"If—I mean, if—the Totem Black Snake really did this, would you still protect it?"
Remembering how everyone had fallen silent, Mo Xie understood what they were thinking and sighed.
He could hardly blame them. As humans, they naturally had to stand with humanity.
Being guardians of the Totem Clan did not mean they had to protect the Totem Black Snake no matter what. If it really had done this, the pressure from above would be immense, even if they wanted to save it.
"Little Evil..."
As Mo Xie sank into thought, Tang Yue's soft, alluring voice sounded beside his ear.
He turned to find her holding his arm in both hands. Worry filled her lovely face, and her gaze wavered as though she were afraid.
She hugged his arm tightly, pressing it into her softness. After a moment of silence, she asked haltingly,
"Little Evil... do you think those two people who died from poisoning... were killed by the big guy too?"
Only then did Mo Xie realize how easily his earlier words could be misunderstood. For Tang Yue, who was especially sensitive today, they must have made things even worse.
The Totem Black Snake was already being framed. Hearing her boyfriend say that was bound to trouble her.
Mo Xie stroked her soft cheek, met her anxious eyes, and said gently,
"Sister Tang Yue, I believe the big guy is innocent. I only wanted to know exactly where your uncle and the others stand. It matters for what I do next."
The steadiness in his voice eased Tang Yue's anxiety, and her grip loosened a little.
His words in the meeting room had made her heart sink. She had thought his faith might be wavering too, but now her worries gradually faded.
"What do you mean, what you do