The Female Supporting Role Shows Out

Chapter 50: Second To None (12)

The martial artist gasped and said, barely keeping his voice steady, "Have you Have you brought their heads? We need to verify them.

Lin Dan lifted the bag that she threw casually aside. One could even vaguely see human features underneath the bulging bag and sniff the strong pungent smell of blood. The martial artist who was responsible for receiving her dared not act recklessly. He respectfully received the package and went through all seven severed heads carefully. He was even afraid to make mistakes and asked the branch manager out to verify them.

Other martial artists who were selecting an assignment started crowding around. They were wearing all sorts of expressions some were skeptical, some were solemn while others were nonchalant. 

"This must be a fraud to get the bounty. Someone has done it before.

"Huh, commit fraud in the World Alliance? She must be asking for death!

"I think she's the real deal. This woman must be Lin Dan of the Eastern Holy Sect. No one else is capable enough to kill all seven Half-step Grandmasters!

"Even if it's really her, this is just incredible, I don't believe it. You must know that she has just been promoted to the Half-step Grandmaster. She is still in an unstable state and relatively inexperienced in battles. How is she able to match herself against those veterans?

While the people were engrossed in the discussion, the branch manager had already finished going through each severed head. He looked at Lin Dan in awe before taking a piece of cloth that was dabbed in a special liquid. He leaped up to the fugitive list and wiped away the names of the first seven fugitives all at once.

"May I know who you are?" Although the branch manager had an idea, he wanted to hear it for himself.

"When can I have the bounty?" Lin Dan asked instead of answering his question.

The branch manager's expression stiffened for a moment.

Bai Yan tried his best not to laugh and said, "Yes, she is Lin Dan. You better give her the bounty soon.

"Exactly, I still have lots of debt to clear." Lin Dan told him directly.

The branch manager was now baffled. It was the first time he had seen a Half-step Grandmaster that was as poor as her.

Bai Yan could not hold his laughter back anymore and started giggling after turning around.

Lin Dan did not look at him. She walked to the wanted list and thought about her subsequent assignments. The other martial artists who knew her true identity no longer underestimated her. When she took a step forward, the others took a step back and kept three feet away from her. It created a space between them as they looked at her in awe.

Another martial artist leaped to the experts' list and exchanged Lin Dan's tag with the First Elder of Lianyun City. He wrote beside her name, "Possibly promoted to the Grandmaster."

Once he had done writing, the onlookers gasped. Initially, they were only three feet apart, but they backed off even more, for fear of upsetting Lin Dan. A Grandmaster! And still alive! It was someone they had never had a chance to see in this life! Who would have thought that there was a Grandmaster who did not stay in her own sect or city but came out to eliminate the wicked? She was right here with the ordinary people!

For some reason, the onlookers who were still in awe felt that Lin Dan was more approachable than they thought. Grandmasters were the most powerful beings in the land of the East Tang. They controlled an entire city or even a country but none of them were willing to understand the suffering of the people, not to mention personally eliminate the wicked. They were figures that were unreachable and who despised ordinary people. Yet, this expressionless lady was looking at the wanted list with a pair of curious and child-like eyes.

Nobody knew Grandmaster can behave this way too! This was why, although many of them were still in awe, they had started to come closer to Lin Dan. Lin Dan continued to stare at the list without any care about the changes surrounding her. No matter how powerful she was, she was still human and no different from the others.

Seeing that the crowd was starting to surround Lin Dan, Bai Yan's cold eyes softened and smiled with joy.

Within a short time, a martial artist cleaned the other side of the wall and put up a new list called the List of World Powers. At the top of the link was Lianyun City, followed by Yan Huang city, and so on The Eastern Holy Sect where Lin Dan came from had turned evil and fell in the ranks. It had become second only to the Carefree Sect and was trying to recruit new members and rebuild the sect. As the remnants of the sect were unable to find Lin Dan who isolated herself, they had no choice but to get He Yufei back to take over the role as the leader.

The current Eastern Holy Sect had everything He Chongling and his father wanted, but they could no longer see its achievements.

Lin Dan retracted her gaze and wore a calm expression. A bounty hunter who was standing beside her asked boldly, "Grandmaster Lin, which assignment do you intend to take up next?

They listened intently when they heard the bounty hunter asking the question. Spies that were sent by the unorthodox parties also listened in fear. In the past three months when Lin Dan was hunting for the fugitives, the unorthodox sects suffered a devastating blow. They sent numerous people to assassinate Lin Dan but they had also become dead souls under her sword. They were now completely afraid of her and could only send spies to gather information in the World Alliance.

"I'm not taking anymore so that you've got business to do." Lin Dan shook her head.

The bounty hunter breathed a sigh of relief. Looking at Lin Dan, there was no more fear but respect. There was no Grandmaster who was as righteous and approachable like Lin Dan! The spies also heaved a breath of relief and left the World Alliance. Since then, they did not dare to act recklessly, for fear of upsetting Lin Dan and being killed by her sword.

Having said that, as the payment was too large, the World Alliance spent an hour counting money and another hour to raise money. However, they were still unable to give her the full payment. As Lin Dan was alone and could not carry so much gold, she got them to prepare a bag of golden leaves and write a bill for her, so that she could withdraw money at any World Alliance branch in the future. This would make things easier for both parties.

After leaving the World Alliance Lin Dan gave two pieces of golden leaves to Bai Yan and said with pride, "Here you go. We'll call it quits now!

Bai Yan chuckled: "Keep it for yourself, you will cover my future expenses until you pay off the debt." Somehow, he did not like to hear the words "call it quits."

Lin Dan thought it for a moment and nodded, "Sure." They went on to the next city without a plan or purpose. They went where ever they wanted to and felt carefree doing so.

Walking on the road, Lin Dan found that the women in the city were all dressed in black. They were carrying a large sword that looked exactly the same as hers that it was confusing for them at times. Bai Yan did not seem surprised at all but was carrying a mysterious smile. They entered an inn and heard a martial artist said, "Sigh, times have really changed! People in the past thought wielding the sword would make them look more powerful, but people are now using machetes instead! The machetes in the weapon shops have all sold out!

"Yeah, who would have thought that there will be a rise in Grandmaster Lin's army! She's the only female among the six Grandmasters and the youngest one. Even Emperor Yun was over twenty when he promoted to the Grandmaster, but she was not even eighteen this year. Give her a few more years and she will be able to compete head-to-head with Emperor Yun!

"The younger generation will surpass the old!

"What a terrifying presence!

No matter how they spoke about her, Lin Dan had always kept an expressionless face. But Bai Yan who was always calm frowned and seemed troubled. They envied Lin Dan's powers, but they had no idea what kind of pain she had to endure to possess such powers. She had to suffer and face death every moment of her life while keeping sanity with sheer willpower. If it were someone else, not to mention walking, sitting, and sleeping, they could probably not even breathe.

At the thought of this, Bai Yan whispered, "I would rank you at the top.

Lin Dan glanced at him and pulled a joke for the very first time, Even better than Emperor Yun?

"Yes." Bai Yan looked at her intently with beaming eyes. 

Lin Dan nodded solemnly, "I hope to fight with him in the future." Then, she took out a map and pointed at a location, "Let's go to the Plague City next.

Bai Yan's face immediately changed, he waved his hands and said, "We can't go there.

"Why not?" Lin Dan questioned.

"Like the name suggested, this is the city of plague.

"So that's how it got its name." Lin Dan frowned.

"That's right.

"Since it's the city of plague, why does it still exist? Are there no doctors to cure it? Even if there are no doctors, by isolating the patients, the plague would have disappeared itself and so will the city." Lin Dan did not understand why.

Bai Yan did not want to go further into detail. He kept the map and said slowly, "There is a reason why it exists and it's best that you don't probe further into it. The plague is incurable. Even the immortals of the Physicians Valley who went there personally had no way to cure it. In order to prevent from getting infected, we better take a detour and explore the nearby Spring City where its spring all year round. It's so beautiful that I'm sure you will love it.

Lin Dan shook her head and said bluntly, "The more you're stopping me, the more I'm bent on going there.

Bai Yan felt his head throbbing and rubbed his temple. If it were someone else who went against him, he would have sent a palm wave at him and pinned him onto the wall. But since he was facing Lin Dan, he had no choice but to compromise.

Bai Yan, "fine. Let's set off tomorrow morning.

They arrived in the Plague City the next day. However, they saw people walking about and shops were lined along the streets. The city turned out to be a prosperous one and was completely different from the smelly and dead city Lin Dan had imagined.

"Look, the Plague City is no different from the other cities we visited. Let's go now." Bai Yan tried to persuade her.

Lin Dan glanced at him and exposed him, "Don't try to deceive me. The people walking along the streets are all cowering and shuddering in fear, even the innocent children are hiding in the arms of their parents and are afraid to come out and play. Only those who are wearing the martial artist's attire dare to make a ruckus, they are taking the things in the shops as they want without paying any silver. Despite this, the shop managers have to bow down and serve them politely. Does a city like this look ordinary to you? I must find out whether this plague is a natural or man-made disaster.

Bai Yan bemoaned as he lost to Lin Dan's shrewdness once again. He should have known, if Lin Dan could tell that the Timeless City was suspicious, she should also be able to see through the facade of the Plague City too. Her abhorrence towards evil would soon get her into big trouble.