At first, Xiya didn’t notice anything unusual and was still talking about the survival issues of white-colored species in nature. However, he quickly realized that something was off with Lei Jin. That gaze didn’t look like he was listening at all—it was more like he was scrutinizing something, verifying something. Xiya instinctively became more alert. Lei Jin was full of tricks, and sometimes, he had to be careful when dealing with him.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

“Massage my neck a bit—it’s sore,” Lei Jin said suddenly, stretching his neck left and right. His body had been tense all night due to high stress.

“Oh.” Xiya sat behind Lei Jin. He wasn’t particularly skilled at this, but giving a basic massage should be fine.

“How’s the pressure? Is it too strong?” Xiya, being a werebeast, had great strength, so he was careful not to use too much force.

“En, press more on the left side.”

“Here?”

“En.”

“I remember the first time I ate the roast chicken you and Moya made—it was pretty good,” Lei Jin said casually.

“Oh, that…” Xiya was about to respond modestly as usual after receiving praise when a cold sweat ran down his forehead. He realized he had slipped up. He let out two dry chuckles, trying to salvage the situation. “That… that…” He couldn’t see Lei Jin’s expression right now and had no idea what his mood was. He also didn’t dare to defend themselves too much, fumbling for words but failing to explain anything properly.

Seeing Xiya’s reaction, Lei Jin immediately understood. So that so-called dream he had that day was actually their doing. Finally, he had found the culprits. His teeth gritted secretly, and he made up his mind—though he couldn’t act now, he’d definitely settle this score later. It’s just that he hadn’t expected the opportunity to come so soon.

If this had been in the past, he might have wanted to kill them. But now that they even had a threesome, even he found it a bit petty to dwell on it. Still, being secretly tricked while unconscious wasn’t something he could easily let go of.

When Moya arrived, he didn’t notice the subtle tension between Xiya and Lei Jin. He only saw that Xiya looked a little off but didn’t think much of it, assuming that everyone was just exhausted from the previous night.

“Even though we’ve killed a lot of the saber-tooth beasts here and should have intimidated them for now, there’s no guarantee they won’t come back. We should leave as soon as possible. Once we cross this wasteland, we can rest properly ahead. If we hurry, we can reach the tribe in another day,” Moya said. This was one of the reasons they had chosen this route—it was relatively shorter.

Xiya and Lei Jin agreed. If they encountered another two large packs of those beasts, there was no telling what would happen. Xiya shook the still-sleeping Mingya awake, then called Berg. After a quick cleanup, they continued eastward.

The journey was uneventful, so let’s skip ahead.

This time, Xiya and Moya pushed themselves hard, covering what should have been a two-day journey in just a day and a half. By the afternoon of the second day, they had left the wasteland behind and arrived at another forested area.

This forest was close to the grasslands, so the trees weren’t as tall or dense as in the jungle. There were large open spaces between them, plenty of sunlight, and thriving shrubs.

They didn’t find any caves this time, but they did discover a natural treehouse not far from a water source. It was hard to tell if it was one tree or several entwined together—the roots interwove at the base and then separated at about human height, forming a wide platform. Above, the canopy was lush and thick, acting as a natural roof that could likely hold off rain for a while.

The leaves were dark green, waxy, and bore small fruits about the size of apricots in red, green, and yellow. They looked vibrant among the foliage. Small brown-backed birds with white bellies were pecking at the red ones, seemingly unafraid of people.

They gathered some dry grass to spread in the treehouse since lying directly on the rough roots would be uncomfortable.

Noticing Lei Jin seemed interested in the fruits, Xiya picked a few to taste. The yellow and green ones were bitter and astringent, while the red ones were slightly sweet but still not particularly tasty.

“Moya and I are going to scout the forest for game and other edible fruits. These ones aren’t very good,” Xiya said, frowning from the lingering bitterness in his mouth.

Lei Jin wasn’t particularly greedy for the fruits, but after eating dried meat for seven or eight days, his mouth felt greasy. He just wanted something to refresh his palate, even if it wasn’t delicious—so long as it wasn’t poisonous.

“I’ll just have a few.”

Xiya didn’t insist and picked a handful of red fruits, washed them in the stream, and handed them to Mingya to feed Lei Jin.

With daylight still bright, Xiya and Moya headed into the forest to hunt.

That evening, they roasted an entire deer. It was the first hot meal they’d had in a while, and with the thought of returning home soon, everyone was in a good mood.

Berg sat tactfully on the side, eating his share. Though he tried not to think too much, he still felt a little lost—especially seeing how the three brothers openly doted on and protected Lei Jin. The wounds from the saber-tooth beast attack still ached, though Moya had helped apply medicine.

He missed his dad back in the tribe. But when he looked down at his stomach, which had begun to show faint traces of change, memories of that man came flooding back—how he had been tied to the bed with merfolk silk, how the more he resisted, the rougher that man became.

He feared that man. Especially the way he always forced him to call him “big brother” whenever they reached the peak of their coupling.

He no longer wanted to dwell on the past. Regardless of how it had happened, the child was already inside him, and there was no way to get rid of it. All he could do was keep it. He only hoped for a peaceful life in the Leopard Tribe. As for Moya… he needed to give up.

Looking at them now, how could anyone possibly come between them?

Moya sliced some roasted deer meat, dipped it into a bowl of salt, wrapped it in a leaf, and fed it to Lei Jin. “This forest has a lot of bean-leaf greens. Papa loved eating them raw. There were many in the hills behind our tribe, and when I was little, I used to follow papa to pick them.”

Looks like Roger taught them well, Lei Jin thought.

Mingya had probably exhausted himself with his outburst that day. He had been lazy these past two days, but he was still a little clingy. Wherever Lei Jin was, Mingya was sure to be nearby. At that moment, he was curled up at Lei Jin’s feet, chewing on the deer meat Xiya had given him, occasionally licking Lei Jin’s hand to remind him he was there.

“By the way, where’s that fox and crow that’s always with you?” Lei Jin suddenly remembered seeing them when he first encountered Mingya. That crow had perched on his shoulder, muttering incessantly, radiating an eerie aura of resentment.

“Mingya sent them home to deliver a message,” Mingya replied between bites of venison. He glanced at Xiya, still feeling guilty about the scolding he had received from his brother. He knew he had been wrong—papa must be worried sick.

“A crow delivering a message? Would Roger even understand it?” Lei Jin was skeptical.

“Mingya wrote it down,” Xiya answered.

“You can write?” Lei Jin suddenly realized he had never asked about literacy in this world.

“Papa taught us,” Xiya replied.

Mingya nodded in agreement.

Well, Lei Jin thought, just in case, if one day he can’t go back, he can just promote China’s splendid culture here. At least he knows Chinese characters, and those scribbles of Roger’s can recognize him, but he doesn’t know those scribbles. He can’t be illiterate here.

As for Lei Jin’s decision, which directly led to the extremely painful struggles of Xiya, Moya, Mingya and the children, it was not his concern. Of course, this is a story for later, so let’s not talk about it for now.

They had dinner early today, and after dinner they rested in the tree house for a while. The sun had not yet set, and Lei Jin wanted to take a shower. The stream water in the forest was very cold. Moya suddenly remembered that when they were hunting just now, they passed by a large body of water in the valley, which was still emitting white steam, so it should be very warm.

Mingya fell asleep again. Berg said he didn’t want to go, so Xiya, Moya and Lei Jin went there.

Lei Jin thought that this should be a hot spring from Moya’s description, and when he got there, he saw that it was indeed a hot spring, with the familiar faint smell of sulfur.

This is a hidden valley with five or six naturally formed hot spring pools of varying sizes, with the temperature increasing from the outside to the inside. Lei Jin suggested that they all go in and soak in the pools one by one. He had an injury on his shoulder and that part could not go into the water so Xiya held Lei Jin up in the water. The two bodies were pressed tightly together, rubbing against each other from time to time. At first, Xiya could still bear it, but as the temperature of the pool got higher and higher, the fire in his body gradually burned brighter. However, Lei Jin seemed to be unaware of it. As Xiya’s hands washed him, he would let out the occasional alluring sighs from time to time.

“A little lower.” There was a hint of intimacy in Lei Jin’s hoarse voice, and he signaled Xiya to move his hand down on his waist.

“You…” Xiya looked down at him. Lei Jin’s eyes were half closed, and his lips, which were unusually rosy in the mist, were slightly parted.

“Hurry up.” Lei Jin urged.

Xiya couldn’t stand this, and immediately pressed his lips against Lei Jin’s, and the two of them soon became entangled in each other.

Moya collected their clothes before treading into the water.

Xiya and Lei Jin were standing in the hot spring. The water just reached Lei Jin’s waist. The water was clear so the scenery was unobstructed.

Moya came behind Lei Jin and licked and kissed along his back all the way down to that hidden spot.

“Ah…” Lei Jin tensed his body, sandwiched between the two of them, feeling the burning hardness from the both of them pressing against him.

Lei Jin had wounds on his body, so it was naturally inconvenient for him to be in the water. The three of them quickly came to a tree on the shore. Lei Jin was held in Moya’s arms, with a pair of big hands supporting his bottom. His member was being sucked by Xiya, and Moya had already inserted two fingers within his inner walls, constantly pressing on the sensitive points in his body. Lei Jin let out pants, no longer able to bear it.

The sudden entry of the third finger almost made Lei Jin scream, but he managed to retain the last bit of rationality as his goal for today had not been achieved.

Lei Jin didn’t hold on for long, and soon came, frowning and sighing, “You two come in together.”

After saying this, Lei Jin noticed how their members somehow swelled even bigger. Seeing Xiya’s hungry eyes, he felt a little hesitant, but once he had said it, there was no taking it back.

“No, you won’t be able to bear it.” Moya barely regained some of his senses.

“But I want to try double penetration.” After saying this, Lei Jin cursed in his heart at how shameless the words sounded.

After hearing this, Xiya and Moya could not hold back, they were healthy males after all. After completing the preliminary preparations, the two of them pressed against the entrance, ready to go.

“My shoulder hurts so much.” Lei Jin frowned and spoke in pain.

“Is it the place where the beast scratched you?” No matter how eager they were, the two had to stop. Moya had been careful earlier, but now he found that the wound that had just healed began to bleed again.

“We must go back and apply medicine.” Moya said decisively.

Xiya nodded, even though that place was still hard and painful. But Lei Jin’s health is definitely the first priority.

Xiya and Moya applied medicine to Lei Jin and stopped the bleeding. Seeing his furrowed brows relaxing, the two of them hurried to solve their problem downstairs.

Lei Jin saw the two jumping down the tree in an awkward posture. The haziness in his half-closed eyes disappeared completely, leaving only a sharpness. When he saw Xiya’s reaction when taking a hot spring bath just now, he thought of this method temporarily. But the effect is not bad. Taking advantage of me while I am unconscious? I’ll show you two in the future.

After another day’s journey, the group finally returned to the grassland before sunset. The sky was vast, green waves rolled, wild flowers bloomed everywhere, and the vastness was endless as far as the eye could see, causing one’s mood to lift and brighten.

“So this is the grassland.” Berg took a deep breath.

There was smoke rising from the tribe, and some patrolling werebeasts had spotted them and were flying towards them.

“We are finally home.” Xiya said to the people behind him with a smile.

Lei Jin also wanted to nod, but suddenly he felt that the scenery in front of him began to blur.

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“Lei Jin…!” Moya rarely lost his composure in such a way.

“I think I’m bleeding from the nose.” Lei Jin groaned in his heart. So many people from the tribe had come over, and it really affected his glorious image. There were two trails of blood hanging from his nose. He wanted Moya to wipe it for him quickly, but he found that his mouth also tasted salty.

The sky had darkened, was Lei Jin’s last conscious thought.

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Life and death can be a matter of a single instant. When the first saber-toothed beast suddenly lunged into the cave, Xiya leaped forward to meet it. Caught off guard, the beast let out a couple of agonized howls before collapsing to the ground, lifeless. Xiya tossed the dead beast far outside the cave and let out a low growl, a warning to the others. Moya and Mingya joined in, their growls signaling that there were three werebeasts here, hoping to scare the pack away.

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“We’ve run into the saber-toothed beasts after all. These creatures won’t stop until their prey is dead. The chances of them leaving are slim. Elder Brother and I will go out soon. You stay close to Mingya and don’t leave his side,” Moya said, having shifted into his beast form. He licked Lei Jin’s face and added, “Take care of Lei Jin.” He glanced at Berg, who had also woken up, and added, “And Berg, if you can.”

Berg snorted. “I’m a male merfolk. I don’t need a little werebeast to protect me. Your little brother’s so soft, he’s lucky if he can protect himself.” With that, Berg shifted into his beast form, his massive golden tail faintly visible in the dark.

“Second Brother, Mingya doesn’t want to protect him. He’s not nice to Lei Jin,” Mingya said, pressing close to Lei Jin and rubbing his nose, clearly displeased with Berg.

“Mingya, be good,” Moya said, patting his head. There was no time for more words.

Outside the cave, countless pairs of yellow eyes glinted in the darkness, filled with cruelty and cunning.

Xiya and Moya stood side by side, their long shadows stretching to Lei Jin’s feet under the faint moonlight. The saber-toothed beasts didn’t attack immediately, and an eerie silence fell over the scene.

Facing such a situation, it was impossible not to feel fear. But Lei Jin knew fear was useless. The real question was how to protect himself and not become a burden. Mingya? He was just a child. If it came to it, Lei Jin would let him run. The little guy might not be strong, but he could at least escape.

Suddenly, a long, piercing screech came from outside, and the pack of saber-toothed beasts began to close in.

“Be careful. I don’t have time to clean up your corpses,” Lei Jin couldn’t help but shout, despite his best efforts to stay calm.

Both Xiya and Moya turned their heads, their big eyes shining as they wagged their tails at him.

“Idiots, look ahead!” Lei Jin snapped, exasperated.

Two saber-toothed beasts tried to take advantage of their distraction, lunging forward. But Xiya and Moya, without even looking, swatted them away with powerful blows. The beasts fell to the ground, dead.

Most wild beasts are bloodthirsty, and saber-toothed beasts are no exception—they’re even more vicious. The strong smell of blood only heightened their ferocity.

Xiya and Moya watched as the three dead beasts were quickly devoured by their pack. The fur on their necks bristled. They had seen cruelty before, but this level of savagery—eating their own kind—was rare.

The pack soon launched a full attack. Xiya and Moya fought back, gradually leading the beasts away from the cave.

Inside the cave, Lei Jin, Mingya, and Berg waited, unsure how much time had passed. It felt like an eternity, but it might have only been a short while.

“Why is it so quiet now?” Berg suddenly asked.

Lei Jin’s heart sank. He didn’t know whether he had been lucky so far, avoiding large-scale beast attacks since arriving in this world. Even when he and Mingya had traveled through the wilderness, they had never encountered anything like this.

Had something happened to Xiya and Moya? Lei Jin wanted to go out and check, but if they were fine, his presence would only distract them and put them in greater danger. He was torn.

“You two stay here. I’ll go out and see,” Berg said, his expression unusually serious. Despite his fish tail, he moved quickly and decisively.

Mingya, standing next to Lei Jin, perked up his ears, remaining vigilant. Hearing Berg’s words, his pupils contracted. “Don’t go out.”

But it was too late. Berg had already let out a startled cry.

A massive saber-toothed beast stood at the cave entrance, slowly advancing. It didn’t seem in a hurry to attack, but the malice in its eyes was unmistakable. It was larger than any they had seen before, its body nearly five meters long, with a slender neck and a massive head. Its mouth hung open, revealing rows of sharp teeth.

Berg took a few steps back but stopped when he saw Lei Jin and Mingya still inside. He thought, forget it. If I’m going to die, it might as well be here rather than at that man’s hands. Even if it’s not worth it for this annoying Lei Jin, but then again, aside from being arrogant and having a sharp tongue, he hasn’t been that bad to me.

“Mingya, take Lei Jin and run when you get the chance. I’ll handle this thing,” Berg said, his back to them as he kept his eyes on the beast.

“Berg, what are you doing?” Lei Jin was surprised by Berg’s sudden selflessness.

“I’m not doing this for you. Don’t you know I’ve always liked Moya?”

As soon as Berg finished speaking, he launched himself at the beast, swinging his tail hard at its head. The beast dodged, but Berg quickly followed up with another strike. The two were soon locked in combat, leaving an opening on the right side.

“Lei Jin, I’ll carry you out,” Mingya whispered.

“But what about Berg?” Lei Jin asked, watching the fight. Berg was clearly outmatched, relying only on his agility.

“I’ll take you out, hide you, and then come back to help him,” Mingya said, not waiting for Lei Jin’s consent. He wrapped his tail around Lei Jin and, despite his small size, managed to carry him out of the cave.

But they hadn’t gone far when the beast, having cornered Berg, turned and lunged at them. Lei Jin let out a muffled grunt.

“Lei Jin!”

“I’m fine. Keep going,” Lei Jin said calmly, though his back was bleeding from a deep gash.

Mingya didn’t see the wound but heard the beast’s growl. He ran as fast as he could, eventually finding a small tree hollow just big enough for one person.

“Lei Jin, hide here and don’t come out,” Mingya said after listening for any signs of danger.

“En,” Lei Jin nodded. The sky was beginning to lighten, signaling the end of this deadly night. But aside from him and Mingya, the others’ fates were uncertain.

“Why is Mingya’s fur red?” Mingya noticed blood dripping from his back, though he felt no pain.

“It’s Lei Jin’s,” Mingya realized, rushing to Lei Jin’s side. Tears streamed down his face as he asked, “Lei Jin, where are you hurt? Tell Mingya. Mingya will lick it better.”

Although Mingya had run quickly, the beast’s claw had still grazed Lei Jin, tearing off a large chunk of flesh from his shoulder.

There was no time to mourn. The beast, following the trail of blood, was closing in. Behind it were a dozen smaller beasts, each still three times Mingya’s size.

Another pack? Lei Jin thought wryly. I’m not even enough to get caught in their teeth.

Mingya, still crying, carefully licked Lei Jin’s wound, his tears making the pain even sharper.

“Mingya, go find Xiya and Moya,” Lei Jin said. There was no way both of them could escape now. If one could get away, it would have to be Mingya. As for Berg, the beast’s slower speed meant he was probably still alive. Lei Jin didn’t want to owe his life to that annoying guy.

“Mingya won’t leave. Mingya will protect you,” Mingya said, nuzzling Lei Jin.

Lei Jin looked at the little guy’s small frame and sighed. He was about to try to convince Mingya to leave when he noticed something strange. Mingya’s eyes, usually a clear blue, had turned a deep, almost black, shade of blue.

“Mingya?” Lei Jin called, startled.

What happened next was something Lei Jin could never have imagined. Mingya leaped into the midst of the saber-toothed beasts. By the time Xiya and Moya arrived, most of the beasts were dead, and the largest one was barely standing, its body riddled with fatal wounds. Mingya, his once pristine white fur now drenched in blood, seemed to have lost himself in the frenzy of killing. Every beast he attacked was torn to shreds, barely recognizable.

“Mingya…” Lei Jin called, sensing something was wrong.

Mingya turned to look at Lei Jin, his deep blue eyes now tinged with red. His gaze was cold and unfamiliar, making Lei Jin instinctively take a step back.

But Mingya didn’t seem to care. He turned back to continue his slaughter.

Moya, supporting Berg, arrived shortly after. Xiya rushed to Lei Jin’s side. “Are you okay?”

“What’s wrong with Mingya?” Lei Jin asked, his attention still fixed on the suddenly ferocious Mingya.

But when Xiya touched Lei Jin’s shoulder, he felt the blood. “Moya, where’s the medicine? Lei Jin’s hurt!”

Moya, hearing this, set Berg down on a rock and ran over with the medicine pouch. The herb that could stop bleeding quickly had dried out, so Moya chewed it in his mouth and applied it to Lei Jin’s wound. Fortunately, the injury hadn’t reached the bone, and the bleeding soon stopped, though the pain was still intense.

“Mingya, Lei Jin’s hurt,” Moya called out abruptly.

The largest beast was already dead, but Mingya was still tearing at its corpse. Hearing Moya’s words, his small body paused, his big blue eyes filling with tears again. He wanted to go to Lei Jin but hesitated, his body covered in blood. He crouched obediently a short distance away.

After a quick wash, Xiya helped Lei Jin change clothes, while Moya took Mingya to clean off the blood. The stench was overwhelming.

“What exactly happened with Mingya?” Lei Jin asked, still shaken. The transformation had been too sudden, too extreme. Was it some kind of split personality? The thought startled him.

“Lei Jin, don’t be afraid of Mingya. He won’t hurt you,” Xiya said, carefully avoiding Lei Jin’s wound.

Lei Jin raised an eyebrow, urging him to continue.

“Do you know who the previous leader of our Leopard Tribe was?” Xiya suddenly changed the subject.

Lei Jin was about to interrupt, not caring about tribal politics, but Xiya continued.

“It was Dad, An Luo.”

An Luo? The quiet, reserved man who barely spoke to anyone except Roger? He didn’t seem like leader material. Not that leaders had to be talkative, but they needed some outstanding qualities to command respect. An Luo didn’t seem to have any.

“Dad An Luo was the tribe’s greatest warrior.”

Lei Jin’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“It’s true. If it weren’t for what happened with papa…”

“Roger?”

“Never mind. That’s a story for another time. Do you know what white fur means in our world?” Xiya asked, tying Lei Jin’s clothes.

“Either abandonment or becoming the strongest.”

“You mean Mingya…”

Xiya nodded. “Mingya’s power is immense. Dads, Moya, and I all know this. When Mingya’s life is in danger, this power emerges. Only papa refuses to believe it.”

“But this time…” Mingya could have run away. His life wasn’t in immediate danger.

“In his heart, you’re more important than his life,” Xiya said with a sigh, understanding what Lei Jin was thinking.

“Lei Jin, look, Mingya’s clean again,” Mingya said, shaking the water from his fur and happily running over. He carefully leaned against Lei Jin and, exhausted, quickly fell asleep.

“Do you remember the first time you met Mingya?” Xiya asked, smoothing Mingya’s fur.

Of course, Lei Jin remembered. They had been hiding from a wild boar in a tree. After eating its meat a few times, Lei Jin had learned its name.

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“That wild boar might be small and timid, but Mingya’s white fur was probably what scared it off. You two had a relatively smooth journey because Mingya scared away many timid creatures,” Xiya explained. Of course, the braver ones had been quietly dealt with by him and Moya.

Lei Jin found this explanation plausible but felt he was missing something. For example, why did Xiya’s account sound like he had witnessed it firsthand? And what about the dream he had after eating the fruit Mingya brought back, where three men had touched him so intimately…

Lei Jin narrowed his eyes, studying Xiya.

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Mingya was an obedient child. Although he didn’t understand why Lei Jin wanted that stone, since Lei Jin had asked, he dutifully followed through. So, the next morning, when Mu He asked again if they needed anything else, Mingya didn’t hesitate to ask for the black stone hanging around Mu He’s neck.

Before Mu He could respond, Yu Qi’s face darkened. He wondered how this little leopard werebeast knew what his mate wore around his neck, even describing the color so accurately. But since Mingya was just a child, there was no point in making a fuss. Yu Qi could only swallow his displeasure.

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Mu He, on the other hand, looked hesitant.

“Can’t you give it to me?” Mingya blinked his big, innocent blue eyes.

“It’s not that,” Mu He glanced at Yu Qi, then took off the stone and handed it to Mingya. “Why do you like this so much? It was a gift from Yu Qi to me.” But it wasn’t the only gift, so giving it away shouldn’t be a big deal, right?

“Thank you, Brother Mu He.” With the stone successfully in hand, Mingya wagged his tail at Lei Jin, signaling his success, and politely thanked Mu He with a smile.

Lei Jin, seeing Mingya’s little gesture, maintained a calm expression but was laughing inside. It seemed the little guy wasn’t as clueless as he appeared.

Berg continued to act like an invisible wall flower, which struck Lei Jin as odd given his usually arrogant personality. But since it didn’t concern him, Lei Jin didn’t bother asking.

“Oh, I almost forgot something important,” Yu Qi said as he handed the bag of peanuts and corn to Xiya. “If you’re heading back to the Leopard Tribe, you’ll need to cross a vast wasteland to the east. Recently, a large pack of saber-toothed beasts has been spotted there. Many of our Wolf Tribe’s warriors have been injured, and some haven’t returned. I suggest you take the southern route, cross the snowy mountains, and then head east.”

Saber-toothed beasts? Lei Jin and Mingya had no idea what those were, but Xiya and Moya had seen them before. They were massive, ferocious creatures with sharp front teeth. Once they bit their prey, escape was nearly impossible. They also hunted in packs, and even werebeasts avoided them.

The sky began to drizzle again, nearing the end of the rainy season. The towering snow-capped mountains to the south of the Wolf Tribe looked even more desolate in the misty rain.

Xiya and Moya could easily fly over the snowy mountains with three people. Mingya was fine, but Lei Jin and Berg had no cold-weather gear and would surely suffer frostbite, especially Lei Jin. As a female, his constitution was naturally weaker than that of werebeasts, and he was already injured.

They thanked Yu Qi for his advice but decided to stick to their original plan of heading east through the wasteland to return to the grasslands. Yu Qi, seeing their determination, could only provide them with the approximate locations where the saber-toothed beasts had been spotted, hoping they could avoid them.

Xiya carried Mingya, while Moya carried Lei Jin and grabbed a hold of Berg. After two days of flying, the vast wasteland finally came into view. The landscape was barren, with few trees and jagged rocks. Weeds sprouted from the cracks in the stones, and the only sound was the howling wind across the desolate plain.

They tried to avoid stopping, but the wasteland was too vast for Xiya and Moya to cross without rest. Following Yu Qi’s advice, they avoided the areas where the saber-toothed beasts were known to roam. They didn’t light fires, surviving on cold, hard jerky and water.

It was the fifth day in the wasteland, and luckily, they hadn’t encountered any saber-toothed beasts. But they knew their luck wouldn’t last forever, so they remained cautious.

That evening, they stopped near a small spring, about the size of a bowl, but with a steady flow of water that ran over twenty meters before disappearing into a rocky layer.

Xiya found a deep, damp cave, its entrance hidden by dense shrubs and vines. Moya stayed behind to watch over the others and clear the cave of rotten grass and debris while Xiya went out to gather dry grass and firewood.

“It’s too dirty inside. You three wait outside for now,” Moya said, using a branch to gather the rubbish.

Mingya licked Lei Jin’s hand and asked, “Lei Jin, are you tired?”

Lei Jin, feeling drowsy, leaned against the sun-warmed rock wall and replied, “I’m fine.” His body was in bad shape, and he had little energy left.

“Mingya will get you some water,” Mingya said, noticing Lei Jin’s dry, pale lips.

“Alright,” Lei Jin replied indifferently. Although he was thirsty, he felt more exhausted, as if his strength was draining away through a hole in his body. He thought that once it was all gone, he wouldn’t last much longer. Still, he stubbornly refused to burden others. He hadn’t seen the saber-toothed beasts, but from Xiya and Moya’s cautious attitude, he knew they were in serious trouble. If he couldn’t help, the least he could do was not be a liability.

“Wait here. Don’t fall asleep. Mingya will be right back,” Mingya said, licking Lei Jin’s hand again before leaving.

“I’ll go too,” Berg said, following Mingya.

The spring was only a few steps away. Mingya drank a few mouthfuls, then quickly shifted to his human form, cupping water in his hands to bring back to Lei Jin. But after a couple of steps, the water leaked through his fingers. He tried again and again, but not a drop made it back. Mingya was sweating with frustration.

Berg, watching this, couldn’t help but scold, “Idiot, why don’t you just let Lei Jin come over and drink? Do you three brothers have to pamper him so much?”

“Lei Jin’s tired,” Mingya retorted, unwilling to listen to Berg’s criticism.

“Then figure out how to bring the water back,” Berg said, crossing his arms.

Mingya looked for a large leaf, but the plants in the wasteland had small leaves due to the lack of water. Finally, Mingya simply drank a big mouthful of water himself, puffing out his cheeks, and hurried back.

Lei Jin, almost asleep, felt something moist on his lips. Assuming Mingya had brought water, he opened his mouth and drank, soothing his dry throat. But why did it feel warm? Startled, Lei Jin opened his eyes to see Mingya’s face close to his, his cheeks slightly red, staring intently.

“Mingya, what are you doing?” Lei Jin asked, steadying himself.

Mingya took the opportunity to lick Lei Jin’s lips again, his face red. “This is the first time Lei Jin has kissed Mingya.”

Lei Jin was speechless. It seemed all three of them had inherited the family trait of playing innocent after the fact.

“Looks like your life isn’t so easy either, dealing with three of them. Can your body handle it?” Berg, now in a better mood, teased.

But Lei Jin wasn’t in the mood to play along. He raised an eyebrow and smirked, “You should worry about when your ‘lover’ will come to catch you.”

Berg scowled. “He doesn’t know where I am.”

“He doesn’t, but Yu Qi does.” Lei Jin hadn’t asked, but he could tell Berg was avoiding Yu Qi, likely because of that man. Right now he was just testing Berg.

“How do you know they know each other?” Berg snapped, rushing over and grabbing Lei Jin’s shoulders.

“Get away!” Mingya pushed Berg away, standing protectively in front of Lei Jin and saying fiercely, “I won’t allow you to hurt Lei Jin.”

Berg got up, gritting his teeth. “Who cares?” He sat down a short distance away and said to Lei Jin, “If he does come, I’ll just say the baby is Moya’s and tell him to get lost.”

Lei Jin didn’t have the energy to argue. He thought, Berg, keep dreaming. That man isn’t someone you can easily fool. If he were, you wouldn’t be played so badly.

“Just a couple more days, and we’ll be out of this wasteland. Then we can have something hot to eat,” Moya said, holding Lei Jin close to keep him warm. They couldn’t risk lighting a fire that might attract the saber-toothed beasts, so they ate cold meat and drank cold water again.

“En,” Lei Jin murmured in the dark, acknowledging Moya’s words.

“Are you feeling bad anywhere?” Moya asked, checking Lei Jin’s body.

“I’m fine. Let’s sleep,” Lei Jin whispered, assuming the others were already asleep.

Moya wrapped Lei Jin in the gray cloth and tucked him into his arms.

In the middle of the night, Lei Jin’s eyes snapped open. He heard strange sounds approaching.

Moya’s finger pressed against Lei Jin’s lips, and his arm tightened around Lei Jin’s waist, signaling him to stay still.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

Lei Jin then noticed Xiya had shifted into his beast form and was silently moving toward the cave entrance, his eyes glowing in the dark.

The sounds grew closer—the crunch of bushes being trampled, the snap of branches breaking. Xiya crouched, ready to pounce, while Moya placed Lei Jin next to Mingya…

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Xiya and Moya could recognize the voice, and of course, so could Lei Jin. He called out to the figure darting around in the distance, “Mingya…”

Mingya’s furry ears twitched. Did he just hear Lei Jin’s voice? Was he dreaming again? Mingya looked up at the sky, but the sun was still high. It wasn’t night, and he wasn’t asleep.

Mingya stopped in his tracks, shaking his head as he pondered, but the crowd behind him was closing in.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

Seeing the situation take a turn for the worse, Xiya and Moya decided they couldn’t just stand by and watch. They hurried over to intervene. Earlier, they had noticed that the people chasing Mingya were all females, so they hadn’t stepped in. They knew these females couldn’t harm their little brother, and as werebeasts, they couldn’t recklessly attack females. Doing so would violate a major taboo and could potentially spark a conflict between the Leopard and Wolf Tribes.

The Wolf Tribe’s young females, who had been solely focused on chasing Mingya, hadn’t noticed Xiya and Moya earlier. Now, seeing two strikingly handsome werebeasts present, they felt a bit awkward. Many of them were disheveled, with unkempt hair and clothes, and some were even barefoot.

Xiya, naturally poised, acted as if he didn’t notice their discomfort. He flashed a warm, friendly smile and asked, “What has my little brother done to offend the Wolf Tribe?”

“Your little brother? Are you from the Leopard Tribe?” A young man with brown hair stepped forward, smoothing his damp hair. His collar was slightly open, revealing a black stone pendant.

“Elder Brother!” Mingya, hearing Xiya’s voice, wriggled his small body through the crowd’s legs, causing another wave of commotion among the females.

“Your little brother was caught peeking at young females bathing in broad daylight,” the brown-haired youth said without embarrassment.

Lei Jin raised an eyebrow and let out a light, disapproving huff. “The little guy’s grown up, huh?” When they were together, Mingya’s hands were never still, and now he had escalated to sneaking into another tribe’s territory to peep at females. In just over two months, Mingya hadn’t grown much in size, but his audacity had certainly expanded.

“Lei Jin, is it really you?” Mingya’s tail wagged excitedly, his eyes shining as he pounced forward, only to be kicked away by Lei Jin before he could get close.

“Lei Jin?” Mingya’s ears drooped as he picked himself up from the ground, his eyes filled with unmistakable grievance.

“What’s going on here?” Lei Jin asked, gesturing toward the crowd behind them.

“Mingya doesn’t know,” the little guy replied. He had just been looking for some water to drink when he poked his head out and was immediately chased by these people.

“You dare deny peeking?” the brown-haired youth raised his wooden club, his expression darkening.

“Mingya didn’t see anything,” Mingya insisted stubbornly, his gaze fixed on Lei Jin. His words were clearly directed at Lei Jin. He didn’t want to look at those people; they weren’t as good-looking as his female.

“Then how did you end up in the Wolf Tribe’s territory?” Moya bent down, patting his little brother’s head reassuringly. It was common knowledge that one shouldn’t trespass into another tribe’s territory, and Mingya should have known that.

“Mingya was returning a little pup,” Mingya said, scratching his head with his paw, avoiding his second brother’s gaze.

“What little pup?” The brown-haired youth’s expression shifted, as if he had remembered something, but he added, “We didn’t see any pup when we caught you.”

“It’s a little gray wolf. He’s still in the grass over there,” Mingya retorted defiantly.

“What? A gray one? Could it be Qing He’s child?” someone from the crowd whispered to the brown-haired youth.

“Take us to see,” the brown-haired youth said to Mingya.

The group, now led by Mingya, made their way back. They passed through a grove of trees and arrived at a lake surrounded by low hills. The lakeside was lush with green grass, and the calm water reflected the distant mountains and white clouds. The scenery was quite beautiful.

“Little fox!” Mingya called as he ran, but there was no response.

The brown-haired youth grew angry. “Where’s this child you mentioned?”

“Little fox, my big brothers are here. Come out!”

“Caw, caw! You should’ve said so earlier,” a black crow flapped its wings, flying up with a head full of grass.

The little fox poked its head out from the grass, its paw pinning down a gray wolf pup several times its size. The pup’s white belly was exposed, and it was clearly asleep, little bubbles forming at its mouth.

The brown-haired youth quickly stepped forward, gently picking up the wolf pup and cradling it in his arms. He brushed the dirt off its head and nodded to Mingya. “We misunderstood. Since you’re here, why not rest in our tribe before continuing your journey?”

Lei Jin was surprised that the matter had been resolved so easily. Given the earlier commotion, he had expected Mingya to be in for a beating, even if he had a valid reason.

Xiya, as if reading his thoughts, leaned in and whispered, “If Mingya weren’t still a child, this wouldn’t have been settled so easily. Those people were just trying to scare him.”

So that’s how it worked? It seemed this continent had its own set of rules. Lei Jin looked down at the little guy squatting beside him, grinning mischievously. He always caused trouble but somehow managed to escape unscathed.

“It’s getting late. Let’s stay here tonight and leave tomorrow morning,” Moya suggested. After several days of camping in the wild, they wanted Lei Jin to get a proper rest.

With the misunderstanding cleared up, Mingya cautiously approached Lei Jin. Seeing that Lei Jin only glanced at him and didn’t kick him away, he boldly snuggled up.

The Wolf Tribe’s settlement was nestled in a dense forest at the foot of a mountain. Tall houses made of black stone and yellow grass were arranged in an orderly fashion.

Strangers visiting the tribe were required to report to the chief, and this time was no exception. However, before they could even make their way there, they were surrounded by the family of the little wolf pup, who had heard the news.

Xiya and Moya were immediately bombarded with gratitude, only to realize that the real hero was the little guy currently curled up next to a female, acting spoiled.

That night, they stayed at the home of the tribe’s chief, Yu Qi. The chief was a young man who appeared very mature and composed. The brown-haired youth was his mate, who later introduced himself as Mu He.

Dinner consisted of large chunks of boiled meat. Noticing Lei Jin’s pale complexion and apparent injuries, Mu He took a few flatbreads and toasted them on the stove before handing them to Moya, who was feeding Lei Jin.

“Give him these. They’re a specialty of our tribe, and females love them.”

Moya thanked him and broke the bread into small pieces to feed Lei Jin.

From the moment Mu He started toasting the bread, Lei Jin had noticed a familiar aroma. Now, tasting it, he confirmed it was cornbread. The texture was coarser than what he was used to in the modern world, but the corn flavor was pure and strong.

“Mu He, can I ask if the corn—the stuff you use to make these breads—is yellow with lots of kernels?” Lei Jin tried to describe it, gesturing with his fingers to indicate the size.

Mu He smiled. “That’s about right, but the ears are much smaller.” Seeing Lei Jin’s interest, Mu He set down his bowl and went to the kitchen to fetch a couple of dried corn cobs. They were golden with a hint of red but no larger than Lei Jin’s palm.

“Does your tribe eat this often?” Lei Jin asked.

“Only a little. We save it for the females,” Yu Qi chimed in.

“Yes, the land to the west of our tribe is very dry. Only corn and small ground fruits grow well there, and even then, not much.”

“Small ground fruits?” Lei Jin asked curiously.

Moya handed Lei Jin a sip of water. “Let’s eat first.”

In truth, many things were tacitly understood among the tribes, especially regarding food sources. Although werebeast tribes primarily relied on meat, each tribe had its own reserves to survive lean years.

Mu He, however, didn’t seem to mind. He continued, “Luckily, I brought a handful with me. Take a look. These are small ground fruits.” He opened his left hand, revealing a few pale pink kernels.

Small ground fruits? These were peanuts! Lei Jin recognized them at a glance.

“They’re quite tasty when boiled fresh, but once they harden, they’re not as good.”

“You can extract oil from them,” Lei Jin suggested.

“Extract oil? How? What’s it used for?” Yu Qi quickly asked the key questions.

“I don’t know how to extract it,” Lei Jin admitted. He had eaten peanut oil but had no idea how it was made. Still, the principle was straightforward. “Basically, you squeeze the oil out of them.” Lei Jin took a peanut, crushed it in his hand, and showed the oily residue. “Add a little to your cooking, and it’s very fragrant.”

After dinner, the little wolf pup’s family returned, this time bearing gifts—two large pieces of fabric. The color wasn’t particularly appealing, a dull gray, but the material was thick, soft, and somewhat resembled cotton. The usual cloth towels used back at home were made of the same material.

Without waiting for a response, they handed over the fabric and exchanged a few words with Yu Qi before leaving.

“We really owe you our thanks,” Mu He said after seeing the visitors off. “To be honest, Qing He was Yu Qi’s strongest competitor for the position of chief. Although he lost, he and his followers have been challenging Yu Qi’s authority. Thanks to you bringing back the child, our relationship has improved.”

Lei Jin thought to himself, no wonder Mu He acted like he’d found his own child when he saw that chubby little wolf. There’s more to this story.

That night, the four of them shared a room, while Berg, who had been keeping a low profile since arriving at the Wolf Tribe, had a room to himself. It wasn’t until Xiya started helping Lei Jin undress that Mingya finally realized something was wrong. He crawled over and asked, “Lei Jin, what happened to your arms?”

After hearing Moya’s explanation, Mingya clung to Lei Jin, tears streaming down his face and dripping onto Lei Jin’s chest.

Lei Jin suddenly felt a burning sensation in his heart. This was the first time someone had cried for him since his injury. Losing his arms and the ability to care for himself in this unfamiliar world—he had wanted to cry too, but his eyes remained dry, not a single tear falling.

“Alright, stop crying,” Lei Jin heard himself say, though his heart felt hollow.

“Lei Jin, don’t cry. If it hurts, you can pull Mingya’s ears,” Mingya said, seeing the emptiness in Lei Jin’s eyes. He felt Lei Jin’s sorrow.

Mingya stuck out his furry bottom, pressing his head into Lei Jin’s hand and wiggling his ears.

Lei Jin couldn’t help but grab them. “Which eye of yours sees me crying? Go to sleep. We have to travel tomorrow.”

“En,” Mingya blinked away his tears and curled up in Lei Jin’s arms. “When Mingya grows up, Mingya will protect you. Mingya won’t let you get hurt or be sad.”

Lei Jin didn’t take the childish words seriously.

“By the way, how did you find that chubby little wolf?” Lei Jin asked, noticing Mingya’s guilty expression earlier. He knew there was more to the story.

“It wasn’t me. It was the little fox. He said he was hungry and caught a little wild dog to roast. Later, we realized it was a wolf pup from the Wolf Tribe.”

“So, you’re saying you were the ones who took the chubby little wolf in the first place?” Lei Jin finally understood.

Mingya grinned sheepishly and nodded.

Even though he had braced himself for this, Lei Jin still felt his next breath get stuck in his chest. After a long pause, he finally found his voice. “Alright, don’t mention this to anyone in the Wolf Tribe.” If they found out, gratitude would be the last thing on their minds. They’d probably want to kill them.

Xiya and Moya were already accustomed to their little brother’s knack for getting into trouble and miraculously escaping unscathed.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

“Tomorrow, if Mu He asks, tell him you want the black stone he’s wearing,” Lei Jin said before falling asleep. Mu He had mentioned giving them some corn and peanuts and asked if they needed anything else. Lei Jin trusted his instincts—the stone Mu He wore was similar to the one Jing Ping had. There had to be a connection.

Lei Jin had left Jing Ping’s stone with Xiya, as he didn’t like wearing accessories.

Moya, lying on the other side, heard their conversation and pulled out the stone he had picked up from the seabed. He had intended to show it to his papa, but since Lei Jin was also interested in these stones, he wondered what the connection was.

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There is nothing humiliating about this, Lei Jin told himself, just consider it as the price you have to pay to survive. Is there any other way besides this? If they didn’t talk it out, were they to keep living in this unclear state? So what to do in the end? He was aware of the relationship between Xiya and Moya, so he had to make it clear and choose a method that everyone could accept so that they could part ways amicably in the future.

So a similar scene was being played out again just one day later. If there was any difference, it was probably the location, and also only Lei Jin was naked, while the other two were dressed neatly.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

Lei Jin’s clothes were scattered casually on the grass on the side, which showed how anxious he was to take them off, without even taking the time to put them aside.

“Mmph…” Moya held Lei Jin’s violently heaving body in his arms, lowered his head and kissed him demandingly.

His hole was constantly rimmed by Xiya’s tongue, reaching a depth never before reached. His waist was so sore that he almost didn’t have the strength to kneel, but what was that feeling of soft fur that occasionally rubbed against his body?

The corner of his eye accidentally caught a glimpse of a golden color, reflecting the sunlight, as brilliant as brocade.

“Go away… hnn…” The words that had just come out were blocked by Moya again. Lei Jin began to struggle hard. If he was not mistaken, Xiya’s beast form was behind him.

He could accept doing it with a human, but not with a real leopard.

His inner walls were licked and sucked carefully, and all sensitive spots were pressed with extreme accuracy that his toes couldn’t help curling up. He fell into Moya’s arms, panting. Xiya’s tongue was still inside him, but he was no longer able to struggle free.

Moya raised his hand to wipe the sweat from the forehead of the person in his arms, and shook his head silently at Xiya.

Xiya glanced at the already exhausted Lei Jin, with a helpless struggle in his eyes. Finally, he turned around and changed back into human form. Faced with a temper like Lei Jin, he could only admit defeat. Who asked them to fall for him? Listening to what he said could make people crazy. He wanted to force him but couldn’t bear to do so.

Actually using his body for a transaction with them? Did he think they only wanted to do it with him?

He almost couldn’t hold back and really pop a baby in him. Let’s see where he can escape to then?

The two of them cooperated tacitly to help Lei Jin put on his clothes. His objections were futile, so they just carried him back.

“What should we do about Berg? We’re about to leave, and his condition doesn’t look good. It would be best to contact his tribe,” Xiya said, carrying Lei Jin effortlessly despite the added weight.

“I think he doesn’t want to, or rather, he’s afraid. That man’s background is probably something even his tribe can’t handle. Otherwise, how would Berg have been captured again?” Moya speculated. Berg had likely been taken from the merfolk tribe this time.

“If you’re tired, just sleep. We won’t do anything to you,” Xiya said, noticing how Lei Jin, despite being utterly exhausted, was still stubbornly trying to stay awake. He found it both amusing and distressing.

Lei Jin, whose eyelids were already drooping, opened them again at Xiya’s words, giving him a wary look. Finally, unable to fight the sleepiness any longer, he drifted off.

“Why do you provoke him? In the end, we forced him. He was such a free-spirited person before. Before even if we had to fight him to get him to comply, he’d never have agreed to something like today’s arrangement,” Moya said, gently touching Lei Jin’s face. He remembered how bold and carefree Lei Jin used to be. Although Lei Jin tried to act indifferent now, it was undeniable that he had become somewhat subdued since his injury. Today’s words were likely born out of desperation. The old Lei Jin would never have suggested such a thing. Back then, Lei Jin was all about self-reliance and finding a way home as quickly as possible.

“You’re right, but with his cold and stubborn personality, we might never have gotten close to him without some force,” Xiya said calmly. After a moment of thought, he added, “Forget it. Let’s just go back to the tribe and heal his arms. I don’t like seeing him so listless.”

Moya had already packed everything, and Xiya had prepared dinner, but Lei Jin was still asleep, showing no signs of waking.

“Is he sick?” Moya asked, concerned.

“His temperature isn’t high,” Xiya replied, also worried. He leaned over to feel Lei Jin’s forehead.

“Then we must have worn him out,” Moya said, recalling how the two of them had spent the entire afternoon with Lei Jin the day before.

Xiya thought for a moment and agreed. He touched Lei Jin’s clothes and frowned. “Why are his clothes so damp?”

“That shouldn’t be. I just changed him at noon, and I dried his clothes by the fire last night,” Moya said, reaching over to feel Lei Jin’s clothes. His brow furrowed. “Why is he sweating so much?”

Xiya undid Lei Jin’s clothes and saw that he was indeed drenched. “It must be a low-grade fever. I shouldn’t have argued with him at noon. His health hasn’t been great since the injury, and I took his clothes off outside where the sea breeze was cold. He hasn’t even recovered from yesterday afternoon.”

“Enough. I’m just as much to blame. We only have anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving herbs here. If his fever spikes, we’ll be in trouble,” Moya said, quickly changing Lei Jin’s damp clothes and wrapping him in his own. He held Lei Jin close to the fire.

Xiya’s wooden bucket, which he had planned to discard, was now filled with water and placed over the fire. Half of it burned, but the water heated quickly. They wiped Lei Jin down with the warm water and fed him some porridge. Throughout the night, they took turns holding him to keep him warm.

Xiya and Moya had been a little upset with Lei Jin earlier, but now, all they felt was concern. He was their weakness.

The rain had stopped, and they had prepared plenty of food for Berg, leaving behind everything they could spare.

They had hoped to contact Berg’s tribe for him, as his current condition made it unsafe for him to stay alone. But Berg had coldly refused, his expression turning icy.

“I’ve never seen someone so ungrateful,” Lei Jin said, his head throbbing with vexation.

So, even though they noticed Berg following them from a distance over the next few days, they decided to ignore him.

The wind was strong during flight, so they planned to walk for two days to give Lei Jin time to recover before flying back.

Berg trailed behind them, and it wasn’t until the third day that they realized he was following. By then, they were already a considerable distance from the merfolk tribe. Sending him back wasn’t an option, and leaving him alone in the unfamiliar forest felt cruel. They had no choice but to let him follow for now and figure things out later.

That night, they couldn’t find a cave, and the forest floor was too damp from the rain. They decided to spend the night in a tree, a common practice for werebeasts but uncomfortable for a female like Lei Jin.

The night in the forest was beautiful. The campfire below had just died out, and the three of them sat on a sturdy branch, the starlight filtering through the leaves. Aside from the chirping of insects, there were other faint sounds, but since Xiya and Moya didn’t seem concerned, Lei Jin decided not to worry.

“The first time I met the little guy was also in a tree,” Lei Jin suddenly said, his mood seemingly improved. “Back then, I thought I’d never want to sit on a tree branch again.”

Xiya wrapped an arm around Lei Jin’s waist, ensuring he wouldn’t fall.

“You’ll see Younger Brother when we get back,” Moya said. Lei Jin didn’t show any special affection for their little brother, but his fondness was evident.

“It’s been over half a year since I came here,” Lei Jin mused. At first, he had missed his modern life terribly. After all, he had been doing well there and hadn’t been forced to leave. If he couldn’t return, he could accept it, but now that there was hope, he didn’t want to miss the chance.

But lately, he found himself thinking less and less about his old life. He knew this wasn’t a good sign. He couldn’t let himself be tied down here, no matter how much he might grow attached. He hated feeling inherently weak, unable to resist many things.

The other two fell silent at the mention of this topic.

“Let’s sleep. We have to keep moving tomorrow,” Moya said, pressing a warm kiss to Lei Jin’s lips.

“Berg’s in trouble,” Xiya suddenly said, his sharp ears picking up faint sounds and the scent of blood on the wind. He squeezed Lei Jin’s hand. “You and Moya stay here quietly. I’ll go check.”

“Be careful, Elder Brother,” Moya said.

Xiya nodded and slipped silently down the tree, his agile form quickly disappearing into the dark night.

The distant roar of beasts made Lei Jin glance in that direction, but he could see nothing in the darkness except for a few pairs of glowing green eyes.

“Don’t worry. They’re just jackals. Elder Brother can handle them,” Moya whispered in Lei Jin’s ear.

Lei Jin, startled by Moya’s sudden closeness, frowned and said, “It’s none of my business.”

The forest soon returned to its earlier calm, and Xiya returned with Berg in tow.

Berg looked uncomfortable at having been discovered.

Xiya helped him up the tree and tied a vine around his waist for safety.

“Hey, why are you tying me up?” Berg protested, but with little room to move on the tree, he had no choice but to let Xiya secure him.

“So you don’t fall and die in the middle of the night,” Xiya said with a kind smile, though his actions were firm.

The next morning, Moya started a fire to roast meat while Lei Jin wandered nearby. Berg, who had been vomiting behind a tree, approached Moya and looked mournfully at the roasting meat.

“I want conch meat,” Berg said. He had been following them for days, surviving on the dried meat they had left behind, and his taste buds were desperate for something flavorful.

Lei Jin wanted to kick him. Where in the forest would they find conch meat? Was he just looking for trouble?

“If you follow us back, you might never eat those things again,” Moya pointed out, stating a harsh truth.

Berg immediately hung his head in silence.

“Lei Jin, look what I found!” Xiya called from a distance, holding something up with a smile.

Moya looked over and exclaimed in delight, “It’s a wood ox horn! Where did you find it, Elder Brother?”

Lei Jin knew about wood ox horns—they were what Roger had said could be used to make bows.

“Isn’t that from the thing that ran up to me last night?” Berg asked. He had been staying in a small tree hollow not far from them when a massive creature had stumbled over and died, followed by a pack of predators.

Xiya handed the horns to Lei Jin. “These are enough to make two bows. You won’t have to worry about your bow breaking when you go hunting.”

In the morning sunlight, the horns were beautiful, with spiral patterns and a translucent, amber-like sheen. They looked incredibly sturdy.

“His arm’s useless. What’s the point of hunting?” Berg muttered, earning cold glares from both Xiya and Moya.

Lei Jin, however, remained unfazed. He glanced at Berg’s stomach and said coolly, “Pregnant people should take it easy.”

Berg’s face turned pale, and he glared at Lei Jin, his lips trembling.

“Up ahead is the Wolf Tribe’s territory. We’ve seen them a few times while hunting, but we don’t have any ties with them. Let’s go around,” Xiya suggested.

The others agreed without objection.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

Before they could get far, they saw a cloud of dust ahead. A small silver figure was leading the charge, followed by forty or fifty people armed with wooden clubs.

“I really didn’t mean to! Help!”

Xiya and Moya exchanged a look, their eyelids twitching. They recognized that voice—it was their little brother, the one they thought should have been safe at home. Trouble had found them again.

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Afterwards, Lei Jin lay sprawled on the straw bed, his legs splayed wide, too weak to close. His lower half was covered in sticky, white traces, and the bed was a mess from the three of them.

He couldn’t tell who had pulled out of him, but the cool breeze entering his stretched entrance sent a shiver through him.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

Lei Jin had no idea what time it was, as the blindfold still covered his eyes.

“You take him to wash up. I’ll clean up here,” Xiya’s voice came, still hoarse but undeniably satisfied.

“En,” Moya responded, his voice close by.

Lei Jin felt the blindfold being removed, and the sudden light made him squint and close his eyes.

Moya picked up a relatively clean piece of clothing from the scattered pile on the ground and wrapped it around Lei Jin before carrying him to the stream in the forest to wash up.

Turns out the sun hadn’t set yet, and the daylight outside was bright. But several hours must have passed since lunch.

Although day and night made little difference to werebeasts, this was the first time Moya had held Lei Jin in such bright light, examining his body so closely. After thoroughly washing Lei Jin, Moya began cleaning where they had been inside him. His fingers probed gently, and the mixed fluids from both of them trickled down Lei Jin’s thighs. Moya’s eyes flickered, and he lifted Lei Jin’s legs, slowly entering him again, this time with extra care, knowing Lei Jin was exhausted from their earlier activities.

Lei Jin had braced himself for this and only let out a soft groan, allowing Moya to continue.

The forest air was fresh after the rain, and their figures intertwined as ripples spread across the water’s surface.

When they returned, Xiya had already tidied up the cave. It was relatively clean, though the faint scent of their earlier passion still lingered.

In his drowsy state, Lei Jin felt someone lift him up and feed him something—chewed meat and porridge—through their mouth.

When Lei Jin woke up again, he was alone in the cave. It was quiet, and a large golden halo of sunlight shone at the entrance. A green leaf, blown in by the wind, had landed near the straw bed. Judging by past experience, it must be midday again. He tried to sit up, but the soreness deep inside made him grimace.

Lei Jin closed his eyes, a sarcastic smile tugging at his lips. Lei Jin, look how pathetic you’ve become. When did you fall to this point? Like some abandoned woman. And now you’ve slept with two men at the same time. I used to pity Roger, but in the end, I’ve ended up in the same situation. He had to return to his original world. Modern society was where he belonged, not here, entangled in unclear relationships with two men.

“Lei Jin, are you awake?” Moya’s voice came from outside. He entered holding a steaming wooden bowl.

“If you’re awake, have something to eat. You haven’t had breakfast yet,” Moya said, noticing Lei Jin’s fingers twitch but getting no response. He knew Lei Jin was awake but probably unwilling to forgive their actions from the previous day.

“It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have joined in later,” Moya said, taking Lei Jin’s hand.

Lei Jin thought the first part sounded reasonable, but the next sentence nearly made him jump up in anger. Moya added, somewhat pitifully, “But it had been so long since I’d touched you, and you and Elder Brother were…”

Not wanting to hear a replay of what had happened, Lei Jin let out a soft grunt to cut him off.

“Have some water. Your throat must be uncomfortable,” Moya said, helping Lei Jin sit up and lean against him. He fed him half a bowl of water.

“Elder Brother went to deliver some things to Berg. We should be leaving in a couple of days,” Moya said, kissing Lei Jin lightly on the lips after he drank.

“Stay away from me,” Lei Jin said, his voice hoarse despite the water. After shouting and moaning for nearly an entire afternoon, his throat was wrecked.

“Alright, don’t be mad at me. I made porridge and the mushrooms you like. Let’s go out and eat,” Moya said, helping Lei Jin into his clothes. Only then did Lei Jin realize he had been sleeping naked, wrapped only in one of Xiya’s garments.

“Wait a moment. Let me apply some medicine. It’s still a bit swollen,” Moya said, parting Lei Jin’s legs to inspect the area. Suppressing his emotions, he calmly applied some green medicinal paste. “We don’t have jade mugwort, so this is just ordinary anti-inflammatory medicine. It might take longer to heal.”

Moya spoke naturally, but Lei Jin felt like strangling him. He kicked Moya in frustration, only to wince from the tugging pain it caused him.

“Moya?” Lei Jin called during their meal.

“What?” Moya looked up from feeding him, his eyes filled with warmth.

“We…”

“Moya!” Xiya’s voice, panicked and urgent, interrupted before Lei Jin could finish. Xiya appeared at the entrance, seeing Lei Jin in Moya’s arms. “Lei Jin, you’re awake?”

“What’s wrong?” Moya asked, noticing Xiya’s expression.

Xiya glanced at Lei Jin before saying, “That Berg suddenly said his stomach hurt, then collapsed. He’s bleeding… down there.”

Although Xiya often seemed calm and steady, even a bit shameless, he had little experience with such situations, having only been intimate with Lei Jin before.

“He looks like he’s in unbearable pain,” Xiya added.

“Let’s go see,” Lei Jin said. Since learning that Berg had been violated and might be pregnant, Lei Jin had taken more interest in his condition.

“Let’s go,” Moya said, picking Lei Jin up. Carrying him on his back wasn’t an option now.

Lei Jin understood the urgency and didn’t argue, letting Moya carry him. The three of them quickly reached the cave where Berg was staying.

Before they even entered, they heard Berg’s agonized screams.

Inside, they saw a massive golden fishtail thrashing wildly against the ground. Blood stained both the floor and Berg’s body.

Moya set Lei Jin down at the entrance, afraid Berg might accidentally hurt him in his frenzied state.

The two approached Berg, avoiding the range of his thrashing tail, and pinned his shoulders from either side.

“Berg, what’s wrong?” Moya asked, struggling to hold him down as Berg’s strength was immense.

“Moya, it hurts… my stomach… it hurts so much…” Berg’s eyes were red, and his mouth was bleeding from biting down too hard.

“Moya, give me some medicine… please…” Berg clutched Moya’s wrist desperately.

“We have some pain-relieving herbs left. Should I go get them?” Xiya asked, worried Berg might die from the pain.

Moya hesitated, then shook his head.

“Moya, I was wrong… I shouldn’t have hurt your mate… please, give me the medicine… it hurts so much…” Berg pleaded, thinking Moya still held a grudge over Lei Jin.

“Moya?” Xiya frowned, knowing his brother wasn’t usually this cold-hearted.

“Berg, is it possible you’re pregnant?” Moya asked bluntly. Although they hadn’t discussed it openly, everyone knew what had happened to Berg.

Xiya, unaware of the golden merfolk situation, looked puzzled but didn’t press for details.

Berg’s face paled, and a look of deep pain crossed his eyes. “No… it’s impossible… absolutely impossible…”

But was it really impossible? Berg knew better. During his captivity, that man had come to him every night. Merfolk had a six-month gestation period, and it had been about two months since then. Even if he hadn’t paid much attention, basic knowledge of his kind told him the truth.

The three exchanged glances, realizing there was a high chance Berg was indeed pregnant.

But none of them had experience with such a situation. They couldn’t risk giving Berg any medicine. Finally, Lei Jin suggested feeding Berg some of the hot porridge Moya had made. Warm food couldn’t hurt, right?

Seeing Berg’s resigned expression after Moya’s question, they knew they wouldn’t get any useful information from him. They had no choice but to try what they can.

Xiya and Moya managed to force two bowls of porridge into Berg. Exhausted, Berg soon fell unconscious.

“Is the bleeding still happening?” Lei Jin asked without much hesitation.

“It seems to have stopped,” Xiya replied, slightly embarrassed.

After settling Berg, the three of them left the cave.

Lei Jin didn’t want to be carried, so Xiya and Moya supported him on either side, treating him as if he might vanish at any moment.

“Let’s sit over there. I have something to say,” Lei Jin said, pointing to a large, dry rock by the path.

The spot offered a view of the vast, blue sea, making one feel insignificant in the face of nature.

“What do you want to say?” Xiya asked.

“I can accept both of you,” Lei Jin began. The two men’s faces lit up with hope, but Lei Jin quickly added, “Wait, let me finish.”

They quieted, obediently listening to what he had to say. They felt that anything else didn’t matter as much now that Lei Jin was willing to accept them.

“But I won’t participate in any ceremonies with you,” Lei Jin said. He knew that ceremonies here were akin to marriage in the modern world, and he wanted no part of it.

“Why?” Moya brushed Lei Jin’s hair aside, trying to read his expression.

“I have to return to my original world. We can only be bed partners,” Lei Jin stated firmly. After everything that had happened, he was no longer as optimistic as when he first arrived. Surviving alone in this unfamiliar world was nearly impossible.

For now, he could only rely on these two men. In his mind, as long as emotions weren’t involved, maintaining a physical relationship was acceptable.

“What kind of arrangement is this?” Xiya’s voice turned deep.

“You don’t have to accept it,” Lei Jin replied with a cold smile.

“If it were anyone else, would you make the same offer without hesitation?” Moya’s tone was equally displeased. They both had some idea of Lei Jin’s thoughts and why he was doing this, but understanding didn’t mean they agreed.

Lei Jin frowned, thinking that if it were anyone else forcing themselves on him, he’d have crippled them by now.

But he kept his thoughts to himself and asked, “So, do you agree or not? Just say it.”

Moya stared at him silently, clearly unwilling.

Lei Jin turned away in frustration.

Surprisingly, Xiya suddenly smiled brightly and said, “If we agree, does that mean you won’t mind being intimate with us in the future?”

“Elder Brother…”

“I want to hear Lei Jin’s answer,” Xiya cut Moya off.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

Though Lei Jin found Xiya’s sudden change in attitude suspicious, he nodded. What was done was done, and a few more times wouldn’t make much difference.

“Good,” Xiya said, his deep violet eyes unreadable. “Then you probably won’t mind doing it with us right here, either.” He patted the sun-warmed rock they were sitting on.

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