Sisi's heart thumped when she heard Jojo yelling in a human voice. The last thing she wanted was for Mr. Piker to discover Jojo's identity as a beastman. If he did, Jojo would become a guaranteed expensive pet, and there was no way that greedy man would release him.
Mr. Piker quickly darted his eyes toward the little white wolf, and his grin widened from ear to ear. Unbridled greed flashed in his eyes as he asked, "Is it what I think it is? This little white wolf is a beastman, right, Sisi?"
"No!" Sisi denied vehemently. "You heard wrong. Why would I keep a beastman in the shed? They're dangerous, aren't they?"
"They are, but they also fetch a huge price," Mr. Piker said lightly. He scoffed as he shook the cage. "But I know you're lying, you thieving bitch! I heard it clearly. This little white wolf will make me rich!"
Jojo was shaken all over inside the cage, his body hitting the iron bars left and right. But he wasn't scared.
His father had always told him: once he decided on something, he should charge without hesitation.
And now, he had decided to protect his savior, even if it cost him his freedom and his life.
"Let her go. Jojo—Jojo is willing to be sold!" Jojo said ardently.
Sisi's face paled instantly. She didn't know what was going through the little wolf's mind, but she absolutely refused to let Jojo get hurt because of her.
So Sisi quickly took off the first button of her shirt, revealing her cleavage, and yelled even louder than Jojo, "Release him! I-I will do it with you, right here, right now!"
Jojo was distressed by his savior's action. Did she not realize that Jojo wasn't scared of death? At least if he died, he would be sacrificing himself to protect someone he cared about, just like his father had sacrificed himself to protect him.
Mr. Piker was amused watching the little wolf beastman and Sisi go back and forth, each trying to persuade him to release the other.
Of course, he would never release both. He wanted Sisi as his new wife and wanted to get rich by selling this exotic beastman.
But he knew that the moment he sold the young beastman, Sisi would never let him touch her. Thus, he ordered:
"Fine, I'll release him. But you have to strip in front of me. Take off all your clothes as proof of our transaction."
Sisi's heart sank. For a second, she considered tackling Mr. Piker and snatching Jojo before running away.
But Mr. Piker read the hesitation in her eyes. He took out his revolver and pointed the barrel at Jojo's head. "Strip now, or I'll blow this little beastman's head off."
Sisi gritted her teeth. She unbuttoned another button and saw the trace of lust in his eyes.
She felt disgusted, but seeing the revolver aimed at Jojo's head, ready to kill him in less than a second, she hesitated no more.
However, just as she was about to unbutton further, she suddenly had an epiphany.
She peered at him suspiciously and asked, "You… you would never let him go, would you? I remember your drunken rambles about being in huge debt because of a failed harvest."
Mr. Piker's expression changed drastically. His gaze turned vicious as he yelled, "What do you know, you little shit? I am not in debt! Why would you take a drunk man seriously?!"
"Then why did I hear about the workers' wages being withheld? You sold a few horses, and even sold Mrs. Piker's jewelry!" Sisi shot back. "You shameless scoundrel, you and I know mother's jewelry is her family heirloom! They're invaluable!"
Mr. Piker's anger exploded. Not only did she mention his huge debt, she also mentioned his inability to pay it, and the fact that he had sold his late wife's family heirloom.
But the worst of all was that she referred to his late wife as "mother," while calling him a "shameless scoundrel" in the same breath.
It showed her estrangement. She didn't give him the respect she had given his late wife.
Mr. Piker preferred Sisi to address him by his first name, John, or at least "father." It showed she still had some respect for him.
Ashamed, humiliated, and exposed, Mr. Piker pulled back the revolver's hammer and put his finger on the trigger, ready to shoot the white wolf dead.
"You're right. I don't plan to release this little wolf. He'll fetch a huge price! I can pay my debt immediately, renovate the farm, buy more animals, and still have plenty left! This beastman will make me rich!" Mr. Piker declared shamelessly. Since the cat was out of the bag, there was no reason to hide his greed and lust any longer. "Now strip, or I will blow this wolf's head off. See how I'm only one trigger away from killing him? So don't try to startle me!"
The warning was clear: if Sisi dared to charge at him, he would kill Jojo immediately.
Meanwhile, Jojo, who had been silent the whole time, watched everything and said, "Then kill me! Jojo is not scared!"
"Jojo, don't say anything!" Sisi tried to stop him. The more he aggravated Mr. Piker, the worse the consequences would be.
But Jojo was unrelenting. He stared straight at Sisi with surprising calmness and clarity, something no four-year-old should have. He knew what would happen, but still charged forward to protect her.
"My Daddy told me to always protect the one you love. Jojo will protect you! I am not scared of death!" Jojo declared. "My Daddy might have died already, so I will follow him to meet the Moon Goddess! I will tell him that Jojo is a brave wolf!"
The moment Jojo said that, Sisi felt as though her chest had been stabbed with a hundred knives.
That's right.
If Jojo—a four-year-old wolf cub she had just met—was not scared, then why should she be?
Why should she fear a shameless beast who wanted to hurt someone she loved?