After walking a little further, Zhang Shuguang saw the ground covered in withered, yellow leaves and turned to look at Mang Jiu.

Mang Jiu walked silently beside him; when he saw Zhang Shuguang looking over, he met his gaze.

Zhang Shuguang pursed his lips, hung his head, and muttered, “It’s getting on my nerves.”

“Hm?” Mang Jiu found it amusing. It was rare to see this guy so drained of energy, suddenly looking so downcast. He raised his hand and ruffled Zhang Shuguang’s hair, asking, “What’s wrong?”

Zhang Shuguang thought for a moment. He was still only half-understanding the situation with the phone and couldn’t make heads or tails of it himself, so he decided it was best not to bring it up and risk making Mang Jiu feel just as frustrated as he did.

However, knowing Mang Jiu’s personality, he figured that even if the other guy found out, he probably wouldn’t dwell on it too much.

With that thought, Zhang Shuguang tapped his head. Alright, he was overthinking it.

Seeing him raise his hand to hit himself for no reason, Mang Jiu reached out to stop him. “What’s really wrong?” Finding edible crops and not being happy about it—that didn’t make sense, especially coming from Zhang Shuguang.

Zhang Shuguang let Mang Jiu pull him along. He gathered his thoughts, trying to explain his point in a few simple sentences, and said, “You know about my phone, right? So you must be wondering where I put it—you can’t see it now.”

Mang Jiu nodded. “Mm.”

He was indeed puzzled, but while he was puzzled, he wasn’t particularly curious.

Zhang Shuguang licked his lips, rubbed his hands together, and continued, “I can’t really explain the situation clearly right now. Just know that it’s in my head.”

“Hmm.” Mang Jiu stared at his forehead for a moment but couldn’t spot anything amiss.

Zhang Shuguang shot him a speechless glare. “If you could see it, I wouldn’t be saying anything.”

Mang Jiu withdrew his scrutinizing gaze, nodded slightly, and pinched his fingertip. “Go on, I’m listening.”

Zhang Shuguang’s fingertips went numb from the squeeze. He turned his head uncomfortably and cleared his throat. “Stop touching me. I’m in the middle of talking!”

“It’s in your head,” Mang Jiu said patiently.

Zhang Shuguang blinked, unable to follow the train of thought.

He let out a hiss and raised a hand to scratch his head. “Never mind. You must be curious about how I found the crops so quickly just now. It was it that told me.”

Mang Jiu nodded and asked, “Does it affect you?”

Zhang Shuguang looked at him in surprise and, instead of answering, asked, “Don’t you have anything else to ask?”

“No.” Mang Jiu repeated his earlier offer: “Say it if you want to; don’t if you don’t. If it doesn’t affect you and won’t put you in danger, just use it. I won’t tell anyone else about this.”

Zhang Shuguang sniffed, lowered his head, and mumbled, “Thanks.”

Mang Jiu poked his cheek and asked, “Then what’s bothering you?”

“I was just overthinking things,” Zhang Shuguang pulled his hand away and pouted. “It pointed out three spots to me, and I’ve already dug up food from two of them.” He raised a finger and pointed at a patch of what looked like withered, yellow grass at their feet. “Believe it or not, I can dig something up right here too.”

Mang Jiu nodded. “I believe you.”

Zhang Shuguang crouched down, picked up a stone, and dug into the ground a couple of times. Without digging very deep, he unearthed whatever was buried beneath the soil.

It was about the size of a fist, with a single bulb and a round belly.

“Garlic?” Zhang Shuguang’s voice rose noticeably. He tossed the stone aside and dug into the soil with his fingers.

The garlic was fully exposed beneath the soil. Zhang Shuguang picked it up and said, “How on earth did this thing grow here?”

He really wanted to rant about the original author’s world-building!

Mang Jiu asked in confusion, “Isn’t it edible?”

“…It’s a kind of, um, seasoning.” Zhang Shuguang didn’t know how to explain it to him, so he could only say that. “Never mind, who cares? Let’s dig it up. Dig everything out of the ground. Some people like this smell, some don’t—I actually quite like it.”

He peeled open a clove and sniffed it; it was pungent and sharp, with a slight sting.

Mang Jiu caught the scent too. He frowned and took a step back. “What’s that smell?”

Zhang Shuguang chuckled and raised his hand, motioning for him to come closer. “Lick it. You’ll feel a stinging sensation on your tongue—that’s the heat.”

Mang Jiu lowered his head, looked at the pungent food in his hand—known as garlic—then looked back at him. “Really?”

“Yeah, just give it a lick and you’ll see.”

Mang Jiu tentatively extended the tip of his tongue and lightly licked the split garlic clove.

With just one lick, Mang Jiu’s eyes widened considerably.

He raised his hand to cover his mouth as a strange, burning sensation spread across his tongue, accompanied by an unpleasant taste.

Zhang Shuguang laughed at his disgusted expression, then bent down and took a bite himself. It crunched crisply in his mouth. “Hmm, it is pretty spicy. This garlic tastes great, and the cloves are huge—we rarely see garlic this big back home.”

Mang Jiu looked at him as if he were a god, his eyes brimming with admiration.

Zhang Shuguang waved his hand, his face full of sincerity. “Don’t look at me like that. This garlic is actually edible. It just tastes a bit strong when eaten raw. If you like Sichuan peppercorns, you’ll definitely like garlic too.”

Mang Jiu pursed his lips and said nothing.

“Alright, I’ll cook you a garlic dish when we get back, and you’ll come to like it.” Zhang Shuguang wrinkled his nose, bent down, and continued digging. “Even if you don’t like it, you’ll still have to help me dig.”

Mang Jiu grunted in agreement and set to work without complaint.

Over on the other side, A-Si had dug up a few yams. Since they grow straight up and down, they’d actually carved a deep, round hole in the ground. Curious, he peered into the hole—it was pitch black.

“What’s going on?” Zhang Shuguang and Mang Jiu returned with half a basket of garlic and found A-Si kneeling on the ground with his butt sticking up in the air, staring at something.

A-Si stood up, brushed the dirt off his legs, and pointed at the ground. “That’s all there is.”

Zhang Shuguang frowned and dug around in the soil with his hoe, only to find that there really were no more yams.

“Never mind. Let’s take them back and see if we can grow them.” He’d never grown these before, so he’d have to figure out how.

Zhang Shuguang searched the ground and found a few shriveled, round beans. He frowned. Were these seeds? He thought about the characteristics of root vegetables and decided that yams could be planted by cutting them into chunks and burying them in the soil, just like potatoes.

“Let’s head back.”

The three of them picked up their backpacks and started walking back.

At the Cliff Shore Tribe, after hearing the message Zhang Shuguang had Ying Fei relay, Xiong Kui selected five Beastmen each from the Giant Bear Clan and the Giant Rhinoceros Clan and sent them to the Hot Rock Cave to quarry stones. He himself led the remaining Beastmen to find Xi San, where they would level the ground.

Ying Fei led ten Beastmen at full speed, arriving at the Hot Rock Cave before the sun set.

Zhang Shuguang had just finished cooking when he heard a rumbling sound. He glanced down the mountain and was startled.

“That fast?”

A-Si, who was helping him ladle the simmering meat broth from the pot into a stone basin, said, “They run very fast when they don’t have to carry the Sub-Beastmen. Usually, they have to coordinate with the Sub-Beastmen, so that’s why they’re slower.”

“No wonder. Then we can start quarrying stones tomorrow.” Zhang Shuguang was quite pleased. Although living here was quite comfortable, it was still not as convenient as being back in the tribe. As the saying goes, a golden nest or a silver nest is no match for one’s own doghouse.

Of course, being able to take a hot bath every day wasn’t bad. It was just that going down the mountain to dig a hole for relieving himself was what bothered him the most; he was always afraid that if he wasn’t careful, he’d step on a landmine and sink right in.

Lang Yan led the newly arrived Beastmen out to hunt; after all, one must eat one’s fill before working.

Zhang Shuguang told Mang Jiu he was a bit tired and headed back to the cave first. After lying down, he pulled the three cubs into his arms and closed his eyes.

Powering up.

“Xiao Cai.”

Xiao Cai: “Master…”

Zhang Shuguang: “Even though I haven’t logged in these past couple of days, your system’s tasks should have updated. Do I have any completed tasks from today?”

Xiao Cai: “Yes, Master. Would you like to check the task list?”

Zhang Shuguang: “No need. Just settle the completed tasks. Don’t accept any postponed tasks.”

Xiao Cai: “Master, are you still upset?”

Zhang Shuguang: “Shouldn’t I be angry? Besides, by lying to me, you make me feel like you chose me for ulterior motives.”

Xiao Cai: “…Master, I really can’t defend myself.”

Zhang Shuguang: “Enough. Just settle the accounts quickly. We’ll talk about the rest later.”

Xiao Cai: “Yes, Master. I’ll settle the accounts for you now.

Seven tasks completed, totaling 55% battery power, 100 points, and 2,200 experience points. Today’s power consumption: 6% for startup and 3% for navigation. Current battery level: 142%, 205 points, and 2,950/3,900 experience points. App Level 4.”

Zhang Shuguang: “Hmm, I still haven’t planted the rapeseed, right?”

Xiao Cai: “That’s correct, Master. Would you like to review today’s tasks?”

Zhang Shuguang: “No need. Unlock three free chapters for me so I can read the original text.”

Xiao Cai: “Sure, Master. Consuming 10 points to unlock the three free chapters for reading.”

Zhang Shuguang opened his eyes and looked at the screen floating before him. Skimming three lines at a glance, he quickly finished reading the three free chapters. He furrowed his brow and asked, “Is that all there is to the free chapters? Is there even 10,000 words here?”

Xiao Cai: “No, Master. The author keeps the free chapters between 1,900 and 2,300 words.”

Zhang Shuguang: “Alright then.”

These three chapters really didn’t have much to them. They simply described how Aila, because he could help the tribe cultivate crops, gained widespread admiration. The chief even proposed that he become the tribe’s priest, but Aila refused.

And that was it for these three chapters.

Zhang Shuguang was speechless. Seriously, what a waste of his points.

He frowned and read through it again, noticing a detail he’d missed earlier.

“Aila really likes to keep small, fluffy wild beasts… the long-eared beast he kept died…” Zhang Shuguang muttered.

“What died?” Mang Jiu’s voice came from behind him, followed by the man’s naturally cool aura drawing near.

Zhang Shuguang whipped his head around, nearly colliding with Mang Jiu, who had leaned in to hear him speak.

Mang Jiu didn’t move, merely raising an eyebrow as he waited for his answer.

Zhang Shuguang shifted back a bit, setting down the child who had been fast asleep in his arms, and glanced around to find that everyone else was already resting.

Mang Jiu had been sleeping right beside him to begin with; he’d likely come over after hearing his voice.

He reached out to push the other’s handsome face away and whispered, “Nothing. I was just dreaming about a dead long-eared beast.”

“You like long-eared beasts?” Mang Jiu shifted closer and asked in a similarly hushed tone.

Zhang Shuguang felt the cool breath from his nostrils wash over his face. His Adam’s apple bobbed twice as he said, a touch of nervousness in his voice, “Move back a bit—you’re too close!”

Mang Jiu replied, “There’s no room. They’ve all come in here to sleep.” He gestured for Zhang Shuguang to look behind him.

Zhang Shuguang propped himself up and glanced behind him, his lips twitching.

It was true—they were all snoring away, one after another. The young men from the Giant Bear Clan were even snoring softly, “Huh-huh, huh-huh.”

“I’m asking you—do you like long-eared beasts?” Mang Jiu reached out to pull him down and lie him back down, then asked again.

Zhang Shuguang let out an “Ah, is it okay if I like eating them?”

Mang Jiu chuckled softly and gave his chin a gentle pinch, “I’ll go catch one for you when it gets light.”

Zhang Shuguang felt a slight chill from his cool fingertips and narrowed his eyes slightly, but it felt quite pleasant.

The cave was already quite warm, and with so many people gathered inside, the temperature had risen even further.

He’d been so absorbed in his thoughts earlier that he hadn’t noticed, but now he felt sticky all over—clearly, he’d broken a sweat.

He couldn’t help but nuzzle forward, pressing against Mang Jiu’s arm; the man really was cool to the touch.

He ran his hand over Mang Jiu’s arm and suddenly asked curiously, “Do you ever feel hot in the summer?”

“Yes.” Mang Jiu felt the heat radiating from him, placed a hand on his neck, and furrowed his brow slightly. “You’re sweating.”

“I know. ” Zhang Shuguang sighed, sat up, took off his leather vest, and set it aside, fanning himself a couple of times. “I just feel like it’s hotter today than yesterday.”

“It’s going to rain,” Mang Jiu said, his eyes sweeping over Zhang Shuguang.

Zhang Shuguang froze for a moment before realizing it was true—this stifling heat was exactly what it felt like before a rainstorm.

“Will it be a heavy rain?”

Mang Jiu shook his head and sat up. “Want to go for a walk?”

Zhang Shuguang also realized that their conversation might disturb the others’ sleep. Since the heat was keeping him awake anyway, he might as well go for a stroll. He put the leather vest he’d just taken off back on, then used the hand Mang Jiu held out to help him stand up.

The two left the cave and headed for the nearby hot rock cave. Standing at the entrance, Zhang Shuguang nearly fainted from the heat wafting out.

“Why is it so hot in here?”

“Hmm, the temperature inside the cave rises when it rains,” Mang Jiu said, pulling him inside. “I don’t know why.”

Zhang Shuguang thought for a moment. It was much like a sauna: when cold rain hit the hot rocks, the rising steam was bound to be hot.

“Let’s head down the mountain. I want to see where we can find a good spot to quarry stone.”

Mang Jiu nodded and took his hand, leading him down the mountain.

The two had no torches, relying only on the dim moonlight. Zhang Shuguang glanced up absentmindedly and noticed that Mang Jiu’s eyes had turned into those of a beast.

In the golden pupils, there was a black vertical line.

He was so startled he forgot to take a step, causing Mang Jiu to stop as well and look down at him. “Why aren’t you walking?”

Zhang Shuguang stared at his eyes, his mouth half-open in astonishment. “Your… your eyes… have changed color.”

Mang Jiu bent down slightly, moving closer so he could see clearly. “Beast’s eyes.”

Zhang Shuguang was actually a little scared. Mainly because those eyes looked exactly like the eyes of that giant python, making him unable to help but let his imagination run wild.

Seeing that he wasn’t speaking, Mang Jiu leaned in even closer.

Zhang Shuguang: “……” Dude, don’t you think you’re getting a little too close?!!

“I see it. You… stand still.” He swallowed repeatedly; the psychological pressure was getting to him!

Mang Jiu chuckled and straightened up. “I only discovered this recently myself.”

“Discovered what?” Zhang Shuguang froze for a moment. “That your eyes have just turned into beast eyes?”

“Yeah, when there’s no firelight at night, they turn into beast eyes.” Mang Jiu pointed at his own eyes. “It must have happened after this molting.”

Zhang Shuguang asked the ultimate question once again, “Are you sure you’re a python?”

“What else could I be?” Mang Jiu retorted.

Zhang Shuguang spread his hands. “The way you look now, you really don’t resemble other members of the Giant Python Clan. Not only has your beast form grown significantly larger, but your body has undergone other changes as well. Ask any other member of the Giant Python Clan—do they develop beast eyes while in human form?”

Mang Jiu shook his head. He realized that after his beast eyes appeared at night, he had specifically gone to find Mang Er, which had startled Mang Er as well, but the two brothers hadn’t been able to figure out why.

Zhang Shuguang sighed and asked, “Are you feeling any discomfort?”

“No,” Mang Jiu replied. “I can see farther and more clearly.”

Zhang Shuguang gritted his teeth and couldn’t resist raising his hand to slap Meng Jiu’s arm. “What are you bragging about! As if you’re the only one with X-ray vision!”

Mang Jiu chuckled and leaned in closer. “Are you scared?”

Zhang Shuguang stared into his eyes for a moment, then pursed his lips. “It’s okay. After looking for a while, I don’t seem to be too scared. Next time you’re going to turn into a snake, give me a heads-up so I can prepare.” Thinking back to how his legs had gone weak earlier, he glared at him angrily, “I almost fell to the ground yesterday!”

Mang Jiu seemed to be in an especially good mood. He wrapped an arm around his shoulders and replied, “Got it.”

Zhang Shuguang didn’t push him away; he just shot him a sidelong glance.

The two walked down to the foot of the mountain. Zhang Shuguang looked up at the cliff face in the moonlight and ran his hand along it. “We can’t just dig for stones from the bottom.”

“Hmm, you tell me.”

Zhang Shuguang said, “This mountain is pretty high. Let’s go up to the summit tomorrow and take a look. If it’s possible, we should take the stones from the top and lower them down—it’ll be safer. We don’t have any protective gear, so if we dig for stones directly from the bottom, it’s easy for accidents to happen.”

Mang Jiu nodded. “Alright.”

Anyway, they were all following Zhang Shuguang’s lead this time; he was the one deciding where to dig.

Zhang Shuguang asked with a smile, “What if I’m wrong?”

“It doesn’t matter if you’re wrong. It’s such a huge mountain—if it collapses, we’ll just find another way to dig,” Mang Jiu said nonchalantly.

Zhang Shuguang chuckled. “You’re going to spoil me.” He realized that Mang Jiu truly agreed with everything he said—it was either “good,” “alright,” or “I’ll follow your lead.”

Being acknowledged by someone really felt great.

“Digging stones from the mountain can also maintain a bit of mystery. Since this mountain hasn’t been quarried before, it means people from other tribes don’t know stones can be used for paving. Actually, I’d also like to use these stones to build a small bathing pool.” He asked, “Can you meet my request?”

Mang Jiu nodded. “Where do you plan to dig the pool?”

“The back mountain, of course,” Zhang Shuguang didn’t have any other good options. The back mountain was close by, and there was plenty of water there. “Once we’ve finished laying out the salt fields and start evaporating the seawater, the two of us can come back and haul the stones.”

“No need. Have them carry them back all at once.” Mang Jiu slung an arm around his shoulder as they walked back. “You’ve solved a problem for the tribe; carrying a few stones won’t kill them.”

Zhang Shuguang raised an eyebrow. “Really?”

Mang Jiu nodded. “It’s no problem to have them help you build the pool.”

Zhang Shuguang’s eyes crinkled with a smile. “Then I won’t hold back. It’d be best if we could divert a stream from over there. I’ll go back and see where’s the best spot to dig the pool.” The thought of being able to bathe every day—no more cold water, just warm water to soak in—made him happy.

Mang Jiu saw the dimples appear as he smiled and resisted the urge to poke them.

This guy had been in a bad mood for most of the day, but now he was finally smiling.

Zhang Shuguang yawned and tilted his head. “Let’s go to sleep. I’m tired.”

“This slope is steep. You stay down here tomorrow—don’t go up. I’ll take some men up to find a spot to dig for stones.” Mang Jiu took his hand and led him up the mountain, gesturing for him to look up at the clouds.

Zhang Shuguang stood on the gravel path and looked up.

Moonlight filtered through the thin clouds, bathing the rocky mountain in a silvery glow, as if draped in a white veil. The summit was faintly visible, shrouded in thin clouds and mist, its outline indistinct.

“Is it that high?”

Mang Jiu wasn’t looking at the mountain; he was looking at him again.

Zhang Shuguang didn’t realize that, bathed in the moonlight, he too was glowing with a silvery sheen.

Mang Jiu was momentarily captivated by the faint glow on his face; unable to resist, he raised his hand and brushed it across Zhang Shuguang’s cheek.

Smooth as silk.

“Hm?” Zhang Shuguang looked at him and rubbed the spot where he’d touched, “Is there something on my face?”

Mang Jiu chuckled softly. Zhang Shuguang blinked, then raised his hand to poke Mang Jiu’s rock-hard pectoral muscles. “You’re in a good mood today? You’ve smiled so many times.” There was something else he didn’t say: that his smile was actually quite endearing.

“You’re the one who said I should smile more.” Mang Jiu took his hand, and the two of them reached the entrance of the cave.

Zhang Shuguang nodded. “You should smile more. It makes you look a lot younger.”

He couldn’t help but think to himself: He’s got such a handsome mixed-race face, yet he insists on looking like a stone statue. Add to that his aura that keeps even ghosts and gods at bay—tsk, tsk, tsk. You have to admit, though, he’s pretty captivating.

He rubbed his index finger under his nose and let go of Mang Jiu’s hand. “Be careful when you go up the mountain to dig for stones tomorrow. It’d be best if you could cut them into uniform sizes with smooth surfaces—that way, you won’t have to process them once you bring them back.”

Mang Jiu nodded; once they transformed into their beast forms, shaping the stones into specific forms was actually quite easy.

“How many do we need?”

Zhang Shuguang scratched his chin, thought for a moment, and said, “A fair number. It’d be best to bring them all back at once. If we make frequent trips back and forth, I’m afraid other tribes might take notice.” He chuckled. “I was also thinking of stockpiling some salt to cure the meat.”

Mang Jiu nodded. “Alright, I’ll take them up the mountain after they wake up.”

Zhang Shuguang said, “There’s no need to rush. I’ll make breakfast first; you can eat before heading up. You can’t work on an empty stomach.”

Mang Jiu wanted to say that the Beastmen were already full and didn’t need to eat every meal, but seeing how earnest he looked, he just couldn’t bring himself to refuse.

He simply nodded. “Alright, just make some meat soup.”

Zhang Shuguang replied with a smile, “I was thinking of making some meat soup with yams and sweet potatoes, served with roasted potatoes. It’s still a bit chilly in the morning—something warm will make you feel better and give you more energy for work!”

All night long, the smile never left Mang Jiu’s lips.

The two entered the cave. Zhang Shuguang returned to his spot, lay down, and fell asleep in no time.

Mang Jiu, on the other hand, tossed and turned several times before drowsiness finally overtook him.

Early the next morning, when Zhang Shuguang opened his eyes, the Beastmen were still asleep.

He didn’t know when the man behind him had woken up; in any case, he had never seen Mang Jiu asleep before.

Zhang Shuguang sat there in a daze for a while, then got up to wash up briefly.

Just as Mang Jiu came up from the mountain carrying a few long-eared beasts, Zhang Shuguang had just brought the water in the pot to a boil.

He never dared to drink the water here directly, fearing he’d get diarrhea; if he really caught some kind of bacterial infection, he’d have nowhere to turn.

So even though boiling water every day was a hassle, he stuck with it.

“Why do you get up so early every day?” Mang Jiu never seemed sleepy, and Zhang Shuguang always felt that this man’s lifestyle habits really weren’t what one would expect from a snake.

At least when he’d just come out of the cave, Meng Wu was still fast asleep.

A-Si was up too, washing up in the warm cave.

Ever since getting to know Zhang Shuguang, many of his habits had gradually been influenced by him—washing up before going to bed and after waking up, washing his hands before meals and after using the restroom. These personal hygiene habits were really easy to pick up.

“Actually, you don’t need to cook for them every day.” Seeing him instruct Mang Jiu to handle the long-eared beasts, A-Si walked over, poured a cup of hot water, took a couple of sips, and said, “They can feed themselves.” Watching Zhang Shuguang prepare massive amounts of food for every meal to feed these Beastmen, A-Si felt exhausted just on his behalf.

Zhang Shuguang laughed unconcernedly. “We have to eat ourselves anyway. Making a little extra for them to try isn’t much trouble. Besides, they’re helping out with the work—how could we not feed them?”

He had originally wanted to say that at least they should be fed until they were full, but when he thought of the Beastmen’s appetites—each one rivaling a competitive eater—he realized it would be quite a challenge to actually fill them up.

“So you’re helping them out, right?” A-Si couldn’t help but roll his eyes at him. He placed the potatoes in the fire for him and snorted. “You’re just too kind-hearted. Helping the tribe with salt harvesting—it’s not like you’re the one benefiting from it.”

Zhang Shuguang nearly died laughing; this guy was truly entertaining. “Are you worried about my health?”

“You’re a bit taller than me, but you’re not as muscular. When you bathe, I can clearly see every bone in your body,” A-Si pointed to his own ribs. “No wonder you wear leather—is it because your bones are too prominent and unattractive?”

“It’s just because I’m cold-natured,” Zhang Shuguang sighed. Seeing that Mang Jiu had already skinned and cleaned the long-eared beast of its blood, he pointed to the cutting board nearby. “Chop it into small pieces.”

Mang Jiu nodded and went over to chop the meat.

Zhang Shuguang took out a clove of the garlic they’d found yesterday and chopped it finely, then tossed some lemongrass and cinnamon bark into the pot. He boiled the meat pieces along with these ingredients to remove the gamey smell and skim off the scum.

“You always boil the meat first,” A-Si remarked. “It brings out so much grime, and the meat you cook smells really good.”

Zhang Shuguang used a ladle to skim off the scum from the surface and discard it, nodding as he said, “Boiling the blood out of the meat keeps the broth clear and reduces the gamey smell. Also, cutting the meat into smaller pieces helps it cook faster.”

“Got it.” A-Si had learned quite a bit from watching Zhang Shuguang cook lately.

“We’ll eat one yam; I’ll save the rest for planting. Be careful when peeling this—try not to get any on your hands, or it’ll make them itch. It’s really uncomfortable.” Zhang Shuguang peeled the yam with a fish-bone knife, using a piece of animal hide as a pad. “We should make some gloves.”

“What are gloves?” A-Si asked curiously.

“It’s like putting clothes on your hands,” Zhang Shuguang said, smiling at him. “It keeps them warm and offers some protection.” He showed A-Si the peeled yam—a white, slender root with a slightly glossy liquid on its surface. “Some people get itchy if they touch this sap, but it tastes pretty good when cooked. You’ll probably like it.”

Zhang Shuguang rinsed the yam under water, then sliced it directly into the pot. He took out the sweet potato next; this time, he cut off the sprouted parts and set them aside, saying, “Planting sweet potatoes is just like planting potatoes—you bury the sprouted parts in the soil.”

A-Si nodded, taking it all in.

Zhang Shuguang cut the sweet potatoes directly into the pot as well; larger pieces were less likely to fall apart while cooking.

“I like these sweet potatoes—they’re sweet,” A-Si said, holding up the parts Zhang Shuguang had cut off and sniffing them. “Can we roast them over the fire too?”

Zhang Shuguang nodded with a smile, picked up two large sweet potatoes, and tossed them into the fire. “They’re even sweeter and more fragrant when roasted. They’re better than roasted potatoes—just one bite and you’ll never forget them.”

A-Si chuckled. “Then give me half later. I won’t take any potatoes.”

“Sure,” Zhang Shuguang stirred the pot with a stone spoon and added some salt.

The three cubs woke up and ran out of the cave. Tangdou was standing on Naidou’s head as usual, steady as a rock.

Since they hadn’t been digging in muddy areas these past two days, both long-haired cubs were still clean. Their snow-white fur was fluffy and soft, and Zhang Shuguang couldn’t resist scooping them both into his arms and giving each a gentle rub.

“The little ones are so cute.” A-Si sat down beside him, poking the cubs with his fingers. “The cubs back home—even though they have fur, it’s really coarse. It’s not as soft as theirs, and their bodies are all stiff. Plus, they’re super shy.”

“They pull their claws right back into their shells the moment you touch them. No fun at all.”

Zhang Shuguang pictured a turtle shell covered in fur, his lips twitching slightly. He asked, “I remember you mentioned before that your father hatched you from an egg.”

A-Si’s hand paused mid-poke; he looked up at Zhang Shuguang, his face flushing with embarrassment.

Zhang Shuguang narrowed his eyes slightly and chuckled mischievously. “Spill it. What’s the story?”

A-Si sighed. He remembered he hadn’t really explained himself clearly—how had this guy managed to zero in on the key point so quickly!

Seeing that expression on his face, Zhang Shuguang didn’t need to ask any further.

He was a bit surprised. He shifted closer to A-Si and whispered, “What’s really going on with you? Are you a Beastman who can’t shapeshift?”

“……” A-Si felt as if his skin had been peeled right off.

Zhang Shuguang asked again, “You didn’t turn into a beast form at all after you first took human form as a child, did you?”

A-Si: “……” Why did he suddenly feel so ashamed?

Zhang Shuguang was even more surprised. “Say something! Did I guess right? You don’t have any beast markings—is that why you can’t transform?”

A-Si: “……” Who could tell him how to answer these questions?

Zhang Shuguang patted the two cubs in his arms and asked, “You look pretty young—probably about my age. But if you’re part of the Long-Lived Clan, how old are you exactly?”

A-Si: “……” That question felt like an insult.

Zhang Shuguang thought it over. It seemed that people from every tribe relied on beast marks to distinguish between full-blooded Beastmen and Sub-Beastmen. If there really were Beastmen without visible beast marks, could it be that their beast marks hadn’t been activated for some special reason?

A-Si shuddered violently; the sudden gleam in Zhang Shuguang’s eyes filled him with inexplicable dread.

This… just feels like a bad sign.

“Hey, aren’t we good buddies?” Zhang Shuguang’s face flushed with excitement; the thrill of uncovering the unknown had him buzzing.

A-Si shuddered violently and eyed him warily. “What are you up to?”

“Relax, I’m not going to skin you alive. Why are you so tense? Don’t you wonder why you’re so different from everyone else?” Zhang Shuguang patted his shoulder. Seeing him stiffen, he handed the little furball in his arms to him.

A-Si cradled the soft little creature in his arms, gently stroking its fur a couple of times. After a long moment, he sighed. “You’ve got to keep this a secret.”

“Of course. I won’t tell anyone.” Zhang Shuguang knew that if others found out about this, it might cause some repercussions—though whether those repercussions would be good or bad was hard to say.

He wasn’t the type to blab, and after all, this was A-Si’s secret. He considered A-Si a friend; although he liked to tease him from time to time, Zhang Shuguang simply couldn’t bring himself to treat him like a joke and spread the story around.

A-Si glanced around and saw that all the Beastmen were still inside the cave; even Mang Jiu had gone in, likely to assign the Beastmen their stone-digging tasks for the next shift.

He moved a little closer and whispered to Zhang Shuguang, their heads almost touching: “I didn’t take human form until the sixth snow season. My father said he noticed I transformed later than the others, and he thought there might be something wrong with my body. Later, when he saw I didn’t have any beast markings after transforming, it confirmed his suspicions. So I was raised as a Sub-Beastman.”

Zhang Shuguang nodded, gesturing for him to continue.

A-Si: “People in our tribe don’t live very close to one another, and the Giant Turtle Clan sleeps for long stretches. So, aside from my father, only the chieftain knew I was a Beastman. The Shaman of the previous generation knew too, but he passed away from old age.”

Zhang Shuguang: “So how old are you, exactly?”

A-Si glared at him. “Twenty-five!”

“Oh, I thought you were actually an old demon in a young body.”

“What do you mean?” A-Si sensed that wasn’t meant as a compliment.

Zhang Shuguang chuckled and waved his hand. “Just kidding. Go on.”

“What’s there to say? This is my biggest secret. I’m stronger than any other Sub-Beastman in the tribe, but I can’t shift into beast form. My father told me to go out into the world and see if I could find anyone else in other tribes with the same condition. I traveled around all the tribes on the Southern Continent, but I didn’t find anyone like me.” He shrugged helplessly. “But less than two days after I got back to the tribe, I was attacked by a giant sea beast by the coast. When I woke up, I was already at Cliff Shore Tribe.”

Zhang Shuguang’s eyes widened in admiration. “No wonder you know so much—so you’re actually a Ranger!”

“Is ‘Wanderer’ a compliment?”

“Of course!” Zhang Shuguang patted him on the shoulder, then turned back to stir the pot with a stone spoon. “Don’t worry, I’ll definitely help you figure out the reason. Some people just develop later, so maybe you’re the type who’ll make a big breakthrough after building up your strength. Who knows, by the time you can transform, you might end up being huge!”

A-Si burst out laughing. “That’s exactly what I wanted to hear!”

Zhang Shuguang smiled warmly. Indeed, what if A-Si really did have some extraordinary adventure in the future?