After leaving the team, the adventurer ladies regretted it deeply

Chapter 33: 33. Isa's Reward

In terms of recruitment, priority was given to those warriors with exceptional talent and good levels.

But Lin Da thought it over, and with the current conditions, let alone recruiting a genius warrior, even an average one was difficult.

A level 0 captain and a level 0 thief, anyone with a bit of ambition wouldn't join such a novice adventure team.

Indeed, it seemed he had to go out into the wild to grind on small monsters and level up first.

Lin Da silently considered.

As for the World Tree Secret Realm, he couldn't enter it for the time being. Not to mention the danger, the Empire strictly investigated adventurers who entered the Mystic Realm without forming a team.

One reason was for safety, and the other was for the team formation fee.

Gurgle~

Just as they walked out of the hall, Lin Da's and Kafni's stomachs called out in unison.

It was already noon, and they had not yet eaten.

Lin Da was about to look for a restaurant when he was stopped by an acquaintance.

"Mr. Lin Da!"

A cordial voice came through.

The person who appeared was none other than Jeban, the logistics member of the Ice Flower Adventure Team.

"What are you doing here?"

"You left the team, right?" Jeban didn't answer but counterasked with a chuckle, "Captain Isa guessed you would come to process your departure today. Last time you left in a hurry, and we couldn't ask where you were staying, so she arranged for me to stop you here."

Lin Da nodded in understanding.

Jeban hurriedly said, "This is the thing, our team captain has invited you to lunch and requests the honor of your presence."

"How can I let you spend such an expense," Lin Da said out of politeness.

"No, the captain has already made reservations, I'll definitely be scolded if I go back empty-handed," Jeban said helplessly.

Unable to refuse the enthusiastic invitation, Lin Da and the others boarded the Ice Flower Adventure Team's carriage and headed to a high-end restaurant on Elf Street.

Riding the same breed of Twin-Winged Blackblood Horse as the Snow Goose Adventure Team, it only took a few minutes to reach the destination.

The breed of horse, with the bloodline of Magical Creatures, was indeed fast. Lin Da pondered that he should also equip his own team with one in the future.

The group disembarked from the carriage in a single file and looked up to see the restaurant's facade resembling a moon-shaped vessel, uniquely styled, with surrounding Magic Circles twinkling with white light, as if stars were clustering around it, making it wonderfully beautiful.

Kafni licked her lips with some excitement, "We must have a good meal."

"Why do you act like you've never seen the world, aren't you a 'Deity'?" Lin Da said in a lowered voice.

"It was tough over there, nothing but studying and training, no time to enjoy," Kafni recalled some unpleasant memories and shivered.

Under Jeban's lead, the two entered the restaurant and took a magic-power-driven elevator to the thirteenth floor.

Jeban ushered them to the front of a private room then left them there.

Lin Da pushed the door open and entered.

Seeing the silver-haired girl already waiting inside, his eyes lit up with a touch of amazement.

Behind a square table on an elegant black bar stool sat a girl in a deep blue gown.

Isa's silver-white hair was done up with a hairpin decorated with a leaf from the World Tree, her neck slender and pale, the off-shoulder dress perfectly displaying a vast expanse of soft skin.

A slight gap formed by the dress's front, modest yet alluring, drew the eye.

The gown's lower part featured a high thigh split, revealing a pair of prideful long legs wrapped in black stockings, and underneath, a pair of golden high heels.

Isa's face was lightly made up, lessening her usual coldness and adding a touch of girlish charm.

Her ice-blue eyes held a trace of a smile as she lifted her glass with two fingers. "Welcome," Isa said to Lin Da.

This elegant display of nobility compelled Lin Da to straighten his back and courteously reply, "Miss Isa, thank you for the lunch invitation."

"There's no need for that," Isa chuckled. "We're friends now, call me Isa."

"Then... Isa," Lin Da nodded and sat down opposite her.

Noticing Isa's curious glance toward Kafni at his side, Lin Da introduced, "This is my prospective teammate, Kafni."

Prospective teammate?

The smile on Isa's face disappeared.

Originally, seeing the beautiful Kafni, she felt a spark of competitiveness. Upon hearing that she was Lin Da's prospective teammate, her mood soured even further—the real purpose of this lunch was to invite Lin Da to join the Ice Flower Adventure Team!

"Lin Da, won't you really consider my team?"

Isa set down her wine glass, looking earnestly at him, "I can offer you the remuneration of a main team member, even though you're only at level 0 right now. Depending on your performance later on, the remuneration can still increase."

"It's not about the remuneration," Lin Da smiled, "I have certain reasons, that I must create my own team."

"But didn't you leave because of Lia? Creating your own team is just an excuse, right..."

Isa grew a bit impatient, her tone unintentionally becoming aggressive.

She genuinely wanted to pull Lin Da into her team.

"Lia was merely a catalyst. Without her pressure, I would have left Snow Goose sooner or later."

Lin Da took a sip of the red wine in front of him and, after a slight pause, said:

"I'm flattered by your invitation but, sorry, I won't join anyone's team. It's not just about the Ice Flower Adventure Team— I would also refuse an invitation from the White Dove Adventure Group, even though they have crossed the 15th floor."

The White Dove Adventure Group was the strongest team in White Dove City, with twelve main members. At the beginning of the year, they had passed the 15th floor of the World Tree, becoming a Steel Level Adventure Group.

Perhaps sensing his unwavering determination, Isa's head sagged in dejection.

But as the captain who had led Ice Flower to the 12th floor, Isa soon recovered, shifting the topic with a smile:

"Let's not talk about this today, let's discuss how to repay you for yesterday's events instead."

"As fellow adventure teams in White Dove City, we should support each other," Lin Da declined tactfully.

"That won't do."

Isa shook her head, "Support is a given, but we need to settle scores properly. I thought about it, and since you're currently at level 0, what you need most is probably this."

She took two palm-sized scrolls out of a small white bag beside her.

The scrolls were a lush green, with the intricate design of a leafy tree.

Isa placed her hand on a scroll and infused magic power. Instantly, a line of magic runes emerged, translating as: [Town Portal Scroll (10th Tier)].

"This... is a bit too valuable," Lin Da's expression changed slightly upon seeing the magic runes.

Town Portal Scrolls were incredibly expensive magic items.

Their price hovered around ten thousand gold coins, and they were difficult to find on the market; once available, they would be swiftly purchased.

These items were akin to 'Moutai' wine from Lin Da's previous world—goods that held more value than gold.

The reason was simple: an extra Town Portal Scroll was equivalent to an extra life; if outmatched, one could instantly escape.

Without a Town Portal Scroll, one could only wait for death.

Even the Snow Goose Adventure Team didn't manage to equip every member with a Town Portal Scroll.

Lin Da felt this form of repayment was a bit excessive.

He even suspected that Isa had originally prepared only one scroll for him but, seeing that he brought his prospective teammate Kafni, she increased it to two on the spot.

Such generosity and grand gestures made Lin Da take note.

Kafni, on the other hand, cherished the two scrolls, playing with them for a while before pocketing them securely and holding onto them tightly, embodying the epitome of a miser.