The moonlight was like water, silver rays cascading down, and the night in Shimo City on the Douqi Continent was tranquil and profound. Outside the city, on the desolate wilderness, a dilapidated prison cart slowly moved along, its wheels rolling over the sand and dirt, producing a dull sound.
Inside the prison cart, Qinglin appeared particularly helpless at that moment. She tightly pressed her lips together, staring blankly ahead, her heart filled with fear and despair for the future. She knew she had been captured by these human traffickers, and she could only imagine what fate awaited her.
During the day, Qinglin had been searching for work in the city but had failed. Although she hadn't found anything, she had heard that the Mo Tie Mercenary Group in the west of the city was hiring a lot of people, and she could try her luck there the next day. On her way home, she discovered that part of her route was blocked, so she took a detour.
However, it was this detour that led her to encounter a human trafficker. Upon seeing her, the trafficker chased her down and knocked her unconscious. After being knocked out, Qinglin found herself locked in a cage, quietly transported out of the city, and when she woke up again, it was already night.
As a half-blood, Qinglin was undoubtedly discriminated against in Shimo City, but in cities further away from the desert, she was considered a highly sought-after commodity.
"This little girl, although she's a dirty snake-human hybrid, does look quite decent. With that waist and that face, I hope we can sell her for a good price," one of the traffickers laughed heartily.
"Hehe, although we find snake-human bloodlines disgusting, some of the big shots in Luoye City actually like this kind of thing. Plus, she's a rare hybrid; we can probably develop some unique uses for her. We're definitely going to make a fortune this time," another trafficker analyzed while laughing.
Listening to their conversation, Qinglin's heart sank further.
Just as despair filled her heart, a cold sword light suddenly cut through the night sky, followed by a muffled sound as the prison cart came to a sudden stop. Qinglin looked up and saw a young man descending from the sky, dressed in a green robe, holding a long sword with drops of fresh blood still dripping from the tip.
It was Lin Yuan, who had been waiting for a long time.
Surveying the surrounding traffickers, Lin Yuan's handsome face bore a hint of coldness, and a sharp glint flashed in his eyes. He walked step by step toward the prison cart, each step seeming to tread on Qinglin's heart, making her feel both anxious and hopeful.
"No matter which world it is, human traffickers are deserving of death!"
A thought flashed through Lin Yuan's mind, and without further ado, he charged at the traffickers. With his sword in hand, he twirled it effortlessly, and a powerful aura surged from him. As he moved, the sword light flickered, and each strike was precise and decisive. In just a few exchanges, all the traffickers were eliminated.
Qinglin watched the scene before her, her eyes filled with shock. Although her cultivation was low, her unique physique gave her a keen sense of the strength of others. The young man before her looked young, but his power was unimaginably strong, far surpassing anyone she had ever seen.
After eliminating all the traffickers, Lin Yuan turned to Qinglin. His clear gaze met her weak eyes, and it softened like ice melting. He asked gently, "Are you okay, little girl?"
"I-I'm fine, thank you for saving me!" Qinglin quickly shook her head in response, her eyes filled with gratitude as she looked at Lin Yuan.
Lin Yuan smiled, sheathed his sword, and approached the prison cart. He opened the cage, preparing to let Qinglin out. However, as soon as she stood up, a sharp pain in her ankle made her involuntarily let out a pained groan; she had injured her foot while trying to escape during the day.
Seeing this, Lin Yuan picked Qinglin up and carried her away from the prison cart. As they stepped out of the shadows, the moonlight bathed them, as if draping them in a layer of silver. Qinglin unconsciously looked up to steal a glance at Lin Yuan's handsome profile, but he caught her in the act. Their eyes met; Lin Yuan did not shy away, while Qinglin's face turned bright red, and she quickly lowered her head.
"Haha, what a shy little girl! How interesting," Lin Yuan chuckled lightly, causing Qinglin's ears to turn red as well.
Lin Yuan set Qinglin down on a nearby rock. After a moment of psychological preparation, she mustered the courage to look up at Lin Yuan and shyly said, "Thank you for saving me, Qinglin has nothing to repay you with."
"It's okay. If you can't repay me, your parents can! Where is your home?" Lin Yuan asked knowingly.
Upon hearing this, Qinglin's eyes dimmed, and her tone became sadder. "I'm sorry, my mother is no longer here. I have no family left."
"Is that so? I'm sorry," Lin Yuan sincerely apologized, feeling a twinge of disdain for himself for intentionally bringing up her painful past.
Qinglin quickly waved her hands, "No, no, no, you're not wrong, there's no need to apologize to me."
As she waved her arms, two slender wrists peeked out from her sleeves.
"Hmm? A snake-human hybrid?" Lin Yuan asked, as if he had discovered something, his tone carrying an elusive meaning. His gaze fell on Qinglin's wrists, where a few green scales were visible.
"Ah, yes... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you," Qinglin stammered, her face turning pale at the realization that Lin Yuan was looking at her exposed wrist. She became terrified, trembling, her voice quivering as she instinctively tugged at her sleeve, trying to hide her wrist, resembling a frightened little rabbit.
Being a snake-human hybrid, she carried the bloodlines of both humans and snake people, and in this battlefield where humans and snake people were at war, she bore the shared disdain and discrimination from both sides. Qinglin had lived in an environment filled with disdain since she was young.
Seeing Qinglin's timid and pitiful appearance, Lin Yuan, although he had anticipated this, did not expect the psychological trauma to be so severe. His heart filled with compassion as he walked over to her, bent down, and gently ruffled her hair, saying softly, "Why hide it? You're so beautiful; how could such a beautiful thing scare me?"
Feeling the warmth of his hand on her head and listening to Lin Yuan's comforting words, after a while, Qinglin gradually calmed down. Being sensitive, she could sense Lin Yuan's kindness toward her, and her heart filled with inexplicable emotions. She mustered the courage to ask Lin Yuan, "You don't dislike my snake-human bloodline, do you?"
Lin Yuan chuckled lightly and replied earnestly, "My views on others have nothing to do with bloodlines. I actually have a lovely beast-turned-sister just like you. How could I hold prejudice against someone because of their bloodline? Moreover..."
Lin Yuan leaned down, gently brushing away the tears at the corner of Qinglin's eyes. Looking into her green, crystal-like eyes, three small green dots quietly appeared, and he added with deeper meaning, "You have such beautiful eyes!"
Hearing Lin Yuan's words, Qinglin became somewhat dazed. Being sensitive, she could feel Lin Yuan's sincerity and friendliness, which made her feel an inexplicable sense of unreality. All this time, she had been hated and discriminated against, yet this heavenly-looking young man treated her so kindly.
Seeing Qinglin in a daze, Lin Yuan took out a jade bottle containing ointment from his storage ring and pressed it against her face, smiling lightly, "This ointment is for you. Use it on your injuries."
The coolness of the ointment brought Qinglin back to her senses. She took the precious-looking bottle, trembling slightly, and asked, "This medicine is very expensive, isn't it? It's not worth wasting on someone like me."
Lin Yuan extended his hands, gently lifting Qinglin's small head so that her gaze met his. His tone was serious and earnest, "You may have suffered a lot of discrimination from others since childhood, but don't underestimate your own value because of their attitudes. If you can't affirm your own worth, then I will affirm it for you."
As he spoke, Lin Yuan released his hands, took a step back, and extended his hand toward Qinglin, solemnly inviting her, "I just saw your eyes, and I can tell you possess unique talent and potential. You shouldn't be trapped in shallow waters. Come with me; I will teach you how to use your power, to become a true strong person, to take control of your own destiny. When you become strong, you will find that the past is merely insignificant dust in life."
"If you are willing to follow me, then take my hand."
(End of Chapter)