“That was why you were unwilling to tell Lea about this? You were worried I would force you to come with me?” Gu Mengmeng asked.
Ian shook his head. “When I was seeking refuge at Saint Nazaire, I said then that as long as you take in my people and help us survive through that winter season, my life would belong to you. I will obey your every command. If you need to find the Love of the Sky, I will bring bring you there even if I will be killed. It’s just that…”
Ian forced a smile, bitter as it was. “Because of my decision, the Eagle-owl tribe has become a disgrace in the Motou mountain range. I… am too ashamed to go back and face my former friends.”
“I remember that you sought refuge at Saint Nazaire because you had run out of food and truly had no other choice. You only wished to let your people survive, and didn’t commit any unconscionable crime. Why should you feel ashamed?” Gu Mengmeng refused to accept it. She could mock her own friends all she wanted, but what right did others have to look down on them?
Ian lowered his head. “The Eagle-owl tribe was not the first to be forced into dire straits, and we will not be the last. But only the Eagle-owl tribe had abandoned their duty to guard the Motou mountain range. To the Motou mountains, the Eagle-owl tribe are traitors, deserters, renegades.”
Gu Mengmeng tilted her head. “Eh, do you know me?”
Ian looked up and stared at Gu Mengmeng as if she was an “idiot”.
It was a rare occasion that Gu Mengmeng wasn’t making jibes at him. She pointed at her own nose. “The Bird tribes pride yourselves on being as close to the sky as possible so as to serve the Beast Deity, right? If that’s the case—you are serving me, the Messenger of the Beast Deity—isn’t this even better than you flying aimlessly around the skies to be close to the Beast Deity?”
Ian stared at Gu Mengmeng, suddenly feeling at a loss for words.
“All roads lead to Rome. Guarding that mountain range is not the only way to show loyalty to the Beast Deity.” Gu Mengmeng patted Ian’s shoulder. “To let the Beast Deity see your loyalty, the first criteria is for you to stay alive. To die guarding the Motou mountains—even if you all died horribly—the Beast Deity would not have noticed. He is too busy.”
Somehow, Gu Mengmeng’s words sprouted inside Ian’s heart like a seed. It gradually grew into a towering tree, absorbing all the gloominess that had been clouding his heart for over a year.
He had sought refuge in the Messenger of the Beast Deity’s tribe, Saint Nazaire. He had just exchanged for a more direct way of serving the Beast Deity…
Perhaps, he hadn’t actually pushed the Eagle-owl tribe to an eternal doom with no hope of reprieve?
The corners of Ian’s lips curled up. He lifted his head to look at Gu Mengmeng again. He felt that she appeared especially pleasing to the eye today. Nevertheless, he couldn’t help saying sarcastically, “Ha, never expected to finally hear you speak so reasonably.”
“Tsk, jerk.” Gu Mengmeng rolled her eyes at Ian, but she wasn’t angry. She just held her cheek as she looked at him. “Is the Motou mountain range far away? How long will we need to reach there from Saint Nazaire?”
Ian replied, “That time, we took nine days to fly over here from Motou. If we travel by foot, we will need at least half a month.”
Gu Mengmeng tapped her fingers on the table repetitively.
Half a month…
The round-trip journey alone would take up an entire month. The rainy season was nearly half over, so if they set off now, they would definitely not make it back before winter.
Gu Mengmeng looked up at Ian, and then at Mandy. “Alright, you two enjoy your newlywed bliss. I will let you hug your new wife like a hot water bottle this winter season, so that you can bear a few baby Eagle-owls next year at the end of winter. Thereafter, you will journey with me to the Motou mountain range during the following monsoon season.”