Sister Rongrong's fury

Under the gazes of Xiao Ding and the others, Tushan Rongrong slowly walked up to Qing Lin.

At a meter and a half tall, she was the same height as Qing Lin.

"Don't be afraid, Qing Lin. From now on, no one will bully you again." Tushan Rongrong took Qing Lin's hand and spoke softly.

Qing Lin's story stirred deep sympathy in Tushan Rongrong. With her half-snake, half-human bloodline, she could actually be considered half a demon. Although Tushan Rongrong had initially come with a purpose, seeing Qing Lin in such a pitiful state tugged hard at her heart.

The ever-present curve of her lips gained a measure of compassion and lost a measure of calculation.

With her little hand held, Qing Lin cautiously raised her head. It was a beautiful older sister, whose gentle smile felt like a spring breeze. It was the first time in her life she had ever seen such a smile. It felt so close, so warm.

As she raised her arm, her sleeve slid down, revealing a stretch of snow-white wrist.

Growing on that snow-white wrist were a few green... snake scales.

The mercenary group members nearby instantly showed four parts distaste and five parts contempt, cursing under their breath. Had their leader Xiao Ding not been present, they would never have left her that last scrap of consideration and would already have started "cursing loudly."

Feeling those revolting gazes, Qing Lin broke into a cold sweat down her back, dragged out of that dreamlike warmth and back into reality. With the part of her that could not bear the light exposed, she felt she had frightened the gentle older sister before her and let down her kindness.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry... I didn't mean to frighten you..."

Qing Lin hurriedly pulled her hand back and covered the snake scales on her arm with her sleeve. She retreated fearfully, glistening tears welling in her eyes, her timid voice carrying an anxious sob.

Seeing this, Tushan Rongrong's heart ached even more.

"A pack of beasts!"

Tushan Rongrong's smile vanished, her delicate brows rising coldly. With an angry shout, she unleashed powerful Demonic Power, sending the mercenaries around her who had scorned and bullied Qing Lin flying.

In an instant, the mercenaries were sent tumbling every which way, heads and backsides trading places. Some smashed through the tables, chairs, and benches in the hall, while others had their heads or half their bodies embedded straight into the walls.

This was only the second time Luo Yang had seen Sister Rongrong so angry. He trembled, not daring to speak.

The last time had been when he complained that Tushan Rongrong's chest was too flat...

He had nearly failed to see the next day's sun.

With Luo Yang beside him, Xiao Ding had escaped the blast, but after witnessing Tushan Rongrong's methods firsthand, he swallowed, grateful that he had treated them courteously from beginning to end.

Even Luo Bu, the Sand Mercenary Group's Da Dou Shi, did not possess such an oppressive presence. Could she be a Dou Ling expert?

So terrifying...

Although the mercenaries were in wretched shape and their injuries were far from light, their lives were intact. In the end, Tushan Fox Demons were simply too merciful; they never took human lives.

They were like that in every world.

"Don't be afraid, Qing Lin. Actually, I'm just like you..." Tushan Rongrong approached again, taking Qing Lin's hand and placing it on her folded ear.

Feeling something fine and soft beneath her hand, Qing Lin froze for a moment and looked at the top of Tushan Rongrong's head.

She had not noticed earlier. So the beautiful older sister's ears looked like this...

No, human ears did not look like this. Could the beautiful older sister also have magical beast blood?

"Mm-hmm!"

After learning that Tushan Rongrong was not human either, Qing Lin was no longer as afraid as before.

The ears were a folded-ear fox demon's most sensitive part. Even though Tushan Rongrong had invited Qing Lin to touch them herself, they still twitched involuntarily.

"Heehee..."

The ticklish feeling against her palm brought a rare, radiant smile to Qing Lin's little face, so delicate it invited anyone's pity.

"Qing Lin, let me ask you something. Would you be willing to come with me and become the young master's maid?"

"Young master?" Puzzled, Qing Lin looked in the direction Tushan Rongrong indicated.

After Tushan Rongrong had protected her earlier, Qing Lin now found Luo Yang considerably more pleasing to the eye as well.

"I'm the young master's maid too. He's a very good person. He never bullies anyone..."

"I'll do as you say, Sister."

Years of oppressive living had left Qing Lin introverted, without opinions of her own, always having to watch other people's expressions. This time, however, she was willing.

"From today onward, Qing Lin, you can be yourself. If you don't want to, no one can force you to do anything against your wishes. So let me ask you again: are you truly willing?" Tushan Rongrong gave Qing Lin ample respect, not wanting her to be "willing" out of gratitude.

Everything had come so suddenly that Qing Lin felt as though she were dreaming.

After over a decade of oppression and humiliation, someone had suddenly told her one day that she could stand up...

If this was a dream, she never wanted to wake.

"Yes! I'm willing to be the young master's maid!"

Wiping the tears from the corners of her eyes, Qing Lin nodded emphatically, her gaze as resolute as someone joining the Party.

With his goal achieved, Luo Yang did not want to linger here for even another Kun-second. He rose to leave. Just then, Xiao Ding stood up.

"Brother Wenxuan, please wait..."

"What? Commander Xiao Ding, have you changed your mind? Or do you want to seek justice for those blind fools?" Luo Yang stopped and turned his head slightly, speaking in an even tone.

"Please don't misunderstand. What I mean is, you can take Qing Lin with you, but there's no need for the money. I only hope you'll treat Qing Lin kindly from now on. If you grow tired of her, please send her back to my humble abode..."

Xiao Ding handed the purple card containing ten thousand gold coins back to Luo Yang. He had not taken Qing Lin in to profit from her.

"Keep it. I've never taken back anything I've given away. Just consider it medical expenses for those wretches."

With that, Luo Yang turned and walked out of the meeting hall, Tushan Rongrong following close behind with Qing Lin by the hand.

At the very last moment before leaving, Qing Lin looked back at Xiao Ding for a long moment. Then she left the Desert Iron Mercenary Group and began her new life...

Watching Qing Lin disappear from sight, Xiao Ding let out a long sigh.

May that man treat Qing Lin kindly.

As the three walked along the street, every mercenary or ordinary passerby they encountered cast a curious look at Luo Yang in his strange clothes and Tushan Rongrong with her animal ears.

But when their gazes swept over Qing Lin beside them, that curiosity gradually cooled. Some even revealed undisguised disgust in their eyes.

Before Qing Lin could feel hurt, Tushan Rongrong used her Demonic Power to blast those people away.

Again, she did not take their lives, leaving them a breath.

Having just left the Desert Iron Mercenary Group and still seething, she could not tolerate that hypocrisy and those cold looks. It was also because of her promise to Qing Lin.

Feeling the safety and happiness of being protected once more, warmth rose in Qing Lin's heart. The glistening specks on her smiling face were no longer bitter, but sweet with happiness.

After they returned to the inn where they were staying, there was still no sign of Hai Bodong. Luo Yang did not mind. What could happen to a Dou Huang expert?