Chapter 536 - 533: Not Hua Han

Chapter 536: Chapter 533: Not Hua Han

Zhu Xiu reached out, his large, warm hand steadying her shoulder.

"Don’t be afraid," his voice was low and calm. "I’m here."

His words seemed to have a magical effect, slightly soothing the turmoil in Bai Wanwan’s heart.

But she still pricked up her ears, straining to catch any sound from the distance.

The valley, however, fell silent again, and a long time passed without any disturbance.

Twilight descended like the gaping maw of a giant beast, completely swallowing the valley.

Zhu Xiu’s Snake Tail suddenly whipped out, forming a semicircular barrier that tightly enclosed Bai Wanwan, Shuang Hua, and all the cubs within his controllable protective range.

A cold, murderous aura radiated from him. His black eyes, on high alert, glowed with a terrifying red light, like two burning blood crystals. They continuously scanned every inch of shadow, every swaying patch of grass, not missing the slightest rustle of movement.

Bai Wanwan’s heart leaped into her throat. That faint cry from before felt like a hallucination; it was too distant, too fleeting. She couldn’t be sure if it was Hua Han, or even determine the exact direction of the sound.

The thought that something might have happened to Hua Han made anxiety and worry wrap around her heart like vines.

Everyone held their breath, not making a sound.

Shuang Hua knew she couldn’t be a burden; the best way to help right now was to take care of the cubs.

She hugged the frightened little ones tightly, comforting them in her warm embrace, while also signaling to Bai Wanwan with her eyes to move closer.

Bai Wanwan leaned against Shuang Hua and gently stroked the little tiger cubs, who were whimpering and restless with anxiety, trying to offer them some comfort.

Time ticked by, second by agonizing second, in the dead silent wait. Each moment felt extraordinarily long.

Finally, a RUSTLING sound came from the dense bushes ahead and to the side, accompanied by heavy footsteps.

Zhu Xiu’s muscles tensed instantly. He was on high alert, ready to strike like lightning!

However, the ones who pushed aside the dense foliage and stepped out were none other than the returning Xin Feng and Yan Lie.

Yan Lie was holding a male Beastman captive. The Beastman staggered, his body covered in injuries, and his head hung low.

Bai Wanwan’s gaze shot over immediately, but when she saw the Beastman’s unfamiliar face and entirely different racial features, she was filled with disappointment.

’It wasn’t Hua Han!’

Her gaze went past Xin Feng and Yan Lie, peering into the darkness behind them. "Where’s Yin Ze? Isn’t he with you?"

Xin Feng quickly walked to her side, deliberately lowering his voice, his tone grave. "We found this Beastman acting suspiciously. Just as we were about to capture him, an accomplice fled in the opposite direction at incredible speed. Yin Ze has already gone after him. He told us to bring this one back first."

He paused, then added with a frown, "We did a quick search of the surrounding area, but we didn’t find any sign of Hua Han. These two Beastmen, though... their behavior is extremely strange. And they seem... very off."

"Off?" Zhu Xiu questioned, his red-glowing gaze landing with an almost physical weight on the unresponsive Beastman held by Yan Lie.

Seeing this, Shuang Hua immediately clutched the cubs and shuffled further into the center of the safe zone encircled by Zhu Xiu’s tail.

Bai Wanwan also walked over to Zhu Xiu’s side to get a closer look at the captured Beastman with him.

He wore tattered animal hides, and his body was covered in overlapping old and new scars.

Yan Lie kicked him in the back of the knee.

The male Beastman’s body buckled, and he staggered to his knees, but he seemed to feel no pain. He didn’t cry out or groan, and there was no expression of agony or anger on his face.

His gaze was vacant and dull, staring blankly at the ground before him, like a soulless husk.

This bizarre scene instantly reminded Bai Wanwan of the Beastmen she had seen in the Golden Lion Tribe, the ones controlled by Dark Energy!

’Could... he be one of them too?’

She stood right beside Zhu Xiu and raised her voice slightly. "Can you hear me? Where are you from?"

’Hua Han’s injury and disappearance... it must be related to these Beastmen.’

The Beastman kneeling on the ground showed no reaction, like a stone statue or a wooden puppet, completely ignoring all external stimuli.

Yan Lie experimentally jabbed him in the back with his elbow. The man’s body just swayed, but he didn’t even let out a muffled grunt.

Bai Wanwan’s heart sank. She turned aside and sank her consciousness into her mind, calling out to the system. "Hua Sheng! Scan this Beastman! Is he being controlled? Is there any way you can wake him up or get information from him?"

The system responded quickly: "Scan complete. Host, the target’s vital signs are stable, but his brain activity is abnormal, suggesting he is under intense mental interference or control. I apologize, but with the system’s current level and the host’s existing Points, I cannot provide an item that can effectively remove this condition."

Bai Wanwan knew her pitiful balance of Points couldn’t accomplish anything anyway.

But she was about to give birth and would be getting Points soon.

"You said he’s being controlled. If I had enough Points, could I break him free?"

"When the Host’s accumulated Points reach one million, advanced system options will be unlocked. They might contain what the Host needs. Please continue your efforts, Host, and produce more high-quality cubs to earn Points."

’One million...’

Bai Wanwan looked at the mere few thousand Points remaining on her system panel and felt a wave of powerlessness.

The Beast World was a dangerous place; besides upgrades, she needed Points to exchange for medical supplies.

Given the current situation, it seemed her best bet was to have children with Red Rank Males like Zhu Xiu, Yin Ze, and Jin Yi. With the Points she would gain quickly, perhaps... she could save up enough before too long.

By the time she finished her conversation with the system, her Beast Husbands had already completed their initial probing.

"It’s no use. We can’t get anything out of him. He’s like a rock," Yan Lie said, his handsome features tinged with anxiety.

Zhu Xiu’s gaze was sharp. He mused, "If we had enough people, we could let him go and follow him to see where he ends up and who he meets."

His eyes swept over Bai Wanwan, Shuang Hua, and the two litters of cubs, and he swallowed the rest of his sentence.

’Protecting the females and cubs is the top priority right now; I can’t take any risks.’

Xin Feng gently suggested from the side, "Yin Ze has already gone to track the other one. Maybe he’ll bring back more information. Why don’t we just wait and see for now?"

The sky grew completely dark. The temperature in the valley plummeted, and even the sound of the wind seemed to take on an eerie quality.

Zhu Xiu and Xin Feng flanked the females and cubs, standing guard, while Yan Lie searched nearby for a place to shelter for the night.

They had expected Yan Lie, who was looking for shelter, to be the first to return. Instead, the sound of rushing wind, growing from a distant whisper, came from the night sky.

Yin Ze was back.

He folded his magnificent wings and shifted into his human form, landing lightly in front of Zhu Xiu. The look on his face, however, was not good.