Chapter 132 - No-Man Land

Just as Lee Tao thought about killing Deng Lijuan to end her pain, Xiao Chu suddenly appeared with an ambiguous smile.

"Lee Tao, here's a mission for you. Guide Deng Lijuan and show her new hopes of living to earn a wealthy reward." Xiao Chu said cheerfully.

Meanwhile, Lee Tao narrowed his eyes suspiciously at Xiao Chu.

There was no way she would suddenly become some generous loli girl when all she had been doing was teasing him.

"Let me see the so-called wealthy reward first. Otherwise, you can forget about it." Lee Tao sneered.

"Now where would the surprise be if I had just said it aloud, Lee Tao."

"Then it just means I shouldn't accept it because you are not trustworthy."

"How can you say such words, Lee Tao?" Xiao Chu puffed up her chest as she crossed her arms. 

"Don't forget it was me that gave you data regarding the maps and the enemy's identity. Not to mention, it was also because of me that your journey has been smooth sailing so far." She added.

Lee Tao twitched his mouth.

'Just when did Xiao Chu become such a nanny?' He thought.

Sometime later, Lee Tao decided to accept Xiao Chu's request.

After all, it was the first time she had offered to give out a reward for something.

"Fine, I can take her in, but don't say I didn't warn you. If she annoys or enrages me, then I won't hesitate to kill." Lee Tao said. 

Xiao Chu nodded her head.

"You can rest assured, as long as she is guided properly. I doubt Deng Lijuan would annoy you at all." She said with absolute confidence.

Lee Tao squinted his eyes slightly as he wondered what was up on her sleeve.

Alas, he didn't ponder for much longer as he focused back his attention on Deng Lijuan.

"Deng Lijuan!" Lee Tao called out.

"Y-Yes?" Deng Lijuan stuttered. 

"Are you really sure about following me?"

"I'm sure about it."

"Even if I said I'm heading to the Sierra Desert?"

Deng Lijuan gasped in surprise when she heard him. "Y-You're going to the Sierra Desert? The no-man land?"

"No-man land?" Lee Tao raised an eyebrow. 

When did the Sierra Desert become a no-man land?

"What the heck do you mean by that?" Lee Tao asked in confusion.

Deng Lijuan swallowed some of her saliva nervously as she proceeded to explain the condition of the Sierra Desert.

"It has been 5 years since a group of unknown clans had overtaken the Sierra Desert as their territory." 

"And?"

"Those people can't really be called people as they were seen with their lower part being snake form, scorpion form, crab form, and even spider legs." Deng Lijuan said with a pale face.

"..."

Lee Tao rubbed his temples softly as he wondered if he should have just ignored Xiao Chu's request.

"Did you really think I don't know anything about that part, Deng Lijuan?" Lee Tao asked sarcastically.

And he continued, "I was expecting some new shit to appear yet it's just that… Seriously, if you are scared by those races then you should just turn around and head toward the Tianyun Kingdom."

Deng Lijuan shook her head vigorously.

"Since you are determined to go there, then I will follow you…" Deng Lijuan said.

"Whatever, just make sure to not disturb or annoy me," Lee Tao decided to stop talking to her.

Sometime later, Lee Tao returned to his original journey with a new follower.

Along the way, Deng Lijuan would close their distance by a lot whenever they encountered a magical beast.

Of course, Lee Tao was always annoyed by her constant screaming since it distracted him from fighting.

It didn't take long before Lee Tao found out that she was a sheltered girl, and the confidence she had before when dragging customers was taught by Deng Lun.

"So the act of dragging my arms to the Chiyu Tavern was ordered by Deng Lun?" Lee Tao raised an eyebrow.

Deng Lijuan nodded her head.

'How did he know I would show up in the first place?' Lee Tao wondered silently. 

The request from his mother was a secret, and she had only told him during their sex. 

Thus, it should have been impossible for Deng Lun to eavesdrop and know beforehand.

'Could he be taking a gamble that I would show up the moment I left the Tianyun Kingdom? No- that wouldn't make any sense… According to Deng Lijuan, Deng Lun had been residing in the Pan Village for around 20 years.' 

Lee Tao felt a huge migraine when he tried to solve this puzzle.

Scratching his head in annoyance, Lee Tao decided to put it aside from now.

"Whatever, if the enemies are ready for me, then I will know it when they show up." Lee Tao muttered as he glanced at Deng Lijuan.

"Have you rested enough yet?" He asked.

"I-I can still walk." Deng Lijuan said.

However, it was clear that her mortal body was unable to move any longer after traveling for a long time without rest.

"Did Deng Lun not teach you any cultivation techniques?"

"Fathe- Deng Lun only told me that he was an original person that bought the Chiyu Tavern to operate. So I have never come into contact with cultivation techniques." 

"Give me your hand," Lee Tao ordered as he started feeling her pulse.

Suddenly, Lee Tao became dumbfounded when he felt the pulse rate on Deng Lijuan was abnormal.

"Deng Lijuan, have you ever felt like fainting randomly during the day?" Lee Tao asked.

"H-How did you know that?"

"Then do you ever feel like your body is being bitten by ants during the night?"

Deng Lijuan held a shocked expression as she couldn't understand how Lee Tao managed to know all of those.

Seeing her reaction, Lee Tao's suspicions were starting to become more clear.

It could also be the reason why Xiao Chu insisted on having him guide her.

'I'm 90% sure now… but I still need to know one more thing to be positive..' Lee Tao thought.