Lin Xi: “?!”
Seeing the shock on Lin Xi’s face, Hu Cong smirked maliciously: “Can’t you tell? This isn’t a Beastman from our tribe. It must be a Lone Beast from outside, coming to choose a mate!”
Hu Cong’s words stunned Lin Xi!
She never knew such Beastmen existed—weren’t these the ‘rogue beasts’ she’d read about in novels?
She looked up at the situation in the sky, her heart pounding violently from Hu Cong’s words!
Fortunately, probably due to building the Heated Kang Bed and making preserved meat, most Beastmen in the tribe were quite friendly to her.
These past few days, even some nearby Female beasts had come with Xue Ying to play with her, so the arrival of many Beastmen now gradually restored her sense of security.
However, Hu Cong was not among these friendly Beastmen.
Or rather, his mouth wasn’t.
Watching the changing expressions on Lin Xi’s face, Hu Cong suddenly frowned, looking utterly perplexed, but his words were extremely caustic:
“Little Female beast, even a little rabbit like Xue Ying can transform and kick an enemy until they vomit blood when faced with danger. But you, when encountering an enemy, besides running away, can’t you even put up a little resistance?”
With a light laugh, he added: “Seems like you and Wu Chen are quite well-matched!”
Lin Xi’s mood was pricked by Hu Cong’s blunt sarcasm! But she couldn’t refute it, because it was true—she only knew how to run away!
But why did he have to bring Wu Chen into it?
She glared angrily at Hu Cong, who sneered and lifted his chin to look down at her.
After a long moment, Lin Xi suddenly calmed down. She looked at Hu Cong and spoke calmly: “Thank you for saving me. When Wu Chen returns, I’ll have him deliver a Fleece Beast or a yellow-skinned pig to you.”
After saying this, she turned to leave but paused, looking back at the red-furred fox with a smile:
“But you’re right, Wu Chen and I are indeed well-matched. After all, Wu Chen alone can hunt a grown four-horned beast, and I can build Heated Kang Beds and preserve meat, which has been a great help to the tribe. Looking at it this way, with powerful Wu Chen and clever me, any young beasts we have will surely be both strong and smart.”
Lin Xi gave Hu Cong a sweet smile: “Hu Cong, thanks for your auspicious words!”
With that, she turned back, smugly raising an eyebrow. You little rascal, trying to out-sarcasm someone who’s spent years lurking in online comment sections? Who’s afraid of whom?
Hu Cong was truly about to explode with anger!
This was the first time a beast’s words had made him feel mocked!
Although he didn’t understand what Lin Xi meant by ‘thanks for your auspicious words,’ he could guess—he’d been tricked by this little Female beast’s wordplay!
“Lin Xi!”
He stamped his foot in fury, regretting why he’d been so reckless as to save this ungrateful Female beast! She wasn’t even his Female beast!
Hu Cong himself was a bit confused now—did he still like this Female beast Lin Xi or not?
Given his proud nature, after being rejected like that, even if Lin Xi came back to ask him to form a Mate-bond, he wouldn’t agree!
But this Female beast was truly special.
She had brought the tribe methods to solve winter heating and store more food. Even Wu and the tribe leader held her in high regard.
Yet she only chose Wu Chen—this pitiful crippled beast who had no father or mother, surviving on the charity of the tribe’s Beastmen! And she wanted only him! He couldn’t understand why!
If she had chosen any other normal, powerful male Beastman, he wouldn’t have felt so resentful!
Lin Xi’s figure had already walked far away. Hu Cong watched the Female beast’s petite silhouette, gritted his teeth, and finally turned to leave!
A battle ended in an instant, and the vulture quickly lost the upper hand.
When Cang Ju pinned its neck with a claw, pressed it to the ground, and it shifted to human form, Lin Xi’s lips twitched.
The vulture—even in human form, it was bald! Flying in the sky during winter must be quite chilling for its head, right?
“Xi Xi!”
Just as Lin Xi stood among the crowd of Beastmen watching the excitement, a frantic cry suddenly rang out behind her.
She turned and was immediately pulled into an embrace by Wu Chen, who had rushed toward her!
The Beastman’s body was damp with fine sweat from intense exertion. Lin Xi’s face was pressed against Wu Chen’s chest, and the “thump, thump, thump” of his heartbeat directly pierced her eardrums!
She raised a hand to pat Wu Chen’s back, soothing him, “I’m fine, Wu Chen.”
Wu Chen didn’t release her. On his way back, other Beastmen had already informed him of what happened.
It was his Female beast who had been attacked! His Xi Xi! How could he not worry!
He held the Female beast in his arms even tighter, his gaze darkening as he looked toward the Lone Beast pinned on the ground. Lin Xi followed his gaze!
The vulture was still struggling fiercely under the pressure. Among the Beastmen, Bai Nu stepped forward one pace at a time until he stood before it.
The Beastman’s eyes grew even more terrified as Bai Nu approached!
Tilting its head back, it stammered out a plea for mercy: “N-no, Ch-chief… I d-dare not! I won’t come again! Spare me this once… Ahhh!!!!”
A piercing shriek cut across the entire hillside! Followed by a series of agonized howls: “Aaaahhh!! My w-wings… aow…!”
Amid the pained cries, cheers erupted from the tribe’s Beastmen: “Aow aow! Chief Bai Nu, don’t let him go!”
“Audacious beast! How dare you try to capture Female beast Xi Xi!”
“Chief Bai Nu, turn him into roast bird and hang him on the Guard tower outside the tribe!”
Lin Xi’s eyes widened, stunned speechless by the scene before her!
Bai Nu now stood beside the vulture Beastman, holding two bloody wings he had just torn from its body!
The vulture had passed out from the pain, its body involuntarily shifting back to Beast form due to the agony. It twitched sporadically, its dull gray feathers stained with blood.
Soon, under Bai Nu’s direction, Cang Xing stepped forward, grabbed the vulture by the neck, and dragged it away.
Cheers rose again from the Beastmen behind them!
Bai Nu, holding the two wings, walked up to Wu Chen and Lin Xi. Under Lin Xi’s astonished gaze, he handed the wings to Wu Chen.
But he spoke to Lin Xi: “Winter is approaching. The capable Beastmen in the tribe have begun hunting outside, and wandering Lone Beasts are starting to get ideas. It’s my responsibility that you were attacked by a Lone Beast today.”
“Your cave is too far from the tribal center. Starting today, I will dispatch two warriors to stand guard by the Mo Gan River.”
Wu Chen reached out and took the wing from Bai Nu’s hand, nodding at him without saying a word.
If a female beast encounters danger within the tribe, it inherently reflects poor tribal defense—this is ultimately the responsibility of Bai Nu as the chieftain.