Chapter 80: The Youbuluo Chieftain

Leng Xiao smiled, pinching a snake head with one hand, and seriously told them:

"Snake pups, you must not eat with them, understand?"

A Li was kind enough to take them in, and Mu Qing is willing to be charitable, but that doesn't mean they can, without consent, snatch food meant for their own offspring.

"Sss—"

"Let us go!"

Their secret snatching was discovered, and the two little snakes immediately revealed their true nature.

They often compete for food with other young ones in the Tribe, so they naturally don't see their current behavior as wrong.

If not for Leng Xiao pinching their heads, they would have bitten his hand.

Of course, the little black snakes aren't poisonous; they think that even if the Beastmen who feed them are ill‑tempered, they won't harm them.

So they wouldn't bite them to death.

"Mu Qing, are you ready? These two snake pups are hungry!"

No matter how much the two snake youngsters struggle, they cannot escape Leng Xiao's restraint.

It is actually Leng Xiao who finds the two snake pups troublesome and wants to hand them over to Mu Qing quickly so he can watch over them.

"Immediately! You can also give them some raw meat. Snake pups can eat raw meat without issue."

Mu Qing himself came this way, so he naturally doesn't think there's any problem with the two snake pups eating raw meat.

As long as the two snake pups have something to eat, they don't care at all about whether it's cooked—

The meat the Tribe gives them isn't necessarily cooked; most of the time they just toss the prey in front of them, and they scramble for it together with other youngsters.

Yun Li, however, frowned slightly upon hearing this, "How can the pups not eat cooked meat? A Xiao, place them beside Mu Qing and give them a few pieces of meat cooked to about seventy‑eighty percent as a starter."

As for why she doesn't put the two snake pups beside her, it's naturally because she's afraid they'll snatch food from her own pups' bowl again; she isn't quick enough to catch them in time.

Leng Xiao nodded at Yun Li, then scolded the two snake pups, "Did you hear? Wait a moment, I'll go get you some cooked meat.

If you dare snatch my own pups' meat again, you'll just have to wait to be beaten."

It seems they know Leng Xiao can keep his word; after being placed, the two snake pups stayed obediently beside Mu Qing.

They only occasionally glance toward the roasted meat over the campfire and the wolf pups, their eyes clearly showing a strong craving.

Yun Li felt a bit soft‑hearted, "A Qing, cut two small edge pieces from that roast and give them to eat first."

Hearing this, Mu Qing instinctively lowered his head to glance at the two snake pups beside him.

The snake pups were standing upright, their eyes unblinking as they watched him turn the roast.

Mu Qing's eyes flickered with something unusual; he followed Yun Li's instruction and cut two small pieces from the large roast for the two snake pups.

However, to keep Yun Li from worrying about these little ones any further, he walked straight to Leng Xiao and said, "No need to make it so complicated; just cut a few pieces of raw meat to tide them over, and I'll handle the rest."

The four wolf pups are A Li's own, and Mu Qing still feels the wolf pups are more important.

"A Li just instructed, and besides, this isn't much trouble."

More importantly, if those two snake pups like raw meat, the prey they bring is right here; why wouldn't they just eat it themselves?

Nevertheless, Leng Xiao still wrapped a few pieces of raw meat in leaves and handed them to Mu Qing.

After receiving them, Mu Qing added that he'll just take care of the two snake pups.

Hearing that, Leng Xiao raised an eyebrow slightly, and didn't listen to him.

The four wolf pups are being watched by Leng Xiu; his frying meat isn't solely for the two snake pups.

A Li also loves fried meat.

……

The breakfast on the road took a little over an hour, and by the time Yun Li and the others hurriedly made it to Red Grass Valley, it was already afternoon, nearing sunset.

Just before entering Red Grass Valley, they suddenly heard Beastmen along the way discussing how the Youbuluo's Snake Beastmen seemed to have lost their offspring.

"…It is said the two snake pups were born to their chieftain, and now they cannot be found anywhere; the Youbuluo chieftain even stationed Beastmen at the entrance of Red Grass Valley, interrogating every entrant about their origin."

"After all, they're the chieftain's two pups; losing them would make him extremely anxious.

Some lone wandering Beastmen dislike the Youbuluo's overbearing behavior, and at the entrance they almost got into a fight with the Youbuluo Beastmen."

"Those wandering Beastmen are really bold, daring to confront the Youbuluo Beastmen; they could have just answered politely…"

Yun Li glanced at the two small snakes hanging on Mu Qing's shoulder; sensing her gaze, they hissed at Yun Li.

"Look what they're doing?"

"She wants to touch them again?"

Besides their mother and the old Beastmen in the Tribe who look after them, this female, whenever she has free time, always loves to touch them.

Mu Qing saw her looking at the two small snakes and probably guessed what she was thinking, "These two pups are the Youbuluo chieftain's offspring; we'll return them at the entrance later."

"…Hmm"

Yun Li gave a light reply, but in her mind she was pondering whether, having saved these two pups, she could get the Youbuluo to loosen their demand for a female as a trade.

However, they had just arrived at Red Grass Valley, so it wasn't appropriate to immediately approach the Youbuluo Beastmen.

So they'll return the pups first, and wait for the Youbuluo to come to them before bringing it up.

At the entrance, four or five Snake Beastmen were interrogating groups of travelers about their routes, asking if they'd seen the two snake pups.

When Yun Li's party approached, the interrogating Snake Beastman immediately fixed his gaze on the two small snakes on Mu Qing's shoulder.

"Found them! Lord Chang Yue! The chieftain's pups are right here!"

Those excited words from the Snake Beastman instantly made Yun Li and her group the focus.

Lord Chang Yue had almost lost hope that the two snake pups were still alive, but unexpectedly, in a twist of fate, they miraculously received news that the chieftain's pups were indeed alive.

Not only alive, but thriving.

"Both of you, when the chieftain arrives, you must give them a proper lesson."

As Chang Yue said, he dispatched a male to summon the chieftain and the Witch Doctor.

After receiving two snake hatchlings from Mu Qing, he pounded his chest in thanks to Yun Li, saying, "Thank you for safely bringing our chief's hatchlings to Red Grass Valley; soon our chief and the Witch Doctor will arrive."

If you don't have any urgent matters, why not wait together with us.

You saved our chief's hatchlings; our chief will definitely repay you.

"No, we still have business; the later we go in, the harder it will be to find a place to settle."

Yun Li smiled, "It just so happened we met them on the road, so we brought them to Red Grass Valley. Since they've already been handed over to you, we'll leave first."

We saved their chief's hatchlings, and they still have to waste time here foolishly waiting for their chief to arrive; Yun Li would only do that.

If they truly intend to repay us, then once they reach Red Grass Valley, it shouldn't be hard for them to come and bring the items they wish to give as thanks.