55: Chapter 55 Helping in Secret

She thought she saw him get injured just now.

She took his hand and looked at the fresh wounds on it; they were all cuts from the thorns on the chestnut husks, some still oozing beads of blood.

Sang Qing's face instantly turned cold. Seeing this, Sa Yu hurriedly pulled his hand back, his eyes timid. "Wh... what's wrong?"

"So you were the one being a 'good beast' without leaving a name just now." Sang Qing sighed and grabbed his hand again. She pretended to rummage through her small leather bag and took out a tube of ointment.

"Don't you know that cici fruits prick beasts? You still used your hands to pick them."

Are you stupid?

Besides, why help her pick chestnuts for no reason? A simple greeting would have sufficed.

Sang Qing shook her head helplessly as she spoke, applying the ointment to his hand.

"It... it doesn't hurt." He was thick-skinned and couldn't feel the pain at all.

If she hadn't discovered his presence, he could have picked all the cici fruits in this forest for her.

Sa Yu hung his head, his voice light and gentle, his gaze falling directly on her face.

The female's hand was so soft, and she looked so beautiful when she lowered her head.

Sa Yu let out a silly laugh. Suddenly, a coolness spread across his hand, and he discovered to his amazement that his wounds were healing faster.

"Don't waste your medicine."

Sa Yu grew anxious and tugged hard at his hand. Instead of pulling it back, he ended up pulling Sang Qing, who was applying the medicine, into his embrace.

Colliding with the male's excessively firm chest, Sang Qing heard a dull thud from her own head.

Oh, mother of mine, what kind of beast has such firm muscles? This is too much.

Rubbing her head, Sang Qing grimaced.

"Did... did I hurt you when I bumped into you?" Sa Yu was at a loss, blankly holding her hand as he asked humbly.

He didn't dare touch her; she felt soft all over. What if he accidentally injured her?

Sang Qing looked up and saw the mottled scars on his face; they looked like burn marks from fire.

One side of his face was covered in scars, with no healthy skin except for his eye, while the other side was smooth and flawless, handsome with sharp features—truly a devil on one side and an angel on the other.

Sang Qing dazed for a moment and slowly reached out to touch his cheek. When her fingertips brushed his scars, Sa Yu snapped back to his senses, quickly grabbed her hand, and buried his head even lower in embarrassment.

"Don't... don't look!" It's ugly.

He didn't even dare look at the scars on his own face.

Sang Qing stepped back apologetically and withdrew her hand, saying seriously, "Um, I didn't mean it. But don't lose heart; maybe there's a way to remove the scars on your face."

It was only because they weren't close; otherwise, she would have had the nerve to ask him for shell crystals and then exchange them for a healing potion for him.

Sa Yu shook his head, his eyes fixed on the ground. "It's okay."

Whether they could be removed didn't matter; he wanted to use the scars on his face to remind himself that he was a failure.

This was the consequence of underestimating his enemy.

He raised a hand to touch his face again, a faint smile playing on his lips. "I've gotten used to it. It's already impressive that you aren't afraid of me."

Sang Qing smiled and spoke gently, "As long as you don't hurt me, I won't be afraid."

"Of course I won't hurt you," Sa Yu said, looking up abruptly with a firm tone.

Sang Qing nodded and finished applying the medicine to his other hand. "Don't touch cici fruits with your hands anymore."

Sa Yu pursed his lips, a hint of sweetness in his heart. "I just saw you picking cici fruits and wanted to help."

"By the way, why are you picking cici fruits? If you don't have food, I can help you hunt."

There was no need to pick cici fruits, especially letting a female do it.

Sang Qing smiled and shook her head amusedly. "cici fruits are edible, but they need to be processed. I'll treat you to some next time."

Since he had helped her pick so many chestnuts, she could bring him some once they were roasted.

"Where in the forest do you live? I'll bring some to you when I have time."

Anyway, she was frequently going back and forth in the forest now, so she could go anywhere.

"I... I live very far away. You..."

He didn't want Sang Qing to bring them to him because the forest was too dangerous, but he also wanted to see her often.

Sa Yu hesitated, not knowing how to put it.

Forget it, better not let her come to the forest.

"I don't like eating fruits, so you don't need to bring me any."

Well then, Sang Qing didn't push him. "Alright."

She gave him the rest of the ointment and told him to apply it himself.

"Make sure to say hello the next time you see me."

Sang Qing was still thinking about her chestnuts and didn't have time to say much more. After giving him those instructions, she prepared to leave.

"Mm-hmm!" He thought he would.

Gripping the ointment Sang Qing gave him, Sa Yu stood there for a long time after watching her leave.

Sang Qing returned to the chestnut grove, and just as she sat down to continue processing the chestnuts, Meng Lai's large head leaned in.

"Qing Qing, who was that beast just now?"

He saw? Sang Qing looked up at him and replied with a smile, "A new friend I just made!"

He didn't believe her. Meng Lai patted her head and warned her seriously, "There are many Rogue Beastman in the forest. You must be careful and not trust them."

Only bad beasts get expelled from a Tribe.

Sang Qing thought for a moment and readily agreed, "Okay!"

As the sun rose, Sang Qing, with Sophia on her back, put all the chestnuts she had picked into her storage space and then signaled to Meng Lai.

Just a few more bags and they could head back.

The roar of a wild beast came from not far away. Meng Lai's eyes lit up, and he dropped the pole in his hand and ran out. "Qing Qing, Father, wait for me to go catch a few wild beasts."

The tomatoes in the vegetable garden were ripe again. He wanted to eat the tomato braised meat Qing Qing made; it was so good that just thinking about it made him drool.

Meng Qi looked unconcerned and let him do as he pleased. "Be careful."

Sang Qing also didn't care and calmly talked to Sophia about how to process the chestnuts once they got back.

However, not long after Meng Lai ran off, Sang Qing heard him shouting at the top of his lungs. At first, she thought she had misheard.

"Awoo, awoo! Help! Father, Qing Qing!"

Meng Qi, up in the tree, his eyes sharpened. Looking in the direction of the sound, he saw a mud-covered Meng Lai being chased by a pack of frenzied, red-eyed Heng Heng Beasts, with a cloud of dust billowing behind them.

Hiss, Meng Qi's heart immediately leaped into his throat.

"Meng Lai!"

Sang Qing also noticed the abnormality on Meng Lai's side. Startled, she quickly pulled Sophia over and tossed her up into a tree.

Sophia's face turned pale, and her hands trembled as she held onto the tree trunk, her mouth agape in shock.

So... so many Heng Heng Beasts.

"Brother, climb a tree! Quick, get up a tree!"

Did he stir up a pig's nest? There are so many Heng Heng Beasts.

Meng Lai finally came to his senses, having forgotten his tree-climbing skills. He spotted a reasonably sturdy tree and immediately scrambled up.

Bang! Seeing this, the Heng Heng Beasts below immediately used their sharp tusks to ram the tree Meng Lai was in, their movements incredibly frenzied and violent.

Up in the tree, Meng Lai gripped the trunk tightly, his body swaying, his expression grim. Behind him, more and more Heng Heng Beasts gathered, at least a hundred of them.

Meng Qi roared, both worried and angry, "You little brat, what did you do?"

How did he provoke so many Heng Heng Beasts? This could be fatal.

Meng Lai wanted to cry but had no tears. Feeling the tree he was in shaking violently, he looked down to see three or four Heng Heng Beasts actually working together to attack it.

"I didn't do anything, Father! I just... I just accidentally stumbled into their mating grounds and killed a female Heng Heng Beast."

Meng Lai's face turned beet red; he wished he could find a hole to crawl into.

He really didn't know they were mating; he just thought he'd grab a couple of Heng Heng Beasts and leave.

Who knew that the female beast's scream would cause all the other Heng Heng Beasts hiding in the bushes to come rushing out?

He was immediately surrounded and attacked by the whole group.

Sang Qing didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Seeing more and more Heng Heng Beasts gathering, she quickly took out steel needles dipped in anesthetic and shouted at Meng Lai, "Brother, switch trees! That one is about to break!"

The attack power of the Heng Heng Beasts was certainly no joke; Sang Qing thought she heard the crisp sound of a branch snapping.

She didn't stay idle either, throwing the steel needles in her hand at the several Heng Heng Beasts attacking the tree.

Meng Lai was incredibly nervous. He also heard the sound of the trunk snapping, but chestnut trees were too fragile. No matter which one he switched to, these Heng Heng Beasts would soon ram it down.

But there was no other way; saving his life was the priority now, and Qing Qing was already coming to his rescue.

Meng Lai chose a nearby tree, leaped, and successfully landed on a branch.

But the growing number of Heng Heng Beasts did not calm down. They were not only attacking Meng Lai but had also caught the scent of Meng Qi and the others, beginning to attack them separately.

The heavy sound of ramming trees echoed. Meng Qi's expression was grim, but he wasn't worried about himself; he turned to look at Sang Qing on the other side.

"Qing Qing, be careful."

"I know, Father." The noses of Heng Heng Beasts were very sensitive; they definitely wouldn't be able to escape.

"Sophia, hold on tight." Sang Qing glanced at the Heng Heng Beasts ramming the tree below, shot a steel needle at them, and then instructed Sophia, who was in the same tree.

Sophia nodded, hugging the tree trunk tightly, her legs trembling, but the ramming force below suddenly vanished.

She looked down and saw that the two Heng Heng Beasts ramming the tree had fainted.

Meng Lai leaped from one tree to another, and then another, nearly exhausting his strength. Panting with his tongue out, he called out to Sang Qing for help, "I can't do this anymore, Qing Qing! Give me a weapon, I'll fight them to the death!"

What more did these brainless Heng Heng Beasts want from him?

How many trees in this chestnut grove had they already knocked down? beast god, these guys really have quite a temper.

A small hill of fainted Heng Heng Beasts had already piled up under the tree where Sang Qing was. She massaged her forehead, thought for a moment, reached out to cover Sophia's eyes, and pulled a boning knife from her storage space to throw to him.

Unfortunately, her aim was off, and the boning knife Sang Qing threw landed on the ground.

Meng Lai bared his teeth. Glancing at the Heng Heng Beasts still frantically ramming the tree, he tentatively jumped down, rolled on the ground, and successfully picked up the boning knife.

Humph!

Ram it, I'll let you ram it!

Meng Lai raised the boning knife, leaped onto the back of a Heng Heng Beast, grabbed its ear, and delivered a vicious stab to the back of its neck.

Thick blood sprayed out. Meng Lai dodged it and jumped onto another Heng Heng Beast, beginning his slaughter.

Blood filled the entire forest, and the Heng Heng Beasts grew even more frenzied upon smelling it.

Sang Qing's steel needles were not idle either. After she knocked the Heng Heng Beasts unconscious, Meng Qi would follow up with a finishing blow. Attacking from both sides lightened the burden on Meng Lai.

These Heng Heng Beasts seemed determined to fight to the end; even though more than half of their companions had fallen, they continued their desperate attack.

Meng Qi's face was grim, and he was covered in blood. He shot a reproachful look at his foolish cub, then with a swift stroke of his knife, ended the life of another Heng Heng Beast.

After an unknown amount of time, the few remaining Heng Heng Beasts scurried away, leaving only the sound of heavy breathing in the forest.

Huff, puff. Meng Lai breathed heavily and slowly slid down against a large tree. His forehead was covered in sweat, and his hands were already numb.

After finishing off the Heng Heng Beasts on the ground, Meng Qi walked over and slapped him on the head. "You little brat, if you ever do something like this again, I'll hang you up and beat you."

He was exhausted, truly exhausted.

Meng Qi also sat down on the ground, panting heavily.

"Ow!" Meng Lai clutched his head and lowered it dejectedly.

I really didn't mean it, Father.

Sophia jumped down from the tree trembling and ran to Sang Qing to support her. "Master, are you okay?"

It was really dangerous just now, but Master is so amazing, daring to take action against the Heng Heng Beasts.

Sang Qing waved her hand, her small face full of fatigue. She didn't feel very well.

So tired!

She had almost run out of steel needles. There were probably several hundred Heng Heng Beasts here.

Sitting against a tree, she wiped her face. Looking at the Heng Heng Beast corpses scattered everywhere, Sang Qing suddenly burst out laughing.

When she laughed, Meng Qi followed suit. Although he didn't know what they were laughing at, Meng Lai started laughing too.

The hearty laughter of the three beasts echoed through the forest. A bewildered Sophia scratched her head in confusion and quickly took out her small handkerchief to wipe Sang Qing's face.

"So many Heng Heng Beasts, Father, what should we do?" Once the laughter stopped, Meng Lai looked at the corpses covering the ground and swallowed hard, unwilling to just leave them.

These Heng Heng Beasts would be enough to feed the Tribesmen for several days.

He wouldn't want to just leave them in the forest to feed wild animals.

Meng Qi regained some strength, glanced at him, and looked up at Sang Qing.

Sang Qing shook her head. These Heng Heng Beasts wouldn't exchange for many points; it would be better to take them back to trade with Chief Mao Shuo for shell crystals.

"Meng Lai, run back to the Tribe quickly and tell the Chief to bring the Tribesmen over."

He understood what his Little Cub was thinking and turned to order his eldest cub.

They had to be quick, though, or other wild beasts would soon follow the scent.

Meng Lai nodded and stood up with the help of a tree. Suddenly, he felt his body become much lighter, and the strength he had just exhausted completely returned to him. He couldn't help but look at himself in confusion.

"Ah!"

Meng Lai let out a startled cry, pointing at the fifth horizontal stripe on his arm, his hand trembling. "Ah, Father, Father!"

"Wh..." what's wrong? Before Meng Qi's words of disdain could leave his mouth, his eyes caught sight of the horizontal stripe on Meng Lai's arm. He suddenly sprang up from the ground, his pupils shrinking.

Sang Qing also walked over upon hearing the sound.