135: Chapter 135 Meow!

Zhou Yun still did not answer immediately.

He just looked into the eyes of the Little White Tiger for a long time.

Then, he slowly crouched down, his knees pressing into the cracked earth, bringing his line of sight level with it.

"Stay."

Only two words.

The Little White Tiger's eyes widened abruptly.

"Give me some time."

Zhou Yun's voice was very soft, yet very steady.

"I will find a way."

The Little White Tiger stared at him, its mouth opening slightly before slowly closing again.

The White Tiger Clan behind it was completely silent, even the low whimpering having ceased.

The moonlight was very bright.

The wind blew across the wasteland, stirring Zhou Yun's robes and the white fur of the Little White Tiger.

It seemed as though something was welling up in the Little White Tiger's eyes.

It blinked hard, but still couldn't hold it back.

A tear rolled down from the corner of its eye, sliding along the black markings on its face before dripping into the cracked earth.

"You... why?"

The voice was shattered by a sudden crosswind.

Zhou Yun did not answer directly.

He just looked at it, and after a moment, said in a low voice:

"Trust me."

Three words, spoken very slowly.

"I will help you."

The Little White Tiger's pupils trembled slightly.

It looked into Zhou Yun's eyes for a long time.

In those eyes, there was no pity, nor was there charity, only something very real.

It was as if he had thought about it over and over again in his heart countless times; although he didn't have an answer yet, he had already determined that he would definitely find the answer.

The Little White Tiger did not speak.

It just slowly lowered its head, staring at the ground, its shoulders trembling slightly.

Zhou Yun stood up and brushed the dirt off his knees.

He did not urge it.

He just stood there waiting, letting the moonlight fall upon him, letting the wind blow his robes, causing them to sway gently.

It was unknown how much time had passed.

The Little White Tiger spoke in a muffled voice:

"If... you can't help?"

"Then I will keep thinking, keep helping." Zhou Yun looked at it, his voice even gentler, yet tinged with a slight choke.

"Until I can help."

The Little White Tiger suddenly raised its head, discovering that Zhou Yun's eyes had turned red at some point.

It wasn't crying.

It was that kind of redness that leaks out after forcing everything down, suppressing it for too long, until it finally cracks open just a little bit.

"Come with me."

His voice began to tremble.

It was not the gentle, calm "Let's go, let's go home" from last time.

This time, he no longer had the strength to pretend to be indifferent.

"Will you?"

The last two words were almost squeezed out from his throat.

The Little White Tiger looked at him blankly.

It did not know what this person had experienced.

But it smelled it.

A scorched, intense smell, like the scent of ashes left behind after something has been completely burned through by a great fire.

On him, there was the smell of having been burned by fire.

When they last met, he was not like this.

Last time, he smiled and said, "Wouldn't it be better to stay?" with confidence in his tone.

This time, it was gone.

This time, he was begging it.

A City Lord, who had chased them three times.

The first time, he called them friends.

The second time, he crouched down and asked them gently, wouldn't it be better to stay.

The third time, he was covered in the smell of scorched ash, his eyes bloodshot, his voice trembling as he said to it:

"Will you?"

"...Okay."

The Little White Tiger's voice was very soft.

So soft that it seemed it would dissipate at the slightest breeze.

But Zhou Yun heard it.

He froze for a moment, then the next instant, he stepped forward quickly, crouched down, and wrapped his arms around the Little White Tiger's neck.

"Meow—!"

The Little White Tiger's fur stood on end instantly, and a short, shrill cry escaped its throat.

It was not a tiger's roar, nor a low whimper.

It was a "meow."

A white tiger, had meowed.

Its entire body tensed instinctively, its limbs stiffened, and the fur on its back stood up one by one. A murderous bloodline flowed within the White Tiger Clan; they were not a species naturally meant to be embraced.

But that tension only lasted for a very brief moment.

Because it felt it.

The hands wrapped around its neck were trembling.

Not the trembling from exerting too much force, but an uncontrollable tremor.

This person had pressed almost his entire weight onto it, his shoulders heaving, and a muffled sound came from his chest, as if something inside was cracking bit by bit.

This human was about to break.

The fur on the Little White Tiger's back slowly flattened down.

It retracted its stiff limbs and slowly raised its right front paw.

That limping paw, with its soft pads, rested gently on Zhou Yun's back.

The claws were retracted, not unsheathed.

The soft pads pressed against his back like a clumsy and awkward embrace.

The moonlight shone upon the human and the tiger.

The White Tiger Clan behind them was silent.

Not a single white tiger made a sound.

They just watched quietly, watching the youngest one of their clan use a limping paw to catch a person who was about to shatter.

After a long time.

Zhou Yun let go.

He did not look up; he just kept his head lowered, wiped his face messily with his sleeve, and then slowly stood up, brushing the dirt off his knees.

When he raised his head again, his eyes were still red.

But that smile had returned.

Crooked and not particularly good-looking.

But it had returned.

"Let's go."

His voice was still a bit hoarse.

"Home."

The Little White Tiger stood up and turned to face the clan.

It did not roar.

It just took a step back.

Then, one by one, the white tigers behind it silently turned and followed.

No roar was needed.

No confirmation was needed either.

They had all seen it.

That was enough.

The moonlight spread across the wasteland.

A man and his mount walked in front, with a group of white tigers following silently behind, their shadows stretched long, very long.

...

The next day, early morning.

The sunlight was very nice.

The Council Hall was crowded with quite a few people.

Lei Lie stood leaning against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest.

Wan'er sat on the left, a booklet spread across her lap, a brush resting between her fingers.

Iron Mountain stood beside a pillar, not even having had time to untie his craftsman's apron.

Minister Wang Fugui sat on the right with his legs crossed, holding a handful of roasted rice, tossing one into his mouth from time to time.

Strategist Zhu Ge's wheelchair was parked in the front row on the right, his fan swaying slowly.

Zhou Yun stood in the very center.

Standing beside him was a white tiger.

The Little White Tiger's tail was tucked tightly against its hind legs, its ears perking up and then pressing down, its eyes not knowing where to look.

Being stared at by so many humans at once, its fur was slightly standing on end, and its limping right front paw unconsciously shifted half a step toward Zhou Yun.

Zhou Yun looked down at it, the corners of his mouth curving slightly, but he said nothing.

Then he raised his head and looked at everyone present.

"I have called everyone here today because there is an important decision to announce."

As soon as the words fell.

"I support it!"

Minister Wang Fugui raised both hands high, his voice loud and clear.