Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Fertility Test

The mouse-people tribe’s tribal shaman was Grom Gu Sa.

Her granddaughter, Ashley Gu Sa, was also taking part in the coming-of-age rite.

Several respected families had brought their adult females as well.

Oro arrived last.

So when the name “Su Yan Mi Lu Te” was announced, a ripple of shock ran through the crowd—heads turning, voices catching, eyes sharpening with curiosity.

Everyone looked.

Except Lin Lang.

He stood at the very front, gaze fixed on Su Yan at the back as if he’d been waiting for her to step into view.

“Lin Lang,” the man beside him said, nudging him with a shoulder, “Ashley keeps looking at me. Her eyes are on fire. I’m definitely going to be her beast husband.”

It was Kane Xue Zha De Lin, grinning like he’d already won.

Lin Lang gave a low laugh. “Weren’t you going to marry Rona Lei Shi? Changed your mind again?”

Kane shrugged, eyes bright. “Who knew the tribal shaman would be this generous, letting her own granddaughter compete?”

Another male leaned in. “If your grandfather hears that, he won’t approve. He’s counting on you to run for the next clan chief.”

In the mouse-people tribe, the clan chief wasn’t inherited by blood. The position was chosen by election—by all members of the tribe.

The previous clan chief had been Wildfire Xue Zha De Lin—Kane’s grandfather. He’d always wanted to reclaim the title and restore his family’s prestige.

And Rona Lei Shi was the current clan chief’s only daughter.

If Kane secured her, he’d be gathering two families’ power into one net. Then the next clan chief would almost certainly be him.

That was why this coming-of-age rite had a clear favorite: Rona Lei Shi.

Ashley Gu Sa, the tribal shaman’s granddaughter, was the biggest dark horse.

As for Su Yan Mi Lu Te… people were surprised she existed at all. But she was so thin she looked like a skeleton in borrowed clothes. Most assumed her fertility would be terrible without even touching Fertility Stone.

Her face was pretty, though.

If she ended up in Breeding Den, that face might at least earn her extra supplies.

After Grom Gu Sa finished praying to the Beast God’s statue, the testing began.

“There are sixteen adult females participating today,” she announced, voice carrying across the temple stone. “Ten fewer than last time. I hope after this rite, you will all work hard and bring more people into the mouse-people tribe.”

Her gaze swept the crowd, old but sharp.

“The first female: Sha Wa Bu Luo Li Ke. Step forward.”

Su Yan stood at the back, watching the ritual with tight focus.

Shava was short and plump. Her features weren’t pretty—protruding mouth, small eyes—but in a hungry world, softness meant reserves. Reserves meant survival.

The males below the platform stared at her with heat.

Shava bared sharp side teeth, bit her finger, and let several drops of blood fall onto the crystal-clear Fertility Stone.

The stone flared bright, light blooming from within as if something had awakened.

Shava’s shoulders loosened with relief.

“Sha Wa Bu Luo Li Ke,” Grom declared, “fertility grade: upper-middle grade. Congratulations.”

“Thank you, tribal shaman,” Shava said, then stepped aside.

The eager gazes of young males followed her. Shava lowered her eyes, shy satisfaction coloring her face, and even her plain features seemed to glow under attention.

“The second female: Jie Mi La Li Ao.”

A long-faced, slender female stepped forward.

She pricked her finger with a bone needle, dripped blood onto Fertility Stone, and produced a steady, bright glow.

“Jie Mi La Li Ao,” Grom said, “fertility: middle grade.”

“Thank you, tribal shaman.”

Jie Mi La moved to stand near Shava.

“Next: Jia Lian Wa Er Tuo.”

Grom’s brows drew together as the thin, small female approached the stone.

The result was weak—a faint, trembling light.

“Fertility grade: low grade.”

The female’s face crumpled. She burst into tears.

Because there was only one place a low-grade female could go.

Breeding Den.

After that came more results—several low-grade, a handful of lower-middle and middle, a few upper-middle.

Then—

“Ashley Gu Sa.”

When Grom spoke her granddaughter’s name, the temple seemed to lean forward. The air sharpened with anticipation.

Ashley stepped up with calm confidence. Her skin was warm honey, her body tall and athletic. Her face was ordinary by Su Yan’s standards, but among the females present, only Su Yan and Ashley could be called even remotely refined.

Su Yan blinked once, briefly struck by how low the bar was here.

Then she remembered.

In Beast World, no one cared about a female’s face as much as her fertility. As long as she could give birth, even an ugly female was precious.

Ashley pricked her finger with a bone needle and squeezed out a single drop of blood.

The moment it touched Fertility Stone, the stone erupted in blinding light—so fierce it stabbed the eyes. It didn’t fade for a long time, pouring out radiance as if the temple itself had caught fire.

The young males exploded into cheers. Voices shouted Ashley’s name, clamoring, competing, desperate to be chosen.

“Super high-grade fertility,” Grom declared, her expression gentler than before. “Good child.”

“Thank you, Grandmother,” Ashley said, and stepped aside.

Envy, jealousy, and sharp hostility wrapped around her from the other females.

Ashley didn’t care. She lifted her chin and looked down at the males.

Her gaze landed on Lin Lang.

But Lin Lang wasn’t looking at her.

He was staring at someone else.

Ashley followed his line of sight—and saw Su Yan Mi Lu Te.

That thin, fragile-looking female. Pretty, yes, but she didn’t look fertile at all. Compared to Ashley’s body, her confidence, her power—

Ashley’s mouth tilted faintly, dismissive.

She stopped thinking about Su Yan.

“Nicole Ji La Er.”

A lively-looking female stepped forward. Nicole had been chatting while waiting, but the steady appearance of low-grade results had sobered her.

Now, with Ashley’s super high-grade result, her excitement surged again. “Perfect! I’m going to borrow Sister Ashley’s luck—surely I’ll be lucky too!”

Ashley smiled and made a small encouraging gesture.

Nicole dripped blood onto Fertility Stone.

The stone lit up—bright, steady, lasting.

“High grade,” Grom said with a satisfied smile.

Nicole rushed back to Ashley and threw her arms around her. “Thank goodness! I don’t have to go to Breeding Den!”

Nearby, the low-grade females’ faces grew darker.

Only two females remained untested: Rona Lei Shi and Su Yan Mi Lu Te.

Grom called Rona first.

Su Yan felt a gaze on her—hot, persistent, possessive. She didn’t need to turn to know it was Lin Lang.

Lin Lang was popular among the males, too. She’d heard females whispering his name, heard the careful way some of them tried to catch his attention.

Rona Lei Shi was one of them.

Rona glanced back at Su Yan. “Why don’t you go first?”

Su Yan instinctively leaned forward in a polite bow and gestured. “The tribal shaman called your name. Please.”

Rona blinked, surprised. No one here did that. Yet somehow, it felt pleasant. “All right.”

Some of the males noticed as well.

“Didn’t expect that Little Female to be not only pretty, but also well-mannered.”

“Her fertility looks terrible.”

“She hasn’t been tested. Who knows?”

“With how skinny she is, there’s no need to test. Just send her straight to Breeding Den. Want to go together? Hah—”

“Shut up!” Lin Lang snapped, voice cutting through the crowd like a blade. “Even if she’s low grade, as long as someone takes her in, she doesn’t have to be sent to Breeding Den.”

The volume carried all the way up to the platform.

And down below, the low-grade females—who’d been staring into despair—lifted their heads again.

Hope flickered in their eyes.