CHAPTER 60: CHAPTER 60: NEW MISSION ALERT

Ding!

A crisp sound rang in Su Qinglan’s head.

[New Side Mission Unlocked]

Host has to introduce new food to the beast world and make them willingly eat this. Xuyu’s excited voice rang in Su Qinglan’s mind. It was finally happy to get a new mission.

[Reward: x1 chili seeds pack, x3 sets of cotton underwear, x1 kg cooking oil.]

Su Qinglan blinked; she was stunned by this pop-up that suddenly decided to appear when other people were just coming for her throat.

A mission? Right now? She wanted to laugh. She just wanted to boil some potatoes, but at first half of the tribe was coming to set score with her and now suddenly the system dropped this on her.

Still... the rewards were too good. Chili seeds, cotton underwear, cooking oil. All of them were useful.

Easy, she thought. She could introduce food. She had already done it with fire. This should not be a problem.

Her thoughts were cut off as she lifted her head.

From the path, a group of beastmen approached. At the front was the witch doctor, his wrinkled face dark with anger. Behind him were Xu Meiyan and Bai Lianhua, both with smug little smiles plastered on their faces.

Su Qinglan’s expression turned cold. Her lips pressed into a thin line as she stared at them. The other beastmen around them also looked at her with displeasure.

She waited for their drama to start.

Lin Muyu came to her side and whispered softly, "They must have noticed we stayed too long in the forest. They must have followed us. And now they brought the whole group just to make trouble."

Su Qinglan nodded slightly. Lin Muyu was right. These bitches never missed a chance to cause trouble.

The witch doctor stepped forward, his staff hitting the ground with a thud. He pointed his finger at the potatoes resting nearby. His voice was sharp. "You cannot eat this! A female with such a vicious heart... you want to harm all the females of our tribe?"

Su Qinglan almost choked. Excuse me? When did I ever harm anyone?

But she didn’t even get a chance to speak. The old man kept babbling. "This thing is dangerous. It contains toxins! If females eat it, they will vomit, their stomachs will ache, they will become weak! Its taste is unpleasant and will harm the body!"

His tone was final, as if his words were law. He glared at her like she had already poisoned everyone.

Su Qinglan’s eye twitched. Old man, are you serious? You don’t even know how to cook it and you’re acting like an expert.

Xu Meiyan quickly stepped forward, her voice shrill. "See? I told you. Su Qinglan could never think good for the tribe! In the past, she always beat other females; she is jealous of every female. And now she wants to kill us with her food!"

Her words made the surrounding females pale.

Bai Lianhua added her own monologue, not wanting to be left behind. She pointed at the fire. "Everyone knows fire is sacred! And look at her—she plays with it carelessly, with no male to protect her. What if the flames burn the females? What if we anger the sacred fire? This is clearly her plan to harm us!"

Gasps rose from the crowd. More beastmen gathered around them after hearing the commotion.

Su Qinglan stood there speechless. Her mouth opened, then closed. She couldn’t even get a word in. These three were spouting nonsense one after another like a broken drum.

And just when she was about to explode, a strong shadow fell in front of her.

A tall figure flashed forward, standing like a wall between her and the witch doctor. His voice was low, cold, and filled with anger.

"Why are you here? Yesterday, everyone already learned how to make fire and cook. You didn’t object then. Why now? Why point fingers at her when the females already used it safely?"

Su Qinglan’s eyes lifted. Her heart gave a small jump.

It was Han Jue.

The air grew tense. No one dared to speak after Han Jue’s cold words.

But Xu Meiyan wasn’t willing to give up. She stepped forward, pointing her finger at Su Qinglan. "Han Jue, don’t be blinded by her face. You know she only brings trouble! If you really protect her, you’ll bring disaster to the tribe!"

Han Jue turned his head slowly. His lips curled into a mocking smile. "Oh? Trouble? Disaster? Funny, I don’t remember seeing either of you bring anything useful to the tribe."

Xu Meiyan’s face stiffened. Bai Lianhua gasped. A few beastmen in the back almost choked trying to hold back their laughter.

The witch doctor coughed loudly, trying to regain control. "Han Jue, don’t be disrespectful. This female has poisoned intentions. We must not allow such danger!"

Han Jue’s eyes narrowed; his tone dripped with sarcasm. "Poisoned intentions? Old man, if she wanted to poison anyone, she’d start with you. Saves the rest of us from hearing your endless babbling."

"Y-you—!" The witch doctor’s beard trembled with anger, but Han Jue’s presence pressed down on him like a heavy weight.

Still, Xu Meiyan tried again. "We cannot allow her to harm the tribe—"

Han Jue suddenly barked out a laugh. "Harm the tribe? Tell me, what exactly have you done for the tribe, except wagging your tongue and running after beastmen who don’t want you? At least Su Qinglan can cook. You can’t even boil water without crying for help."

Xu Meiyan’s face turned red. She opened her mouth, but no words came out.

Bai Lianhua stepped forward, trembling but stubborn. "Han Jue! You can’t insult us like this! Everyone knows how sacred the fire is. If Su Qinglan plays with it recklessly, she’ll destroy..."

Han Jue cut her off, his voice sharp as a blade. "Sacred fire? If fire is so sacred, why didn’t it strike you both down the last time you tried to discord between her and Hu Yan? If the flames have patience for your nonsense, I’m sure it won’t mind cooking this ground fruit."

The crowd burst into muffled snickers. Bai Lianhua’s eyes reddened, tears brimming as she clenched her fists.

Han Jue took one heavy step forward. His aura flared, beastly power rolling off his body like a storm.

"If anyone dares to call her harmful again," his voice was low and deadly, "you’ll find out how harmful I can be."