CHAPTER 62: CHAPTER 56 HUNTING BIRDS_1

Back then, when Si Yan read the original story, she followed the female protagonist’s storyline to see how she cunningly seduced Bei Ji. Once she had him, she used the oppressive means of a female to control a male and abused the antagonist snake Beastman, Bei Ji. The original story revolved entirely around the female protagonist mating and bearing young. The protagonist, Jie Ling, would make contracts with more than a dozen males and give birth to over a hundred cubs, becoming a powerful force in the Beast World. She bore cubs for all her Beast Husbands, except for Bei Ji. She treated him like an animal, humiliating and shaming him.

Although Si Yan felt that the protagonist’s actions were somewhat unethical, in the post-apocalyptic world, not many people had the inclination to write novels, and there weren’t many novels to read. So, no matter how bad it was, she kept on reading.

Now, recollecting how the protagonist deceitfully claimed love, sought to mate, and then wantonly harmed Bei Ji, humiliating and shaming him... That was her cutest and most adorable cub, little Bei Ji! Thinking of this, Si Yan’s gaze towards Jie Ling contained a very faint trace of killing intent. She did harbor a slight desire to kill her. However, having read quite a few novels, I also have some concerns. Jie Ling is the main character. I don’t know if she’ll be imbued with the world’s fate or something like that. To be on the safe side, it’s best to stay away from her and not provoke her.

Ming Yan took several more glances at Si Yan, then looked over at Jie Ling. "Teacher Si Yan, do you know this little female from my clan?" Ming Yan asked leisurely.

Si Yan chuckled lightly. "Don’t know her, never seen her before."

I don’t know her personally, but I’ve seen her in the book. I recognized her immediately from the description. This miraculous connection.

Ming Yan stared intently at Si Yan. "Her name is Jie Ling, a female of the Fox Clan, not yet of age."

The ears and tail of a female not yet of age would not have faded away; her White Fox ears and large white fox tail made it obvious at a glance that she was a Fox female.

Si Yan nodded. Indeed, the world’s main character, she thought.

Hu Que said enthusiastically, "Lord Ming Yan, Jie Ling says she knows how to resist the locust plague, so I brought her over."

Jie Ling was a young cub from Black Tiger City, a cute, underage female. Hu Que had a good impression of her, and his voice was gentle and excited when he mentioned Jie Ling.

The Fox female Jie Ling, with watery and curious eyes, glanced at Si Yan a few times; Si Yan was also observing her.

As expected of the world’s protagonist, she was indeed born favored, Si Yan thought. She’s strikingly different from the other females I’ve met. Her skin is fair, her figure smooth and well-proportioned, and though still underage, she’s already quite seductive.

The Fox female stared at Si Yan for a long time. This young male who just joined Black Tiger City seems a bit thin, but he has such a handsome face. His big, watery eyes are so clear and distinct, even more attractive than mine as a female. He’s different from the burly and rugged males in Black Tiger City. He’s distinctive and smart.

Jie Ling took a liking to this young male named Si Yan at first glance. Her ears felt slightly warm as she withdrew her gaze, then softly looked towards Ming Yan again.

Jie Ling was young and skinny, instantly triggering a protective desire, as if she were one’s own daughter.

"Uncle Ming Yan," Jie Ling said softly.

The Black Tiger Beastman Ming Yan’s majestic gaze shifted from Si Yan to Jie Ling; his demeanor was as indifferent as ever. "What method do you have?" he asked.

Jie Ling replied respectfully, "Lord of the Castle, we can make a door."

Si Yan raised an eyebrow. Seems like she stumbled upon the same inspiration. Even the term is the same.

"Door?" Hu Yong and Ming Yan exchanged puzzled glances.

They probably don’t understand what I mean, Jie Ling thought. After all, this ’door’ is something my little brain just suddenly came up with. I don’t even know why I thought of it; it’s like some wisdom just popped up when I needed it.

So Jie Ling started to gesticulate and describe, "Uncle Ming Yan, look, a door is like this—a thing to block a cave entrance. As long as we build this door well, the locusts won’t be able to get into the caves, and we, along with our food, will be able to escape this disaster."

Although she wasn’t as detailed as Si Yan, she described the gist of it clearly enough.

Si Yan’s fingers gently tapped. The same solution. But since I spoke first, the credit should be attributed to me, right? As for catching birds to eat the locusts, it seems Jie Ling hasn’t thought of it or mentioned it.

After listening, Ming Yan’s lips curved into a meaningful smile. He turned to Si Yan. "Teacher Si Yan, what do you think?"

Si Yan, seeing his smile and unsure of his thoughts, felt a jolt in her heart. She looked back at Jie Ling with a similarly meaningful smile. "Little Jie Ling’s method is, of course, very good."

How could it not be good? It’s the same as mine, she thought.

Ming Yan nodded, then said meaningfully to Si Yan, "Hu Que, take Jie Ling and arrange for the Beastmen in the city to build doors to defend against the locust plague. Teacher Si Yan, you will join us in catching birds."

"..."

Damn it, can I refuse? They’re not giving me the logistical work of making doors, but they’re taking me bird-catching. They really don’t cherish people who aren’t from their own city, do they? Does favoritism have to be this blatant?

...

Si Yan returned to her cave, feeling exhausted. As the matriarch of a family of antagonists, her emotions had fluctuated quite a bit after encountering the story’s female protagonist.

Xi Qing noticed something was off with Si Yan’s mood and asked softly and caringly, "Mother, what’s wrong?"

Si Yan absentmindedly stroked Xi Qing’s head and gave a small, sidelong smile. Xi Qing was the cub who could always calm Si Yan down, and because of him, she quickly regained her composure.

She squatted down to look her cubs in the eye and said, "Dongchi, Xi Qing, Bei Ji, can you promise Mother one thing?"

The three cubs nodded in unison. "Mhm. Mother, tell us. If we can do it, we definitely will."

What good, well-behaved cubs, Si Yan thought, her heart softening as she refocused on the serious matter at hand.

She said earnestly, "Promise Mother that, no matter what, you will not take a liking to any White Fox female in the future. None of you are allowed to become a Beast Husband for a White Fox female! If any of you breaks this promise, I’ll break your legs!"

For my cubs, I’ll risk it all, she resolved.

The three cubs were puzzled, but seeing Si Yan’s serious expression, they eventually all nodded. "Okay, Mother. We promise you."

Such good kids~

Si Yan then picked them up one by one, cherishing each thoroughly.

Si Yan went out with the Black Tiger City Hunting Team to catch birds. Her three cubs were not brought along because they were too young.

The Beastmen of the White Tiger Clan were all skilled hunters. As soon as the group of White Tigers entered the forest, they went crazy catching birds. Si Yan’s eyelids twitched.

She glanced at Hu Li beside her and asked, "Aren’t you going?"

Hu Li sat there like a mountain, not moving an inch.

With nothing better to do, Si Yan noticed some trees in the forest that resembled bamboo. She split them with her snake scale and then used the scale to whittle the pieces into strips, making a very large and somewhat crude basket trap. She found some berries that birds liked to eat and placed them under the trap, which was propped up by a stick. The stick was tied to a vine, and Si Yan held the other end.

"The trap is set. Come on, let’s hide behind those trees," Si Yan urged Hu Li, who was built like a small mountain, to move to the side.

Hu Li didn’t look pleased with her, but he still listened. He followed Si Yan and hid behind a tree. What is she planning to do? he wondered.

Si Yan was both excited and nervous, her eyes shining as she stared at the trap, while Hu Li curiously watched her.

Her face is smudged with dirt, and she’s wearing a loose, barrel-like leather skirt, Hu Li observed. They say young males should just wear short leather skirts like those little ones. Why does *he* need to wear one so long? Or is it because *he’s* a sage, so *he* has to wear more? Still, *his* scent is quite pleasant, different from us Tiger men.

Hu Li’s gaze darkened.

The young female before him named Si Yan, her crisp, youthful voice drifted over, "Hey, Hu Li, what exactly about me bothers you so much that you’re staring like that?"

Hu Li slightly restrained his gaze but continued to watch her nonetheless. What exactly is *he* going to do?

But then, as Si Yan looked even more excited, Hu Li followed her gaze and saw, to his surprise, that two birds had entered the contraption she called a "trap" and were eating the berries inside.

Just then, Si Yan gave a slight tug on the vine. The stick tied to it fell, and as it did, the birds inside were trapped under the makeshift basket before they could even react!

Hu Li was stunned. He watched as Si Yan quickly ran over and held down the basket, then swiftly used some softer vines to tie up the birds’ wings.

"Got them!" Si Yan said, holding up the two prey, her clear, bright eyes crinkling as she laughed heartily.

...

So good-looking, Hu Li thought. Why is her smile so attractive? He felt his strong heart start to POUND wildly.

After Si Yan caught the two birds, she saw Hu Li also hopping about nearby trying to catch some. However, it was somewhat difficult for a land-bound Beastman to catch flying birds, and in the end, Hu Li only managed to grab two or three.

Before long, the Hunting Team gathered the birds they had captured. Si Yan naturally tossed her own prey into the pile.

The Tiger Clan’s Hunting Team was sorting the prey. Ming Yan walked past the pile of game, noticed Si Yan’s already packed-away basket trap, and then frowned as he looked at the catch, which was much smaller than usual. "Many bird species have also started to migrate," he remarked.

To me, this catch already seems like a lot, but for the hunting fanatics of Black Tiger City, it isn’t much, Si Yan mused.

"We need to go farther to hunt tomorrow," Ming Yan said, then turned to Hu Li. "You don’t need to follow her anymore."

Then, he turned to Si Yan. "Tomorrow, you come with me."

Under Ming Yan’s command, Hu Li no longer guarded the area near Si Yan’s cave.

However, that evening, while Si Yan and her cubs were resting in the cave, she heard some slight movement outside. She went out to check and, looking down, was surprised to see several pieces of fresh meat on the ground at the entrance.