Chapter 265: On Purpose

Chapter 265: Chapter 265: On Purpose

Roger stood with his hands clasped behind his back, showing none of the fear and helplessness he’d felt during his first confrontation with Zhu Xiu.

Hatred danced in his eyes like flickering flames.

A few male Beastmen stood beside him, their gazes fixed on Zhu Xiu as if he were prey that had walked right into their trap.

Zhu Xiu understood their intentions almost instantly.

"Did you lure me here for revenge?" His voice was tinged with sarcasm as his gaze swept over them. He didn’t seem to consider Roger and the other three males his opponents at all.

A smirk touched Roger’s lips. "Since you’re here, you might as well leave your life behind. As for Bai Wanwan... I’ll take good care of her for you."

At the mention of Bai Wanwan, the mockery in Zhu Xiu’s eyes vanished, replaced by an icy frost.

"Just you?"

"That’s right! Just me!" The smile vanished from Roger’s face, his tone turning chillingly cold. "This time, it’s my turn to take *your* life!"

Zhu Xiu stood his ground, his eyes scanning the other males. "Is that so? If I could take your life once, I can do it again!"

"You think I’ll let you kill me so easily again?" Roger scoffed and waved his hand. The three other male Beastmen beside him instantly transformed into their beast forms, closing in to surround Zhu Xiu.

A powerful wave of energy suddenly erupted from their bodies.

This energy... It was all too familiar to Zhu Xiu.

His expression grew grave as he watched the approaching Beastmen.

The aura radiating from them was the energy of Energy Stones.

"You consumed Energy Stones?"

"That’s right. The Energy Stones have given us immense power," Roger admitted freely.

Zhu Xiu noticed a black mist coiling around the Beastmen who were attacking him.

He could only consume Energy Stones because he was afflicted with the Dark Curse and knew a special method to counteract the physical damage they caused.

If one couldn’t counteract it, the energy from the stones would build up inside the body until it caused them to explode and die.

In the blink of an eye, the three male beasts were upon him.

A red fox was the first to lunge, snapping its jaws at him.

Zhu Xiu transformed in an instant. The moment his massive body appeared, he whipped his long tail at the red fox.

Though they were both of the Yellow Rank Talent, the size difference between a red fox and a King Cobra was immense. A one-on-one fight was impossible.

It could only rely on its Talent Power—the Fox Clan’s innate Charm Ability, which could slow an opponent’s movements.

After releasing its Talent Power, the red fox didn’t press the attack and quickly retreated.

The Bear Beast nearby was already closing in, swinging a massive paw as if to rip the serpent’s body in two...

********

The lively spirit of the Harvest Festival was still in the air. Bai Wanwan was humming a song in the kitchen, trying to decide what to make.

Shi Hua walked over from the inner courtyard. Setting her cub on the ground, she said to Bai Wanwan,

"Sister, I’m heading to the river to do some washing. I’ll leave the cubs here with you, I’ll be back soon."

She tapped the heads of the two little Black Dog cubs. "Mother is just stepping out for a bit. You two be good and listen, okay?"

Bai Wanwan immediately stopped chopping meat, her eyes lighting up. "Doing some washing? Perfect! It’s been a while since I’ve gone to catch fish and shrimp. I’ll go with you."

’What is there to do in the Beast World, anyway? You just have to find ways to pass the time.’

"Oh, you’re coming too, Sister? Great! Let’s take the cubs with us then."

Decided in an instant, Bai Wanwan quickly washed her hands and told Shi Hua, "Wait for me, I’ll be ready in a second."

With that, she walked to the doorway and called out to Yan Lie, who was outside with the cubs, "Yan Lie! We’re going to the river to catch fish and shrimp!"

Hearing her call, Yan Lie, who was holding the snake cub, herded the wolf cub and Cat Cub into the house.

After bringing all the cubs inside, his gaze fell on her. He hesitated. "Right now?"

Shi Hua noticed his concern and quickly spoke up. "It’s the Harvest Festival, so there are a lot of Foreign Beastmen coming and going. The tribe has arranged for many males to patrol inside and outside the tribe grounds. Plenty of females are coming and going freely. It’s very safe."

After what happened last time, Yan Lie was still a little worried.

Seeing this, Bai Wanwan took the initiative. "How about this: we’ll go take a look at the tribe entrance. If there are a lot of other Beastmen around, we’ll go. If it doesn’t seem safe, we’ll stay."

After the last incident, Bai Wanwan had also grown more cautious. Safety came first.

’But you can’t be ’once bitten, twice shy’ about it. I can’t just lock myself in the stone house for the rest of my life, watched over by my Beast Husband every day, never going anywhere.’

’Just thinking about a life like that is suffocating.’

Only then did Yan Lie reluctantly agree.

Shi Hua walked ahead, carrying her two cubs.

Bai Wanwan had too many cubs, and they were all clamoring to be held, so she had to keep switching them out.

When they reached the entrance to the tribe, the main gate was wide open, and there were indeed a lot of Beastmen coming and going.

Looking farther out, she could see many more Beastmen in the distance, both male and female.

Shi Hua smiled and tilted her head toward Yan Lie. "See? I wasn’t lying. It’s been so lively these past few days, there are people everywhere. There’s nothing to be afraid of."

Seeing the situation, Bai Wanwan relaxed as well. "Alright then, let’s go catch some fish and shrimp."

There were indeed plenty of Beastmen outside. Yan Lie didn’t object, but he remained vigilant, scanning their surroundings.

By the time they reached the foot of the mountain, sounds of laughter could be heard coming from the riverbank.

Bai Wanwan pushed aside some tall grass. In the shallow river, groups of males and females were gathered together.

Some were washing clothes in the water, while others sat on the bank chatting.

The forest was already cool, and soaking in the water was even more refreshing.

"Come on, let’s go! Let’s get in and cool off too."

Bai Wanwan, holding a cub, gestured for Shi Hua to join her in the water.

She had become quite a well-known female in the Golden Lion Tribe, so her arrival immediately drew the attention of the other Beastmen.

However, they mostly just sized her up with curious gazes. A few of the females would smile and greet her, but most just whispered among themselves, stealing glances from time to time.

Seeing how happy she was, Yan Lie’s mood brightened as well.

"Cubbies, how about we go for a dip in the river?"

AROOO...

MEEOW...

The little snake could only flick its tongue with a HISS.

They all stretched their little bodies, eager to get into the river.

"Alright, alright, we’re going in." Bai Wanwan put on a stern face and warned them, "You have to play right next to Mother and don’t wander off, understand?"

The cool river water washed over them, instantly dispelling the sweltering heat of Yan Ji.

Yan Lie got into the water as well, helping to watch the cubs from nearby.

Despite Bai Wanwan’s warning, what cub of that age isn’t mischievous?

Yan Lie was constantly busy, his hands and feet never stopping, as he had to keep a constant eye on the cubs to make sure none of them wandered off.

While looking after the cubs, Bai Wanwan also managed to scoop some fish and shrimp onto the shore.

Before long, she had filled a whole basin.

Bai Wanwan looked at her bountiful harvest and said to Shi Hua with a grin, "We can grill giant shrimp tonight."

The shrimp in this river were several times larger than the ones she used to catch in the Cat Clan Tribe. A single one was nearly the length of her hand.

Just as she was getting into the fun of it, Shi Hua suddenly nudged her with an elbow.

The smile still on her face, Bai Wanwan turned to look at her. "What’s wrong?"