Chapter 400

The next morning, the irritable beastman, taking along his fellow tribespeople, set out; as they left, they merely greeted the patrolling tribespeople.

The Scorpion Captain heard the report from the patrolling beastfolk, let out a deep sigh; it seems the tribespeople are also disappointed with this selection.

What he didn't know was that the departing irritable beastman and his tribespeople didn't return to the tribe but instead headed toward the Polar Forest.

On the Snow Tiger Tribe's territory, in a clearing before a tall forest, scattered were several dozen prey animals, large and small, all of which had died without exception.

Around them, only two Beastman Warriors were keeping watch here, while from the forest behind them came intermittent voices.

Yuan Lang looked at the cracked fruit on the tree, his dark brows slightly furrowed: 'It seems these gray fruits can no longer be eaten.'

From the crack, the exposed flesh was already a white‑yellowish solid.

He picked a gray fruit, opened its skin, broke off some flesh and stuffed it into his mouth.

The next moment, his handsome visage twisted.

The cloying sweetness in his mouth made his scalp tingle, making him feel that his whole body was somewhat off.

The surrounding beastfolk, seeing their captain like that, each could only maintain composure and turn away, but the next moment they laughed so hard their bodies trembled.

Yun Lang flicked his hand and wanted to throw away the gray fruit he held.

But after frowning and looking at it for a while, he reluctantly tossed it into the basket behind him, and even picked a few more.

"Captain, these gray fruits are hard to eat; even the females don't like them, so bringing them back for the little female won't be liked either."

That Yuan Lang likes Shaman Wu Yue is no longer a secret; everyone in the Snow Tiger Tribe knows.

Although females prefer sweet things more than beastfolk do, this fruit is so cloyingly sweet that even they can't stomach it.

Yuan Lang glanced at the beastfolk and said: 'Yue hasn't seen this; bring it back for her to look at.'

After returning to the tribe, Yuan Lang took the few gray fruits from his basket and went to find Wu Yue.

Standing at the courtyard gate, watching the busy little female inside, his heart warmed slightly.

"Wu Yue, Sir."

The beastman's low, laughing voice rang out in the courtyard; Wu Yue's hand paused, she looked up and saw the beastman pushing the door open and entering.

"Back from the hunt?"

After glancing at him, she lowered her head and continued with her own tasks.

Yuan Lang and the others were about to set out in a few days; she needed to hurry and prepare more pills for them to take.

"I brought back some gray fruits today, but unfortunately the flesh inside has completely solidified, that taste..."

The beastman's dark brows knit tightly: 'Indeed, it's not good.'

Wu Yue raised an eyebrow: "Looking at your appearance, I'm actually a bit curious."

Yuan Lang smiled, took out the previously opened gray fruit, broke off a small piece of flesh and handed it to her: "Try some?"

Wu Yue glanced at the white‑tinged yellow flesh on those fingertips: "It won't be too bitter, will it?"

"Not bitter, extremely sweet."

"Extremely sweet?"

Wu Yue took the flesh and shoved it into her mouth; the flesh had turned into a soft, jelly‑like texture, likely because of sufficient moisture, and was not dry and fibrous.

But as she refused, the overwhelming sweetness made her scalp tingle instantly, and her whole little face scrunched up.

"Yuan Lang, want to be a person?"

"Damn it, this feeling is worse than having a mouthful of saccharin."

She ran to the side, spat out the flesh in her mouth, rinsed several times before she finally felt better.

When she came back, looking at the gray fruit made her feel uneasy: "This thing used to be delicious, now it's practically a nightmare."

Seeing her disgusted look at the gray fruit, Yuan Lang burst out laughing: "I still have several more, all brought back for you."

Wu Yue scrunched her face: "I really can't eat it, it's too cloyingly sweet."

Her preference for fruit has never changed; she doesn't like overly sweet fruit, preferring instead the sweet‑sour, refreshing kind.

Yuan Lang, who had brought her an unknown amount of fruit, naturally knew her preferences, but the gray fruit's cloying sweetness reminded him of the candied preserves his grandfather shoved into his mouth after he took medicine as a child.

He, who disliked sweet foods, also disliked the taste of those candied preserves back then.

"I was just thinking that since these gray fruits are so sweet, could we use them to make some candied preserves?"

"Candied preserves?"

Wu Yue turned her head to look at him.

Yuan Lang nodded: "It's sweet and silky; perhaps some females and young ones would like to eat it."

What he didn't know was that, upon hearing about candied preserves, Wu Yue thought of something else.

Immediately she perked up: "You saying that makes it worth a try; I wonder how long this gray fruit can be stored now?"

"This kind, once picked, can be stored for five days; any longer and it won't keep. If you want more later, you'll have to go pick it again."

Wu Yue nodded: "Okay."

"I've made some pills and powders."

"But some important pills still need time; they'll take about three days to finish."

Yuan Lang looked at the young female before him, his handsome brows and eyes holding a faint smile: "Shaman Wu Yue, you truly love me deeply; I understand your feelings."

Wu Yue: "..."

"Goddammit, who was the one who came here a few days ago whining and begging for medicine?"

"Could I be having some kind of wild hallucination?"

"Why are you staring at me like that? I know I'm good‑looking, but as a young female, constantly fixing your gaze on a male isn't proper; you should restrain yourself."

Yuan Lang bent slightly at the waist: "If Yue wants to look, after the tribe falls asleep at night, I'll come find you."

Wu Yue's face went blank: "I'm just surprised by your thick skin; what have you been imagining?"

"And even if it's just to look at your gorgeous looks, why do you have to come over late at night when everyone's asleep, making me feel like we're sneaking around—it's weirdly thrilling..."

Exciting?

Wu Yue forced herself to stop her thoughts that were slowly dropping anchor—what's there to get excited about? Beastfolk can be shameless, that's fine, but she's a very reserved person.

Lady Wu Yue, are you there?

As the two were imagining things to each other, a male voice came from outside the door.

Yuan Lang frowned, turned around, and said self-consciously, "Come in."

Wuyue:...

Your overly familiar attitude makes me angry—do you not even place this true master of mine in your eyes?

As the door was pushed open, a half-beast warrior walked in—exactly the half-beast warrior guarding the food storage cave behind the mountain.

At this moment, his body was covered with strips of meat that looked stiff and rigid.

Wu Yue found this appearance extremely familiar.

Lady Shaman Yue, today Flower Tree Grandma took people to tidy the food storage cave; the meat you previously stored in the cave seems no longer edible.

These pieces of meat feel like they could be used as weapons.

Please help me bring them into the storeroom.

The half-beast warrior, together with Yuan Lang, hung up the cured meat and left; Wu Yue gazed at the row of cured meat on the wall, feeling excited.

Want to stay for dinner tonight?

Yuan Lang's lips curved into a deeper smile: "Since the little female hopes I'll stay, I naturally won't disappoint you."

Wuyue:...

You'd better go.

Go tell Qingcao, Flower Tree Grandma, the shaman, and the clan leader; come eat dinner at my place, let them taste the cured meat.

Yuan Lang scowled: "Why call these people?"

How annoying...

Host, have you forgotten a very important person?

Tongzi's voice suddenly rang in my mind, unusually carrying a hint of seriousness.

The dog system's rare serious tone made Wu Yue slightly startled; after frowning and thinking for a while, she hesitantly said, "Probably not; after thinking carefully, those are just the few."

Lan Pangzi poked his head out of her satchel, seeing her dog host deep in thought there, but couldn't think of this diligent, wholeheartedly devoted system for the host's good, and instantly felt his heart shatter.

Don't you forget me, the system that's been with you through thick and thin all along?

Wu Yue's stiff face: "..."

He lowered his head and glanced at his own dog system: "Are you human?"

System: "..."

There's a saying "mother sells cunt"—not sure whether to say it or not.

Dog host, if you abandon the loyal system, won't your conscience hurt?

Lan Pangzi's little furry face was full of anger, the fur on his back standing up, he couldn't help but shout, blaming his dog host's heartlessness.

But the sound that came out was just a meaningless "ao wu wu".

Is this furball sick?

Yuan Lang heard the call, lowered his head, and saw the angry expression of Lan Pangzi, whose fur was bristling and claws waving.

Looking at the 'sick' Tongzi, Wu Yue calmly reached out and pressed his head, still smaller than her palm, into her satchel: "Maybe he ate something wrong."

In short, he took the wrong medicine.

The ruthlessly suppressed Tongzi silently curled up into a ball; in this vast world, only he, a lone Tongzi, struggles to survive alone—Tongzi's life is truly lonely as snow.

Moreover, the group of hot-tempered beastfolk who had long left the Chiyan Plains originally thought they could sneak into the Polar Forest as before, heading straight to the Snow Tiger Tribe without hindrance.

But unexpectedly, upon just reaching the edge of the Polar Forest, they were captured by a squad of Eagle Tribe beast warriors.

Each one, listless, was lifted by eagle talons, swaying in the blue sky.

How to put it? As a beast warrior who usually walks on land, suddenly experiencing flight made him a bit dizzy.

The Eagle Tribe beast warriors escorted the hot-tempered beastfolk all the way back to the tribe, handing them over to the Eagle Shaman.

Shaman, we found them at the forest edge; they seem to be Poison Scorpion Tribe beastfolk, acting sneaky—surely nothing good.

Sneaky?

The hot-tempered beastfolk looked at the speaking Eagle Tribe beast warrior: "Where have we been sneaky?"

As his words fell, the sharp gazes of the surrounding Eagle Tribe beastfolk shot over like swishes.

The hot-tempered beastfolk's skin tightened: "..."

Damn it, he just felt so unlucky; knowing that this Eagle Tribe had been nearly destroyed by their own shaman, he felt even more unlucky.

The Eagle Shaman looked at the grim-faced hot-tempered beastfolk, paused a moment, then said: "You... are the Poison Scorpion beastfolk who failed to abduct Yue last time and were instead left behind?"

The hot-tempered beastfolk: "Heh... that's me."

Moreover, such things actually don't need to be said out loud; do I not care about face?

The Eagle Shaman's eyes were sharp: "What business do you few have coming to our Polar Forest?"

After saying that, his shamanic power condensed, slowly wrapping around the few: "Could it be that your sorcerous shaman again let you bring some harmful worms to harm us?"

The hot-tempered beastfolk looked at the approaching shamanic power's color, his hairs standing on end: "We didn't bring any worms; we just have an important matter to find Lady Shaman Yue, so we sneaked over."

The spreading shamanic power paused, then slowly retreated, finally taken back by the worm shaman: "Looking for Yue?"

The hot-tempered beastfolk quickly nodded: "Yes, this matter is very important; we few also sneaked out."

The Eagle Shaman's dark eyes narrowed slightly: "What matter?"

Can't say now; we can only tell Wu Witch Moon about it.

The hot-tempered beastfolk isn't stupid; his hatred for the Chiyan Plains tribe is written all over his face.

Especially since their own shaman almost used gu worms to wipe out an entire tribe...

Thinking and thinking... the hot-tempered beastman really wanted to cry.

Damn it, is his brain filled with shit?

Why come to inform?

A Mu, he's so scared.

Flying Eagle Shaman sneered: "Do you think you still get to say whether you speak or not after coming here?"

As his words fell, the shaman power that had just been withdrawn surged again.

The hot-tempered beastman trembled: "This matter is very important; it will bring danger to all the tribes of the Polar Forest, even cause your disappearance—I only told Wu Yue."

Flying Eagle Shaman frowned: "Danger?"

Seeing the shaman power in their own shaman's hands gradually dissipate, the people of the Flying Eagle Tribe around them immediately stood up.

"Shaman, these beastfolk of the Chiyan Plain have not a single good thing; we had agreed on a trade, but they almost caused our Flying Eagle Tribe to perish—such a tribe is untrustworthy."

"Yeah, shaman, our tribe's young ones almost all... we can't let them off."

The gazes of the Flying Eagle Tribe people around them scraped over them like knives.

Although it's very disrespectful, the hot-tempered beastman really just wanted to greet his own shaman.

Just release a gu worm, but in the end it had no effect at all—not only did it release loneliness, it also angered all the tribes of the Polar Forest.

Although panicking inside, the hot-tempered beastman still struggled to keep his trembling legs steady.

"Please believe me, this matter is truly important; we few were previously captured by the Snow Tiger Tribe, but thanks to Shaman Yue's care we were able to safely get through the heavy rain season."

So we secretly came out of the tribe to tell this matter to Shaman Yue.

That gaze, so sincere.

Flying Eagle Shaman stood up, looked at the towering beastman warrior beside him, and said: "Get ready; tomorrow I'll take them to the Snow Tiger Tribe."

The beastman frowned: "Shaman, do you really believe the words of those Scorpion Tribe beastfolk? What if they..."

What if they bring gu worms again?

Flying Eagle Shaman looked at the hot-tempered beastman: "Whether it's true or not, once you see the moon you'll know."