Chapter 34

Chapter 34: Let’s See Who Falls First

“Watch your mouth,” Su Yan said, feigning offense. “What do you mean, better than mine?”

But she couldn’t deny it. Zulu’s roasting was genuinely better.

In this west district, where people still lived in furs and ate raw meat, his cooking could be called the best.

Little Luo looked up as Zulu and Oro came out of the cave. “The meat’s ready! Brother Zulu roasted it perfectly—better than Sister’s!”

Did he really need to repeat it?

Su Yan’s gaze slid to Fa Se. The cub lay asleep in Oro’s arms, curled into a Little Furball.

Oro’s face was lit with happiness so bright his wrinkles deepened. He looked younger for it.

“Tell your sister to eat more,” Su Yan scolded Little Luo. “What are you eating for?”

“Sister gave it to me. There’s still plenty.” Little Luo scratched the back of his neck. “I used my boot money to buy two deer and three pigs. They’re in the pen. If Sister wants to eat, we can slaughter one anytime.”

“Hmph.” Su Yan nodded, grudgingly satisfied. “Finally something reliable.”

“I can’t hunt,” Little Luo admitted, “but I can make boots. I can trade them for meat.”

“That’s why you need a skill,” Su Yan said. “With one craft, you don’t fear going anywhere.”

She lifted her meat toward Zulu in a small toast. “You too. Not bad.”

Zulu stepped close and ran his fingers through her hair as if he’d forgotten anyone else was there. “What else do you want to eat?”

“Zulu—”

A knock cut her off.

They all turned.

Lin Lang stood at the entrance, carrying a huge vine basket. Inside were oversized red berries, each separated by fresh green leaves. The bright fruit looked almost unreal against the rough cave life.

Zulu raised a hand. “Perfect. We roasted meat. Come try some.”

Lin Lang brought over not one but two baskets and handed them to Zulu.

Zulu looked down, pleased. “Yan Yan’s been craving these. Thank you.”

“Ashley’s busy and couldn’t leave, so she asked me to deliver them.” Lin Lang’s tone stayed polite and distant. “Eat slowly. I won’t disturb you.”

Since that time in Ashley’s birthing room, Su Yan hadn’t seen him again.

He looked thinner, but the sharpness in his eyes was deeper—his grasp of profundity had likely improved.

“Brother Lin Lang,” Su Yan said, “sit and eat with us. Little Luo, go bring the wild berry wine I soaked.”

“Okay!” Little Luo ran off at once.

Oro also waved Lin Lang over. “Sit. You’re always busy outside, and it’s rare you come back. Stay a few more days. And come look—this is my sweet grandson, Fa Se. Guess his talent.”

It was Lin Lang’s first time holding Su Yan’s cub. He’d heard Ashley describe him: blue and white, very cute.

In his palm, Fa Se was warm and faintly sweet-smelling—and the resemblance to Zulu was unmistakable.

“Like you,” Lin Lang said to Zulu. “When he takes human form and awakens his talent, it’ll probably be dual-element.”

Zulu only smiled.

Oro slapped his thigh. “A truly talented cub doesn’t need to wait until taking human form. The earlier they awaken, the higher the talent. My grandson just awakened.”

Lin Lang’s expression sharpened at once. He’d heard of beast forms awakening talent, but he’d never witnessed it.

He examined Fa Se closely and finally noticed the mark on the left front leg beneath the pale fur—red, intricate, shaped like a coiled fire dragon.

“Fire-type?” Lin Lang’s eyes flicked to Su Yan.

Su Yan nodded. “Yes.”

“A fire-type male…” Lin Lang exhaled. “Those two clans will fight like mad to snatch him.”

“Not just fire-type,” Oro said, unable to contain himself. “Profound rank!”

Lin Lang went still. “Profound… rank?”

“And he carries the surname Mi Lu Te,” Oro added, pride swelling his chest.

Lin Lang looked down at the sleeping cub again, awe turning almost solemn.

Zulu’s voice cut in, calm but hard. “Brother Lin Lang, keep it secret. His talent is excellent, but if word gets out—especially if devil beast learns about it—we’ll have trouble.”

Devil beast could devour beast clan talent.

If one gained fire-type talent—profound rank, at that—then for the generally low-tier beast clan of the west district, it would be catastrophe.

Oro’s face blanched. “No. We can’t let devil beast know. Absolutely not.”

Lin Lang’s gaze turned heavy. “Agreed. Before he grows up, we must hide it.”

“He also has a water talent,” Zulu said. “Yellow-tier high grade. We can use that to cover the fire-type. When we hold the talent awakening ceremony in the future, we’ll only reveal the water talent. Help me conceal the rest.”

“No problem,” Lin Lang said at once.

Su Yan finished her piece of meat. Zulu cut her another, charred at the edges and dripping with oil.

She accepted it, then nudged him with her elbow. “You eat too. Cut Brother Lin Lang a piece.”

Little Luo returned with fruit wine and porcelain cups.

The cups were from the system shop—one point for a full set of thirty-six pieces. Su Yan had already spun the lie about “east district friends” to fool Oro and Little Luo.

Zulu wouldn’t be fooled. He simply didn’t ask.

Two people with secrets. Two people measuring each other in silence, waiting to see who slipped first.

…

Night deepened.

Beastman eyes could see well in the dark, but the world lost the bright colors of day. Su Yan disliked the muted tone, so once the sky went fully black, she carried Fa Se inside to sleep.

Oro, half-drunk, insisted Lin Lang stay and drink more.

Little Luo worked with his hands while keeping the conversation lively.

Zulu spoke only occasionally, but every time he did, he landed right on the key point—enough to keep the talk flowing, never dull.

Su Yan watched them for a while on the system map, then put it away. She pinched the Little Furball sprawled warm across her belly.

Emma had said Fa Se and Zulu looked exactly the same as children.

“When you grow up,” Su Yan whispered, “you’ll probably be handsome like your dad.”

Holding the Little Furball close, she drifted to sleep.

When Lin Lang was finally full of food and wine, he tried to leave again.

Only then did Oro let him go.

“I’ll walk Brother Lin Lang back,” Zulu said. “Father-in-law, Little Luo—sleep early too. Tomorrow’s victory banquet will be busy.”

“Speaking of the banquet,” Lin Lang said, eyes faintly hazy with drink, “fox clan will send people tomorrow.”

His gaze lingered on Zulu. “Your fiancée will be there too.”

Fiancée?

Zulu blinked, then smiled. “That’s in the past.”

“The other side might not think so.” Lin Lang waved him off. “No need to walk me out. I can find my door with my eyes closed. Thanks for tonight. Another day, come drink at my place.”

After Lin Lang left, Zulu helped Oro clean the roasting rack. Little Luo checked his work tools and began packing them away.

“Brother Zulu,” Little Luo asked, unease creeping in, “you don’t think Brother Lin Lang will tell anyone about Fa Se’s talent, do you?”

“He won’t,” Zulu said without hesitation. “He’s reliable.”

Oro nodded too, his words loosening with drink. “Back then, Yan Er really liked him. If it weren’t for that devil beast attack on the tribe, maybe you’d—”

“Dad!” Little Luo cut him off sharply.

Zulu’s smile remained. “It’s fine. It’s all in the past.”

But the smile on his lips thinned—cold at the edges, like a blade turned just enough to catch the light.