Chapter 35

Chapter 35: I’ll Have Two More Litters for You!

Near midnight, Su Yan drifted in and out of sleep, the garden’s noise turning distant and syrupy. A voice—clear as polished jade, gentle in a way that didn’t belong to anyone she recognized—brushed her ear.

“So irresistible… what am I supposed to do with you?”

The Devil-Hunting Victory Banquet had already begun.

Beast God Garden was dressed in celebration: clusters of flowers like spilled color, fruit piled high until the skins shone under torchlight, and slabs of jerky stacked in generous heaps. Rabbit clan and mouse clan bands kept the air churning with percussion and shrill wind notes—barely music, but loud enough to make everyone feel alive.

Su Yan turned to Zulu. “I want to play the drum.”

Zulu’s brows pulled together as his gaze dropped to her belly. “Is that really convenient?”

“It’ll be fine.” She raised her hand like she was taking a solemn oath. “Absolutely no problems.”

Zulu’s eyes slid to her pale, delicate fingers. A teasing smile curved his mouth. “And if there are problems?”

“Then I’ll have two more litters for you!”

She said it like a vow, crisp and unshakable.

Zulu’s smile deepened, sweet and clingy as melted candy. “Still no.”

Su Yan’s face crumpled. “I want to play the drum.”

Ashley came over at just the right moment and heard her. She immediately waved to the mouse clan beastman who’d been drumming. “Bring the mallets over.”

“Thank you, Ashley.”

Su Yan didn’t dare look at Zulu. She jogged over, grabbed the mallets, and climbed onto the stage. Then she went wild—arms rising and falling in happy chaos, the drum thundering under her hands until the wooden boards beneath her feet seemed to vibrate.

The rhythm was a mess, but her face—too refined, too beautiful—snared attention anyway. Conversations paused. Eyes lingered.

Zulu stood below the stage, watching her pound away like a storm. He said to Ashley, “She can join your drumming team.”

Ashley laughed into her hand. “As long as you can bear it.”

Grom arrived with the mouse clan’s clan chief, Agma·Lei Shi. They surveyed the crowd—bright faces, loud laughter, bodies packed close in shared warmth—and satisfaction softened both their expressions.

“Choosing to settle here was the right decision,” Grom said.

Agma·Lei Shi nodded. “Yes, clan chief.”

From a distance, Grom spotted the snow-haired woman on the stage. “That’s Mi Lu Te’s female.”

Agma·Lei Shi stepped closer. When Su Yan’s features came into full view, astonishment flickered in his eyes. “Beautiful. How’s her fertility?”

“She’s already had a litter,” Grom said. “Two female, one male. Her fertility isn’t worse than Ashley’s.”

Ever since Su Yan had helped Ashley through her delivery, Ashley’s attitude toward her had changed completely.

Agma·Lei Shi studied Su Yan’s slender frame and that striking white hair. “She’s Crescent’s child?”

Grom nodded. “Crescent gave Oro one female and eight male, but only she survived.”

Agma·Lei Shi’s mouth tightened. “That happened?”

“Crescent came to us from the Beast Forest without warning,” Grom said, voice low. “Then she vanished back into the Beast Forest just as suddenly.”

“Is she still alive?”

“Su Yan says she’s dead.”

A regretful silence passed.

“Such a pity,” Agma·Lei Shi murmured.

“Yes,” Grom agreed. “Crescent was a good female.”

“Dad—!”

Rona·Lei Shi swept in wearing a pink pleated skirt of fine cotton. As she walked, attention followed like a tide—especially from the females, eyes bright with envy. Someone even caught her arm to examine the stitching and fabric up close.

Grom noticed immediately. “That outfit is from the East District, isn’t it?”

Agma·Lei Shi nodded. “Two hundred crystal coin. As long as Rona likes it.”

Grom’s smile froze for a heartbeat before returning. “Rona looks especially pretty today. Do you have something arranged?”

“The fox clan chief’s son and daughter are coming,” Agma·Lei Shi said. “The rabbit clan chief too—and he’s bringing two adult sons. One is Zulu’s blood brother. I think they’re all good options.”

“Rona should settle down,” Grom said.

Agma·Lei Shi’s gaze slid toward Oro, who looked positively festive as he introduced his own son to anyone who would listen. “We spent big this time. We’ll bring in a worthy live-in son-in-law. Oro·Mi Lu Te’s luck is truly good now.”

Grom nodded. “He gained a powerful live-in son-in-law, and he has grandchildren—one female, one male. He boasts about them to everyone.”

Agma·Lei Shi snorted. “He lost the clan chief seat fighting me over Crescent. Still—loss and gain.”

Rona finished showing off her skirt and strode over, chin lifted.

“Rona looks very pretty today,” Grom praised.

“Thank you, Tribal Shaman.”

Rona twirled. The pleats flared like a blooming flower, bright and proud.

From the stage, Su Yan saw her too—pink and impossible to miss. But Rona was dark and heavyset, the dress stretched tight across her body. Even her calves looked thick and strong beneath the hem.

And in beast clan standards, that kind of body was beauty—fertility made visible.

Zulu walked up to the stage and held out his hand. “Had enough?”

“Enough.”

Su Yan handed back the mallets, took his hand, and he lifted her down as if she weighed nothing.

Rona saw it. Jealousy sharpened her eyes.

Agma·Lei Shi caught that look and followed it to Zulu—how thoroughly he sheltered Su Yan, how his attention never wandered.

“Rona,” he said, low and coaxing, “Zulu’s brother will be here today. Do you want to meet him privately? He resembles Zulu. Wood element, blue-tier talent.”

Rona’s lips pulled tight. “But Zulu’s brother is only close to Profound Rank with dual elements. He can’t compare to Zulu. Two whole tiers behind.”

Agma·Lei Shi’s gaze darkened with old regret. He’d moved too late. If he’d pushed Rona toward Zulu earlier…

“He already has a female,” he warned. “Don’t tell me you want to be someone’s second.”

“Impossible.” Rona’s voice turned hard. “If anyone is second, it’ll be her. I’ll be first.”

The truth was uglier. Rona thought about Zulu constantly—how to take him, how to make him hers. Dark thoughts came too, repeating like a poisonous refrain. Killing Su Yan… she’d imagined it more than once.

Agma·Lei Shi looked at Zulu again—at the way his eyes held only Su Yan—and sighed. “Stop, Rona. He doesn’t belong to you. There are plenty of excellent males here today. Consider them instead.”

Rona didn’t answer. She was already moving.

Zulu had noticed her stare long ago. It was too hot, too fixed, too hungry. Anyone with eyes could see what she wanted.

He laced his fingers with Su Yan’s and led her toward the fruit.

Beastmen loved meat. Fruit was only a palate cleanser, so most people crowded the jerky while the fresh fruit sat relatively untouched, glistening under the torches.

Su Yan picked up a fruit shaped like a pear, but scented like pineapple. As she raised it to her mouth, a flash of bright pink entered her peripheral vision.

She looked up.

Rona stood there, smiling as if Su Yan didn’t exist. “Zulu’s Brother—do you think my outfit is pretty?”

Su Yan angled her gaze sideways, half amused, waiting for his answer.

Zulu didn’t even look at Rona. He simply reached over and took the fruit from Su Yan’s hand. “This has a mild toxin. Normal people can eat it. You can’t.”