Chapter 10: Unexpected

It turns out this tribe was built around a lake; her family's location is in the central circle, very close to the lake, about a ten‑minute walk to the shore.

The green lake at the very center is crescent‑shaped, its surroundings covered with green plants that are rare here, and it is the only water source near the entire Rosanya Tribe.

Water is a precious resource here; Beastfolk guard the lake shore, and male beasts wearing Beast Skin Skirts carry water jars, queuing to fetch water.

In this world, the humanoid male beasts are mostly over 1.9 m tall, while the females are comparatively petite.

Lin Manzhi, at 1.68 m, is relatively tall among the females; the fabric on her looks soft, clearly marking her as a delicate female.

Even though her face and body are tightly wrapped in a yellow‑sand cloak, she still draws considerable attention while walking.

She feels a bit uneasy about the male beasts' gazes, and as she moves, she steps a pace closer to Mo Lie.

Noticing her action, Mo Lie lifts his hand in a vague shield behind her waist, his frost‑tinged blue eyes scanning the surroundings, and the male beasts promptly shift their gaze.

The Rosanya Tribe is very poor, and females are especially scarce; females with Pregnancy Value 10 can be counted on one hand, and their Pregnancy Values are even unmeasurable.

This time, sensing a never‑before‑seen female aura, the single male beasts couldn't help but glance a few more times, then were warned.

The aura of that black‑clad male beast was terrifying; a single glance made them feel a shiver from foot to scalp, a physiological fear trembling.

He must be a large, ferocious beast‑type!

The male beasts instantly became extremely obedient; after all, preserving their lives and property is more important than eyeing a female, right?

Mo Lie withdraws his gaze and fixes it on the Wife Master beside him.

Recalling having seen the layout years ago, he asks softly, "The area from the first to the tenth circle counts as the First Zone; the Goods Trading Zone is in the Second Zone. Shall I take you there?"

"Sure, I didn't bring any water‑carrying tools; I'll fetch water here later."

Lin Manzhi wants to learn the tribe's prices, so she follows Mo Lie, turning back and walking side by side, casually asking, "How do you know where the Goods Trading Zone is?"

Mo Lie answers, "I once led a squad here during the war with Da Mo Cheng; after victory we obtained gold, spoils, and houses here. This visit is the same as before, nothing has changed."

Beastfolk, driven by survival, instinctively seize more territory; Da Mo Cheng is the strongest nearby city, devouring the surrounding wasteland tribes, and it constantly eyes the border town of Ansen City.

A brutal survival rule: besides the rarity of females, the male beasts also revere the strong.

She knows that after Da Mo Cheng's last war defeat, they haven't set their sights here for years; in the original book, Lin Ling lived here for several years.

The Second Zone also has stone houses, noticeably smaller and far more densely built than those in the First Zone, and of course more people live there.

Unlike the First Zone, the houses lack courtyards; the roads are flanked by large‑doored shops, with goods displayed on tables, and Beastfolk come and go buying items.

Walking with Mo Lie through the Goods Trading Zone, Lin Manzhi observes that this place is far poorer than Ansen City.

Just by looking at Beastfolk attire, pedestrians in Ansen City wear cloth garments, whereas here, aside from females, most Beastfolk are only wrapped in a piece of Beast Skin at the waist.

The variety of goods is limited; the most common are Exotic Beast Meat stalls, and there are only one or two cloth shops.

When male beasts assume human form here, their fur becomes a Beast Skin Skirt, and clothing is optional during the dry season.

Females are different; they need new clothes every four years. Lin Manzhi has only three sets of changeable garments, Mo Lie only two, and each has a single cloak.

At this point, she comes across a cloth shop and walks in to browse.

Beast Skin, a common fabric for clothing, lies on the table; cloth choices are few and very pricey—one roll of undyed Coarse Hemp Cloth costs 200 Beast Coins.

Lin Manzhi silently puts down the roll of cloth in her hands.

So expensive.

Forget it, I just arrived and haven't figured out how to earn money; filling my stomach is the priority now.

Her household's total assets, plus the previous owner's money, amount to only 2,850 Beast Coins. Male beasts eat meat; from her observations, Mo Lie needs at least ten kilograms of meat each day.

So buying clothes can wait; eating is paramount.

Lin Manzhi thought the salt here must be pricey, even though the original book never mentioned Lin Ling's food, only that she coaxed other male beasts to provide for her.

She didn't expect that the poorer the place, the prices would be ten‑plus times those in the city.

A small bag of the cheapest Blood Salt, made from Exotic Beast Blood, costs a shocking 450 Beast Coins!?

Other spices are even more outrageously priced; unless you have over a thousand Beast Coins, don't even think about buying them.

She bought Blood Salt in Ansen City for only 35 Beast Coins; selling it here for so much is basically robbery.

Yet salt is a necessity for everyone; no matter how dear it is here, everyone must purchase it.

Fortunately she bought some salt earlier and brought it, but thinking of future purchases at these prices makes her ache.

Now she really misses the modern bulk pack that costs only two dollars.

Not everything is overpriced; the fuel here is a brown‑black Black Oil, sold in a Beast Skin sack of about five jin for just 30 Beast Coins.

Having just moved, she lacked a Black Oil Beast Skin sack, so she spent 50 Beast Coins to buy one.

The tribal market wraps up quickly; Lin Manzhi finds a shop that looks to have the freshest Exotic Beast Meat, points at a freshly unloaded leg, and asks, "How much for this Exotic Beast Meat?"

The Male Beast Camel, carrying a meat leg larger than a cow's, replies, "This is small‑size Exotic Beast Meat, ten Beast Coins per kilogram; medium‑size is twenty per kilogram; we also have large‑size—fifty Beast Coins per kilogram."

Lin Manzhi looks puzzled at Mo Lie beside her and whispers, "What's the difference between these Exotic Beasts?"

Mo Lie: "Besides texture, the energy content in the Exotic Beast Meat varies."

Lin Manzhi nods in understanding.

Lin Manzhi turns back to the Male Beast Camel and says, "Give me ten kilograms of large Exotic Beast Meat, and ten kilograms of small Exotic Beast Meat."

"Alright, 600 Beast Coins. Please wait a moment; I'll cut the tenderest meat and pack it." The Male Beast Camel swiftly begins slicing the meat.

Mo Lie suddenly speaks, "Wife Master, forgive my intrusion, but with your appetite, this much meat can't stay fresh in the scorching heat."