After leaving the team, the adventurer ladies regretted it deeply

"Didn't that Lia charge too far ahead? The Healer had to enter the range of the Magical Creatures' attacks just to heal her."

"Is the Noble Academy's Phyllis the one commanding? The vanguard under his command just can't hold the aggro of the Magical Creatures, they keep chasing after the Mage."

"Tsk tsk, as expected of the 'Holy Mage,' Aiko from the Holy Light Church! Dodging the Magical Creatures' attacks while casting magic, two of the three lizard monsters were killed by Aiko!"

The adventurers had mixed feelings regarding this live strategy session.

The praise was for the individual strength of the Snow Goose Adventure Team; Mage Aiko had an exceptionally fast chanting speed and her high-powered Light Arrow Technique, leaving everyone in awe.

Klrona, as a Heavy Armored Warrior in the vanguard, also performed exceptionally well. No matter how fierce the Magical Creatures attacked, they couldn't harm Klrona at all.

Team leader Lia was a bit reckless, but her ability to single-handedly slay a lizard was not to be underestimated. Among Swordsmen of the same level, no one dared to claim they could beat her with certainty.

As for the criticisms, they were quite obvious.

The command of the Snow Goose Adventure Team and the cooperation among its members were terrible.

Once the formation was disrupted by the Magical Creatures, it turned into everyone for themselves, with no one able to look after each other.

Which side needed support, which lizard creature to focus fire on was all up to individuals' judgments.

Healer Phyllis, who was in command, could only shout out a few commands at the beginning, but later on, he was run ragged just healing Lia.

Heavy Hammer Warrior Olu was also severely injured.

An adventurer sighed, "It's pretty good that no one died."

"By the way, when that 'Eye of Wisdom' Lin Da was with Snow Goose, I heard Snow Goose made it to the eighth floor without injuries, right? Why did Snow Goose replace the original commander with Phyllis?"

Indeed.

Many adventurers were puzzled. Command is the most crucial position in a team; without significant issues, a change would not occur.

Especially a commander who had been with the team from the first floor, the members were already accustomed to them.

Suddenly changing commanders would require an adaptation period.

A refined male Elf adventurer said, "You probably don't know, but Lin Da was kicked out because he was caught having a secret affair with the Mage in the team by the team leader."

"Eh, how come what I heard is different? Lin Da arranged a date in the inn on Elf Street with Ice Flower's leader Isa, and that's why he was kicked out of the team..."

"Isn't it because Lin Da was throwing a party without inviting the leader?"

Under the reporting of some unscrupulous tabloid journalists, the story about Lin Da got more and more far-fetched.

Just then, in the screen, the sensor ladybug hanging from Lia's waist suddenly vibrated, releasing a golden light.

This was someone offering a Demon Core sacrifice to the World Tree Goddess, sending a 'Golden Advice' to the Snow Goose Adventure Team.

Lia pressed her lips together and looked at the belly of the sensor ladybug, and in the hall of the Adventurer's Guild, everyone else followed her gaze.

The Golden Advice read: Seeing Snow Goose's poor performance, I'm even more resolute about my decision to take Lin Da into Ice Flower Adventure Team (laugh).

"Isa—you're shameless!"

The redhead girl on the screen shouted angrily, threw the ladybug on the ground, and the pained ladybug flapped its wings wildly.

It was clear to everyone that this Golden Advice was sent by Isa, the leader of the Ice Flower Adventure Team.

That silver-haired Swordsman was taunting her old rival, Lia!

And Isa's recognition of Lin Da in her Golden Advice made everyone feel even more sorry for Lia. If the 'Eye of Wisdom' had not been kicked out of the team by her, Snow Goose, who had reached the eleventh floor, might have seen a different outcome?

Lia's face turned red with anger, she threw down the ladybug, didn't even bother to collect the spoils of victory, and teleported out of the World Tree using the Teleportation Stone.

The adventurers all sighed.

...

The sun set, and the magic street lamps of the aging Sparrow District flickered with their dim and intermittent light.

When Lin Da and his group rushed over, they just happened to encounter the adventurers leaving the scene.

They could hear their conversation even before getting close.

Snow Goose Adventure Team?

Lin Da and Lulu both paused at the same time.

Lulu was thinking that the 'Lin Da' she was looking for was with the Snow Goose Adventure Team.

When Lin Da heard about Olu's injury, his heart skipped a beat.

Olu was the teammate he got along with the best.

'What's the matter with Lia? I warned her last time not to rashly advance to the next level.'

Lin Da felt a surge of anger toward Lia. It was one thing if Lia didn't care about her own life, but as a team leader, she had a responsibility for the lives of her team members.

Leading everyone, without a single loss, to the summit of the World Tree.

Her dream, the original intention of forming the team, must have been long forgotten.

As an outsider, Lin Da could only sigh at the Snow Goose Adventure Team's defeat.

He hoped this lesson would make Lia understand.

The overall strength of the Snow Goose was really not strong!

What they needed to do was to let go of their pride and learn to work as a team!

Up ahead, adventurers were approaching, and to avoid having his name called out and Lulu realizing he had lied to her,

he covered his face and tucked himself into a corner, pretending to be an unscrupulous adventurer taking a leak.

'Hmph.'

Lulu's face flashed with disgust, turned her back to Lin Da.

It was only after that group of adventurers had moved far away did Lin Da return to the road.

He could hear the diminishing sound of the adventurers' discussions.

Oru's injuries seemed to be quite serious; as an old teammate, he'd have to find an opportunity to visit him.

Lin Da thought silently.

And Aiko, how was she considering joining his own team?

His move might suggest poaching, but Lia's reckless advance into the 11th level had dispelled his last hesitation.

If Lia planned to lead her team to their doom, wasn't it a good deed to poach them instead?

While thinking, Lin Da arrived at the Adventurer's Guild.

A line of people filed in.

It was around six in the evening, a quiet time.

A long, snaking line sprawled in front of the service counters.

Lin Da and his group joined the queue.

But after a long wait, the line barely moved forward, instead, a quarreling noise came from ahead.

'Cutting in line! This is discrimination against Beastmen, everyone look, someone is discriminating against Beastmen! If that's the case, once the humans get the most Hero Stones, won't they drive us Beastmen out of the city!'

The voice of a human girl: 'Huh? Weren't you the one cutting in line who I caught and dragged out, how did it become me cutting in line?'

'I don't care, you discriminated against Beastmen, you must apologize!'

A dark-skinned Minotaur with several rings around his lips, wearing a black jacket spiked with iron on the outside.

He was furiously berating a brown-haired girl adventurer with freckles on her face.

The crowd was noisy.

Some were defending the girl, while others, upon hearing the four words 'discrimination against Beastmen,' reluctantly maintained neutrality.

Since the various races decided to join forces against a common enemy a thousand years ago, discrimination between humans and Elves against Beastmen was strictly forbidden, reaching a level of almost political correctness.

And the Beastmen in the Adventurer's Guild, they all stood with the Minotaur.

'You are discriminating, believe it or not, I'll make sure you're fined until you're broke!'

'Hurry up and apologize to us Beastmen!'

'Beastmen must not be humiliated, pay up!'

Hearing the commotion ahead, Lin Da frowned.

No wonder the queue wasn't moving; once 'discrimination' became involved, even the staff of the Adventurer's Guild would hesitate to intervene.

Lin Da thought: Since the announcement of the Hero Stones, conflicts between Beastmen and humans seemed to be increasing.

Was it really out of fear that humans gaining the most Hero Stones would increase the gap with the Beastmen?

Just that day, on the road, Lin Da had witnessed several conflicts between Beastmen and humans.

He glanced at Lulu, curious what the girl from the Werewolf Clan thought of it all.