Chapter 580 - 577: Hua Han Goes Missing

Chapter 580: Chapter 577: Hua Han Goes Missing

"The Fox Clan is relatively safe for now, but not completely. We can’t stay here forever. So... why don’t you try to persuade your Father Beast and the Clan Leader? Have them lead your people back with us to the Tiger Clan to take shelter for a while. They can return once things outside have stabilized."

Hua Han immediately understood Wanwan’s earnest intentions.

Just because it hadn’t happened yet didn’t mean disaster wouldn’t strike.

The tragic state of the Leopard Clan was still fresh in his mind, and he knew Wanwan’s suggestion was the best and safest solution at the moment.

If it weren’t for him, Wanwan absolutely wouldn’t be taking on these worries while pregnant.

He was deeply moved and squeezed her hand tightly. "Alright! I’ll go find my Father Beast and the Clan Leader right now and make the situation clear to them."

Without further delay, Hua Han got out of bed, straightened his clothes, and rushed out of the stone house.

However, he was gone for the better part of the day.

The last glimmer of sunset faded from the horizon, and the stone house was gradually shrouded in gloom.

Bai Wanwan sat by the window, the hide garment in her hands long since set aside. Her gaze drifted again and again to the path outside that led to the center of the village, her brow knitting ever tighter.

Hua Han had been gone for the better part of the day, far longer than he was usually able to stay awake and active. A sense of unease crept into her heart, coiling around it like a vine.

"Xin Feng," she finally broke the silence, looking over at him as he organized his gear. "Hua Han’s been gone so long and he isn’t back yet. I’m getting worried. Could you go to the Clan Leader’s home and see what’s going on? See how their talks are progressing?"

Xin Feng set down what he was holding and nodded. "Alright, I’ll go now. Perhaps things are just more complicated than we thought, and they’re taking longer to discuss."

He gave Bai Wanwan’s hand a reassuring pat, then turned and strode quickly from the stone house.

Xin Feng was quick. Before Bai Wanwan had been waiting long, she saw him hurrying back.

Her heart sank the moment she saw the look on his face.

"Wanwan, the Clan Leader said Hua Han left their place to come back here a long time ago."

But the man who should have been back long ago was nowhere to be found.

"He’s missing?" Bai Wanwan shot to her feet, her face paling.

"Don’t worry, Wanwan! We’ll go look for him right now!"

Yan Lie, who had followed him in, rushed forward to steady her swaying body, his voice comforting.

Zhu Xiu walked over as well, his dark eyes appearing exceptionally calm in the dim light.

He quickly issued orders. "I’ll stay here and protect Wanwan. The three of you, go search the immediate vicinity."

He paused, then looked at Xin Feng. "You should also notify the Fox Clan’s Leader. Ask them to send some of their Beastmen who know the terrain to help with the search."

"Got it. We’ll leave Wanwan in your care."

Xin Feng turned to Bai Wanwan, his voice full of reassurance. "Wanwan, Hua Han probably just wandered off somewhere. Don’t you worry, we’ll be sure to bring him back safe and sound!"

"Okay. You all be careful, too!"

She saw the three males out the door, the worry in her heart growing heavier.

The three males wasted no time. They set off at once, their figures quickly vanishing into the deepening night.

Only Bai Wanwan and Zhu Xiu remained in the stone house.

Zhu Xiu didn’t press Bai Wanwan to rest. He simply stood beside her in silence, a steadfast and reassuring presence like a great stone.

Time trickled by. Nearly all the Beastmen in the village had gone to sleep, yet there was still no word of Hua Han.

"Aren’t you tired?" Zhu Xiu asked her.

’How could I possibly sleep?’

She shook her head. "I’m not tired. Don’t mind me. If you’re tired, you should go rest for a bit."

As she said this, she kept walking to the doorway to peer out, straining to hear any sounds from outside, hoping to catch the familiar sound of footsteps.

Zhu Xiu rose, poured a bowl of warm water, and handed it to her. His voice was steady and strong. "Don’t dwell on it. Until we know what’s happened, any speculation is just frightening yourself for no reason."

Bai Wanwan accepted the bowl with a soft "mhm" and sipped from it slowly.

Indeed, the burning anxiety in her heart eased considerably.

After what seemed like an eternity, a flurry of hurried, chaotic footsteps finally sounded from outside...

Bai Wanwan’s heart skipped a beat. She threw open the stone door and rushed out.

Zhu Xiu was right behind her.

There, illuminated by torchlight, were Yan Lie and Yin Ze, striding quickly as they carried an unconscious male.

As they drew closer, Bai Wanwan could finally see the male’s face clearly.

It was Hua Han!

His face was pale and his eyes were shut tight. He was covered in dirt and bits of grass, looking utterly wretched.

Following behind them were dozens of Fox Clan males and... several unfamiliar Beastmen, bound in vines, with clouded eyes, who were constantly struggling and growling!

Bai Wanwan hurried over to check on Hua Han’s condition.

"Wanwan, be careful you don’t get jostled,"

Xin Feng warned, guiding her to the side.

Yan Lie and Yin Ze carefully carried Hua Han inside and laid him on a bed piled high with thick animal hides.

"What happened? Where did you find him? And what’s going on with those other Beastmen?" Bai Wanwan’s gaze swept over the bound figures outside.

After setting Hua Han down, Yan Lie put a hand on his hip, panting lightly. "We found him near a small Ape Clan settlement, about a half-day’s journey from the Fox Clan’s village. By the time we got there, Hua Han... he was completely under some sort of control, frantically attacking the Beastmen of that small village. He almost... he almost wiped them all out."

Yin Ze picked up the story. "Luckily, we got there in time and managed to subdue him together. Many of the Ape Clan Beastmen were also controlled by the Dark Energy, unable to tell friend from foe. We had no other choice. We had to knock out the ones who were controlled but could still be saved and bring them back with us."

Bai Wanwan listened, her heart still pounding with fear as she looked at the unconscious Hua Han on the bed. Thankfully, they had found him in time and prevented a greater disaster.

She gently stroked Hua Han’s cold cheek and said softly to Zhu Xiu, Yan Lie, and the others, "Let him rest well for now. As for the controlled Beastmen... keep them tied up and secured somewhere."

Bai Wanwan turned her head and saw the Fox Clan’s Leader was still outside, speaking to Zhu Xiu with a grave expression.

"What Hua Han told us this afternoon... about the controlled Beastmen out there, about the attack on the Leopard Clan... It looks like it was all true."

Zhu Xiu didn’t particularly care about the fate of Beastmen from other clans.

"Yes. It’s for you to decide. We don’t have much time to waste here. We’ll be leaving in a couple of days."

The expressions of the Clan Leader and several elders turned grim. They exchanged glances, their eyes filled with indecision and anxiety.

The Clan Leader sighed. "Relocating the entire clan... it’s a momentous decision. We need time to gather our people for a discussion. We’ll give you our answer as soon as we can."

Zhu Xiu simply nodded, offering no further comment.

Inside, Bai Wanwan tucked a thin blanket around Hua Han. "You’ve all been working all night, go get some rest. In two days, we’re leaving, whether they decide to come with us or not."

The situation outside was unpredictable and dangerous. She was pregnant, and she didn’t want her Beast Husbands to take any more risks.