“Your leg injury…” Tang Hongluan tried to change the subject, her palm glowing as a warm halo enveloped Xiao Shuo’s thigh.
For a moment, his expression flickered with surprise, but it vanished just as quickly. Was this wretched woman trying to seduce him with tricks?
The corner of his lips curled into a scornful smirk as he reached out and gripped Tang Hongluan’s throat. “I asked you a question!”
Though his threatening gesture didn’t stop and his anger didn’t subside, the pain in his leg disappeared instantly.
Who would’ve thought this woman’s ability could actually be useful? But still… that didn’t excuse anything!
His grip around Tang Hongluan’s neck tightened further.
Hmm, got it. Tang Hongluan withdrew her ability. Xiao Shuo was simply ungrateful, or, to put it bluntly, he deserved to be treated harshly! She finally understood why his wildness value had dropped to 90 yesterday only to shoot back up to 99 this morning.
A bastard like him deserved to be tormented!
“Did I tell you to stop?” Xiao Shuo growled as the pain returned. His sharp gaze flicked to Tang Hongluan’s hand, why had this wretched woman withdrawn her ability again?
Tang Hongluan smiled faintly. See? He deserved it.
Slowly, she raised her eyes, meeting Xiao Shuo’s silver gaze for the first time. Though filled with fury, his face was still devastatingly handsome.
“Speaking and using my ability can’t be done at the same time!” Tang Hongluan flexed the fingers of her right hand with her left. She couldn’t let this hand stay useless forever, she had to find a way to heal it eventually. For now, she needed to keep it moving to prevent muscle atrophy.
Xiao Shuo’s face darkened. What nonsense! Speaking and using abilities couldn’t be done simultaneously?
Did she think beastmen were idiots? Did she think she was the only one in the entire tribe with an ability? Since when did any beastman stop talking while using their powers?
“Who are you trying to fool? I knew you were nothing but a little liar!” Xiao Shuo sneered. “I bet those thirty kowtows were just another one of your fabrications!”
Yan Chen’s face turned ashen. If Tang Hongluan had truly made up lies in front of the entire tribe, not just Xiao Shuo, even he wouldn’t let her off easily. Awakening an ability didn’t give her the right to blaspheme the gods.
“Yan Chen, you fool, you probably never imagined this wretched woman could lie, did you?” Xiao Shuo was now certain of his suspicions, Tang Hongluan was a fraud!
But… he watched her with newfound interest. When had this woman changed? And why? Since when did she know how to deceive?
And what was up with her face? Why did she look so much cleaner and fresher than before?
“Believe what you want!” Tang Hongluan snorted, though her heart pounded with guilt. But if she backed down now, these two tiger beastmen would tear her to shreds. “If you don’t believe me, don’t go tomorrow! Who knows if the Mountain God will rage again?”
“And even if he does, I won’t relay any more messages.” She glared at Xiao Shuo. “Honestly, you should’ve been sacrificed on the spot today, then we wouldn’t have all this trouble!”
“Tang Hongluan!” Xiao Shuo hadn’t expected her not only to lie but to talk back to him now. But then again, remembering how she had kicked him in the groin that day, it all made sense.
This woman had changed. For some reason, she was different, no longer the lazy, mad, brainless Tang Hongluan from before.
“Xiao Shuo, whether you believe it or not, you’re going tomorrow!” Yan Chen still refused to back down.
“Hmph!” Xiao Shuo sneered coldly. “Go! Go! Tomorrow, this woman must go too! I want to see if the mountain god will speak to her again!” Xiao Shuo glared at Tang Hongluan, suddenly released his grip, and ran off.
Tang Hongluan let out a sigh of relief. No matter what, surviving one hurdle at a time was good enough. If she had known Xiao Shuo would be so ungrateful, she wouldn’t have stepped forward, now she was stuck in an awkward position, pleasing no one.
“Stay put tomorrow and don’t run around!” Yan Chen’s fiery eyes stared at Tang Hongluan with stern seriousness. “If I catch you playing any tricks, I won’t let you off either!”
Oh ho! Tang Hongluan shot Yan Chen a subtle glance. This beastly husband of hers should have been a hot-tempered one, usually, he’d lash out at the slightest disagreement. This time, was it because it involved the gods that he seemed so restrained and steady?
“So… tomorrow, you’ll take me?” Tang Hongluan smiled slightly at Yan Chen. Xiao Shuo definitely wouldn’t take her, Yun Li wasn’t going, and Qing Yuan, that crazy snake, was hardly her ideal ride. As for her eagle beast-husband? She was afraid of heights and didn’t want to fall.
After some thought, land-bound transport still seemed the most reliable.
Yan Chen’s expression darkened. This shameless woman hadn’t changed, still lecherously eyeing her beast-husbands with that thick-skinned audacity.
Ignoring Tang Hongluan’s question, he turned and left.
“Hmph!” Tang Hongluan snorted. She was used to it!
She spent the first half of the night using her abilities to heal her face, then slept soundly. She didn’t know how long she slept, only that she was abruptly jolted awake by an earth-shaking tiger’s roar right by her ear.
The sun was already high in the sky. Healing her face last night had drained a lot of her energy, so she had slept deeply, right up until now…
“Are you pretending to sleep because you’re too scared to go?” A two-meter-tall white tiger stood at Tang Hongluan’s doorway, speaking in human words.
Tang Hongluan’s lips twitched. Was he really this eager to fetch her? Probably up to no good.
“Let’s go!” It was Yan Chen’s voice, accompanied by a howl that sounded like a ghost wailing.
Tang Hongluan rubbed her ears, cursing inwardly. Couldn’t he have howled farther away? Her eardrums were nearly shattered.
Reluctantly, she got up and walked to the door, where two massive tigers stood blocking the way. “How am I supposed to get there? Walk?”
The two tigers remained silent.
“Oh…” Tang Hongluan understood. Fine, walking it was. She didn’t care either way. She strode toward the square, waving dismissively at the two tigers standing stiffly behind her. “Come on!”
No movement from behind.
Huh? Tang Hongluan almost turned to look but decided it would be beneath her. Not moving? Fine! Suit yourselves.
“Get on!”
The voice sounded right beside her ear, startling Tang Hongluan into another shiver. She turned her head, good grief, the big tiger was right next to her, having approached without a sound!
And now it was obediently crouching on the ground.
Tang Hongluan frowned, eyeing Xiao Shuo’s… unusual behavior with suspicion. She couldn’t shake the unease in her heart.
Xiao Shuo was the type to hold a grudge. His attitude and tone from yesterday were still fresh in her mind!
He might be saying “go” now, but who knew what revenge he was secretly plotting… And now he was offering to carry her? Even if he dared, she didn’t dare get on!
“Get the hell on!” Seeing Tang Hongluan frozen in place, Xiao Shuo felt his dignity wounded. He had swallowed his pride to carry this wretched woman, and now she was pushing her luck!
She glanced back at Yan Chen, feeling he might be the safer option…
That glance made Xiao Shuo feel that this woman was pushing her luck! His anger flared even hotter.
With a swift motion, Yan Chen flung Tang Hongluan onto Xiao Shuo’s tiger back, then silently retreated behind him. He only wanted to keep an eye on Xiao Shuo, as for the rest, he had no interest in getting involved.
As for Tang Hongluan, since she was only leaving because of Xiao Shuo’s troubles, of course, he should be the one to carry her…
Tang Hongluan shot Yan Chen a glare, the slight favorable impression she had of him yesterday was now shattered.
The tiger’s mouth curled into a sinister smirk. Xiao Shuo shook his body, nearly throwing Tang Hongluan off. Without caring whether she had a firm grip or not, he bolted forward in an instant.
Now that she was in his hands, just wait and see, he’d make sure this deceitful, smooth-talking woman suffered all the way!