"Ah!!"
Qing Lin could no longer suppress the fear in her heart and instinctively let out a terrified scream.
Her scream cut through the hubbub of the street, drawing glances from quite a few passersby.
But after one look, they paid it no further attention.
A monster born of a Snake-Person and a human wasn't worth a second glance.
Even if she died, no one would care...
"What's wrong?"
But just then, an urgent voice came from nearby.
Xiao Fan looked up.
A burly man hurried over at the sound. It was Xiao Ding.
At first, his face was full of anger, his gaze sharp as a torch. He looked ready to stand up for Qing Lin and teach the man bullying the little girl a good lesson.
But the moment his eyes fell on Xiao Fan, his anger vanished without a trace, replaced by delight and warmth.
"Xiao Fan! Long time no see!"
Xiao Ding strode forward and pulled Xiao Fan into a hearty embrace, then gave him a few firm pats on the back.
Qing Lin stood frozen at the side, watching the scene before her in shock and confusion.
So the commander knew this bad man?
Her eyes were full of bewilderment as she stared at Xiao Fan and Xiao Ding.
"Qing Lin, this is Xiao Fan, my younger clansman..."
Xiao Ding introduced him to Qing Lin with a smile.
His face was alight with a genuine smile, hoping to dispel Qing Lin's fear.
"So your name is Qing Lin. It's nice to meet you..."
Xiao Fan put on a gentle smile, "trying" to make himself seem friendlier.
But Qing Lin didn't react to his smile at all. Instead, like a startled fawn, she darted behind Xiao Ding.
Only half her head peeked out as she cautiously sized Xiao Fan up.
Xiao Ding gave an awkward, apologetic smile. "Little brother, she's always been timid. Don't take it to heart."
"It's fine..."
Xiao Fan replied softly.
"Come on, little brother. I've got to give you a proper tour of our base. The brothers built it up bit by bit through their own hard work."
Xiao Ding was brimming with enthusiasm. He draped an arm over Xiao Fan's shoulder and steered him deeper into the base.
Xiao Fan's lips curled into a seemingly easygoing smile. He followed Xiao Ding at an unhurried pace, nodding along now and then.
In truth, his gaze kept drifting toward Qing Lin nearby, his eyes betraying an unmistakable curiosity.
After all, Qing Lin possessed the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils, a rare and peerless ocular ability—the greatest in the world.
This special power almost exclusively appeared in the mixed-blood descendants of humans and Snake-People.
To possess these eyes was to hold the lifeline of every snake-type magical beast.
Aside from the tiny number of powerful snake-type magical beasts with pure ancient bloodlines, all the rest could be forcibly controlled by Qing Lin and turned into her servants.
Though the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils couldn't control humans or magical beasts of other kinds, they had other, equally eerie abilities. They could silently draw out an opponent's soul and even seize control of their body. They were nearly impossible to guard against.
More astonishing still, once the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils fully matured, an independent space could open within Qing Lin's eyes. Any creature she controlled could be taken inside.
And as Qing Lin's strength gradually grew, the capacity of this space would grow with it.
The creatures taken inside, however, met a miserable fate. Their strength was drained away like sand slipping through an hourglass, steadily and endlessly flowing back to Qing Lin to help her grow stronger.
All in all, Qing Lin's constitution was one of the most extraordinary talents on the Dou Qi Continent.
Xiao Ding went on and on about the many things at the base.
Unfortunately, even after he'd talked himself hoarse, Xiao Fan still seemed as absent-minded as ever.
Then, after watching him closely, Xiao Ding happened to catch Xiao Fan's seemingly indifferent gaze.
He seemed to understand...
The corner of his mouth quirked up, and a mischievous smile spread across his face. "I say, little brother, I've noticed your eyes keep wandering over to Qing Lin. Are you especially interested in her?"
"How about this? I'll give her to you as your personal maid. What do you say?"
In Xiao Ding's heart, Xiao Fan was unquestionably a man of good character. He would never look down on Qing Lin like everyone else, much less bully her.
If Xiao Ding had known that Xiao Fan had just bullied Qing Lin, he probably wouldn't have been laughing.
Qing Lin had been quietly following along nearby. At Xiao Ding's words, her face turned as pale as paper.
Even her naturally rosy lips had lost every trace of color.
She instinctively took a small step forward and gently pinched the hem of Xiao Ding's clothes with her slender fingers.
Her voice broke with tears as she pleaded pitifully, "Please don't, Commander... I'm begging you, don't send me away."
Seeing how terrified Qing Lin was, Xiao Ding couldn't help feeling a pang of pity.
He let out a heavy sigh and waved a hand. "All right, all right. Go take care of something else for now. Xiao Fan and I need to catch up."
"Yes, Commander."
As if granted a pardon, Qing Lin hurriedly nodded.
Then she turned and fled, her back radiating panic and helplessness.
Watching Qing Lin disappear into the distance, Xiao Ding turned back with a grave expression and slowly told Xiao Fan about her past.
"That child's had a hard life..."
"Awful things happen all the time around the Tagor Desert. Some Snake-People lose themselves to their bestial urges and force themselves on human women."
"Once in a great while, one of those women will become pregnant and give birth. But most babies with human and Snake-Person blood don't live past the age of two. Qing Lin's a miracle—she survived and even made it to thirteen or fourteen."
Xiao Ding paused, a look of sorrow crossing his face, then continued, "Sadly, both humans and Snake-People see children like Qing Lin as cursed and ill-omened."
"To have lived this long, she's had to endure countless scornful looks and taunts along the way. Apart from all that pain, she's received almost no warmth at all."
"I see..."
Xiao Fan nodded thoughtfully, a sincere expression on his face as he promised, "Don't worry, Big Brother Xiao Ding. As long as I'm here, no one will bully her!"
"Hahahaha! That's all I needed to hear. Now I can rest easy."
Xiao Ding clapped Xiao Fan on the shoulder and laughed heartily.
In his heart, Xiao Fan had once looked after Xiao Yan with great care back in the clan. Qing Lin had gone through hardships much like Xiao Yan's, so surely Xiao Fan would treat her well too...