Chapter 32

Zhuo Yan and Xiao Xian were chatting when the familiar sound of metal gongs echoed through the village. Xiao Xian’s ears perked up immediately, and he excitedly announced, “The hunting party is back!”

“We can go collect some meat!”

Zhuo Yan had just finished preparing a pot of rabbit offal soup with green onions. Hearing this, he paused for a moment, glancing back at the soup. At that moment, A-Yin came bounding up the gentle slope, letting out a series of eager “owuus.” He was all about the soup, knowing his brother could eat more meat if he stuck to drinking it.

In truth, Zhuo Yan wasn’t that hungry. The tribe had a unique way of eating—they’d feast when food was plentiful because hunting was unpredictable. Sometimes they’d score big hauls, and other times, they might only bring in small scraps, barely enough to dole out a pound or two of meat per person.

During abundant times, the tribe had learned to store food in their stomachs for leaner days. And when the stomachs couldn’t hold any more? That’s where salt came in. The beastmen of the tribe had already discovered that salt was key to preserving meat for longer.

But there was a problem—Zhuo Yan didn’t have any salt at home.

As soon as the gong sounded, Xiao Xian was too restless to stay any longer. “Zhuo Yan, I’m heading back first!” he called, already dashing off. “You and A-Yin better hurry!”

“Got it, see you there!” Zhuo Yan shouted after him. Glancing at the fire under the cooking pot, he decided to leave it burning. He added a couple of ladles of water to the stone pot—it should be ready by the time they returned. “A-Yin, let’s go get some meat. Do you think we should lock the rabbits and chickens back inside?”

A-Yin, with two rabbits already hanging from his mouth, bounded over and tossed them into the chicken coop. He left the chickens alone, and Zhuo Yan didn’t question it—he trusted A-Yin’s judgment.

“Alright, let’s go.” Zhuo Yan grabbed a woven basket from the cave, closed the door behind them, and set off with A-Yin to collect their share of the hunt.

The village was bustling with activity, even though it was still early—probably around 8 a.m. or so. Ever since Zhuo Yan had arrived in this world, he’d grown accustomed to early mornings. Even if he stayed up late to finish tasks, it was only until about 9 or 10 p.m. He would wake naturally at dawn, when the first light entered his cave, probably around 6 a.m. With winter behind them, the days were growing longer.

“They caught deer today! And a Silverhorn Bull!” someone shouted excitedly.

“Wow, Silverhorn Bull?!”

Zhuo Yan overheard the beastmen talking nearby. Silverhorn Bull… is it really that tasty?

“And a gray elephant, too!” someone added.

“That much?”

“No, no, the hunting party caught a huge gray elephant. The deer and Silverhorn Bull were caught by Ah Da and the others. You forgot? Ah Da teamed up with Qiao today.”

“That explains the Silverhorn Bull.”

Zhuo Yan couldn’t help his curiosity after hearing them mention the Silverhorn Bull several times. He asked, “Is Silverhorn Bull really that delicious?” After all, everyone who mentioned it seemed to talk about it with admiration.

“Delicious?” A beastman blinked in confusion.

It was Ah Bai who smiled and clarified, “Zhuo Yan, you’ve misunderstood. The meat of a Silverhorn Bull isn’t much different from other types of beef. What makes it special is its horn—it’s silver and reflects different shades in the sunlight. It’s really beautiful.”

“Yeah, you can polish the horn into a smooth, round shape, drill a hole, and string it into a necklace. It looks amazing!” another beastman explained.

“Well, no wonder everyone’s so excited,” Zhuo Yan mused.

“I’m so envious of Qiao,” one of them sighed.

“Why don’t you ask your mate to catch one for you?” someone teased.

“Silverhorn Bulls are tough to catch! You have to travel really far, and sometimes you won’t even come across one,” the beastman retorted.

Zhuo Yan finally understood. No matter where you are, once people have enough food and safety, they start seeking beauty—whether it’s necklaces, accessories, or decorating their homes. This became even clearer when Ah Bai began chatting with the others about the wooden door Zhuo Yan had made for Qiao yesterday.

“There’s a lovely little flower carved into it, thanks to Zhuo Yan’s handiwork,” Ah Bai gushed, clearly fond of the door.

Some beastmen hadn’t seen the door yet, while others had left early the day before. Those who had admired it were all gathered around Zhuo Yan, curious and full of questions.

“Everyone will get to see it when Ah Da and Qiao celebrate their partnership this evening,” Zhuo Yan assured them, caught in the middle of the crowd. He added, “Carving patterns is easy—anyone can learn it with a bit of practice.”

The crowd nodded eagerly.

Meanwhile, A-Yin stood on the outskirts of the group, his ears perked up. Did his brother like the Silverhorn Bull? He decided that one day, he would catch one for Zhuo Yan too. His brother was so handsome—he would look amazing wearing a necklace made of Silverhorn Bull horns.

Before long, Aman and Shi Tou squeezed through the crowd to “rescue” Zhuo Yan, who had been talking non-stop, his throat dry from the chatter. It was exhausting to be the center of such attention—especially considering how cold the beastmen had been toward him when he first arrived. Now, they couldn’t wait to talk to him, and it was overwhelming.

As they pulled him away under the excuse of collecting their meat, Aman crossed his arms and asked, “Were they bullying you?”

“You heard it all, and you still ask?” Zhuo Yan replied with a smile.

Aman dropped his serious expression, grinning. “That’s why I told Shi Tou to hold off. They didn’t like you before, staying as far away as possible. But now, look at them! They can’t stop talking to you. Let them beg a little more.”

“Next time, rescue me sooner,” Zhuo Yan said, his head still spinning from the crowd. He adjusted his basket and told A-Yin to lead the way.

Aman and Shi Tou flanked him on either side. Aman chuckled, “What do you mean by ‘rescue’ anyway?”

“I mean, come protect me sooner,” Zhuo Yan explained.

“No one was bullying you,” Shi Tou pointed out. “Did someone hit you where we couldn’t see?”

A-Yin, now worried, pawed at Zhuo Yan, trying to check him over. Zhuo Yan quickly reassured him, “No, no, I’m fine. I just meant that all their enthusiasm is exhausting—talking that much can be tiring.”

“I see,” Shi Tou replied, though he didn’t quite understand why Zhuo Yan found it tiring.

Aman was in high spirits and teased, “Maybe even eating meat today will be tiring.”

“Watch out, or your mom will scold you for that! How can eating meat be tiring?” Shi Tou retorted.

It was clear Shi Tou’s comment was a playful boast, given how much meat the hunting party had brought back today. For the Leopard Tribe, having so much meat was a blessing, and the idea of eating until you were tired was a sign of great fortune.

The meat distribution began in the village square.

This time, unlike the previous nighttime distributions, the event took place under the bright morning light. Zhuo Yan could finally see the square clearly—it was a large, flat expanse of red-brown earth, compacted and stained over time by countless bloodstains from past distributions. The ground was smooth, sturdy, and surprisingly clean.

The chief’s cave was situated on the slope behind the square, with his uncle’s cave just below it.

Beastmen had already begun separating the bones from the meat. Piles of meat were stacked together, resembling small mountains. The tusks of the elephant were set aside—they belonged to the tribe. Zhuo Yan recalled that back when his mother was still alive, the tribe used to trade tusks and hides for salt at the Feather People’s market. Salt was precious, and they always received only a little.

Now, it was time to line up for the meat. Last time, when the hunting party brought back a mammoth, Zhuo Yan and A-Yin received fifty pounds of meat. This time, with the gray elephant, they were given just over thirty pounds.

It seemed mammoths were much larger than gray elephants—though the mammoth they got last time had been just a calf.

Zhuo Yan shuddered at the thought of a fully grown mammoth.

This time, Uncle handed Zhuo Yan an enormous elephant bone. Feeling a bit embarrassed, Zhuo Yan mentioned that he was an adult now. According to Aman, once someone entered their heat, they were considered an adult. Zhuo Yan wanted to be respectful and let his uncle know.

“Take it,” Uncle said, his expression serious.

Zhuo Yan accepted it with both hands, feeling the weight of it. A-Yin nudged the bone with his head, and Uncle turned to him. “A-Yin, you’re growing up. Now that Zhuo Yan has taken you in, you have to grow up strong.”

“Awoo,” A-Yin responded with a determined nod.

“Off you go then,” Uncle said.

With that, Zhuo Yan and A-Yin left, carrying the massive elephant bone between them.

They didn’t head home right away. After waiting around for a little over ten minutes, Qiao finally emerged and waved, “Zhuo Yan, A-Yin, make sure you come this evening, okay?”

“Got it, Qiao-jie! We’ll be there for sure!” Zhuo Yan responded eagerly.

Qiao beamed, clearly excited. “Right here,” she pointed to a spot nearby.

“Wait, what?” Zhuo Yan blinked in confusion.

“I knew you’d be confused. This is where the tribe will gather to offer their blessings,” Qiao explained, smiling at his bewilderment.

Realizing the spot, Zhuo Yan nodded and mentioned bumping into A Bai and a few others earlier, who were curious about the new door to her home. Qiao brushed it off with a laugh, saying she would handle the visitors.

After a few more words, Qiao hurried off—there was plenty still to do. Before long, Shitou, Aman, and Xiao Xian also showed up, lugging heavy loads of meat. They exchanged greetings and began walking and chatting together.

“A Da caught three deer! And a silver-horned ox!” Xiao Xian exclaimed with wide-eyed envy.

Aman chuckled, “Looks like we’ll be eating well again tonight! Didn’t I say we’d be stuffed from eating all this meat?”

Shitou, eyes catching on the large elephant bone slung over Zhuo Yan’s shoulder, chimed in, “You got yourself a big bone there! You could make a bone knife from it—they’re super sharp. I noticed you only have a stone knife.”

Both Aman and Shitou had bone knives along with their stone ones, but they tended to save the bone knives for special use.

Zhuo Yan’s eyes lit up. He hadn’t thought of that. “A bone knife, huh?”

“You didn’t think of it?” Aman smirked.

“Nope,” Zhuo Yan admitted with a laugh. “I figured I’d just use it for soup or to give A-Yin something to chew on.”

“You want me to help you sharpen it tomorrow?” Shitou offered.

“Thanks! You can just show me how to do it,” Zhuo Yan replied, not one to refuse help.

After reaching a fork in the path, they said their goodbyes and headed home. A-Yin bounded ahead, carrying the elephant bone in his jaws, while Zhuo Yan, carrying the meat, trailed behind. Every now and then, A-Yin would run back to wait for him. Soon, they arrived at their cave.

The first thing Zhuo Yan did was check the stove—just in time, as the fire was about to go out. He added some wood and lifted the lid off the pot. The aroma of soup wafted out, but without salt, it was lacking flavor.

“A-Yin, do you want your meat raw or cooked?”

“Woof, woof!” A-Yin barked enthusiastically, signaling that he’d eat whatever his brother ate.

“All right, half raw, half cooked. It’s too hot to store much meat anyway,” Zhuo Yan mused. Maybe he could try smoking some later. He reduced the portion size, figuring there was no point in eating too much now, since they’d be feasting at Qiao’s place later.

He decided to simmer the rest of the meat slowly, rendering the fat and preserving the cooked meat for a couple of days—just like making lard, but with elephant meat. It’d last long enough for some fried dishes or stews.

This turned out to be a wise choice, as the evening brought a feast of roasted meat.

While waiting for the food to finish, A-Yin grabbed a bucket and dashed off to fetch water. By the time he returned, Zhuo Yan realized he had forgotten about the chickens and rabbits. He let the rabbits out of the cave and peered down the slope, spotting the hens pecking around for bugs. The rooster, however, was nowhere in sight—A-Yin had probably gone chasing after it.

Zhuo Yan served up the soup to cool, cleaned out the pot, and began slow-cooking the remaining elephant meat. The gray elephant meat was fattier than the woolly mammoth from last time, so it sizzled with oil in no time. He carefully tended the low fire.

“A-Yin!” he called out toward the slope.

A distant bark responded, and soon A-Yin sprinted back up the hill. Zhuo Yan chuckled when he saw his brother without the rooster, his fur covered in grass. “It’s okay if you lost it. Come eat first,” he said, ruffling A-Yin’s head.

A-Yin’s ears wiggled in frustration, but he quickly perked up when Zhuo Yan began pulling bits of grass out of his fur.

“Come here, let me get you cleaned up,” Zhuo Yan coaxed, rubbing A-Yin’s soft fur. “No more being mad. It’s all good.”

“Woof, woof!” A-Yin panted happily, clearly over the minor mishap. He had seven pounds of raw meat all to himself, while Zhuo Yan shared the roasted meat, eating a couple of pounds and giving A-Yin the rest. By the time the roast was gone, the soup had cooled, though it lacked flavor without salt. The rabbit liver broth tasted a bit gamey, but it was edible.

A-Yin drank it all, watching Zhuo Yan frown as he sipped. Noticing his brother’s distaste, A-Yin nudged his bowl, eager to drink the rest and spare him the unpleasantness.

“Go ahead,” Zhuo Yan sighed. “I can’t handle any more of this.”

With everything cleaned up, Zhuo Yan busied himself with the dishes, while A-Yin fetched more water. It was all quite efficient—wastewater was simply dumped into the nearby grass, and there was no non-degradable trash to worry about.

The smell of slow-cooked elephant meat filled the cave.

Once the cooking was done, Zhuo Yan put out the fire and realized there wasn’t a bowl large enough to hold all seven pounds of meat. He left it in the pot, deciding he wouldn’t be making soup anytime soon anyway. The heat was picking up, and he wasn’t in the mood for more cooking.

Their water buckets always remained full—A-Yin saw to that—and Zhuo Yan patted his furry companion’s ears. “No more water for today. How about a nap?”

With no patrol duties today and bellies full, the idea of an afternoon nap seemed perfect. There was work to be done, but Zhuo Yan figured he could take the day off—it wasn’t like he was working at some big company anymore.

They went inside for a nap, leaving the door open to let the sunshine spill in. The cave was pleasantly cool, the stone bed laid with mats, and ever since moving the cooking fire outside, the space no longer smelled of smoke. As Zhuo Yan drifted off, his thoughts turned to Qiao’s home, which had been filled with a lovely scent after she baked something. He made a mental note to ask her what it was so he could do the same in his own cave.

With those thoughts swirling in his mind, Zhuo Yan fell into a deep, peaceful sleep. Nestled beside the furry A-Yin, he’d occasionally let go when he got too warm, only to pull his brother close again, even draping a leg over him.

A-Yin’s blue eyes remained fixed on Zhuo Yan’s peaceful face, full of affection.

“Brother sleeps so soundly,” A-Yin thought happily, his tail wagging. Leaning in, he gave his sleeping brother a soft lick.

He really did smell nice.

Zhuo Yan had a really deep nap, and when he woke up, A-Yin wasn’t in the cave. Stretching lazily, he stepped outside, and to his surprise, the rooster had returned. Its feathers were all ruffled, and it had a wound on its head.

It definitely wasn’t A-Yin’s doing—more like the poor thing had fallen or scraped itself.

The rooster was sulking inside the pen, looking miserable. In just a few days, it seemed to have lost a lot of weight. Zhuo Yan wondered if he should let it go, but in its current state, that wasn’t an option.

The rooster’s wing was injured, leaving it flightless and defenseless—it wouldn’t survive outside.

“If you’re really that miserable, maybe tomorrow A-Yin and I will eat you,” Zhuo Yan said, glancing at the pen.

It wasn’t that he was heartless. Life in the wild was just like that.

After reflecting on nature’s harsh realities for a few moments, Zhuo Yan heard A-Yin’s low growling in the distance. Curious, he followed the sound and found the big leopard crouching by the twisted tree, scolding two terrified rabbits.

When A-Yin saw him, the leopard immediately switched to a pitiful expression.

“Awuu~ Awuu~ These rabbits are so dumb, brother. They can’t even dig a proper burrow!”

Zhuo Yan looked at the two trembling rabbits and sighed.

“It’s fine, A-Yin. You don’t have to babysit them. Let them figure it out.”

A-Yin let out a huff and bounded up to Zhuo Yan, clearly frustrated with the “stupid” rabbits. Zhuo Yan patted his head with a chuckle. “Alright, don’t be mad. We need to get ready for Qiao and Ada’s ceremony.”

It would be his first time attending one.

After gathering some bubble leaves, Zhuo Yan headed to a quiet spot by the river to wash up. He didn’t bother bathing A-Yin—a leopard doesn’t need a daily bath. Instead, he wiped the big cat’s face and cleaned his teeth.

By the time they were done, it was nearly time for the ceremony. Zhuo Yan locked the cave door and herded the two rabbits back into the chicken coop. A-Yin stood by the pen, staring down the rooster and the rabbits, making them all quiver in fear. Then, as if nothing had happened, A-Yin wagged his tail and happily trotted beside Zhuo Yan.

When they arrived at the plaza, the sun was setting, casting a fiery glow across the sky.

Qiao was radiant, wearing a new leather skirt with a crown of grass around her hair. Green and white paint adorned the skin beneath her eyes, and she was surrounded by the tribe, her face glowing with happiness and vitality.

“Zhuo Yan, you’re here!” Qiao greeted him with a bright smile.

“Qiao, you look absolutely stunning today.”

“Thank you.” She beamed, showing off her pearly white teeth. “Oh, Ada brought back some bubble-leaf trees. I saved you one to take home.”

Zhuo Yan gladly accepted, and they chatted briefly about how to plant the tree. Soon, more of Qiao’s friends arrived, and she had to excuse herself to greet them. Shi Tou, Aman, and Xiao Xian also showed up. After exchanging greetings with Qiao, the four of them huddled together to chat.

“There are so many beastmen here today.”

“Aman, Yu is here too!”

Zhuo Yan perked up at the familiar name. He watched as Aman lightly punched Shi Tou, and it finally clicked—Yu was Aman’s brother-in-law. Intrigued, Zhuo Yan couldn’t help but ask, “Where?”

Xiao Xian was more than happy to point out the young man. “That one, the shorter one. Yu’s a leopard shifter too.”

Zhuo Yan glanced over and saw him. Yu looked about seventeen or eighteen, with a youthful face and a pair of sharp, playful eyes. His golden curls caught the evening light, and though he wasn’t particularly tall—around 1.88 or 1.9 meters—he had a charming, energetic presence. He was chatting animatedly with another tall beastman, dimples flashing when he smiled.

“Not bad, Aman. Your brother-in-law looks pretty decent,” Zhuo Yan teased, knowing Aman had been keeping an eye on Yu’s social life.

Xiao Xian nodded vigorously. “Exactly, exactly.”

Aman looked embarrassed, and Shi Tou burst out laughing, which only earned him a hard shove from Aman that nearly sent him flying. But Shi Tou wasn’t mad. Friendly scuffles like this were common among beastmen and half-beastmen. In fact, they often turned into full-on wrestling matches just for fun.

“Why’d you push me? It was Zhuo Yan who said it!”

“You were laughing the loudest!”

They bickered back and forth, but Zhuo Yan quickly intervened. “Aman, Yu’s coming over!”

Aman immediately froze, unsure what to do. Yu walked over with a cheerful greeting. “Hey Aman, you’re here too.”

“Yeah, I’m here,” Aman replied awkwardly. “You too, huh?”

Yu flashed a bright smile. “Yeah, they’re serving deer tonight. I caught one myself, Aman.”

“You’re getting pretty good.”

“I’m only going to get better, Aman. I’ll catch even more game. Don’t worry.”

Aman shot back without hesitation, “Why would I worry? Your hunting doesn’t concern me.”

Yu scratched the back of his head, suddenly shy. “Well, I’ll be an adult next year, Aman.”

“We’ll see when next year comes.”

And just like that, the conversation died.

Zhuo Yan, Shi Tou, and Xiao Xian were eavesdropping on the entire exchange. When Yu finally left to join the other beastmen, glancing briefly at A-Yin, they couldn’t help but snicker at how awkward the conversation had been.

“Zhuo Yan, now I get why you love listening to everyone’s gossip,” Xiao Xian suddenly said, excitement in his voice.

“Huh?” Zhuo Yan blinked, momentarily confused.

Xiao Xian grinned. “Watching Aman talk to Yu was so entertaining!”

Zhuo Yan tried to warn Xiao Xian with a look, but it was too late. Aman had already cuffed Xiao Xian’s ear and knocked him on the head. Xiao Xian clutched his head in protest, glaring at Aman, who simply asked, “Still think it’s funny?”

“Hmph!” Xiao Xian huffed, still fuming.

While they continued playfully arguing, the plaza grew even more lively. On the other side, the beastmen were huddled together, chatting away. Though it was hard to hear over the noise, Zhuo Yan caught bits and pieces of the conversation. Some of the beastmen were teasing Yu, saying things like, “What are you doing here?” or “Even the white cub found a half-beast partner.”

Zhuo Yan discreetly patted A-Yin’s ears, covering them from the rude remarks.

But A-Yin had already heard it all. He didn’t care where the beastmen stood. He only wanted to stand by his brother’s side.

The entire tribe had come out for the event, even those who weren’t invited were here to join in the excitement. A bonfire blazed in the center of the square, and as night fell, Ada and Qiao, surrounded by young beastmen and sub-beastmen, slowly made their way to the middle.

The tribe leader began speaking, but Zhuo Yan didn’t quite understand the words. The deep, resonant voice seemed to lull him into a trance. His mind drifted to a vast grassland, where animals roamed freely, drinking from a river under the warm sun. Everything felt peaceful—there was no hunger, no conflict, just serenity.

In the midst of the field, by the water’s edge, stood a tree. As the stars appeared in the night sky, the tree began to glow with tiny lights, like the very essence of life itself. Zhuo Yan blinked, and the vision faded. He found himself back in the square, just as the tribe leader finished his chant. With a gentle smile, the leader reached out and marked Ada and Qiao’s foreheads with a red symbol.

Cheers erupted around them, and everyone clapped and offered their blessings. Aman nudged Zhuo Yan, bringing him back to reality. “Zhuo Yan, there’ll be roasted venison soon! What happened to you just now?”

“Huh?” Zhuo Yan still hadn’t fully shaken off the vision.

Xiao Xian laughed, “You looked a bit spaced out back there.”

Zhuo Yan frowned, trying to explain. “Didn’t you guys feel it too? When the tribe leader was blessing them, his voice—it was so pure, so steady. It felt like my soul drifted somewhere else for a moment.”

Aman, Xiao Xian, and Shi Tou all looked at him, clearly confused.

“Where? What do you mean by ‘soul’?”

“There he goes again, saying weird things,” Aman shrugged, dismissing it quickly, eager to get to the venison. He excitedly recommended which parts would taste the best, leaving Zhuo Yan to wonder if he had been the only one to experience that strange sensation.

The evening grew livelier with cheers and laughter. At one point, the beastmen let out a collective roar of approval. Zhuo Yan looked over and saw Ada presenting Qiao with a silver horn under the moonlight. It shimmered like it held the entire starlit sky.

“Wow! That’s a silver-horned bull!”

“You could trade that for a ton of salt at the Winged People’s market!”

“They love pretty things like that!”

“Yeah, but they always complain about our furs. These Winged People can fly all the way to the Sea Tribe for salt, but they’re so picky about what they want in return.”

“Doesn’t matter. This silver horn was a gift from Ada to Qiao, no way she’d trade it.”

“I heard Ada’s been tracking that bull since last autumn! He never gave up.”

“Qiao is so lucky!” someone sighed.

Meanwhile, Zhuo Yan was happily munching on the venison Aman and Shi Tou had brought over. The meat was roasted to perfection with a hint of garlic. “There’s garlic in this,” Zhuo Yan said, impressed.

Other sub-beastmen had noticed the flavor too.

“This roast tastes amazing today.”

“It’s way better than what we make at home.”

“Maybe it’s because it’s venison?”

“No, I heard Qiao added something called garlic.”

“What’s garlic?”

A curious beastman went straight to Ada to find out why today’s roast was so flavorful. Qiao smiled and explained, “It’s something Zhuo Yan discovered—wild garlic and green onions from the mountain. They give the meat a slight kick but make it so fragrant.”

“It really is delicious. Could you show me what it looks like?”

“Of course. Ada can bring you some later, and you can even plant it yourself.”

“Plant it?” The beastman looked puzzled.

Qiao patiently explained, “Zhuo Yan thought of it. He’s very clever. If you plant it near your cave, you’ll always have fresh garlic when you’re roasting meat.”

The beastman seemed amazed by the idea and complimented, “That Zhuo Yan is a smart one!”

Qiao nearly mentioned that Zhuo Yan already had a partner but was distracted by another conversation and let it slide. After all, no one would want to choose a mate based solely on how good their roast meat tasted, right?

And so, the night unfolded with laughter and warmth—a classic primitive beastman barbecue party.

Zhuo Yan alternated between the roasted venison and the rare silver-horned bull meat, curious to taste the difference. At first, he couldn’t tell much apart, but as he neared the end of his skewer, he reached a chunk of silver-horned bull that had been roasted perfectly—just slightly undercooked, with no salt. It was incredibly tender and rich in flavor.

Now this was delicious.

As the evening wore on, Zhuo Yan learned from the other sub-beastmen that not all beastmen and sub-beastmen formed lifelong partnerships. Some lived together, had children, and split up if things didn’t work out, eventually finding new partners to raise more children with. It wasn’t the same as the life bond that came with a blessing from the tribe leader—like the one his parents had. After his father passed, Zhuo Yan’s mother had stayed single, committed to the bond they had formed.

In contrast, A-Yin’s mother was from the wolf tribe and had lived with a beastman from the leopard tribe, but they never went through the life bond ceremony. Still, the tribe referred to them as mates for convenience.

This was how life worked in the beastman world—simple, yet filled with unspoken layers of connection.