“Mhm, the Tribe has Small Hunts every day, and a Great Hunt roughly every five or six days. During a Small Hunt, only half of the Males are dispatched, taking turns. They go to the surrounding Mountain Forest to look for Prey, which is short in duration and low in danger. When it’s time for the Great Hunt, all Males participate, going to farther places, and might not return until evening.”
Because the weather in the Jungle is changeable, and one never knows when a strong wind or heavy rain might strike, if extreme weather is encountered, everyone stops Hunting for safety.
But to ensure the Tribe always has food, and also to train the Males’ physique and combat ability, Hunting cannot stop.
“I see. So, does that mean there will be a Small Hunt tomorrow too?”
“That’s right, but Jin Yue, you are not suitable to go along.” Tong Sang spoke somewhat vaguely.
Whether it was a Great Hunt or a Small Hunt, there was danger. Those Males themselves could easily get injured or even die. If Xiao Jinyue insisted on going, then they would have to ensure her safety.
After all, she was a precious Female, and even if her Pregnancy Value was low, she could still conceive, and her status and standing were higher than that of ordinary Males.
But if they had to guard against Wild Beasts outside while simultaneously protecting her, the task for the Beast Husbands would become heavier.
Xiao Jinyue originally wanted to see how Hunting was done in this world. Reading about it was one thing, but seeing it firsthand was another.
Additionally, she wanted to secretly test whether her Spiritual Energy could be of any help to the Hunting.
However, what Tong Sang and the others said was also correct. Following the Male Beastmen out would only increase their burden. If someone got hurt because of her, her position in the Tribe would become even more difficult.
“Alright, I was just asking. If not, then forget it.” Xiao Jinyue smiled and did not insist further.
She had only just arrived; there would be opportunities. There was no need to rush this one thing.
Hearing her say that, Tong Sang and the others finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Among those Male Beastmen going out were their fathers, brothers, and Beast Husbands. Everyone was a Tribe Member, and their relationships were close. They truly did not want anyone to have an Accident because of Xiao Jinyue.
“By the way, mine… cough, Bing Yan and Lin Ye, did they go Hunting today too?” Thinking of her four Beast Husbands who were only in name, Xiao Jinyue couldn't help but ask.
They hadn't shown their faces all night, and she didn't know where they had gone.
There were also two other Beast Husbands she hadn't met, whose names she didn't even know, and she wondered about their situation.
As soon as Xiao Jinyue finished asking, she noticed the four people opposite her looking at her with strange expressions, and the three besides Tong Sang showed faint disgust.
What was going on? She was stunned.
“Um, Jin Yue, are those four really your Beast Husbands?” Tong Sang asked hesitantly. “Did you trade for them from Su Ruoxia?”
They knew about this matter?
That explained it.
“No, I was deceived by Su Ruoxia…” As Xiao Jinyue started to speak, she saw their questioning gazes and was rendered speechless.
Great, even they didn't believe her.
She guessed that they, like Lin Ye and the other one, thought she had immediately agreed with Su Ruoxia, deciding on the husband exchange right away, completely disregarding Lin Ye and the others' ideas and showing no respect for their wishes.
Because whether it was an exchange or dissolving a Contract binding a Beast Husband, the Master’s consent was required for the ritual to be successfully completed.
If she didn't agree, the process could be stopped at any time midway, naturally preventing the exchange from finishing.
Xiao Jinyue’s guess was correct; Tong Sang and the others did think that way.
Although the Master’s status was noble, giving her the final say at home regarding the coming or going of Beast Husbands, in actual practice, the Master would almost always respect the Beast Husbands’ opinions, or at the very least, inform them.
For Xiao Jinyue, who came from elsewhere and had never met Lin Ye and the others, yet proceeded with the exchange with Su Ruoxia on her own initiative to become their Master… this was truly inviting criticism.
They all thought she was arrogant and difficult to deal with, so naturally, they felt some dissatisfaction toward her.
“In short, that was not my intention, nor did I force them. I have already inquired; there must be at least a month between binding and dissolving a Beast Husband Contract. After one month, I will set them free.”
Xiao Jinyue didn't care how others viewed her; if they wanted to misunderstand, let them. She only needed to do what she felt was right.
These words, however, made Tong Sang and the other three look at her again, and their expressions softened considerably.
“That makes more sense. Alas, it was already difficult for Lin Ye and the others living in the Tribe, and now they have suffered this blow…”
“I have a question: how did those four become Su Ruoxia’s Beast Husbands?” Xiao Jinyue took the opportunity to ask.
She seemed to recall that the book mentioned that none of the four were members of the Yun Gui Mountain Fox Clan itself, but were outsiders.
It wasn't specified, but binding them as Beast Husbands wasn't Su Ruoxia’s idea; it seemed to be something the Original owner of the body she inhabited had done.
“Didn’t she tell you? Those four were matched randomly!” Wu Li spoke bluntly.
“Ah?”
“That’s right. Su Ruoxia went out alone once and accidentally encountered a Phantom Beast. While severely injured and delirious, she activated the ritual, and the Divine Moon Tower randomly matched four Beast Husbands for her—all unmarried Males near her location.”
After hearing their explanation, Xiao Jinyue finally understood.
The Divine Moon Tower was the temple on this continent specifically governing marriage matching, a being of transcendent status. Things like the Marriage Contract were protected by them.
They usually didn't interfere, but if there were any disputes regarding marriage matching, one could appeal to the Divine Moon Tower for arbitration.
Xiao Jinyue reviewed the situation—
The Su Ruoxia who encountered the Phantom Beast was the real Su Ruoxia of this world, not the Protagonist from the book who transmigrated with a System.
Su Ruoxia lost her mind, unintentionally triggered the Contract, and was bound to Beast Husbands, and this binding followed a random + proximity principle.
Those four Beast Husbands included some from other Tribes and some living in the wilderness. Sensing the Master was in danger, they rushed over and found the barely breathing Su Ruoxia, saving her life.
However, the real Su Ruoxia died in that disaster. By the time that body woke up, the soul inside was already the transmigrated Protagonist.
And the Protagonist was dissatisfied with these four randomly assigned Beast Husbands. Knowing her background, she simply left them behind after recovering from her injuries, taking care of herself.
Looking at it this way, those four Beast Husbands were even more pitiful—
They did nothing, yet they were bound to a dying Female. If she had died, they would have had to be buried with her.
They didn't even know what Su Ruoxia looked like, yet their lives were linked to hers.
A Master, at a critical moment concerning her life, could be sensed by her Beast Husbands, so to save themselves, they had no choice but to rush over and rescue her.
But this act did not earn the gratitude of the transmigrated Su Ruoxia. She didn't appreciate it at all; instead, she looked down on them and treated them as disposable trash.