Free Web NovelChapter 175: Chapter 175: Safe, But Not at Ease
The eagle warrior landed swiftly within the city’s main area. Before Yue Yue could even steady her breathing, she and the other females were ushered through a heavy door that hissed shut behind them.
They descended a wide, brightly lit spiral staircase. Yue Yue expected a damp, dark cave, but as they reached the bottom, her eyes widened.
The underground shelter was massive. It looked like a luxury villa complex carved into the earth.
The air was fresh and cool, circulated by quiet fans. Soft glowing stones embedded in the ceiling mimicked daylight, and comfortable sofas, play areas for cubs, and fully stocked kitchens lined the halls.
If not for the lack of windows, one would never know they were deep beneath the sand.
Despite the comfort, the atmosphere was thick with tension.
However, it wasn’t the frantic terror Yue Yue expected. The women sat in groups, some chatting, others tending to toddlers. There was a quiet, steady strength in their eyes.
Yue Yue looked down and noticed her hands. They were shaking uncontrollably. She pressed her lips together, trying to force the shivering to stop. frёeωebɳovel.com
Why am I like this? she wondered.
She realized it wasn’t just fear of the beast...it was fear for the two men she had seen flying toward it. If Xing Luoye got hurt, Xing Luoguang would be devastated.
And she... she didn’t want to see Xing Luoguang in pain.
Yes, that’s it, she told herself firmly. It’s not that I care about that grumpy Xing Luoye. It’s only because of Luoguang.
Suddenly, a warm, wrinkled hand covered her shivering fingers. Yue Yue looked up to see the old palace caretaker. The woman smiled at her with motherly kindness.
"Don’t worry, Lady Yue Yue," the caretaker said softly. "The Princes will be fine. You don’t know it yet, but they are incredibly powerful."
She gestured toward the other calm females.
"Do you know how we have survived in such a deadly place for so long? It is because of them. You have not seen them fight, but believe me...there is no one who can defeat them. Not even those so-called ’power houses’ from the great empires."
The caretaker’s expression turned sour at the mention of the empires. Yue Yue felt a cold prickle of dread.
The caretaker clearly detested the empires.
What would happen if she found out where Yue Yue really came from? Yue Yue looked away, hoping no one would ever ask her about her past. She was starting to love this place, and she didn’t want to lose it.
To break the heavy silence, one of the younger females leaned in with a playful grin.
"Yue Yue, don’t worry so much!" she teased. "Even if the Prince gets a little scratch, aren’t you there? You can help him ’recover’ perfectly!"
The other females burst into giggles, their tense shoulders finally relaxing.
Yue Yue froze, her face heating up. "Help? But... I don’t have healing powers. I can’t do anything."
She was genuinely confused, but the women only laughed harder.
The caretaker huffed, shooing the younger women away with her hands like she was chasing off pesky flies.
"Alright, that’s enough! Stop teasing Lady Yue Yue," the caretaker scolded, though her eyes twinkled. "She is not like you lot. Don’t go dirtying her mind with your nonsense."
Yue Yue watched them, still puzzled. She didn’t understand why they were laughing, but as the sound of their giggles filled the room, the terrifying roar of the sand beast outside felt just a little bit further away.
Time passed slowly in the underground shelter.
At first, every small sound from above made Yue Yue flinch, but the calm atmosphere eventually began to rub off on her.
She watched the other females playing with the toddlers, their laughter echoing against the polished walls. Slowly, her shivering stopped, and her racing heart began to steady.
The woman kept her busy, sharing stories and making sure she wasn’t left alone with her anxious thoughts.
Suddenly, a heavy hiss echoed through the hall.
Yue Yue looked up as the massive security gates began to slide open. The sound of heavy, rhythmic thuds filled the air...the sound of many sturdy boots hitting the floor.
A group of tall, powerful orc warriors marched into the room to escort the females back to the surface. Their high-tech vest was dusty, and some carried shields that looked battered, but their faces were triumphant.
"We won!" one of the lead warriors announced, his voice booming with pride.
"The situation outside is stable. All the polluted sand beasts have been dealt with. It is safe to return to your homes."
A cheer broke out among the females. Children began to run around in circles, and the tension that had gripped the room for hours finally evaporated.
Yue Yue stood up quickly, her eyes darting toward the entrance. She scanned the crowd of warriors, looking past the broad shoulders and heavy cloaks. She looked for a flash of golden light or a cold, dark shadow.
But the brothers weren’t there.
She kept tilting her head, trying to peer around the tall orcs like an ostrich looking over a fence.
One of the warriors noticed her searching gaze. He stepped forward with a knowing smirk.
"Lady Yue Yue," the man said, his voice loud enough for those nearby to hear. "If you are looking for the Princes, they are still out on the battlefield. They are staying behind to oversee the cleanup and ensure no smaller beasts are lingering in the dunes."
Being called out in front of everyone made Yue Yue’s face instantly turn bright red. She felt the heat creeping up her neck as several females turned to look at her with teasing smiles.
"I—I was not looking for him!" she stammered, her voice high and defensive. "I was just... looking at the door!"
The other women didn’t believe her for a second. They burst into giggles, nudging her shoulders as they began to walk toward the exit.
"Of course, of course," Sha Li teased, linking her arm with Yue Yue’s. "You were just checking if the door was properly functioning, right?"
"She’s worried about her Prince!" another girl chirped, making the rest of the group laugh.
Yue Yue didn’t mind them; she just kept her face stoic even though her heart was beating way faster.
Yue Yue let herself be escorted out, but a small weight settled in her chest.
Even though she was relieved the danger had passed, she felt a strange sense of disappointment. She had really wanted to see them to see with her own eyes that they were unhurt.
