When Jiang Mian was eight years old, her parents fled with her in their arms, running into a dead-end alley.
Her parents were killed by Beastmen right before her eyes.
The little girl trembled in terror as she watched a Beastman with a knife walk toward her.
Just when she thought she was also about to die at the hands of a Beastman, a Snake Beast Master, in the throes of a manic episode, stumbled into the alley.
Half his face was covered in dense, black snake scales that spread down to his neck.
His vertical, red snake pupils glowed crimson.
He raised a hand and snapped the Beastman’s neck.
He stood there, studying the small girl for a long time.
Finally, that powerful arm, covered in black snake scales, lifted the terrified little girl and carried her away.
…
A slight pain on her forehead snapped Jiang Mian out of her memories.
Jiang Mian’s gaze fell on the glass shards on the floor, mixed with bright red blood.
Compared to the cut on her forehead, Lin Yu’s entire palm was embedded with jagged glass shards.
Blood streamed from the wound, which looked incredibly painful.
But the man before her seemed to feel nothing.
He leaned dejectedly in the corner, his slightly curled black hair obscuring half his face.
Jiang Mian stood up in silence, went to get a broom, and swept up all the glass shards and fallen snake scales.
She didn’t say a word the entire time.
After she finished cleaning, Jiang Mian glanced at the man in the corner, then turned and left.
After Lin Yu sensed Jiang Mian’s departure, his narrow eyes slowly half-opened.
His red irises held nothing but weariness, as if he were utterly tired of the world.
A flurry of hurried footsteps approached again, growing louder.
The young woman who had just left had returned, carrying a first-aid kit and dragging someone along with her as she strode over.
Jiang Mian had dragged over one of the original owner’s Beast Slaves.
Rong Fei’s relationship with the original owner had been relatively harmonious—at least, compared to the other Beast Slaves.
Rong Fei was dressed in silvery-white pajamas, his long silver hair cascading casually to his waist.
He was long-limbed, making the pajamas seem a bit short, revealing a wrist with faintly visible veins and a sliver of his extremely pale ankle.
Jiang Mian was still gripping his wrist.
Rong Fei noticed this.
His face remained placid, but he imperceptibly pulled his hand free from her grasp.
Jiang Mian didn’t notice.
“Master, you’ve brought Rong Fei here so late.
Is there something you need?” Rong Fei’s voice was calm and gentle.
Jiang Mian grabbed Rong Fei’s hand again, placing the strap of the first-aid kit into his palm.
She looked up at him and pointed to Lin Yu in the corner.
“Heal him, or you’ll be buried with him.”
A flash of disgust went through Rong Fei as Jiang Mian touched his hand, but he didn’t let it show.
His gaze followed her finger to the wretched black snake in the corner, his expression indifferent.
He spoke unhurriedly, his tone flat.
“I can’t cure a manic episode.”
Jiang Mian paused to explain, “I’m not asking you to cure his manic episode.
I want you to treat his wounds.”
As she spoke, she felt her presence was probably an eyesore to them, so she added as she walked out, “Treat him well.
I’ll come check on him tomorrow.
If he isn’t healed, you’ll be buried with him.”
This last sentence was a threat, as if to ensure Rong Fei would treat Lin Yu.
Rong Fei said nothing in response.
Having said her piece, Jiang Mian left.
Rong Fei couldn’t understand Jiang Mian’s actions.
The Snake Beastman was the most inconspicuous of the five Beast Slaves, and also the most taciturn.
Jiang Mian disliked the Snake Beastman the most and had already abandoned him here, seemingly intending to let him live or die on his own.
‘I don’t know what’s gotten into her today,’ he thought.
‘Dragging me over in the middle of the night to treat the Snake Beastman, acting like she cares so much.’
Rong Fei couldn’t be bothered to guess the woman’s motives.
He just wanted to treat the Beastman’s wounds and go back to sleep.
He had expected it would take some effort to get the Snake Beastman to cooperate, but to his surprise, the man remained motionless, letting him tend to the glass shards in his palm.
Lin Yu’s cold, weary red eyes were half-closed.
He recalled how the woman’s forehead had been bleeding, yet she’d acted as if she hadn’t noticed.
She didn’t treat it herself, just dragged over a Lizard Beastman skilled in medicine and left.
Jiang Mian returned to her room, feeling like the night had been a frantic rush.
She looked in the mirror, cleaned up her forehead, and applied a pink adhesive bandage before collapsing onto the bed to sleep.
「The next day.」
“KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK…”
Someone knocked gently on the door.
A calm voice, neither friendly nor eager, came from outside.
“Master, breakfast is ready.”
Then, the footsteps faded away.
Jiang Mian got up, brushed her teeth, and washed her face as if sleepwalking, then got dressed and went out.
From the memories in her mind, she knew that the original owner had Rong Fei make her three meals a day.
Because of his good temper, medical skills, and cooking ability, Rong Fei was the Beast Slave who received the fewest beatings.
On the dining table…
…were noodles, fried dough sticks, oatmeal, eggs, bread, and more.
Jiang Mian looked at the lavish breakfast without much emotion.
After all, during her days of being raised in captivity, she had eaten even more sumptuously than this.
Rong Fei was standing beside the dining table.
When he saw Jiang Mian approach, he spoke slowly, his voice always calm and detached.
“Good morning, Master.”
When he said the word “Master,” he didn’t sound subservient.
It was as if he were simply saying a name.
Simply put, Jiang Mian couldn’t detect any hint of reverence in his tone.
“Ah, good morning,” Jiang Mian replied after a pause.
‘I’m still not used to being called ‘Master’.’
Jiang Mian sat down at the table and took a few bites of breakfast.
‘Mm, this is delicious,’ she thought.
‘It seems there’s a reason Rong Fei gets beaten less often.’
The only people at the round dining table were Jiang Mian and the standing Rong Fei.
Due to an unwritten rule in human society regarding the keeping of Beastmen, Beast Slaves were not allowed to eat at the table.
They could only eat after their master had finished.
After a few more bites, Jiang Mian glanced at the Beastman beside her and said quietly, “Sit down and eat with me.”
‘Otherwise, it’ll get cold later.’
Of course, she didn’t say that last part out loud.
She was only making an offer.
If Rong Fei still refused to sit and eat, she wouldn’t force him.
“No, thank you.
Master, please eat first,” Rong Fei said slowly.
Jiang Mian seemed to have expected this response and didn’t say anything more.
She finished her breakfast in silence and left.
Rong Fei stood in place, his gaze fixed on Jiang Mian’s retreating back.
‘Unbelievably, Jiang Mian didn’t cause any trouble today,’ he thought.
‘She actually finished her breakfast quietly.’
‘In the past, it was as if her hands were useless, and she’d make me feed her every single bite.’
‘Still, it’s good she’s not making a scene today.
Otherwise, I couldn’t guarantee I wouldn’t do something to make her lose her appetite for a few days.’
Jiang Mian headed for the storage room again.
‘I told him yesterday that his confinement was over.
I wonder if Lin Yu even heard me?’
‘Is he still in the storage room, or has he gone back to his own room on the Starship?’