She wore a sand-resistant cloak, instinctively feeling hot and tugging it open, allowing the swaying delicate fabric to let the glaring whiteness immediately crash into Li Ang's view.

She wasn't wearing the tube top armor, which was normal.

Earlier, Li Ang had instructed the three young girls in the team to clean their equipment daily.

High-quality equipment hardly accumulates grime, and a rinse with water makes the surface clean; in this dry climate of the Flashing Field, there's no worry about it not drying.

After washing, they hang it to dry, and at night, they wouldn't wear it again, which is quite a common practice.

ALulu's thoughts were simple and single-threaded, perhaps not considering much before knocking, now she started realizing some issues, though she was even more naive than Zoe, clearly only daring to wear such delicate fabric...

Is it written in the teachings to feel there's a problem?

The room was getting hotter, so Li Ang had to use spirituality to let the wind element flow, maintaining a cooling effect.

The breathless pink-haired girl sighed in relief, and Li Ang asked her, "Is there something important you wanted to say?"

"Ah, right." ALulu returned to her senses, "In the afternoon when you guys came back from the duel, I saw my companions."

Are they really okay? Li Ang was somewhat surprised.

Oh, he wasn't cursing those Wotam Sect members to die, he couldn't be that malicious.

He only felt earlier that this group wasn't quite in the right state.

Wotam Church Country is mission-oriented in preaching, certainly not a nation refusing external exchanges, but their mindset indeed differs from the outside.

Because a believer's town was massacred by mysterious criminals, so low tier Guardian Knights baptized in a small chapel mobilized collectively, determined to capture and judge the culprits. Upon reaching the Flashing Field, they plunged into what was a relatively dangerous desert wilderness for them.

This kind of action might only be undertaken by devout believers, while ordinary forces might scout before acting, possibly realizing the potential dangers from the bloodshed instigators and abandoning the pursuit altogether.

From the level of cognition of ALulu's companions, they were still using tier one-two iron ore equipment. Facing Giant Land Crocodiles, Sandnest Maggots, or the Bailong Sect, all would be a death sentence.

Could they actually have made it back?

Zoe frowned, rather reluctantly holding ALulu's hand, "So, are you going to leave?"

"I..."

The pink-haired girl lowered her head, thought for a while, and in a milky voice said slowly:

"I'm afraid that if I meet them tomorrow and they call for me, I will unconsciously go back."

Hmm?

From her tone, it seemed she didn't want to leave.

Even Zoe could hear the meaning in her words, the chestnut-haired girl beamed, "Then just stay with us. Is going back to Wotam Church Country a must?"

On this point, ALulu nodded assuredly, "I haven't buried my teacher yet and can't stay out too long."

"But you don't want to act with them anymore?" Li Ang asked.

He felt this was what ALulu wanted to express.

The Horned Race girl hesitated upon hearing this, but still nodded slowly.

"Just now, I thought for a long time about companions, teachings, and my teacher's words."

ALulu counted on her fingers as she recalled, "I haven't been chosen as an official Defender Knight yet. The Knight Order's code says that even if not selected, one must keep training and prepare."

Li Ang nodded, thinking maliciously, this was rhetoric the Knight Order used to pacify unchosen followers, now it became her reason not to persist with joining the Defender Knights Order.

The pink-haired girl continued, "Before my teacher left, he told me to find true companions."

Zoe suddenly understood, "So that's why you always say our connection as companions is great?"

ALulu said in a milky voice, "Initially, I thought Fan Gen and the others were companions; I would fight alongside them until I became an official Defender Knight."

"But they don't take you," Zoe said, "They make you wear that stifling armor."

ALulu's expression turned a bit dark.

A few days ago, perhaps she would have defended these people, saying they didn't mean it or were constrained by circumstances.

She lowered her head to look at her chest and whispered, "My teacher never scolded me for my clothes. I said that the goddess's teaching is to dress appropriately, meaning comfortably and suitably, and I felt comfortable like this. My teacher never objected, only said 'that's okay too' every time."

ALulu raised her hand to support her massive bust, making Li Ang and even Zoe's hearts waver together.

"I know, these are much bigger than average people's. But I can't do anything about it.

"I don't understand why Fan Gen and the others always scold me like that."

ALulu said, "This time, I followed them myself. I remembered my teacher saying to find true companions, thinking that companions can't be separated, so I didn't want to stay alone in the chapel. But when I got here, they left me alone in the inn, and I was alone again.

"They wouldn't let me leave the inn. I thought about it and realized this neither violates teachings or codes, so I left. Otherwise, I couldn't think of a way to earn enough money."

Li Ang remembered she said she wanted money to bury her teacher.

The Horned Race girl raised her head, looking between Li Ang and Zoe.

"You never said anything bad about me, and even made sure I was well-fed. Li Ang also made such good equipment for me."

ALulu's petite face was earnest and serious at this moment, "This kindness must be repaid."

"Don't you want to become a Defender Knight?" Zoe asked.

"I've never thought I absolutely have to be."

ALulu thought, "All along, everyone says joining the Defender Knights Order is the best, so I just did what others did. I just thought that becoming a Defender Knight could better protect the weak."

Not really. Li Ang thought.

The Defender Knights Order, as the name implies, primarily protects Wotam Sect believers and pilgrims.

And in its evolution, the definition of "protecting believers" has been changing, occasionally including the meaning of actively eliminating non-believers. It's just that Nebis's waters are deep, and there are dangers everywhere, preventing them from launching any large expeditions.

"If the old teachings are taken as a life philosophy, not joining the Defender Knights Order and becoming a ranger to resolve visible injustices is also good." Li Ang said.

ALulu looked at him, her pale purple eyes shimmering with a spark.

"A ranger… Can I join your journey as one?"

"Of course!" Zoe laughed, hugging the pink-haired girl.

Li Ang nodded to her as well.

He had a few contingency plans, including the possibility of ALulu eventually leaving the team, or having to confront the Defender Knight trainees to retain her.

The former could happen; after all, their acquaintance with the Horned Race girl was brief, and they didn't really know her true self. In adventures, numerous companions thought to be lifelong ultimately parted ways, making it worth attempting to retain, but not to obsess over.

As for the latter, Li Ang was not afraid of the Defender Knights Order, let alone a group of trainees. He just found it troublesome to reason with them. If ALulu herself were undecided, it would seem like they were abducting her, which would be hard to explain.

Luckily, ALulu was a very pure person, knowing what she wanted.

Staying with the Star Flower Travel Corps was ALulu's own decision, and Li Ang surely had to protect that determination.

"If you want to stay, no matter their attitude, leave it to me." Li Ang said.

"Thank you..."

After thanking, the tiny pink-haired girl still seemed insecure, "Can I really join? Someone like me?"

"You're excellent. You protected them well as the vanguard." Li Ang said.

"Absolutely." Zoe laughed.

ALulu's eyes glistened with a little sparkle, and she sniffled, saying, "I still want to go back to bury my teacher."

"Don't worry, Wotam Church Country is on our way anyway."

And so, the Star Flower Travel Corps gained one more official member.

Li Ang and Zoe chatted ALulu into laughter, and after she returned to her room, Zoe quickly fell asleep.

Once she was deep in slumber, Li Ang started his intended plan.

He left the black market, heading towards the Platinum Hall.

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