“Boss! Quick, look over there!”
A man collecting materials shouted at the top of his lungs.
“Shut your trap! If you attract any monsters, we’re... holy crap! What is that? A magic circle?”
The boss, who was about to berate his lackey, turned his head and became just as dazed as the younger man.
The boss could swear this was the most shocking scene he had ever witnessed in his life.
A purple magic circle hung in the sky, casting a violet glow over the entire area.
“I guess so,” the lackey replied blankly, his head tilted back.
Their shouting drew the rest of the group over.
“Boss, do you think some kind of treasure triggered an anomalous phenomenon?” one of them asked.
“Have you read too many novels? An anomalous phenomenon? No matter how strange it is, can it be stranger than a mana tide?” the boss snapped.
“No, I mean, should we go see what’s happening? If it really is a treasure, we should get there first to claim it,” the man explained quickly.
“Forget it. Have you forgotten the rules of survival in another world? Don't let your mind wander, don't go looking at things you shouldn't, and definitely don't let your curiosity lead you to investigate. Otherwise, you won't even know how you died.”
They say curiosity killed the cat, and this boss had no intention of dying. He didn't know what was under that magic circle, and he didn't want to know. He just wanted to collect more materials and kill more monsters.
Of course, there was one thing he didn't mention.
Ever since he learned about the existence of potions that could evolve someone into a Witch, he had looked at the pinned potion descriptions. It clearly listed ‘Magic Circle Drawing Correction’ as one of the benefits.
So, the question was simple.
In a place as chaotic as District 666, who would be capable of using a magic circle?
There was only one answer: Lan Qingyou, the ‘Witch of the High Tower’ who was famous throughout the Abandoned Land and the entire Kalim continent.
And they wanted him to go over there?
Look for treasure?
Was that looking for treasure? That was looking for a grave!
“Listen up, you guys keep gathering. I’m heading back. Remember, do not go over there. There is a great terror in that direction.”
With that thought, the boss gave his instructions and prepared to leave.
“Boss, why are you going back? Let's watch a bit longer. Honestly, after looking at it for a while, this magic circle is actually quite pretty,” the lackey said.
“I’m done looking. I’m going back to take a photo with my magic desk and sell it to that profiteer, Shang Chuan. It’s worth something as intel, at least.”
Although he knew there was a business relationship between Shang Chuan and the Witch, business was business. Intel that could be sold should be sold.
If nothing else, this scene alone was enough to earn a day's worth of income for their entire group from Shang Chuan.
If he didn't cash in now, when would he?
There was no doubt that this boss saw things clearly and analyzed the situation well, but some people lacked that kind of brain.
Similar to the man who had read too many novels, several groups of people rushed toward the anomaly as soon as they saw the change in the sky.
After all, there were plenty of people out in the early morning searching for supplies and hunting monsters.
And plenty of them had seen this ‘anomaly.’
Thus, while Lan Qingyou was diligently digging dirt, a portion of the people collecting materials nearby came charging over, brandishing all sorts of tools.
“I knew you guys would show up once you saw what was happening here.”
Lan Qingyou knew that the magic circle would act like a giant lighthouse attracting moths, but it couldn't be helped. It was a necessary sacrifice.
She didn't like these kinds of conflicts.
Therefore...
“Free Attack!”
Looking at the first dozen or so people to arrive, Lan Qingyou ruthlessly issued the attack command, then went back to operating her excavator.
“It’s the Witch!”
“Crap! I should have known it was the Witch!”
“Run!”
“Murder! Murder!”
The first group to arrive didn't even need to guess who it was once they saw the figure in the witch's robe and witch's pointed hat.
The famous Witch of the Tower’s deeds were enough to make these greedy fools tremble. Who would dare fight such a person?
They turned and fled instantly.
However, it was already too late.
Just as they tried to escape, several purple knights riding Horned Lions charged out.
A single charge took out six of them, leaving the survivors trembling with fear, wishing their parents had given them more legs to run with.
“Scatter! Run for your lives!” someone screamed.
It wasn't that this person was particularly considerate of others; he just realized that staying clustered together would make him a target. He wanted the others to distract those iron hulks.
Don't expect these criminals to have any noble sentiments.
Everything was for their own survival.
The others immediately understood his intent. He wanted to use them, but wasn't he also being used by them?
The remaining eight or nine people instinctively bolted in different directions.
It was a practical tactic.
Unfortunately, except for a very lucky few, everyone else was cut down by the golems guarding the perimeter.
Ever since Lan Qingyou’s race changed from human to Witch, perhaps due to her strengthened constitution or her massive increase in spirit-attribute, her golem control range had expanded from fifty meters to five hundred meters—a tenfold increase.
It was just bad luck for these people; they had inadvertently helped Lan Qingyou achieve the feat of taking enemies' heads from over a hundred meters away.
Lan Qingyou didn't participate in the fight at all; she just kept digging.
The golems might be weak compared to an Ancient Tree, but they were more than enough for these people.
After all, these were constructs that could trade blows with a War Treant. Dealing with a group of people who weren't even Level 10 and were outnumbered by the golems was trivial.
“Did you see that?”
“I saw it.”
“I never expected to see something like that in another world.”
“While that steel machinery is a huge visual shock, I guess it’s understandable if you compare it to a drone.”
While Lan Qingyou’s golems were finishing off the intruders and dumping them outside the magic circle, a group of people was watching everything from a nearby hillside.
They had originally intended to come and scavenge some benefits.
But as they neared the purple glow, they heard the screams coming from within the magic circle.
The group had immediately ducked behind the hill and observed silently with binoculars.
They watched as people were hunted like dogs by those tin cans.
“So, what do we do now? Should we go in?”
“Go if you want to die. I’m heading back.”
With that, the man crouched low and scrambled down the hill at a startling speed. Seeing him retreat, the others were not far behind.
Similar incidents occurred frequently around the magic circle. After seeing how ruthlessly the Witch’s tin cans handled intruders, most people abandoned their unrealistic dreams of profit.
Eventually, the locals began to refer to this place as the ‘Witch's Forest’ or the ‘Witch's Forbidden Zone,’ and no one was willing to return.
This, however, brought Lan Qingyou a great deal of peace and quiet.
Rate on N.U.
