Beauty and the Beasts

Bai Qingqing was given a fright from Parker’s shout. She rubbed the soles of her feet together. Although she had left the high-temperature sand, the bottom of her feet still felt hot.

Parker handed the rope to Alva, then carried Bai Qingqing and quickly ran back to the tent.

After being outside for a while, Bai Qingqing’s sweat had dried off.

Bai Qingqing stared at the snake tattoo on her ankle, asking worriedly, “How do you think Curtis is doing now? Can he climb up by himself?”

“Who knows?” Parker touched her soles while staring in the direction of the quicksand river.

Alva suddenly shouted, “The quicksand river is disappearing!”

For some reason, Bai Qingqing felt that if the quicksand river disappeared, then Curtis wouldn’t be able to come back.

She instantly became anxious, held her breathing, and focused her gaze, wanting to summon him.

Come out! Come out! Come out!

Bai Qingqing clenched her fists tightly, and a gush of power suddenly surged in her body. Very soon, her body turned limp and she fell into Parker’s embrace.

Parker said, “Why did you use my power?”

Bai Qingqing felt anxious. After the feeling of weakness disappeared, she said in horror, “I think I can only use Curtis’s power when I’m in grave danger.”

Parker looked toward the quicksand river.

Alva said, “The quicksand river is gone.”

Parker immediately ran over. The rope was still buried in the sand. He tugged at it gently and heard Bai Qingqing crying out in surprise, “Don’t!”

Bai Qingqing squatted at the edge of the tent and said anxiously, “Maybe we can dig Curtis out if we follow the rope.”

“Let me give it a try, then,” Parker said indifferently. Curtis had disappeared. He was a little happy about it, but they had a serious matter to take care of and they needed Curtis to do it.

After Parker turned into his beast form, he dug around next to the rope, sending sand flying around in the strong wind.

Bai Qingqing had to squint her eyes because of all the sand and couldn’t clean up in time. She hugged An’an to prevent sand from getting it into her eyes.

Alva stood at the side as if he had nothing to do with this. He saw Bai Qingqing sitting in the direction of the wind, walked over, and said, “I’ll help you to move.”

“No need.” Bai Qingqing turned her back to the wind and said, “You can just help me to keep an eye on Parker.”

“Okay.”

Alva stood behind Bai Qingqing, helping her to block off some of the wind and sand.

Parker dug a very big hole, and soon there was a tall pile of sand with no leopard figure to be seen. There was only endless sand flying out.

It was easy to dig a hole, but it was hard to dig a deep one. As he dug the hole, more sand kept flowing in.

A strong gale blew and the piled-up sand immediately collapsed, with most of it sliding into the hole.

Bai Qingqing waited for quite a while before asking, “How is it?”

“He’s still digging.”

Alva was chewing on his nails boringly when he looked over after hearing her question. He was then taken by great surprise. “Hmm? Where did he go?”

Bai Qingqing immediately turned. Other than a few dunes on that stretch of sand, there wasn’t any hole at all.

Bai Qingqing grew anxious. She looked at Alva and asked, “Where’s Parker?”

“I… I don’t know, either.”

Bai Qingqing said anxiously, “Didn’t I ask you to help keep an eye on him? He’s gone, and you have no idea?”

Alva said guiltily, “The wind and sand were too great earlier, so I fiddled with my claws. I didn’t expect him to just disappear.”

The two of them quickly ran to the spot where Parker was digging. They only saw a rope there.

Alva picked up the rope and tugged it upward. “Parker must have been buried by the sand. He’s right next to the rope. I’ll pull him out.”

Bai Qingqing wanted to stop him. This was the only lead to find Curtis. It’d be gone if they were to pull it out.

At this moment, Alva said in surprise, “There’s a weight under the rope! It must be Parker! Let’s pull it up quickly!”