Chapter 31: 31. Go separate ways.
Aiko and the others were also frightened by Lin Da's actions.
After all, no one really cared about the stranger, Kafni.
Even Aiko, who despised Lia the most, thought that Lia's position was definitely much higher than Kafni's to Lin Da.
And Lin Da's actions at this moment clearly showed that he was truly disappointed in Lia.
Aiko saw the resignation letter Lin Da held, enclosed in a transparent folder.
Lia's name was clearly written on it.
This idiot, he really signed it.
Aiko was nearly driven mad by anger.
Lia wouldn't think that Lin Da could be summoned and dismissed so easily, would she?
With her attitude?
She was confident that she needed only a little time to pull Lin Da back into the team.
Now it was all ruined by Lia.
Aiko wanted to slap her.
And Lin Da, without pondering Lia's question, replied, "Isn't it natural to stand by your own teammate?"
At this, everyone in the hall was dumbfounded.
Isn't your teammate, us?
Even Klyne, an ordinary team member, felt a faint discomfort.
Although it might not be the right description, she felt similar when she saw Oru talking and laughing with another girl.
Just yesterday, they were teammates, and today, in front of them, he claimed to have new teammates.
To say it wasn't painful would be a lie.
If Klyne felt this way, not to mention those who founded the Snow Goose Adventure Team in the beginning.
At this moment, Lia's head was buzzing.
She glanced at Kafni, who wore a look of disdain.
Then she realized.
Lin Da was really quitting the team!
Between her and that big blonde woman, he didn't hesitate to choose the other!
"Heh, I see now," Lia said, disappointed, retracting her hands and looking at Lin Da.
"Lin Da, this isn't like you. Didn't you think, who among the rock-level adventure teams would want you after you left Snow Goose? You're only level 15, with average talent. Besides me, who would let you join their team?"
"I'm giving you one last chance. Leave that big bear woman and come back, or leave Snow Goose and we sever all ties."
"Leaving means severing all ties...?" Lin Da mused, "Actually, quitting teams is pretty common. Many people leave because they don't fit well with the team, there's no need to be so upset, right?"
Lia shook her head.
With a cold expression, she said, "You only have two choices, come back, or sever all ties with Snow Goose."
At that moment, everyone's eyes were fixed on Lin Da.
"Lin Da, don't listen to Lia, she's spouting nonsense," Aiko came over, appearing meek and gentle.
"Lia made you angry, but we didn't, did we? Come back," she said.
"Aiko, don't interrupt, this matter concerns the bottom line of the Snow Goose Adventure Team." Lia, with an expressionless face, crossed her arms and said coldly, "Lin Da, have you decided?"
"Yes, I have,"
Lin Da, facing the girl's emotionless red eyes, replied calmly, "If that's the case, then let's sever all ties."
"Is that so,"
Lia took a deep breath and pointed towards the door with her left hand.
"Klyne, see him out!"
"Captain... is this really a good idea?"
"See them out!"
Lia said each word forcefully, with a loud voice full of indignation.
Klyne, not daring to offend the fiery-tempered one, looked helplessly towards Lin Da.
"No worries, I understand your difficulty." Lin Da smiled, and walked outside with a triumphant Kafni.
Just then, Lia seemed to remember something, suddenly she said, "Oh, and just a reminder—in whichever team you join, you better hope you don't run into me in the Great Mystery Continent."
Typically, local adventure teams encountering each other in the Great Mystery Continent would keep a respectful distance.
The real enemies were the magical creatures and adventure teams from other cities.
"What happens if we do meet?" Lin Da stopped in his tracks.
"I'll attack your team. Make a mess of you until you're black and blue and too scared to ever enter the World Tree again!"
"Oh, I see."
Lin Da nodded, "Then if I come across the Snow Goose Adventure Team, I won't be courteous either."
"With you, a half-baked healer?!"
Lia, like a wildly furious cat, was all claws and teeth ready to pounce.
Klyne and Aiko quickly held her back, continuously giving Lin Da glances, signaling him to leave.
Ignoring the fuming Lia, Lin Da walked straight to the door.
Chloe was standing there.
"You're really leaving the team, and not coming back?"
Chloe fiddled with a palm-sized Rubik's Cube, her voice tinged with a bit of loss.
"We're all in White Dove City, we'll see each other often." The only thing Lin Da worried about was Chloe, who was still a minor.
He tousled her hair and sighed, "Even though I'm not in the team anymore, you have to remember to eat more vegetables, otherwise you won't grow tall."
"Tch, better off without Uncle Small Fry around to nag, nobody to boss me around." Chloe disdainfully removed Lin Da's hand from her head, "I'm not a child anymore, can you stop touching my head?"
Lin Da withdrew his hand, teasing, "Next time we meet in the Great Mystery Continent, you'd better go easy, don't hit Uncle Small Fry too hard."
"Depends on my mood." Chloe snorted.
Lin Da said, "Then I'm off."
"Hmm." Chloe didn't look up, continuing to fiddle with the Rubik's Cube in her hands.
As he was about to step out the door, Lin Da had a thought.
Glancing towards Lia who was with her back towards him in the living room, he advised, "Snow Goose Adventure Team is too rash, it will lead to trouble sooner or later. Don't rush into the next level, make sure you're fully prepared."
"Why should I listen to an 'outsider' like you?"
Lia scoffed, "You should worry about yourself. Without a dime to your name, you can't even afford a team vehicle, and you don't have proper equipment. You'll probably end up in a beginner's adventure team, scraping by."
Lin Da shook his head, looking at Aiko: "It's up to you now."
"Don't worry, I know." Aiko started to say something but then hesitated. Perhaps she felt now wasn't the right moment to persuade Lin Da, she instead said, "I'll come and see you often. You're staying 'there,' right?"
"Yeah." Lin Da waved his hand, striding out of the villa.
Looking up at the clear blue sky, he took a deep breath.
With the team withdrawal paperwork in hand, he could finally remove the label of belonging to the Snow Goose Adventure Team.
At last, he had gained his freedom.
Lin Da felt the air seemed especially sweet.
As they walked out, he said to Kafni, "That slap earlier, thanks. If you hadn't, I might have had to do it, and in that case, we probably wouldn't have made it out of the Snow Goose Adventure Team's villa."
If Lin Da had been the one to intervene, no one could have restrained Lia.
So Lin Da thanked Kafni. That slap was what he had wanted to deliver himself.
"No big deal, heroes are meant to fight magical creatures, not waste time on that sort of trash." Kafni looked proud, "Actually, I wanted to slap her one more time."
"Good thing you didn't, otherwise she would have exploded." Lin Da couldn't help but laugh.