Chapter 96

Chapter 96

It was the first time Qin Ying had seen the Greedy Deer this happy.

Standing on the desk, Han Lie circled the Box again and again, curiously touching the carvings of Monstrous Beasts and strange plants on its surface.

Even so, part of his attention remained fixed on Qin Ying’s every move. When he saw the smile on her face, Han Lie, as tiny as a toy soldier, lowered his head and twisted his clawed hands together.

Qin Ying had no time to worry about his mood. She picked up a Spoon from the side, intending to bring Fuzhu out of the Box.

Before she could do anything, one crimson-furred Hou after another burrowed out of the congealed magma.

Leading them was none other than the Shamate Hou with the tuft of white fur across the center of its forehead.

The group of Hou were red and fluffy, like plush toys, and they gathered together to bow their heads toward Qin Ying.

Qin Ying had not expected them to appear so suddenly. While she was still slightly stunned, a Hou-shaped carving on one corner of the Box was suddenly gilded with a faint layer of gold.

A halting voice appeared in Qin Ying’s mind.

“Supreme Deity, food-food. Hungry-hungry.”

Inside the Box, the Shamate Hou rose on its two front claws and bowed toward the sky.

Its clansmen followed suit.

Only then did Qin Ying realize: the Divine Shrine in Golden Saddle Mountain had been destroyed.

Without the great creature beneath the Divine Shrine, whose wound had poured magma year-round, the overall ecology of Golden Saddle Mountain had changed.

The underground flames had gone out. The Hou, who survived by eating fire, would either have to migrate or starve to death.

Or else pray to the Supreme Deity.

These past few days must have been very hard for these little red dogs.

Once she figured out the cause and effect, guilt welled up in Qin Ying. After sincerely apologizing, she used the Spoon to scoop Fuzhu and the Hou out of the Box in batches.

Before long, Qin Ying’s desk was covered with a chattering crowd of tiny things.

The Hou in particular were crimson-furred and small, standing together in one fluffy heap. One look was enough to tell they must feel ridiculously good to the touch.

There were about a hundred of them, large and small. The bigger ones were the size of soybeans, while the smaller ones were like red beans.

Their entire clan had come to seek refuge with Qin Ying.

The Shamate Hou led the clan’s guards as they ran around, barking as they tried to rein in the panicked clansmen who had suddenly found themselves in a new environment.

For a time, Qin Ying’s room was filled with the sound of barking and the pitter-patter of claws.

Fuzhu was so annoyed by the noise that it ran behind a bookshelf and buried its head between its hooves.

Although Han Lie had lost his wits, he still had a good eye for what needed doing. With one stray Hou cub tucked under each arm, he enthusiastically carried them back to their mothers.

One bold little Hou bit the tip of his tail as if it were fish bait.

Han Lie did not get angry. He plucked the little thing off and used his tail to tease it.

Because of Fuzhu’s arrival, a fine drizzle began to fall outside the window.

Seeing the rain, Qin Ying quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

She went downstairs as quickly as she could and brought back a stainless-steel tray used for curing meat, along with a bottle of alcohol.

After pouring a thin layer of alcohol into the stainless-steel basin, Qin Ying lit it.

Blue flames from the burning alcohol instantly rose up.

The Hou immediately surged toward the stainless-steel tray.

Several little cubs were so greedy that their claws scratched against the stainless steel with a sharp rasping sound.

“Go ahead and eat.”

Qin Ying propped a pair of chopsticks against the side of the stainless-steel tray, making a small ramp so the Hou could climb in and devour the flames.

When Han Lie saw the chopsticks wobble, he took the initiative to go over and brace his back beneath them, holding them steady.
The first one, then the second…

Without the slightest fear, the Hou leaped into the flames one after another.

The flickering blue fire was torn apart and stuffed into their mouths like cotton candy.

For the first time, the starving herd of Hou tasted flames other than lava.

One by one, they rolled around happily in the fire.

While the Hou were busy eating the flames, Qin Ying changed as quickly as she could into a light outfit that was easy to move in.

From the bottom of the Box, she found a Dragon Boat Festival mugwort sachet and emptied out the packet of mugwort powder inside.

After telling the Shamate Hou to keep the rest of its tribe in line, she opened the drawstring pouch in front of Fuzhu. “Come on. I need to take you out with me for something.”

Fuzhu, who had been hiding behind the bookshelf and greedily chewing on a piece of sticky note, froze with a blank deer-faced stare.

Go out?

The next second, both of its ears shot upright, and it plunged headfirst into the little pouch.

Its delighted bleats rang out nonstop.

Qin Ying was just about to put the pouch away when it was tugged gently.

Han Lie stood beside her without making a sound, but one claw was gripping the tassel beneath the pouch with all his might.

He wanted to go out with the Supreme Deity too.

Qin Ying thought about it. Herding one sheep was still herding, and herding two sheep was also herding.

Fuzhu and the beast-transformed Han Lie were both only about as long as an index finger. If she carried them in the pouch, they probably would not get lost.

Even so, she still raised a finger and laid down three rules with the two of them: they were not allowed to make noise whenever they pleased, they had to rein in their auras as much as possible, and if they did get separated, they had to find a way to hide right where they were.

She would come find them as soon as possible.

With that said, she very fairly pressed a finger to Fuzhu’s forehead.

Then she extended that same index finger toward Han Lie.

Han Lie was visibly delighted. He spread open his black-scaled palm and gently pressed it against the lines on Qin Ying’s fingertip.

Just as she finished giving them a few simple instructions, Qin Ying’s phone rang.

Old Miao said he had called in a favor from an old friend.

With that friend’s help, they could attend as spectators and watch a beast fight on the island in the middle of the lake tonight.

After Qin Ying hung up, she gave Han Lie and Fuzhu, who were inside the pouch, a small piece of beef jerky each.

Then she hung the pouch in front of her chest, opened an umbrella, and headed out.

When she met up with Old Miao and the others, relief was written all over their faces.

“Sister Ying, it’s raining.” Yin Minmin happily linked arms with Qin Ying. “We’re way too lucky. Since it’s raining, there shouldn’t be any big fire, right?”

Qin Ying gave a soft laugh and acknowledged her with a sound.

Zhang Lang shrank back to the spot farthest from Qin Ying.

All the way until they stepped onto the stone bridge leading to the island in the middle of the lake, he remained restless, glancing at Qin Ying from time to time.

Old Miao’s friend was surnamed Liu. He was an old man in a black new-Chinese-style suit, with a full head of white hair and a very understated air about him.

Under Mr. Liu’s guidance, they successfully crossed the connecting stone bridge.

Beyond the tall white walls, every furnishing and decoration in the teahouse looked extravagantly expensive.

There were quite a few security personnel along the way, and surveillance cameras were installed everywhere.

Mr. Liu was very amiable. He led them into an elegant private room decorated in an antique style and had them sit down.

Only then did he laugh heartily at Old Miao. “Who would’ve thought there’d come a day when you, Miao Lixin, would have to ask me for a favor?”