Drake Dandy's scalp split open to either side with a sound that made one's skin crawl. From within the split human skin, a woman was struggling to crawl out.
Lynn Ling and Serena Yunxiang screamed, only then realizing they were clutching each other and hurriedly let go.
Quinn Shepherd took out his Keane-family jade pendant from the Glutton Dragon Pouch and put it on. The pendant was tied together with the Imperial Disc—both had been tossed into the pouch by Drake Dandy. One tied to his origins, the other a protective treasure gifted by Crippled Joe.
Drake Dandy crawling out of her own skin was terrifying enough; the Imperial Disc served well as a ward against evil.
After a moment, a completely naked woman emerged, upper body first, from Drake Dandy's discarded skin, squeezing out some broken bones as well.
The woman was stark naked, hair wild, crawling with extreme difficulty, coughing up blood as she went.
"Turn around! No peeking!" Lynn Ling snapped out of her shock and hurriedly urged Quinn.
"It's not like I haven't seen it before..." Quinn muttered, but still turned away.
After a while, Drake Dandy finally crawled free of the skin, but was still barely alive and utterly exhausted. She now looked much older—no longer a young maiden, but as if she'd aged over a decade.
Serena Yunxiang fetched a robe to cover her, and as she draped it over Drake, she discreetly pinched her body. Eyes flashing, Serena whispered to Lynn Ling, "There's still bone fragments inside—she hasn't coughed them all out."
Drake Dandy forced herself to sit up, wiped blood from her mouth, and said weakly, "My injuries are too severe. This molt only healed the wound in my heart and repaired some bones. To fully recover, I'd need to shed my skin several more times. Each molt ages me decades and burns away my lifespan. You can rest assured, I pose no threat to you now."
Lynn Ling glanced at the two massive halves of the crimson serpent on the sand and shuddered. "Can that big snake... also molt?"
Drake Dandy's face fell. She shook her head and said, "Ruby has been chopped in two, and her head smashed. There's no coming back for her..."
"That's a relief!" Serena Yunxiang and Lynn Ling both let out a breath.
Quinn Shepherd turned around with a friendly smile. "Sister Drake, may I ask where your father is hiding? Who's with him? Why does he want to see me?"
Drake Dandy said nothing.
Quinn smiled faintly, extended a finger, and sent out a strand of yuanqi to slice off a piece of snake meat, placing it on the campfire to roast. The fat sizzled and dripped into the flames, sending up wisps of smoke.
Drake Dandy's gaze locked onto the roasting snake meat, her pupils contracting sharply.
"My Holy Cult has three hundred sixty-one halls. One is the Criminal Hall, famed for its strict laws and harsh punishments, with thousands of ways to make people confess."
Quinn's face flickered in the firelight. "The Everpeace Empire has a Ministry of Justice—you've surely heard of their methods. The Minister is the emperor's man, but the Deputy Minister is the Criminal Hall Master of my Holy Cult. If I want answers, all I need to do is invite him to handle you personally. Will you speak willingly, or do you prefer torture?"