Chapter 140
Chapter 140
Qin Ying was used to seeing Wangcai roll around and act cute for canned food, looking utterly pitiful. She had no idea just how terrifying Wangcai’s size was in the World in the Box.
Even in this world where Monstrous Beasts roamed everywhere, it still counted as medium-sized.
When it squatted on the sand dune and rubbed its butt, it looked like a mountain swaying in the dark.
Aman and the others at the front were all frozen in place, too intimidated to take even a single step beyond the village entrance.
The Thunderbird weaving through the thunderclouds had sharp eyes. It recognized Aman at the head of the group as the one who had once tried to poison it.
After a clear cry, it flew out from the clouds.
Even though Hulan had already told them the Thunderbird had been brought under control, Aman and the others, who had been trapped by it for quite some time, still went pale at the sight.
The Thunderbird landed in front of the Blackstone Tribe. Compared with how lively and happy it was in front of Qin Ying, only now did it truly carry a hint of the bearing of a young phoenix.
Lightning coiled around its wings, and the sand on the ground crackled and jumped.
It spread its wings and gave them a flap, covering Aman and the others in dust.
Just as everyone was growing more and more anxious, unsure what it meant to do, someone on the sand dune scolded, “Stop messing around.”
At the sound, the Thunderbird immediately tucked away its threatening posture and turned into an obedient little bird, hopping about on the sand.
Then a person slowly walked down from the sand dune, wearing a strange red dress.
It was women’s clothing in the style of Great Xia, but one look was enough to tell it was stiff and rigid, not much like cloth at all.
The unknown was terrifying.
Aman and the others lowered their heads and came forward in the most respectful posture. “Divine Envoy.”
Qin Ying walked across the slippery sand dune and simply gave a faint “Mm” in response.
Just as she stumbled and nearly rolled down the slope, an arm reached out and steadily supported her.
Qin Ying turned her head and saw Han Lie.
Han Lie, who had already shed his beastlike features and returned to human form.
He was also wearing clothes made from heat-pressed nonwoven fabric, only his were even cruder and more perfunctory.
Qin Ying had no idea how he had managed to change so quickly. She lowered her voice and asked, “Are you afraid of appearing before Aman and the others in that form?”
Unexpectedly, Han Lie really nodded.
He also lowered his voice and replied, “In the Jade Balance Army, that form would be considered an abnormality that ought to be eliminated.”
“To avoid any misunderstanding, I…”
As they spoke, they had already reached the others.
Qin Ying signaled that if he had secrets, they could talk about them later, then turned to face Aman.
When looking down at the Box, Qin Ying had seen Aman before, but at the time, the change in perspective had made it inconvenient to observe him closely.
Now, facing him directly, she finally saw Aman’s face, burned into a mangled mass.
After several days, the burns on Aman and Hulan had improved somewhat. At the very least, they were no longer oozing pus.
Because they had held a sacrificial ceremony, Aman had even searched for water to bathe and change beforehand. Now, dressed in a black robe, he looked much neater.
Seeing Qin Ying’s group, especially the healthy and unharmed Han Lie, he broke into a joyful smile.
Before he even drew near, he knelt on the sand dune.
The twenty or thirty people following behind him also knelt down.
Qin Ying was covered in yellow sand and sweat, and her whole body was itching terribly. Seeing this, however, she had no choice but to force herself to rally and put on the bearing of a Divine Envoy.
“Rise.”
Aman remained prostrate on the ground. Seeing Qin Ying so disheveled that her nose and eyes could barely be made out, he did not dare show the slightest neglect.
He hurriedly invited them into the Blackstone Tribe’s village.
Hulan and the other Shamans were waiting near the altar.
It was not that Hulan was putting on airs by refusing to come greet them. Rather, she was also a severely burned patient, and her condition was even worse than Aman’s.
The burns on their bodies had adhered badly, and most of the time they could only kneel hunched over or lie down.
The Sand People stood watch on either side with the utmost reverence.
All the while, they quietly studied Qin Ying’s strange procession of bird, dog, and deer.
As they watched Qin Ying, Qin Ying was also observing them, and the village as well.
Unlike the fixed perspective she had from inside the Box, she could now make out many more details.
The clothing and accessories Aman and the others wore were rough-hewn and ancient in style.
At night, over some light, soft fabric of unknown make, they added black or gray wool-felt shawls to cope with the blazing days and freezing nights of Chixia Mountain.
Wooden stakes had been used to fence off parts of the village. Here and there, one could see a clay jar or two, and livestock troughs chiseled from stone.
At first glance, the place gave off an impression of poverty and hardship.
Qin Ying stopped outside the village.
Quite a few people secretly watching her felt their hearts leap into their throats, thinking she was displeased with something.
Aman anxiously looked to Han Lie, hoping to get some hint from him.
But Han Lie’s entire focus was on protecting Qin Ying. How would he have the time to pay him any mind?
Under countless pairs of eyes, Qin Ying turned her head and said, “Wangcai, Thunderbird, Fuzhu, stay outside the village with the Hou.”
The Hou were one thing, but just look at Wangcai’s size. If it really went into the village and rolled around, half the place would be gone.
Qin Ying had already achieved her goal in bringing them here to display her might. Next, it was time to show how well she controlled them.
Once inside the village, Han Lie alone should be enough to protect her.
As soon as she finished speaking, Fuzhu was the first to stop.
After spending time outside the Box watching television and eating and drinking, it had not learned nothing.
The whole deer had grown quite a bit sharper.
At her words, it put on airs, bent its front knees, and performed a fairly convincing bow before turning to leave first.
With it setting such a fine example, the Hou, who had gotten familiar with it, also followed suit and bowed.
Over a hundred Hou lowered their heads in unison. The sight was truly magnificent.
Especially with the Thunderbird in the sky providing its own thunderous sound effects.
Since all the others had lowered their heads, Wangcai followed along even though it did not understand.
Then, led by Fuzhu, they ran off into the distance to eat canned food.
The performance at the village entrance was very effective.
At the very least, after Qin Ying entered the Blackstone Tribe, even the Sand People Shaman who had not been entirely obedient all settled down.
For a time, the Blackstone Tribe was very quiet.
Under Han Lie’s protection, Qin Ying walked in.
Beside the burning fire tower were many smaller bonfires, with pots set over them. Thin porridge made from crushed rice grains boiled inside.
Aside from that, there was no wine and no meat.
It was not that these Sand People were eating vegetarian food to make offerings to the gods. They simply lacked food and had nothing else to eat.
With the rice and grain Qin Ying had sent down, the Blackstone Tribe was already considered very wealthy, wealthy enough to help out poor relatives.
The children clearly had no idea what was happening and were frightened into helpless confusion by the scene.
At a glance, Qin Ying spotted a three- or four-year-old child no one was watching. He sat by the fire with an enormous swollen belly.
When he heard the sound of thunder, he was so scared he could not even cry out.
Seeing that the swelling on his body had not yet gone down, Qin Ying sighed inwardly.
She turned to Hulan and said, “Prepare some water and clean clothes for us.”
Putting on the air of a Divine Envoy, she was arrogant and proud as she gave orders at will.
Hulan placed her right hand over her chest and quickly went to make the arrangements.