Chapter 448: Desert Wolf
Lin Feng and Meng Qing trudged through the rolling yellow sands. This desert seemed vast, and after walking for several hours, they still hadn't managed to escape it.
What frustrated Lin Feng even more was that the occasional sandstorms that swept through the desert left them somewhat disoriented, unable to determine which direction led to the End of the World Pavilion.
"Meng Qing, it's my fault. I forgot to ask for clearer directions," Lin Feng said, looking at the dust covering Meng Qing's clothes, feeling a bit guilty. He had thought this desert wasn't very large and that they could walk straight through it, but after several hours, aside from a few figures in the distance, there was nothing.
"Why blame yourself?" Meng Qing shook her head and pointed south, saying, "Look, there seem to be people over there. We can go ask them."
Lin Feng gazed in the direction Meng Qing pointed and indeed saw several figures. He said, "Let's go take a look."
The two stepped forward and soon arrived before the figures. There were five of them: four men and one woman. The men were lean and rugged, with messy hair and dark skin that gave them a wild look. The woman, however, was quite different from the men, appearing rather delicate.
Seeing Lin Feng approach, the five of them sized him up.
Lin Feng also examined them. He wasn't familiar with the people of this realm and didn't want to speak rashly.
"Hello, can we help you?" the woman asked first, which slightly relaxed Lin Feng. Although she had only said one sentence, it was clear that these people weren't much different from those outside.
"We're lost in this desert. Could you guide us out?" Lin Feng asked politely.
Hearing this, the group was momentarily stunned. Lost in the desert? These two must be sheltered young masters and ladies who had never been out before; otherwise, how could they get lost? And judging by their appearances—one handsome and refined, and Meng Qing, though her face was veiled, still exuded an air of captivating beauty.
"Just head west, and you'll leave the desert. We're heading home too, so why not travel together?"
The girl said with a smile, revealing two dimples. She was quite warm and welcoming.
"Alright," Lin Feng agreed without hesitation. Interacting more with the locals would help him quickly understand everything about this realm.
"My name is Nona," the girl said cheerfully as Lin Feng agreed.
"Lin Feng," he replied, giving his name as well.
"Lin Feng!" Nona murmured softly, then asked, "Lin Feng, if you don't know the way, why did you come into the desert?"
"We had nothing to do at home, so we decided to take a stroll and clear our minds," Lin Feng said with a gentle smile.
"Are you from the city?" Nona asked, catching Lin Feng off guard. City people? Did that mean these people weren't from the End of the World Pavilion?
"Something like that," Lin Feng hesitated only briefly before nodding. Nona didn't suspect anything. Given Lin Feng and Meng Qing's attire and the fact that they were lost in the desert, they were probably young masters and ladies from some city family.
"You're really bold to come into the territory of the Desert Wolf," Nona added, surprising Lin Feng. "Desert Wolf?"
"You don't even know about the Desert Wolf?"
Nona was speechless. Where exactly was Lin Feng from that he hadn't even heard of the Desert Wolf, the overlord that roamed outside the End of the World Pavilion?
Lin Feng smiled bitterly. This was his first time in this realm; it would be strange if he knew about the desert.
Seeing the bitter smile on Lin Feng's lips, Nona understood. Lin Feng truly didn't know about the Desert Wolf.
"Lin Feng, inside the city, you might have protection, but outside the city, it's the Desert Wolf's territory. They're domineering and stop at nothing. You'd better be careful. If you run into them, stay as far away as possible. The Desert Wolf is the strongest force outside the city, and no tribe can oppose them."
Nona explained to Lin Feng, helping him understand a bit. So the so-called Desert Wolf was just a band of bandits—desert bandits.
"Rumble!"
Suddenly, the ground trembled slightly, and the sound of galloping hooves came from afar, startling Nona and the others.
They looked up and gazed into the distance, seeing clouds of dust rising. Their expressions gradually turned serious.
"Damn it, speak of the devil. Lin Feng, that's the Desert Wolf. Let's hurry and avoid them, or they might cause us trouble again."
Nona said, quickly stepping forward. The four men seemed to be her attendants and followed closely.
Lin Feng hesitated for a moment, glanced at the rolling hooves in the distance, then followed Nona's pace, trying to steer clear of these bandits.
But to Nona's dismay, the sound of hooves grew louder, and the group seemed to be getting closer.
Nona looked back and her face turned pale. Those galloping horses seemed to be heading straight for them.
"Not good." Nona's heart raced, and she quickened her pace. But how could her running speed compare to galloping horses? Soon, the horses surrounded them, and a group of riders circled Lin Feng and the others, kicking up clouds of dust. Their eyes were filled with mockery.
The young man leading them had the most mocking expression, his gaze fixed on Meng Qing and Nona beside Lin Feng, a hint of greed in his eyes.
Nona and her group's faces were grim. Speak of the devil, and he appears. They had indeed run into the Desert Wolf.
"Greetings, noble young master. I am Nona, the chieftain's daughter of the Ke Luo tribe. We are passing through here by chance, and I hope the noble young master will allow us to return to our tribe."
Nona spoke very politely, revealing her identity. The Ke Luo tribe was not a small one, and she hoped that her status as the chieftain's daughter would make the other party think twice.
The sound of hooves stopped. The sinister young man sneered and said, "Chieftain's daughter? How impressive. You've scared me."
"Haha..." The group burst into laughter, clearly understanding Nona's implication. She was trying to use her status to intimidate them.
But these people didn't seem to care much, which made things even worse.
"So, how should I deal with this pretty chieftain's daughter?" the young man said with a lecherous grin, asking the crowd.
"Take her back."
"Of course, take her back to be the second young master's eighth wife."
The group shouted wildly, making Nona's face turn even paler. They had called that young man the second young master?
"Second young master, the Ke Luo tribe didn't know that Your Highness would be here. I sincerely hope you will let us go. The Ke Luo tribe will surely be grateful and offer generous gifts." Nona bit her lip and spoke again, her voice pleading.
Lin Feng frowned, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. So this so-called Desert Wolf was exactly as he had imagined—just a bunch of horse bandits and thugs, but powerful ones that everyone feared.
"Maybe it won't just be the eighth," the Desert Wolf's second young master said with a grin, then turned his horse and galloped away.
"Ke Luo tribe, listen carefully. Tomorrow at noon, I will personally lead my men to the Ke Luo tribe to propose marriage. All of you must be there, not one missing. Otherwise, the Ke Luo tribe will cease to exist."
The second young master's figure vanished like the wind, and the other Desert Wolf riders also galloped away, leaving behind a cloud of yellow sand.
Nona's face was deathly pale. Propose marriage!
She would never agree to become the wife of the wicked Desert Wolf's second young master, especially as his eighth wife. And he had even said it might not stop at the eighth.
"Miss Nona, let's hurry back to the tribe and inform the chieftain. We need to leave together," one of the men said to Nona, his face showing anxiety.
"Leave?" Nona's face twisted into a bitter smile, and she said weakly, "I guess I'm just unlucky. Out here in the wilderness, where can you go that isn't under the Desert Wolf's control?"
PS: Fourth chapter delivered. One more to go.