A pleasant, unfamiliar chuckle sounded by her ear.
Sang Luo immediately whipped her head around. A handsome, brown-haired Beastman leaped down from a tree. He had broad shoulders, a narrow waist, long legs, and his honey-colored skin was quite sensual. He was tilting his head, looking right at her. His beast-like, emerald-green pupils glowed faintly, appearing somewhat eerie in the darkness.
But the look lasted only a moment before he chuckled softly again, crossing his arms and watching her with a leisurely air.
"Where's your partner? Why isn't he with you? A pretty little female like you, walking alone at night... it's very easy to get snatched up and eaten, you know." He emphasized the final word, his tone dangerously alluring.
Sang Luo paid no mind to his teasing and stepped forward, grabbing one of his hands.
The young Beastman froze for a second, then looked down.
I'm lost. Can you take me back?
'This Beastman looks unfamiliar.' Then again, Sang Luo rarely wandered through the tribe, so it was normal for her not to recognize people. She thought she might have seen him at the bonfire feast. He looked quite young, and he was even a rare Fifth Rank.
"Alright. Where do you live? I'll take you back."
Sang Luo roughly described the location, writing it out for him. His eyes flickered. "You're that Wolf Beast's female? I never thought he'd actually find a female. What a shame..."
Sang Luo gave him a strange look. He just smiled, ruffled her hair, and naturally took her hand, leading her toward the fork in the road to the left. "Perfect. I know the way. I'll take you."
Before long, they arrived at the familiar courtyard.
Thank you.
"You're welcome. My name is... Anu. I live on the neighboring Birdsong Mountain, in the cave in the middle of the second row. There's a green pine tree next to it. If you ever need help with anything, you can come find me anytime." He gave her a dazzling smile, revealing his sharp canines.
After watching the female go back inside, Anu didn't leave right away. He lingered for a long while before disappearing into the forest.
Lan Cang had left the market-bound party early, traveling day and night to rush back to the tribe.
Sang Luo had just gotten back inside when she was pulled into Lan Cang's embrace. He released her, grabbed her by the shoulders, and spun her around, inspecting her from all angles. Only when he was sure she was unharmed did he let out a sigh of relief and slide the pack from his shoulder.
She didn't know what the pack was made of, but while it didn't look large, it held a surprising amount.
It was mostly clothes, shoes, and jewelry for a female. He'd even been thoughtful enough to include delicate, silk underwear. The craftsmanship was exquisite and comfortable... 'Heaven knows, I'm so moved I could cry! Ever since I crossed over into this godforsaken world, my butt's been cold every single day!'
Lan Cang then took a few small porcelain vials from his robes. He gently dabbed a milky-white ointment on her face. It felt soothingly icy-cool and very comfortable.
"This is medicine for scars."
Sang Luo also dipped a finger in the ointment and went to apply it to his face.
"Heh," he chuckled. "The wounds on my body are from a poison. They weren't treated in time, and after so many years, the residual toxins have seeped deep into my skin. Ointment won't work on them anymore."
Are these things... very expensive?
Her heart ached just looking at them.
Even without Lan Cang saying a word, Sang Luo could tell. These items must have cost a fortune in Crystal Stones, far more than an ordinary tribal Beastman could ever afford.
Lan Cang couldn't hunt high-quality prey anymore, so he couldn't be earning many Crystal Stones. She didn't want him to spend his life savings just to please her.
"I have money. Enough to provide for you."
With a choked breath, Lan Cang pulled out a massive bag filled with Crystal Stones.
He opened it for her to see.
The lowest Level inside were all Green Crystals!
There were also many Cyan Crystals, and even a Purple Crystal!
A Purple Crystal was a Crystal Core that, according to legend, could only be found in a Seventh Rank Star Beast.
Star Beasts were massive, with destructive power and techniques that made them far stronger and more savage than a Beastman of the same rank! A single Seventh Rank Star Beast could completely destroy a small or medium-sized tribe!
You... Where did you get this?! 'At his peak, wasn't Lan Cang only a Sixth Rank? Did he get this money through legal channels?'
Lan Cang didn't want to hide anything from his little female, so he decided to tell her his true story.
His parents had died when he was young, leaving him an orphan. He and his younger brother grew up relying on each other, wandering the slums of the Western Continent. When he got a little older, he survived by doing odd jobs for nearby Beastmen and living off the charity of others. At thirteen, he lied about his age to become a Mercenary. For Beastmen, being a Mercenary was the profession with the highest mortality rate, as well as the highest rate of manic episodes. At the same time, a single contract could pay as much as ten years' worth of normal wages. For the Lan Cang of back then, who desperately needed money, it was the best choice. He recklessly took on many S-level contracts and earned a fortune. He saved all the Crystal Stones he couldn't spend, depositing them in a merchant house in the city.