Then Let's See Who's Faster

A crowd of deep-featured females had already gathered at the entrance to the tribe. There were more than at the autumn mate-seeking gathering, and she had never seen most of them before.

When they saw Feng Rumeng approaching, a few of the females began whispering among themselves.

Some commented on how thoroughly she was wrapped up; some were surprised she had taken a mate; some were angry she had survived the cold season; and some thought Ling must have been blind to take a fancy to her.

As they talked, a ripple of low laughter rose among them.

Feng Rumeng paid them no heed and studied the females. Almost every one of them was tall and sturdy, dressed alike in beast-hide bandeaus and short beast-hide skirts, with bare feet.

Feng Rumeng was full of question marks. Was something wrong with her sense of temperature? The flower season had arrived, but the temperature was still hovering around zero.

Spring was the beastmen's mating season, and every one of them had a textbook hourglass figure. What if a male couldn't control himself?!! No, no. Wasn't the whole point of females in the beast world finding so many mates to give themselves something to do?

"You're here, Ling's female," one of the females greeted her warmly.

Feng Rumeng looked toward the voice. The female walked over, her eyes curved into a smile.

"Were you the one who came to call me just now?"

The female stood in front of her, nearly half a head taller. "That was me. My name is Xi. Has Ling not been taking good care of you? You've been mates for so long, so why are you still so thin?"

Feng Rumeng smiled. "Ling takes very good care of me. It's just that the weight I've gained isn't obvious."

Lina's mocking voice came from the side. "An ugly female always has the most tricks. Do you think wrapping yourself up so tightly can change anything?"

"Whose mouth stinks so badly? Didn't you clean your teeth this morning?" Jianyue's voice drew closer.

Feng Rumeng turned around happily. Seeing Jianyue and Batu, she greeted them. "Jianyue, Batu."

Lina gritted her teeth but didn't dare retort. She gave a cold snort and said nothing more.

Batu waved. "Female Rumeng, what are you wearing on your head?"

Feng Rumeng: (⊙o⊙)!!!

"This is a hat. You put it on your head, not your body~"

Jianyue patted Feng Rumeng on the shoulder. "Have Ling hunt some more plump prey. Snake beastmen go into heat fiercely."

Feng Rumeng's temperature shot up again. She was glad her face was black, though her voice was a little awkward. "Well, Ling... he's very considerate of me every time."

In fact, Ling really was very careful. He was afraid that if he lost control even a little, she would snap in two.

"Everyone's here, right?" Aima asked in a booming voice.

Xi looked back and swept her gaze over the crowd. "Witch doctor Aima, everyone's here."

Aima nodded and raised her voice again. "Set off."

Batu led the way in his beast form. Jianyue said she would keep Feng Rumeng company, so the two walked leisurely at the back with baskets on their backs.

Feng Rumeng asked curiously, "Do you pick herbs every flower season?"

"Mm." Jianyue looked ahead. "Both wild beasts and fierce beasts go into heat during the flower season, and their tempers turn nasty. The males are easily injured while hunting, and medicinal herbs are already incredibly precious in the tribe."

Feng Rumeng nodded. The two chatted as they walked, and more than half an hour later, the group reached a valley.

There didn't seem to be many varieties of herbs inside, but every plant was flourishing, and almost all of them reached Feng Rumeng's waist.

After Aima explained what they needed to know about picking the herbs, everyone spread out.

Feng Rumeng followed Jianyue, learning which plants were ready to pick and which were not.

Once Feng Rumeng knew her way around, she secretly slipped a few new varieties into her space. She planned to have Ling bring her out to pick some more on their own later, then dry and grind them into medicinal powder for him to take hunting.

Although crystal stones could heal injuries too, having herbs to stop bleeding and reduce inflammation meant they could use both methods and heal faster.

When Feng Rumeng's basket was full, she took out a few pieces of dried meat and walked over to Jianyue. "Pop these in your mouth and chew on them."

Xi, who was nearby, sniffed and couldn't resist coming over. "That smells so good. Can I try some?"

Feng Rumeng handed her a strip. "It'll be a little spicy on your tongue."

"Spicy on my tongue?" Xi first licked it, then her eyes widened in delight. "This dried meat is so delicious. Sss, ah, sss, ah..."

Feng Rumeng and Jianyue exchanged a smile.

It had been marinated with instant noodle seasoning. In a beast world that only knew how to sprinkle salt on its food, it was naturally a rare delicacy. Feng Rumeng handed her a few more strips.

"Xi, if you like it, I'll get you some more when we're back at the tribe."

"Really?" Xi's eyes shone dazzlingly as she looked at Feng Rumeng.

"Mm." Feng Rumeng bent down and continued picking.

Once everyone had filled their baskets, Aima called them together. "Sort your herbs and bring them to me."

The females sorted their herbs and laid them in front of Aima. When they had formed a small mountain, Aima waved her hand and stored all the herbs in her space.

Feng Rumeng watched, lost in thought. No wonder the little merman and Ling hadn't been surprised that she had a space. It turned out there were females who had spaces too.

On the way back, several large birds flew overhead. Batu looked up and instantly grew wary. "Quick, get the females into the forest."

Feng Rumeng glanced up before Jianyue grabbed her and ran toward the woods.

At the edge of the woods, the bird beastmen used their enormous wings to buffet many of the females off balance. Several were seized by the bird beastmen and carried high into the air in an instant.

Seeing Jianyue being taken, Feng Rumeng sprinted several steps, leaped, and wrapped her arms around Jianyue's legs in an instant.

High in the air, Jianyue's face was pale. "Rumeng, are you all right?"

"I'm fine, Jianyue." Feng Rumeng lowered her gaze and saw Batu at the edge of a cliff, roaring at the sky. He jumped off the cliff and darted through the woods in pursuit.

Jianyue trembled and called out loudly, "Batu, save me! Hu Feng, save me..."

The bird beastman in the air sneered. "Females who deliver themselves to my door aren't common these days."

Feng Rumeng looked at the bird beastman. "Females are delicate. Didn't you know that? You're being so rough. If anything happens to us, won't all your work be for nothing?"

The bird beastman lowered his bird head at her words. As though he had found something amusing, he flamboyantly flew his bird body in a figure eight, then suddenly spun around.

The bird beastman swung the two of them through a semicircle in midair, and Jianyue screamed in terror.

Feng Rumeng seized the moment, wrapped a nanowire around the bird beastman's body, and jumped onto his back.

Feng Rumeng pulled the nanowire tight. "Take us back, or I'll strangle you."

The bird beastman beat his wings violently. "Female, you're courting death."

"Rumeng, I'm scared," Jianyue said in a trembling voice.

"Don't be afraid, Jianyue." As Feng Rumeng spoke, she pulled the nanowire as tight as it would go.

The bird beastman swayed from side to side in pain, a taunting voice coming from his beak. "Come on, female. Kill me."

"You stubborn fool." Feng Rumeng crawled to the bird beastman's neck and pressed a dagger to his throat. "Believe it or not, I'll slit your throat right now."

The bird beastman remained unruffled. "Before you slit my throat, I'll drop this beautiful female and let her fall to her death."

"All right, then let's see who's faster." Feng Rumeng pressed the dagger a little closer, drawing blood from the bird beastman's neck.

The bird beastman's eyes rolled. "Fool, I have a clever head on my shoulders."

Suddenly, white light flashed, and the bird beastman transformed into human form in an attempt to escape. But the shrinking nanowire bound him even tighter.

All three fell at once.

Another flying beast arrived and caught Jianyue, who had passed out. He looked down at the two still falling, and a cackling laugh came from his beak.

Feng Rumeng's head buzzed, and she was sucked away by a mass of black Qi that had suddenly appeared below the mountain.