Chapter 5: The Extremes of Beauty and Ugliness

As the words fell, two tall males appeared at the entrance of the stone hut.

They were actually the patriarch’s two sons!

"Xin Shan, Xin Yu will be your beast-mates from now on!" the patriarch said with a beaming smile, then turned to leave.

"Wait..." Bai Wanwan narrowed her eyes. "I have no intention of taking mates."

The patriarch smiled, his expression appearing very kind. "Wanwan, the rainy season is coming soon. It is very dangerous for a young female who has just come of age to live alone. Since you haven't chosen any beast-mates, as the patriarch, I have an obligation to ensure your safety by having males protect you. It’s decided."

"Xin Shan, Xin Yu, Wanwan is your female master from now on."

Xin Shan and Xin Yu looked at Bai Wanwan, their eyes flickering.

The patriarch had made the arrangements for her in a single sentence, giving her no chance to refuse. After forcibly leaving them behind, he walked away.

Blatantly plotting against her?

Fine. She’d deal with it after she woke up.

Ignoring the two males, she turned and entered the stone hut, lying down on the stone bed covered with animal skins. It felt uncomfortably hard against her back.

But she was so exhausted that she quickly fell asleep.

*******

Deep in the night, sounds that would make one blush and heart race drifted from Hu Ya’s cave.

The low growls of a male beastman intertwined with the sharp cries of a female, sounding particularly jarring in the quiet tribe.

Many males were kept tossing and turning by the commotion, their hearts itching with desire.

Bai Wanwan was sleeping soundly when she suddenly felt an unusual sensation on her leg.

She jolted awake, discovering something wriggling under the animal skin she was covered with.

"Get lost!" She raised her leg and delivered a fierce kick.

"Ouch!"

Xin Yu tumbled off the stone bed in a sorry state, landing flat on his back.

Bai Wanwan had a terrible temper when her sleep was disturbed.

Anger flickered in her eyes: "What are you doing?"

Xin Yu sat on the ground, looking up at her. "Wanwan, I... I wanted to make you feel good."

Just then, Hu Ya’s voice drifted from the neighboring cave again, hoarse to the point of being shrill, accompanied by the increasingly wild growls of a male beastman.

Bai Wanwan felt her ears had suffered significant damage.

Xin Yu wouldn't give up; he reached out again, trying to touch her calf.

"Touch me one more time," she said coldly, "and get back to your own home right now."

Seeing this, Xin Shan quickly stepped forward and pulled Xin Yu up.

"Wanwan, we thought you would like it. Since you don't, I will keep an eye on Xin Yu. You go back to sleep."

After Xin Yu was dragged away by Xin Shan, the peace didn't last long.

Hu Ya’s cries showed no restraint, sharp and piercing.

Unable to bear it any longer, Bai Wanwan threw off the animal skin, got up, and strode toward the next cave.

In the dim cave, Bai Wanwan couldn't see the movements on the bed clearly, only a few blurred shadows.

They were quite adventurous.

Hu Ya was in the middle of her performance when she looked up and saw Bai Wanwan standing by the bed. Her hoarse voice suddenly turned sharp.

"Ah! Bai..."

Hu Ya regained her composure. "Bai Wanwan, why are you here?"

This question finally made the beast-mate on top of her stop.

Bai Wanwan dug at her ear, saying leisurely, "You were screaming so loudly, yet you ask why I'm here. Since you want me to hear it so badly, I’ll just sit here and listen every day. Come on, continue!"

Hu Ya cursed angrily, "Get out!"

"You're making so much noise I can't sleep," Bai Wanwan simply sat down by the edge of the stone bed. "Since I can't sleep anyway, you might as well keep performing for me."

Hu Ya had just taken a mate and was in high spirits.

She had indeed made a scene on purpose, wanting the brothers Xin Shan and Xin Yu to hear how happy she was.

She hadn't expected the brothers not to come, but for Bai Wanwan to show up instead.

Hu Ya’s lips were dry from cursing, but Bai Wanwan still wouldn't leave.

"Bai Wanwan, what exactly do you want?"

"I told you! You're bothering me."

Hu Ya’s beast-mate was caressing her waist. Hu Ya, itching with desire, had to suppress her anger and say, "We'll be careful. It won't happen again."

"Then remember your words. If you disturb me again, I’ll be squatting at the head of your bed listening every single day."

At noon the next day, Bai Wanwan finally woke up.

Hungry, she searched the cave and found only a few pieces of dried meat as hard as rock.

The moment she bit down, she nearly shattered her teeth.

"Are all beastmen made of iron teeth and copper fangs?"

She suddenly felt that this picturesque beast world with its fresh air wasn't so great after all.

"Peanut, even oxen and sheep have to be fed before they can work, right? If I’m not fed and can't sleep, how am I supposed to give birth? No, I’m going on strike."

The system quickly appeased her: "Host, just endure it a little longer. Once you give birth and earn points, you can eat whatever you want."

"Feeding me with empty promises, are you?"

She counted on her fingers, "I want lobster, salmon, hot pot, barbecue..."

As she spoke, her eyes turned red. These foods, once so easily accessible, had now become a luxury.

But she always had a resilient mindset; her emotions came and went quickly.

After eating, she walked to the cave entrance and peered outside.

It was unusually quiet today. Hu Ya’s family seemed to be gone, and the two brothers, Xin Shan and Xin Yu, were nowhere to be seen.

Bored, she walked outside. She barely saw any males along the way; she guessed they had gone up the mountain to hunt in preparation for the coming rainy and snowy seasons.

Only the females were busy in the tribe, processing various foods.

The Lynx Tribe was rugged and primitive, but it also possessed a sense of peace and tranquility.

She strolled along with a smile, waving at other beastmen from time to time.

Her leisurely demeanor was completely out of place among the busy beastmen.

Without realizing it, she walked out of the tribe and arrived at the back mountain.

A two-meter-wide stream meandered down from the mountains, the water clear enough to see the bottom.

Peering in, she could even see fish and shrimp swimming about.

Bai Wanwan’s eyes lit up, and she licked her lips. She was so hungry.

If she had to eat raw food, she could choose sashimi.

Although the weather was a bit chilly, it wasn't enough to stop her from having a full meal.

After hesitating for a moment, she found a secluded spot and simply took off her cumbersome clothes.

With the weather turning cold, washing her hair and bathing would become even more inconvenient later, unless she could start a fire to boil water.

She folded her clothes and placed them on the bank, then slid naked into the water. After washing herself clean in a few quick motions, she began trying to catch fish.

What she thought would be easy turned out to be difficult; after a long time, she hadn't managed to catch a single one.

*Splash!*

Her foot slipped, and Bai Wanwan tumbled into the water.

"Who's there?"

Bai Wanwan opened her mouth to speak, but swallowed a mouthful of water instead.

Struggling to get up, she fell back in again in a panic.

Before she could even think, she heard the sound of splashing water, and then she was lifted out of the water by a strong arm.

What came into view was half of a hideous face.

From the corner of his eye to the corner of his mouth, the skin was ruined by deep claw marks; the irregular, scarred lumps of flesh made that half of his face look terrifying.

Yet, it formed a stark contrast with the other half of his face.

The other half was exquisitely handsome, with such outstanding features that probably only the other male, Chief Rong, could compare to him.

After saving her, he quickly averted his gaze, his hand moving away so as not to touch her at all.

A flush of red spread from his handsome cheek all the way to his earlobe.