’He really should have killed that dog!’
Her heart aching, Gu Ning wiped the blood from the little fox’s hand and pried open his tightly clenched fist.
"I’m fine," Barto murmured reassuringly. He pulled off Seth’s belt and temporarily fastened it on Gu Ning.
He then straightened her crooked hat and tried to tuck the stray strands of her hair back inside. As his fingers brushed her forehead, Gu Ning hissed in pain.
Barto saw a swollen bruise on her forehead, and his expression instantly turned cold.
"You’re hurt?"
Hearing him, Vine stopped mid-punch and turned to look at Gu Ning and the others.
He tossed aside Leo, who had already been beaten half to death, and walked toward Gu Ning.
"Where are you hurt?" Vine grabbed Gu Ning’s shoulder and turned her around. "Let me see."
Just then, Philinos arrived back on the scene.
He landed among them and glanced at Leo, who lay on the ground with a face full of blood. His gaze then shifted to Gu Ning, and he clearly saw the large, swollen bump on her forehead.
He strode over to Gu Ning. "How did you get hurt?"
All the Beastman soldiers’ eyes immediately fell on Gu Ning.
They all knew this little Mixed Breed was Alex’s subordinate, and possibly his relative. If Alex were here, Leo might have been beaten even worse.
’But... why are the Wolf Team and Bird Team so concerned about her, too?’
Leo propped himself up against the wall and spat out a mouthful of blood. He stared at the figure hidden by the others, his blood-stained lips curling into a smirk. "Dog shit. I knew it."
"Chirp."
Far in the distance, from a window in a half-collapsed building, a large bird retracted its head and chirped to the female beside it. "See? Just like I said. A bunch of hotheads."
"With a young female around, a fight was bound to happen."
"Shhh." Windsor pinched its beak. She looked through her binoculars at the lit area ahead and whispered, "There are little birds on patrol. You don’t want them to catch you and make a scene."
Ah Mo gave a slight rustle of his wings.
Windsor let him go, adjusted the angle of her binoculars to follow the young female’s figure, and sniffed the scent carried on the air. A look of confusion crossed her face. "This scent..."
Ah Mo chirped softly, "How did that little one end up here? Who brought her?"
Windsor answered in a low voice, "She seems like a child from Sky Watch Point."
"Should we go ask? She smells terrified."
"Maybe they’re hiding her."
Windsor thought for a moment, then lowered her binoculars. "Let’s follow them for now. The King Seed is probably after this kid."
.
The cool ointment was applied to Gu Ning’s forehead, instantly relieving the hot, throbbing pain.
While Barto applied the ointment to Gu Ning’s forehead, she took one of his hands and treated it, carefully wrapping the wound with a bandage.
"Does it still hurt?" Barto gently blew on her forehead.
Gu Ning shook her head, took his other hand to apply medicine to it as well, and after a long silence, said, "Barto, next time, don’t, be, impulsive."
Barto replied, "You don’t have to be afraid. I told you, I won’t let anyone hurt you again."
Gu Ning looked up at him. "I’m not afraid of this."
Barto asked, "Then you’re worried..."
Gu Ning said, "Worried about you, and Cook."
Fights between Beastmen always frightened her.
Especially since Cook and Barto were both Mixed Breeds and could easily lose control.
She knew that in terms of combat ability, Barto and Cook were stronger than average Beastmen, but no matter how strong they were, there would always be someone stronger.
That was why she had always wanted to take Cook to a more civilized Beastman city.
"I know my limits," Barto said, but without much conviction, because Gu Ning’s hand was resting on the gun at his waist.
She knew he was the one who fired it.
They looked at each other for a moment before Barto conceded. "I know. I’m sorry. It won’t happen again."
Gu Ning shook her head. "I’m not blaming you."
Barto placed his hand on her head.
"WOOF." Cook, who was beside them, rested his head on Gu Ning’s lap.
KNOCK, KNOCK. Vine tapped on the vehicle’s rear window. He then opened the hatch, interrupting their conversation. "Come with me," he said to Gu Ning.
Barto reached out to block him. "Where are you taking her?"
Vine said, "To eat."
At the mention of food, Cook sat up straight, hitting his head on the vehicle’s ceiling.
Gu Ning and Barto exchanged a look.
Barto pushed Vine’s hand aside, jumped out of the vehicle, scooped up Gu Ning, and carried her toward the firelight.
A moment later, they arrived at a cleared-out open space, surrounded by walls that offered some meager shelter from the wind.
In the middle, a large pot was set over a fire, a fragrant and rich lamb soup simmering inside.
"Get me something to eat, you hear me?"
Gu Ning followed the voice and saw Leo, trussed up and thrown in a corner. His face was too gruesome to look at.
"You, come here." Leo saw her and motioned with his chin.
Gu Ning had no intention of dealing with him, but he said, "Come over here. I’ll let you get your revenge."
She paused, then walked over to him.
Leo grinned, pushed himself up, and rammed his head into her stomach.