“That’s right. It was all me,” Hu Zhong admitted with a twisted grin, his face distorted like a bloodthirsty beast. His expression was so eerie that it sent chills down everyone’s spine.

The chief’s face grew even darker.

“Why? The tribe has treated you well. You were born and raised here, and I valued you highly. Why would you betray us like this?”

“There’s no reason. The other tribe has many females, and they promised I could join them once I succeeded,” Huo Zhong replied with disdain. “Unlike here, where finding a mate is impossible, and resources are scarce. I’d be an idiot not to make the smart choice!”

His voice was loud and rough, filled with resentment. But Hu Jiao Jiao furrowed her brows, sensing an emptiness behind his words, a lack of the fervor she expected. Something felt off.

“H-Hu Zhong…you weren’t always like this…” The chief’s face showed only pain and disappointment.

Hu Zhong’s eyes shot wide open, his pupils dilated, blood vessels visible like fine threads in his sclera. He looked deranged, on the verge of madness.

“Everyone can change!” he roared, a maniacal gleam in his eyes. Then his body began to shake, trembling uncontrollably. “Ha! Hahaha… You have no idea how hard it is for us ordinary beastmen just to survive!”

His hoarse voice trembled, a laugh both scornful and filled with rage.

The chief’s gaze filled with sorrow as he closed his eyes, sounding as if he had aged ten years in a moment. “Hu Zhong…you’ve betrayed the tribe, conspired with enemies, and caused harm to our people. Take him to the Snake Pit—traitors have no place here.”

The chief’s voice, though firm, carried a quiver of sorrow, evidence of how painful this decision was.

He had high hopes in this young man, and now this…

“Long Mo, take him to the Snake Pit and ensure everyone witnesses his punishment.”

Swallowing his grief, the chief gave his order.

Long Mo nodded, dragging Hu Zhong by one leg towards the edge of the tribe, allowing all the tribespeople to see. Hu Zhong didn’t resist but gripped the ground with both hands, leaving bloody trails behind him.

With a twisted smile on his face, he muttered in a low, chilling voice:

“You don’t know…you’ll never understand…”

Beastmen watching from a distance froze, astonished at the sight. News of Hu Zhong’s betrayal spread quickly, leaving everyone in shock. None could believe that the usually kind and honest Hu Zhong would betray them.

But his crazed expression made it seem as though he’d lost his mind entirely. An insane beast would do anything.

His shouts finally faded into the hisses of the snakes in the pit, the chief chose not to witness the punishment, fearing he couldn’t bear it.

Hu Jiao Jiao also had no desire to see the horrific scene, and seeing the visibly aged chief, she offered a soft reassurance:

“Chief, this was his choice. No one is to blame but him.”

The chief sighed deeply, his voice filled with age and sorrow. “I understand… If anyone else had told me, I wouldn’t have believed it. But hearing it from his own mouth…”

He shook his head, unable to fathom how Hu Zhong had changed so drastically. Had he been pretending all along, hiding behind a mask of kindness and loyalty?

“It doesn’t matter. I only hope Hu Qiang and the others return safely,” he murmured, glancing westward with a longing look in his eyes. “But you have a stone house to finish, don’t you? I’ll be fine. Go on back now.”

Hu Jiao Jiao lingered for a moment, concern evident in her gaze. But she nodded, knowing her own tasks still waited.

As she walked back, she passed by Lu Mian’er’s home. She noticed Lu Mian’er standing with a group of beastmen, looking unsettled by what she was hearing. Seeing Hu Jiao Jiao approach, Lu Mian’er managed a forced smile and came over quickly.

“Jiao Jiao.”

“What’s everyone talking about?” Hu Jiao Jiao asked curiously.

Lu Mian’er glanced back at the beastmen, then lowered her voice. “They’re talking about that new female. They think she’s really pitiful…”

Hearing it was about Huang Yue, Hu Jiao Jiao’s curiosity piqued. “What happened?”

“They’re saying that Hu Zhong was courting her recently, and she seemed to like him too. We thought they might become mates, but now, after all this…” Lu Mian’er sighed with a trace of sympathy. She had witnessed Hu Zhong’s frenzied state as he was dragged to the Snake Pit.

Hu Jiao Jiao’s brow furrowed. “Hu Zhong was courting Huang Yue?”

In the book, Huang Yue indeed attracted many admirers, but she never showed genuine interest in any of them, nor was she ever close to becoming anyone’s mate.

“Yes.” Lu Mian’er nodded. “She probably doesn’t even know what happened to him.”

Nearby, some beastmen continued gossiping in hushed tones.

“I thought Hu Zhong was lucky to get Huang Yue’s attention, but to think he’d do something like this…”

“Good thing they hadn’t actually become mates yet.”

“Huang Yue will be heartbroken when she finds out what kind of beast he truly was…”

Hu Jiao Jiao stepped closer and asked one of the beastmen, “Excuse me, has Hu Zhong really been close to Huang Yue lately?”

The beastmen looked ready to dismiss her, but seeing it was Hu Jiao Jiao, he turned back with a friendlier demeanor. “Yes, they’ve been inseparable. Hu Zhong even bragged that she’d agreed to mate with him soon. Guess we were all fooled.”

They had been feeling pretty envious of Hu Zhong, and the news of his betrayal had left them abuzz with gossip.

“I see. Thank you.”

Hu Jiao Jiao released the beastman’s arm, thinking to herself. It seemed that while others thought something might happen between them, Huang Yue had never actually agreed to anything with Hu Zhong, consistent with what the book had described.

Just then, a nearby wooden door creaked open, and Huang Yue appeared, looking as though she had just woken up. She rubbed her eyes, squinting against the morning light, her soft expression making her look especially gentle.

As she emerged, the voices around her hushed. Hu Jiao Jiao observed her from afar, noting the faint flush on her face from sleep, which eased some of her doubts.

Bidding Lu Mian’er farewell, Hu Jiao Jiao quickened her pace toward home.

Unexpectedly, she came face-to-face with the entire Lu family on the way.