Special tastes?

After the burly man ran inside to report, the other guards, now aware of Luo Yang's strength, did not dare act the least bit overbearing. They straightened their backs and continued guarding the entrance.

Time ticked by, second after second. About two kun-minutes passed, and just as Luo Yang was growing impatient, he heard a flurry of hurried footsteps from the courtyard.

Immediately afterward, a young man appeared in Luo Yang's line of sight.

The young man wore white robes, entirely unlike the mercenaries in their uniform mercenary outfits. His eyes, a little brighter than most people's, held a measure of wisdom and a barely perceptible shrewd cunning.

Judging by these characteristics, Luo Yang guessed that this should be the eldest brother of the third Xiao son, Xiao Ding.

Upon coming out, Xiao Ding immediately sized up Luo Yang and Tushan Rongrong at the entrance.

A few minutes earlier, Xiao Ding had been handling the mercenary group's affairs when someone suddenly reported that a very young Dou Shi expert was outside asking for him by name. Though puzzled, he had still decided to come out and take a look first.

Once outside, he saw that the Dou Shi expert his subordinate had reported was indeed very young. He looked about the same age as the third son of their family.

He did not know which great family's genius young master this young Dou Shi expert was, so naturally, he dared not slight him.

As for the green-haired woman, though she was small in stature, he could not discern the slightest trace of her cultivation. Her presence was powerful, and he certainly did not believe that someone accompanying a great family's young master would have no cultivation at all.

She was probably a bodyguard~

"May I ask what important business brings you to our Desert Iron Mercenary Group, brother...?"

Having learned that the other party was a Dou Shi expert, Xiao Ding addressed him very respectfully.

"There is something, but do you intend to entertain your guests out here, Commander Xiao Ding?" Luo Yang did not rush to get straight to the point, instead putting on airs.

"My apologies, my apologies. That was thoughtless of me. Please, come in..."

Xiao Ding then warmly ushered Luo Yang and Tushan Rongrong into the courtyard.

They arrived at the meeting hall, where Luo Yang was treated as an honored guest.

"May I ask your name, sir...?"

"Just call me Luo Wenxuan, Commander Xiao Ding..."

"Where is Deputy Commander Xiao Li?"

"My second brother took some men out on a mission..."

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Luo Yang stated the purpose of his visit.

"I won't beat around the bush. I'll be direct. I came here today to take Qing Lin away, and I hope you'll oblige, Commander Xiao Ding."

"Qing Lin?" Xiao Ding froze slightly at those words. This man had come all this way just for Qing Lin.

The other mercenary group members in the hall also began whispering among themselves, quietly yapping away.

Qing Lin was a child born of a Snake-Person and a human, an abomination and a calamity in the eyes of the world. She had suffered endless bullying and scorn over the years. Fortunately, their commander had been "kind" enough to take Qing Lin in and give her a place to stay.

But that was all. After taking Qing Lin in, Xiao Ding had rarely concerned himself with her again. Qing Lin was often bullied, did the dirtiest and most exhausting work, and frequently went hungry.

"May I ask what you want with Qing Lin, Brother Wenxuan?"

Although he had little regard for Qing Lin, Xiao Ding did not want to let the man take her away so easily.

He glanced at the fox ears atop Tushan Rongrong's head and her petite figure, then looked at Luo Yang with a strange expression.

A beast-eared girl?

Xiao Ding could not help wondering whether this Luo Wenxuan had come looking for Qing Lin because she was "a child born of a Snake-Person and a human," and whether he had some special tastes, specifically collecting little magical beast **.

"There's no need to trouble yourself over that, Commander Xiao Ding. You'd do better not to pry into matters that have nothing to do with you. I won't take Qing Lin away for nothing, either. In recognition of your kindness in taking her in these past few years, consider these ten thousand gold coins payment for her food and lodging."

Luo Yang did not care how Xiao Ding looked at him, nor did he want to waste time here. He took out a purple card containing ten thousand gold coins and placed it on the table.

"Uh..." Xiao Ding's heart gave a sudden jolt.

He really was a young master from a great family, casually producing ten thousand gold coins. Their Desert Iron Mercenary Group could only earn around ten thousand gold coins by risking their lives on missions for half a year, and that was under the best circumstances. Sometimes, when a mission failed, not only would they receive no payment, but several of their brothers would die as well.

"A Kun, hurry and fetch Qing Lin."

Xiao Ding sent the man at the entrance with gray, center-parted hair to find Qing Lin.

He knew that Qing Lin being taken away today was already a foregone conclusion. He could not afford to offend a young master like this, or he might very well bring trouble upon their mercenary group or the Xiao Clan.

About two minutes and thirty seconds later, the man named A Kun brought over a thin, small girl.

The girl did not seem very old, looking perhaps a little younger than Luo Yang. She wore a simple, elegant light green outfit. Though petite, she had rather strangely developed a relatively mature figure, albeit with a slightly unripe look.

Her lovely, delicate, oval face was like that of a beautiful porcelain doll, and her timid appearance could not help stirring a little pity in people's hearts.

Though the girl was pretty, none of the surrounding Desert Iron Mercenary Group members showed her a pleasant face. Their eyes were filled with disdain and disgust, and every one of them kept their distance as if avoiding a plague god, afraid of picking up bad luck.

The girl also kept her head lowered throughout, not daring to meet anyone's eyes, her small hands clutching and rubbing the hem of her skirt. Living in such an oppressive environment for so long had given her an extremely self-abasing personality.

"Qing Lin greets the commander..."

Qing Lin took small steps to the middle of the hall and bowed slightly to Xiao Ding. Her voice was so timid that one could hardly hear it without listening closely.

"Qing Lin, this is Young Master Luo. He's here today to take you in. Are you willing to go with him?" Xiao Ding glanced at Luo Yang out of the corner of his eye and raised his voice a few notches as he asked Qing Lin what she wanted.

If Qing Lin truly was unwilling, he would not force her.

Moreover, he could use that as a reason to refuse Luo Yang's request. Although the ten thousand gold coins in "food and lodging fees" were tempting, he was unwilling to go against his conscience.

Qing Lin raised her head and cautiously looked toward Luo Yang in the seat of honor.

After looking for a while, she lowered her head again, her thoughts unknown.

Only after a long while did she speak again, her voice as faint as a mosquito's hum.

"Everything... is up to the commander..."

She merely thought that Xiao Ding wanted to sell her, and she could not help feeling a little hurt.

Her experiences over the years had made Qing Lin accustomed to meekly accepting whatever came her way. Once a demand was made, she never had the right to choose.

Xiao Ding and Xiao Li were the only two people here who did not bully Qing Lin, and they were also her great benefactors who had taken her in. Being sold by him was somewhat easier for her to bear. She would just consider it repaying their kindness...

Seeing Qing Lin's reaction, Xiao Ding knew she was not good at refusing. He wanted to say something more, only to discover that someone had already spoken ahead of him.

"Don't be afraid, Qing Lin. From today onward, no one will bully you again..."