Chapter 209: Do You Like It?

Hu Jiao stared in surprise at the interaction of the two figures above, shut his eyes tightly, then opened them again.

Beast God, I must have been seeing things.

At that moment, footsteps sounded at the doorway again, four male beasts walked over, and a voice mixed with joy and fear rang out:

"Greetings, Lord!"

With that low call, in an instant four figures appeared beside Hu Jiao, and the quiet main hall became lively.

Lin Manzhi heard the voice, lifted her gaze and looked down.

She saw the four—Hu Biao, Fu Lin, Tuo Zong, and Jia Jian—who once ruled the lands of Kuangsha City, standing stiffly in the hall, cautiously looking upward, seeming both respectful and fearful of Mo Lie.

Their faces were terrified; since being defeated by Mo Lie, they clearly recognized the gulf between themselves and him. After being imprisoned for months, they never thought of escaping, but instinctively felt reverence for the strong and wanted to follow such a strong one.

However, when he became the lord of Kuangsha City and even the former Xicheng Qu brothers Xiang Sa and Xiang Zhuang were given important positions, they seemed forgotten, crouching in the iron house, utterly disheartened.

Receiving the lord's summons this time, the four could not be said to be unexcited; they felt the opportunity right before them.

The four, fearful inside, their expressions barely hiding excitement, stood in the hall, their gazes fixed on the lord above, then anxiously yet quietly waited for him to speak.

Mo Lie leisurely retracted his hand, lowered his eyes to sweep over the five in the hall, and said calmly, "Have you all thought clearly about pledging loyalty to me?"

"I swear to serve the lord to death," Jia Jian, quick‑witted, was the first to speak. Now Kuangsha City belongs to the lord; serving him might be better than his previous life.

Hu Jiao, having missed the first chance, quickly responded, "Everything is at the lord's command."

The other three had long been sincerely devoted to the strong, and answered in unison:

"I, Hu Biao, will follow you, my lord."

"It is an honor for me, Fu Lin, to follow the lord."

"Tuo Zong will henceforth obey only your orders, my lord."

Mo Lie's gaze remained calm and untroubled.

Now Kuangsha City truly needs people; keeping those few locked up would be wasteful.

Without expression, he said coldly, "Hu Biao, Tuo Zong, Fu Lin, I permit the three of you to join the legion now, earning positions in the army through your own strength."

The three, hearing their names, felt simultaneous joy, immediately bowed and responded, and after receiving the order, followed the guards out.

Jia Jian watched the three former Beastfolk rivals find a good placement, feeling deep envy.

Joining the legion sounds great; I've heard the treatment is superb, and as long as one has ability one can climb, and Fu Lin's Beast Form is powerful, their rank certainly won't be low.

And the lord is the first to occupy Kuangsha City! What does that indicate? It shows he originally had few capable people under him; pledging to such a lord is dangerous, but the power gained will be proportional!

If only my martial strength were a bit stronger, how wonderful…

Jia Jian lowered his head, sighed regretfully, then quietly heard the lord's arrangement for him.

Mo Lie: "Jia Jian, go to Yuequan Lou and for now work behind Su Zhen."

Ah?? Working behind a female's?

Jia Jian reflexively refused; Su Zhen had only been a shop assistant under him before, how could she be placed above him…

The next second, he felt a terrifying stare in the hall, swallowed his dissent, fell to his knees with a thud, and stammered, "Jia Jian, obeying your command, I will obediently work behind Lady Su Zhen."

Mo Lie withdrew his gaze, "Go down."

Jia Jian hurriedly fled, exiting the hall; the long‑missed blue sky didn't make him linger, and another guard escorted him out.

After the hall emptied a bit more, Hu Jiao remained standing upright; having followed Mo Lie since childhood, he was accustomed to standing quietly beside when the lord spoke.

Mo Lie had a guard take out a small black stone leopard carving and gave it to Hu Jiao.

Hu Jiao cupped it with both hands, and under the sunlight, stared at the cold stone leopard talisman in his hands, breathing uncertainly, and asked, "What is this…?"

Mo Lie casually glanced at Hu Jiao and said, "Kuangsha City has newly recruited a batch of warriors and is forming the Eleventh Legion. Hu Jiao, this force of twenty thousand warriors is entrusted to you; train an elite fighting force for me as soon as possible."

Hu Jiao's breathing quickened, his eyes a bit sore, "Subordinate… finally can serve the master again."

He knelt on one knee, hammered his right fist onto his heart, and with a trembling yet firm voice swore, "This life will forever be the master's blade."

His heart hadn't been this emotionally stirred in a long time; the familiar, reassuring master had entrusted him with a task, finally! He could continue following Mo Lie.

Hu Jiao, moved, clenched the Eleventh Legion seal of Kuangsha City in his hand and hurried away.

Clearly, his excitement drove him to head straight to train the Beastfolk legion.

Lin Manzhi finished handling the pressing matters.

She stood, stretched lazily, walked to Mo Lie's side, deftly grasped his hand to pull him up—her strength small, her voice melodious with a hint of nasality, "Come with me to the Planting Base."

Mo Lie lifted his gaze at Lin Manzhi, his icy blue eyes swirling with amusement.

He stood, his slender white palm now slightly warmer than Lin Manzhi's, wrapped around her hand, and gave a slight nod, "Alright."

As they descended, he suddenly took a small box from his pocket and, without thinking, handed it behind him, "Here, for you."

Lin Manzhi took it bewildered.

Is it a gift?

She couldn't help but feel that way in her heart.

In the past, when Mo Lie gave her things, they were whole rooms of gold, luxurious fabrics, expensive spices, and boxes of treasures—so many that she couldn't even take them all in, and she never felt the special joy of receiving a gift from Mo Lie.

Now Lin Manzhi opened the lid, finding ten large pink pearls inside, emitting a soft bright glow, with a perfectly round luster.

Seeing these plump pink pearls, Lin Manzhi's eyes widened.

She slipped the small box into her waist pouch, reached in, took out a pearl, held it before her eyes; the pigeon‑egg‑sized pink pearl was flawless, sparkling like a captured sliver of moonlight, and as it turned it radiated an aurora‑like iridescence.

The Little Female stared at the pearl unblinking; Mo Lie didn't look back but slowed his steps, a curve forming at his mouth, "Do you like it?"

Lin Manzhi's gaze left the pearl, lifted to Mo Lie ahead, eyes sparkling, and nodded, "I like it, why did you think to give me this?"