Chapter 108 - 106: Pulley System
"Is she really a female from the High Mountain Fire Red Eagle Clan?"
"The last female of the High Mountain Fire Red Eagle Clan?"
A colorful female from the parrot clan flew nearby, sizing up Nan Zishi.
"Fire Red Eagle female, why don’t you change into your bird form for me to see?"
Nan Zishi: "..."
Chi Xiao wasn’t with her, so she couldn’t activate the Moon Attracting Starlight Ability and was unable to transform.
She slowly hid behind Han Feng, refusing to interact with these females to avoid exposing herself.
Han Feng noticed the beautiful young female relying on him, and his heart actually started to pound.
’A High Mountain Fire Red Eagle, the same clan as my brother, a female from a rare clan...’
’Has she taken a liking to me?’
’If she has, that wouldn’t be so bad.’
The tips of Han Feng’s ears turned slightly red. He stood in front of Nan Zishi and said, "This is the young female’s first time in the tribe. Everyone, don’t scare her."
A plump, brown female Eagle Beastman landed on a branch. Ying Meng said coolly, "Well, look at you protecting her, Han Feng. What, do you like her?"
Han Feng’s expression was strange as he said, "Don’t talk nonsense."
Ying Meng’s expression soured even more.
In this world, females were rare while males were numerous. Females could form contracts with and control males. Therefore, while countless males would pursue females for the sake of reproduction, it was also common for females to pursue powerful males.
However, powerful males, especially Male Beastmen at the level of a Four-striped Beast General or higher, often refused to become mates because they were unwilling to lose their freedom and be controlled by a female.
Ying Meng was one of the few female Eagle Beastmen in the tribe, and she had a slightly plump figure. In Beastman tribes, being plump was also considered beautiful, so many males in the tribe were willing to follow her and become her Beast Husbands.
She already had eight Bird Beastman Beast Husbands.
It was said that Ying Meng’s target had always been Chi Xiao, the Lord of the Eastern High Mountain Territory. When she was young, she hadn’t taken a single Beast Husband and had relentlessly pestered Chi Xiao, who was the tribe’s number one warrior at the time.
But Chi Xiao never accepted her invitation to become mates.
Then one day, Chi Xiao returned, heavily injured. He had unexpectedly already been contracted, and he was even cradling a bird’s egg in his hands.
That very night, Ying Meng was devastated and simultaneously formed contracts with five Male Bird Beastmen.
She had given up on Chi Xiao, but she had not given up on the tribe’s second warrior: Han Feng, Chi Xiao’s half-brother from the same mother.
As the tribe’s second warrior, Han Feng was also pursued by many females. However, he was only interested in becoming stronger, his attention completely focused on surpassing his older brother. Thus, he had never considered taking a mate.
In the distance, He Xian flew over with Huo Jun on his back. They landed in a relatively inconspicuous corner.
He Xian was quietly explaining the situation to Huo Jun. "Young Master, this female seems to be from the same clan as you, the Fire Red Eagle Clan. It looks like Ying Meng wants to cause trouble for her."
Six-year-old Huo Jun nodded slightly, listening carefully to the commotion nearby.
This was also Nan Zishi’s first time in the Bird Beastman Tribe. While the other Beastmen were sizing her up, she was also cautiously observing the Bird Beastmen here.
’This female Eagle Beastman doesn’t seem to have good intentions.’
Ying Meng hid her jealousy and said, "Actually, it’s very simple to verify if the female before us is from the High Mountain Fire Red Eagle Clan. The High Mountain Fire Red Eagle Clan are natural-born fighters and possess great strength."
"As long as this outsider female Beastman can move this stone from the ground up into the tree, I will acknowledge her."
The stone on the ground wasn’t massive, but it wasn’t small either.
Just lifting it would take some effort. Moving it up into a tree was something only a strong Bird Beastman could do.
The various Bird Beastmen began to whisper and discuss amongst themselves.
"It’s true. Just like our Lord, he’s a natural-born Strongman."
"As a female Fire Red Eagle, this stone shouldn’t be too difficult for her, right?"
"As long as she can do what Ying Meng said and move the stone from the ground into the tree, then she’s a member of the Fire Red Eagle Clan!"
He Xian was also quietly explaining things to Huo Jun on the side.
Huo Jun asked in a low voice, "Is that stone big?"
He Xian said, "To your father-beast, it would definitely be just a small rock, but for a female, that’s not necessarily the case. Besides, I heard she can’t fly, so asking her to move a stone from the ground into a tree is indeed a bit much to ask of a beastman."
Huo Jun nodded and continued to watch.
Han Feng’s brow furrowed slightly. Just as he was wondering if he should speak up for Nan Zishi, she stepped forward. "Is it enough to just get the stone up into the tree? Any method is fine?"
Seeing that she had taken the bait, Ying Meng smiled and nodded. "That’s right."
’I heard this female can’t fly.’
’Making her move a stone from the ground to the tree... One can just imagine how unseemly even the most beautiful female would look doing something like that.’
’What if she falls? What if she makes a fool of herself?’
’Then Han Feng won’t like her anymore.’
The more Ying Meng thought about it, the happier she became. She nodded. "Little female, I heard you have wings but can’t fly, so I won’t make things difficult for you. As long as you get the stone up here, we’ll accept it whether you fly or climb."
Nan Zishi said, "Alright, but I need a little time."
"That’s fine, we can all wait," Ying Meng said.
It wasn’t just Ying Meng; the other Beastmen also chimed in curiously, "Right, no rush. We can wait."
Nan Zishi asked Han Feng in a low voice, "Can you help me?"
Han Feng nodded. "I can."
Ying Meng’s face fell, and she announced loudly, "You have to complete this test by yourself. You can’t have a male help you move it."
Nan Zishi said, "I’m not asking him to help me move it, but I need some tools, and I need him to get them. That doesn’t violate the rules, does it?"
The Bird Beastmen all shook their heads. It didn’t violate the rules.
Nan Zishi nodded, leaned close to Han Feng’s ear, and whispered something. Han Feng nodded and quickly flew off with a FLAP FLAP.
Nan Zishi sat silently on the branch and waited, and all the Beastmen waited with her, full of curiosity.
"How is she going to get such a big stone up here?"
"I heard she can’t even fly."
"She looks pretty confident, though."
"I’m kind of looking forward to seeing what she’ll do."
Before long, Han Feng returned with many sturdy tree branches and vines.
Nan Zishi took the branches and vines and sat on a large bough, discarding any branches that weren’t of good quality.
She selected the sturdiest vines and branches and began to fashion something.
All the Beastmen watched Nan Zishi with curiosity.
"What is she doing?"
"How interesting. Her hands are so nimble. It looks like she’s making something."
"I’m really curious."
Ying Meng asked, "You’re not just stalling for time, are you?"
Nan Zishi glanced up at her, then lowered her head and continued with her work.
"You’ll find out if you wait a little longer. Why be so impatient?"
She threaded vines through one piece of wood after another. After smoothing them, she tied them to a large branch.
Some were mobile—they were movable pulleys.
Some were stationary—they were fixed pulleys.
Using the wood and vines, Nan Zishi fashioned a simple pulley system. Then, she threaded the longest, sturdiest vine through the pulleys and lowered it to the ground.
"Han Feng, take me down."
Han Feng nodded. "Alright."
’Even though the Super Strength Ability the system gave me is completely useless—just a potion that gradually loses its effect!’
’So what?’
’All those years of reading, all those years of studying—I knew it would come in handy one day!’
Nan Zishi went down to the base of the tree. She tied one end of the vine securely around the large stone, testing the tightness.
Then, she grabbed the other end of the vine and pulled hard.
The pulley system engaged.
Miraculously, the huge stone was lifted effortlessly into the air by her pull!