NOVEL NEXT Chapter 33 - All Troubled Girls.
Chapter 033: All Troubled Girls.
The two humans and two beasts descended the hill under the thieves’ noses, concealing themselves as they left the crescent-shaped valley.
Afterward, they followed the red ghost spider to the hiding spot where the items were stashed.
“You really moved quite a lot of stuff,” Liyue exclaimed, clicking her tongue at the sight of over twenty white cocoons.
“Still, there wasn’t enough time,” Mu Liang said with regret, shaking his head.
The room had enough dried meat to feed a thousand people for a month, but he had only managed to take about two thousand pounds of it.
“…” Liyue rolled her eyes cutely, unsure how to respond.
“Would you help me carry some of this?”
Mu Liang turned to the white-haired girl and said softly, “You can stay at my place tonight as payment for your trouble.”
“No need for payment.”
Liyue furrowed her pale brows and replied coolly, “I’ll help you move the items, and in return, you’ll trade the flower to me.”
The white-haired girl dared not stay overnight at the home of someone she had just met, especially since she bore the stigma of the “Void Ghost’s infection.”
“No problem.” Mu Liang nodded and didn’t push the issue.
He added two more layers of white cocoons onto the back of the tricolour lizard, making it look like a moving hill.
The now Level 4 tricolour lizard could easily carry its own weight, which was over a ton. The load now weighed just over a thousand pounds.
The red ghost spider carried over five hundred pounds of items, its back piled with two layers of white cocoons.
“You only need to carry one,” Mu Liang said, fastening a tomato cocoon to the white-haired girl’s back.
Liyue tested the weight and said coldly, “This isn’t heavy. You can give me another.”
The white-haired girl, standing about 1.6 metres tall, could easily carry five to six hundred pounds.
“No need. Everything is perfectly allocated.”
Mu Liang added two more cocoons to his own back, securing another two under each arm.
“Let’s head home.”
The two humans and two beasts began moving forward, their burdens nearly matching their body sizes. Liyue stared in awe before muttering, “What a strange guy.”
She jogged to catch up with the group.
In the pitch-black night, the two beasts led the way.
The two humans walked silently, one in front and one behind.
Mu Liang remained vigilant, focusing on the surroundings to guard against any lurking beasts.
Liyue, unsure how to start a conversation, tried several times to speak but couldn’t find the right words.
Howl, howl, howl…
Occasional distant beast roars added an eerie atmosphere to the night.
It was hard to say how long they walked.
“We’re finally home,” Mu Liang’s words snapped Liyue out of her thoughts.
“Home? Where is it?”
Liyue’s silver-white eyes scanned the area, noticing only rocks and not even a single cave.
“Wait just a moment.” Mu Liang sent a mental command to the rock-armoured turtle.
“Eh?”
Under Liyue’s astonished gaze, a staircase of stone rose from the ground before them.
“Let’s go. My home is up there,” Mu Liang said as he led the way up the stairs.
Liyue blinked her silver eyes in disbelief. “Amazing! How did he do that?”
Hiss, hiss…
The tricolour lizard urged the white-haired girl to move.
“Sorry, I’ll go up right away.”
Liyue apologised politely to the giant lizard before jogging up the stairs.
At the top, she saw Mu Liang waiting for her.
“That’s my house,” Mu Liang said, gesturing to the building behind him.
Without waiting for Liyue to respond, he called out, “Mino, I’m back!”
“…” Liyue paused for a moment.
Bang!
The door burst open, firelight spilling onto the ground.
A figure dashed out of the house and ran towards Mu Liang.
“Mu Liang, are you all right?”
Mino hurried over, her concern evident. “Are you hurt?”
“I’m fine, perfectly fine,” Mu Liang replied warmly.
“That’s good.” Mino breathed a sigh of relief and quickly took the white cocoon tucked under Mu Liang’s arm.
The bunny-eared girl chattered, “When Little Cai delivered things earlier, I was so startled! If it weren’t for the secret knock, I’d have been terrified.”
“Little Cai’s larger size makes it great for moving things,” Mu Liang said with a hearty laugh.
“Um… I’m…”
Liyue, feeling awkward as the two walked back towards the house, hesitantly spoke up.
“Oh… almost forgot.”
Hearing the voice behind him, Mu Liang turned and laughed sheepishly. “Liyue, come in quickly.”
“All right. Sorry for the intrusion.”
Relieved at being invited, Liyue no longer felt awkward about entering.
Inside the house, the white-haired girl was stunned.
The house was neat and clean, with water boiling over a hearth. The hall had two rooms on either side—one with a door and one without.
The cosy arrangement exuded a warm atmosphere.
Seeing how tidy Mu Liang and Mino were compared to her own dirty cloak, Liyue almost wanted to retreat out of self-consciousness.
“Have a seat,” Mu Liang invited the white-haired girl to sit.
“Mm.” Liyue nodded slightly and couldn’t help glancing at the twelve wooden barrels on the table.
“Mino, help Liyue with her load,” Mu Liang said, gently nudging the bunny-eared girl.
“Hey, show some hospitality to our guest.”
“All right,” Mino replied softly, her blue eyes nervously darting to the white-haired girl.
She awkwardly fetched a small knife, shuffling her tiny feet hesitantly.
“???” Mu Liang was surprised by Mino’s timid behaviour and stiff movements.
He hadn’t expected her to be so wary of strangers.
“I’ll do it myself,” Liyue said, glancing at the bunny ears on Mino’s head, a trace of envy flashing in her silver eyes.
Seeing Mino’s fearful expression made her lower her head even more, trying to hide the crimson markings on her face.
As expected, only the peculiar Mu Liang wasn’t repulsed by the “Void Ghost’s infection.”
“Mino, go help Little Cai and Little Red unload the rest,” Mu Liang said, resolving the situation.
“All right.” Mino breathed a sigh of relief.
Her actions were no longer stiff as she headed to the door to assist the two beasts.
Mu Liang drew a military knife and began cutting the spider silk binding Liyue’s load.
“She’s just shy around strangers. Don’t take it to heart,” he explained gently.
“It’s fine,” Liyue replied in a low voice, her head bowed.
Mu Liang noticed her subdued mood.
Mino’s reaction had clearly affected her sensitive feelings.
Seriously, both of them were troubled girls.
Mu Liang decided to shift her focus and said calmly, “Didn’t you want to see the flower with wings?”
Liyue’s head shot up, her urgency evident. “Where’s the flower?”