Chapter 87: Two Older Brothers and Little Fu
Night had completely fallen.
Nan Zishi was still running.
The forest swamp at night was far more dangerous than the woods near Stone Village.
The moon in the Beast World was like a giant silver lightbulb, bathing the entire world in a silvery glow.
She clearly remembered that it had only taken Xuan Jin a day to run with her from the coast to this area. How could it be so difficult for her to run the same distance on her own?
On the first night, Nan Zishi didn’t sleep a wink. It wasn’t until after daybreak that she used some plastic wrap from her dimensional space to build a temporary shelter and managed to get three hours of sleep.
On the second night, with 28 days left until the date set by the Divine Contract, Nan Zishi figured she was probably safe. So, she took out her dirt bike and sped off with a ROAR.
This was her best chance to escape. She had to make it home!
...
On the East Sea Coast, salty waves crashed against the reefs, and the twilight dyed the seawater a dark, rusty red.
Shards of light flowed through the Mermaid Prince’s wavy, bluish-purple hair. His long, seaweed-like locks, shimmering with a pearlescent luster, cascaded down to his waist.
Faint bluish shadows smudged beneath his butterfly-wing-like lashes.
The Mermaid Prince, Lanxing, hadn’t slept for days and nights and was utterly exhausted.
Chuchen asked with concern, "Lanxing, shouldn’t you get some rest?"
Lanxing’s eyes were slightly bloodshot. He pressed his thin, crimson lips together, on the verge of breaking down. "Sister, my female master was kidnapped, and my Little Fu is gone too. Brother Hu Bai is sick, and there are several cubs that need looking after."
"I can’t collapse. With her gone, I’m the only one left who can hold this family together."
After speaking, Lanxing wearily addressed all the merfolk, "Search! Find Little Fu! There’s no way she just vanished for no reason!"
"Yes, Your Highness! SOB, SOB... our poor Prince!" The merfolk wiped their tears and dove back into the sea.
At Lanxing’s feet, an adorable little fox cub opened a coconut he had found and offered it to Lanxing with both hands.
Fox Qi’s eyes were glistening as he called out in a clear, crisp voice, "Daddy Lanxing. Drink water."
Hearing a cub other than Little Fu call him ’daddy’ for the first time softened Lanxing’s heart.
He crouched down and ruffled Little Aqi’s head.
"Little Aqi, don’t be afraid. Your mother, your father, and your sister will all be okay."
...
In a Beast Slave market on the coast.
The hands of two little Silver Wolves, Lang Xian and Wolf Mu, who were just over five years old, were bound with vines. The other end of the vines was tied to a tree.
Nearby, a male wearing gray Beast Skin that concealed him from head to toe handed a bucket containing a female mermaid cub to a Cold-blooded Scorpion Beastman across from him.
If Xishi had been nearby, he would have definitely recognized this thoroughly-concealed male as Yu Chen.
Yu Chen said in a low voice, "Sell this Little Mermaid."
The Cold-blooded Scorpion Beastman, Scorpion Crystal, asked, "Selling a Little Mermaid, are you? This is a big one."
Yu Chen lowered his voice. "I don’t want any Beast Skin for her. I just want you to sell her."
Scorpion Crystal raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Fine by me. Who doesn’t love a guaranteed big score?"
"PSST, PSST." Lang Xian whispered to get Wolf Mu’s attention. "Little Mu, look."
The Little Mermaid in front of them poked her head out of the bucket and looked around. She seemed dazed and clueless, as if she didn’t understand anything.
Wolf Mu looked up, his eyes brightening. "It’s that golden Little Mermaid! We’ve seen her twice before—she’s from that pretty female’s home!"
After speaking, chubby Wolf Mu’s expression turned to confusion. "How did this little mermaid cub end up here? This is a Beast Slave market."
The mermaid cub wasn’t just young; she was a little female. Who would be willing to sell a little female?
Lang Xian whispered, "A female this young can’t form a bond and control a male. She’s supposed to be protected by her family. If a little female this young is sold, there’s no telling what might happen to her."
Wolf Mu was startled. "Are you saying... some Beastman would bully a little female this young?"
Lang Xian said, "In this world, males are stronger than females, but they must listen to and obey them. There are quite a few dark-hearted Beastmen who have always hated females. So... what do you think?"
"That’s not right!" Wolf Mu tried to get closer to Lang Xian. "Brother Xian, is there any way we can save this little sister?"
Lang Xian glanced at the Little Mermaid and said, "Little Mu, we can barely save ourselves."
After taking the mermaid cub, the Cold-blooded Scorpion Beastman tossed Little Fu’s bucket down next to Lang Xian and Wolf Mu.
Lang Xian and Wolf Mu didn’t dare to move. Only after the Cold-blooded Scorpion Beastman left did they cautiously raise their heads to look at the Little Mermaid.
Just then, the little golden mermaid with her hair tied in two little knots poked her head out. Her big, glistening golden eyes stared at Lang Xian and Wolf Mu.
Then, she suddenly burst out with a baby’s joyful surprise.
"Bwother! Wolfy bwother!"
’It’s big brothers! Both of them are my big brothers!’
The two Silver Wolf Brothers looked at each other. "Is she calling you brother? The little sister’s babyish voice is so cute."
"Hey, little sister." Lang Xian’s voice was very low. "Do you know that you’re going to be sold now that you’re here? It’s rare for females to be Beast Slaves, and they get bullied horribly!"
Little Fu was, as expected, frightened by Lang Xian’s words. She shrank back into the wooden bucket. "Fufu scared."
"Don’t be scared, don’t be scared~" Wolf Mu felt a natural affection for the little sister before him. "Brother Mu will protect you."
Lang Xian hissed, "Hey! Don’t make promises you can’t keep!"
’It’s already hard enough for me to save Wolf Mu. Now I’m supposed to take a fish with us?’
Wolf Mu asked, "Brother, when are we going to escape?"
"Wait for tonight. At dusk, the Cold-blooded Scorpion Beastmen in charge of selling the cubs will change shifts. That’s our chance to escape."
Two pairs of big, glistening eyes looked at Lang Xian. Wolf Mu asked, "Are we taking the little sister with us?"
Lang Xian glanced at the adorable Little Fu again, but steeled his heart and looked away.
"It’s not that I don’t want to take you. I can’t."
’I’m only five, and I haven’t even awakened as a Beast Warrior yet.’
’How could I possibly have the ability to escape with two little cubs?’
For the past few days, the beast traders had only given Lang Xian and Wolf Mu a tiny bit of food each day. The two little cubs were never full.
But it was different for Little Fu. She was a little female.
She was given enough food to eat her fill.
Chubby little Wolf Mu hadn’t had a full meal in a long time. His stomach was GROWLING, and he stared longingly at the food in Little Fu’s hands.
Little Fu looked down at the food in her hands, then tore it in half. She adorably offered one part to Wolf Mu. "Bwother, eat eat."
Without a second thought, Wolf Mu snatched it and started eating.
Lang Xian watched this scene with a complicated expression.
Little Fu tore the remaining food in her hand in half again and offered a piece to Lang Xian. She waved her chubby little arm. "Bwother, eat eat."
Lang Xian’s fists clenched and unclenched. Finally, he said to Little Fu, "Don’t think you can bribe me into saving you. I told you, it’s not that I don’t want to save you, it’s that I can’t. I can’t run fast with you, and you’re too conspicuous. It would be too easy to get caught if you were with me."
Little Fu just pushed the food toward him again. "Bwother, eat eat..."
Lang Xian was starving. He wasn’t about to refuse food from such a silly little cub.
He quickly took the food she offered and took a huge bite. But as he went to take a second, he lowered his head in guilt.
At dusk, as several Cold-blooded Scorpion Beastmen were changing shifts, Lang Xian seized the opportunity to break free from his vines. He then quickly untied Wolf Mu.
Before they ran, he glanced at Little Fu one last time.
"Bwother..." Little Fu’s eyes were brimming with tears.
Lang Xian apologized, "I’m sorry, little sister. I have to protect my little brother first."
With that, he didn’t dare look at the golden mermaid cub’s pitiful expression for another second. He grabbed Wolf Mu and ran.