39: They had to make up their own identities.

"Who are you people?"

The leader pulled his scorpion to a halt and loudly questioned Gaia.

Gaia's gaze fell on Tu Nan.

No... how do I make it up now? You speak up.

Tu Nan lived up to expectations.

"Respected warrior, to have the fortune of meeting you on this lost journey must be the guidance of the beast god," she said gracefully.

The middle-aged guard pulled off the net covering his face, which was used to shield against sand and dust.

He had naturally assumed that the strong Male Beast was in charge of the two, but he didn't expect the one who spoke to be...

After a careful look, he had a plan in mind.

This Female Beast standing in the sandstorm, though covered in dust and exhausted, could not hide her unique temperament.

Even in distress, her tone remained steady and gentle, carrying an indescribable nobility.

The leader's attitude became more solemn, and he dismounted from his scorpion.

"We are the Oasis Merchant Caravan. You should know us, right?"

He was slightly proud.

"We are one of the top three merchant caravans in Sand City. I am Ken Abraham, the Guard Captain."

"The caravan provides shelter for all lost travelers; you don't need to worry."

But he still maintained necessary caution and made a request.

"However... I need to verify your identities."

One of his subordinates took out a small square box and walked over to him.

"Please."

Ken gestured to the two.

Tu Nan slightly turned her head, signaling Gaia to step forward.

Because... she wasn't sure what this was for.

Gaia brought his bracelet closer.

A beep sounded, and the screen on the surface of the square box lit up, displaying a string of information.

A Data Card Reader, Tu Nan realized.

Does reading data not require an internet connection? Is there actually a signal here?

Perhaps there was another method? Tu Nan stopped thinking and, imitating Gaia, also allowed her data to be read.

Ken took the card reader, and after a moment, his eyes narrowed slightly.

Tu Nan knew what he had discovered.

But she simply kept her expression unchanged, standing still, maintaining a serene and elegant smile.

Ken was indeed puzzled.

He had thought this Female Beast, Tu Nan (the name on the data), was a noble. But the data showed she was just a commoner?

As for Gaia, his identity matched.

A Freeman, a Dog-Tribe Beastman with a B+ gene Rank.

"You two, this is..." he asked.

"Ah..."

Tu Nan's sigh was as gentle as a morning breeze brushing over delicate petals. Her green eyes, misted with a hazy moisture, softly looked at Gaia.

"This is my... lover. Please shelter us for a while."

Her red lips slightly parted, and she threw out the narrative she had prepared earlier.

"Tu Nan!" Gaia was flustered.

Ken, however, already understood.

Ah... alright, it seems like this is an unblessed pair of lovers, and it appears this Male Beast is being acknowledged for the first time in front of outsiders.

A Young Miss from a noble family, and her lover-guard whose status is vastly different from hers. No wonder her identity information doesn't match her person.

It must be a fake identity.

Ken stopped asking further questions. He nodded and had his subordinate give Gaia a scorpion.

He simply stated: "The Oasis Merchant Caravan welcomes you. Since that's the case, how about we take you to the next city?"

Gaia asked, "Our destination is?"

"Mata City."

Gaia nodded.

That was the third largest city on Sand Star, half a month's journey from Sand City.

He lifted Tu Nan onto the scorpion, then leaped up himself, sitting behind her.

Gaia held Tu Nan, controlling the reins.

The group, led by Ken, rejoined the caravan.

***

Under Ken's introduction, the two climbed onto the back of a tall beetle, and in a tent, paid their respects to the caravan leader, Zhuang Qi.

He was a plump, smiling man, with features somewhat leaning towards the East.

Tu Nan had already discovered a pattern in the Beast World.

That is, there are actually bloodlines similar to Eastern or Western ones here, and they are subtly related to their names.

After entering the tent, she finally took off her cloak. Her earless appearance was clearly displayed before everyone.

"Ah..."

Zhuang Qi let out a small exclamation, but then he smiled apologetically at Tu Nan.

"Look at me, making such a fuss."

Tu Nan showed no inferiority at being discovered to have a low Rank; she generously expressed understanding.

"It's nothing. Many of my Rank are abandoned by their parents right after birth."

She was a little melancholic, looking into the distance, as if reminiscing about something.

"My father was good to me; he couldn't bear to abandon me. He didn't throw me away, he just kept me hidden outside."

She pulled Gaia, who was standing behind her, to her side, gave him a reproachful look, and then continued speaking to Zhuang Qi.

"It's my fault. I wanted to be with Gaia. That's why..."

She didn't continue speaking, but it was enough. Zhuang Qi already understood everything he needed to know.

His expression became more sincere, and he reproached Tu Nan empathetically, "Oh, you... you young people just don't trust your parents."

"If you ask me, after you arrive in Mata City, you should still contact your family. Your father sounds very doting, and in my opinion, he might not necessarily disagree with your relationship."

Tu Nan smiled without speaking.

Zhuang Qi also stopped persuading.

"Alright, you were just careless; getting lost in the desert is no joke."

"Rest assured and follow us; you don't need to worry about anything else."

The matter was thus settled.

***

"Conditions are simple on the journey. I apologize for not arranging a separate tent for you."

Ken observed the two.

"Miss Tu Nan, you can stay with the women, right? As for Gaia, he can stay with us guards?"

"What do you think?"

"We are already grateful to be taken in; we will, of course, follow our hosts' arrangements," Tu Nan nodded slightly.

Ken nodded.

He noticed Gaia's gaze constantly falling on Tu Nan and, understandingly, said to the two.

"You two chat first; I'll go make arrangements for you."

He walked away.

Gaia waited until he was completely out of earshot, then anxiously pulled at his hair.

"How dare you? Where did you get a father from... and me... what the hell."

He was incoherent.

"Alright, you don't need to worry about it; you just need to try to be silent."

Tu Nan didn't expect Gaia to cooperate with her story, but she still needed to put the necessary information into his mind first.

"Hmm, do you know any nobles in Sand City who are in their 40s to late 40s? Rich ones, preferably with black hair."

"Huh?" Gaia was interrupted by her, and he actually stood there thinking for a long time, eventually coming up with a candidate.

"Black hair? That would only be McCoy. He's the Sand City Garrison Officer, with the Rank of Colonel. A noble... yes, he is, but I'm not clear on the specific Rank. He's very greedy, so he definitely has money."

"Then that's him."

Tu Nan's eyes and brows were full of smiles.

"What?"

Gaia hadn't fully understood yet.

Tu Nan gave him a sympathetic look, raising an eyebrow.

"I mean, from today onwards, he is my 'father.' You'd better remember that clearly."

She disregarded Gaia's dizzy, spiraling eyes and admonished him.

"But you'd better not say anything at all."