CHAPTER 83: CHAPTER 75 ANOTHER DREAM_1

In the evening, Ming Yan hesitated nearby, holding a bowl of fresh, tender meat intended for Si Yan.

After Si Yan had lulled all three cubs to sleep, she saw Ming Yan and stood up to walk towards him.

"Ming Yan?" she called out curiously.

Ming Yan looked at her steadily for a good while before handing her the meat.

"White Eagle City compensated us with many things today. This meat is for you."

Indeed, White Eagle City had given them many things, including white eagle feathers and stones that birds liked. The stones were useless and discarded, but the feathers were kept to make feather garments for the females of the tribe. As for this bowl of meat, it was from Ming Yan’s own hunt—the most tender and delicious piece from his prey.

Si Yan accepted it with a word of thanks, then returned to sleep with her cubs.

Ming Yan watched Si Yan’s retreating figure, his gaze drifting into the distance, his broad back exuding an air of loneliness and desolation.

The tribe wants me to serve that cold-blooded snake Beastman?" a female voice shrieked. "Impossible! I won’t go! Why should I be the one fed to a snake?"

"The tribe is only asking you to form a contract with a snake Beastman."

"A contract? That male is a lunatic! You’re talking to me about a contract? If I go into that cave, he’ll eat me!"

"But... Delusional Domain is demanding a female as tribute. You were the one chosen by lot from the tribe."

"I won’t go!" the female shrieked again. "I won’t go! I won’t go!"

"That stupid female, that stupid female knows nothing! Throw her in! Throw her in to feed the snake!"

"...Eldest Miss! You mustn’t! The Priest values the Second Miss greatly!"

"If she doesn’t have to go, then why should I? It’ll be her. Let her die in my place."

Si Yan hadn’t expected to have another dream just from falling asleep. This dream even revealed some new content, becoming increasingly logical. However, what followed was exactly as she had dreamed before: she was kicked out and then thrown into the cave.

When the huge purple Sen Ran wrapped its tail around her, Si Yan couldn’t even be bothered to struggle. It was just a dream, after all. The first time was one thing, this second time around was another. Though she harbored no peculiar fetish for mating with snakes, Si Yan knew she wouldn’t be crushed to death by the giant snake, so she wasn’t afraid.

[Si Yan.]

Damn it, here it comes again! Another linked dream? Great Demon King, don’t talk. It’s really awkward, truly awkward!

[What’s a linked dream?]

Don’t ask me; I can’t be bothered to explain.

[Is this something that happened, or just a dream?]

Si Yan felt herself being squeezed by the cold snake scales, and she desperately wanted to rip one off.

[This dream cannot be stopped; it cannot be escaped.]

I want to escape it more than you do!

Si Yan sensed a change in the male’s tone from yesterday; he, too, seemed somewhat resigned. He seemed to be going along with the dream, resigned to whatever came next.

Si Yan suddenly felt even more embarrassed.

[Si Yan, when a male Beastman in his beast form mates with a female, it’s easier for her to get pregnant.]

Si Yan was speechless. Shit!

Si Yan suddenly woke with a start. Opening her eyes, she saw the three cubs huddled around her. Startled, she immediately sat up and scooted back. "What’s wrong?"

Xi Qing breathed a sigh of relief. Dongchi straightened up. Bei Ji looked excited. "Mother, you’re awake!"

Si Yan looked bewildered. Bei Ji turned, trotting over with a cup of water. "Mother, rinse your mouth."

Xi Qing turned, and the adorable cub brought a basin of water. "Water is becoming scarce, so this much wasn’t easy to get. Mother, wash your face."

Dongchi brought over some roasted yellow ground fruit. "Bad female, this is breakfast."

Si Yan was speechless. Tears of joy! With such wonderful cubs, who needed a male? She then enjoyed all the attention from her cubs.

Bei Ji took a step forward, holding Si Yan’s hand. "Mother..."

"What is it?" Si Yan crouched down and asked tenderly.

Here comes the main point.

Bei Ji lowered his head slightly, his eyes filled with a wronged expression. "Mother hasn’t had any time for us recently."

Xi Qing also lowered his head slightly, saying aggrievedly, "We want Mother to spend time with us..."

Dongchi remained silent, his eyes just as dejected.

Si Yan’s heart instantly softened. She gently stroked the heads of the three cubs. "Today, Mother won’t do anything else; I’ll spend the whole day with you."

"Yay!" Bei Ji exclaimed with delight, and all three cubs broke into smiles.

Si Yan looked at the lively children playing nearby, thinking to herself how her own cubs were so easy to raise and so adorable.

A commotion sounded from outside. Si Yan and the cubs went out to see what was happening, only to find a group of thin Beastmen with very long arms gathered there.

"Mother, those are Monkey Beastmen," Xi Qing said.

Si Yan looked over in confusion. "Monkey Beastmen? What are they doing here?"

"Teacher Si Yan!" Hu Yong panted as he ran over.

Si Yan looked Hu Yong up and down. "Hu Yong, you’ve recovered well."

"Indeed, it’s all thanks to your blessing, Teacher Si Yan," Hu Yong said with a smile. "About that incident before, I’m truly sorry."

Si Yan waved her hand generously. "It’s no problem."

Hu Yong stroked his whiskers, smiling shrewdly. "Teacher Si Yan, aren’t you curious about what these Beastmen from the Monkey Village tribe are doing here?"

After looking over, Si Yan replied with a smile, "Not really. I’m not actually that curious."

Seeing this, Hu Yong hurriedly said, "How can you not be curious? Their arrival is related to you!"

Dongchi lifted his head to look at Hu Yong. This old tiger is truly naive, so easily manipulated by Mother.

Hu Yong eagerly pulled her, saying, "The problem you solved in Cattle Village spread to Monkey Village and astounded their Wise Elder. The Wise Elder of Monkey Village hurried to White Eagle City with a few other monkey Beastmen."

Ah, that chicken-and-rabbit-in-the-same-cage problem? Si Yan then asked, "Why did the Wise Elder of Monkey Village know to intercept me at White Eagle City?"

Hu Yong explained, "Monkeys aren’t stupid. The necessary route from Black Tiger City to Dark Sun Lake passes through White Eagle City, so they rushed here. They were lucky; if they had arrived any later, we would have already departed." Hu Yong stared at Si Yan with a knowing look. "Teacher Si Yan, this is the Wise Elder from Monkey Village who has come. Aren’t you surprised at all?"

What was there to be surprised about? The culture of the Beast World was, at best, only slightly more advanced than that of a primitive tribe. In contrast, her original world was already in a relatively developed technological era. How could a world where they struggled even to count properly compare to hers? Perhaps even a first-grader from her world wouldn’t necessarily lose to them in arithmetic.

Si Yan coughed lightly. "Actually, I am a bit surprised."

Hu Yong said in a low voice, "So, your composure was just an act! I understand, I understand."

Si Yan was speechless.

Si Yan followed Hu Yong towards the Monkey Beastmen. She saw a group of Beastmen who looked like monkeys, one of whom resembled a baboon.

A baboon? Si Yan murmured softly.

Hu Yong immediately interjected, "Teacher Si Yan, that is the Wise Elder!"

The Beastmen of Black Tiger City might look rough and burly, but deep down, they greatly respected those who had some culture and could count. Hu Yong was already a highly respected elder among the toughs of Black Tiger City. The Wise Elder of the Monkey Beastmen was an even more revered figure to them. As for Si Yan, while she had offered some good ideas and seemed capable of counting and such, most Tiger Beastmen still didn’t consider her a true expert in arithmetic.

After Hu Yong introduced Si Yan to the group from Monkey Village, the Wise Elder, who resembled a baboon, excitedly stepped forward and grasped her hand, his own trembling. "You’re the one? Teacher Si Yan, who solved that problem about the Gugu Beasts and Long-eared Beasts? So young, truly so young!"

Si Yan was a bit overwhelmed by this enthusiasm and leaned back slightly to avoid the Wise Elder baboon’s eagerness.

"I’m so delighted to meet you! May I ask you a few questions?" the Wise Elder baboon asked excitedly.

"You want to do math problems this early in the morning?" Si Yan said with an awkward smile.

"Teacher Si Yan... please," the Wise Elder baboon pleaded, his large eyes looking at her with longing.

Si Yan sighed. "Ask away. I’ll tell you everything I know, holding nothing back."