Chapter 6

Mu Yu’s handsome face was frosted over, his gaze cold and unrelenting.

To be honest, Cheng Youyou was a little intimidated. The other beast-husbands merely showed their dislike on the surface. But this male—he probably had some kind of hyper-masculinity syndrome. He was the type to actually get physical. Her arm still ached faintly from last time.

Without a word, Cheng Youyou subtly stepped back, putting a bit of distance between them. If he really did lash out, she’d need time to react.

Mu Yu noticed her movement, and his expression stiffened, his disgust deepening. “Trash. If anything happens to Mu Feng, even if it costs me my life, I’ll make sure you go down with him!”

Cheng Youyou, already feeling guilty, flinched at his fury. She thought of that unconscious, god-tier naked man. Could the original host have really messed him up?

She lowered her head, calculating when she might sneak over and treat Mu Feng in secret. If something really happened to him, her life in this beast-world would be over. She didn’t doubt Mu Yu’s threat—his murderous aura was palpable. Even if he struck her in the next second, she wouldn’t be surprised.

A passing male beastman snickered, “Yo, Mu Yu can’t stay away from his female. The moment the tribe leader finished speaking, he rushed over to find her.”

“Hahaha…”

Laughter erupted from the nearby beastmen.

All male, all jealous. Even though Mu Yu already had a mate, the females still stared at him. Luckily, his mate was the ugliest, stinkiest, fattest one in the tribe—like a pig. Just looking at her killed their appetite. That made things feel a little more fair.

Mu Yu’s golden eyes flicked toward the lead heckler. “Lamu, worry about yourself. Go hunt more food, or you won’t survive the winter. No one’s going to bury your corpse.”

“Hiss—” Cheng Youyou sucked in a breath. If Mu Yu licked his own mouth, would he get poisoned?

Lamu choked on his words and stormed off, and the crowd dispersed.

Suddenly, the vast square was empty—just her and Mu Yu, staring each other down.

After a long pause, Mu Yu spat out coldly, “We’ll see.” Then he turned and left.

Cheng Youyou muttered under her breath, “How long do I have to keep carrying the original host’s baggage?”

Forget it. She couldn’t dwell on it now—if she didn’t eat soon, she’d pass out from low blood sugar.

Not far away, Ji Xuan stood in the woods, his sharp hearing catching every word of her conversation. But that last line—“original host”? “baggage”? His pitch-black eyes locked onto Cheng Youyou, flickering with unreadable light. His perfect features remained expressionless.

Cheng Youyou headed toward her father’s cave. Usually, once a female and a male formed a bond, they’d live together in the same cave. But before her father disappeared, the original host had always lived with him, never with her four beast-husbands.

Mu Feng and Mu Yu, the brothers, shared a cave. Zi Wu and Ji Xuan each had their own.

Her father’s cave was situated at the base of the forested mountain, making it an ideal location for gathering herbs. But after he vanished, the original host refused to live there again. Instead, she shamelessly tried to move into her beast-husbands’ caves.

Wanting was one thing—getting their consent was another. Eventually, she ended up in Zi Wu’s cave—not because he agreed, but because he’d left the tribe with Ji Xuan.

Cheng Youyou thought that was perfect. She had no desire to get involved with the original host’s beast-husbands. She just wanted to survive in this beast world.

Back at her father’s cave, the mushrooms she’d left out to dry had wilted. She picked one up and sniffed—its earthy aroma filled her nose.

Ah, chicken and mushroom stew; just thinking about it made her drool.

Suddenly, a tall figure emerged from the dense forest. He caught sight of Cheng Youyou drooling over the strange-looking mushroom. Its odd shape and color screamed “inedible.”

Ji Xuan’s dark eyes flickered, but he said nothing. He walked straight up to her and stopped, handing her a piece of roasted meat. His expression was flat, emotionless. “Take it.”

Cheng Youyou glanced at the perfectly grilled meat in his hand. Her eyes—squeezed into slits by fat—sparkled with joy. Talk about a pillow arriving just when you’re ready to nap.

“Thank you!” Her voice was crisp, none of the usual fake sweetness. Strangely pleasant to the ear.

Ji Xuan’s probing gaze lingered on her. She’d never said thank you before.

She suddenly realized—oh no. The original host had always cursed or hit her beast-husbands. She’d never shown gratitude.

Time seemed to freeze.

Then a lively voice broke the silence. “Trash, you…”

Zi Wu stepped out of the woods, also holding a piece of meat. He looked at Ji Xuan, then at the glistening roast in Cheng Youyou’s hand, and sneered, “Definitely a pig. No—pigs don’t eat as much as you.” He shoved the meat into her hand and walked off without another word. Ji Xuan followed.

Cheng Youyou let out a breath. Ji Xuan really was terrifyingly perceptive—she’d have to be more careful. She looked down at the two hefty pieces of meat. Did the original host eat this much in one sitting?

She ate the one Zi Wu gave her first. Her hunger finally eased, and her legs felt stronger. She wrapped the other piece in leaves and stored it in the cool part of the cave for the next day.

Then she began inspecting the cave her father had left behind. Pouches sewn from animal hide held various herbs, filling the cave with a woody scent. Seasonal beast-hide clothing was neatly folded on a stone platform—her father had clearly loved her deeply. Soft pelts covered the stone bed near the fire pit. Bone knives of various sizes were arranged neatly on a small slab. Dry firewood was stacked by the entrance. Everything was coated in a thin layer of dust. In the far corner, spring water dripped steadily into a man-made reservoir. The pool was full of clear mountain water, with a small channel carved beside it. Overflowing water flowed through the channel and out of the cave.

The whole place was clean and orderly—it just needed a little tidying to be livable.

She couldn’t understand why the original host would rather beg for her beast-husbands’ disdain than return to this place.