Chapter 26: Choice

Choice

Baiqi's head was bowed low, like a prisoner who had committed a grave crime, her head hung down dead-set; her body drifted with the current until she suddenly stumbled and fell, reeling.

Following behind her was Lianxun, his face full of fear and helplessness; he pressed tightly against Baiqi's back, wishing he could let Baiqi's body cover him entirely as a Beastman.

The arrogance of the past was gone from his delicate, feminine face; with every step he took, he looked around in all directions, terrified that he would be torn to shreds by this group of angry, protective Orcas.

Baipei narrowed her eyes, her gaze toward Baiqi completely transformed; it did not look at all like she was looking at her own daughter, let alone the daughter she had already designated as her successor.

"I thought you didn't intend to return to the Tribe!"

"You were so decisive and swift when you chased after him."

"Do you intend to wander the Polar Sea with him from now on?"

Baipei's eyes were cold and frigid, her teeth gritted as she asked sentence by sentence, her expression stiff with fury.

If reason hadn't restrained her, she would have almost stepped forward to personally discipline this daughter of hers.

"No... no!" Baiqi's scattered spirit finally returned a little; she stumbled and crawled to Baipei's feet, "Mother, I didn't, I didn't want to leave the Tribe, to leave you."

Baipei lifted her foot and kicked her away, her gaze shifting impatiently as if she had touched something dirty, "Get out! I don't have a daughter like you!"

"Your favorite Beast Husband used the most poisonous Shelane Grass to cut your brother; you ignored Baini's life or death and instead chased after that lowly Krill Orc!"

"Baiqi, I truly raised you in vain!"

?! Chaosheng's heart shook; even though she had already guessed it, when Baipei personally verified her suspicion, she still found it unbelievable.

Her slender fingers clenched in endurance, anger rising in her heart!

How could those two dare!?

"Mother... I didn't know it was Shelane Grass." Baiqi shook her head to defend herself; it was only after she had chased after Lianxun that Lianxun told her with a panicked face that it was Shelane Grass and asked what they should do now.

She had only just learned it was Shelane Grass herself; she crawled frantically on the seabed and hugged Baipei's leg again, like an infant dependent on its mother, as if she wanted to use this to awaken Baipei's maternal love and pity for her, "Mother, I really didn't know..."

"And..." Baiqi paused, her eyes panicked and conflicted, her mouth swallowing nervously, "Xun, he didn't do it on purpose either."

"He was bewitched by those Beastmen, which is why he committed such a grave mistake!"

"Baiqi! You are truly unreasonable." Baipei was angered to the extreme and kicked her heavily in the stomach; this kick was ten-out-of-ten, without holding back any strength at all.

"You actually still want to plead for that Beastman now?!"

"I..." Guilt filled Baiqi's eyes, and she was speechless; she also knew she shouldn't be like this, but she truly loved Lianxun.

In all the time she had grown up, he was the only Male Beastman she had ever truly loved.

"Ugh..." Baini hugged her from behind, his head resting in the crook of Chaosheng's neck, moving uncomfortably; Chaosheng looked over nervously, "Baini, what's wrong?"

"Is it hurting again?"

Baini's voice was hoarse, and he said dejectedly, "It's nothing."

He only tightened his arms around Chaosheng, urgently needing to receive some comfort from her.

His sister, born of the same mother and father, could actually disregard his life or death for the sake of an insignificant Beastman.

Chaosheng had also guessed a little; she raised her hand to gently stroke the stray hair at the back of Baini's head and said tenderly, "Good boy."

"I'm still here!"

Baini's slightly red ear tips twitched, his dejected heart feeling a little better, and he spoke with difficulty through his dry, aching throat, "Mm."

Baipei had always looked down on Lianxun, feeling that even speaking to him was lowering her own status.

In the past, Lianxun was unhappy and always wanted this Leader to see him, but now he only felt lucky that Baipei couldn't see him and disdained to speak to him.

If she could treat her Mate like this, she would surely...

Lianxun trembled in fear, his body going limp as he collapsed onto the seabed.

Over there, Baiqi was still pleading with Baipei, "Mother, isn't Baini fine?"

"Why must you be so angry?"

Baipei was so angry that she picked up a reef stone beside her and threw it over, "You stupid thing!"

"Do you know that no Beastman who has been struck by Shelane Grass can survive!"

"Are you truly wishing for your brother to die with these words?"

"I... I didn't." Baiqi's head was knocked to the side by the reef stone, and blood was already seeping from one side of her face, but she could no longer care about that now, "How could I want him to die? Baini is the brother closest to me!"

"Fool, you still know he is your brother!" Baipei looked at this daughter who had disappointed her time and time again; her heart felt as if it were being pressed by a large stone, suffocating her. As a mother, she could not bring herself to personally dispose of Baiqi.

Her gaze glanced coldly at the culprit of all this, "Baiqi, listen well."

"Either you take this Beast Husband of yours and get out of the Jingju Tribe, and from this day forward we will no longer be mother and daughter."

"Or you personally divorce him, drive him out of the Tribe, and then take another Beast Husband with special abilities."

"Furthermore, from now on you will no longer be the successor of our Tribe; you will have to compete fairly for this position with your two sisters."

"Choose."

Baipei ultimately could not bring herself to push Baiqi to the edge; this was the daughter she had the highest hopes for. If she could turn back from her errors, she was willing to let her go once.

"!" Baiqi looked at her mother in disbelief; she could never have imagined that such heartless words would come from the mouth of the mother who loved her most, "I, I don't want to choose."

"If you don't want to choose, I will choose for you!" Baipei pressed forward step by step, needing her to make a clean break today, "Then you choose the former; take him and leave the Jingju Tribe together."

"Whether you want to go and rely on the Whale Shark Tribe or live on your own."

"It is all up to you; I will not concern myself with your lives."

Hearing this, Baiqi stood stunned in place, turning mechanically to look at Lianxun.

Lianxun hurriedly threw himself into Baiqi's arms as he did in the past, "Mate, don't abandon me..."

"Have you forgotten? You love me the most."

Lianxun took Baiqi's hand and pressed it against his face, his eyes pleading, his voice trembling, "You love me the most..."

"Sorry..." Baiqi turned her eyes away cruelly, her eyes full of reluctance, her tone helpless, "Xun, I have no choice..."

She understood her mother and her brother the best.

Even if she chose to leave the Tribe with Lianxun, her mother would not let them go; she had been dissatisfied with Lianxun for a long time and would certainly find a way to vent the anger in her heart.

Baini looks lively and simple, but in reality, he is the most vengeful.

She could only choose to stay in the Tribe, so that both she and Lianxun would have a glimmer of hope for survival.

"No..." Lianxun shook his head violently, tears streaming down his cheeks, "Mate, do you not want Lianxun anymore?"

"I didn't mean to kill him!"

"It was a Beastman from the Whale Shark Tribe who gave me this thing; I didn't know it was poisonous!"