Chapter 93

Zhuo Yan quickly realized just how painful “a little pain but not painful” actually was.

…Hmm, that was quite a tongue twister.

Not long after Daen left, Zhuo Yan started feeling nervous. Since all three of them had conceived around the same time, and now that Qiao and Aman had already given birth, his anxiety doubled.

A-Yin noticed and brought over a chair to the cave entrance, letting his brother sit there.

Ever since winter, his brother didn’t like staying inside the cave, and now the sun outside was warm and pleasant. A-Yin changed the subject and asked what his brother wanted for lunch. “I’ll go pick some bamboo shoots. Brother, let’s have stir-fried bamboo shoots with salted pork, and I can also steam some yellow rice.”

His brother liked this dish.

For a moment, Zhuo Yan was happy, but then he suddenly thought of something and quickly called A-Yin back. “What if you leave, and I— I start giving birth? Don’t go.”

He felt a little scared.

A-Yin’s eyes flashed with regret—he had actually forgotten about that. His brother was right.

That day, while cooking, A-Yin kept glancing at his brother from time to time. He didn’t dare stray too far and frequently asked how his brother was doing. By evening, Zhuo Yan felt like he had been overly tense the whole day.

“I’m fine… really. Go wash the dishes.” After a whole day of this, he had built up enough reassurance.

Seeing that his brother was alright, A-Yin grabbed the wooden bucket in his mouth and dashed off, hurrying to the river to wash the dishes before rushing back to check on him again.

Zhuo Yan: Nothing happened.

It seemed like they had been worrying too much.

At night, everything was just as usual—washing up and going to bed. Zhuo Yan stared at his stomach. When lying down, his belly didn’t seem very big. He thought about the three glowing dots from the Tree of Life, comparing their placement to the curve of his abdomen, and started doubting whether he had seen it wrong.

Maybe those three glowing dots had scattered onto him, Qiao, and Aman.

…But he still clearly remembered the moment it happened. They had all landed on him. Could this belly curve really hold three babies? Zhuo Yan fell into deep thought.

Beside him, A-Yin shifted into his beast form and began kneading his brother’s stomach with his paws. His brother liked the feeling of soft, fluffy fur.

Half-asleep, Zhuo Yan drifted off into slumber. Seeing that his brother had fallen asleep, A-Yin carefully shifted back into his human form and gently held him. Zhuo Yan slept deeply and peacefully, his rest unusually sweet.

But in the latter half of the night, his once calm and serene sleeping face suddenly tensed—his brows furrowed.

He dreamt that his belly had turned into a balloon, and someone pricked it with a needle.

With a loud pop, the balloon burst.

Zhuo Yan jolted awake, his heart pounding. Almost at the same moment, A-Yin woke up as well.

“Brother?”

Zhuo Yan instinctively reached for his belly, his face filled with worry. He had thought his biggest fear was the anxiety of giving birth, but in that dream, the sharp pain of the needle felt so real—it terrified him. Not because of the pain, but because he was afraid of losing his babies.

His belly was still round and smooth.

Thank goodness.

Zhuo Yan let out a breath of relief. It was just a dream.

But in the very next second, a wave of sharp, prickling pain surged through him.

“A-Yin—!”

A-Yin was panicking, running in circles before grabbing his brother’s hand and helping him sit up. Zhuo Yan groaned, urging A-Yin not to move him. The two of them froze in place, completely still.

After a few seconds, the pain suddenly disappeared. Zhuo Yan let out a relieved breath. In the darkness, he could make out A-Yin’s face, filled with worry and panic. Unable to help himself, he gave a reassuring smile and said, “It doesn’t hurt anymore. I think it was just another false alarm—”

“Awoo~”

A soft, weak beastly cry echoed.

Zhuo Yan: ……

His eyes widened in an instant, and A-Yin’s did too.

“I-I-I think I just gave birth.”

“You check!”

A-Yin, who had been fully focused on his brother’s expression, immediately shifted his gaze downward at Zhuo Yan’s legs. There, on the stone bed, was a tiny, wet little bundle—much smaller than a grass mouse.

For a moment, it didn’t move at all.

Zhuo Yan was a little scared. That tiny cry just now had been so faint. “A-Yin—”

“Brother, don’t be afraid. I’ll check. I heard from Ada that newborns need to be licked clean.”

A-Yin shifted into his beast form, carefully picking up the tiny cub in his mouth and bringing it closer to Zhuo Yan. Then, with gentle and patient strokes, he slowly licked away the sticky membrane covering the newborn.

The little one remained completely still. No movement, no sound for a long time.

Zhuo Yan’s heart sank. Fear crept in as he hesitantly reached out and touched the tiny cub. It was so small—much smaller than Xiaopan or Xiaoyan…

Why wasn’t it making any noise?

Terror gripped Zhuo Yan’s heart. A-Yin continued licking carefully, silently praying to the heavens for their cub to be safe. His brother was so worried and afraid right now—please, little one, you have to live.

“Awoo~”

At last, a soft, delicate cry broke the silence.

Zhuo Yan’s tightly clenched hands relaxed in an instant. “A-Yin… was that him?”

“Yes, brother. That was the cub’s cry.”

Zhuo Yan gently touched the newborn cub. A-Yin had already licked away the mucus. The tiny creature, no larger than a palm, hadn’t even opened its eyes yet. It lay in the center of his hand, its slow and faint breathing making Zhuo Yan feel a brief moment of relief before his heart tightened again.

Neither of them dared to breathe too loudly, watching the fragile cub in his palm with tense apprehension.

Zhuo Yan was truly afraid. He kissed the cub gently, his fingers lightly stroking it as he whispered, “You have to live. No matter what, you must survive—healthy and strong.”

After a long while, the little cub let out a soft whimper—awoo~—so faint and weak, yet as if trying to tell its father that it would do its best to survive.

Zhuo Yan’s eyes turned red. He turned to A-Yin and said, “Go start a fire. It’s too cold.”

It was early spring, and the nights were still cold for a newborn cub.

A-Yin hurried to start a fire. Zhuo Yan pulled a fur over and carefully placed the cub on top of it. He leaned in gently, using his body warmth to keep the cub warm. The little one let out another soft whimper, a very faint sound.

A smile appeared on Zhuo Yan’s face as he whispered, “A-Yin, he’s going to be okay. He made a sound—did you hear it?”

“I heard it, brother. He’ll grow up strong and healthy.”

The fire flickered to life in the cave, its glow growing brighter and warmer, casting light on Zhuo Yan’s profile. His expression was soft as he whispered, “Let’s name him Kang Kang, shall we?”

“Zhuo Kang? That sounds great, brother.”

At that moment, Zhuo Yan was only thinking about little Kang Kang growing up healthy and strong. He didn’t even notice that A-Yin had added an extra character in front of the name. It wasn’t until much later, when the cubs had grown and taken on human form, that A-Yin explained—because the character from his brother’s name sounded really nice.

The little cub let out a soft whimper, as if in response.

Zhuo Kang.

Zhuo Yan and A-Yin were both overjoyed. They exchanged a glance and tiptoed over to check on Kang Kang. Zhuo Yan was so focused on Kang Kang that, at this moment, he completely forgot about the “three glowing spots” and even the dull ache in his stomach—it was as if he couldn’t feel any pain at all.

Until—

A loud, piercing howl echoed through the cave, sharp as a death knell. The cry was strong and insistent. Zhuo Yan and A-Yin froze, startled. Between Zhuo Yan’s legs, a tiny cub, not receiving any response, continued to wail with relentless persistence.

“Hurry, hurry!”

“You lick him!”

A-Yin had already shifted into his beast form, carefully carrying the wailing cub in his mouth and bringing him over to his brother. This cub’s eyes were already open, and he let out a series of cries. He was half a size bigger than Kang Kang, still covered in birth fluids, yet instinctively butting his head against Zhuo Yan’s arm.

Zhuo Yan: …

Heh.

He couldn’t help but laugh.

A-Yin laughed too.

After A-Yin finished licking him clean, Zhuo Yan held the second cub in his hands. Though just born, the little one could already open his eyes. His pupils were misty and still covered with a thin membrane. Under the dim light in the cave, Zhuo Yan saw that the second cub was a small spotted leopard, with a single tuft of white fur on his forehead.

At this stage, the little cub couldn’t actually see yet, but he wobbled around, sniffing for the familiar scent of others. Wrapped in fur, Kang Kang let out a faint whimper. The second cub grew anxious and began howling loudly, his cries urgent as he clumsily bumped his head around, searching for Kang Kang.

Zhuo Yan chuckled and reached out to pet the little one. He guided the cub’s tiny head and placed him together with Kang Kang. The second cub plopped down with a soft thud, then shakily got back up, immediately butting his head—

“Careful, don’t bump into your big brother,” Zhuo Yan said softly.

The second cub plopped right onto his older brother, making Kang Kang let out a soft, kitten-like mewl—brighter than when he was just born. Zhuo Yan instinctively reached out to move the younger cub away but paused when he heard Kang Kang’s cries settle. He carefully observed the two little ones nestled in the fur.

“Awuuu, awuuu~” The second cub howled loudly.

“Meowuu, meowuu~” Kang Kang whimpered softly.

The second cub stood up again, this time more steadily. He wobbled as he shifted his tiny body, then finally flopped down—his rear end landing right on Kang Kang’s head. He let out another howl. Kang Kang, however, didn’t make a sound this time.

Zhuo Yan: …What kind of position is this?

But after watching for a moment, he realized Kang Kang didn’t seem uncomfortable. In fact, he had fallen asleep.

Well, in that case, Zhuo Yan decided to leave them be.

“Second one is really lively,” Zhuo Yan murmured as he gazed at the two little furballs—one big, one small. The second cub was indeed half a size larger than Kang Kang.

A-Yin let out a soft hum in agreement, lying by the bedside and watching his brother.

“Let’s call him Le Le,” Zhuo Yan said. In the past, he had racked his brain trying to come up with cool and impressive names, but when Kang Kang was born, all thoughts of flashy names disappeared. All that remained was his wish for the child’s well-being.

He wished for the eldest to grow up healthy and strong.

The second cub, however, already looked sturdy. Zhuo Yan recalled Lin Rong mentioning that when Xiaopan and Xiaoyan were born, they could barely stand. Meanwhile, his own second cub was like a little war god, already wobbling to his feet and headbutting people—even if it was more of a kitten-like nuzzle than anything painful.

So, he wished for the second cub to grow up happy and full of joy.

A-Yin nodded. “Zhuo Le.”

The two of them huddled together, watching the tiny cubs nestled in the fur. The little ones were unbearably cute, and no matter how long they looked, it never felt like enough. Eventually, both cubs grew tired and drifted off into a deep sleep.

Zhuo Yan watched them for a while before sleepiness crept up on him as well. Just before dozing off, he vaguely felt like he was forgetting something…

Until the first ray of morning sunlight streamed into the cave—

A loud, sharp howl rang out.

Zhuo Yan, a light sleeper, woke up with a jolt. His first instinct was to check the fur bundle beside him—

Only to see Le Le biting down on Kang Kang’s butt.

Zhuo Yan: …

“Awuuu, awuuu~”

Wait—if it wasn’t the two cubs, then—

“Brother, you gave birth again!” A-Yin exclaimed. As soon as he finished speaking, he shifted into his beast form and, with practiced ease, reached down between Zhuo Yan’s legs to pick up a third cub. Carefully, he carried it over and placed it beside Zhuo Yan’s hand.

Zhuo Yan stared at the third cub, and at last, he remembered what he had forgotten before falling asleep.

Wait a minute—was it even possible for sub-beastmen to give birth with such a long delay? He had already taken a nap! Unable to help himself, he examined the newborn carefully.

The third cub was about the same size as Le Le, mouth slightly open as if momentarily forgetting how to cry. After a few seconds, it let out a soft “awuuu,” then after another pause, repeated the sound.

By now, the morning light was streaming into the cave, illuminating the little one’s features as A-Yin licked away the birthing fluids.

Revealed beneath was a cub covered in pure white, downy fur—

A wolf?

Zhuo Yan and A-Yin locked eyes.

“He looks like you,” Zhuo Yan said.

A-Yin furrowed his brows slightly, a hint of frustration in his expression. He didn’t like that. He wished the cub looked more like Zhuo Yan instead.

Zhuo Yan understood. A-Yin had suffered too much in his childhood. Gently, he reached out and stroked A-Yin’s head.

A-Yin turned to look at his brother.

Zhuo Yan said seriously, “Wolf cubs are very cute. Looking like A-Yin is a good thing—I like it very much.”

The morning light grew brighter, breaking through the darkness of the cave through the wooden door.

The third cub now had a name—

“Let’s call him Zhuo Buhei,” Zhuo Yan said as he gazed at the pure white little wolf cub.

Now, they even had a name with a cool flair.

A-Yin agreed to everything, carefully examining the cubs. All three were adorable—they were his and his brother’s little ones.

As the cave door opened wide, sunlight poured in. Zhuo Yan remained on the stone bed, tending to the cubs, while A-Yin went to fetch water. He planned to prepare some warm dududu fruit juice and, in a few days, add a tiny bit of meat paste.

Meanwhile, inside the cave, a three-part chorus was underway. Most of the loud “awuuu” cries came from Le Le and Buhei. The two were about the same size, both full of energy. Buhei, however, was even more lively, swishing his fluffy, oversized tail—right into Le Le’s face.

Zhuo Yan: … What is with this? The second cub had barely been born before he started shoving his butt in his older brother’s face too.

Le Le headbutted Buhei. Buhei, unable to stay standing, flopped over and let out a loud “awuuu” in protest.

A barely audible, soft “meow~” sounded—it was the eldest, Kangkang, calling out.

Zhuo Yan quickly rushed to rescue Kangkang, but the moment he lifted him into his palm, Lele and Buhei cried out even louder. Hesitantly, Zhuo Yan placed Kangkang back down, and the second and third cubs immediately snuggled up against their older brother.

Well, at least Kangkang seemed to be doing fine among them.

By the time A-Yin arrived with the dudu fruit juice, Zhuo Yan began feeding them one by one. Now that the eldest cub had survived the night, with the cave too dark before and Kangkang being so tiny, Zhuo Yan had only been focused on his health. But now, under the morning light, he finally noticed—although Kangkang was a leopard cub, he actually resembled A-Yin the most.

His entire coat was silver-white, with faint, delicate rosette markings.

Kangkang struggled to drink the dudu fruit juice, barely knowing how. Fortunately, Zhuo Yan had experience assisting with kittens before. He moistened a piece of soft fur and carefully fed him drop by drop, even though Kangkang drank slowly and with great effort.

“Awuuu, awuuu~”

“Awooo awooo awooo~”

The second and third cubs cried out loudly, likely smelling the food. Zhuo Yan handed the task over to A-Yin to feed them.

A-Yin carried a large bowl in one hand while holding Lele in the other. Buhei, drawn by the enticing aroma, staggered over, nearly diving headfirst into the bowl. A-Yin quickly lifted him up, while Lele let out another “awuu”—he was just shy of jumping in for a bath.

“…Use a plate instead, A-Yin. Let them lie down to eat,” Zhuo Yan suggested.

He could tell these two didn’t need the same careful feeding method as their older brother. A-Yin followed his advice, switching the bowl for a plate. The two little ones lay on the fur, one letting out an “awuu,” the other an “awoo.” Meanwhile, the third cub shoved his tail into the second cub’s mouth, and the second responded by headbutting the tail.

“……” Zhuo Yan had a feeling the cave was going to be quite lively from now on.

The warm plate of dudu fruit juice was placed on the stone bed. A-Yin carefully set the two cubs beside it, and though their eyes were still clouded by a thin membrane and couldn’t see, they instinctively buried their heads into the plate and eagerly lapped at the juice with their tiny tongues.

Meanwhile, Kangkang was still struggling to drink.

Zhuo Yan took his time feeding him, his patience unwavering. Once Kangkang had had enough, he gently placed him back down, deciding to feed him in small, frequent portions.

As for the second and third cubs, after drinking their fill, they sprawled out on their backs, legs in the air, dozing off in a haphazard heap. One of them even smacked his lips in satisfaction, savoring the lingering taste.

But—

Zhuo Yan picked up Lele and immediately: “!!!”

“A-Yin, come look at this!”

“What? What’s wrong?” A-Yin rushed over, worried something had happened to the cub. But Lele seemed perfectly fine.

Zhuo Yan carefully spread the little one’s belly fur and said to A-Yin, “Our second cub doesn’t have… you know, balls!”

“Yeah, of course not,” A-Yin was briefly confused before suddenly panicking. “Wait, is Lele missing them? Why—why is he different from you and me?”

“No, no,” Zhuo Yan reassured him after a careful check. A-Yin looked genuinely worried that the cub might be “incomplete,” so Zhuo Yan quickly explained, “It’s not that! Lele is just like Qiao—she’s a little girl.”

A-Yin let out a breath of relief. “Oh… As long as she’s not missing anything.”

Zhuo Yan’s eyes sparkled—he had a daughter!

A daughter who headbutted people like a little war god.

After carefully checking, the eldest and youngest were both boys. As for whether they would grow up to be beastmen or sub-beastmen, that was still unknown. In this world, gender didn’t matter much—what truly mattered was secondary differentiation.

When Zhuo Yan gave birth to the eldest, the pain was the strongest. With the second, he had been so nervous that he forgot about it. And with the third… he hadn’t even realized it had happened.

That noon, Zhuo Yan sent A-Yin to share the good news with their friends. Just like Ada and Daen, A-Yin hurriedly ran off, delivered the message, and rushed right back. But he had managed to share the cubs’ names.

Meanwhile, in the tribe—

“What? Zhuo Yan gave birth?”

“Yeah, yeah! A-Yin ran over to tell us. What were the names again? I forgot.”

“I remember! Kang Kang, Le Le, and Bu Hei—”

“Zhuo Yan had three cubs?!”

“Huh?”

It was difficult to conceive cubs, and within the tribe, it was believed that only the strongest beastmen and sub-beastmen could bear children. Having multiple cubs was also seen as a sign of great strength in both parents. Twins had been seen before, but never a set of three.

“But… Zhuo Yan is very smart, I know that, but he and A-Yin don’t seem that strong.”
“Yeah, A-Yin isn’t even taller than Maha.”
“Could it be because of the hot spring water?”
“Who knows?”

Everyone was simply curious about how Zhuo Yan and A-Yin had managed to have three cubs. The news quickly spread throughout the entire tribe.

When the chief heard about it, he was only filled with joy. Holding his mate’s hand, A-Su understood—strength wasn’t just about physical appearance.

“The tribe is in Zhuo Yan’s hands now—you can rest assured,” A-Su said.

The chief smiled brightly and nodded. “Now we just have to wait for the other three tribes to arrive.”

A-Su was happy as well.

The cubs were adorable. Le Le and Bu Hei were almost no trouble at all—whenever they were hungry, one would howl, and the other would yelp. A-Yin had prepared a dish of dudu fruit juice, and the two cubs would bury their heads in it and drink on their own. Meanwhile, Zhuo Yan spent the entire day feeding Kang Kang frequently, in very small amounts. Kang Kang would lick a few times, quickly get tired, and stop drinking.

Zhuo Yan didn’t force him. Whenever Kang Kang got hungry and let out a faint, milky cry, he would continue feeding him.

Because of this, they kept a fire burning at the hearth all day to keep the dudu fruit juice warm.

Newborn cubs did nothing but eat and sleep, only relieving themselves in small amounts, so there wasn’t much of a smell. Zhuo Yan had A-Yin bring in some fine soil, and Le Le and Bu Hei instinctively urinated on it.

Zhuo Yan had spent the entire day resting in the cave. He figured that since he had just given birth, he should at least take a few extra days to recover, even though the tribe had no custom of postpartum confinement.

He is now the father of three little cubs.

That night, his little warrior daughter, who specialized in headbutting, howled loudly. With precise aim, she used her head to bump into her eldest brother’s butt—not too hard, though. Her big brother was too tired to react and only let out the occasional meow.

Then, the iron-headed daughter went to headbutt her younger brother’s butt instead.

Zhuo Yan was amused and pinched the second cub. “Why do you like your brothers’ butts so much? Don’t you think they stink?”

“Awoo! Awoo!” The little girl called out with great energy.

The third cub, who wasn’t dark-colored, had a big, fluffy tail and liked to drape it over his eldest brother. Meanwhile, the second cub, Lele, loved to nestle his head behind his brothers’ butts when he slept. Zhuo Yan couldn’t understand it. No matter how he adjusted them, the second cub would always find the perfect spot.

The den was already getting lively.

By the next morning, the blue membrane over Lele’s eyes had faded. This time, all three cubs slept together, with Lele nudging his head against his two brothers’ heads as they dozed off.

Zhuo Yan watched in silence for a moment before asking A-Yin, “Was it because the blue membrane over her eyes hadn’t faded yet, so she could only rely on her sense of smell? And since Big Brother and Third Brother’s butts smell a little stronger, she was able to find the right spot?”

“…Yes…”

Zhuo Yan: “When you were little…”

A-Yin froze in shock. He tried to recall whether he had done the same when he was a cub, but he had been too young to remember. Besides, he was an only child—he had no siblings.

Zhuo Yan was teasing him on purpose. A-Yin had been tense these past two days, and Zhuo Yan couldn’t help but want to make him relax. He said, “They will grow up safe and healthy.”

“Mm.” A-Yin smiled, climbed into bed, and hugged his older brother, giving him a lick.

Zhuo Yan hadn’t bathed since yesterday, only brushed his teeth, and he was a little embarrassed, knowing he had sweated. But A-Yin didn’t mind at all—he licked his brother again and said, “Brother, all the cubs are alive. We will watch them grow up together. I will do my best to protect you and them.”

“I believe in you. We’ll protect our cubs together.”

The second cub was the first to shed the blue membrane over his eyes. By the next morning, the third cub could see as well. His big, fluffy tail stretched toward his second sister’s mouth, while the second cub rested his head against the eldest brother’s butt. The eldest, Kangkang, curled up into a small ball and slept soundly.

A new day began.

That morning, Zhuo Yan got out of bed and moved around. By noon, he had boiled hot water and cleaned himself up, feeling refreshed. His stomach was flat, there was no discomfort between his legs, and his body felt just as it did before—unlike yesterday. Yesterday, he had barely gone to the bathroom, and his backside had been a little numb. He hadn’t even dared to touch it.

Today, he was back to normal.

The eldest, Kangkang, was a silver leopard. The second, Lele, was a spotted leopard with a tuft of white fur on his head. The third, Buhei, looked just like a silver wolf cub.

That day, their family of five continued their peaceful life in the cave.

On the fourth day, Shitou arrived with Baoxue and Xiao Xian. Even before they reached the cave entrance, lively chatter could already be heard. Baoxue flapped his wings and was the first to fly inside.

Once inside, Zhuo Yan was delighted to see the two of them, and they were just as happy. They shared updates about Qiao and Aman, whom they had visited yesterday.

“Fengling is a spotted leopard, just like Ada.”

That meant he was a boy.

“Taige is just like Qiao—a little tiger.”

That meant his younger sister was a girl.

Zhuo Yan held up his little nest of cubs for the two to see. “Let’s go outside.” The sun was shining just right, and there was no wind—perfect weather to bring Kangkang out as well.

A-Yin moved the table and chairs outside.

Baoxue landed on the table, his fluffy head leaning in to sniff the three furry cubs. Just then, Lele stood up and headbutted Baoxue. Baoxue was startled but didn’t back away. Instead, he stared at Lele with wide, round eyes.

“Awoo!” Lele growled fiercely.

Baoxue responded, “Awoo~”

The adults simply watched as the cubs got to know each other. It seemed like they had their own natural way of socializing—sniffing, licking, and curiously nudging one another. After greeting Lele and Buhei, Baoxue finally turned his attention to the tiny bundle nestled in the fur—Kangkang.

Shitou and Xiao Xian felt their hearts sink the moment they saw Kangkang.

He was too small—so very small, even tinier than Baoxue had been when he hatched from his egg. Their eyes were filled with worry. Zhuo Yan met their gaze and gave them a nod. “Kangkang is the eldest. He was the first one I gave birth to. His cries were so faint that I almost thought… he wasn’t there.”

“I hope he grows up healthy.”

Shitou said to Baoxue, “Baoxue, these are all your younger brothers and sisters. You have to take good care of Kangkang and not disturb him.”

Baoxue let out a soft “awoo” and snuggled into the fur, using his wings to cover Kangkang.

He was shielding Kangkang from the wind—like a father.

Lele and Buhei were curious and squeezed their way in, forming a small pile as they crawled under Baoxue’s wings to play. Muffled but loud “awoo” and “aoao” sounds filled the space, mixed with Kangkang’s faint baby-like cries.

“They’re having so much fun,” Xiao Xian said happily.

Shitou nodded. “Yeah. Baoxue has companions now. I took him to meet Fengling and Taige—he really likes them. Once the weather warms up and they’ve grown a bit, they’ll be able to play together.”

Zhuo Yan suddenly thought about the way things worked in this world—beast cubs could take on human form at four to five months old. That meant by summer or autumn, he would have three kids running around in human form, looking like seven or eight-year-olds.

At that point…

He might need to set up a kindergarten.

The days passed quickly, bright and sunny. In the tribe, the fields sprouted tender green seedlings, and the ramie and bamboo forests thrived. The surviving ramie plants grew wildly, while the newly planted ones took a little longer to catch up. The peacock tribe, being a leisurely bunch, spent their days in the weaving house alongside leopard beastmen and sub-beastmen, crafting handmade goods.

The leopard tribe resumed patrols and hunting. On one trip to Snow Deer Mountain, they brought back a piece of transparent stone. Meanwhile, among the team that had traveled at the end of winter, more than half of the sub-beastmen returned with good news—they were expecting cubs.

Out of twelve, eight were pregnant.

It seemed that the hot spring water could increase the chances of pregnancy. Zhuo Yan thought to himself that the leopard tribe’s kindergarten would soon be full.

The resting areas for the three tribes were renovated once again. Before the crops in the fields reached full maturity, the beastmen made a trip to the mammoth territory and brought back some concentrated salt mud. The tribe then began salt production.

Last spring, the lion tribe had arrived early, but this year, they had yet to show up. The chief speculated that the other three tribes were probably planning to take the salt mud and leave. However, just in case, the leopard tribe still boiled some white salt for storage. Even if the other tribes didn’t need it, they could still use it themselves.

“Are they not coming to our tribe this year?”

“We made so many things this time and even decorated the resting area. Are they really not coming?”

“I wanted to show A-Yan my new pants.”

“Yeah, me too.”

Hearing this, some of the sub-beastmen in the tribe felt a little disappointed. After all, they had been preparing for a long time.

Zhuo Yan, holding Kangkang in his arms, reassured them, “Don’t worry. Even if the other three tribes don’t trade for the ready-made white salt, they’ll still come by for a rest after traveling such a long way.”

“Really?”
“That’s great!”

Everyone trusted Zhuo Yan’s words and continued waiting for the other three tribes to arrive.

Just then, a sturdy, dark-skinned boy ran over and grabbed Zhuo Yan’s pants, calling out, “Uncle Zhuo Yan, is Kangbao feeling better?”

“He’s fine. He just ran too fast and choked a little earlier,” Zhuo Yan replied gently. Then, he looked down at Kangkang and asked, “Do you want to go play outside with Brother Baoxue? Your sister and little brother are there too. Do you want to go?”

Kangkang was two months old but only the size of a typical one-month-old cub. He was even smaller than his sister Lele had been at that age. His steps were still wobbly, making him look like a tiny, fragile cub. Eating meat often upset his stomach, causing pain and diarrhea.

Zhuo Yan worried about him constantly and kept him close at all times.

“Awoo~” Kangkang let out a soft, weak cry.

Zhuo Yan could tell that Kangkang wanted to play with Baoxue and the others. He was about to set him down when Baoxue stretched out his arms.

“Uncle Zhuo Yan, let me carry Kangbao. I can run really fast, so he won’t get winded.”

“Alright, I’ll leave him to you.” Zhuo Yan handed Kangkang over to Baoxue.

Baoxue had first transformed into his human form a little over a month ago. He looked a lot like Shitou—strong, sturdy, and clearly the type to grow into a tall and powerful figure. His features weren’t as delicate and handsome as Kong Xingxing’s.

However, Boss Kong saw his mate and cubs through a thick filter of love. He insisted that Baoxue’s human form was absolutely perfect, saying he looked beautiful in every way.

Kong Huo and the others: “….”

A few years ago, when you were still on Peacock Mountain, Kong Xingxing, even you wouldn’t have believed yourself saying that!