Chapter 223: Social Death

Chapter 223: Chapter 223: Social Death

By the time Bai Wanwan woke again, light from outside the cave was already spilling in through the cracks between the vines and stones.

She blinked her sore eyes. Her throat felt as if it were stuffed with cotton, dry and aching.

When she tried to move, it felt as though all her strength had been drained away. Even lifting an arm was an immense struggle.

Jin Yi was sitting at the cave entrance with his back to her, his broad shoulders blocking part of the light and casting a long shadow on the ground.

Hearing the movement, Jin Yi turned to look at her. "You’re awake? Are you still feeling unwell anywhere?"

"I’m okay," Bai Wanwan said, her voice dry and hoarse. "Last night... Was I a lot of trouble for you?"

’Jin Yi isn’t my Beast Husband, after all. He has no obligation to take care of me.’

Jin Yi thought of her curled up in his arms the night before, and a flicker of emotion crossed his eyes. "No, you slept soundly."

Hearing this, Bai Wanwan let out a small sigh of relief.

Everything that happened yesterday felt like a nightmare. The image of Yan Lie falling swirled in her mind, and Bai Wanwan clenched her fists.

’I have to survive. If Yan Lie is still alive, he’ll definitely come find me!’

Bai Wanwan leaned against the wall to rest for a moment, and after regaining a little strength, she opened her system panel and took out some water to wash up.

After finishing, she handed a bottle of mineral water to Jin Yi. "You should wash up too. The water’s clean, and you can drink it if you’re thirsty."

The bottle was already open. After Jin Yi took it, he quickly cleaned himself up, then handed back the water that hadn’t been dirtied. "Let’s be frugal. We don’t know how long we’ll be trapped here."

"Don’t worry about it, I have more. You haven’t had any water since yesterday. Go on, drink it."

With that, she took some food out of her System Space.

She didn’t have to physically move anything, but just the simple act of tapping the panel left her feeling a bit drained.

From outside the cave came the faint, intermittent roars of beasts, sometimes distant, sometimes near.

Inside the cave, the two of them gnawed on their food, replenishing their energy.

After a few pieces of jerky and some fruit, Bai Wanwan felt much better.

After they had eaten and drunk their fill, an awkward situation arose.

The pressure in her lower abdomen was becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.

Before, when Yan Lie was by her side, this kind of thing was easy to handle.

But now, with beasts roaming outside at any moment, it was obviously impossible for her to go out by herself.

’But Jin Yi isn’t my Beast Husband.’

For once, she felt her composure cracking, but she forced herself to endure the discomfort.

Jin Yi soon noticed Bai Wanwan, who had gone rigid, her face slightly flushed.

His heart sank. He quickly rose and walked over to her, immediately reaching out to feel her forehead.

He was worried Bai Wanwan’s fever hadn’t gone away. If it hadn’t, he would have to go out again.

Daytime wasn’t like the night.

Beasts also needed to rest at night. If he left during the day to search for Silver Leaf Grass, he couldn’t bring himself to leave a lone female in the cave.

But when his palm touched the female’s soft, tender skin, it was only slightly warm, not burning hot.

Jin Yi was taken aback. He quickly pulled his hand back and looked at her flushed face. "Are you... still not feeling well?"

"Ahem..."

Bai Wanwan stammered, but she really couldn’t hold it any longer. Afraid of making a fool of herself, she decided to just throw caution to the wind.

"I have to go pee."

Jin Yi’s expression froze for an instant before a faint blush crept onto his handsome face.

Once the words were out, Bai Wanwan felt she had trampled her own dignity into the dust.

’In truth, someone less particular could just take care of it in the cave to avoid the dangers outside.’

’But I can’t do that. I’m a modern person, not a true Beastman.’

’Relieving myself in front of a male I have no connection with... I just can’t do it.’

’And the smell would just linger in this small space. There’s nothing more mortifying.’

’I’d rather die than pee in the cave.’

Jin Yi quickly averted his gaze and cleared his throat. "I’ll take you outside..."

Having reached the pinnacle of embarrassment, Bai Wanwan was now past caring.

She used the wall for support to stand up and walked forward, staring straight ahead, trying to appear natural and composed.

Jin Yi was already at the entrance, having moved two stones aside to peer outside.

After observing for a moment and confirming it was safe, he pushed aside the stones blocking the doorway.

He leaped out and quickly transformed into a Golden Lion. He turned his massive head back toward her. "Get on."

Bai Wanwan was still weak, and she had to lean on his back, struggling for a while before she managed to climb on.

Once Jin Yi felt the small female settled on his back, he slowly rose and moved away from the cave entrance.

He scanned the surrounding forest warily, his steps light and slow.

He didn’t have to go far. He stopped by a huge tree and knelt on all fours. "This should be fine. Be careful. Call me immediately if anything happens."

Bai Wanwan grunted an affirmative. Unable to hold it any longer, she slid hastily off his back and walked awkwardly behind the large tree.

She glanced around her surroundings before quickly squatting down.

Having taken care of her physiological needs, Bai Wanwan felt a long-awaited sense of relief.

She adjusted her clothes and had taken just two steps out when a deafening roar suddenly erupted.

It was still distant, but the sound was clear.

Bai Wanwan jumped in fright. Before she could even react, a powerful force swept her up by the waist.

"Hold on tight!" Jin Yi’s voice exploded next to her ear, and the world seemed to spin around her.

Jin Yi hadn’t even transformed back into his beast form. He simply lunged forward, scooped her into his arms, and dashed back to the cave in a few great leaps.

His movements were shockingly fast. After he carried Bai Wanwan back into the cave, he quickly sealed the entrance with the stones again.

Then, he pulled a smaller pouch from his Beast Skin Bag.

He took out a few dried leaves, cupped them in his palms, and crushed them with a sharp twisting motion.

A fine powder scattered around the entrance of the cave.

ROAR!

A deafening roar suddenly exploded, so close it felt like it was right beside them.

Bai Wanwan shuddered and instinctively stumbled backward, but her heel caught on a loose stone.

She lost her balance instantly and pitched forward.

’Oh no!’

The thought had barely crossed her mind when she reflexively clapped her hands over her mouth. She would rather fall and crack her head open than make a single sound.

Just as the tip of her nose was about to hit the cold ground, a sturdy arm wrapped around her waist like an iron band, lifting her off her feet with astonishing strength.

Jin Yi caught her, let out a soft "Shh," and then, without moving another inch, turned his gaze toward the cave entrance.

The two of them froze in place like stone sculptures.

Through the faint light filtering through the cracks, they saw a massive shadow fall over the cave entrance.

That was no ordinary beast.

’If it’s a Mutant Beast... If it finds us here, there’s no way Jin Yi can get me away from it alive.’

Desperate to avoid making the slightest sound, the two remained frozen in position.

Jin Yi’s arm muscles were tense as iron. Bai Wanwan could feel his rapid heartbeat against her, overlapping with the frantic drumming of her own heart.

The creature lingered at the entrance, its heavy footsteps echoing, sometimes near, sometimes far.

Each time it drew near, a foul stench seeped through the cracks, a putrid, fishy smell mixed with the acrid odor of rotting flesh.

Bai Wanwan’s gaze followed the movement of the shadow.

Suddenly, the shadow stopped directly in front of them.