Chapter 1

Zhuo Yan had been in this world for exactly ten days, no more, no less. The stone wall beside him bore two distinct ‘正’ characters, marks he had carved himself. The first stroke had been etched into the stone on the night of his arrival, a moment when he fully realized that he had truly crossed into another world. Now, with two full characters, ten days had passed since that bewildering night.

The morning sun bathed the entrance of his cave in a rich, golden light, chasing away the lingering chill of the night.

Zhuo Yan dressed in his humble outfit, a small leather skirt paired with a short vest. His first task was to wrap his feet in soft strips of leather, a necessary step before slipping into his shoes—a pair of crude, hand-woven grass sandals. The temperature had been steadily dropping lately, making these little preparations all the more important. Just as he finished, voices from outside drifted into the cave, faint but distinct.

“Qiao, let’s go already! Don’t waste time with that annoying guy.”

“Yeah, yeah, why bring him along? He’s such a nuisance.”

“Let’s hurry before he catches up.”

Zhuo Yan’s ears perked up inside the cave.

The beastfolk of this world had a certain charm. For one, they weren’t shy about voicing their opinions, especially not when it came to him. They spoke loudly right at the mouth of his cave, as if they wanted to make absolutely sure he could hear them.

Then, Qiao spoke up, her voice carrying a hint of concern. “Wait, we can’t leave. I promised Zhuo Yan we’d go foraging together today.”

“Ugh, why are you suddenly hanging out with someone so… disliked?”

“Zhuo Yan said he’d be more useful from now on,” Qiao added, though she didn’t sound entirely convinced herself.

“I don’t buy it! Since when has Zhuo Yan ever been trustworthy? He’s been lying his whole life!”

“Exactly, exactly.”

Zhuo Yan had already slung a makeshift vine basket over his back and jogged down the slope from his small cave. His feet, wrapped in beast hide, made running downhill tricky, but fortunately, his grass shoes provided some grip.

“I’m here! I’m here!” Zhuo Yan skidded to a halt just in front of the group of young beastfolk. Flashing them a bright, cheerful grin, he greeted them, “Good morning, Qiao, Aman, Xiao Xian, Shitou! Let’s go gather together!”

Aman snorted right in front of him, his voice dripping with disdain. “Who wants to go with you?”

Xiao Xian chimed in quickly, “Exactly, exactly.”

Zhuo Yan’s smile didn’t waver in the slightest. In fact, he even stepped forward and playfully pinched the cheek of the one who had just parroted Aman’s words.

Xiao Xian’s face slowly flushed, and his human ears morphed into soft, round, leopard-patterned ears that twitched in embarrassment as he let out a small huff.

“Let’s just get going,” Jo said, breaking the tension.

The five young beastfolk set off. Zhuo Yan walked beside Qiao, while Xiao Xian and Aman led the way up front, and Shitou followed silently at the back. Though all five of them were technically beastfolk, Zhuo Yan saw clear differences between them. In this world, beastfolk were divided into two groups: beastmen and sub-beastmen. Beastmen had the ability to fully transform between human and animal forms at will. Sub-beastmen, on the other hand, could not completely shift into an animal form.

But!

There was a catch. When sub-beastmen got overly emotional or embarrassed, parts of their bodies could take on beast-like traits. For instance, Xiao Xian, who looked like a young boy, had a pair of round, leopard-patterned ears that popped up when he was flustered or excited. And whenever he said “Exactly, exactly!” with a bit of enthusiasm, his furry ears would twitch adorably.

Zhuo Yan: Hehehe.

He couldn’t help himself from teasing. His hands just acted on their own.

Xiao Xian looked like a 14 or 15-year-old boy, the kind you’d see in middle or high school back in Zhuo Yan’s world. And compared to some of the rude, foul-mouthed kids from modern times, the sub-beastmen here were genuinely well-behaved, hardworking, and kind-hearted. Xiao Xian, for all his bluster, was no exception—he was still much more polite and endearing than the kids Zhuo Yan remembered.

Why does he keep touching you?” Aman huffed loudly from the front, his voice carrying back to the group with clear annoyance.

“I have no idea! It’s so infuriating!” Xiao Xian grumbled, his fluffy leopard ears twitching in frustration.

“You’ve got to hold it together. Don’t let your ears show, or he’ll think you like him,” Aman advised, his tone half-serious.

“I can’t help it!” Xiao Xian whined, trying to control his emotions, but his twitching ears betrayed him.

Zhuo Yan: Hehehe.

Teasing the kid was way too much fun.

Zhuo Yan didn’t dare to tease Aman. Aman looked to be around seventeen or eighteen, tall and sturdy, with a fiery temper. He spoke his mind without hesitation, while Shitou was true to his name—silent and stoic.

The four boys, including Zhuo Yan, who had found himself in the body of a sub-beastman sharing his name, had a unique bond. Zhuo Yan had seen his reflection by the river and noted that he looked just like his sixteen or seventeen-year-old self, though his skin was a healthy, even tan. Previously, he had disliked being too pale and had intentionally tanned his skin. After working out and developing abs, he had even gained a small following of fans.

Not that he ever intended to be a borderline influencer—he hadn’t done anything suggestive! But somehow, the fans couldn’t help but swoon over him.

Among the five, the only female was Jo.

Qiao was the oldest and strongest among the unmarried sub-beastmen, with the best temper—essentially the leader of their little group.

On Zhuo Yan’s first day in this world, he had been bullied by another sub-beastman and a beastman, which had scared him into falling to the ground. That story would come later. The only one who reached out to help him was Qiao. Under her guidance, the other three sub-beastmen, though grumbling and reluctant, had taken turns carrying him back to safety.

“Good morning, Qiao! Good morning, brothers!”

The morning sun was gentle, casting a golden glow across the entire Leopardman tribe. Within the tribe, the sub-beastmen and beastmen each went about their duties, starting a busy and fulfilling day.

No one lingered in their caves; it simply wasn’t the time for that.

“Have you eaten yet?” Qiao asked, turning her head slightly. She reached into her leather pouch and pulled out a chunk of meat, offering it to Zhuo Yan. “Here, eat this.”

The piece of meat was about the size of a sub-beastman’s fist.

“Wuwu, thank you, Qiao!” Zhuo Yan said, feeling touched and nearly tearing up as he accepted the roasted meat.

Ahead, the other two boys, Aman and Xiao Xian, were chatting. Aman commented, “Qiao, why are you so nice to that annoying guy?”

“Just—” Xiao Xian, who loved to parrot Aman’s phrases, began to say, but as soon as he met Zhuo Yan’s cheerful gaze, he instinctively covered his ears.

Zhuo Yan smiled warmly. “We’re all good friends here. Qiao gave this to me, so if you’re hungry, I can share some with you.”

“No, thanks! Who’s like you, with a stash of meat?” Aman replied, puffing out his chest with a touch of pride.

The playful banter between them highlighted the camaraderie that had already developed, bringing a lively atmosphere to the early morning as they prepared for the day ahead.

Qiao turned to Aman and said, “You mentioned he doesn’t have any stored meat, and he has no idea how he’s going to survive this winter.”

At the mention of winter, Aman’s expression softened, and he glanced at Zhuo Yan with a hint of sympathy. It was clear he genuinely felt sorry for him rather than mocking him; there was a seriousness in his demeanor.

“Maybe you should stay in the big cave,” Aman suggested.

Xiao Xian and Shitou both nodded in agreement.

Zhuo Yan was aware of the big cave they were referring to. It was the communal dwelling for the elderly, sick, and weak in the tribe. In the Leopardman tribe, the beastmen retained some of their feline ancestors’ habits, such as a preference for solitude; they weren’t naturally social creatures. However, due to the dangers of this world and the need to shift into human form, they still chose to live together in a community, with small family caves spaced out for privacy.

Maintaining a sense of privacy was essential.

When Zhuo Yan had just arrived in this world, he had overheard conversations about the approaching winter. His original self had also feared the coming of winter. In a state of panic, he had cast his net far and wide, trying to charm the beastmen who were still single—regardless of whether those beastmen had potential partners. The fear of winter had driven him to seek out unmarried beastmen, offering his assistance and companionship to gain favor.

This led to the originally lazy and harmless sub-beastman being loathed by both the beastmen and sub-beastmen in the tribe. It was as if he had earned the disdain of a hundred beasts.

After Zhuo Yan acclimated to his new surroundings, he retained some memories from his original self. The shock of discovering the existence of beastmen was overwhelming. If he were in the modern world watching a movie, he would have found the concept quite cool—humans transforming into beast forms. It was like a tale of the underprivileged relying on genetic mutations while the wealthy depended on technology.

Yet here he was, among the poor.

As a result, he had ended up in the beastman world, where he had mutated, but not completely—he had become a sub-beastman instead.

He could only cry and scream in frustration, pounding his fists against the wall.

He spent a torturous night wallowing in his misery. By the next morning, his stomach growled, a stark reminder that he had truly crossed over and couldn’t return. If he didn’t find food, he might starve to death. What if he couldn’t go back? If death was the only option, then so be it.

So, Zhuo Yan, lying on the stone bed and hesitating about what to do, suddenly heard familiar voices outside—those of the current sub-beastman team. Driven by instinct, he sat up in a rush, eager to attach himself to this little group.

The sub-beastmen ventured out to gather and work, which came with certain dangers; traveling in a small group offered a much safer experience.

“I think the sun is still pretty fierce,” Zhuo Yan remarked, lifting his head. The gentle, warm sunlight of the early morning had now intensified, becoming quite strong.

However, Qiao countered, “The first snowstorm will arrive quickly; Aman is right.”

The weather here was extreme. Just ten days ago, when they had walked to the riverbank, the sun had already been blazing by mid-morning. The long days brought sweltering temperatures that would be unbearable for ordinary humans.

Zhuo Yan, on the other hand, felt pleasantly warm, experiencing a level of comfort that was unfamiliar to him.

While sub-beastmen couldn’t fully transform into beast forms, they still carried beast genes within them, granting them remarkable survival capabilities. This included great strength, agility, and the ability to jump and run quickly, as well as resilience against harsh environments.

After all, they had those beast genes.

Over the past ten days, Zhuo Yan had slowly been mastering and adapting to his new body, striving to understand it as scientifically as possible. The beastmen clearly exhibited dominant leopard genes, while the sub-beastmen had more recessive traits.

The five of them moved quickly, reaching the riverbank in no time. Zhuo Yan was the first to wash his face. At this moment, he could truly feel the shift in climate. His pace was the same as before, but now, upon arriving at the river, the sun felt somewhat “weaker.” It looked large in the sky, but the temperature was not as warm as it had been earlier.

“I’ve got it! I’ll stock up on food this month. If I can’t handle it, I’ll just head to the big cave,” Zhuo Yan said, scooping up a handful of water to wash his face, followed by rinsing his mouth with a few swishes.

Given his original self’s fear of winter, Zhuo Yan knew he couldn’t take any chances.

The entire tribe was busy preparing food supplies for the winter.

“Do you guys know how many days winter lasts?” Zhuo Yan asked, pulling out the roasted meat Qiao had given him. He reached into the woven basket to retrieve a stone knife for cutting.

Aman replied first, “You just focus on your food; I’m not going to eat what you cut.”

“I’ll save it for lunch then,” Zhuo Yan said, slicing the roasted meat in half. He wrapped the remaining portion in large tree leaves and turned to Aman, teasingly adding, “Aman, you’re so sweet to me~”

Aman’s face turned red, a mix of embarrassment and anger flushing his cheeks.

“I wouldn’t care about you at all!”

Meanwhile, Xiao Xian’s furry ears twitched as he softly chimed in, “Exactly, exactly.”

Qiao intervened to lighten the mood, “Alright, alright, let’s stop the teasing and get moving. Today, I want to pick mud beans and dudu fruit.”

Zhuo Yan knew about these items; mud beans and dudu fruits were common vegetarian options found near the tribe. During the season when rainfall was abundant, and everything flourished—leading to prey being well-fed and robust— the beastmen wouldn’t bother with these plants; they primarily feasted on meat, indulging in all sorts of carnivorous delights.

These two common vegetarian options were favorites among the sub-beastmen, often served as a complement to meat dishes. As the harsh winter approached, the strongest hunting teams from the tribe prepared to gather enough food, ensuring that every beast family stocked up on these plants. Mixing them with meat was essential for surviving the winter months.

“My mom reminded me about this too,” Xiao Xian added, contributing to the conversation.

With that, everyone stopped their playful banter and made their way to the tribe’s outer “safe zone,” where a group of sub-beastmen was already busy gathering. When they noticed Qiao and her companions arriving, their eyes fell on Zhuo Yan, and a wave of disdain rippled through the group as they openly mocked him.

“We were here first,” one of them sneered.

“There’s nothing left for you guys. It’s just enough for us,” another chimed in.

“Why don’t you go pick somewhere else?” a third voice suggested.

“I really don’t want to gather fruit with that annoying beast,” one of them added, clearly expressing their disdain for Zhuo Yan.

The sub-beastmen across from them stood in a row, staring intently.

Aman, hands on his hips and clearly displeased, declared, “This is the tribe’s territory; it belongs to everyone! Why should we leave? We’re not going anywhere—we’re picking!”

“Exactly, exactly!” Xiao Xian added, shaking his fluffy ears in irritation.

Stone also stepped forward to stand with them.

Zhuo Yan felt a wave of emotion. He knew it! Aman was tough on the outside but soft on the inside—a true friend!

Feeling buoyed by the support of his friends, he quietly walked over to join the other three, standing in a row to match the opposing team’s spirit. They couldn’t back down now; with his brothers behind him, he needed to hold his ground and glared back at the opposing team.

The leader of the opposing sub-beastmen stepped forward and asked, “Qiao, are you all going to fight us?”

Wow! They were actually throwing down the gauntlet. Zhuo Yan raised his voice and replied, “Hey! Winter is coming soon! If you’re provoking us and want to start a fight, I’ll report you to the chief! When that happens, all the meat, Dudu fruit, and mud beans from your home will have to be given to us as compensation!”

The opposing team leader fell silent.

The sub-beastmen behind him began to look frightened.

Ahh, Zhuo Yan was really annoying!