Chapter 43: Although a Little Annoying
Hu Bai shook his head. "I just feel that I should be the one doing these things."
Nan Zishi couldn’t help but chuckle. "Just rest. Once you’re all better, I won’t be so courteous."
Since Hu Bai needed to recover, Nan Zishi planned to wait until his injuries were mostly healed before they left Stone Village.
Male Beastmen recovered incredibly quickly, several times faster than humans.
In just a few days, Hu Bai was able to go out hunting and take on the household chores.
Finally, Hu Bai returned from a hunt with a massive, perfectly intact kill. After he carefully skinned it, the family had a second Beast Skin—one that was thick, comfortable, and of excellent quality.
As for Nan Zishi, once Hu Bai had recovered, she began to "act up."
"Hu Bai, Hu Bai, I want some water! Hot water!"
So, Hu Bai would boil water for her.
"Hu Bai, Hu Bai, I’m craving Gugu Beast!"
So, Hu Bai would hunt a Gugu Beast and cook it for her.
"Hu Bai, Hu Bai, I don’t feel like moving. Carry me outside for a walk, won’t you?"
So, Hu Bai would smile and carry her on his back for a stroll through the forest.
After a few days of constantly indulging Nan Zishi’s every whim, Hu Bai suddenly had a thought...
’Before, it felt like I was only raising one child. Now I have to take care of two?’
’What’s going on? Am I getting a little annoyed with her?’
"Hu Bai, my shoulders are so sore!"
"..."
"Coming!"
The male Fox Beastman grumbled internally before putting on a smile and walking into the cave to rub her shoulders and neck.
’It was a bit annoying.’
’But it was also blissful.’
Nan Zishi’s trust in Hu Bai grew, and she didn’t just tell him about her Space Ability.
She also explained her Moon Attracting Starlight ability to him.
So, at night, Nan Zishi and Hu Bai would go deep into the forest to train.
In a clearing deep within the forest, the snow-white male Fox Beastman flicked his tail. His cool gaze fell upon Nan Zishi, who stood opposite him, also in her Fox Beastman form.
"Female master, I want you to back away. Let’s measure the maximum range of your superpower."
"Okay."
Twitching her snow-white ears and tail, Nan Zishi backed away. When she was about fifty meters out, she suddenly felt a sense of resistance.
"It seems that’s the distance," Hu Bai said calmly.
Nan Zishi nodded. "Yes, about fifty meters."
Hu Bai committed the distance to memory, noting the limitation of Nan Zishi’s superpower.
WHOOSH! The male Fox Beastman appeared before Nan Zishi in an instant. She froze for a second as the tall male loomed over her, then she scrambled to retreat.
Hu Bai’s expression was stern and serious, a complete contrast to his daytime demeanor. "Your awareness is too low, and your reflexes are slow. An enemy could easily overpower you at close range."
Nan Zishi argued defensively, "But I beat Hu Lie, and he’s a Four-striped Beast Warrior!"
Hu Bai arched an eyebrow. "Hu Lie reached Four Patterns through improper means, so it’s debatable whether his strength even matches his rank. More importantly, he’s only ten years old and has been coddled by two females, Fox Xin and Fox Zi. He has very little real combat experience."
"His reflexes aren’t fast, and yours are even slower," Hu Bai stated.
Nan Zishi wagged her large tail, wheedling, "I’m a doctor. I don’t normally get into fights, you know."
"Then you’ll have to get used to combat, starting now."
"How am I supposed to do that?" Nan Zishi asked, surprised. "You’re going to fight me?"
Hu Bai nodded. "It’s the only way to train."
"But how could I possibly beat you?" ’Even if he’s weak, he’s a genuine Fox King!’
Hu Bai tilted his head in confusion. "I don’t usually fight, either."
’My body is weak and can’t sustain my full strength, so I almost never use it.’
’In other words, my combat experience is lacking too.’
’So what is she afraid of?’
Hu Bai sighed and relented. "I won’t use my hands."
Nan Zishi nodded. "Deal!"
’If Hu Bai isn’t using his hands, then he’s defenseless, right? Is he going to fight me with just his legs? In that case, I might actually have a chance!’
’I’ll beat Hu Bai! Time to completely dominate my ’husband’!’
’This is going to be awesome, haha!’
Nan Zishi snickered to herself.
However, her fantasy was beautiful; the reality...
She couldn’t even come close to matching Hu Bai’s speed, let alone touch the Beast Skin he wore.
Nan Zishi’s confidence was utterly shattered. She was so thoroughly dominated and exhausted that she ended up falling asleep right in Hu Bai’s arms.
Hu Bai gazed gently at the little female in his arms. He carried her steadily back to their cave and laid her softly on the stone bed.
Of the only two Beast Skins in the cave, one served as her mattress and the other as her blanket.
He and the cubs slept off to the side.
*
Meanwhile, Stone Village was in an uproar.
"The people from Hu Zi’s family and the Fox Heart Family still haven’t come back!"
"Not a single one! Did something happen to them?"
"Quick, gather some Beastmen to search the mountain!"
Stone Village only had ten females in total. With two of them suddenly gone, the village’s Beastmen were naturally on edge.
Nan Zishi watched them scurry about, but she knew very well that the missing women would never be found.
Nan Zishi asked Hu Bai, "Hu Bai, we’ll be leaving Stone Village soon. Is there anyone you need to say goodbye to?"
Hu Bai answered seriously, "Yes. There’s an uncle who has always looked out for me and Fox Qi."
Nan Zishi stood up. "Then we should definitely go say goodbye. I’ll go with you."
Little did Nan Zishi know that simply accompanying Hu Bai to see this old man would change her life forever.
*
A lonely, destitute Male Beastman lived in a remote cave on the outskirts of Stone Village.
"He lives alone?"
As they were about to meet the elder who had looked after Hu Bai and his son, Nan Zishi handed two packages of meat to Hu Bai.
Single males were not uncommon in the Beast World, where females were scarce, so Nan Zishi didn’t think much of it.
"Uncle Xiang has had a very hard life," Hu Bai said in a low voice. "He had a son once, but the boy was born with a severe disability. Uncle Xiang struggled to raise him all by himself. But one winter, when Uncle Xiang returned from a trip with the Hunting Team, his son was gone. By the time he was found, the boy had fallen from a cliff to his death."
Nan Zishi sighed sympathetically. "If he had a son, didn’t he have a female master?"
"He did, once," Hu Bai said. "But later... she was gone."
Arriving at Uncle Xiang’s cave, Nan Zishi saw an elderly Male Beastman sitting on a stone stool, staring blankly into space.
"Uncle." Hu Bai placed the meat on the stone stool beside Uncle Xiang. "I came to see you."
Uncle Xiang looked up. When he saw Hu Bai, his unfocused eyes slowly sharpened. "Hu Bai, you’re here."
"Yes, it’s me, Uncle."
The old Fox Beastman sat up, but as he turned his head and saw Nan Zishi, his eyes narrowed slightly.
After a long moment, he asked, "And you brought a female with you. She is?"
"This is my female master, Nan Zishi, Uncle."
Uncle Xiang didn’t seem particularly enthusiastic. His gaze merely lingered on Nan Zishi for a long time before he stood and invited them to sit.
Uncle Xiang, Hu Bai, and Nan Zishi sat on the stone stools near the cave entrance.
The way Uncle Xiang looked at her was odd, and Nan Zishi couldn’t help but study him more closely in return.
"Uncle, we’re leaving," Hu Bai said.
"Leaving? Where are you going? You’re leaving with your female master?"
Hu Bai nodded.
Uncle Xiang studied Nan Zishi again before turning to Hu Bai. "Congratulations. I’d like to speak with your female master alone for a moment. Would that be all right?"
Hu Bai looked a little confused and frowned, but Nan Zishi said, "Hu Bai, I’d like to speak with him, too."
After a moment’s hesitation, Hu Bai walked away, giving Uncle Xiang and Nan Zishi some space.
Nan Zishi sat up straight and turned to look at him.
However, Uncle Xiang leaned forward slightly, and his very first words made Nan Zishi’s pupils constrict.
"Nan Zishi, you aren’t a Beastman from the Beast World. You’re a transmigrator, aren’t you?"