"Look, look! The cub is awake!"
"Such an adorable cub, just too skinny. Don't worry, we'll fatten you up in no time."
"Cub, what's your name? How did you get separated from your pack?"
Voices piled on top of one another, sounding to Liang Ye's ears like a swarm of flies buzzing around him.
He couldn't help but have a bizarre flashback to that "You're awake!" meme from Journey to the West with the four pilgrims.
The little furball shrank back into the corner of the cave.
How terrifying—had he been transported into a land of giants?
He'd only seen Black Wolf and the hyena in their humanoid forms before, and while he'd registered that they were extraordinarily tall, it hadn't truly sunk in. Now, surrounded by a crowd of strangers who were all at least one meter ninety, Liang Ye felt his stress levels skyrocket.
"Why isn't he talking? Could he be simple-minded?"
"How tragic. No wonder his pack abandoned him by the roadside."
The gazes fixed on Liang Ye were unanimously filled with pity.
Hold on—who exactly are you calling simple-minded?
Liang Ye couldn't speak their language, but that didn't stop him from baring his teeth.
"Hahaha, he's baring his teeth at us! What adorable little fangs!" A finger reached out to touch the puppy's canine, and Yeye promptly turned his head around, presenting his rear to them instead.
The laughing Demi-Beastmen froze for a moment, then burst into uproarious laughter.
Annoying! Jerks! Ye hates you all!
Liang Ye faced the wall in self-imposed exile, his puppy face stern and serious as he ignored their teasing.
"Don't frighten the cub, you lot. Careful—Shan Cang might come looking for trouble with you later." An aged voice halted the Demi-Beastmen's antics.
"Bo, don't scare us. The chief wouldn't bother with ordinary Demi-Beastmen."
"Yeah, yeah! The chief rarely even talks to us."
"I wouldn't mind the chief causing trouble for me, though. Back and forth like that, and who knows—I might just become the chief's mate."
"Say that where the Witch Doctor can hear you, and you're done for."
"Hmph, the chief never agreed to be the Witch Doctor's mate. That means I still have a chance."
Those words got several unmated Demi-Beastmen's hearts racing. Right! With a little effort, who's to say they didn't have a shot too?
"Tch." A contemptuous sneer cut through their fantasies. A young man wearing a necklace strung with colorful feathers walked in from outside the cave.
"What standing do you have to covet the chief? Only the most beautiful Demi-Beast deserves the strongest warrior. The Witch Doctor and the chief are a pair blessed by the Beast God himself. Are you all daring to defy the Beast God's will?"
"No, no, no! Cai, we're wrong! We wouldn't dare! We were just spouting nonsense—please, Beast God, don't punish us!" Several of them instantly went pale, prostrating themselves and begging the heavens.
Liang Ye, a bystander enjoying the drama, was utterly dumbfounded. Wow, this guy was practically the number one shipper of the chief and the Witch Doctor.
Putting their conversation together: the chief was named Shan Cang, the most powerful existence around, and the Witch Doctor was the most beautiful Demi-Beast.
Wait.
Demi-Beast!
Holy crap, the setting actually matched up?
Lost in his shock, Liang Ye completely overlooked the vaguely familiar ring of the name "Shan Cang."
"So you're the cub the chief brought back?" Cai scrutinized the little white puffball with a critical eye, his sharp gaze gradually crumbling against the cub's adorable, dazed appearance.
He muttered quietly, "Judging by the fur color, this isn't a cub the chief sired with some wild Demi-Beast out there."
Liang Ye's triangular ears twitched. He understood now. No wonder this guy had come at him with hostility right off the bat—he'd mistaken the puppy for someone trying to break up his OTP.
"No, no, absolutely not! The chief told Bo he found this one by the roadside."
"Right! If this were the chief's own cub, why would he hand it over to the big cave for care? Cai, rest easy. The chief and the Witch Doctor will definitely produce healthier, more beautiful cubs."
Cai was pleased by the flattery and nodded with satisfaction. He bent down and handed Liang Ye a purple fruit. "Eat up."
Liang Ye's little nose twitched. A faint sweet-and-sour aroma drifted over, stimulating his saliva glands. He chomped down with an "awu," and light burst into his puppy eyes.
Delicious!
"Awu, awu!" The white fur around the little bulldozer's mouth was stained purple.
"Hahahaha—"
The Demi-Beastmen doubled over laughing at the sight. Yeye tilted his head in confusion, his clear puppy eyes innocent and bewildered—absolutely adorable.
Regardless of whether they had cubs of their own, maternal instincts flooded through every Demi-Beastman present. They immediately scrounged up every bit of food on them and stuffed it into the cub's arms.
"Eat more. Grow big and strong."
Liang Ye couldn't handle their enthusiasm. So this was what being "sucked" felt like?
How perverted.
Which meant he was probably a huge pervert in the eyes of these fluffy creatures.
Liang Ye went into self-isolation mode, channeling his misery into appetite as he chowed down on everything the Demi-Beastmen fed him.
A cub's energy was limited. After eating his fill, drowsiness came knocking right on schedule, and in no time he was sprawled out on his back, fast asleep, his little belly rising and falling with each breath.
The Demi-Beastmen's hearts trembled with overwhelming cuteness aggression.
"The cub is too adorable. I want to have one."
"Me too."
"Who doesn't want a cub? But our tribe hasn't seen a newborn in three years."
At that topic, gloom settled over the cave like a dark cloud.
The elderly Demi-Beastman Bo patted their shoulders in comfort. "The Beast God is merciful. One day, He will forgive our sins and bless the tribe with new cubs."
The Demi-Beastmen clasped their hands together in prayer, their faces filled with utmost devotion.
.
"The hunting party is back!" A child's shrill cry stirred commotion within the mountain cave.
"Hurry, let's go greet them!"
"Move it!"
Voices and footsteps surged forth like a great animal migration.
Liang Ye rubbed his eyes, still groggy with sleep, when his body was suddenly shoved, sending him stumbling along with the crowd.
"Don't block the way! If we're any later, we'll miss the hunting party!" A tiger-headed little boy, around five years old, dashed out in a hurry.
Liang Ye's gaze traveled upward, locking onto the gray-brown wolf ears atop the boy's head, then swept downward—sure enough, behind the boy's leather-skirt-clad bottom, he spotted a tail sweeping back and forth like a broom.
The little boy suddenly felt a chill run down his spine, and without warning met a pair of eyes blazing with fiery intensity. He stumbled backward several steps in panic, landed flat on his rear, and scrambled to his feet, fleeing toward the cave entrance. "Mama! Mama! A beast wants to eat me!"
Though he was only five, his father occasionally took him on hunting trips to broaden his horizons. He had seen those starving wild beasts before—this was exactly the look they had when they spotted prey!
Liang Ye scratched his furry face. What's he running for? He wasn't a big bad wolf; he didn't eat children.
Besides, the one across from him seemed to be a little gray wolf, didn't he? He wasn't scared himself, but the other one was already terrified.
Liang Ye stepped out of the cave and gazed into the distance. At the foot of the mountain, two groups of people converged like rivers meeting, merging into a single stream. Everyone helped each other carry the prey, brothers and friends chatted and laughed, playfully roughhousing, while couples exchanged caring greetings and checked each other's wounds. It was a warm, harmonious scene—a true loving family.
The mountain breeze brushed his face, pulling Liang Ye back from his thoughts, and he unexpectedly collided with a pair of gray-blue eyes in the crowd. His heart inexplicably skipped a beat.
The man set down the massive prey from his shoulder, causing a small earthquake-like tremor. Liang Ye's mouth hung open in astonishment. That creature—ox-like yet not quite an ox—was not only enormous in size but also bore a pair of long, sharp fangs that could easily pierce through flesh and bone.
Liang Ye had personally witnessed Black Wolf kill a full-grown bear; that scene alone had shattered his worldview. Now it seemed he had vastly underestimated the man's combat prowess. Was the average combat level in this world simply that absurd, or was Black Wolf uniquely exceptional?
"Hungry?" The familiar milky-white fruit appeared before his eyes again.
Liang Ye jolted. Was this man a ninja? A normal person would need at least ten minutes to cover that distance—how had he reached him in the blink of an eye?
Seeing the cub hadn't moved, the man furrowed his brows. "Don't be picky."
He was being wronged!
To prove he was a good doggy who wasn't picky, Liang Ye rolled over, exposing his pink, plump little belly, his paw pads dimpling with each press.
Shan Cang took a deep breath, telling himself the cub was still young and needed patient teaching.
He flipped the utterly defenseless cub back over, his fingertip accidentally brushing against the little one's soft belly. He paused for half a second, then couldn't resist giving it a squeeze.
"Hm!?" The pup raised his head warily, Yeye glaring wide-eyed.
But the man remained expressionless, acting as if nothing had happened, patiently patting the dust off him before withdrawing his hand cleanly, without a trace of reluctance.
Probably just his imagination—maybe it was an accidental touch.
Black Wolf was such an aloof, handsome guy—there's no way he'd squish a puppy's belly.
Shan Cang's slender hand fell to his side, secretly rubbing his fingers together. The texture was quite nice.
Since the cub had already eaten, Shan Cang felt at ease returning him to the great cave. Bo and Zhu, two elderly Beastmen, sat by the fire, watching the pair of man and pup with cheerful smiles.
"Shan Cang will surely be a good father someday." Bo was an elderly Demi-Beastman who cared for the tribe's young, his eyes always filled with tolerance and affection.
Zhu was an elderly Beastman who had crippled a leg hunting in his youth. He walked with difficulty and always sat silently in the corner, lost in thought.
Shan Cang didn't respond to the old Demi-Beastman's words, instead handing the cub to her. "Please take good care of the cub. His constitution is rather weak."
Bo caught the soft little white ball of fluff with both hands, her heart warming with fondness. "Go on about your business—I'll look after him well."
Shan Cang nodded. As the tribe's leader, he had a mountain of affairs to attend to daily. After staying for a short while, he headed down the mountain to continue his work.
Bo's withered, large hand gently soothed the cub's back. Sensing his attachment to Shan Cang, she explained in a warm voice, "The storm season is approaching. The moment Shan Cang returned, he led the hunting party out to find food. There are many matters awaiting his attention. You stay here obediently—don't be afraid."
Shan Cang!
Black Wolf was Shan Cang—the leader of these people?
No wonder he exuded such kingly dominance—he was the Wolf King!
Liang Ye excitedly hopped down from Bo's palm, spun in circles on the spot, and chased his own tail, snapping at it.
Wow! His golden ticket was the Wolf King—he'd gotten close to the Wolf King!
Worth dying for…
No, no, no—there were regrets, plenty of regrets. He hadn't gotten enough of him yet.
After that string of unfortunate events, Liang Ye had finally learned what it meant to avoid jinxing oneself—don't say things you shouldn't.
"I'll go down and see if there's anything I can help with." Zhu leaned on a walking stick and made his way down the mountain, his back hunched, gaunt and thin, like a dried-up stalk of straw.
Liang Ye looked at his empty right leg and heavy footsteps, a pang of sympathy rising in his eyes. If only he could make him a pair of crutches.
He stretched out his round paws, sighed, and buried his face in them, inhaling deeply.
The puppy paws smelled both rank and sweet, intoxicating Ye.
"Bo, they're starting to distribute the meat. I'll keep watch for you—go get yours quickly." Cai walked into the cave with a smile.
"It's fine, I can go later." Bo waved a hand dismissively.
Cai glanced at the little cub playing with his own tail, stifled a laugh, and gave Bo a push on the back. "There's Moomoo Beast today. If you go late, you won't get the good cuts. Don't worry, I'll definitely guard the flame."
Hearing there was Moomoo Beast, Bo felt tempted. He was an old Beastman—his teeth weren't what they used to be compared to the younger ones. Most parts of the Moomoo Beast were tender and fine-grained, soft and smooth on the palate, while a few cuts were chewy and firm, requiring effort to bite through—which the young Beastmen loved.
"Have you gotten yours?" Bo still asked, a little embarrassed.
Cai chuckled. "My Zhang is on the hunting team—think he'd let me go hungry?"
Bo's weathered face flushed. "That's true. Well then, I'll trouble you."
These two were oddly polite with each other. Liang Ye, who had overheard the whole exchange, went back to playing with his tail.
He wondered if he'd really been transported to a primitive era—having to guard a flame, of all things.
Sui Ren, the first of the Three Sovereigns, invented fire by friction drilling, back in the Paleolithic era.
Liang Ye's movements gradually stopped, his eyes going blank. Even older than the Paleolithic—could life even be livable like this?
"Witch Doctor, it's him."
"Hmm, you may leave now." The owner of the voice spoke with an arrogant tone.
"Yes." The other replied with utmost deference.
Liang Ye caught a glimpse of Cai's retreating figure from the corner of his eye.
Black Wolf's rumored love interest had arrived. Let Ye take a look—what's all this about?
His little black bean eyes blinked. The young man looked to be in his early twenties, with striking, gorgeous features and a tall, slender figure. A crimson beast pelt draped over his shoulders, a necklace of beast fangs and gemstones hung around his slender neck, a pair of iridescent bird-feather earrings dangled from his ears, and two bangles adorned each wrist and ankle.
Liang Ye's jaw nearly dropped. What a bejeweled peacock! No wonder Cai said the Witch Doctor was the most beautiful Demi-Beastman in the tribe. Everyone else was drab and bare, but he alone adorned himself from head to toe—how could he not be stunning?
The Witch Doctor lifted his chin slightly, looking down his nose at Ye with proud arrogance, and spoke slowly: "Your tribe abandoned you. It was Shan Cang's kindness that brought you back. Our generous-hearted chief saved your life—you should be grateful."
"Everyone in the tribe needs the chief. If you keep bothering him, he'll be troubled. You wouldn't want to cause the chief trouble, would you?"
Good grief—opening with a classic manipulator's spiel.
"The cubs in the tribe are all obedient. If you're not good, the chief won't want you anymore."
What a textbook wicked stepmother. Saying that to a three-month-old cub—are you even human?
If Liang Ye were truly a child, he might have been intimidated. But at his core, he was a twenty-six-year-old adult. Only a fool would believe the Witch Doctor's nonsense.
The little cub stayed frozen in place, seemingly successfully cowed. The Witch Doctor curled the corner of his mouth and softened his tone. "I am the tribe's Witch Doctor, Shan Cang's future mate. As long as you tell Shan Cang you like me very much, even if Shan Cang and I have our own cubs someday, we won't abandon you."
Shameless! Trying to fool Ye of all people!
When no answer came after a long while, the Witch Doctor's amiable face instantly turned cold. "If you dare refuse, once we have our own cubs, I'll have Shan Cang drive you out of the tribe."
A cub who had just been abandoned by his tribe, who had finally found a stable place to live—being threatened with expulsion was no less than a dagger to the heart. It was his deepest fear. To stay, he would humble himself and endure anything.
Fortunately, Liang Ye hadn't fallen into such a desperate situation. The Witch Doctor's threats meant nothing to him. But that didn't mean Liang Ye would forgive what the Witch Doctor had done.
How should a little dog take revenge?
"What are you doing here?" A deep, unmistakably distinctive voice cut through the cave like a beam of heavenly light.
Liang Ye felt like he'd heard celestial music—just when he was getting drowsy, someone delivered a pillow!