Lea chuckled. “Then let’s imprison Miranda and spread the news that she has already been sold. Next year during the monsoon season, we will bring her up with us when we go up the Motou mountains. How about that?”
Gu Mengmeng nodded. “Lea… do you feel I am too selfish? Doing this to her just because she likes you… it’s so petty of me, isn’t it?”
Lea caressed Gu Mengmeng’s hair. “Silly girl, did you forget what I said? Your selfishness is my dream. I can’t get enough of your selfishness. The more you cannot stand others liking me, the more it shows you care for me. This gives me a great sense of security. I cannot be happier. Why would I feel you are being bad?”
Gu Mengmeng didn’t say anything more. She just snuggled in Lea’s arms for a while.
The weather turned cooler by the day and the time for Wabei to return to the Snake King valley approached.
That day, Wabei strolled back after a hunting expedition to help stockpile food for Gu Mengmeng. He tossed two wild boars at Lea, before making his way nonchalantly toward Gu Mengmeng. He reached out and poked her twice on the head, his mood instantly improving after that.
That small movement was a relic from the time when he was finally no longer scared of Gu Mengmeng. He would jab her twice every time they met, to ensure he was really not afraid of her. If he didn’t poke her, he would feel uncomfortable all over.
Gu Mengmeng was now used to his poking and couldn’t be bothered to kick up a fuss anymore.
After prodding her, Wabei felt very much at ease. He sat by the wall and said in a casual voice, “Your little fox guessed correctly. When I ventured far enough, that crippled really appeared. Although he is a fifth-level beast, he is obviously much weaker than me. I was nearly at the Snake King valley before he finally dared to appear.”
Wabei said before that during the time when he feared her, he would pace along the borders of Sauder, not daring to enter. And Cole must be hiding in an even farther location, unable to come nearer.
Wabei was using the distance that had to be maintained due to fear of her to measure one’s strength. Although he had been exaggerating to say Cole was hiding all the way at the Snake King valley, it was a certainty that Cole had to stay even further away from her than Wabei did.
But Gu Mengmeng didn’t feel this had anything to do with one’s strength. On some level, it must be some psychological effect.
Although Wabei feared Gu Mengmeng, he knew very well that she would never hurt him. But it was different for Cole. Apart from that instinctual fear, he was also logically afraid of her. He knew Gu Mengmeng truly hated him and would love to kill him.
But Gu Mengmeng didn’t tell Wabei this. That snake was going into hibernation soon, it would be good for him to enjoy a bit of smugness now.
Tilting her head, Gu Mengmeng nodded profoundly. “Mmm, my little shit is naturally more powerful than most. How could that lousy Cole ever compare to you, right…”
Wabei pondered her words for a moment before asking, “Are you praising me?”
Gu Mengmeng nodded solemnly. Her face was full of sincerity.
Wabei laughed. “You finally realized how powerful I am, right?”
Gu Mengmeng smiled wordlessly, before asking, “Did you play your role according to how Lea taught you?”
Wabei nodded eagerly. He slapped his thigh in laughter. “Eh, let me tell you. It felt great to pretend to be Snake’s stepfather…”
Gu Mengmeng chuckled. Lea set the wild boars to the side and walked over to sit beside her. He probed further. “Then what was his reaction after he knew that you became partners with the ex-Messenger?”
Wabei spent some time thinking before answering, “I forgot… after I told him, I just tossed my sleeves and left without giving him another glance…”