Chapter 20

Ye Baizhi’s greatest concern now was her elder brother’s talent bone.

Kasai had stolen his talent bone—it must have been excruciating.

Although she had never seen her brother at full fifth-tier strength, his current state was weak, with a pale complexion. Every time someone called him useless, he must have suffered deeply. She could feel his genuine love and care for her, so she wanted to protect him as well—to reclaim everything he had lost.

Ye Chuan froze for a moment, then placed his hand on his back, covering the spot. “Sister, it’s actually nothing.”

He was trying to hide something. But seeing his expression, how could Ye Baizhi not understand?

“Brother, Kasai may have schemed against you. She took your talent and your strength.”

“It was only by stealing your power that she was able to rise to the sixth tier in such a short time.”

Ye Chuan’s expression changed drastically upon hearing this. All the color drained from his face. For so long, he had been confused and suspicious—now, his fears were confirmed. A bitter smile crossed his lips. “So that’s how it is.”

Ye Baizhi looked at her brother, worried. “Brother, don’t worry, your strength will recover.”

She wanted to see her brother as he once was—confident, strong, and full of life. She had heard from Qiu Shi and the others that, in the past, her brother had been powerful and cheerful, always protecting and caring for them.

Ye Chuan knew his sister was comforting him, but he didn’t dwell on it. Right now, he truly felt useless. He didn’t want to burden his sister or their mother. He nodded. “Mm, alright.”

Still, no matter what, he hadn’t given up on himself. He trained and exercised daily, although the results seemed to be lacking. As of now, he hadn’t even regained the strength of the first tier.

Ye Chuan steadied his emotions and handed the sweet potatoes to his sister before quietly retreating.

Ye Baizhi looked at the sweet potatoes wrapped in leaves, picking one from the basket. They were still warm but not too hot to hold, meaning her brother had timed them perfectly before bringing them over. She handed a sweet potato to Xue Youchen. “This is steamed sweet potato—try it.”

Lately, she had mostly been eating meat and had been craving staple foods. The rich aroma of the sweet potato ignited her appetite.

Xue Youchen took the sweet potato from her, his cold, elegant gaze revealing a hint of surprise.

“Is this food?” It was something he had never seen before.

Ye Baizhi smiled and said, “Yes, we dug it up in the forest behind the mountain. It’s called a sweet potato, and it’s really delicious.”

As she spoke, she peeled the sweet potato and began eating. After a few bites, she felt warmth spread through her stomach, making her body comfortable. With its natural sweetness, the sweet potato tasted wonderful.

Seeing Ye Baizhi’s bright smile and joyful expression, Xue Youchen realized she truly enjoyed eating it.

Food found in the mountains?

Xue Youchen mimicked Ye Baizhi’s movements, peeling the sweet potato and taking a bite. Even while eating, he carried himself with elegance and dignity—his presence was captivating.

Ye Baizhi blinked, looking at him expectantly. “How does it taste?”

Xue Youchen met her gaze and suddenly found her eagerness amusing. He responded gently, “Mm, it’s good.”

He recalled the reports from his subordinates, mentioning how she once had to dig for grass and roots just to survive. He rubbed his forehead with a slight headache—it was a flaw in understanding.

Seeing Xue Youchen’s expression and recalling the rumors that he was a cold, aloof, and reserved person, Ye Baizhi spoke on her own: “I know that the Northern Region has the worst environment on the entire continent. No matter if it’s the Eastern, Southern, Western, or Central Regions, they are all far better than the Northern.”

She understood that, if given the choice, many beastmen wouldn’t want to stay in the Northern Region. Of course, the Snow Wolf Tribe was different—they were naturally suited for the cold and enjoyed the environment.

“I’ve heard that once winter arrives, wild beasts stop coming out, heavy snow seals the mountains, and hunting becomes impossible. Many weaker beastmen or smaller tribes struggle with food shortages, and every winter, many beastmen die from hunger and cold.”

“The nobles in the Central Region exile or punish unwanted beastmen by sending them to the North, which must have caused you plenty of trouble.”

“But hunting wild beasts isn’t the only way to find food—other things can be eaten too.”

“For example, this sweet potato. Once dug up, it can be stored for a long time, and whenever you want to eat it, you can simply steam it.”

“They can also be steamed, cut into small pieces, and dried in the sun. That way, they can be eaten directly when needed. With more food like this, more beastmen will survive the winter.”

Hearing this, Xue Youchen’s heart stirred deeply. He immediately understood the significance of having a new, storable food source in the Northern Region. He lowered his gaze to Ye Baizhi, his picturesque eyes seeming to reflect moonlight—waves of silver, lakes and mountains—becoming clear and gentle.

“In that case, more beastmen can be saved.”

He thought to himself that the rumors must be false. The Central Region’s imperial city had dismissed her as useless, yet her insight and understanding spoke volumes.

“You’re willing to let others know about this food?”

Normally, when a tribe discovered a new edible resource—often at the cost of lives—they would keep it secret, unwilling to share the knowledge with other tribes.

Ye Baizhi smiled brightly, her expression filled with confidence and radiance. “Why wouldn’t I let everyone know?”

“In the eyes of other beastmen, the Northern Region seems awful. But in reality, the forests here are rich with resources, and there is plenty of food.”

Besides, come spring next year, she planned to lead the tribe in cultivating farmland and planting crops. By then, even without hunting, they would be self-sufficient.

For the elderly, young, and weak beastmen—those who lacked the ability to hunt and often went hungry—this would be life-changing.

“You can farm with a little strength. You can even raise some chickens, ducks, and geese to lay eggs for food. It’s just a sweet potato, after all—there’s no need to be so stingy.”

“The heavy snow in the Northern Region is beautiful.”

As long as the infrastructure is well-built, winter won’t be cold. The primitive beast world is rich in resources, which is excellent. The entire Northern Region is covered in primeval forests. It’s wonderful to see snow here in winter. During the apocalypse, the natural environment was severely damaged, the weather became abnormal, and even the north stopped getting snow.

Xue Youchen’s heart stirred, and his gaze toward her became even more gentle.

“Many beastmen from other districts detest the Northern Region.”

“Especially its snow.”

“This is the first time I’ve heard someone speak about it like you.”

Loving the snow, loving the Northern Region—it was just like how their Snow Wolf Tribe was naturally suited to survive in this environment. They loved the Northern Region and its snow.

He knew she wasn’t saying this to please him. Her eyes and expression revealed the truth.

Xue Youchen wanted to say something, but when he noticed a bit of sweet potato stuck to Ye Baizhi’s lips, he reached out and gently wiped it away. His fingertips brushed across Ye Baizhi’s lips, the cool touch sending an electrifying sensation through her, leaving her lips tingling. Her heartstrings trembled, and she couldn’t help but silently complain. Even without effort, he was mesmerizing, completely disarming her.

His beauty was dangerous—it was utterly lethal!