Chapter 316: Rogue Town
"Let's have the baby. I love children!"
Bella nodded shyly, her face flushed.
She never imagined that as a spy, she would end up having a child with her boss.
"If you're willing, you can stay in the Brotherhood as long as you want. If one day you don't want to be an adventurer anymore, you can come find me in the Southern Continent!"
Hearing this, Bella glanced at her boss with a hint of longing.
She wanted to say something but hesitated. She didn't want to refuse him.
Yet, in the end, rationality prevailed.
Bella shook her head, her expression apologetic.
"Sorry, boss. I have my own life."
Bella knew her limits.
A man like him could never belong to any one woman.
He was only suitable to be a secret lover, not a life partner.
That was Bella's choice, and Li Meng didn't press further.
For the women who bore his children, Li Meng didn't mind offering a bit more care.
Bella was a smart woman.
She understood she couldn't expect the love of a partner from him.
"Do you have someone else in your life?"
Bella shook her head, then nodded slightly.
"Not married, but we've been together."
Isn't that just a pre-marriage relationship?
"Does he know you're here?"
Bella nodded slightly.
"Looks like you'll need to stay hidden in the Brotherhood for two years. The baby won't come that quickly."
Of course, Bella understood what he meant.
She had no intention of telling that person what happened in the Brotherhood.
Two years?
Bella looked down at her stomach.
For some long-lived races, a two-year gestation wasn't considered long.
"No problem. He's returned to his country and won't be back anytime soon."
Watching Bella beside him, Li Meng smiled.
If this were Earth, having relations with a married woman would get him roasted alive by internet warriors.
But in another world, there weren't so many moral constraints.
Even if there were, Li Meng wouldn't care too much.
Matters between men and women were never something morality could fully suppress.
Even on Earth, wealthy and powerful men often had mistresses.
It's just that society's darker sides were hidden by moral facades.
Only young, naive individuals fresh out of school believed the world was simple and beautiful.
Experience taught otherwise, revealing the true nature of society.
Faithful love existed, but love that could withstand all trials was rare.
Even if one didn't intend to cheat emotionally, physical betrayal sometimes became unavoidable under life's pressures.
Interactions between men and women were often straightforward and bold.
After all, a woman's greatest asset was her body.
And men were inherently vulnerable to women.
Out of 100 men, only 10 could resist temptation.
Among those 10, five were impotent, and four were gay.
Who originally said that, Li Meng couldn't remember.
But it definitely wasn't Lu Xun; Lu Xun never said such a thing.
---
For the next few days, the team moved steadily in one direction.
The space on the 40th floor was vast, a self-contained world.
No matter where one looked, there was no end in sight.
Without interference from labyrinth creatures, the team progressed smoothly, pausing occasionally.
On the fifth day, they reached a small town—the only one on the 40th floor.
"That's Rogue Town, boss!"
A group of people appeared on a hill overlooking the town.
It was the team led by Li Meng.
Standing atop the hill, Li Meng gazed into the distance.
There, on the sprawling ground, stood a town.
It had no walls, only unevenly distributed buildings.
The team didn't linger on the hill and proceeded toward the town.
"Rogue Town is governed by a council of merchant guilds collectively known as the Merchant Alliance."
"With the Merchant Alliance in charge, the order in Rogue Town is arguably better than in the labyrinth cities."
"Only the truly strong come here, with the weakest being advanced-level professionals."
"Their sole purpose is to conquer the deeper labyrinth layers."
"As a result, conflicts among adventurers are relatively mild."
While walking toward Rogue Town, Bella explained.
"Labyrinth conquests are ultimately about resources. The deeper the labyrinth, the higher the quality of the magic crystals. The difference in quality between crystals from the first floor and the 40th floor can be several times or even dozens of times."
"Of course, it's impossible for conquest groups to have no conflicts. On the 41st floor, the labyrinth creatures are highly elite. Although their numbers are few, their individual strength is formidable. Even a Sword King would struggle to defeat them alone. Since the creatures are scarce, fights over resources often break out between groups. However, under the Merchant Alliance's rule, such conflicts don't escalate in Rogue Town."
Compared to Li Meng, Bella was undoubtedly more familiar with Rogue Town.
As a Sword King, she must have visited this place before with the Westwind Adventurer Squad.
Rogue Town had no walls and no gates.
Half an hour later, the team entered the town through one of its streets.
The town was bustling with activity.
The streets were noisy and packed.
On either side of the streets stretched endless shops.
Adventurers of various races roamed the streets in groups, laughing and chatting.
The aroma of food wafted through the air, making mouths water.
A glance around revealed that everyone on the streets was an advanced-level professional.
A few were even at the king-level.
"It's been years since I last came to Rogue Town. Feels nostalgic."
"It's been a long time for me too."
"Nothing has changed; it's still the same old Rogue Town."
Many members of the Brotherhood had been to Rogue Town before.
Injuries and disabilities had forced them to leave adventuring.
On the streets, Li Meng's followers looked a bit travel-worn.
For a group like Li Meng's entering Rogue Town, the adventurers on the streets weren't surprised.
Every day, many adventurers arrived in Rogue Town.
Similarly, many left.
"Boss, it smells so good! I want to eat!"
The three Amayee sisters followed Li Meng, their eyes lighting up at the sight of street food.
The shops were selling barbecued delicacies.
The aroma of spices lingered in the air, traveling far down the street.
"I'll take you girls on a proper stroll when we have free time. Don't wander off now!"
Amayee pouted in disappointment but nodded obediently.
Since the boss said so, she'd hold back for now.
Watching the three girls drooling at the food, Li Meng chuckled.
"Bella, take the team to find a place to stay. I'm going to explore the town."
Bella cast a slightly envious glance at the Amayee sisters.
She couldn't quite figure out what kind of relationship they had with the boss.
The four of them were undeniably close in their daily interactions.
"Boss, how will you find us?"
"Don't worry, I'll find you."
With that, Li Meng reached out and ruffled Amayee's head.