Chapter 88: Good Person? Not

After Shan Yan led everyone to knock open the door, the group saw a figure standing in the doorway.

Mo Lie was tall and slender, his black cloak and icy blue eyes gazing forward, unintentionally exuding a powerful aura as cold as frost, causing the male beastfolk who had come to find him to freeze in place.

Although they have now evolved into Beastfolk and eat meat, the ancient bloodline still bears the animal instinct from their herbivorous era; who wouldn't be terrified to the point of trembling when facing a natural predator!

At that moment, Lin Manzhi looked out from the house and saw seven or eight familiar muscular men standing motionlessly outside her courtyard gate.

It's scorching hot.

Lin Manzhi called toward the courtyard entrance, "If you have business, come in and say it."

Those words seemed to break the freeze on the crowd at the gate; Mo Lie withdrew his gaze, turned toward the house, and said calmly, "Come in."

Shan Yan rubbed his nose, lowered his head, and jogged toward the opening Lin Manzhi, but dared not enter the house because Mo Lie stood at the doorway; Shan Yan could only remain under the eaves.

The other male beastfolk, seeing Shan Yan head straight into Mo Lie's territory, followed a few of them to the eaves.

They saw the water gourds by the window, taller than a person, each sack brimming with water, and couldn't help but look enviously.

Wow, why didn't they think of planting water gourds in their own courtyard ahead of time in the desert? How much water could they store here!

Their eyes lit up as they stared at the water gourds by the window; with a Water Cellar this year, they still felt excited about plants that can store water, even though they grow in the desert.

Mo Lie looked at the group of male beastfolk under the eaves, his tone slightly cold: "You came over, what's the matter?"

The others gradually came to their senses; one of them nudged the person beside him.

After a moment of silence, Shan Yan forced himself to speak, respectfully saying, "Lord Mo Lie… This time we came regarding the tribe's hunting matters."

Mo Lie gave a faint nod.

Shan Yan breathed a sigh of relief, glanced at Lin Manzhi inside the house, and said, "After the rainy season, prey in the desert has become scarcer. The clan chief just took the tribe to Ansen City to trade for food."

Lin Manzhi seemed thoughtful.

Now Beast Coins can no longer buy meat within the tribe, and no one is willing to sell food; even the Meat Jerky at the Yang Suo Shop is five times pricier than what she saw in Kuangsha City, and the supply is scarce.

Yang Mai took over, smiled ingratiatingly, and continued, "During the day the desert has almost no prey, but at night the animals become active. The tribe, as in previous years, goes out to hunt at night, yet the hunting squad refuses to let us join. Nighttime in the desert is dangerous; we Beastfolk simply can't form a party to hunt, so we wish to ask you to lead the group…"

Mo Lie lowered his eyes, listening to their purpose.

They want him to take this burden of theirs out at night to hunt?

Troublesome.

He has been subsisting on Meat Jerky lately; indeed he plans to go hunting at night after Lin Manzhi falls asleep, to give the Little Female a change of meat for her palate.

But taking these people along is of no use to him.

Mo Lie's blue eyes were slightly cold, his expression inscrutable, his voice still calm and indifferent: "Take you along on the hunt?"

Shan Yan, hearing Mo Lie's question, flashed a pleased expression: "Exactly! We want to make this deal with you during the dry season. Of course, the food we hunt will be split half for you, and the remainder divided among us."

Shan Yan wore a smile, believing he had offered a bait the other could never refuse.

That day, Mo Lie stepped forward before the clan chief, agreeing to let them trade skins for food; was he not seeking the tribe's support, aiming to gain influence within the clan?

Otherwise, why would he be so foolish as to exchange Meat Jerky for everyone?

Isn't it to win the hearts of the tribe's members!

Shan Yan thought so.

Most importantly, they had completely offended the clan chief; Shan Yan and his companions had been discussing throughout the rainy season that if Luo Ji remained chief, he would continuously target and suppress them.

They kept thinking… why not find a patron for themselves!

Shan Yan looked around his own circle; none had the ability to defeat the chief, but Mo Lie, who helped them, could.

Thus, when the dry season arrived, they, hoping for a better future, clung to the idea of seeking refuge under Mo Lie, aiming to become his followers; when Luo Ji later suppressed them, they didn't doubt Mo Lie would stand up for his subordinates.

Shan Yan, feeling confident, straightened his back considerably when facing Mo Lie: "You need assistance here, don't you? From now on we will obey your orders, stand by you in tribal matters, including whatever role you wish to become within the tribe…"

Those words made Lin Manzhi feel uneasy. Why did it seem like they were trying to cling onto her?

The others thought the same, but before anyone could voice it, Mo Lie interrupted:

"You must have misunderstood."

Mo Lie, standing at the doorway, lifted his gaze, slowly scanning the crowd; countless murderous intent poured from his blue eyes as he said, "It is you who now need to ask me to lead the party."

"You weak and soft Beastfolk have no right to trade with me."

Mo Lie turned to face the Beastfolk, his lashes slightly lowered, looking down from above at Shan Yan, saying in a matter-of-fact tone, "Stand behind me? You are still unworthy; now you beg me to take you, to lead you on the hunt."

"I disagree."

"Whether you will obey me in the tribe in the future depends on my might, not your will. Understand?" Mo Lie's voice was cold and thin, evoking a fear that rose from deep within.

Shan Yan and his party felt a chill down their spines, a layer of gooseflesh covering them, like the deathly sensation of collapsing in the desert, parched, while a fierce beast stalks you.

Mo Lie stared quietly at Shan Yan.

Shan Yan's smile cracked, his pupils shrinking to pinpricks under the stare, nearly undergoing Beast Transformation on the spot into a goat.

Ahhh?!

I misread them! They are nothing like the easygoing ones when trading skins—what's going on!!!

He opened his mouth, and under Mo Lie's oppressive gaze, his voice trembled with fear: "Under…understand."

Hearing that, Mo Lie lifted his hand and leisurely lifted the black veil covering his head, his voice deep and indifferent: "This time I will spare your insolence; there will be no next time. Get out."

As soon as his words ended, seven or eight male beastfolk's legs went weak and they fled the courtyard, turning back to close the stone gate for the courtyard's owner, cutting off the terrifying beast, and only then did everyone feel like they had escaped death.

Shan Yan left with trembling limbs; they had been to Ansen City and seen many strong ones, but none as unfathomably formidable as Mo Lie.