favor.

That's why they rushed to the front lines to resist the raging torrent of the Crimson Night, only to be awakened by the cruel reality that three of their companions died in a single night. Even so, they still believed in the Witch Cult, though perhaps their loyalty wasn't as high as before.

Conflicts exist between small groups, and with conflict comes compromise. There are always some witches with leadership qualities who can unite the entire small team, seek greater cooperation, and form a common front.

As far as Lanxi knew, since arriving in Mori City, two large witch teams had appeared.

One is the support group for Major General Aibo, led by Witch 088 Pamela. In short, it is a group of fanatical fans of Major General Aibo, numbering about eighteen people. They are like battle maniacs, accepting various missions from the Witch Order every day and working extremely hard.

It is said that to join this large team, one must prove their abilities, gain the leader's approval, and swear eternal loyalty to the Empire and Major General Aibo.

Lanxi and the others actually had a great fondness for this major general, after all, they had received a series of care after transmigrating. However, they were not as enthusiastic as these people, and later, due to a series of setbacks, they became despondent.

Another large team is an eleven-person team led by Witch 040 Peggy. It is said that these eleven people were originally three small teams, but after arriving in Mori City, they quickly reached a consensus and began to cooperate due to a series of opportunities.

This was arguably the first large team they knew, yet the team had a terrible reputation in their minds.

The reason is probably quite simple: most of these witches are dressed very sloppily, lacking any feminine style whatsoever, especially the minotaur leader, who often exposes her chest and arms, showing no restraint. More importantly, these people lack manners, etiquette, and ambition; they have little reverence for the witch cult and little respect for Major General Abbot.

If it weren't for the principle of "keeping to themselves" and the lack of any real conflict of interest between the two sides, these guys would probably have been condemned by public opinion long ago.

"..."

The witch standing not far from Lanxi right now was none other than the witch 040 Peggy, whom she had heard of before. She had simple bull horns and short black hair, and her sloppy dress was extremely mismatched, revealing a deep cleavage that made Lanxi feel a little jealous.

"Lanxi, shall we take a detour?"

"Somewhat timid witch codename 079 Olivia asked in a low voice."

At this moment, they also saw two witches standing a dozen meters away next to the bull-horned witch. One was a petite and beautiful woman with cat-girl features, and the other had fairy features and a large bust. Looking further into the distance, they could also vaguely see many other figures on guard around them.

"Um......"

Lanxi nodded. Although the four wandering witches also had terrible reputations, they had already received help from them, so they could trust them now. In contrast, the group in front of them seemed to have a more menacing aura than the wandering witches, which made them feel somewhat afraid.

Just as Lanci was about to turn and leave with her two companions, Olivia and Emma, ​​the witch codenamed 040, Peggy, who had also noticed their figures, spoke up. Her androgynous, rough voice was incredibly loud.

"Wait!"

Peggy quickly greeted her companions, signaling them to remain vigilant and not to make a fuss, and then led the three uninvited guests—Sherry, the catgirl, and Matilda, the fairy—over.

"Lan... Lanxi, should we run away?" Emma asked instinctively, her voice tinged with fear.

"No...don't be nervous..."

Lanxi tried hard to suppress her fear, after all, she didn't know where she had offended these witches. But when she thought about how they had also been prejudiced against the four wandering witches, only to find that they were different from what they had imagined, she wondered if these people in front of her were the same.

Within seconds, Peggy had arrived in front of the three guys with the other two witches.

"Hello, we're just passing by..."

Lanxi lowered her head slightly, appearing somewhat humble, as if she was worried that her words would offend these people.

“I know,” Peggy replied. At this point, the two were about two meters apart. Instead of making things difficult for them as Lancy had expected, she raised her right hand to touch the black horns on her head, then pinched her chin and asked in a sales-like manner, “Three beautiful witches, do you have an organization? What do you think of us? Would you like to join us?”

"what?"

“Peggy, if you can’t speak properly, don’t scare them. Go away,” Matilda knew her leader’s professional habit was acting up again, so she squinted and smiled a few times, then took the initiative to explain, “It’s like this, our mission is to stop the Goblin Kingdom, you know. We recently discovered that it’s not simple inside, and quite a few witches have already died, so we’re planning to join forces with others. Since you happened to be passing by, so…”

After briefly explaining the cause and effect and describing the situation of the above-ground urban area of ​​the Mo City Ruins, Lanxi and the other two witches were almost stunned.

Chapter 105 Meeting

Most of the less cautious witches were wiped out after entering the city today. Even Peggy, who was watching from afar, did not dare to enter easily, let alone other small teams of only four or five people.

Hearing that the situation was extremely dire, Lancy, Olivia, and Emma all looked extremely pale.

Around noon, Witch Code 002 Lana asked them if they wanted to continue their training deeper into the city. At the time, they were feeling down because of the death of their companion the day before, so they subconsciously chose to stay on the outskirts. Little did they know that this would save them from disaster.

Looking at Matilda's grave expression, Lanxi wondered if the witch was exaggerating. "Are you telling the truth?"

Matilda told the truth, "It's absolutely true. The goblins we saw were not so simple. They were all wearing armor and armed to the teeth. Their numbers were estimated to be in the tens of thousands, and their strength should not be underestimated."

After a day of probing, he believed that many lucky witches had already profited greatly in the city, and their magic books were at least at level eight.

However, even a witch with an eighth-level magic book was killed instantly within seconds when she encountered that group of strange goblins head-on, which shows just how terrifying these guys were.

If the goblins we encountered yesterday were natural hunters, then the goblins we encountered today are terrifying killing machines. They lurk underground, seeking any opportunity to tear their prey apart.

The witches, who should have been the dominant force, could only rely on their intuition and practical experience to avoid potential dangers. Nothing could be worse than this.

Lanxi's face turned pale and then purple, intense fear and worry appearing on her beautiful face. She couldn't help but think of the decisions made by the four wandering witches earlier.

Witch codename 002 Lana and Witch codename 099 Lorina must have already gone to the city. It seems that the two witches are probably in grave danger.

"What should we do? Go back to find Karen, codename 001? She and the other seriously injured witch should still be in that location. If the city is really extremely dangerous now, the three of us might still make it if we can team up with them... It's already this late, we won't make it, will we? What should I do? Pretend that I don't know anything?"

In an instant, Lansie's thoughts were in turmoil. On one hand, she was instinctively afraid of death, and on the other hand, she felt that Lana had saved them yesterday and was their savior. If she wanted to repay the debt of gratitude, she absolutely could not stand by and watch them die.

However, given their current state, going there would probably be of no use, which put Lanxi in a dilemma.

This may not be a simple moral dilemma.

"No, how could I do this? Damn it, there's still a way, there must be a way!"

After clearing her mind of all the distracting thoughts, Lanxi gradually calmed down.

Matilda, however, keenly noticed that the witch who seemed to be the leader looked terrible. Seeing that she hadn't responded for a long time, she assumed that the witch was afraid, so she pressed her advantage and added a few more words.

"As we told our leader, have you considered joining us? The city is extremely dangerous right now, and we've already considered uniting all the witches to deal with it. Joining us might provide better security."

Lanxi hesitated for a second or two after hearing this, then took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, this isn't my decision alone. Could you let me discuss it with my companions first?"

"Please go ahead."

Faced with this expected response, Matilda smiled and waved her hand, then gestured for the two witches beside her to step back a few steps, giving them some private space.

...... ...... ......

Lansie was huddled with Olivia and Emma when she asked her first question amidst her hesitation, "If, if codename 002 Lana is already in danger in the city, and we still have a chance to go and rescue her, what do you plan to do?"

Olivia was slightly taken aback, remembering the somewhat irritable witch who had even scolded her last night because of the incident.

But upon further reflection, she didn't hold a grudge against Lana; instead, she began to admire her.

After all, their lives were hanging by a thread at that time, and Lana's dashing appearance and heroic demeanor saved them from dire straits.

Olivia thought about it and realized that if Lana really was a prince charming, she would probably have fallen in love at that moment yesterday.

Finally, she simply asked skeptically, "Lancey, do you think what Matilda, codenamed 035, said is true?"

"It's probably true. The witch in this large team is very strong. She made a significant contribution in the Crimson Night Torrent last month, so she probably wouldn't lie to us. Moreover, her invitation for us to join their team is likely genuine and not a joke."

As the team leader, Lanxi had some dealings with other small teams, so she had a wider range of information.

Although this eleven-member witch team had a bad reputation, they actually had no conflicts with other witches.

"If it's true, how do you know Lana will definitely be in danger? She's too strong! I've never seen such a powerful witch."

Olivia was telling the truth. In the rumors among witches, if all witches were to be ranked by strength, then witch codename 002 Lana Sivir would definitely be number one, belonging to the kind that is unbelievably strong.

When I first arrived in Mori City, I heard that this guy was able to fight against a large number of mimicry Chaos single-handedly, and that he had an exaggeratedly strong brute force.

Later, it was said that some witches were not convinced of this guy's strength and went to find him in person, only to be slashed away by his sword and sent flying more than ten meters away, defeated in an instant.

In fact, they did witness Lana's terrifying strength when they encountered danger yesterday. Even when facing hundreds of ferocious goblins, she was still able to fight her way in and out seven times, as if she were handling the situation with ease.

Their strength, which was clearly visible to the naked eye, was at least twice that of an ordinary witch. This was not a joke, but a personal feeling experienced by the three witches, Lanxi, after witnessing it firsthand.

“I also think Lana can’t possibly be in there anymore. She’s just too strong,” Emma, ​​the somewhat shy unicorn witch, agreed with Olivia’s point of view. “Not just Lana, don’t you think the other three wandering witches are also ridiculously strong? That one, codename 001 Karen, claims to be only level four, but she was able to spend a night in the underground area with codename 013 Della. I doubt anyone would believe that.”

Judging from the current rumors among witches, the Wandering Witch codenamed 001 is the most mysterious. Few people have seen her use her professional holy weapon. She hunts down the mimicry of chaos using only the Libra Cross Greatsword, and she looks somewhat disheveled when hunting monsters.

Based on today's interaction, this witch, who is generally considered to be the weakest, gave Emma the illusion that she was even more powerful than them.

The wandering witch, codenamed 099 Lorina Yuffie, was initially considered by the witches to be a wise traitor who had been bewitched, and her strength was merely average. However, after getting to know her, she completely overturned the perceptions of Lanxi and the others. This witch exuded an extremely uncomfortable aura, and her gaze always gave people a creepy feeling.

As for the last traitorous witch, codenamed 013 Della, Lancy and the other two witnessed her today. This witch had suffered a tragedy; after the trip to Dawn City, all her teammates perished, causing her to break down emotionally and ultimately succumb to corruption, losing her once-proud angelic halo and wings.

After actually seeing Della today, although she was still seriously injured and unconscious, she gave Lanxi and the other two an extremely strong sense of dread. It was as if this witch had completely gone mad, exuding a suicidal killing intent.

Only after Lanxi and her two companions personally met these four wandering witches could they understand that their strength was not only reflected in their physical power, but also, perhaps more importantly, in their unwavering will.

No one knows why the wandering witches are so strong, and their fearless spirit, which coexists with this strength, shrouds them in even greater mystery.

Perhaps it was because of the high praise from her two accomplices that Lansie fell silent for a moment. The sense of moral condemnation and unease that had been lingering since not long ago began to subside, and she began to vaguely believe that Lana and the others would definitely be able to turn the tide.

"What are your thoughts on the collaboration that this large team is talking about?"

Regarding joining the team, Lancy also had to respect her companions' decision.

“I find them a bit scary, especially that guy with the bull horns.”

Olivia recalled the gaze of Peggy, codenamed 040. Although the witch had a poker face, her eyes gave her the illusion of being imposing without anger. Just a glance between them made her feel a chill run down her spine, as if her entire body had been seen through.

"There's no need to worry about that."

Lanxi said, then thought about it again, "Aren't the reputations of the 'wandering witches' also very bad? The witch cult even strictly forbade them from approaching these wandering witches, but in the end, these witches were not as wicked as they imagined. They were much easier to get along with than the other witches. At most, they just thought they were a bit eccentric."

And this large team of eleven people is pretty much the same?

It seems a bit unreasonable to judge them with prejudice without having had any formal contact with them.

Lanxi and the others are all fans of Major General Abbott and loyal to the Witch Cult, but they are not fanatical to the point of losing their minds.

They all know that their cowardice has caused them to repeatedly run into obstacles in this perilous other world, but as long as someone lends a helping hand when they are in danger, they can't help but trust that person unconditionally.

At this moment, the three witches didn't know why, after only spending such a short time together, their hearts had unconsciously drawn to the four wandering witches. They felt as if they had been infected by the wandering witches in some way, and being around them gave them a strange sense of security.

"Now I need your advice, and then we can decide together whether to join their team. You know, this could provide us with a lot of protection in the future."

Lanxi was very clear-headed. After what happened yesterday, she realized that this Mo City Ruins were definitely not simple. Now she had to join forces with the other witches to find a way out.

Emma, ​​who was always a bit timid, thought for a moment and then spoke the truth, "I think it would be better to join them. Also, why don't we introduce Lana to them as well? Didn't they say they wanted to unite all the witches?"

Olivia chimed in, "Shouldn't we be introducing Kallen to them? Don't you guys think Lana and the others seem to revolve around that Kallen, codenamed 001?"

Based on observations this morning, it seems that the witch codename 001, Kallen Elf, has more say and is more like the leader among the wandering witches. Moreover, it feels like Kallen is much easier to talk to than Lana, codename 002.

"It seems...that's really the case?"

Lancy started to feel hopeful. After all, Kallen was rumored among the witches to be a very opportunistic and cunning person, so contacting her would definitely be much better than contacting Lana.

Three minutes later, Lancy returned to Matilda with Olivia and Emma. "We can join your team, but have you considered teaming up with four more wandering witches?"