"Can I have a taste? Just a little bit, please," Tin begged the female. Her eyes were round and watery, like a cub pleading for food. She looked extremely pitiful and cute.
The people around laughed and began teasing her. Tin was well known in the tribe for her endless appetite, yet she always complained about the taste of the food.
"You glutton, you'd even snatch food from my child," the female said, her voice filled with amusement as she took a seed from her pouch and pressed it into Tin's hand.
Without hesitation, she held out seeds to the others gathered around.
"Here, try them too," she said warmly. She didn't think twice about sharing—after all, Ziqian, the sub-beast who had gone through the trouble of finding the seed, generously shared it with her and her child.
The simple gesture sparked even more chatter. Hands reached out eagerly, and soon the sound of cracking shells and crunching filled the air.
"Mmm, it's crunchy!"
"It's different from any fruit or red root we usually eat."
"My cub would love this…"
"It's tasty and slightly sweet," Tin honestly commented, her voice filled with surprise. She had already fallen in love with the taste, and the mellow flavor made her palate crave more.
"Do you know where Ziqian found this?" Tin asked eagerly, eyes wide as she held the seed coat between her fingers like a treasure. She couldn't help but feel excited—just at the thought of eating something like this every day.
The others wore the same eager expression, their eyes fixed on the female as though her answer would unlock a secret treasure.
But to their dismay, she only shook her head.
When the crowd all felt dejected, Gal finally spoke after savoring the nutty taste of the seeds. "I heard that the young patriarch and Ziqian found it near the nest of several three-horned monsters," his voice low but steady as he licked the last hint of flavor from his fingertips.
Beasts preferred to eat meat, but that didn't mean they ignored fruits or other plants. It was simply that meat restored their energy faster, making it indispensable for hunting.
The group fell silent at Gal's word.
"It is the seeds of achene," Gal added.
The silence grew heavier, freezing everyone in place.
Who on Gaia didn't know what an achene was? It was the flower used to decorate the altar during Eulogia because of its large and colorful petals. Once it withered, they simply discarded or burned it.
The thought of unknowingly wasting so many seeds made their chests tighten. All those countless blossoms offered to the altar year after year… and yet none of them had ever imagined the treasure hidden inside.
Tin clutched his chest. "So many… we just threw them away." Her voice cracked.
The group of people chatting were surprised to hear what Gal had said. Even Elder Sen, who had been on her way to visit Ziqian and accidentally overheard their conversation, froze mid-step. She, too, was among the lucky ones who had received a small handful of the seeds from Ziqian.
After processing this information, the group felt a pang of regret. How many times had they touched the achene flowers, admired their vivid colors, and then simply tossed them aside once they withered? They thought they had honored them by placing them on the altar, yet in truth, they had wasted countless seeds that could have filled stomachs, replenished energy, and brought joy to their children.
Fruits contained high energy and many nutrients vital for children's growth and development, yet trees that bore them were always guarded by strong monsters, making them extremely difficult to obtain. From time to time, brave beasts would risk their lives to gather fruit for their beloved or their cubs, but more often than not, they returned wounded—or didn't return at all. Because of this, eating fruits became a rare and precious luxury for everyone in the tribe.
The only exception was the lume fruit, which grew in abundance in a grove near the tribe. Its trees released a pungent, foul smell that repelled predators, so no monsters dared to nest nearby. Unfortunately, the lume fruit itself was not ideal to be consumed frequently because when young, it was excessively sweet to the point of nausea, and when fully ripe, it turned unbearably sour.
The achene seeds, though small, carried a rich flavor and energy that could serve as a great alternative to fruits. No wonder, then, that the achene flowers also always bloomed in the vicinity of strong monster nests.
"That child…" Old Sen sighed, her voice carrying both wonder and fondness. Even before she learned that Ziqian was the Beast God's Messenger, she already had a favorable impression of the sub-beast, and the more she knew about him, the more she liked him.
"He's not only beautiful but also so capable," Sia murmured.
"To think he discovered the achene seeds were edible… and now this…" another female whispered, inhaling deeply as if the aroma alone could fill her stomach.
Gal's silent friend Dio clenched his fists slightly, his admiration intensifying. "Ziqian is the most beautiful and the kindest sub-beast I've seen."
Their words rippled through the crowd, each remark drawing nods and murmurs of agreement soon turning into a quiet chorus of praise, and before long, even those who had once regarded Ziqian with indifference found themselves speaking well of him.
As their discussion continued, the fragrant smell wafting from Ziqian's tent only grew stronger, curling through the air like an irresistible lure. The scent of sizzling meat made their stomachs clench with hunger.
Tin, who had been pressing a hand against her belly to quiet its growls, suddenly threw caution aside. "I can't take it anymore," she muttered, eyes shining as she tiptoed toward the source.
The others exchanged glances until their feet began moving of their own accord. One by one, they trailed after Tin, drawn by the mouthwatering aroma. Even Elder Sen found her steps slowing in the same direction.
Before they realized it, a small crowd had gathered just outside Ziqian's tent, their noses twitching, their gazes fixed longingly on the smoke rising from the cookfire within.
Xue could hear that the commotion outside was getting louder. He rose from his crouch and pushed aside the flap of the tent. Just as he stepped out, he was met by a strange sight—several people standing right at the entrance, their eyes half-closed, heads tilted upward, inhaling deeply with slack jaws. Some even had a thin line of drool at the corner of their mouths.
"So delicious…" someone muttered dreamily.
Xue's brows drew together, his ocean-blue eyes darkening. "What are you doing?" His cold, monotonous voice cut through the haze like a blade.
"Ahh!" Tin, who was in the front, was startled by the sudden sight of Xue's enlarged, indifferent, yet devastatingly handsome face. She shrieked, her voice almost echoing across the tribe.
Sia jumped in fright and hurriedly clapped a hand over Tin's mouth. "Y-young patriarch," she stammered, forcing an awkward smile.
Some people jerked as though doused with cold water. They straightened at once, stumbling back a few steps, cheeks reddening at being caught.
Xue's brows furrowed deeply, his gaze sweeping over the group. "What are you doing?" he asked again. His tone was flat, but the coldness beneath it pressed down on them like heavy snow.
The females shrank back, but not before Xue noticed the way some beasts craned their necks, trying to peek past him into the tent. His jaw tightened.
Something inside him boiled, rising dangerously high, clawing at his restraint. His fingers twitched at his side, a subtle sign of the storm threatening to break free.
No one dared answer. The air thickened, and even the tantalizing aroma of food seemed to sour under his piercing glare.
He was about to disperse the crowd after not hearing any response when a soft voice sounded behind him.
"What's wrong?"
Ziqian had just finished the sautéed bitter melon when he noticed Xue standing at the entrance, rigid and unmoving. Curiosity tugged at him, and he peeked out from the man's right side.
There, he saw several people standing frozen in place, their frightened gazes locked on Xue's imposing figure.
A beautiful smile bloomed across Ziqian's lips, effortlessly softening the heavy tension. "Good evening," he said lightly, tilting his head with a natural grace. "Do you guys need something?"
The sudden warmth in his voice was like sunlight piercing through a bleak winter sky. As if those bathing in the dead chill of winter had suddenly seen the sun rise again from the east, the people's faces brightened. The cold, oppressive aura of their young patriarch loosened, and the crowd released a collective sigh of relief.
Taking her chance, Tin quickly removed the hand covering her mouth and called out. "Ziqian!"
She waddled forward with her round frame and, without hesitation, clasped the sub-beast's hand affectionately. Her eyes sparkled with curiosity. "What are you making? It smells so delicious!"
The others nodded eagerly, stomachs growling in unison. Their gazes were glued not to Xue but to Ziqian, whose smile seemed to scatter the heaviness that had been weighing on them moments earlier.
Meanwhile, Xue's jaw tightened slightly as Tin clung to Ziqian's hand a little too long for his liking. His gaze darkened, but the sub-beast's soft laughter kept him from pulling her away immediately.
"I am making dinner using the plants I gathered these past few days," Ziqian said brightly. His peach-blossom eyes lit up, the smile on his lips unable to hide his genuine joy. After almost half a month of nothing but roasted meat and boiled roots, he would finally be able to eat something different.
The words rippled through the crowd, stirring different reactions.
Everyone knew that Ziqian had been diligently looking for edible plants in the forest with Xue. Some beasts and females exchanged approving glances, their hearts softening at his dedication.
But not everyone's expression was pleasant. Whispers stirred at the edges of the crowd.
"A sub-beast shouldn't wander into the forest like that…"
"He could've endangered the young patriarch…"
"He's too reckless."
Sub-beasts, after all, were known to be innately weak—unable to fight, unable to protect themselves, their only safety lying in the beasts who guarded them. The forest was filled with lurking monsters; it was dangerous even for beasts, let alone someone delicate like Ziqian.
Yet here he was, standing with flushed cheeks and sparkling eyes, proudly speaking of his harvest.
For some, it was foolishness. For others, it was bravery.
And for a few, as their gazes lingered on the young sub-beast's glowing smile, it was nothing short of mesmerizing.
Xue's eyes swept over the crowd. A sharp, suffocating pressure spilled from him, causing the whispers of disapproval to die instantly.
Tin, whose brain was full of food, asked shamelessly, "Can we have a taste?"
The bold question made several people shift awkwardly, glancing at Xue's towering figure. His cold gaze alone was enough to freeze the words in their throats. But Tin, oblivious, or perhaps she was too hungry to care, stared expectantly at Ziqian.