The girl's somewhat naive gaze, falling into Yang Lan Yan's eyes, only made her seem more endearing.
He looked at the girl's face and spoke.
"Why are you here? This place is very dangerous... I mean, miss, do you need protection?"
The girl with a pure and sacred countenance before him bit her lips, then shook her head and whispered to him.
"I don't need anyone to protect me."
She glanced at him again, quickly withdrew her gaze, and told him with a certain tone.
"I have someone who can protect me."
Her words were decisive, without even the slightest hesitation.
Yang Lan Yan on the opposite side, however, let out a cold snort, a闷气 (mēnqì - suppressed anger) rising from his chest. He raised his eyebrows, his gaze cold, and asked.
"Who is this person you speak of who can protect you?"
"You are his female beast, aren't you?"
The girl said.
"He said I am... I don't know myself."
"I haven't met many people..."
Her voice was very, very soft, and Yang Lan Yan immediately frowned. He asked her.
"Are you being kept?"
He lowered his head to look at her wrist, as if searching for a brand on it, and Lin Mu Ci quickly withdrew her palm.
"No, no, I'm not a kept female beast."
She hesitated, then said softly.
"I grew up in prison."
Yang Lan Yan, looking at the girl before him, raised his eyebrows in shock, yet he felt that what the girl said might be true, because – if she hadn't grown up in prison, as a female beast, she should have had her information registered by the council.
And this girl, just one glance at her, made his heart flutter.
Her compatibility with him was so high, and he had never seen her before... unless she was from an extremely remote immortal realm, or, as she said, from prison.
"And then?"
The girl looked at him, her eyes full of wariness.
"Later, my daddy rescued me. I warn you, my daddy is a very powerful expert..."
"It's just that he's not by my side right now!"
"If my daddy found out someone bullied me, my daddy definitely wouldn't let them off!"
Yang Lan Yan silently observed the girl's face. She seemed to still be somewhat indignant, her dark pupils looking at him as if carrying the misty dew of a jungle. This girl's eyes were truly beautiful. He pursed his lips lightly and retorted.
"Do you know where this place is?"
"You, a female beast, without protection, are likely to die the next second."
A hint of fear and trepidation flickered in the little girl's big eyes.
"You—you're talking nonsense, I won't... I won't be harmed."
But her eyes darted around, revealing a bit of her thoughts; she was clearly a little scared.
Yang Lan Yan looked at her and said directly.
"I am Yang Lan Yan, an executive of the Interstellar Council."
"Protecting interstellar humans is my responsibility. As a female beast appearing in such a dangerous area, I have a duty to protect you and escort you safely out of this dangerous region."
After saying this, he nodded at the little girl and, without any hesitation, stepped forward.
The little girl's eyes widened, her expression still somewhat dazed. After a moment, she bit her lip and said softly.
"But I'm still waiting for someone."
"What is an executive of the Interstellar Council?"
"A very big, very powerful figure?"
"I'll tell you, my daddy is some... some..."
She paused and said quietly.
"My daddy is a marshal of some federation."
"Is your executive a bigger figure than a marshal?"
"Is he bigger than the warden of the prison?"
This female beast spoke these words, which seemed somewhat comical to Yang Lan Yan, in such a gentle tone.
However, Yang Lan Yan did not mock the thin, frail little female beast before him; he simply found her words somewhat amusing.
But, hearing her tone, he understood that she truly knew nothing.
"Warden? What is that... laughable."
"Can a warden compare to me?"
Yang Lan Yan was about to say something more when his expression suddenly changed slightly, because the mention of the warden by this little female beast reminded him of that fellow!
He paused and asked.
"The warden you speak of—"
"Is he the warden of Prison No. [8]?"
This question was very important to Yang Lan Yan.
If it were the warden of Prison No. 8, that fellow would indeed be troublesome. He thought of a face that was both cold and handsome, yet arrogant and dismissive of all, his originally elegant smile becoming strained. He asked coldly.
"Is it the warden of Prison No. 8?"
The little female beast was startled by his question. The little female beast looked up pitifully, her eyes filled with panic.
"Yes... yes."
"What's wrong, do you know him?"
"He's very powerful, isn't he?"
Yang Lan Yan smirked and fell silent.
He hadn't expected it to actually be the warden of Prison No. 8! If it was that fellow...
His face turned as cold as ice, and he remained resolutely silent. However, the little female beast opposite him was still looking at him with questioning eyes, seemingly waiting for his answer. He snorted coldly.
"Yes, I know him."
"But he's just a warden."
His face was cold, and he suddenly asked.
"He wants you to be his female beast?"
"That guy... he can say such things?"
"Does he deserve to have a female beast?"
He had been searching for a suitable female beast all these years; the entire Interstellar Council knew this.
And that fellow, as a prominent figure of the younger generation, had no interest in female beasts. It was said...
There were very few female beasts that could match him, given his exceptionally high ability talent, making it impossible to find someone who could be his match.
This fellow was only fit to die in the interstellar prison, alone and proud...
But Yang Lan Yan could never have imagined that Ling Kuang could so stealthily acquire such a cute, such a pure little female beast!
This girl was so adorable that she touched the very core of his heart. How could he be allowed to possess her?
Yang Lan Yan was so jealous he gritted his teeth!
"Do you know how high our gene matching degree is?"
He looked at the girl, and his soul trembled. How could he let a cold, heartless fellow snatch her away first!
The girl opposite was about to speak when suddenly there was movement from afar. Yang Lan Yan glanced up and immediately issued a warning.
"Be careful, it's an interstellar mutated monster!"
He pressed his wrist, and the bracelet on his wrist instantly transformed into a lightsaber, and then, without hesitation, he made a clean, powerful thrust!