Just as Zhou Changqing was contemplating whether he should risk his life to try and escape from Yue Mei, he saw her studying his grim expression. She knew exactly what he was thinking.
Ever since this young man arrived at the Charming Snake Tribe, he had never once given up on the idea of leaving.
If she were in his shoes, implicated for no reason, forcefully captured by a powerful faction, and stripped of her freedom, she would also be plotting her escape, even if she couldn't resist for now. She might even return to exact brutal revenge once she was strong enough.
For that reason, she wasn't angry.
However, Yue Mei had no desire to completely break ties with Zhou Changqing now, making them enemies to the death.
With a sway of her serpent tail, she rose and glided to Zhou Changqing's side, placing a hand on his right shoulder.
"Little Changqing, don't even think about escaping from me. The gap between a Dou Wang and a Dou Ling is a vast chasm. You should know your chances are practically zero."
"And even if you could get away from me, where would you go?"
"The Queen already knows of your existence. She will not permit you to leave. Even if you fled to the Jia Ma Imperial Capital, the Queen would drag you back... As for why, you should be able to guess."
"Besides, little Changqing, meeting our Queen is not a bad thing for you at all~"
"Although you still won't be able to leave the Snake-People Race, your treatment in the Holy City will be far better than in my tribe. The resources of the Holy City are not something the Charming Snake Tribe can compare to."
"In any case, your life there won't be worse than it is here."
"Call it a threat or a temptation, I don't care."
"Think it over carefully. I'll be waiting for you outside."
Hearing this, Zhou Changqing's expression flickered.
Seeing this, Yue Mei didn't press him. She just patted his shoulder and swayed out of the large tent.
Inside, Zhou Changqing's face was dark as he mulled over Yue Mei's words, weighing his chances of escaping her and, subsequently, evading Queen Medusa's pursuit.
No matter how many times he ran the simulation in his mind, the answer was always the same.
Absolutely impossible!
He wasn't Xiao Yan; he didn't have Yao Lao to fall back on. Even if his own strength made him invincible among his peers and allowed him to fight above his rank, he still stood no chance against a high-level Dou Wang like Yue Mei, let alone a peak Dou Huang like Medusa.
And if he openly turned against the Snake-People Race, they would surely use special methods on him to eliminate any future trouble. It could be an enslavement technique, like planting a brand in his soul, or they could resort to torture to break his will. Either way, his life would be far from the relatively decent one he had now.
If he refused to yield, there was only one outcome: death.
Sighing internally, Zhou Changqing could only walk outside with a sullen expression. Just as Yue Mei had said, he had no power to struggle. He might as well accept reality.
So what if it was Medusa?
He remembered from the original story that Gu He and his group had invaded the Snake-People Race, and Xiao Yan had used the chaos to obtain the Heavenly Flame. When that time came, he might be able to use the turmoil to escape the Tager Desert. Although he couldn't recall the exact timing, he knew it wouldn't be long.
He just didn't know if Medusa had obtained the Heavenly Flame yet.
When he stepped outside the tent, he saw Yue Mei instructing her subordinates, appointing Ling Sha to handle tribal affairs in her absence.
Hearing footsteps, she turned and saw Zhou Changqing. She nodded in satisfaction. "It seems you've thought it through."
"I wouldn't dare keep Her Majesty the Queen waiting. We'll set off today. If you have anything else to attend to, be quick about it."
Zhou Changqing shook his head and was about to follow Yue Mei.
Suddenly, his gaze fell upon a group of tribe commanders standing not far from Yue Mei, including Ling Sha and Hakesi, the one he had taught a lesson to before.
"Wait, I do have some business to take care of. Chief Yue Mei, please wait a moment."
Yue Mei, who was about to unfurl her Dou Qi Wings, was stopped by Zhou Changqing's sudden words. She didn't mind and simply nodded, gesturing for him to go ahead.
Zhou Changqing wasted no time and walked straight toward Hakesi.
"Hey, hey, hey! Why is this kid coming toward me!"
Hakesi's eyes widened in alarm. The shadow of that day's encounter instantly loomed over him.
But before he could react, Zhou Changqing appeared right in front of him, a fist shooting toward his face.
As a Da Dou Shi, Hakesi had been no match for Zhou Changqing. Now that Zhou Changqing was a Dou Ling, Hakesi was even more helpless. Combined with Zhou Changqing's lightning attribute and formidable physical strength, his speed was so great that Hakesi couldn't even dream of dodging.
Bang!
Thud!
The punch landed squarely on Hakesi's nose, nearly shattering it. The immense force snapped his head back, and he fell to the ground. The searing pain in his face filled him with both fear and rage. With blood streaming from his nose, he was about to curse and retaliate.
"You brat! You..."
Before he could finish, another fist, whistling through the air, slammed into his abdomen. The familiar sensation of dry-heaving and the sharp pain in his organs returned, forcing him to swallow his words.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
One punch after another, Zhou Changqing's fists rained down on Hakesi's body, moving so fast they left afterimages. Each blow sent ripples through the air, stirring up the sand on the ground.
"How dare you!..."
It all happened so fast, and Hakesi was defeated so quickly, that the other commanders only reacted after a second or two. They were shocked that Hakesi, a peak Da Dou Shi, was utterly powerless against this slender human youth. But for a human to dare attack one of their tribe's commanders was an outrage. They immediately prepared to attack Zhou Changqing.
Before they could make a move, Yue Mei restrained them with her Dou Qi.
"Chief..."
Startled, they were about to ask why when Yue Mei raised a hand to silence them. Her eyes were fixed on Zhou Changqing as he vented his frustration. She sent a voice transmission to the commanders present. "Relax, Hakesi will be fine. This person is someone the Queen has specifically requested to see. He is of great importance to our race, so do not act rashly. I will compensate Hakesi afterward."
She knew that the only conflict Zhou Changqing had been in during his time here was with Hakesi. For the sake of the Snake-People Race, Hakesi would just have to be inconvenienced. Besides, who told this brainless fool to go looking for trouble with Zhou Changqing after knowing her orders?
After about a minute, Zhou Changqing stopped punching.
Hakesi's upper body was a mess of bruises, black and blue, a truly wretched sight. Fortunately, the injuries were only superficial and would heal with some rest. Hakesi was thoroughly terrified now, not daring to make a sound as he endured the pain racking his body. In that moment, he felt he wasn't facing a human, but a ferocious and powerful Magical Beast.
It was just too brutal.
Shaking his hands, Zhou Changqing turned away without a second glance at Hakesi and walked toward Ling Sha.
?
Ling Sha had been watching with great interest, but now that Zhou Changqing was heading for her, she felt a strange sense of panic.
"Little Changqing! What are you doing!"
"Stupid woman! I've been putting up with you for a long time! Who gave you the right to call me 'little Changqing'!"
Zhou Changqing snorted coldly and suddenly accelerated, appearing before Ling Sha in an instant.
Ling Sha now understood completely. He was going to get his revenge on her, the main culprit, before he left. Realizing this, her Dou Qi erupted as she prepared to teach this brat a lesson. She wasn't Hakesi, a peak Da Dou Shi, but a genuine high-level Dou Ling.
Just as Ling Sha's small, Dou Qi-infused fist shot out to knock Zhou Changqing back, he advanced instead of retreating, catching her incoming fist with one hand.
Weng!
Their Dou Qi surged wildly, creating a humming sound. The shockwave of their clash forced the nearby commanders, who were all Da Dou Shis except for Ling Sha, to stumble back several steps. They were unprepared for the residual force from a battle between two Dou Lings.
How can this kid be so strong? Could this little bastard be a Magical Beast in human form?