Once the giant beast had completely emerged from the sand, the secret chamber fell quiet again.
Tang Mo ran her hand along the wall, feeling the solid ground return beneath her feet.
This sand-built castle was surprisingly sturdy. Only the central sand pile had ruptured, leaving a chaotic mess in its wake.
In that instant, Tang Mo understood.
’So the purpose of this sand castle was to imprison this huge, chimera-like mutant beast.’
The human and the beast stared at each other, neither one speaking first.
After a while, Tang Mo’s neck began to ache from craning it upwards, so she twisted it a few times to stretch. Jingjing, meanwhile, kept its eyes squeezed shut, not daring to look at all.
"Human, are you working with that Lin Yu?"
It was the giant beast that lost its patience and spoke first.
’Lin Yu?’
’Could this really be related to Lin Yu? And if so, are they friend or foe?’
With no information, saying anything could be a mistake. Tang Mo didn’t dare to answer rashly, so she simply continued to stare back in silence.
"Aren’t you curious who I am and why I’m here?"
Seeing the tiny human before it looking so calm, the mutant beast grew a little agitated.
In its experience, humans were supposed to panic and cower at the sight of it. That was what gave it a sense of satisfaction.
"Who are you, and why are you here?" Tang Mo asked, playing along.
"I am an Ancient Divine Beast, a Dragon. You know what a Dragon is, right?"
Tang Mo nodded.
’A Dragon my ass. If Dragons looked like you, they never would have become Divine Beasts in the first place.’
Of course, Tang Mo only dared to think this and wouldn’t say it out loud.
"I’ve been trapped here for as long as I’ve been self-aware. I wake once a month to feed, and today is that day."
"Feed? What do you eat?" Tang Mo glanced around. There was nothing here.
’It looks like that door is about to open.’
"Humans, of course. But don’t worry, I have no interest in adults like you. I only like to eat human children. That fresh, tender flavor... TSK TSK."
The greedy expression on the mutant beast’s face sent a chill through Tang Mo, and her own expression instantly turned cold.
’If this is what Lin Yu’s Sand Town is like, then it seems we can only be enemies.’
Those who are not our kin will surely have different hearts.
And those who make deals with outsiders using their own kind... they are Devils, too.
"What do they want you to do?"
"Clever!" The mutant beast gave Tang Mo an appreciative glance.
"They have many demands. They want to enhance that Lin Yu’s physical constitution, and they want that flower from the cliff. Do they really think they can make such big demands just by sacrificing that little bit to me each month? In their dreams!"
"What if they promised to let you out?"
"Hmph. Would they dare?"
’That makes sense.’ This mutant beast had been imprisoned here for so long; its hatred for Sand Town must run deep.
There was no way those people would offer its freedom as a bargaining chip. Otherwise, once their demands were met, the beast could just wipe out their entire nest, which would be a catastrophic loss.
The two sides were constraining each other, which had led to the current stalemate.
However, there was one thing Tang Mo still didn’t understand. If the mutant beast was already sealed here and was unwilling to meet Sand Town’s demands, why did they still have to sacrifice a child to it every month?
"However, if you’re willing to help me, I’m willing to grant you three wishes."
After beating around the bush for so long, the mutant beast finally got to the point.
"Me, help you?" Tang Mo looked up.
"You really overestimate me. I think I’ll pass."
Three wishes. Tang Mo rejected the offer without a hint of hesitation.
’Are you kidding me? A whole tribe couldn’t outplay this mutant beast, and she was supposed to make a deal with it?’
’I wouldn’t even know what hit me. I’m not that greedy.’
"How dare you! Aren’t you afraid I’ll eat you right now? Even if your flesh isn’t as tender as a human child’s, you’re still edible."
As it spoke, the mutant beast opened its massive maw and let out a furious roar in Tang Mo’s direction.
The power of a mutant beast this huge that could speak was naturally not to be underestimated.
Tang Mo stood in the corner, her hair blown back by the force of the roar.
She covered her face tightly with her sleeve, terrified of being splattered by the beast’s saliva.
"If you could leave the area of that sand pile, you probably wouldn’t need to be negotiating with me."