Chapter 139: Words of Love

The handover of the iron mine went smoothly. That same day, Luo Ning retreated to the Island of Slaughter with the White Masks, while Meng Qi moved into the mine with a group of Tauren. The dwarves, laborers, and trolls who had originally been responsible for mining were all placed under Meng Qi’s command without incident.

Dilis also lingered there.

"Hahahaha, we're rich! We're rich! Xiao Meng, this cat played a vital role in seizing the iron mine. Shouldn't you consider giving me a cut of the money?" Dilis danced with excitement inside the shack. She had only met Meng Qi a few times, but she was the type to get familiar instantly and felt no embarrassment at all.

Meng Qi, however, was quite helpless. He shrugged and said, "You know this has to be decided by Brother Ye. I’m just managing it on his behalf."

"Hmph, stingy," Dilis pouted. Suddenly, her eyes lit up, and a coin dropped from her sleeve. "Xiao Meng, why don’t we flip a coin to decide who owns the mine? If it’s heads, the mine is mine; if it’s tails, it’s yours. How about that? Fair, right?"

"Ahem... I really have to ask Brother Ye about that..." Meng Qi muttered to himself, thinking she was truly an eccentric who came up with wild ideas on a whim.

At that moment, Ye Ran was not at the mine. After settling matters there, he had immediately rushed back to the Tauren encampment. He did not know the state of Lois’s eyes, and the memory of her weeping in his arms made his heart ache with an indescribable sense of guilt.

"Lois is strong-willed by nature. Even if she is upset, she will only hide it in her heart. You must take good care of her," said Blood Lion Six Duma. Though he carried an aura of blood-borne malice that made him seem unapproachable, he was, in fact, meticulous. He had only intervened this time because of Lois’s request. His disposition was aloof, and it was difficult for most people to solicit his help, but Lois was different; that beautiful and flamboyant girl was one of the few people he could actually converse with.

No one was more furious about Lois’s injury than Gray Wolf Milz and Jerraldon, followed by himself, though he had always been good at hiding his emotions.

Ye Ran nodded. "A man must repay kindness. I will never let her down."

Six Duma glanced at him. Was this kid really so oblivious? Lois’s feelings for him were so obvious. He also felt a flicker of curiosity: how had the proud and haughty Lois taken a liking to him?

"Her eyes are severely injured. While she won't go blind, some permanent damage is unavoidable." When Ye Ran returned to the encampment, the Catwoman had already examined Lois. Her eyes had suffered grave trauma, but fortunately, she would not lose her sight.

Ye Ran breathed a secret sigh of relief, though his brow furrowed soon after.

The Catwoman packed her medical kit and sighed, "I’ve spent all this time in the Yibo Evil Lands doing nothing but worrying about you."

Ye Ran managed a strained smile. "I've troubled you."

"Go see her first. You really don't understand a girl's heart at all," she said, rolling her eyes at him.

The Tauren encampment was sparsely furnished. The two best rooms were the small hut belonging to the elf Mandy and the private quarters of the divine emissary, Xiali. Lois was currently being housed in Xiali’s room. Although Xiali was in her twenties, she still possessed a childlike temperament; cloth dolls were arranged on the bed, and potted plants sat by the window. Sunlight streamed in, making the room feel warm and tranquil.

Lois lay quietly on the bed, her eyes covered with white gauze.

"Ye Ran, you're here." She seemed very familiar with the sound of his footsteps.

"Yes." Ye Ran could not detect any sadness or fear in her voice. He walked to the window to open it, then sat on a chair by the head of the bed. "Do you feel any better?"

He picked up an apple and a knife from the table. Glancing at her profile, he realized for the first time—having never paid close attention before—that this girl had delicate features, smooth, fair skin, and a face that was both refined and captivating.

Lois laughed freely. "I've been through countless storms. Would I be scared by such a small injury?"

Ye Ran began to peel the apple. "The Catwoman said you won't go blind, but you need to rest for a while." He paused, his hands stilling. The faces of Michelle and Yunmeng flashed through his mind, followed by the memory of her brave embrace in the underground nest and their reluctant farewell that day. His emotions settled, and he said, "From now on... I will take care of you."

It had taken great courage for him to say those words.

Silence filled the room after he spoke. Lois smiled quietly without a word. She sat up, leaned against the soft velvet cushions, and reached out to signal for him to hand over the apple and the knife.

Ye Ran hesitated for a moment before handing them to her.

"Ye Ran, are you pitying me, or do you truly like me?" Although she could not see, her movements as she peeled the apple were unaffected.

Ye Ran said candidly, "It should be the latter. You are just like me; you don't need anyone's pity."

He saw her fingers pause as he spoke, but she soon returned to normal. She laughed. "Then tell me, how do you intend to take care of me?"

Never expecting her to ask that, Ye Ran thought for a moment and replied, "Thinking what you think, feeling what you feel. Undisturbed by rumors, unburdened by the world. I will accompany you for as long as you are willing to walk with me."

"Although I may not look very smart, I'm not a fool. I understand your feelings for me."

Lois’s face flushed red. She turned her head away and said, "Shameless. Who has feelings for you?" Yet, her lips were full of smiles as she spoke.

Ye Ran smiled and took her hand. She hesitated for a moment before letting him hold it. Everything was understood without words.

To the east of the Yibo Evil Lands lay a vast wasteland. The terrain here was incredibly peculiar, a mixture of yellow sand and soil with extreme temperature differences between day and night. Black sandstorms swept through every few days. Despite such harsh conditions, people still lived here, their white houses clustered together.

A girl wearing a white fox mask walked along the desolate street, fanning herself with a folding fan, until she reached the door of a white house at the end of the long road.

Before she could knock, a white python descended from the roof, opened its blood-red maw, and hissed at her. The White Mask behind the girl’s gaze turned cold, and the white python recoiled in alarm.

"What a truly impolite guest." The door opened, and a youth in long white robes with pale, greenish skin reached out to stroke the little white python. "People from the Island of Slaughter are so rude. Don't be afraid, baby."

Beneath the white fox mask, the corners of Luo Ning’s mouth curled into a smile. "Tongusi, you've been fussing with this little white python for so many years; why won't it grow up or learn to behave?"

Tongusi laughed heartily. "If it were that easy to grow into its final form, would it still be a Nile white python?" He walked into the house, brought out a box, and nudged it with his chin. "The reagents you wanted are all here. Handle them carefully; they are all glass instruments and break easily."

One of the White Masks behind Luo Ning stepped forward to take the black box.

"Luo Ning, don't end up in the belly of a sea monster. I’m still waiting for you to rule the Island of Slaughter while Bei Yuming controls Grusburg, turning this continent upside down."

"I will try my best."

The girl waved her folding fan and quickly disappeared into the distance at the end of the long street.