Chapter 177: It's Her

Deep in the desert.

Mo Lie stepped on the sand wolf's back, casually turning his wrist, shaking off the blood staining his blade as he sheathed it; on the ground, the corpse of a giant hyena dyed this stretch of desert red.

Suddenly, he slightly furrowed his brows, looking toward the direction of Xicheng Qu, as if sensing something.

Zhi Zhi was over there.

……

Lin Manzhi hadn't yet reacted to what had happened when her body suddenly lifted off the ground without warning, and her chest felt weightless as well.

The world spun, and the wild wind brushed her face.

The wind blew so hard she couldn't open her eyes, her eyes tightly shut, her eardrums bulged, she felt dizzy and nauseous, the hairpin on her head had fallen off at some point, her black hair flew in the air, and the fierce wind's howling filled her ears, making it impossible to see or hear clearly.

Ahhh!!

This must be high up—I'm about to suffocate!

Just as Lin Manzhi could barely breathe, the sensation of her body hanging in the air stopped, and the wind was no longer as sharp as a blade slicing her face.

Her feet touched a smooth, flat surface; Lin Manzhi cautiously opened her eyes to see a whole expanse of sleek black feathers, then turned to look around.

She realized she was standing on the back of a giant eagle, which was soaring through the endless blue sky, flying toward the horizon.

The cherry tomato plantation was gone, Hua Zheng was nowhere to be seen, and all she could see on the ground was a vast golden desert.

What what what?

I've been kidnapped!

Lin Manzhi came to that conclusion, her eyes wide with fear as she stood high above and looked down; her fear of heights made her legs go weak, and her panicked mind went blank.

Her legs stiffly planted on the eagle's back, her face deathly pale, her black eyes revealing terror of the unknown future.

What to do, what to do!

Helplessly standing in the gale, Lin Manzhi wanted to cry, but it was clearly not the time to cry; she suppressed her fear and silently told herself.

Stay calm, Lin Manzhi, calm down first.

When she was taken away, Hua Zheng was right beside him; he would surely come find people immediately.

So now she absolutely must not panic; she must first ensure her safety, at least stay steady, for the desert is Mo Lie's territory, and intruders surely couldn't take her away……

She was calming herself, letting the anxiety in her throat ease, when a clear voice came from behind: 'Female, are you in charge of this holy maiden fruit?'

In an instant, Lin Manzhi's heart leapt again; she turned her head slowly toward the voice.

She saw a tall male beast wearing a white robe with gold trim standing on the eagle's back; one hand held a basket lined with holy maiden fruit, the other pinched a red holy maiden fruit, and he looked down at her.

'Also, is the main medicinal plant for the elixir, lettuce, yours as well?'

The male beast's head was wrapped in a headscarf matching the robe, the white gauze pulled low, covering his forehead and eyes; only his pale thin lips and the clear line of his jaw were visible, the lines sharp.

Lin Manzhi's expression was terrified.

The male beast opposite was indeed a kidnapper, and he had come for the lettuce and holy maiden fruit; by chance his random guess was right, and he had truly caught her!

Really unlucky!

If he found out she herself was the one who produced the lettuce and holy maiden fruit……

'Speak.'

Cangqiong spoke again, lifting his eyes to look at the female he had seen yesterday: 'Or is your throat broken?'

Lin Manzhi startled, her mind going blank under the stare of those sun-like sharp eyes, and she instinctively denied: 'No.'

After speaking, she also got a clear look at the golden-eyed male beast's appearance—handsome, but what he was doing was truly inhuman!

Cangqiong looked at Lin Manzhi before him.

Lying.

He held the basket of holy maiden fruit, leaned forward, reached out and grabbed Lin Manzhi's arm, pulling her from a step away to right in front of him, the distance closing, a whiff of female pheromone.

Lin Manzhi hadn't brought the face-covering scarf to the planting base; her black hair hung loose behind her, her skin extremely white, her clear bright eyes like they were veiled in water mist, the corners red.

Facing a weak female, using force to interrogate obviously wasn't according to the male beast's code; Cangqiong thought himself not so lacking in decorum.

He lowered his head to size up Lin Manzhi, sighing: 'In such a barren place, to actually grow a beauty like you…'

Lin Manzhi's features were delicate, her black eyes slightly round, her skin smooth and tender, not like someone living in an arid desert, but a female carefully nurtured in a luxurious palace.

Moreover, she was currently exuding obvious pheromones, her body clean, with no male beast scent clinging to her; this kind of male beast one could tell at a sniff had never existed before, simply exuding deep allure.

Cangqiong's gaze swept up and down, finally resting on Lin Manzhi's eyes.

!!

As she locked eyes with the golden-eyed male beast, a chill rose from Lin Manzhi's feet, and she felt his gaze was very dangerous.

From his words, it seemed he had come for the lettuce and holy maiden fruit; she understood his purpose, and at this moment she felt afraid but could still steady herself.

Anyway, she would rather die than admit it; if pushed too far… well, worst case, she'd just return to her space!

Although returning to her space would put her back exactly where she entered, emerging might mean facing death from a mid‑air fall, but she still had some choice.

Having a last resort, Lin Manzhi was no longer afraid; she vigorously shook her arm, trying to break free from his grip, a flash of anger crossing her black eyes.

'Let go, with your abilities you're not a beastfolk of Kuangsha City—turns out the male beasts outside are this savage, so brazenly taking advantage of females?'

Cangqiong furrowed his brows at the words: 'You think I want you?'

'Then what?' Lin Manzhi lifted the arm still held, his hand clamping like a crab's pincer, tightly locking her forearm, making her feel fear.

She couldn't help but say: 'The obvious evidence is right in front of you—if you don't want me to misunderstand, why not let go of my hand!'

Cangqiong's forehead veins twitched.

Many females wanted to climb into his bed, yet he never expected one day a female would frankly say to his face that she wanted him.

The key was that she still looked unwilling??

Having never experienced this, Cangqiong almost laughed in anger, losing his usual elegance.

Cangqiong: '…This is just to keep you from falling; at this height you'd splat into meat if you fell, and since you're so ungrateful, do as you please.'

After speaking, he released the hand that had been gripping the female's arm, tore off the cloth covering his head, his black hair fluttered in the wind, and under the sun his golden eyes shone like radiant yellow diamonds, his sculpted features handsome as a deity from Western mythology.

Unfortunately, this handsome face that bewilders countless females, Lin Manzhi simply does not want to see, she pulls back her own hand, lowers her head and rubs her arm.

Seeing the female before him being so tactless, Cangqiong frowned again:

"Shall I ask again? Who is responsible for the Holy Maiden Fruit and Lettuce?"