Seven Cubs, Seven Fathers, Zero Days Off

Chapter 3: Chapter 3: Be Good, I’m Your Mother Now

Si Muye clenched his fists, gathering all his strength. His figure moved as fast as lightning. As the gray wolf male was mid-pounce, Si Muye flashed forward and smashed a fist into his abdomen.

CRACK~

The sound of cracking ribs was unmistakable!

Like a projectile, the gray wolf male was sent flying back, crashing heavily to the ground with a loud THUD and smashing a large crater into the earth!

Meanwhile, the other attacker, a leopard male, was already upon him, his fist about to smash into the back of Si Muye’s head.

Si Muye’s eyes narrowed. He spun around, grabbing the leopard male’s shoulder blade and smashing a fist into his cheek. Several teeth visibly flew out.

Then, with a sudden shoulder throw, Si Muye sent the leopard male flying several meters away before he could even react.

The two males lay on the ground, so severely injured that they passed out without making a sound.

The other males, who were in mid-charge, saw this and stopped dead in their tracks, the frenzy in their minds instantly cooling.

’Is this the power of a high-level, pure-blooded male?’

’He’s too powerful!!’

Si Muye scanned the group of males, his gaze kingly. Those who had still been itching to make a move now timidly took a few steps back.

This was the bloodline suppression that existed between males in the Beast World—the hierarchy of the strong.

”Scram!!”

Si Muye unleashed the oppressive aura of a superior male and barked coldly. The group of males flinched back in fear, then turned tail and fled.

Only after everyone had fled did Si Muye suddenly buckle, clutching his right leg. The intense pain made the veins on his forehead pop.

He clenched his fist, thinking, ’Is it still no good?’

’I can’t even unleash half of my power without it hurting this much. Am I really going to become a cripple?’

Though the leopard and gray wolf males weren’t particularly strong, he had chosen to use explosive power to intimidate the larger group, severely injuring both of them in a single, decisive blow.

But that was only half of his former peak strength. The moment he’d unleashed it, the affliction in his leg had flared up with such excruciating pain that he couldn’t focus. His strength and speed had plummeted, and now even his spiritual power had dropped from S+ to a B-rank.

Just then, he heard a sound from the cave behind him. He whipped his head around to see an egg rolling out on its own.

He had never seen such a bold and mischievous little cub, not even hatched yet.

His eyes narrowed as he reached out and scooped up the little cub. As his hand touched the shell, an aura of spiritual power—the kind only males could sense—made Si Muye jolt. ’Why is this aura so familiar?’

It was the High level Spiritual Power that only royalty could emit. He felt like he had sensed this aura somewhere before...

He couldn’t help but frown. How could an ugly female give birth to a cub with a bloodline that only a pure-blooded male of the royal family should possess? It was inconceivable! Could it be that Shen Yue’s Beast Husband was a member of the royal family?

Carrying the egg, he walked back into the cave. Inside, Shen Yue was already awake, staring in shock at the six eggs at her feet.

”One, two, three... six?”

She muttered to herself in disbelief:

”I actually laid six eggs?? Did I lay all of these?”

Seeing this, Si Muye strode over. ”It’s seven. This one is yours, too.”

Shen Yue froze, her gaze falling on the egg in Si Muye’s arms. She could faintly see a small, golden-yellow body wriggling inside the shell.

”This little cub is a bold one. It rolled out on its own.”

Si Muye handed the egg to her. The man’s tall frame made him a good two heads taller than Shen Yue, and his well-defined, muscular arms were even thicker than her thighs.

Shen Yue couldn’t help but take a step back, an instinctive retreat. She looked at the egg in his hand with some surprise. ’As expected of a cub from the Beast World, running around before it even hatches. Its life force is incredible!’

She reached out and took it. The moment she touched the shell, it was as if a strange force allowed her to naturally sense the beating heart of the little cub inside.

Once cradled in her arms, the little one seemed to sense her, too, and excitedly nuzzled against her.

In that moment, Shen Yue was filled with an indescribable feeling, a powerful, protective urge welling up within her.

She crouched down, placed the egg she was holding with the other six, and gently touched each of them in turn.

”Be good. From now on, I’m your mother.”

Then she patted her chest. ”As long as your female mother is here, I’ll never let you go hungry!”

Watching this, Si Muye’s slightly furrowed brow smoothed out. ’I didn’t expect that, for an ugly female, she’s actually so good to her cubs.’

Generally speaking, females who gave birth would toss the cubs to their Beast Husbands to raise and care for. They themselves would use the rest period to recover and recuperate, waiting for their next mating season.

Si Muye looked at her, but couldn’t help averting his gaze when, as Shen Yue crouched down, her clothing slipped, accidentally revealing some skin at her shoulder.

”Where are your Beast Husbands? Why would they leave a weak, pregnant female like you all alone in this desolate wilderness?”

Hearing this question, Shen Yue’s expression darkened slightly. ’If I tell Si Muye I don’t have any Beast Husbands, he might get ideas.’

’After all, this world is one where the weak are prey for the strong. A single female without the protection of a Beast Husband would inevitably be bullied and taken advantage of. Add to that the fact that this is a Beast World with a pitifully small number of females; most single male Beastmen whose spiritual power collapsed during their mating season from not being able to find a female would resort to stealing one from another male.’

’She had no desire to be reduced to a tool for males to vent their frustrations on, a miserable fate dictated by the rules of the Beast World.’

She looked up. ”They all went out. It won’t be long before they’re back. I just happened to go into labor at an inopportune time, which is why this happened.”

Her eyes curved into a smile as she continued:

”Oh, right, you’re Si Muye, aren’t you? My name is A Yue. Thank you for helping me. I won’t forget what I promised you.”

’She wouldn’t tell him her real family name. At least, not now.’

Si Muye met her brilliant eyes.

’A Yue? It’s a pleasant enough name. Why no family name?’

’In the Beast World, only wandering, feral members of the Beast Clan who lacked an official Beastman identity were without a family name. Could this A Yue’s background be so pitiful? She doesn’t even have an official identity?’

’And she said her Beast Husbands all went out? What kind of Beast Husbands would leave their Female Master at such a critical moment? They’re absolutely detestable!’

Though he thought this, a glint flashed in his eyes as he said aloud:

”Fine. There’s no rush. After all, if you can’t uphold your end of the bargain, I’ll just kill you.”

Shen Yue: ”...”

’Alright, he’s a difficult one to get along with!’

RUMBLE~

Inopportune as ever, Shen Yue’s stomach rumbled, and she flushed with embarrassment.

”Do you... have anything to eat? I can borrow some. Once I’ve eaten and regained my strength, I can pay you back!”

Shen Yue never liked to be indebted to anyone.

’Once I get my strength back and can access the Spiritual Spring, I’ll definitely repay him with even better food.’

But upon hearing her words, Si Muye’s face remained expressionless as he turned and walked out of the cave.

Shen Yue stared at his retreating back. ’No way, is this man really so heartless?’

’He’s not even willing to lend me a little something to eat? It’s not like I won’t pay him back. Don’t tell me he thinks a weak female like me can’t afford to?’

”Hey, Si Muye, I’ll really pay you back!”

She shouted toward the mouth of the cave.

But Si Muye was already long gone.