A vicious female is trapped in a beastly hell.

Chapter 561 Picking Up a Child on the Road
There was no rush on the return journey. Shen Tang didn't use the teleportation array or take a spaceship, but instead marched normally with the group. This provided a good opportunity to inspect the cities and tribes along the way.

Although one could receive written reports from officials across the country while in the capital, one could not personally experience the lives of ordinary people. Such an opportunity should not be wasted.

However, this lengthened the journey, and it would take about a week to return to the capital.

On the first day of their march, they had not yet fully left the northern border.

Outside the RV window, heavy snow was still falling, and as far as the eye could see, there was a vast, white, frozen world that stretched as far as the eye could see.

Although it was already evening, the light reflected off the snow was still very bright, and the sky remained clear.

After the curtains were drawn, the glaring white light was finally blocked out, and the interior of the car became dark.

Xiao Jialan flew out of the space and lay on her chest, sullenly, "I hate that lovesick fool from the Eternal Winter Empire!"

If it weren't for the fear of scaring others and exposing the secret, Xiao Jialan would have jumped out and kicked him long ago!

Shen Tang hugged the little guy, kissed his puffed-up cheeks, and smiled indulgently, "Jealous?"

Xiao Jialan gently tugged at her hair. "I'm just jealous."

It was already sad enough that she couldn't be by her side, but now so many other women were vying for her place. Jialan felt wronged just thinking about it.

“That merchant’s son is indeed good-looking, but he’s nowhere near as good-looking as you. Why would I like him?” Shen Tang said confidently.

Jialan was then happy.

"By the way, what's the situation in the sea right now?"

"The spread of pollution has been temporarily brought under control." Jialan said this with a mixture of relief and helplessness.

As the new High Priest of the Sea Clan, he is more powerful than his father, but at the same time, he cannot leave the temple, otherwise the hard-won balance will be broken again.

A pang of sadness welled up in Shen Tang's heart, but she forced a smile and kissed his cheek again. "This is all thanks to you. I'm so proud of you, Alan."

Jialan, thousands of miles away in the sea, seemed to feel the gentle touch and unconsciously raised her hand to touch her cheek.

The attendants serving nearby noticed that the priest, who had become increasingly taciturn and aloof since arriving at the temple, had a faint smile on his handsome face and said softly, "Me too."

She is also his pride.

Shen Tang asked softly, "How is Mother?"

Although Jialan had never left the temple, she was fully aware of everything that was happening in the sea. "The news of Mother's decline in strength has not yet spread, but the truth will eventually come out. Mother is already planning to select a new successor, and if I am not mistaken, it should be Princess Gatasha."

"Is that the princess with blue-purple hair? She's older than you, and I think I've seen her once before."

Jialan nodded, "That's right, she's my eldest sister, and also the first princess my mother gave birth to. At that time, my mother hadn't ascended the throne yet; she was still a princess and was born to a beastman."

"Although that beastman was not very favored by my mother, this older sister is excellent, hardworking, and talented. Before me, my mother originally planned to pass the throne to her."

"That puts my mind at ease. If they need any help over there, please let me know."

"Ah."

The two chatted warmly for a long time.

As she spoke, Shen Tang yawned, feeling so sleepy she was about to fall asleep.

Xiao Jin felt a little jealous, so he pulled the doll out of her arms and threw it aside. He then took his place in bed and pulled her into his arms.

The little doll flew back angrily and stomped hard on his handsome face. "You damn leopard, get up!"

Enraged, Xiao Jin slapped him again, sending him flying.

Shen Tang was awakened by the noise of the two people. She heard the little doll fly into her arms and cry pitifully, "Tangtang, this leopard bullied me!"

Shen Tang immediately reached out and grabbed Xiao Jin's ear, "You better behave yourself!"

Xiao Jin cried out, "Ouch! Tangtang, be gentle!"

Shen Tang then let go. To prevent the leopard from bullying Xiao Jialan again while she was sleeping, she put the little doll back into her space so that he could rest well.

Xiao Jin rubbed his ears and lay back down, pulling her back into his arms. He buried his chin in her neck and hummed softly, "You're so biased. Last night you even had a late-night talk with that wolf and wouldn't let me over! What did you say to him?"

"You're only now picking on what happened last night?" Shen Tang pinched his ear gently, as if giving him a massage. The man snorted in pleasure, his golden eyes narrowing as his tail wrapped around her calf.

"cough!"

Xiao Jin quickly regained his composure, coughed lightly, and pretended to be angry, "Don't think I can't see that the wolf is interested in you!"

"So, I want him to let go of it sooner."

"Really?"

"Why don't you go back and ask him again?"

Xiao Jin remained silent.

He knew that if Shen Tang really liked Yun Han, she would have accepted him long ago and wouldn't have dragged it out for so long.

As dusk fell, Shen Tang was sound asleep when a sudden stop startled her awake. "What happened?"

Xiao Jin also woke up, drew back the curtains and looked outside, only to find a group of wild beasts surrounding them.

After quickly eliminating the herd of beasts, they discovered a thin figure hiding in the bushes not far away.

"There's someone there!"

"Come over and have a look!"

When they arrived, they found a wounded orc who looked to be about fourteen or fifteen years old.

The boy was covered in blood, as if he had been torn apart by a wild animal. His clothes were tattered and almost unrecognizable. If it weren't for the faint rise and fall of his chest, he would probably have been mistaken for a corpse abandoned in the wilderness.

Shen Tang quickly stepped forward and used her healing abilities to treat the critically injured and dying boy.

The warm, pale green light transformed into countless threads in the air, seeping into the boy's shattered body and nourishing every damaged part of his flesh to regrow.

She was enveloped in a gentle warmth. "Uh..."

The boy seemed to wake up briefly, squinted at the woman in front of him, then tilted his head and fainted again.

After treating his injuries, Shen Tang saw that the child was still unconscious, so she had no choice but to take him back to the RV.

……

Armored vehicles slowly drove along the road. Inside the cramped room, the boy slowly opened his deep, dark eyes amidst the continuous tremors, silently gazing at the ceiling above.

His wounds had been cleaned and he had been given a new set of clothes, which were changed by the orcs who accompanied him.

here it is……

"Are you awake? How do you feel?"

A gentle and sweet voice came from inside.

The boy turned his head and was slightly stunned.

The woman was dressed in simple, casual work clothes: a white shirt, high-waisted black trousers, and Martin boots. Her long black hair was casually draped over her shoulders. Even with such a simple outfit, her cold and elegant beauty and noble air were still undeniable.

Seeing that he had woken up, she smiled kindly, her clear cat-like eyes curving into crescents, revealing a unique charm.

The boy was momentarily dazed.

Seeing his expression, Shen Tang quickly walked over and waved her hand worriedly in front of him, "What's wrong? Can't you see?"

The boy blinked as if snapping out of his daze, his voice hoarse and dry, "I'm fine."

He tried to get out of bed, but his body was too weak, and a look of pain appeared on his face. "It's just... I feel a little uncomfortable."

Shen Tang sat down by the bed, helped him lie down, and held one of his hands. "Rest well, let me take a look at you."

The moment she held his hand, she noticed that his palm was extremely cold, unlike normal people.

Shen Tang was worried that he had other old ailments and planned to treat him again.

When the gentle healing power appeared in her palm, the boy's eyes flickered intensely for a moment, but it was fleeting and no one noticed.

This time he felt it very clearly.

Shen Tang then carefully used her healing abilities to comb through all the meridians in his body.

Looking at the boy's pale face and emaciated appearance, she sighed softly, "Your body is much weaker than that of an ordinary person. I can barely feel your pulse. I wonder what you've been through."

The boy answered softly, "A year ago, during the war, I was separated from my family and have been homeless ever since. I never expected to encounter a herd of wild animals in the wild..."

Shen Tang felt even more heartbroken.

I thought the lives of the people in the city had returned to normal, but I didn't expect there to be wandering orcs outside.

This reminded her of the little leopard that had once roamed the slums.

That's so pitiful.

She brought him some food and said, "You're so thin, you must often go hungry. Eat something first... Is there anywhere you want to go? Do you have any other relatives at home? I can take you there."

The boy shook his head. "I was injured, and I don't remember many things, nor do I remember having any relatives."

Shen Tang felt even more pity upon hearing this, "What's your name?"

The boy said, "My name is A-Lian."

Shen Tang read it softly twice, "A-Lian, what a pitiful child."

Clutching the bread, the boy looked up timidly and asked, "Thank you for saving me... I... I have nowhere to go, can you take me in?"

Shen Tang's voice became even gentler, "You can come with us for now. Once we get to the capital, I'll find you a good place to stay."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Shen Tang was somewhat surprised, "How did you know I was His Majesty?"

Ah Lian blinked, then explained helplessly, "They all respect you a lot, and I've seen your picture before..."

Shen Tang patted his head and smiled gently, "You should rest well first. If you need anything, just let me know."

"Ah."

Shen Tang gave a few more instructions and then left.

The moment the door closed, the light inside dimmed slightly, and the room returned to silence.

The boy gazed quietly toward the doorway for a long time before closing his eyes, becoming as still as if he were asleep.

After crossing the northern ice plains and arriving at the next more prosperous city, Shen Tang ordered the troops to halt and rest, replenish supplies for the rest of the journey, and have breakfast at the morning market.

Shen Tang didn't want to cause too much of a commotion, so she didn't reveal her identity and put on the "Thousand Faces" mask, giving herself the appearance of an ordinary person.

Seeing her expression change, Ah Lian froze, her face filled with shock, "This is..."

Shen Tang then remembered him and explained with a smile, "It's just a realistic mask used to disguise one's identity, nothing to be surprised about."

Ah Lian stared at her blankly for a long time before slowly nodding, "So that's how it is."

Xiao Jin called out from a nearby stall, "Tangtang, I've brought the food over. Come and eat something, or it'll get cold again."

Although this was no longer an ice field, it was still very cold early in the morning. Shen Tang wrapped her coat tighter around herself and took A-Lian's hand as they walked over.

Shen Tang ordered a bowl of wonton noodles.

The steaming hot noodle soup is filled with the aroma of fresh meat when you take a bite of a wonton.

After a long and arduous journey, being able to eat a bowl of hot wonton noodles like this is the happiest thing in the world. I wish I could drink every last drop of the soup!
Three thousand words, good morning!