Free Web NovelChapter 139: Chapter 131: Fu Qi’s Trump Card
Tang Mo’s gaze shifted to the little girl. The sleeping child’s face, round like a dumpling, had a faint blush.
Judging by her face, she did bear a strong resemblance to Lin Yu.
’That Lin Yu is truly ruthless. To sacrifice his own sister for his own sake.’
Ever since becoming an older sister herself, Tang Mo had been particularly sensitive and soft-hearted when it came to children.
"This is the last offering, Fu Qi." Lin Shourong looked up at the creature, his words both a threat and a negotiation. "If you still refuse our request, you’ll be left to fend for yourself."
"Then go ahead and try," Fu Qi replied, unconcerned. freēwēbηovel.c૦m
Tang Mo was close enough to feel the air freeze. This wasn’t a conversation; it was a standoff.
She could tell that even though Fu Qi was trapped, Lin Shourong could take its life whenever he wished. Yet, their positions were still those of equals.
’So, what exactly is Lin Shourong holding back for?’
’And what trump card does Fu Qi have up its sleeve?’
Fu Qi’s refusal was so blatant, yet it still received a regular monthly offering. This made Tang Mo deeply suspicious.
’The offerings from Sand Town aren’t just anything, after all. Each one represents a life from a family.’
Lin Shourong seemed to have expected Fu Qi’s reply. He showed no particular emotion and, without another word, led his group away.
Lin Yu’s gaze lingered on the girl for a long time, but he ultimately turned his head away.
Once the cage door had slowly closed again, Tang Mo darted out from the corner with Jingjing.
Now that she knew the door opened once a month, Tang Mo was no longer in a hurry to leave.
"Ooh..."
With her child-like nature, Jingjing hopped over to the little girl’s side and poked her sleeping face.
Perhaps because she had been so terrified, or perhaps her stepmother’s drug hadn’t been strong enough, the little girl hadn’t been sleeping soundly. At Jingjing’s touch, she slowly opened her eyes.
"Brother..."
The tears in the corners of her eyes hadn’t yet dried before fresh ones began to roll down her cheeks.
"Don’t cry," Tang Mo said, her face stern and serious. "If you keep crying, this monster will eat you."
Though she felt a flicker of sympathy for the child, Tang Mo was clearly not the type to offer gentle reassurances.
The little girl followed Tang Mo’s gaze and met the massive, downward-looking eye of Fu Qi. She was instantly scared stiff.
When she turned back, she bit her lip hard, forcing her tears back.
Tang Mo nodded in satisfaction. ’A very obedient child.’
"How old are you?"
"Five," the little girl answered, her voice still choked with sobs.
’Five?’
’She looks small for her age. It seems the quality of life for the people in Sand Town is pretty poor.’
’This palace is probably the only impressive thing they have.’
"What’s your name?"
"Lin Xianxian."
"Are you hungry?"
If the little girl had kept wailing, Tang Mo wouldn’t have bothered with her.
But seeing this display of strength from a five-year-old who had just been abandoned by her family, Tang Mo’s heart softened.
"Mm..."
Xianxian hesitated for a moment before nodding.
Tang Mo took two bottles of milk and a small cake out of her Space and tossed them to Xianxian.
"Go on, eat."
Xianxian caught the items and stared at Tang Mo in astonishment.
"What is this? I... I can’t take it."
That girl, Xianxian, had truly been dealt a bad hand. The apocalypse had been raging for as long as she could remember. She had never had a full meal, let alone something like milk.
But she could tell from the packaging that it was a treasure from before the apocalypse.
Her mama had told her not to take things from other people, especially something so precious.
Hearing this from a five-year-old girl with a constantly empty stomach genuinely surprised Tang Mo.
’It seems the Lin family’s upbringing was quite good. I wonder how they managed to raise someone as cold and selfish as Lin Yu.’
Tang Mo took one of the milk cartons and stuck the straw in.
"Drink up. If you don’t, I’ll feed you to it," Tang Mo said, pointing at Fu Qi again, playing her trump card.
Only then did Xianxian take the milk, carefully bringing the straw to her lips and taking a sip.
A sweet flavor she had never experienced before exploded in her mouth.
"It’s so good!!"
The little girl’s eyes lit up. For a moment, she forgot all her sorrow, her face full of happiness and contentment.
’Five-year-olds are so easy to please. It’s nice.’
While the two of them were enjoying their harmonious moment, Fu Qi was getting annoyed.
’Is she feeding my food? Is this some kind of joke?’
"Excuse me. I’d like to eat now."
Fu Qi’s deep, powerful voice boomed from above, sounding dead serious.
Tang Mo looked up. "You can’t even move. Are you expecting me to put her in your mouth for you?"
"Hmph," Fu Qi snorted.
It opened its massive mouth and took a deep breath. Instantly, a suction force—not overwhelmingly strong—tugged at Tang Mo’s body.
Xianxian, still sipping her milk, and Jingjing, who was playing nearby, were suddenly lifted off the ground and began to float upward.
With lightning-fast reflexes, Tang Mo grabbed Xianxian with one hand and Jingjing with the other, pulling them both into her arms.
Now she understood. No wonder the offerings had to be placed in this exact spot—it was directly beneath Fu Qi’s head, making them easy to suck up.
She also realized why Fu Qi specified that the offerings had to be children. It wasn’t because it wouldn’t eat adults.
It was because its suction was only strong enough to pull in children.
The suction Tang Mo had just felt was only enough to be a tug; it wasn’t nearly strong enough to pull her up.
Holding the two of them, Tang Mo moved to a spot beyond Fu Qi’s reach.
"Where do you think all this abundant Spiritual Energy comes from? If you don’t let me eat the offering, your spiritual power cultivation won’t be as fast as it has been."
Fu Qi wasn’t worried. No one could resist such abundant spiritual power.
’If I don’t eat offerings, I can’t release that abundant spiritual power. This dense spiritual power environment for miles around Sand Town was all created by me.’
’If it weren’t for me, how could Sand Town have produced a genius like Lin Yu? Do they really think their people have such innate Talent?’
’Hmph. A bunch of ungrateful wretches.’
Fu Qi’s hatred for the people of Sand Town ran deep, far deeper than any annoyance it felt toward Tang Mo for her threats and taunts.
’So that’s how it is.’
At last, Tang Mo understood the trump card Fu Qi held, the one that guaranteed it a steady stream of offerings.
However, while the abundant spiritual power was tempting to Tang Mo, the temptation wasn’t irresistible—at least, not enough for her to trade a living human life for it.
Nourishment bought with human blood, however potent, was something she simply couldn’t stomach.
