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nChapter 293: Anina’s Transformation, Cocoon (2)

nTranslator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

n“It’s alright, everything has been resolved now.”

n“In that case, I can rest assured. Oh, by the way! About the trade between the Crown of the Ocean and King Kong Island!”

n“You don’t need to worry about that. In a day or two, the first batch of five fully loaded merchant ships will depart, and if nothing unexpected happens, they should arrive soon.”

n“That’s great to hear! We’ve already prepared the resources you need here, so as soon as the ships arrive, we can close the deal.”

nI_Love_Black_Stockings seemed quite concerned about this matter.

nJust as Ji Chen was about to say something else, I_Love_Black_Stockings suddenly sent another message.

n“Big boss, since you’ve traveled the vast oceans and seen so much, there’s something I’d like to ask for your insight on.”

n“The Gloria Map”

nGloria?

nWhy did that name sound so familiar?

nSuddenly, Ji Chen realized and took out a key fragment, and its name was exactly “Gloria Elf Treasury Key Fragment.”

nGloria was the name of the ancient elven city that Ernesto mentioned, a city lost in the river of time.

nLegend has it that its treasury housed immeasurable wealth, weaponry, rare treasures, and secrets not found in the outside world.

nAnd this map was named after it?

nWith a thought, he opened it.

nGloria Map

nTier: Special

nDescription: It can guide you to a lost city – Gloria.

nA map imbued with strange magic, preserved to this day.

nSure enough.

nIf this map was real and could guide him to the ancient elven capital Gloria, it would be an earth-shattering discovery.

nGnome merchant Ernesto had mentioned that even the descendants of the ancient elves themselves couldn’t find its location now.

nIf Ji Chen could get his hands on this map, he could find the city’s location. Besides the treasury key fragment he had, as long as he collected the other six key fragments, he could unlock the Gloria Elf Treasury.

n“Where did you get this map?”

n“A few days ago, I raided a Murloc camp, and 1 found it inside. Big boss, do you know anything about this Gloria that the map mentions?”

n“Well, I have some knowledge about it, involving some ancient secrets.”

n“A lost city… it sounds like a dangerous and frightening place. Big boss, I’m giving this map to you.”

nJi Chen was stunned. I_Love_Black_Stockings, who always acted poor, was unexpectedly generous this time?

nHe had been contemplating whether to tell her about Gloria earlier, and he didn’t expect her to offer him the map directly.

nWith something of such importance, he didn’t hesitate and immediately replied, “If that’s the case, 1 graciously accept it. I do indeed need it. But I can offer something in return. If there’s anything you desire, please let me know, and 1’11 do my best to fulfill your request.”

n“Big boss, you’re too modest. You’ve helped me so many times before, and it’s because of you that I’ve come this far. What’s this little thing worth?” l_Love_Black_Stockings said indifferently. Her curiosity about the lost city behind this map was feigned, even though she had some self-awareness.

nFrom Ji Chen’s words and hints, her intuition told her that the matters related to this city were beyond her control and could easily cause trouble for her small territory.

nRather than holding onto the map, it was better to do a favor and simply give it away.

nFurthermore, her deeper consideration was that the more gains and benefits this map brought to Ji Chen, the better he would regard her.

nWhen the time came for any benefits, she would naturally have a share.

nI_Love_Black_Stockings thought that it was better to align herself with a powerful figure than to compete against him desperately.

nSeeing l_Love_Black_Stockings repeatedly declining, Ji Chen didn’t want to say too much and just replied, “I’ll go to King Kong Island again later and handle these matters all at once.”

nHe closed the chat channel.

nAt this moment, a maid suddenly rushed in from outside.

n“My Lord, My Lord!”

nSeeing the maid out of breath and in a panic, Ji Chen furrowed his brows and said, “Don’t be in a hurry, take your time and explain.”

n“Lady Anina, Lady Anina is encased in a cocoon!”

nWhen Ji Chen arrived at Anina’s room, he saw a large azure cocoon on the bed. In the slightly dim room, it emitted a misty blue light.

nThis kind of light was like sunlight piercing through the sea’s surface and shining into the water, exceptionally beautiful.

nThump, thump, thump…

nHowever, with attentive listening, one could discern the rhythmic and robust heartbeat emanating from within the cocoon. It possessed a formidable strength, resonating with depth and authority.

nIt made people feel as if this was the heartbeat of a colossal beast.

nIn fact, Anina was originally a deep-sea dragon whale, with a considerable size that was no less impressive than the Tyrant Azure Dragon. Now, she had merely taken on a petite human form.

nBut if Ji Chen were to choose, he still preferred the humanoid form. After all, who would find a giant beast more appealing than a little girl?

n“When did Anina become like this?”

n“Just a moment ago, she suddenly transformed into this form, without any warning.”

n“I swear, 1 absolutely didn’t do anything!”

nThe maid explained with tears in her eyes. Right in front of her, Lady Anina, who had been sleeping peacefully, suddenly emitted a dazzling light from her body, causing her to involuntarily close her eyes.

nWhen she opened them again, Lady Anina was gone, replaced by a large cocoon. This left her in a state of panic, prompting her to report the situation urgently.

nAfter hearing the maid’s description, Ji Chen stroked his chin and looked at the cocoon where Anina’s aura and energy fluctuations were slowly growing stronger.

nThen he opened his interface and navigated to the hero section.

nIt still showed that Anina was in the midst of transformation, with less than a day remaining.

nIf his guess was correct, this should be a part of her evolution.

nHowever, this advanced process was different from how Alice used the Red Heroic Soul Essence.

nSeeing the anxious maid, Ji Chen waved his hand and said, “Anina should be fine, no need to worry. Continue to watch over her here, and if anything happens, report to me.”

n“Yes, I understand!”

nLooking at the cocoon on the bed, Ji Chen began to feel a sense of anticipation.

nSuch a peculiar transformation method, what would Anina ultimately become?

nOriginally, her combat prowess was already the strongest among the heroes of the Crown of the Ocean, especially in solo combat.

nShe was unparalleled. If the conditions were right, she could single-handedly act as an entire army, easily causing chaos among enemy forces.

nAdvancing to the Red-Legacy Tier, Anina’s strength would only become more terrifying.

nIn high spirits, Ji Chen left the Lord’s Castle and began to inspect his territory.

nAfter the intense battle in the Crown of the Ocean, the liveliness of the place exceeded its previous state. Repair work was underway everywhere, with residents diligently working under the scorching afternoon sun. Despite the heat, they didn’t complain but rather worked diligently.

nTheir faces bore expressions of fulfillment and joy.

nUpon seeing Ji Chen’s arrival, each of them immediately greeted him with expressions filled with reverence.

n“Lord, good day!”

n“Lord, we are repairing the damaged buildings, and they will be fixed soon!”

n“Are you inspecting the territory, my Lord? But the sunlight is too intense right now. Please wait until later in the evening!”

nBefore coming to the Crown of the Ocean, these people had been wanderers, homeless, and struggling for survival. They had lived a life of hardship, exposed to the elements and suffering from hunger and cold.

nHowever, upon arriving here, they not only had an abundance of food to eat but also luxurious housing and the protection of the military.

nAs time passed, they naturally developed a sense of belonging.

nThis place was their home!

n“You’ve all worked hard!”

n“We’re not working hard, my Lord. You’re the one who’s working hard, and fighting those monsters is very dangerous. Please be careful!”

n“That’s right, we can’t do without you! If something were to happen to you…”

n“What are you saying? Don’t jinx the lord!”

n“I didn’t mean that, I just…”

nJi Chen smiled and waved his hand, indicating that it was okay.

nAfter all, what could a wise lord like him possibly take offense at?

nMoreover, he understood the sentiment of the residents. As he looked around and saw the grateful and admiring faces of the residents who were eager to speak with him, he felt a sense of accomplishment in his heart..

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