Lure . . .
In truth, the golden hawk refrained from biting Cha Eun Xiao's hand.
Instead, it gently placed Cha Eun Xiao's right hand into its mouth, a surprisingly harmless gesture. Cha Eun Xiao was left bewildered, pondering, [What on earth does Brother Hawk want?]
Observing the hawk hold his hand in its beak while inspecting his palm, Cha Eun Xiao surmised the creature was evidently puzzled.
The golden hawk, on the other hand, seemed perplexed. [This man merely flipped his hand over, and that delectable bead appeared in his palm. Now that I'm holding his hand, why can't I see it?]
[Where did it go?]
[Perhaps it's hidden within his arm? Should I consider biting off his hand? But then, I can't kill the chicken to access the egg inside. What if there's nothing inside his arm? I'll gain nothing from him! What should I do?]
[Oh, right. I don't know it. He does. He's the only one who knows. He took it out once!]
Contemplating this, the hawk grew agitated again. [Is he doing this on purpose? Did he intentionally conceal the bead?] With a firm grip, the golden hawk released Cha Eun Xiao's hand and vociferously cried out, "Coo, coo, coo, coo..."
It was essentially pleading, "Give it to me, give it to me, give it to me..."
Although Cha Eun Xiao didn't grasp the hawk's meaning, he sensed its urgent need for something it couldn't obtain.
After some reflection, he asked with bright eyes, "Are you searching for that bead? The red one?"
The golden hawk clapped its wings, creating a gust of debris. It replied with "Coo, coo, coo," seemingly expressing its distress.
Surprisingly, the hawk's despair brought relief to Cha Eun Xiao. It was apparent that the blood bead was a valuable bargaining chip in this perilous encounter.
Remaining cautious due to the impending danger, Cha Eun Xiao carefully extracted another blood bead and extended his hand, beckoning the hawk. "Come on."
The blood bead sparkled within his palm, captivating the hawk's attention. The bird wasted no time in pecking at it.
- Puff! -
"Ah!"
Cha Eun Xiao couldn't suppress his exclamation of pain as a bloody hole appeared in his hand. The hawk, in its eagerness to consume the bead, had pecked too forcefully, puncturing the bead and Cha Eun Xiao's hand in the process.
The hawk was startled by Cha Eun Xiao's cry as it chewed on the partially damaged blood bead. Its gaze shot up, the bead still clutched in its beak, as it stared at the blood dripping from Cha Eun Xiao's hand. A sense of shock and apprehension washed over the hawk.
It realized it had made an error in its haste, potentially jeopardizing its source of food.
[No... If he refuses to provide more, this one is insufficient...]
"You blundering fool..." Cha Eun Xiao shouted in irritation, gesturing to his bleeding hand with his other. "Can't you savor the blood bead properly? Why peck at it with such urgency? No one is going to steal it from you! There are no other birds around! Did you have to injure me? Are you implying your beak is sharper than I thought?"
Fury consumed Cha Eun Xiao, although deep down, he felt grateful that the blood bead had proven effective. As long as the hawk remained fond of the blood beads, he was willing to endure more significant harm.
The hawk witnessed Cha Eun Xiao waving his hands in frustration and reacted by feeling embarrassed. Swiftly, it gulped down the blood bead in its mouth and flapped its colossal wings, making sounds like, "Coo, coo… coo, coo… coo, coo, coo…"
Although Cha Eun Xiao couldn't comprehend the hawk's vocalizations, he sensed a hint of remorse in its actions.
"Humph!" Cha Eun Xiao huffed, pondering, [The hawk decided to spare my life because of these blood beads, but it can't comprehend human speech. This lack of communication is a persistent threat. I'm like a piece of meat on its plate; this isn't favorable at all.]
[What should I do?]
The hawk issued a few more sounds. However, Cha Eun Xiao refrained from responding, and the bird grew anxious.
[It appears this human is upset with me... Hmmm... Can I have another taste of that delicacy?]
[That would make sense. If someone injures me, I'm sure I'd bear a grudge and refuse to give them anything!]
[The red blood bead is truly delectable. It's rich in pure blood essence and spiritual qi, enhancing my strength and vitality. It even has a slow-healing effect and nourishes my body…]
[I want more.]
[This man's flesh, however... I wouldn't even want to touch it... It's sour... and only serves to bulk up my waste... Utterly useless. The red blood bead is far superior.]
The hawk's nerves were on edge.
What Cha Eun Xiao failed to realize was that, in the hawk's mind, he was as valuable as a pile of sour waste, and nothing compared to the blood bead. If he had known, he might have fervently proclaimed his usefulness and delectability compared to the blood bead.
As Cha Eun Xiao contemplated possible solutions, the hawk suddenly loomed before him, casting a shadow over him. Its large, feathered head brushed against his hand in a placating manner, while it continued to coo.
[This immense creature... could it be... apologizing?]
Cha Eun Xiao couldn't believe it; everything had changed. Venturing cautiously, he extended his hand to gently touch the hawk's head.
In response, the hawk took a few steps backward. Its round, enormous eyes bore a mix of anger and a killing intent, as if it were on the brink of fury, signifying, [How dare this human lay hands on my head?]
Cha Eun Xiao grew vexed. [You exploited me, injured me, and devoured my possessions. And now, you won't even let me touch your head? Where is the justice in this?]
[Humph!]
In a show of defiance, Cha Eun Xiao turned over his hand, revealing another blood bead.
The hawk glanced at the blood bead, its anger dissipating. Its gaze held a fervent need.
Cha Eun Xiao humphed and secreted the blood bead. Turning around, he prepared to depart.
The hawk panicked, hastening to block his path. It peered at him with a look of bewilderment and disappointment. [You plan to leave like this? Not happening!]
Cha Eun Xiao indicated his injured hand, still bleeding.
The hawk expressed regret and sympathy through its actions. It shook its head, issuing soft coos of "Coo, coo, coo…"
Cha Eun Xiao made a gesture as if he were touching something and rolled his eyes. Then, with an air of disappointment, he departed. The message was clear: [Since I can't touch you, we're done.]
Evidently, he had become unreasonably demanding. His life had been in danger earlier, and now he was irritated because he couldn't touch the hawk's head.
Man's desires shifted in response to the environment. Just a few minutes ago, his outlook had been entirely different.
The hawk watched Cha Eun Xiao's retreating figure, uncertain of what to do. It flapped its wings but displayed concern and remorse in its eyes.
After a while, it soared ahead of Cha Eun Xiao, its wings fully extended, blocking his path. It issued a chorus of "Coo, coo... Coo, coo, coo…"
Cha Eun Xiao was elated.
The hawk seemed to resemble a child who obstructed the adults, pleading for sweets.