Chapter 280: Taking the Blame

Chapter 280: Chapter 280: Taking the Blame

Bai Wanwan knew that look all too well.

The hands caressing the backs of her knees paused for a moment before their grip tightened.

But he quickly calmed himself. There were too many males here, and Wanwan was just too beautiful.

He didn’t want any other males to see her aroused.

He forced himself to stop and straightened the hem of her skirt.

Bai Wanwan sighed in relief and leaned into his embrace. "Things are going to be tense for the next few days. You all should stay inside the city for a while."

Killing Xiong Zong had landed them in huge trouble.

Zhuo Ling was gone now, and her Beast Husbands wouldn’t let the matter rest.

Although they were all of Yellow Rank Talent, two fists are no match for four. It was safer for everyone to stick together as much as possible.

The food in her space would last for a while longer.

"Mm, we’ll stay put for now. Once we’ve dealt with Roger and Zhuo Ling’s Beast Husbands, we can go gather food for the winter."

’Right, there’s still Roger!’

Bai Wanwan’s brow furrowed. ’Day after day... She never went looking for trouble, so why did it always seem to find her?’

Of all of them, only Roger knew she was a Holy Female.

’If her identity were ever exposed in the future...’

She didn’t even dare to imagine the consequences.

********

In the center of the spacious stone house, Jin Yi stood before his Father Beast, his eyes downcast and silent.

Jin Cang glanced up at him. "That female, Zhuo Ling... is she really gone?"

"Mm."

After all, he had known her for many years, and she had once been his benefactor. Her passing left Jin Yi feeling deeply melancholic.

"I heard she was the one who lured Bai Wanwan out of the city. It’s a good thing nothing happened to Bai Wanwan. If it had..."

Jin Cang took a deep breath and said gravely, "Perhaps this outcome is for the best. Now that she’s gone, isn’t it time for you to consider becoming mates with Bai Wanwan?"

Jin Yi looked up at his Father Beast. "This isn’t the time to be thinking about such things. Clan Leader, we must now prepare for the Bear Clan’s retaliation."

"The Bear Clan’s retaliation?" Jin Cang laughed incredulously. "They were the ones who started this by capturing one of our females. They even tried to harm you. I will be the one demanding an explanation from the Bear Clan. It’s hardly their place to..."

Before he could finish, Jin Yi’s voice cut in. "Xiong Zong is dead."

The entire hall fell into a sudden silence.

"You killed him?"

Jin Yi lowered his eyes. "Yes."

Jin Cang Clan Leader’s sharp gaze seemed to pierce right through to his soul.

Then, he smiled. "You didn’t kill him. It was Bai Wanwan’s Beast Husbands, wasn’t it?"

Jin Yi’s expression stiffened, which only made Jin Cang more certain of his guess.

"You are the Young Clan Leader of the Golden Lion Tribe. You always think of the tribe’s long-term development. You would never kill Xiong Zong so lightly."

At this, however, Jin Cang heard his son say, "No, Father Beast. I would have."

’If Xiong Zong had truly harmed Bai Wanwan, he would have killed him with his own hands.’

Jin Cang Clan Leader suddenly pressed, "You would? For what reason? Why would you kill him and disregard the tribe’s future?"

But Jin Yi offered no answer to this question.

In the end, Jin Cang didn’t press the matter, letting out a long sigh. The fine lines at the corners of his eyes betrayed his anxiety.

"The Bear Clan won’t let this rest."

He turned to the male standing nearby. "Jin Yue, inform the guards immediately. Starting today, all females are forbidden from leaving the city. Any Hunting Team that leaves must travel in a group."

Jin Yue acknowledged the order and immediately went to relay it.

「For the next three days」, all was quiet within the tribe and without.

The males going out to hunt gradually let their guard down and no longer deliberately waited to form groups.

Bai Wanwan didn’t deliberately hide at home, either.

When she didn’t feel like moving, she stayed home with the cubs.

When she wanted to go for a stroll, her own Beast Husbands would accompany her around the vicinity.

But whenever she left the house, at least two of her three Beast Husbands were at her side.

"Zhu Xiu, let’s go somewhere a little more secluded."

She had already received confirmation that Zhuo Ling hadn’t survived after all.

’In that case, her Beast Husbands must be consumed by grief and hatred.’

’Once they’ve composed themselves, they should be coming to get revenge on her.’

’She had to give them an opportunity, didn’t she?’

"Zhu Xiu, Zhuo Ling had five Beast Husbands. Are you two sure you can handle them?"

Bai Wanwan glanced around furtively, asking him in a hushed voice.

Yan Lie was at home today. The ones at her side were Zhu Xiu and Xin Feng.

"Don’t worry. Nothing will happen."

Xin Feng was the first to reassure her.

Then Zhu Xiu nodded as well. "Don’t be afraid. The two of us are more than enough to handle her Beast Husbands."

Only after getting their confident reply did Bai Wanwan dare to continue with her plan to act as bait.

She was quite conscious of her role as bait, deliberately heading toward the most deserted areas.

Sure enough, just as they turned into an alley, they were surrounded from the front and back by Zhuo Ling’s Beast Husbands.

"Bai Wanwan, today you’ll pay with your life!" a male named Lu Da roared viciously.

Bai Wanwan immediately ducked behind Zhu Xiu, tilting her head and smiling at them. "Oh, I’m so scared!"

’Whoever starts the fight is the one in the wrong. Zhuo Ling was the one who kept provoking her, yet they had the nerve to demand she pay with her life!’

The males instantly shifted into their beast forms, baring gleaming white fangs as they lunged to attack.

Zhu Xiu and Xin Feng shifted in the same instant, shielding Bai Wanwan between them.

"Zhu Xiu, I’ll protect Wanwan! You take out two of them, quickly!"

If it were just a matter of dealing with the five males, their opponents wouldn’t even stand a chance to catch their breath against their combined might.

But they had to protect Bai Wanwan, so there was no room for error.

That meant they had to eliminate one or two of them as quickly as possible to prevent any sneak attacks on Wanwan.

Zhu Xiu obviously had the same plan. The instant the others lunged, he locked onto the weakest male among them.

The King Cobra’s jaws clamped down on half of the opponent’s body.

The black wolf let out a horrific shriek before falling to the ground with a heavy THUD, its body going still.

Xin Feng also seized the opportunity, plunging his claws through another black wolf’s chest.

The three remaining Beastmen saw that the two weakest among them had lost their lives the moment the fight began.

They were filled with rage and terror.

"This is impossible. We can’t kill her today."

They couldn’t throw their lives away for nothing, or they’d lose any chance to avenge their Wife.

The Golden Lion Beastman made a swift decision. "Retreat! We’ll find another chance."

With that, the three males quickly fell back.

Zhu Xiu coiled his long tail around Bai Wanwan and shot after them.

But as he reached the mouth of the alley, Jin Xi was there, clutching an injured arm and shouting, "These outsider males are deliberately bullying us Golden Lions! They even injured me!"

Jin Xi was one of the few Yellow Rank Males in the Golden Lion Tribe, and Beastmen revere strength.

He held a great deal of prestige within the Golden Lion Tribe.

His cry immediately stirred the indignation of the nearby males, who promptly surrounded Zhu Xiu and Xin Feng.

Meanwhile, the males behind the beastman crowd immediately seized the opportunity to turn and flee.

"Get out of the way!"

Zhu Xiu’s voice was practically dripping with ice.

His chilling gaze swept over the males blocking his path as he unleashed the oppressive aura unique to High Rank Males.