Andrew was well aware in his heart that the Desert Speaker Rose's act of "driving beasts to chase people" was just a test.

So just handle it normally, rescue the people, kill that Desolate Beast (although live capture was initially intended), and that's it.

The alarm has been lifted. The desert returned to tranquility once more.

After a tentative contact between both sides, a retreat was made.

The others might not have expected Andrew's side to react so quickly, rescuing people and killing beasts so efficiently. Or, perhaps they didn't expect Andrew to actually use the connection between the Desolate Beast and Rose as a way to say hello for a strong response.

In short, Naros didn't seem to make any further actions for the time being.

Andrew also held back and didn't pursue further recklessly.

"Are we going back now?" Ivan asked.

Unlike Andrew, who was a traveler, Ivan was a native of the Inner Sea Desert. To all the residents of the Inner Sea Desert, Desolate Beasts were like "public enemy of life." Naros's act of driving Desolate Beasts to chase them down was completely over the line for Ivan!

Through the "Soul Whisper Channel," Ivan transmitted a message to Andrew saying, "Let me go and slice that guy up directly!

You've 'marked' that guy, haven't you?"

Naros came to harass early in the morning, as a test and to disgust people and mess with their mentality.

Andrew's response was a way of saying hello in return. — Everyone saw it that way. Our side's purple saw it that way. So did theirs.

Ivan, as Andrew's Soul Guard, knew what Andrew had really done—

Andrew's core strategy always revolved around Barbara's "Tower Battle God's" approach, waiting for a chance to counter-kill the opponent.

This point was unchangeable.

What was the purpose of exploring the Lake of the Ocean in the Underground Space? Wasn't it just to counter-kill Rose, to accumulate power, and to prepare?

"What exactly is this Desolate Language Series Magic?" Andrew had specifically found time to consult Barbara about it yesterday.

Barbara, unaware of Andrew's counter-kill plan, thought instead that Andrew felt uneasy about Rose's presence, so she patiently explained, "It's like a 'line.' Desolate Language Series Magic and my Heart Fire Series, though both are top-tier Soul Magic, are fundamentally different types of magic. Desolate Language, Desolate Language, it sounds like language, but it actually establishes a series of 'Magic Connections' using the form of language."

Andrew listened intently, occasionally asking questions. This gradually helped him construct a concept of Desolate Language Series Magic in his mind.

Language is just a method.

Through magical language, they create invisible "Magic Connections" condensed by spiritual power, linking the caster and the cast.

This is the fundamental principle of Desolate Language Series Magic.

This series contains many various types of Earth Fire Magic. But essentially, all these magics are about establishing a "Magic Connection" first and then deciding what to do next: disturb, hypnotize? Attack the soul or control consciousness? All these are based on "Magic Connection."

"But Desolate Beasts seem to have no soul, right?" Andrew asked.

Since Desolate Language Series Magic is based on "Magic Connection," and the essence of Magic Connection is linking two soul entities.

How did Naros connect himself with soul-less Desolate Beasts?

"I want to know that too," Barbara shrugged, her beautiful eyes filled with confusion, as if discussing an academic question rather than figuring out how to deal with the formidable enemy in the future with Andrew. "There is a theory that believes: Desolate Beasts are not soulless, but their souls are completely disordered and chaotic. They have souls but lack stable will and consciousness."

"Oh, in other words, Naros found some way to establish a Soul Connection with a disordered soul?" Andrew mused.

"That's probably it, it could only be that," Barbara said, "but still, it's a mystery. The origin of Desolate Beasts itself is still a mystery to this day."

Andrew uttered a hum of acknowledgment and, after expressing gratitude, left the laboratory.

Thinking that puzzles are meant to be solved, right?

So Andrew decided to unlock some Water Magic next—

One is the "Water Demon Vertical Pupil" from the Insight Series Magic. Unlike Water Spirit Sensing used for wide-range perception, this Water Demon Vertical Pupil is a Water Magic used for seeing through and discerning an enemy's Magic Secret Technique.

The second is a niche magic named "Tear Mark" from the Lifebound Magic Series "Fingertip Series."

Andrew had already unlocked and prepared these two new Water Magic with his new Tier Two strength as early as yesterday.

As it turns out, these two choices were correct.

Because they were just used!

After Ivan cleaved off the Desolate Beast's head, an invisible vertical pupil appeared between Andrew's brows, almost overlapping with the Water God Mark position.

Then Andrew saw it: the Desolate Beast's eyes, head, especially the weak scale behind the neck, were connected with strands of dark red hair-like lines — one end on the Desolate Beast's corpse and the other leading to some direction deep into the desert, which should be the so-called "Magic Connection" mentioned by Barbara!

Following this Magic Connection, Andrew activated the Seed of the Water Spirit, reverse-transmitting his soul and willpower to the other end where Rose was.

Next up, the key part!

Alongside greeting, Andrew actually quietly sowed an imprint within Rose's body.

Fingertip Series Magic: Tear Mark.

This is a Water Magic used for tracking, marking, and locking on a target. Among the many magic in the Fingertip Series, it isn't conspicuous.

However, it's the most critical and vital magic in dealing with Rose!

When someone cries, tears flow, and after crying, the tears dry without leaving marks. But the emotions felt when crying turn into an invisible imprint and forever reside in some corner of the heart, occasionally resurging due to certain external triggers.

The characteristic of "Tear Mark" isn't how well it can latch onto someone after marking; that's the trait of many marking-type magic in Fire Magic. Tear Mark's characteristic is leaving the most inconspicuous yet deepest imprint unnoticed!

"I wonder if this 'Tear Mark' can silently mark that Desert Speaker Rose without being detected," Andrew was mulling over this matter last night as he slept with Little Ha used as a cushion and blanket.

Feeling a bit anxious.

So earlier, he intentionally greeted with a provocative attitude.

Instead of a strong response to the opponent's disgusting act, it's more of Andrew deliberately provoking Rose for having planted the "Tear Mark" imprint!

Like a magician's trick to distract the audience.

Testing is bidirectional.

Andrew isn't afraid of their probing. If you dare to test me, I can trace back and probe your situation in reverse!

The disgust is also bidirectional!

Andrew, thinking, although I'm a traveler in this Flame Realm now, deep down, there's always a piece of me that's still that keyboard teenager ruling (spamming) the Summoner's Rift! If you want to disgust me, alright, maybe you're still more disgusting, but… I've seen too many guys more disgusting than you.

Now, the "Tear Mark" has been planted.

Silently and without notice.

With this step smoothly completed, the first and also the most critical step of the counter-kill plan against Rose was completed!

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