"Little master, you stay here for now. I'll go around and investigate, and I'll be back soon.
Remember, stay by Zhao Cai and Jin Bao's side and don't wander off. I'll be back shortly," Uncle Zhang said.
"Uncle Zhang, I understand. I'll wait for you here," Lin Zaozao replied.
Watching Uncle Zhang leave, Lin Zaozao, exhausted, lay down next to Zhao Cai and Jin Bao, placing her body's weight on them.
Just as Lin Zaozao settled down, two young voices reached her ears clearly.
"I've been running for so long, and the mistress put her big head on my belly, weighing me down."
"I'm so tired too! The mistress is pressing on my legs. She's so heavy that my legs are almost cramping."
"Jin Bao, you're talking nonsense. The mistress is not heavy. But she is really weighty!"
"Zhao Cai, if the mistress isn't heavy, then why did you complain about her pressing on your belly earlier?"
"I was just complaining. How could I bite the mistress? But I'm so tired and hungry!"
"Zhao Cai, if you dare to bite the mistress, I'll bite you first!"
"I was just saying. How could I possibly bite the mistress? But I'm so tired and hungry too! The mistress's flesh smells so good. I'm drooling..."
Listening to these two young whining voices, Lin Zaozao quickly sat up from Zhao Cai's belly.
She cautiously moved her legs from Jin Bao's legs and turned her head to look at the two wolf cubs beside her, their heads pressed together, whimpering incessantly.
She was certain it wasn't her imagination.
If her hearing was impaired, she wouldn't have been able to hear the words so clearly.
However, in an instant, how could she suddenly understand what Zhao Cai and Jin Bao were saying?
To confirm her speculation, Lin Zaozao took out two pieces of beef jerky from her waist pouch.
These two pieces of beef jerky were packed by Dashan. Needless to say, Dashan's cooking skills were excellent, and the beef jerky smelled delicious.
Lin Zaozao discreetly glanced at Zhao Cai and Jin Bao, then took out the beef jerky and shook it in the air.
"Oh! Why do I have two pieces of beef jerky here? They smell quite good. But they've been sitting for so long; they must not taste good anymore.
Should I throw them away? Zhao Cai and Jin Bao probably don't like to eat them."
After saying that, Lin Zaozao hid the beef jerky in her sleeve and threw the stone she had in her hand.
As soon as Lin Zaozao threw the stone, she heard Zhao Cai and Jin Bao roaring.
"This crazy mistress of ours. I'm starving to death. She didn't give us the good beef jerky and actually threw it away. Ah... I'm so angry..."
"Zhao Cai, I think our mistress is missing a few screws in her brain. How did we end up acknowledging her as our master?
This brainless person is worse than those two perverts, Lin Wuwu and Lin Wanwan!"
Listening to the complaints of Zhao Cai and Jin Bao, Lin Zaozao placed the beef jerky in front of their eyes and asked with a sinister smile.
"You little rascals, who do you think is lacking brains? And who said my meat smells good and wants to bite me?"
As soon as Lin Zaozao finished speaking, Zhao Cai and Jin Bao, who were lying on the ground, immediately stood up. When their eyes met Lin Zaozao's, they immediately crawled on the ground and sobbed while hugging Lin Zaozao's stinky feet.
"Master, we were wrong. We shouldn't have spoken ill of you. Actually, your meat doesn't smell good at all, it's extremely stinky."
"Zhao Cai is right. Besides being chaotic in your mind, you're not lacking a single brain cell."
"Is that so?"
Lin Zaozao took a big bite of the beef jerky and looked at Zhao Cai and Jin Bao with a sinister smile.
"Yes, yes..."
While saying that, Zhao Cai and Jin Bao used their big paws to please Lin Zaozao by kneading her thighs.
Looking at the fawning behavior of Zhao Cai and Jin Bao, Lin Zaozao couldn't help but burst into laughter. They didn't even consider their own sizes, they were such big lumps. With one paw, they stepped on her leg and it hurt.
"Master, when did you start understanding our language?"
"Just now. To be honest, I was quite surprised to hear you two secretly plotting against me. Aren't you both wolves? How come you're so smart?"
"Master, we've always been intelligent! Otherwise, you wouldn't have chosen us as your companions in your previous life, leaving behind your pursuers and favoring only us!"
"Previous life? What happened? Are you two little wolf cubs reincarnated?"
Lin Zaozao said in astonishment.
"Yes, yes! Master, we were always with you in the previous life. At that time, you stayed in the Sacrificial Hall, not liking to speak or move, always secretly telling us that you felt painful and cold. But you would still voluntarily help Lord Han Ye deal with troublesome memorials. Even though Lord Han Ye and Han Xibei didn't need your help, you insisted."
"As for what happened later, we have also forgotten."
"What Sacrificial Hall? Zhao Cai, Jin Bao, do you two know what happened to me in my previous life?"
"We only know a little. We only know that you are our master, but the rest is hazy in our memories, and we can't recall it."
Looking at the eager heads of Zhao Cai and Jin Bao as they approached, Lin Zaozao touched their heads and then stuffed the beef jerky into their mouths.
At that moment, Lin Zaozao's curiosity about her previous life reached its peak. It seemed that after she rescued Gu Shan and Murong Hai, she had to return to Canglan and let Ye Xi help her see her previous life.
Why did her previous life make Zhao Cai and Jin Bao say that she was cold and in pain?
Could it be that someone had beaten her?
However, based on the level of attention and care Han Ye gege and Han Xibei show towards her, she felt that the possibility of someone beating her up was really small.
Then why does she feel pain and cold?
"Master, I've finished eating my beef jerky. Do you have any left?"
Zhao Cai licked his tongue and nuzzled his head against Lin Zaozao's chest, with a playful tone in his voice.
"No, there's none left. There were only two pieces, and I gave them all to you guys. Zhao Cai, can you tell me what I was like in my past life?"
"Noble, mysterious, lonely, and melancholic. Also, master, you were so tired in your previous life, so exhausted. Whenever you had time, you would think about sleeping. But every time you just fell asleep, you would force yourself to wake up and find something to do.
As for the reason, we can't remember. We only know that whenever the master was tired, she would lean on the two of us and gaze at the moon in the sky.
Just like now, alone, gazing at the moon. You always said that your family is on the other side of the moon. Once you've completed your mission, you can go home."
Listening to Zhao Cai's words, Lin Zaozao paused the hand that was resting on Zhao Cai's head.
"Zhao Cai, but I don't feel lonely at all right now."
"Hmm! Not lonely at all. The master is not lonely now, which means she's feeling lovesick. Oh, I know, the master is yearning for that lonely mountain young man of yours."
Zhao Cai's words caught Lin Zaozao off guard.
Does she really look like she's lovesick in her current state?
"Master, you can talk to us about this, but don't tell anyone else. Otherwise..."
"Otherwise, what?"
"Otherwise, I'm afraid other people might hurt us! The two of us are so well-behaved, what if someone beats us up?
And we have a lot of meat on our bodies, what if someone slaughters us for meat? We don't want to be eaten by those two-legged creatures like you!"
Listening to Zhao Cai and Jin Bao's sobbing voices, Lin Zaozao couldn't help but find it amusing.
Not too long ago, these two wolf cubs were so fierce when they fought the assassins to protect her.
And now, they were saying that they're afraid of being eaten by those two-legged creatures.
If they really encountered such a situation, who would eat who is still unknown!
But when Lin Zaozao looked at Zhao Cai and Jin Bao, who were cuddling in her arms and acting spoiled, her heart couldn't help but soften.
Zhao Cai and Jin Bao have gone through two lifetimes and still chose her as their master. She's not stupid enough to tell others about her ability to communicate with them.
Having an extra secret, whether for her or for Zhao Cai and Jin Bao, meant having an additional sense of security.
[System, did you know that I could talk to Zhao Cai and Jin Bao and that they have memories from two lifetimes?]
[Yes, I knew, but now you know too.]
[Then why didn't you tell me?]
[Host, I thought that after Zhao Cai and Jin Bao went through two lifetimes, they would have forgotten about their past. I never expected that their attachment to you would be so deep. Even after going through one life, they can still remember you...]
"Yes! I couldn't believe it either, even after experiencing two lifetimes, they still remember me.
System, last time you mentioned an unexpected benefit after I used the fourth-level marrow-cleansing potion. Are you referring to my ability to understand the conversation between Zhao Cai and Jin Bao?"
"Yes, host. There is another benefit as well. Once someone drinks the host's fourth-level marrow-cleansing potion, they will wholeheartedly devote themselves to you and never dare to betray you."
Listening to the system's cold and mechanical voice, Lin Zaozao inexplicably felt restless.
"So, according to what you're saying, this fourth-level marrow-cleansing potion is also a means for me to control others?"
"Why? Host, don't you like it? When you reach Purgatory Valley, instead of letting others use the uncontrollable little poison people and puppets in the valley as tools for killing, it's better for the host to save them and consider them as a usable force to protect your safety throughout your life."
"Is that so? System, are all my steps now being guided by your arrangement?"
"Yes and no."
"What do you mean? Please clarify."
"Host, this life of yours involves more than just this system. There are others who are involved as well. For example..."
"For example, Han Ye gege, Han Xibei, Dashan, Uncle Zhang, and even Princess Ye Xi. They all know about my past. The only one kept in the dark is myself, am I right?"
