"How can I get you to help me?"
"Just say the word. I'll do anything."
"Snort~"
Little White Fox let out a derisive snort.
Its half-lidded rose-red eyes were full of scorn.
It glanced at the old man, then looked away.
Selfish humans.
Monsters harming people?
That claim was a sweeping generalization, but there was some truth to it.
It wouldn't deny that.
Some monsters really did harbor ill will toward humans.
But hadn't humans harmed monsters, too?
Sometimes, greedy humans were even more terrifying than monsters.
"Hiss~"
The smooth, cool body of the white snake slid across the back of Xiao Xiao's hand.
He instinctively raised it.
The white snake lifted its head, and its scarlet tongue suddenly entered the old man's line of sight. He stared at Xiao Xiao without blinking.
The old man was startled. He jerked backward in a panic, and a gleam of amusement flashed through the white snake's bright red, vertical pupils.
The old man braced himself against the bed, his gaze startled and his expression rather disheveled.
After waiting a moment and seeing that the snake made no further move, he slowly let out a breath.
For a second there, he'd thought the snake was about to lunge at him.
Xiao Xiao lowered his eyes and glanced at the white snake.
A trace of amusement flickered in his eyes and vanished.
The white snake wriggled, then coiled around Xiao Xiao's wrist again.
Its quiet appearance made it look just like a white jade bangle.
In the dim room, it gave off a soft, lustrous glow.
Even though the old man had just been frightened by it, he couldn't help staring.
What a beautiful white snake.
It was nothing like the cold, menacing creature most people imagined.
Still, a snake