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Tao Qiu knew, but just in case, he still wanted to confirm it again.

Sure enough, the Red Fox said, "Mmmmmm."

--We need to replace it, and the demand may continue to increase.

Since the fruit is effective and beneficial to most Fox Clan, Red Fox, as the clan leader, wants most Fox Clan to be able to eat the fruit.

Tao Qiu paused for a few seconds before he understood what he meant, thinking to himself that the Red Fox Clan Chief truly had a strong sense of leadership and responsibility.

Tao Qiu said, "Chirp, chirp."

--As long as the items arrive, I'll try to exchange them for more for you.

"Mmm." The Red Fox's tone was sincere.

--Thanks.

"Chirp chirp," Tao Qiu said. "Chirp chirp, chirp chirp?"

--You're welcome. I'll bring humans up to collect the materials tomorrow. That should be convenient, right?

"Mmm."

--convenient.

"Chirp chirp."

--Okay then.

After saying goodbye and heading back, Tao Qiu was about to leave when the Red Fox suddenly said, "Mmm-woo-woo."

--Snow Bird, our old chieftain wishes to see you. Would you please come with me?

"Chirp chirp?" Tao Qiu asked, puzzled.

--Want to see me?

The Red Fox quickly responded, "Mmm..."

--We mean no harm. The old patriarch is just curious and wants to see you for himself. But with humans present tomorrow, some things might be harder to say.

Tao Qiu considered it for a while and then agreed.

Under the watchful eyes of the Fox Clan, the Red Fox led Tao Qiu into the mountains and forests.

On the way, Red Fox explained to Tao Qiu the reason why the old clan chief lived in the mountains.

Tao Qiu said, "Chirp, chirp, chirp."

--According to the Green Python, the disease is extremely painful when it flares up, and the old chieftain actually endured it for fifteen years, which is truly admirable.

The Red Fox said bitterly, "Mmm..."

--In truth, we were selfish. The old clan chief had long since given up on living, but we kept thinking we would find a way to save him, so we kept begging him to live. He had actually been suffering a lot all these years.

I finally found a glimmer of hope, but it all came to nothing.

Tao Qiu said, "Chirp, chirp, chirp."

--Don't blame yourself too much. You want him to persevere because you love him, and he's held on until now because he loves you.

The Red Fox said, "Mmm."

--You're quite good with words.

Tao Qiu: "Chirp chirp."

--I'm just that outstanding.

With Kaco cracking jokes, the atmosphere lightened considerably.

The Red Fox suddenly said, "Mmm..."

--Regarding 'that thing,' you should have noticed, I deliberately made it vague.

Tao Qiu answered calmly with a soft chirp.

--I see. You wanted me to ask humans so you could test whether I could really communicate with them. By being vague, you were deliberately making communication more difficult. If I explained it clearly, you would essentially have another piece of information about me. After all, there aren't many mutated monsters that can communicate with humans so smoothly.

The Red Fox, unperturbed by her exposed thoughts, calmly replied, "Mmm..."

--To be precise, you're the only one I know right now.

He continued, "Mmm..."

--The old patriarch was kept in captivity by humans before his mutation and had a long period of contact with them. After the mutation, his intelligence improved, so he could understand some human language and have simple non-verbal communication with humans. But even he couldn't do what you do.

Tao Qiu smiled and said, "Chirp, chirp."

That's why I said I'm excellent.

Even after guessing Red Fox's purpose, Tao Qiu still chose to walk into the "trap." On the one hand, he felt that Red Fox was already suspicious of him, and whether he did this or not, it wouldn't dispel Red Fox's suspicion, so doing it wouldn't make a difference.

On the other hand, as someone who is half-human, and whose lover is also human, Tao Qiu is willing to do what she can to help humanity improve its ability to survive in such a terrifying world.

And even if the Red Fox knew he possessed the ability to communicate with humans, so what? Would she see him as a traitorous mutant monster and call on everyone to boycott, attack, and harm him?

Let's not even talk about the mutated monsters not even having such thoughts. The Fox Clan still needs the fruit he grows. The Red Fox wouldn't be foolish enough to make an enemy of him for something that wouldn't harm its own interests at all.

The Red Fox's tone was meaningful. "Mmm..."

--You are very smart.

Tao Qiu also chirped, "Chirp, chirp."

--You're not bad either, you always trick me.

The Red Fox made a hissing sound, it was hard to tell if it was laughing.

He said, "Mmm..."

--After learning that the fruit couldn't save the old patriarch, I actually regretted not trying my best to snatch that glowing fruit from you. Its effects were truly miraculous. If I had gotten it and given it to the old patriarch, it might have cured him.

Red Fox attributed all of Snow Bird's changes to that glowing fruit, and his guess was correct.

Tao Qiu: "Chirp chirp?"

So why did you hesitate at that time?

Tao Qiu still remembers when they were fighting over the fruit. At first, several powerful mutated monsters worked together to drive away the lower-level mutated monsters, and then they had a big melee.

In the final moments, fueled by her will to survive, Tao Qiu fought hard to grab the fruit and swallowed it as quickly as possible.

He could sense that, at the crucial moment, the mutated monsters closest to the fruit hesitated noticeably for half a second, and he won because of that half second.

After his condition stabilized, he recalled that he had wondered about this question, but he was afraid that if he asked, the mutated monsters would think he was being hypocritical and would gang up on him, so he kept it to himself.

Since Red Fox brought it up today, Tao Qiu took the opportunity to ask about it.

The Red Fox was somewhat surprised. "Hmm?"

--Didn't you feel it?

He described the two contradictory properties he perceived from the glowing fruit.

Tao Qiu blinked her innocent eyes. "Chirp chirp? Chirp chirp."

--Really? I don't know.

Red Fox: "... Mmm."

--... The other mutated monsters also sensed it.

Tao Qiu: "Chirp chirp? Chirp chirp, chirp chirp."

--Really? Then I'm pretty lucky to have survived. Here I come.

Red Fox couldn't tell whether Snow Bird was being sincere or just showing off.

What should he say?

You might say a silly bird has a silly luck, but the Snow Bird wasn't silly before it ate that fruit.

So in the end, it all comes down to luck.

The Red Fox was extremely jealous.

Jealousy had completely changed the fox's appearance. From that moment on, until he saw the old chieftain and the white fox beside him, he didn't say another word to the Snow Bird.

Tao Qiu: I was lucky, is it my fault?

Before meeting the old clan leader that the Red Fox had mentioned, Tao Qiu had imagined his appearance and temperament many times, but after seeing the fox himself, Tao Qiu still couldn't help but be amazed.

The white fox was a size larger than the Red Fox. He lay gracefully on the tree trunk, his expression serene. Behind him, the snow-white paulownia blossoms served as a backdrop to his beauty. His clean white fur fluttered in the wind, making him as lively and dazzling as a mythical fairy fox from Qingqiu.

Hearing the noise, his fox ears twitched slightly, and then he lifted his eyelids, revealing a pair of eyes that had weathered countless years of trials and tribulations, which quietly gazed at the Red Fox and the Snow Bird.

The next second, he leaped lightly down from the treetop and walked towards the Snow Bird and the Red Fox.

To be honest, if Tao Qiu hadn't known beforehand that the old fox had a very serious illness and was about to die, at this moment, apart from looking a bit old, the old fox didn't actually look unwell at all.

It was obvious that he was trying his best to suppress his aura, but after all, he was a high-level mutated monster who was a hundred years old. Every move he made exuded the demeanor of a powerful figure, giving people a strong sense of pressure.

"Mmm..." The old fox's voice was low and hoarse.

--You are stronger than your parents, child, and you will have a bright and promising future.

The old clan chief was gentle in his manner, and his gaze toward Tao Qiu was also very kind.

As one of the oldest mutated monsters, it's not surprising that the old patriarch had seen his parents.

Tao Qiu politely replied, "Chirp, chirp."

Thank you for your blessings, and I wish you good health and happiness.

The old clan chief's eyes crinkled with laughter. "Mmm..."

--I'm sorry to have called you here at the last minute. I've heard a lot about you from Red Fox, so I wanted to see you in person and say a few words to you.

Tao Qiu shook her head. "Chirp, chirp, chirp."

--No need to apologize, we'll meet tomorrow anyway, so a day earlier won't hurt.

The Red Fox told the old chieftain that the Snow Bird would bring humans up tomorrow.

After hearing this, the old clan chief said in an ambiguous tone, "Uh-huh."

--I never imagined that after so many years, humans would still want what's on me.

Then, he changed the subject and said to Tao Qiu, "Mmm..."

--You really are a smart kid.

The old fox was saying that although the Red Fox's words were vague, Tao Qiu still guessed what "that thing" he was talking about was, and immediately wanted to bring humans to get it.

Tao Qiu pretended not to understand and vaguely replied, "Chirp chirp."

--It's simply a matter of each getting what they need.

The old fox's eyes narrowed slightly, still holding a smile.

He asked, "Hmm?"

--What is humanity like in your eyes?

The question was abrupt, but not difficult to answer. Tao Qiu immediately chirped, "Chirp, chirp, chirp."

Humans, like us, have both good and evil, strength and weakness.

The old fox asked again, "Hmm?"

--Tell me, does the future belong to us, or to humanity?

Tao Qiu: "Chirp, chirp, chirp."