Chapter 269: Awake?

Chapter 269: Chapter 269: Awake?

Yan Lie, who was looking after the cubs, suddenly heard a noise coming from inside the house.

"Wanwan?"

He turned his head and called out, but there was no response. Uneasy, he turned and went inside.

"Wanwan..."

After his second call, there was still no answer.

An extremely ominous feeling rose in his heart.

He practically ran to Shi Hua’s house.

The scene before him made his blood run cold.

Shi Hua was lying motionless on the ground, and there was no sign of Wanwan beside her.

He rushed to Shi Hua’s side and, after confirming she was only unconscious, immediately got up to look for any sign of Wanwan.

"Wanwan?"

After a quick search of the house, he saw Shi Hua’s wide-open door and immediately rushed out.

It was the Harvest Festival, and their house was right next to the Central Square, so many Beastmen were coming and going.

Yan Lie looked around anxiously, wanting to chase in the direction leading out of the tribe.

Just then, Mu Feng returned, carrying his prey. When Yan Lie saw him, he said urgently, "Shi Hua and Wanwan are in trouble! I think Shi Hua was drugged with Mimi Fruit. Go inside and check on her. I’ll also have to trouble you to look after the cubs for me."

Without giving Mu Feng a chance to reply, he quickly transformed into a leopard and chased off in the direction leading out of the tribe.

He didn’t know who had taken Wanwan, or if they had already left the tribe.

But what he had to stop now was any Beastman from getting Wanwan out.

If she was still in the tribe, they would have time to search slowly. But if she was taken out of the tribe, where would they even begin to look?

Like an arrow loosed from a bow, Yan Lie shot toward the tribe’s main gate.

The scorching heat was gradually fading, the sunlight turning a warm gold.

The Snow Leopard mobilized the Talent Power around him, searching back and forth along the few paths outside the tribe.

But after searching the paths several times, he still couldn’t find any trace of Wanwan.

Vexation and worry made his blood roil in his chest.

Just then, Xin Feng appeared ahead, carrying his prey.

"Yan Lie? What are you doing here?"

Yan Lie looked at him, self-blame and sorrow practically spilling from his eyes.

Xin Feng immediately sensed something was wrong. His gentle expression vanished, replaced by a grave and serious one. "Did something happen to Wanwan?"

"Wanwan... is gone."

Yan Lie’s amber eyes were riddled with bloodshot veins. ’I really want to just claw myself to death. How could I let Wanwan get lost under my watch again and again?’

Xin Feng took a deep breath, telling himself to stay calm.

He then had to soothe Yan Lie, who was on the verge of losing control. "You have to look after the cubs; you can’t keep an eye on Wanwan every single moment. If no one was targeting Wanwan, she’d be fine even if we weren’t watching. If a High Rank Male wants to do something, he’ll always find an opportunity. The important thing now is to find her."

"Right!"

Xin Feng tossed his prey onto the ground. "I just came down from this mountain and didn’t notice anything unusual. You search over there, and I’ll go this way..."

With that, the two males immediately split up, each heading toward a different mountain peak.

The sky grew darker and darker as Xin Feng searched the dense forest for a long time.

So long that even he, who was usually composed, was now frowning, his face etched with anxiety.

Suddenly, he saw collapsed trees all around, with a patch in the middle turned to ash.

He noticeably softened his steps as his four paws touched the ground.

And just then, another sound came from up ahead.

Abruptly, a massive King Cobra shot up from the woods, then smashed back down into the nearby forest floor.

Wherever it struck, trees shattered, branches snapped, and vegetation flew everywhere.

And its body was completely shrouded in black mist.

’Not good...’

Xin Feng could tell at a glance that Zhu Xiu was suffering another backlash from the Dark Curse.

He had discussed this with Zhu Xiu before. Although the Energy Stone could help him resist the Dark Curse, every backlash increased the risk of the curse eroding his mind and turning him into a senseless beast.

While Xin Feng was hesitating, wondering how to help Zhu Xiu, Zhu Xiu had already noticed the Silver Wolf not far away.

The King Cobra seemed to lock onto its prey in an instant. As its enormous tongue flickered, its head lunged rapidly toward Xin Feng.

The Silver Wolf leaped up, narrowly dodging Zhu Xiu’s strike. Pushing off a tree trunk with its paws, it jumped in another direction.

Missing his first strike didn’t stop Zhu Xiu. He continued to pursue Xin Feng, trying to swallow the Silver Wolf whole.

"Zhu Xiu! Snap out of it! It’s me, Xin Feng!"

Xin Feng’s roar made the King Cobra’s body pause for a moment, but only for a moment. It lunged toward him again, ready to devour him.

"Zhu Xiu, you have to control the backlash! You have to wake up! Wanwan is missing! Yan Lie and I really need you to help us find her."

Xin Feng knew that in this state, nothing else would get through to Zhu Xiu. His only option was to try telling him the truth.

Hearing Bai Wanwan’s name, Zhu Xiu’s body finally came to a halt, his massive head towering in mid-air.

Xin Feng watched as crimson red and thick blackness constantly alternated in his eyes.

He was powerless to help. His sharp claws dug deep grooves into the tree branch.

Finally, the thick black mist in Zhu Xiu’s eyes receded, leaving his vertical pupils a startling crimson.

"Xin Feng... is what you just said true?"

His voice was hoarse, and he sounded to be in a very bad state.

"Yes, it’s true. You have to pull yourself together. We need to find Wanwan together."

Zhu Xiu said in his hoarse voice, "Okay. Let’s go now."

The Silver Wolf leaped down from the branch and, after landing steadily, began to rapidly search the area for Wanwan’s scent.

"How did Wanwan go missing? Was it Roger?"

Zhu Xiu hated that he was bound by the Dark Curse, that he had lost his mind at the critical moment and let Roger and those other males get away.

"It might not have been him..."

Xin Feng’s expression darkened slightly. Worried that Zhu Xiu would direct his anger at Yan Lie, he held back the rest of his words.

*******

The air in the cave was damp and cold. A drop of condensation from the stone wall dripped onto Bai Wanwan’s face, and the chilly sensation brought back the memories of what happened before she passed out.

She looked at Zhuo Ling, who was sitting across from her. She, too, was bound with rough vines, unable to move.

Zhuo Ling noticed she was awake and immediately called out in a hushed voice, "Bai Wanwan?"

Bai Wanwan was actually a little surprised to see her, but she didn’t say anything.

"Do you have a way to escape?" Zhuo Ling tried to lean closer, her voice trembling. "I know you’re very smart. If you have a way to get out, I’ll do my best to help you."

"Help me? Then why don’t you tell me why I’m here in the first place?"

Zhuo Ling’s eyes flickered. "I... I don’t know."

They had barely exchanged two sentences when footsteps echoed inside the cave.

Bai Wanwan and Zhuo Ling turned their heads at the same time to look.

Three burly Bear Clan males walked in. Their bodies were covered in thick hair, and their beastly features were visible even in their human forms.

"Awake, are we?" The leading Bear Clan Beastman grinned, revealing a malicious smile.

His gaze swept back and forth between the two females before finally landing on Bai Wanwan’s face. "I hear you’re the female that Jin Yi, the Young Clan Leader of the Golden Master Tribe, has his eye on?"