TFBAT -Chapter 57

Outside the cave, the lions couldn’t hear the thoughts of Chi Yuyang and the others, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t discover the cave’s existence.

A lion’s roar was different from a tiger’s.

When that rhythmic roar, mixed with low grunts, drew closer and closer to the cave, and the disgust on the little fox’s face turned into fear, Hu Jin quickly finished what he needed to say.

He looked down at the anxious little fox and pointed at the map he had just drawn.

“You have two choices.”

“One, stay here. After my wife and I lure the lions away, you return to the fox tribe.”

“Two, wait until the lions leave. Then take this route. We’ll meet up again in the snake tribe’s territory.”

He had seen the little fox run—at that speed, avoiding the lions’ line of sight shouldn’t be a problem.

If the fox didn’t dare risk it, then once he and his wife drew the lions away, it could simply leave on its own.

Their original plan—to lead the little fox around lion territory—was no longer feasible, and now more lions were drawing near.

Before the little fox could answer, Hu Jin took Chi Yuyang’s hand.

“Wife, let’s go greet the lions outside.”

When leaving the cave, Hu Jin glanced back at the little fox.

Seeing the faintly intrigued expression on his face, Chi Yuyang asked, “What?”

“Wife, guess which one it’ll choose?”

After thinking for a moment, Chi Yuyang said, “The second option.”

The little fox had followed them this far. It didn’t seem like the type to give up halfway.

Hu Jin nodded. “I hope we see it again in the snake tribe.”

Whatever else, if the lions wanted to make a move against the tigers, then the fox tribe—enemy of their enemy—was their ally.

Fox tribespeople were unreliable, but for now, the little fox was still useful.

“Hu Jin, do you really think the little fox knows where the ‘Dispel Fruit’ is?” Chi Yuyang asked the question Hu Jin had been thinking himself.

“It must’ve seen it in that stone house,” Hu Jin whispered. “The fox tribe is more familiar with this region than we are…”

“Isn’t this Hu Jin!” A rough voice interrupted them.

Chi Yuyang had been too busy chatting to notice two figures slowly approaching.

At first, nothing seemed odd about the greeting.

But when she looked up and saw the pair of round lion ears on the newcomer’s head, she subconsciously scratched Hu Jin’s hand where their fingers were intertwined.

“This is your mate?” The tall male lion beastman looked down at the small female beside Hu Jin.

The flash of disdain in his eyes didn’t escape Chi Yuyang’s notice.

Though tall, he still had to tilt his chin up slightly to make eye contact with Hu Jin.

His muscles were so overdeveloped that the animal hide on his torso looked ready to burst—completely lacking any aesthetic appeal, in Chi Yuyang’s opinion.

Even a bit greasy.

And his face…

She felt she had seen someone like him before.

Maybe all male beastmen of the masses looked like this?

“Shi Bai, long time no see.” Hu Jin tugged at the corner of his lips. “Mm. My wife.”

At the word “wife,” a smile tugged unconsciously at his lips.

Only then did the lion named Shi Bai pull the female hiding behind him to the front.

Head held high, he introduced her proudly: “Chosen by my lion-father for me as a mate.”

Lion… father…?

Chi Yuyang blinked in confusion at the strange term.

Hu Jin leaned close and whispered in her ear, “That means his biological father.”

Female lions had smaller ears than the males.

Her round ears folded inward timidly, and from her downcast gaze and trembling manner, Chi Yuyang could tell she was scared—but of what, exactly, she wasn’t sure.

Chi Yuyang turned and met Hu Jin’s smiling eyes. She smiled back.

He clearly wasn’t putting pressure on the female.

Yet the lioness only glanced at them briefly before hiding behind Shi Bai again. Chi Yuyang didn’t even get a good look at her face.

… Were lion tribe females always this timid?

Hu Jin had no interest in other females, but to stall for time, he leisurely said, “I remember the last time I saw you, you were with a different female.”

Shi Bai shrugged—as he did, the muscles under his hide rippled.

Chi Yuyang worried his hide might burst any moment and quickly shifted her gaze to Hu Jin’s tail, which was swishing irritably.

That wagging tail meant Hu Jin was annoyed, though his face remained calm as ever.

“Last time I thought you’d die alone,” Shi Bai joked, half-serious. “Yet here you are with a mate.”

Though his mate was… unremarkable.

He wisely swallowed the second half of that sentence.

No way he’d speak ill of Hu Jin’s mate—this tiger fought like he had nine lives, and the way he looked at his wife was like he’d found a priceless treasure.

Shi Bai considered himself the “brains” of the lion tribe. He wasn’t stupid enough to provoke Hu Jin like other hotheaded lions.

Yes, they had fought before, but that was just youthful arrogance.

Now? To be able to speak peacefully with Hu Jin—how many lions could claim that?

Hu Jin looked at the defeated-but-flexing muscle-head before him and replied with a faint smirk: “Speaking of last time—my fight with Shi Xiu still isn’t settled. Since we’re passing by the lion tribe, I suppose I should pay him a visit.”

Shi Bai instinctively began to nod.

But halfway through, he froze as if remembering something, clearing his throat.

“I’m not sure if Shi Xiu is in the tribe right now. But our tribes have always been close. Since you’re here, of course we should treat you as honored guests.”

How fake.

Chi Yuyang rolled her eyes internally.

His smile was so forced she felt secondhand embarrassment.

Still, she returned a polite, neutral smile.

Hu Jin matched her expression perfectly—glancing at his wife first, then giving Shi Bai a faint smile.

“I’ll discuss it with my wife.”

Shi Bai’s fake smile almost cracked apart.

No wonder people said tiger males were completely ruled by their wives. This tiger not only lacked authority—his expressions were controlled too!

Pathetic.
Pathetic enough to make Shi Bai want to roar at the sky.

Even the fierce Hu Jin still obediently obeyed his “ancient fossil” clan chief!

Watching Shi Bai’s constantly shifting expression and bizarre emotional fluctuations, Chi Yuyang wondered if perhaps this lion suffered from facial muscle spasms.

Hu Jin didn’t care what Shi Bai was thinking.

He had promised the little fox. Even if he didn’t like it, once he made a promise, he’d do his part.

So he scratched Chi Yuyang’s palm lightly.

The ticklish sensation made her shiver, and she immediately realized he had decided this was a new form of “affectionate couple interaction.”

His fingertips kept stroking her palm. His hands had no calluses—she had even trimmed his nails earlier—so she didn’t dislike it.

But from the perspective of Shi Bai and his mate, the interaction looked quite different.

“So? Are you done discussing?” Shi Bai asked casually, though his tone carried impatience.

“You lead the way,” Chi Yuyang said, while pinching Hu Jin’s ear to make him stop.

This tiger had gotten so absorbed in playing with her fingers he had forgotten they weren’t alone.

“Mm.” Hu Jin let out a short sound, then flicked his ears.

As he shifted into beast form, his eyes swept briefly toward the cave.

Shi Bai didn’t notice the movement—but the observant lioness did, though she didn’t dare say a word.

Watching Chi Yuyang climb onto Hu Jin’s back, Shi Bai let out a snort.

This female was probably some weak species—ape tribe, monkey tribe, something useless. Hu Jin’s taste was awful!

—

Shi Bai intended to bring them to the lion chieftain.

Based on the central location, Chi Yuyang guessed the chieftain’s cave was at the heart of the lion tribe.

Earlier, Hu Jin had only taken her around the outskirts.

She had thought the tiger tribe was big, and the monkey tribe—much larger—was still manageable. But when she truly entered lion territory, she finally understood how vast the lions’ land was.

Shi Bai led them through winding paths, past area after area.

And in every area, Chi Yuyang heard the same type of lion roars—meaning lions were active everywhere.

The lion tribe population was that huge?

She couldn’t help wondering.

After a long while, Shi Bai finally stopped.

He shifted back to human form and said to the white tiger and Chi Yuyang:

“I just remembered—Shi Xiu’s mate recently got pregnant, so he’s probably near the chieftain’s dwelling.”

Chi Yuyang blinked in confusion.

What did someone’s pregnancy have to do with the chieftain?

Hu Jin was behind her, quietly putting his clothes back on. She habitually tugged his tail.

“Hu Jin, how much do you know about the lion tribe?” she asked, smoothing the wrinkles on his animal hide.

The youth blinked his heterochromatic eyes, expression innocent.

Chi Yuyang immediately felt uneasy.

“Just tell me where you ran off to during the lion-tribe lesson.”

“I didn’t skip that one,” Hu Jin said, tilting his head—his ears wiggled along with the motion. “But I fell asleep halfway.”