Seven Cubs, Seven Fathers, Zero Days Off

Chapter 66: Chapter 66: Go Ahead and Pluck, Wherever You Want

Shen Yue listened, then said, ”We’re trying to find an exit, not go back to where you came in. This is a bottomless abyss. Even if we managed to return to the deep pool you fell into, we’d have no way of getting back to the surface.”

Mu Silin had to agree.

”But this place is so vast, we can’t even find an edge. How are we supposed to find an exit?”

Shen Yue’s gaze deepened. ’This place doesn’t feel like a natural labyrinth,’ she thought. ’It seems to be shrouded in a faint, mysterious aura.’

Besides, the ground beneath that great tree had suddenly split open, dropping them through a fissure before quickly sealing itself shut again.

She felt this wasn’t a simple matter of geological shifting. It was more like some kind of power was at play.

But down here in this bottomless abyss, there wasn’t just a labyrinth of passages, but also Mutated Lizards that couldn’t bear the light.

She felt there had to be a reason for their existence.

So, if there was a way in, there must be a way out.

Her train of thought shifted, and she turned to Bai Chaosi, who was also lost in thought.

”Fox, your turn.”

Hearing her call him Fox, a faint smile graced Bai Chaosi’s gentle features.

Then, with a hint of provocation in his eyes, he glanced back at Mu Silin.

”When I fell, I landed on a cliff face above a swamp. I was delayed there for a while, then found a cave entrance on the cliff. I followed the passage for about half an hour and ended up where we just met.”

Shen Yue listened. The Fox had walked through the passage for half an hour, while the Leopard had walked for a full hour.

This implicitly meant that the Fox had been delayed at the swamp for half an hour.

’Could he have encountered something in the swamp?’

Mu Silin thought of this as well and blurted out,

”What took you so long? Don’t tell me you fell into the swamp and couldn’t get out?”

Bai Chaosi heard him but ignored Mu Silin.

His aristocratic face showed no hint of emotion. His voice was cool and clear as he continued,

”I’m afraid we can’t go back through that passage. I collapsed the entrance and sealed it on my way here.”

At this, Mu Silin exclaimed,

”Collapsed and sealed it? You must have run into something, didn’t you?”

Shen Yue listened, studying Bai Chaosi closely. His posture was perfect, and she couldn’t see any signs of injury on him.

’But for someone with his skills to be delayed for half an hour, and to go so far as to seal the entrance behind him... he must have run into something incredibly dangerous.’

Shen Yue could see he had no intention of elaborating, so she didn’t press the issue.

She nodded.

”Right. We don’t need to go back to the swamp where you fell. We’re not backtracking.”

With that, she made a judgment based on the three different environments they had fallen into.

Then she looked at Mu Silin.

”Let me borrow a piece of your fur.”

Mu Silin: ”??? What?”

”Fur. The softest, finest strand you have. I only need one.”

Mu Silin had no idea what she was planning.

But he could only glance obediently at Shen Yue, then at Bai Chaosi.

Then, right in front of them, he transformed into his beast form.

His fur was jet-black and glossy, his limbs powerful, his body immense. He looked absolutely majestic.

His Leopard face was strikingly handsome, and his dark green, beastly eyes radiated resolve and cold pride.

Shen Yue was instantly mesmerized!

’What a big, handsome Leopard.’

’I can’t believe it. I asked him for a strand of fur, and he just obediently transformed...’

’I can even imagine what Er Bao will look like when he grows up!’

Bai Chaosi was taken aback as well.

After all, an adult male would never voluntarily reveal his beast form to others.

For a male, displaying one’s beast form was, without a doubt, a matter of shame.

It was equivalent to exposing one’s childhood self and truest nature.

’It seems this Leopard, despite being the Great General of the Black Panther Royal Family and looking so imposing, is willing to show his beast form to Shen Yue right in front of me.’

’He truly has feelings for her.’

Mu Silin was a bit embarrassed, but for some reason, he was willing to do anything Shen Yue asked.

He walked up to Shen Yue and twitched his ears, looking both fierce and adorable.

He spoke:

”Go ahead, pluck one from wherever you want!”

Shen Yue’s eyes lit up as she looked at the big, fluffy head presented to her.

She had a natural weakness for fluffy things.

She raised a hand and placed it on his head, almost involuntarily.

Her hand moved on its own, stroking him a couple of times.

’His fur is so smooth and fine, it feels amazing!’

Mu Silin froze.

Feeling Shen Yue’s touch, his body grew imperceptibly hot.

’So embarrassing.’

’She’s touching me right in front of that Fox.’

The color in Bai Chaosi’s eyes deepened.

He suddenly recalled the night Shen Yue had discovered his own beast form in the bushes. Her eyes had lit up with uncontainable joy, and she had lunged right at him.

’Could it be that she likes our beast forms?’

Mu Silin was starting to enjoy it, and he couldn’t resist nuzzling her palm with his large head.

Bai Chaosi couldn’t watch any longer. He spoke up.

”Weren’t you going to get the fur?”

His voice snapped Shen Yue out of her leopard-petting trance.

She came to her senses and reached under the Leopard’s neck.

Mu Silin obediently tilted his chin up slightly.

”Uh, take it from here. It’s softer.”

”I’ll be gentle. It shouldn’t hurt.”

With that, she plucked a single strand.

Plucking a single strand of fur didn’t hurt Mu Silin, of course.

But he was touched by her gentle words.

He instantly changed back into his human form, his ears bright red.

Bai Chaosi shot him a cool glance, feeling a surge of displeasure.

Shen Yue looked at the long, soft strand of fur in her hand. She turned on her flashlight and stood at the junction of three paths.

Then, she gently released the strand of fur from her hand.

She watched it intently as it drifted lightly in front of the passages, slowly descending.

The two men beside her didn’t understand her method, but they knew she was testing the wind.

They were instantly intrigued. Why hadn’t they thought of this before?

Although their hearing was sharp enough to detect wind, in quiet, confined, narrow passages like these, it was impossible to accurately discern a faint draft by sound alone.

Only something as light as a feather could be shifted by an imperceptible current, thus directly revealing the direction of the airflow.

Just then, Shen Yue spoke.

”Fox, didn’t you say you were good at discerning the wind? Both the middle and right-hand paths have a slight draft. Can you tell which one is stronger?”

Bai Chaosi was still marveling at Shen Yue’s method, but her question immediately brought him back to his senses.

He carefully used his spiritual power and the Fox Clan’s wind-sensing abilities to test the two openings.

A few seconds later, he answered,

”The right.”

’Just a moment ago, when that Leopard said to go left, I detected a draft from the right. That’s why I suggested it.’

’This time, she’ll definitely choose the right path as I suggested.’

Just then, the crawling sound of the Lizardmen echoed from behind them again.

Shen Yue immediately made her decision.

”We’re taking the middle path.”

What?

The middle one?

Bai Chaosi froze.

As Shen Yue took the lead and walked into the tunnel, Mu Silin shot a look at Bai Chaosi, one eyebrow raised.

”Looks like she doesn’t agree with your judgment.”

Bai Chaosi’s brow furrowed slightly.

”The wind from the right path is stronger.”

’Her judgment must be wrong,’ he thought.

”Come on, forget about the wind.”

Bai Chaosi hesitated, remaining rooted to the spot.

Mu Silin couldn’t be bothered to deal with him.

”If you don’t trust her, you can take the right path by yourself. In any case, I trust her.”

With that, he followed Shen Yue into the passage.

After observing her for this long, Mu Silin had gained a deeper understanding of Shen Yue.

He felt that she exuded a reassuring strength, both inside and out.

No matter what happened, she could always make a quick judgment and choose the best course of action.

Therefore, he was willing to trust her unconditionally and follow her lead.

’As for that Fox, he can do whatever he wants!’