Help! The Villainess Trapped in the Beast World's Drama!

Xue Yinzhou noticed her interest and asked, "Want to take a look around?"

Shen Tang shook her head, "I’ve seen all sorts of good things. There’s nothing to see here. We should leave the city as soon as possible."

Leaving through the East Gate would allow us to hit the road directly.

Xue Yinzhou glanced at a nearby inn and pulled her over, "No rush, your health is more important. Let’s find a place to eat something and rest for a bit."

Shen Tang originally wanted to say she wasn’t hungry, but she was still dragged to have a meal, filling her stomach a little.

Honestly, after days of roughing it outside, eating dry rations, and resting poorly, having a hot meal was incredibly comforting!

However, trouble found them right after they finished eating.

A tall, scarred-faced beastman, clearly a local thug, blocked the inn’s entrance with seven or eight rough-looking lackeys behind him.

The leading beastman had a hooked nose and sinister eyes, exuding arrogance.

"New around here?" The hooked nose scrutinized Shen Tang and Xue Yinzhou, lingering a few more seconds on Shen Tang’s face.

Despite her disguise, her delicate features and slightly softer figure, compared to other males, still made her stand out.

The hooked nose’s gaze changed, flashing with greed. He then unleashed a Primordial Beast Tier aura, brazenly proclaiming, "Don’t you know the rules? You’ve entered the territory of our ’Grey Falcon Gang,’ you have to pay a protection fee!"

He stared at them wickedly, "Looking at your smooth skin, pay for three months at once, and we’ll ensure your safety!"

The surrounding local beastmen and diners quickly avoided them, their eyes indifferent or gleeful at the misfortune, no one dared to intervene.

The "Grey Falcon Gang" is a local tyrant, specializing in preying on newcomers and passing merchants, extorting a hefty toll and causing numerous deaths.

Of course, deaths here were commonplace, and no one cared.

The two newcomers were truly unfortunate, running into the notorious Grey Falcon Gang as soon as they entered the city, it seemed dire!

Shen Tang furrowed her brow, trying to negotiate, "Brother, we paid the entry toll when we entered the city. We’re just passing through doing a little business, and we’ll be leaving soon."

"The toll is for the City Guard, the protection fee is for us brothers!"

A rodent-like beastman next to him jeered, "Less talk, either pay up, or... hehe, leave yourself here to settle the debt too!"

The gaze under Xue Yinzhou’s hood turned icy, fingers slightly clenched.

He could easily take care of these thugs, but if he acted, the aura leaking out would inevitably attract the airborne patrol beastmen’s attention, blowing their cover.

It could also alert others and cause more trouble.

Shen Tang also subtly held his arm, signaling him to restrain himself.

She said, "We don’t know how much you need, we’ll give it to you."

But the hooked nose greedily fixed on her, suddenly making things difficult, "Then take off your wristbands and hand over all the points... otherwise, obediently stay behind!"

"You’re making this really difficult for us." Shen Tang softened her tone, attempting reason while secretly preparing the potion in her sleeve.

"Not willing to give?" The hooked nose sneered, giving a signal with his eye.

His lackeys immediately spread out, surrounding Shen Tang and Xue Yinzhou, blocking all escape routes, hands ready on weapons.

"Then don’t blame us for being rude! Brothers, search them! Take anything valuable, and... bind this smooth-skinned one who looks like a female for me, and bind the other male to sell to the underground arena!"

The atmosphere instantly became tense and dangerous.

Xue Yinzhou narrowed his eyes dangerously, a wisp of black fog rising quietly in his palm.

At that moment, a rhythmic and heavy marching sound came from the other end of the street.

A squad of about a dozen patrolling soldiers approached swiftly, dressed in standard light armor with the insignia of the official military of Sky City on their chests, crossed wings and swords.

The leading captain was a serious-faced, steady Feather Clan beastman.

"What’s going on? Disturbing the peace?" The captain’s voice was thunderous, his gaze sweeping over the Grey Falcon Gang members like lightning.

The hooked nose’s expression shifted, immediately putting on a fawning smile, "Oh, it’s Captain Balon! Just a small matter, talking about ’rules’ with the new friends, didn’t mean to trouble you."

They say even the strongest dragon cannot suppress a snake in its own territory; the Grey Falcon Gang dared to bully civilians and merchants, but faced with Sky City’s regular army, they shrunk away.

Captain Balon, however, did not look at him, instead turning his gaze toward Shen Tang and Xue Yinzhou trapped in the middle.

He particularly lingered on Shen Tang for a moment longer.

The beastman’s eyes seemed to flicker with a brief scrutiny and confirmation.