Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Cortis said impatiently, âBring out everything you have.â
The young sheep beastman was nearly in tears. With its lips shriveled, it pleaded. âMy family of threeâthree males and one femaleârely on this rice for a living. Please spare us some.â
Cortis set down Bai Qingqing and flipped open his snakeskin, retrieving a transparent pea-sized crystal from the innermost layer. âI want all the rice in your village.â
Merely standing on the ground made Bai Qingqing feel giddy and shaky. It was only by holding onto the stone counter that she managed to steady herself.
What is this? Just a ball and youâre demanding to have their entire villageâs rice. Cortis, are you a robber?
But the sheep beastman seemed delirious with joy at the sight of this. Grabbing the crystal ball, he immediately guaranteed. âOkay, Iâll go talk to everyone now.â
Energy crystal! Just one of these and their entire village could afford a yearâs supply of salt. They wouldnât need to fret over salt this year anymore.
The appearance of the transparent crystal caused the entire Sheep Village to erupt in joy. The simple beastmen instantly carried out all their rice, but even when piled together it seemed to be only about 15-20 kg.
The young beastman said embarrassedly, âOur village is only left with this rice. The next harvest will be out next month. Weâll reserve all of the rice in the next batch for you.â
Cortis nodded his head, appearing rather satisfied at the proposal. He lifted the nearly 20 kg rice bag made of animal skin with one arm and wedged his snakeskin under his armpit, freeing up one hand to hold Bai Qingqingâs hand. âXiao Bai, see if thereâs anything else you want in this village.â
The nimble Cortis easily slithered a great distance with a gentle movement of his tail. Bai Qingqing was frail, to begin with. With Cortis moving her ahead, she instantly lost her balance and fell forward.
âXiao Bai!ân/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
Bai Qingqing vaguely heard Cortisâs alarmed cry, before she blacked out.
When she regained consciousness, Bai Qingqing felt her head spin. She couldnât help but moan softly. It was then that she heard Cortisâs anxious voice as he asked for help.
âHow is she?â
The person answering Cortis sounded like an elderly person, and his voice was highly agitated. âHow did you take care of the female? If you sent her here any later, she would have died of illness! Her bodyâs so cold and you didnât realize at all? Indeed, homeless beasts are all brutes! Sooner or later she will be dead under your care!â
Bai Qingqing wanted to laugh when she heard this. She mused about how delicate and precious the females in this world were. She had caught a cold, at most, and probably had low blood sugar because she was too hungry. But he sounded like she was gravely ill and about to die any moment now.
Bai Qingqing opened her heavy eyelids and sat up in Cortisâs arms. âIâm fine.â
This doctor was an old man with a goatee, of a small and skinny frame. There was a shrewdness in his eyes, and he didnât seem to fear Cortis. When he looked towards Bai Qingqing, his gaze instantly turned gentle. âLittle Female, donât be scared. Iâm teaching him a lesson on your behalf, so he wonât dare to mistreat you in the future.â
Cortis wasnât mad at the old sheep beastman for being arrogant though. Seeing Bai Qingqing wake up, relief washed over him.
âIs Xiao Bai okay?â Cortis asked the old sheep beastman.
âHmph!â Facing Cortis, the old sheep beastman was so furious that his goatee curled. âIndeed you homeless beasts canât take good care of a female. Sheâs freezing. Her body temperature is nearly lower than you coldblooded creatures. How can she not faint?â
The old sheep beastman then handed Bai Qingqing the stone bowl by the side. âThis is yellow root soup. Drink it and youâll feel warmer.
âThanks.â Bai Qingqing knew that ginger soup dispelled coldness, so she drank it readily.
Seeing Bai Qingqing so obedient, the old sheep beastmanâs heart ached for her even more. He couldnât help nagging at her. âFemale, why didnât you tell him you were feeling unwell? They snake beastmen donât know how to cherish females. If you keep quiet, youâre just going to suffer in silence.â
Since she was snatched away by a snake beastman, she had to take care of herself, else she wouldnât live for long.
The old sheep beastman felt worried and only hoped that his words would spur the female into learning to become independent.