Clumsy Beast, Keep Your Paws Off

Ciao, Ciao slowly walked outside the gates of Dragon Beast City.

His little paws moved lazily across the dirt ground as he strolled around, looking left and right. He appeared completely relaxed.

Almost too relaxed.

His fluffy nine tails swayed gently behind him with every step, and his little white ears occasionally twitched at the slightest rustle in the grass. Although he seemed to be casually wandering, his eyes were remarkably sharp.

He was clearly waiting for something. The proud, haughty expression on his little face was impossible to miss...if someone saw him for the first time, they would have thought a tiny king was inspecting his personal garden.

His chin was raised high, his tiny chest was puffed out, and his big eyes carried the unmistakable message: Everyone here is beneath me.

Step. Step. Step.

Then, suddenly...

Whoosh!

Three shadows leaped straight out from behind the bushes!

Ciao. Ciao immediately stopped in his tracks. His ears stood straight up, and his eyes narrowed.

The three fox elders stood directly in front of him. Ciao Ciao stared at them. The elders stared back at him. For a long, tense moment, neither side made a sound.

Then, Ciao Ciao’s natural survival instincts kicked in: Run!

He whipped around, but before his little paws could even take two steps...

"Got him!"

One elder grabbed his front paw. Another grabbed his back leg.

Ciao’s eyes widened. "What?!"

Before he could even process what was happening, another elder quickly whipped out a massive piece of rough beast hide. "Quickly! Don’t let him run!"

Swish!

The huge hide cloth was immediately wrapped around the little fox cub!

Ciao Ciao was completely stunned. His little body disappeared halfway into the heavy cloth, leaving only his head and several fluffy white tails sticking out.

His eyes grew as round as saucers as he stared at the three elders in absolute disbelief. How dare they?! For the first time in his short life, Ciao Ciao felt like he was actually being treated like a petty thief!

Ciao Ciao looked down at his bound self, then looked up at them. His little face slowly turned bright red with pure outrage. "Mmm!" He began struggling furiously.

The elders only tightened their grip. "Don’t run, little prince! Please don’t run! We finally caught you!"

Ciao Ciao was completely speechless.

Far away, hidden behind a thick cluster of bushes, Su Qinglan, Rong Ye, Stove, and Little Hua were watching the entire scene unfold.

Su Qinglan’s eyes were already slightly red with anger as she tightly clenched her fists. "If they dare to actually kidnap my son..." Her voice was frighteningly calm. "...all the goodwill I had toward them will completely disappear. They will really pay for this."

Rong Ye immediately nodded, rolling up his sleeves. "Then what are we waiting for? I’ll go teach those old bastards a proper lesson!"

Su Qinglan instantly grabbed his arm. "You stay right here."

Rong Ye froze, looking at her in confusion.

She shot him a cold, disdainful look. "You have already caused enough trouble today."

Rong Ye’s shoulders immediately slouched. He lowered his head, looking extremely wronged. "Lanlan, it isn’t my fault that they are my relatives! You can’t blame me for what those crazy old men do..."

Su Qinglan ignored his whining, her eyes fixed firmly on Ciao Ciao. She was waiting...if those elders actually stuffed her son into that sack and tried to carry him away, they were dead meat.

However, strangely enough, the three elders didn’t actually look fierce or scary at all anymore.

As they looked down at Ciao Ciao’s teary little eyes, his trembling ears, and his tiny paws, the three elders’ faces slowly softened. Their expressions became hilariously complicated.

Elder Luo loosened his grip slightly. "Little prince..."

Ciao Ciao immediately yanked his paw back, but Elder Luo quickly snatched it again. "Please don’t run!"

Ciao’s eyes widened in utter frustration. What is wrong with these people?!

Finally, as if unable to bear the sight of their adorable little prince’s scowl any longer, the three elders suddenly dropped to their knees simultaneously!

Thump!

All three knelt dramatically in front of Ciao Ciao.

Ciao Ciao blinked in surprise.

Elder Luo immediately grabbed the cub’s tiny front paw with both hands, weeping. "My little ancestor!"

Ciao Ciao stared at him.

Elder Luo’s eyes were already brimming with tears. "Please come back with us!"

Ciao, Ciao’s mouth opened slightly.

Elder Luo continued in an overly dramatic voice, "We truly need you! If you don’t come back with us, Fox Beast City will be completely doomed! It will be utterly finished! There will be nothing left!" He wiped away his tears pitifully.

Ciao’s expression became strange. Was it really that serious?

The second elder, Elder Hu, immediately leaned forward. "Little prince, you must save us! The bastard son of the previous clan leader has appeared! He wants to steal the clan leader’s position!"

The third elder, Elder Shen, nodded fiercely. "He is extremely suspicious! There is definitely something wrong with him!"

Elder Luo pointed dramatically toward the direction of Fox Beast City. "You must go back! You have to defeat him!"

Ciao Ciao’s eyes suddenly lit up like burning coals. Someone wants to steal my position?!

His little chest instantly puffed out, his proud fighting spirit fully awakening. "Who dares?!"

Just moments ago, he was sulking and complaining, but now he looked ready to march out and conquer an entire city!

The three elders immediately nodded like chickens pecking at grain. "Yes! That’s our little prince! You must go back and defeat that bastard!"

Ciao Ciao’s big eyes sparkled with excitement. He was just about to ask for more details when he suddenly realized something.

One elder was still holding his front paw. Another was holding his back leg. And the third was still gripping his tails tightly!

Ciao Ciao looked down, his little face darkening instantly. He pulled hard on his paw. "Let go."

The elders didn’t get the message. Instead, they held on even tighter.

Ciao’s eyebrow twitched violently. "I said... let go!"

Elder Luo shook his head frantically. "No!"

Ciao Ciao stared at him. "No?!"

"We cannot let you go!"

"Why?!"

"Because you will run away!"

Ciao Ciao was completely rendered speechless.

Suddenly raising his free front paw...

Smack!

He slapped Elder Luo right on his shoulder! "Let go!"

𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

Smack!

Another slap! "Let go!"

Smack!

"Let go of me!"

Elder Luo simply sat there and endured the slaps, weeping softly. "Little prince, you can beat me all you want..."

Ciao, Ciao, glared at him.

"...but please come back with us!"