Chapter 92: Accepting the Culture of the Beast World
The White Fox Beastman’s expression was gentle, his gaze focused and earnest. "Female Master, I know I shouldn’t interfere with what you’re doing right now.
But I want you to know that as the female of this family, you are its head.
Your health and well-being are of the utmost importance to every Beastman in the family."
After all, if anything were to happen to the female master, the entire family would be affected.
Hu Bai gently coaxed her. "I believe you should be the one to manage and utilize the full strength of all your Beast Husbands.
Only when you can manage everyone’s strength can you maximize its effectiveness.
So, I think you should be at home resting and waiting for Lanxing to report his findings."
Nan Zishi had to move beyond the simple role of a mother, beyond just being someone’s female master.
In the Beast World, a female without any particular abilities could certainly ignore everything and live an easy, idle life.
In families like that, the female’s idleness gives some males the opportunity to usurp her authority without her even realizing it.
’But Nan Zishi... She has what it takes to be the head of this family. She has the ability to manage all her Beast Husbands.
She’s going to face situations like this often in the future.’
He had to help her grow and solidify her position as the head of the family.
Nan Zishi understood what Hu Bai was saying.
"I understand."
***
The sun was setting, painting the sky in crimson hues.
Lanxing and a few other mermaids returned, their heads hanging in dejection.
"Daddy Lanxing," Fox Qi called out, trotting over to him.
Lanxing gently ruffled Fox Qi’s hair before heading toward the tent.
Inside the small tent, Hu Bai was sitting up, propped on his side. Nan Zishi sat on one side of him, and Lanxing sat on the other.
Nan Zishi asked anxiously, "How did it go? Did you find the Scorpion Beastmen? Did you find Little Fu?"
Lanxing shook his head.
"Zishi, Brother Hu Bai, we found the Scorpion Beastmen, but they said they’ve already sold Little Fu. I asked who they sold her to, but they refused to tell us.
But we did manage to find out a little something.
Zishi, according to them, the Beastman who bought Little Fu doesn’t seem like the type to hurt her."
A wave of relief washed over them.
"Good," Nan Zishi said, her voice firm. "Tomorrow, I’m going with you to see the Scorpion Beastmen. We need to meet with their leader."
The two handsome Male Beastmen in the tent looked up at Nan Zishi at the same time.
In any family, the female is the core.
As long as the female wasn’t idle, all major family decisions were made by her.
Therefore, any decision Nan Zishi made was extremely important to both Hu Bai and Lanxing.
Hu Bai asked, "Leader?"
Nan Zishi explained, "It means their chief, their head. Like the head of a village, or the Clan Leader of a tribe."
Lanxing said, "I know who that is. The leader of the Scorpion Beastmen along this coast is named Scorpion."
"Scorpion?" Hu Bai’s brow furrowed slightly.
"Scorpion?" Nan Zishi remembered him too—the Male Beastman who had fought Xuan Jin.
"You know him too?"
Lanxing said, "Scorpion is the Clan Leader of the Scorpion Beastmen around here. He’s a Seven-striped Beast King. His immense power is why he and the other Scorpion Beastmen can run rampant in this area."
Hu Bai added, "He’s certainly well-known."
Lanxing slowly began to explain the political landscape of this part of the Eastern Continent to Nan Zishi.
This part of the continent, the Eastern Beast World, is divided into five main territories where Beastmen live: the Eastern Coast, the East Sea, the Eastern Forest, the Eastern Swamp, and the Eastern High Mountain. There’s also a place with very few Beastmen, which serves as the Beast World’s prison—the Eastern Wilderness.
"Among the Five Directions of the East, the most well-known Seven-striped Beast Kings are—
From the Eastern Swamp, the wandering Snake Beastman, Xuan Jin.
From the Eastern Coast, the Cold-blooded Scorpion Beastman, Scorpion.
From the Eastern High Mountain, the Red Eagle Beastman, Chi Xiao."
"And in the East Sea, home to the Mermaid Clan, the most powerful are only two Six-striped Beast Generals: the Mermaid Prince, Lanxing, and a female mermaid, Chuchen."
Nan Zishi shot Hu Bai a sideways glance.
’Of the Five Directions of the East, the East Sea has no Seven-striped Beastman. But the Eastern Swamp has Xuan Jin, the Eastern Coast has Scorpion, and the Eastern High Mountain has Chi Xiao.’
’But what no one knows is that the Eastern Forest is hiding one more: the Seven-striped Fox King, Hu Bai.’
These three Seven-striped Beastmen each dominate a region of the Eastern Continent. And while the Mermaid Clan has no Seven-striped Beast King, they live deep in the sea. Furthermore, the Beastmen rely on them for their primary supply of salt. So, whether it’s Xuan Jin, Scorpion, or Chi Xiao, none of them would dare to cause trouble for the Mermaid Clan.
After listening to the explanation, Nan Zishi said, "I’m going to see Scorpion tomorrow."
"Zishi, Scorpion is incredibly strong." Lanxing couldn’t hide his worry. "I... I only have Six Patterns. I’d be fine in the sea, but on land, I can’t defeat him."
Hu Bai pushed himself up. His lips were pale and his body was weak. "I’ll go with you tomorrow."
Nan Zishi shook her head. "I know better than anyone how drained you are. Don’t even think about going tomorrow. Stay here and rest."
Hu Bai had no choice but to obey.
The family was facing a crisis. But all of them, young and old, had come together.
Nan Zishi believed that as long as her family stood united, there was nothing they couldn’t overcome.
"By the way, Zishi," Lanxing said. "This tent is a bit crude. Hu Bai and I found a good spot nearby and carved out a cave. It’s already been cleaned up. Should we move over there?"
A tent was serviceable, but not very sturdy.
They had found a much better place to live and had already tidied it up.
Hu Bai had stayed in the fragile tent only so that Nan Zishi could find him when she returned.
Nan Zishi didn’t have the heart to think about moving.
Lanxing glanced at Hu Bai, then turned his star-like eyes to Nan Zishi. "Zishi, I know you’re worried about Little Fu. But you’re the most important person in this family."
’Everyone is important.’
Nan Zishi started to speak, but looking at her two worried Beast Husbands, she ultimately sighed. "Alright."
Little Fox Qi entered the tent to help Hu Bai, who was getting up, while Lanxing helped Nan Zishi pack their things.
Nan Zishi had just been reunited with everyone after a long separation. Her mind was torn between her concern for Little Fu and the thought that she had to leave the Beast World in just 27 days.
Overcome with emotion, she took out her cell phone, which still had power thanks to her solar charger.
"Everyone, hold still!"
Nan Zishi set up her phone on its stand, aimed it toward the sea and the setting sun, and took a photo.
The photo captured Hu Bai, pale but smiling as he looked at her; Fox Qi, supporting his father and looking up at the camera; and She Yang’er, craning her neck to get into the frame.
It also captured Lanxing, his head tilted to one side, and Nan Zishi, surrounded by them all.
Every world has its own culture.
Nan Zishi was a girl raised on the culture of Earth, where she had only ever known monogamy.
When she first arrived in this world, she had struggled to adapt to its culture of polyandry.
But under the coercion of the Childbirth System, she was forced to form contracts with Beast Husbands and bear children, giving her multiple mates and cubs.
Now, she was finally accepting the culture of the Beast World and becoming the core of her family.
***