Chapter 435: Looking Down Upon

The Bear Tribe Beastmen had already blown up internally.

During the plague, only a few went to Shou Ren Xiao Zhen for treatment; most Beastmen stayed in their territories. When they heard the plague broke out, they stayed even more indoors, unable even to encounter the source of infection, let alone become infected.

Because of that, they have only now learned that their own king has become a human!

And they learned it from those damn Leopard Tribe Beastmen.

When such news reached the prideful Bear Tribe Beastmen, it was an earth‑shattering scandal. They were first shocked, then enraged. Their anger spread through the tribe faster than the plague itself, exploding rapidly within the Bear Tribe.

Just as Shou Ren Xiao Zhen had officially opened, they marched in groups to the town's central hospital, hoping to demand an explanation from Xiong Ji, but another piece of news stopped them dead in their tracks—

The shallow cave on the back mountain of their territory turned out to connect to a fertile and vast tract of land!

Bear Tribe Beastmen have little interest in land, but they know its value.

In the face of such a fortune, who the king is becomes insignificant.

The Bear Tribe Beastmen, previously packed together with angry faces, fell silent for a moment, then a louder clamor erupted—not a roar of anger, but a noisy mix of astonishment, ecstatic curiosity, and eager calculation.

"What?! That rabbit‑doesn't‑defecate place on the back mountain?"

"Is the information accurate? Who verified it?"

"How big is it? What's the soil like? How much grain can be grown? How many livestock can be raised?"

"Where does it lead? Is it dangerous? Are the borders clear?"

"Do other races know? Will they come to seize it?"

Leading them was the strongest among the Beastmen, a beastman named Xiong Da.

He had forgotten he could even bang the table; his massive arm swept through the air, trying to suppress the clamor, yet his own voice rose involuntarily, brimming with incredulous excitement:

"Quiet! Listen to me! It was the night‑patrol youngsters who found it. The cave was shallow at first, then suddenly became bottomless. They crawled in, went a stretch, and it opened up! On the other side was a plain that stretched beyond sight. They didn't dare go further and rushed back to report!"

"The information is absolutely reliable!"

"And only we know the location of the entrance!" The burly man scanned the crowd, deliberately lowering his voice, yet his excitement remained audible. "Those youngsters were clever; after emerging they camouflaged the entrance with stones and dry branches, leaving no trace."

The atmosphere changed completely.

What burned in the Bear Tribe Beastmen's eyes was no longer anger, but a direct yearning for wealth and opportunity.

The intention to confront the king for an explanation was blown away by this sudden massive pie of opportunity.

A few older Beastmen exchanged glances, quickly assessing the situation.

"The immediate priority isn't to make noise here," a steady voice said, belonging to a gray‑furred Bear who had been standing at the back. His eyes were sharp. "Now we must immediately send people to guard the entrance, seize a chance to survey in detail, map the extent of that land and its resources, and… whether there are any natives. Until we fully understand, this information must be strictly sealed! Even…"

He elongated his words, greed unmasked in his eyes, "If the rumor that the king turned human is true, we don't need to report to Xiong Ji at all!"

When that proposal was voiced, the other Bear Tribe Beastmen's eyes lit up, as if clouds were parting to reveal the sun.

Indeed, can a king who willingly follows humans still be considered a true Bear Tribe king?

Especially now that such colossal wealth—potentially capable of altering the whole tribe's fate—has been discovered, who would still obey a human's command?

"Xiong Er is right!" Xiong Da immediately echoed, puffing out his chest as if already the new leader, "That land was discovered by our Bear Tribe, so it should be controlled by our Bear Tribe! Xiong Ji…"

When that name was mentioned, a flash of instinctive fear crossed his eyes.

It was the fear all Beastmen held, etched in their bloodline, toward their own king.

But soon, greed for wealth overcame everything.

"We're not betraying!" Xiong Er interjected at the right moment, "We just haven't reported it."

He looked around, saying word for word, "We'll just explore ourselves, develop it ourselves."

"Once we firmly occupy that land, lay a solid foundation, telling him later won't be too late. Facing the established fact and our tribe's will, what else can be done?"

"And… if the Leopard Tribe Beastmen are right that the new king is a human, why should we obey him? Of course we're not openly defying the king; the king never issued an order, so why can't we act freely?"

Those words fully ignited the fire of ambition in the Bear Tribe Beastmen's hearts.

Fear was dispelled, leaving only exhilaration and impatience.

"Exactly right!"

"Xiong Er, you're the sharpest; what do you suggest?"

"We'll follow you!"

Xiong Er felt a secret joy, yet his face grew ever steadier.

"Fine!" Xiong Er's voice was low but instantly silenced the clamor: "Since everyone trusts me, I'll make the arrangements."

"First, the information must never leak, especially… that person in town. Anyone who can't keep their mouth shut is our enemy."

He scanned each face sharply until all the Beastmen nodded gravely.

"Xiong Zhuang, take ten of the strongest brothers and go to the entrance immediately. No fanfare; treat it as a routine mountain patrol."

"When you arrive, remove the camouflage, then covertly guard near the entrance. No one or nothing may exit, and no outsider may come within a step of the entrance."

He stared intently at Xiong Zhuang, emphasizing again, "Remember, any person!"

Xiong Zhuang met Xiong Er's gaze and muttered, "Leave it to me! I guarantee not even a field mouse could squeeze through!"

Xiong Da suddenly interjected, "Go quickly, go now!"

His tone was a bit hurried, and his peripheral glance flicked at Xiong Er without showing emotion.

The Bear Tribe has always judged leadership by strength; Xiong Ji became the council head and the Bear Tribe's king because he had defeated all the bears at that time.

Now…

Leaving aside the still‑missing human, Xiong Er is also rebelling.

Xiong Er's gaze briefly met Xiong Da's, and a silent spark seemed to flash in the air.

Xiong Er understood in his heart.

Xiong Da heard the unmistakable tone Xiong Er used when ordering Xiong Zhuang.

It was almost a leader's demeanor.

Strong as Xiong Da is, he is most sensitive to shifts in power.

Xiong Zhuang and the other beastmen seemed unaware of this subtle clash; they were fired up by the news of the new land and the orders for imminent action, eager to muster their men immediately and bring the land under their control.

Xiong Zhuang heard the order, let out a low grunt in response, turned and ran toward the rear mountains; his heavy footsteps quickly faded deep into the forest.

Xiong Er pretended nothing had happened, turned to a relatively slender young beastman and said, "Xiong Shu, take a few nimble ones; after Xiong Zhuang and the others secure the cave entrance, you go in."

"Remember, if there are natives, do not clash with them. Just get the lay of the land—see how big that plain is, what the soil is like, whether there is water, whether there are dangerous monsters."

"Remember, only scout, do not make contact, leave no trace of ours. You must return to report before sunset!"

When Xiong Shu's name was called, he was sharp-eared; having listened seriously to Xiong Er's words, he was about to reply when Xiong Da cut him off with a low voice: "Wait."

Everyone's gaze instantly gathered on Xiong Da.

Xiong Da stepped forward, his burly frame exuding natural pressure; he stared at Xiong Er and said slowly, "Xiong Er, you're sharp-minded, your arrangements are solid."

"But scouting a new border isn't enough with just cleverness; we also need sufficient strength as a precaution."

"Xiong Shu is too young, lacking experience."

He swept his gaze over the crowd, landing on another silent, eagle-eyed young bear-man whose shoulder and back muscles were knotted: "Xiong Yan, take five men and go with Xiong Shu."

"Xiong Shu will handle scouting and recording; you will handle guard duty and respond to sudden situations. Remember,"

He turned to Xiong Yan, his tone heavier: "Keeping Xiong Shu and them safe on the return is top priority, but if you truly encounter an unavoidable danger… you know what to do."

Xiong Yan nodded silently, clenched his fists, and his joints made a light crack.

Xiong Er's pupils contracted slightly.

Xiong Da was openly dividing his authority, even correcting his arrangements, proclaiming to all the bear tribe:

Here, the one who truly calls the shots and can mobilize force is still him, Xiong Da.

Xiong Shu is his man, while Xiong Yan is clearly Xiong Da's confidant.

Xiong Shu looked at Xiong Er, utterly at a loss.

Xiong Er quickly suppressed his displeasure and instead smiled: "Brother Xiong Da's considerations are thorough! I was too impatient, only wanting to grasp the situation quickly, forgetting safety first."

"Brother Xiong Yan is experienced; with him guarding you, success is certain. Xiong Shu, you will follow Xiong Yan's arrangements and cooperate well."

He knows Xiong Da's character—this beastman is overbearing and domineering, never allowing anyone to challenge his authority.

Except before Xiong Ji, he never restrains himself in the slightest.

If someone said to let Xiong Shu follow, Xiong Er would naturally think they were yielding, but Xiong Da's tone and expression both seem like he's issuing a threat.

This is also why Xiong Shu is so flustered.

Yet Xiong Er cannot refuse.

His words both flattered Xiong Da and showed his submission, brushing over his own recent overstep lightly, maintaining surface harmony.

But he knows full well that the rift between him and Xiong Da has already formed, and under the great temptation of the new land it will only deepen.

Xiong Yan and Xiong Shu received their orders and departed, yet the invisible tension in the air did not dissipate.

Xiong Da seemed merely to have done something quite natural, turning his gaze back to Xiong Er with a scrutinizing tone: "Guard and scout are arranged—what next? Just waiting?"

This tone carries impatience toward his subordinates, more like questioning an inadequate underling.

The surrounding bear tribe all noticed this subtle shift, their eyes darting back and forth between Xiong Da and Xiong Er.

Xiong Er knew he couldn't confront this elder brother head-on; he racked his brains, considering what attitude to display, when suddenly he looked up and saw contempt in the other's eyes.

Indeed.

Nothing else but that.

Xiong Da feels only contempt toward him.

This naked contempt, like a bucket of ice water poured on Xiong Er's heart, instantly suppressed all his calculations, leaving only cold fury and a stark, reckless clarity.

He suddenly laughed—not the previous smooth, appeasing smile, but one tinged with self-mockery and sharp vigor.

"Brother Xiong Da is right; just waiting really won't do."

Xiong Er's voice calmed, even overly so: "However, what comes next may not be solvable by sheer strength alone."

He no longer looked at Xiong Da, but turned to the other bear tribesmen, his gaze sweeping over faces still showing hesitation and unease.

"Brothers, why are we gathered here? Because we discovered new land, that's true. But what's the deeper reason? It's because our king may no longer be our king!"

His voice suddenly rose, carrying a provocative indignation: "He personally handed the throne over to a human! A human! What is a human anyway?"

"Those leopard tribe fellows may be hateful, but their words might not be baseless! If our king truly chose a human and did not pick a new king from among the younger beastmen, what's the difference between that and abandoning the whole race?"

Several older bear tribesmen swallowed, their eyes growing complex.

Xiong Da's brows knotted; he instinctively felt Xiong Er's words were too sharp, yet could not refute them, for this was exactly the doubt they dared not voice deep down.

"So," Xiong Er struck while the iron was hot, his tone decisive: "What we're doing now is not betrayal, but self-rescue!"

"It is, in the event that our king may already be gone, to seek a new path for the bear tribe and safeguard its future!"

"That new land is not our greed, but the bear tribe's hope of continuation!"

"Therefore, the most important thing now is not anything else, but to confirm this!"

Xiong Er's gaze met Xiong Da's again, this time not evading but carrying a challenging meaning: "Brother Xiong Da, you are our strongest warrior and the one who should most care for the bear tribe's future."

"Do you think you should personally go to the town… and ask carefully?"

"To see whether our king is still our king?"

Who the next king will be is clearly decided by Xiong Ji.

If the leopard tribe's words are true, Xiong Da going to ask will surely be given a proper "education" by Xiong Ji.

And if it's false, with Xiong Ji as king, their actions would be defying royal orders; put more severely, it would be treason against the tribe.

They could still use not having seen Xiong Ji, being unable to report, as an excuse—but then… what would Xiong Da, who has seen the king, do?

Xiong Er thought that even if Xiong Da shed not a drop of blood this time, he would still get a couple of scoldings.

Moreover, by speaking up in front of everyone, he aimed to put Xiong Da on a pedestal so he couldn't refuse!

But he didn't expect Xiong Da to suddenly snort coldly, rise to his feet, and punch him without distinguishing right from wrong!