Qing Lin: You're Not Wrong. The World Is.

"And... this is Elder Hai." Xiao Yan glanced at Hai Bodong, who had been sitting back and doing nothing, and pushed him forward. "He was once a Dou Huang expert and is an elder of the Mittel Family. Once I restore his cultivation, he'll stay with the Xiao Clan for several years."

Hai Bodong's eye twitched.

"A Dou Huang expert?!" Even the steady Xiao Ding's pupils contracted, and he crushed the teacup in his hand without realizing it.

They had been apart for only a few years, yet his youngest brother had already grown to the point of dealing with Dou Huang experts.

"Good!"

Xiao Ding drew a breath, his expression turning grave.

This concerned the Xiao Clan's future. He could not afford to be careless.

"Second Brother." Xiao Ding considered for a moment. "Gather every member of the Desert Iron Mercenary Group. Take all the core members. As for the rest, bring along anyone willing to leave. Give those who aren't a severance payment..."

"Understood!" Xiao Li left at once, without the slightest hesitation.

Xiao Yan calmly sipped his tea.

His eldest brother was decisive. Compared with Stone Desert City, the Black-Corner Region had richer resources and more opportunities. It was dangerous, yes... but Xiao Yan would be there to back them up. Once they survived the early days, having an Alchemist Master like him at the helm would let them soar.

Hai Bodong glanced at the three brothers. Each had his own role, and the bonds of family left no distance between them.

Interesting.

He toyed with the lid of his teacup and closed his eyes to rest.

"Is there a girl here of mixed Snake-People and human descent?" After a moment's thought, Xiao Yan turned to Xiao Ding.

Xiao Ding had been gravely considering the Xiao Clan's future. At Xiao Yan's question, he hesitated. "There is such a girl in Stone Desert City. Her name is Qing Lin. Her bloodline is somewhat... I saw how pitiful she was a few days ago, shunned by everyone, so I let her stay with the Desert Iron Mercenary Group."

"Do you need her for something?"

"You could say that." Xiao Yan nodded slightly.

Who would want to pass up the adorable Little Qing Lin?

Though she was probably only around twelve right now. It was still far too early...

Xiao Yan touched his Storage Ring.

In a side courtyard.

"A little mongrel like that thinks she deserves to join the Desert Iron Mercenary Group? I don't know what the captain was thinking." A young man spat in disgust. His gaze swept over the petite figure trembling in the corner, but not a trace of pity crossed his face.

After all, everyone knew how the child had come into the world.

The Snake-People and humans were mortal enemies. People hated those of mixed blood even more, believing they had tainted the human bloodline.

She had survived this long only because she was stubbornly hard to kill and scraped by doing dirty work. Even so, she had been driven away time and again.

The moment a customer spotted the cyan scales on her arm, they would fly into a rage. Sometimes, if they took a dislike to her, they would beat her senseless.

"That's enough. The captain gave an order. Now that she's joined the Desert Iron Mercenary Group, she's one of us. No more bullying." Shelly glanced at the girl curled up like a frightened little animal. She disliked her too, but a sliver of pity still drove her to speak up.

"Hmph. Either the captain's lost his mind or his soft heart's got the better of him, taking in a wretch like that. She'd better not fall into my hands, or else..."

"You!" Shelly's brows drew together, but she forced down her anger.

The young man was one of only three Dou Shi experts in the Desert Iron Mercenary Group, making him something of a third captain. Even Shelly had to follow his orders.

"Or else what?"

A handsome youth in fitted black clothes stepped into the courtyard. He swept a calm gaze over everyone there.

Xiao Yan understood the ignorance behind their bullying of Qing Lin, but...

From that tone, the man seemed to have a problem with his brother's authority. Xiao Yan liked dealing with troublemakers most of all.

At Xiao Yan's appearance, the members of the Desert Iron Mercenary Group fell silent and looked away, not daring to meet his eyes. His fight with Xiao Li that morning had intimidated many of them. Among mercenaries who preyed on the weak, violence worked best.

"This little wretch is..." The young man, so arrogant a moment ago, drew back a little, though contempt still lingered in his eyes.

Thud!

Before anyone saw him move, Xiao Yan appeared in front of the man and drove a fist into his stomach, sending him flying. Shock crossed the man's face, followed by pain and a grimace as he slammed into the courtyard wall.

"Kh..." The young man spat out two bloody teeth and doubled over like a shrimp, clutching his stomach. His eyes bulged. It felt as though the punch had blown apart his lungs, and his throat rasped like a broken fan.

He could not make a sound.

The courtyard fell deathly silent. Everyone stared at the brutal scene in horror. No one had expected the young third captain, who looked like a novice fresh out of training, to be so ruthless.

He had crippled the man in a single exchange.

Xiao Yan's expression remained calm. In a flash, he appeared before the young man again, seized him by the throat, and slowly lifted him off the ground.

"You said my eldest brother had lost his mind?"

"..."

"Ghk... ghk..." Blood flooded back into the young man's throat while Xiao Yan's grip choked him. His face turned purple, and he beat weakly at Xiao Yan's arm.

"Y-young Master Xiao Yan." Shelly swallowed and hesitantly stepped forward.

Xiao Yan raised his free hand, his expression unchanged.

Shelly obediently nodded and swallowed the rest of her words.

"I won't kill you. But if there's a next time..." Xiao Yan slowly released his grip. The young man crumpled to the ground, gasping for air, his eyes full of terror.

"You're Qing Lin?" Xiao Yan ignored the young man, whose trousers now reeked of urine, and turned to the girl huddled in the corner.

She pushed against the floor with her feet, trying desperately to make herself smaller. Terror filled her delicate face.

"I've always liked little animals. Snakes and... well, snakes. Since you're part Snake-People, you must have a few scales, right?" Xiao Yan stayed where he was and gave her a bright smile.

"Mm..." Qing Lin's little face went pale. Fighting her embarrassment, she pulled back her long sleeve to reveal the tender arm hidden beneath it, along with... a few pale cyan scales.

Sure enough, contempt appeared in the eyes of several Desert Iron Mercenary Group members. The girl bit her lip, tears gathering in her eyes.

But then—

"Huh. They're beautiful..."

Xiao Yan gently held the girl's slender arm and studied the cyan scales, curiosity and wonder flashing in his eyes.

Qing Lin had lowered her head, expecting the same disgust she always heard. But when she realized Xiao Yan's praise was sincere, she looked up sharply, her little face full of disbelief.

He thought her scales were... beautiful?!

"Anyone who doesn't think so can cut out their eyes and feed them to the dogs." Xiao Yan smiled and turned to Shelly. "Do you think they're beautiful?"

"O-of course! Young Master Xiao Yan is right!" Shelly's eye twitched, and she nodded hastily.

"And you?" Xiao Yan glanced at the others farther away.

"Beautiful! Absolutely perfect!"

"Even prettier than my mother!"

"..."

A chorus of exaggerated yet "sincere" praise rang out.

"See, little one?" Xiao Yan smiled and rubbed Qing Lin's head. "You're not wrong. The world is. All that talk about mixed blood being a sin is bullshit. Once your fists are big enough, people will say even your farts smell sweet."