Chapter 13
Chapter 13: Females Have No Talent
Little Luo’s talent was wind-type, green rank. Not high—but fast.
Fast enough that the world blurred.
Curled against the bundle on his back, Su Yan felt every stride like a drumbeat through bone. Branches whipped past. Dirt and stone flashed beneath. The air rushed over her fur so hard it stung.
When Little Luo got hungry, he tore off bites of jerky as he ran. When he got thirsty, he paused only long enough to lap cold water from a stream, then launched forward again.
Su Yan, thanks to the grain-avoiding pill, didn’t feel hunger at all. Still, she nibbled a little, just to keep the habit of eating from becoming another thing she lost.
“Little Luo,” she asked, “do you know about Golden-Eyed Black Leopard Beast?”
His ears twitched. “That’s one of the ten famous fierce beast clan in the East District.”
“Are they really that strong?”
“Strong?” Little Luo let out a short, humorless sound. “Any fierce beast clan in the East District could wipe out our entire West District.”
“And their talent is higher too?”
“Definitely. the East District and the West District aren’t even on the same level.” He hesitated, then added, “It’s like the difference between heaven rank and red rank.”
“That’s ridiculous,” Su Yan said, irritation flaring. “the West District must have capable people too.”
“A few,” Little Luo admitted. “But in the East District, the whole beast clan sits at a higher level.”
Su Yan fell silent.
It really was like the gap between the rich and the poor—between those born with power and those left to scrape for scraps.
So the East District was the answer.
“Still,” Little Luo said, “the West District isn’t completely without strong people.”
“You mean Lin Lang?”
“Brother Lin Lang is good,” Little Luo said carefully, “but his talent is yellow rank. Talent decides the ceiling. No matter how high his skill climbs, there’s a limit.”
“Then who do you mean?”
“Snake Clan’s top Lord—Lord Dongli.”
Su Yan’s whiskers twitched. “Snake Clan? Aren’t they our natural enemy? The ones who counter the mouse clan?”
“They’re not,” Little Luo said quickly. “Snake Clan and Mouse Clan get along fine. When they build houses, they come to Mouse Clan beastman for help. Most of us are earth-type—more skilled with it than anyone.”
“My talent isn’t earth-type,” Su Yan said, almost casually.
Little Luo jolted so hard the bundle bounced. “What?”
Su Yan peered out. “What’s wrong?”
He stared at her as if she were something that shouldn’t exist. “Sister… females don’t have talent.”
Su Yan lifted one finger. “Fire.”
A flame bloomed above her fingertip—small, bright, and alive. It hissed softly in the air, orange-red light reflecting in Little Luo’s eyes.
He flinched back on instinct, then leaned in, stunned. “Is that real? the whole Mouse Clan doesn’t have a single fire-type talent!”
“Well, now it does,” Su Yan said lightly. “And it’s useful. Starting a fire is suddenly easy.”
Over the last two days, she’d studied the cultivation manual until the words burned into her mind, then practiced the simplest technique until she could coax flame on command.
Little Luo crept closer. “Then you’re the first talented female in Mouse Clan. And it’s fire-element profundity… something we’ve never had.”
“Too bad it’s only green rank.”
“Green rank is still rare!” Little Luo insisted. “In the West District, fire-type talents are so few you can count them. the East District has more. There’s even a Fire Phoenix Clan there—reborn in flame.” His voice dropped. “But they have no females. People say they’re close to dying out.”
“Fire Phoenix Clan?” Su Yan’s eyes brightened so sharply it was almost frightening.
Little Luo made a face. “Their males are arrogant. They won’t even glance at ordinary females. Don’t get ideas, Sister.”
Su Yan’s little round ears twitched. “Little Luo, let me tell you something. Someday, you will have a Fire Phoenix Clan brother-in-law.”
Little Luo stared at her ears and knew—she meant it.
He wanted to laugh. A tiny female mouse dreaming of hooking a fire phoenix from the East District? It was pure fantasy.
He shook his head, then hesitated. “There’s something else. Brother Lin Lang, he…”
“What?” Su Yan’s voice sharpened. Then she guessed without waiting. “He got together with another female.”
Little Luo nearly stumbled. “How did Sister know?”
“You look like you’re swallowing thorns,” Su Yan said. “There aren’t many reasons for that.”
Little Luo’s expression twisted. “Ashley drugged Brother Lin Lang with an aphrodisiac. Now she’s pregnant. Brother Lin Lang has no choice but to marry her.”
“Oh?” Su Yan’s mouth curved, but her eyes stayed cool. “Ruthless.”
“Aren’t you angry?”
“Why would I be?” Su Yan replied. “They’re already carrying a child.”
Besides, she’d given birth too—she’d even delivered a black leopard cub.
In this world, it was survival and desire tangled together. Sometimes there wasn’t a clean right or wrong—only choice and consequence.
She had agreed to wait. He hadn’t come. That was the end.
By nightfall, Little Luo carried Su Yan back to the new settlement where the mouse clan had moved.
Oro Mi Lu Te had set up a roadside stall selling hides, jerky, and goat milk. Ever since Little Luo left a note and ran back to the old tribe to search for his sister, Oro had been distracted—giving the wrong change, handing out the wrong goods, eyes always scanning the road.
Then he saw Little Luo stop in front of the stall with a huge bundle on his back.
Oro blinked hard, rubbed his eyes, and looked again.
It was really his son.
Relief surged through him—then anger slapped down like a lid.
“You still know how to come back!”
“Dad—”
Su Yan poked her head out of the bundle.
Oro froze. “Yan Er?”
“Mm.” Su Yan hopped onto the stall and stood upright on her hind legs, looking up at him. “Your daughter is fine.”
Good fortune or not, blood was blood. Facing Oro, Su Yan felt a warmth she couldn’t quite explain.
Oro scooped her up, hands shaking. Her fur was white and glossy, whiskers perked, eyes clear. She hadn’t been harmed by devil beasts.
“Good… good…” His voice broke, tears gathering. “Good. Little Luo did well. You’re safe… you’re safe.”
Little Luo, seeing his father soften, dropped the bundle and immediately grabbed a tender strip of jerky from the stall to chew.
Oro poured Su Yan her favorite goat milk.
Su Yan wasn’t hungry, but she drank it anyway—big, noisy gulps—then let out a satisfied burp.
“Uncle Oro,” a voice called. “I want ten red coins’ worth of jerky.”
Jia Lian Wa Er Tuo stepped up. The moment she saw the little white mouse on the counter, her face went pale.
“Su Yan? You’re not dead?”
Su Yan rolled her eyes. “If you’re not dead, why would I be dead?”
Jia Lian Wa Er Tuo choked. “Sorry—I said it wrong. Then… Lin Lang—”
“He has nothing to do with me,” Su Yan said flatly.
Oro handed Jia Lian Wa Er Tuo a strip of jerky worth at least a hundred red coins. “My daughter came back today. No charge. Take it.”
Jia Lian Wa Er Tuo hesitated, then reached out. A simple grass ring circled her wrist.
“Thank you, Uncle Oro.”
“Jia Lian!”
Someone called from far off.
“I’m coming!” Jia Lian Wa Er Tuo answered quickly, then turned back with forced brightness. “Su Yan, I’ll come find you to play another day!”
She ran off without waiting.
Oro sighed, watching her go. “Her parents were killed by devil beasts. She’s in the Breeding Den now. And she still has two brothers to raise.”
Su Yan’s eyes widened.
Only then did she register the grass ring on Jia Lian Wa Er Tuo’s wrist—marking her as a Breeding Den female.