NOVEL NEXT Chapter 169.1: Despair
After the two Snake-People guards moved away, Qing Lin led the cloaked woman to continue their journey.
One couldn’t deny that the corridors in this palace were truly extensive. Even running for a short distance, the cloaked woman could estimate that this palace was probably larger than her own home.
No wonder it was called a sacred place by the Snake-People. Despite the scarcity of resources among the Snake-People, they could construct such a luxurious palace.
However, looking at the small cracks on the walls of the corridors, the cloaked woman could guess that this palace must have a long history and hadn’t been renovated for many years.
If the Snake-People ever left the Tager Desert in the future, this palace could probably be considered a cultural heritage.
As the cloaked woman thought about this and that, following Qing Lin through the corridors involved making several turns.
Just when the cloaked woman felt she was about to get dizzy from all the turns, Qing Lin, who had just turned the last corner, pointed excitedly ahead.
“It’s there! I can smell it. Captain Xiao Li is in that room at the end!”
Finally, they had arrived!
A surge of excitement welled up in the cloaked woman’s heart.
As long as she found Xiao Li, she could tell her everything she knew, and he would surely be able to resolve this situation!
Excitedly, Qing Lin and the cloaked woman rushed toward the room, their destination now within reach!
However, reality often has a way of dashing people’s hopes at the most promising moments.
Just as they passed another intersection, Qing Lin, in her excitement, failed to notice the impending danger. By the time she realized it, it was too late.
Qing Lin immediately collided with a figure emerging from the side corridor, and the cloaked woman, following closely behind, tightened her grip on her spear, staring in horror at the two Snake-People before them.
It was Yan Ci, the Tribe Leader of the Yan Snake Tribe, whom they had encountered before!
And accompanying him was Hei Du, the Tribe Leader of the Hei Snake Tribe, whom the cloaked woman had seen in intelligence reports before coming to the Tager Desert!
The cloaked woman’s first instinct was to reach out and pull Qing Lin, who had collided with Yan Ci, behind her. She stood tense, and with a flash beneath her cloak, a long spear was tightly held in her hand.
This was bad.
This was bad, this was bad, this was bad!!!
Should they encounter regular guards, the cloaked woman could manage, but fate had a twisted sense of humor, making her face two tribe leaders!
Hope was right in front of her eyes!!!
What to do?
What should she do?!
Based on Yan Ci sparing them before, there might be a chance of survival if only he was present. Unfortunately, Hei Du was there too, and Yan Ci couldn’t possibly spare them in the presence of Hei Du!
In the turmoil of her thoughts, Yan Ci silently observed the cloaked woman and the trembling Qing Lin behind her.
He watched quietly, making no remarks and no movements.
The next moment, a miracle occurred!
“Hei Du, let’s go,” Yan Ci gestured to Hei Du, continuing forward. “Tribe Leader Yin has been calling for a meeting for a while. If we’re any later, he’ll nag at us again.”
After Yan Ci’s words, Hei Du remained silent for a while before following him, and they both left.
“Yeah, you’re right. He lectures people endlessly. I think he should be an elder instead of a tribe leader.”
Yan Ci and Hei Du left, chatting casually as they disappeared from the sight of the still-stunned cloaked woman and Qing Lin. It wasn’t until Yan Ci and Hei Du had left for quite some time that the two finally relaxed, feeling their bodies turn weak, with cold sweat soaked into their clothes.
In the chaos of her mind, the cloaked woman was left with a profound question.
Why did they spare her and Qing Lin?
If it was only Yan Ci, the cloaked woman could understand, considering Yan Ci spared them before, and she had the token that allowed her proximity to the Snake-People’s sacred place. But the presence of Hei Du made it incomprehensible.
Even if Yan Ci didn’t take action, the cloaked woman doubted they could escape from Hei Du, a Dou Wang (Battle King, 6th Level)!
However, unexpectedly, Hei Du shared the same stance as Yan Ci. He acted as if they hadn’t seen them, leaving with Yan Ci.
Regardless of the questions in her mind, the two had undeniably escaped danger.
Although the cloaked woman was filled with doubts, now wasn’t the time to dwell on them.
“Qing Lin, let’s go.”
The cloaked woman turned her head and called out, only to find Qing Lin collapsed on the ground, her petite body trembling uncontrollably. Fear still lingered on her face.
Upon hearing the cloaked woman’s voice, Qing Lin tilted her head slightly, her voice trembling as she spoke, “I-I’m sorry— Qing Lin can’t move…”
Clearly, Qing Lin had not fully recovered from the sudden incident moments ago.
Qing Lin was just a twelve-year-old girl, and it was commendable that she had been brave enough to bring the cloaked woman to this point, relying solely on her belief.
In the face of the intense hope of meeting Xiao Ling, the sudden encounter with Yan Ci and Hei Du was like falling from heaven to hell, greatly frightening the child.
Truly… this child had been through a lot…
The cloaked woman, looking at Qing Lin, couldn’t help but feel a pang of pity in her eyes.
Putting away her long spear, the cloaked woman crouched down, gently embracing Qing Lin’s tiny body. She spoke softly, “Don’t apologize; you’ve been very brave.”
The cloaked woman’s words brought a glimmer of light to Qing Lin’s emerald eyes.
However, the cloaked woman didn’t dwell on it. The immediate priority was to meet Xiao Li!
Carrying Qing Lin across the intersection, the cloaked woman rushed towards the room at the end of the corridor.
Ahead was the last intersection, and crossing it would lead them to their destination!
However, in the next moment, the cloaked woman experienced firsthand what it meant for misfortunes to come in pairs.
Similar to the entrance of Yan Ci and Hei Du earlier, just as the cloaked woman was about to cross the intersection while holding Qing Lin, a Snake-People emerged from around the corner.
Seeing this Snake-People, the cloaked woman’s inner elation, which had just risen, uncontrollably plummeted to the bottom of despair. Qing Lin, who had yet to recover from her earlier shock, now trembled even more violently.
The Snake-People in front of them have a special identity.
It was the leader of the Mo Snake Tribe, the Snake-People who loathed and hated humans the most.
Mo Ba Si!!!
Seeing Mo Ba Si in front of her, the cloaked woman truly felt hopeless.
If Yan Ci spared them, the cloaked woman could accept it. Hei Du sparing them was surprising. But Mo Ba Si in front of them would never spare them!!!
This was Mo Ba Si!!!
With a sensory perception for humans so bad that it couldn’t be worse, Mo Ba Si would ruthlessly exterminate any humans he encountered, regardless of their actions!
How could such a Snake-People spare intruders who trespassed into the sacred land of the Snake-People?!
Miracles don’t happen twice!!!
Mo Ba Si tilted his head slightly, and the dark golden snake pupils stared fixedly at the cloaked woman and the trembling Qing Lin in her arms. His already pitch-black face became even more ferocious.
Opening his mouth, revealing rows of sharp teeth, a deep voice slowly emerged.
“You are… the two humans who escaped yesterday…”