Chapter 210: The Return of The Plague

Sora was usually so busy that she had never really stopped to wonder about Xavier’s parents.

Now that he had suddenly mentioned them, however, she realized just how little she knew about him.

Xavier’s personality was undeniably domineering and sharp-tongued, but aside from that, he had always been remarkably capable. He was already a Rank Five Beastman, something that even Mark, despite having Martin constantly supervising his cultivation, had yet to achieve.

Yet Xavier had apparently grown up without either parent.

Sora couldn’t help but look at him with a complicated expression.

"Then your Mother must have been an extraordinary Female."

In the Beast World, Females generally relied on Beastmen for protection. For Xavier to grow into the person he was without either a Father or Mother was almost unimaginable.

However, Xavier’s expression remained strangely calm.

"She might have been."

Sora blinked.

"Might have been?"

"I’ve never met her."

The smile on Xavier’s face disappeared.

For once, the usually arrogant Snake Beastman looked genuinely distant.

Sora immediately regretted asking.

She had already managed to step on the same sore spot twice in a row.

She had assumed that every Beastman had parents who had raised them. How could she have known that Xavier had neither?

Then again...

How had he survived?

"How did you grow up, then?" Sora almost asked, but stopped herself.

Xavier had already revealed enough.

She didn’t want to pry into wounds that had probably existed for many years.

Instead, she changed the subject.

"Where are you taking me?"

Xavier’s purple eyes narrowed slightly, and the familiar playful smile returned.

"Nowhere in particular. I just wanted to take you for a ride."

He paused.

"There was a beautiful celestial pool nearby that I used to visit, but you’ve already warned everyone about the plague toxin. I don’t want to take you anywhere dangerous."

Sora looked down.

Tiny mountain lakes glittered beneath them, surrounded by endless greenery.

After being confined to the Tribe for so many days, simply being outside made her feel considerably lighter.

"This is nice."

Xavier’s lips curled upward.

"I knew you’d like it."

He pointed toward a distant mountain.

"I used to spend a lot of time there when I was young. After I hatched from my egg, I didn’t know anything about the world. I wandered around looking for food and places to sleep."

"Sometimes a Lark Priest would tell stories there. I liked listening to them."

Sora turned her head.

"So you really hatched by yourself?"

"Yes."

Xavier sounded almost proud.

"I stayed inside that egg for a very long time. No one came to help me, so I eventually bit my way out."

Sora’s eyes widened.

"You bit your way out?"

"Of course."

Xavier raised his chin.

"I’m naturally gifted. I had Rank One Beast Energy immediately after hatching."

Sora stared at him.

There was absolutely no need to praise this snake.

He was already arrogant enough.

Still, she couldn’t help feeling a little sorry for him.

He had apparently learned to survive alone from the moment he entered the world.

Perhaps that was why he had such a strong personality.

He had never had anyone to depend on.

The two continued talking as Xavier flew across the sky.

Eventually, he brought Sora back toward the mountain where he had once lived.

Instead of returning to the Tribe, he entered the familiar cave.

Sora looked around.

It had been a long time since she’d been here.

Everything was almost exactly as she remembered.

Xavier’s snake tail wrapped around her waist again, pulling her closer.

He buried his face against her shoulder and inhaled deeply.

"I haven’t smelled your scent this closely in a long time."

Sora immediately pushed against him.

"Let go. You’re holding me too tightly."

Xavier laughed.

"This is what you owe me."

"What do I owe you?"

"You have no idea how many days it has been since I last touched you."

Sora rolled her eyes.

She wasn’t buying that nonsense.

This snake had always been shameless.

The last time she had been alone with him, he had spent ages teasing her and taking advantage of every opportunity to touch her, yet he still insisted that he hadn’t done anything.

She elbowed him lightly.

"Let go. And if anything happens to the little cub, don’t blame me."

Xavier immediately placed a hand over her stomach.

"Only the little Female inside you can make me back down."

Reluctantly, he loosened his tail.

Sora finally breathed properly again.

Unfortunately, she had barely taken two breaths before Xavier pushed her down.

His purple eyes burned with unmistakable desire.

Sora’s heart jumped.

This snake had entered rogue mode again.

Just as he leaned closer, a voice suddenly came from outside the cave.

"Kaelira! Are you inside?"

Sora froze.

Xavier didn’t even bother looking up.

He simply continued.

"Ignore him."

He waved one hand.

A powerful gust of wind immediately swept toward the cave entrance.

The meaning was obvious.

Leave.

Now.

The Beastman outside staggered backward but soon shouted again.

"Kaelira! It’s urgent!"

Xavier’s expression darkened.

Sora finally couldn’t ignore it anymore.

She pushed him away and hurriedly grabbed her animal-hide clothing.

Xavier stared at her with bloodshot eyes.

He had waited so long for this opportunity.

And now someone had come to ruin it.

He stepped out of the cave.

The Wolf-eared Beastman outside nearly collapsed beneath the terrifying pressure radiating from the Rank Five Snake Beast.

Xavier’s voice was icy.

"You’d better have something important to say."

His eyes narrowed.

"Otherwise, tonight you’ll be sleeping at the bottom of this cliff."

The messenger swallowed hard.

"I... I really have something important."

Sora quickly walked outside.

"Xavier, let him speak."

Only then did Xavier’s killing intent lessen.

The Wolf-eared Beastman immediately looked at Sora as though she were his only hope.

"Kaelira..."

He took a deep breath.

"The Chieftain is sick."

Sora’s expression changed.

"What?"

"He said he feels strange. He thinks it might be the plague toxin."

Sora’s face immediately became serious.

"How?"

"I don’t know. Everyone is worried, so they asked me to find you."

Sora didn’t hesitate.

"Take me down. I need to see Father immediately."

If Martin had truly contracted the plague toxin, then the situation would be extremely serious.

She had already taken precautions throughout the Tribe.

Martin had also been extremely careful.

How could he suddenly become sick?

Unless...

There was another source.

Xavier clearly wasn’t happy.

He had spent all this time waiting for Sora, only for someone to interrupt him at the worst possible moment.

Still, he knew that the Tribe’s safety came first.

He transformed and carried Sora into the air.

Before leaving, he glanced coldly at the messenger.

"What is your name?"

The Wolf-eared Beastman trembled.

"Peter."

"I’ll remember it."

Peter’s face turned pale.

He suddenly regretted having such a fast pair of legs.

Because he ran faster than everyone else, he was always the one chosen to deliver messages.

He had once considered it an honor.

Now?

He felt as if he’d been marked by the most dangerous Beastman in the entire Tribe.

Xavier carried Sora rapidly toward the Tribe.

Sora didn’t notice his displeasure.

Her thoughts were entirely focused on Martin.

If the Chieftain had really been infected, then everything they had done over the past few days might have to be reconsidered.

She had thought the plague toxin was already under control.

But perhaps...

They had only seen the beginning.

As they approached the Tribe, Sora could already see several Beastmen gathered outside Martin’s hut.

Their expressions were tense.

Sora’s heart sank.

"Father!"

She hurried forward.

A few Beastmen immediately stepped aside.

Inside the hut, Martin was lying on his bedding.

His face was pale.

Sweat covered his forehead.

His breathing was heavier than usual.

Sora’s expression changed instantly.

"Don’t come any closer."

Everyone froze.

Sora carefully observed Martin from several steps away.

"Who has touched him?"

No one answered immediately.

Then one Beastman stepped forward.

"I helped him drink water."

"Separate yourself from everyone else."

The Beastman immediately stepped back.

Sora’s voice remained calm.

"From now on, no one touches Father unless absolutely necessary."

Martin opened his eyes.

"Kaelira..."

His voice was weak.

Sora immediately looked toward him.

"Father, don’t speak. Save your strength."

Martin tried to sit up.

"Don’t worry about me."

Sora frowned.

"You are the Chieftain. If something happens to you, the entire Tribe will panic. So you need to cooperate with me."

Martin looked at his daughter.

For a moment, he almost laughed.

This child had truly changed.

She was no longer the quiet and careless Female he remembered.

Now, whenever something happened, she immediately became the person everyone looked toward.

Martin nodded.

"Alright."

Sora stepped closer, but stopped at a safe distance.

She carefully examined his condition.

Fever.

Weakness.

Heavy breathing.

Sweating.

Her expression became increasingly serious.

These symptoms were similar to the plague toxin they had already encountered.

But something didn’t make sense.

Martin had been extremely careful.

He hadn’t eaten any hunted beasts.

He hadn’t gone into the forest.

He hadn’t touched Alex or Dan.

So where had the toxin come from?

Sora’s mind began turning rapidly.

There had to be a connection.

Suddenly, she remembered something.

"Nick Wilde."

Everyone looked at her.

"What about him?"

Sora’s eyes narrowed.

"Nick came from the Red Fox Tribe."

The atmosphere instantly became tense.

"But he was quarantined for five days," someone said.

"I know."

Sora’s expression remained solemn.

"He was cleared after five days. But that doesn’t mean we can completely eliminate every possibility."

Martin’s eyes sharpened.

"Are you saying..."

"I’m not accusing Nick Wilde."

Sora shook her head.

"But the Red Fox Tribe was completely destroyed by the plague toxin. If the toxin came from another source, we need to know what that source was."

She turned toward the others.

"From this moment onward, no one is allowed to leave the Tribe."

The Beastmen nodded immediately.

No one questioned her.

Even Martin remained silent.

Sora looked at her father again.

"Father, tell me everything you did before you became sick."

Martin thought carefully.

"I woke up this morning as usual."

"Then?"

"I ate breakfast."

"What did you eat?"

Martin frowned.

"Some potatoes, fish, and the sour vegetables."

Sora’s eyes narrowed.

Those were all foods the Tribe had been eating recently.

She had eaten them too.

So that couldn’t be it.

"What did you do after breakfast?"

Martin hesitated.

"I went to inspect the food storage."

Sora’s heart skipped.

"The storage?"

"Yes."

"Did anyone else go there?"

Martin shook his head.

"Not that I remember."

Sora fell silent.

Food storage.

That might be the key.

She immediately turned around.

"Nobody goes near the storage area."

Then she looked at Lucas and the others.

"I need someone to guard Father."

Lucas nodded.

"I’ll do it."

Sora shook her head.

"No. You stay with me."

Lucas paused.

"Why?"

"Because if Father has the plague toxin, I need someone strong enough to protect me while I investigate."

Lucas’s eyes softened.

"Alright."

Xavier stepped forward immediately.

"I’m going too."

Sora looked at him.

"You just wanted to stay behind and punish Peter."

Xavier’s expression remained shameless.

"That was before."

"And now?"

"Now my Female is investigating something dangerous. Naturally, I have to follow."

Sora sighed.

"Fine."

As the group prepared to leave, Martin suddenly called out.

"Kaelira."

Sora turned.

Martin’s expression was unusually serious.

"Be careful."

Sora nodded.

"I will."

Then she walked toward the food-storage area.

She didn’t know what they would find there.

But one thing was certain.

The plague toxin had returned.

And this time, it had found its way directly to the Tribe’s Chieftain.