When Lin Qingxue returned once again to the system space, she was greeted by the system's sycophantic grin. She guessed it must have received quite a few rewards from the System Bureau this time, which explained its fawning attitude.
"Host, you are simply amazing! Even this temporary double-points mission, you managed to complete so smoothly. You're truly the most outstanding task-taker I've ever brought along…"
Lin Qingxue let the hollow flattery wash past her ears. Words like these were fine to hear, but believing them would be foolish.
Noticing her faintly amused gaze, the system swallowed down the draft speech it had prepared and quickly returned to business.
It had almost forgotten—its host was not the type to enjoy boot-licking. She was a doer.
"Congratulations! You've received the highest-level double-points reward this time. Combined with the points you earned by selling interstellar products to the system mall, you now have 7.1 million points. Please keep up the good work!"
Truthfully, the system's praise wasn't entirely empty. It had guided many hosts before, and not a few had grown arrogant after obtaining their golden fingers, looking down on others during missions.
In the end, those people failed, were thrown into punishment worlds, and vanished without a trace.
But this host, Lin Qingxue, was different. She kept her mind clear, never forgot to improve herself, and would never recklessly lean on external powers except at the most critical moment.
She was special. Even the head of the General Bureau had taken notice, entertaining the thought of recruiting her as talent. Now, it depended on whether she could continue walking her path steadily.
A few days later, Lin Qingxue spun the task wheel as usual. After several seconds, the pointer landed on "Ancient Beastman World."
This world seemed strange, and Lin Qingxue couldn't yet make sense of it. She decided to take things one step at a time.
Her target this time wore unknown beast hides, had strange totem-like patterns painted on her face, and held a tiger-headed staff. The appearance was somewhat odd.
"Divine Maiden, I beg you to help me leave the Tiger Tribe and no longer shelter those clansmen who have been bewitched by an otherworldly woman. I want to live this life for myself and settle accounts with the culprit who caused my tragic death in my last life."
"You mean to take his life directly, or to let him end up abandoned and despised by all?"
Qinghua was stunned. She hadn't expected the Divine Maiden to be so approachable—much less to give her the power of choice.
"If it's not too troublesome, I hope you can make them despised and cast out, forced to live a suffocating life."
Watching the figure leave, Lin Qingxue only sighed faintly, then entered the new world.
This time, the soul transfer caused her no discomfort at all—it was smooth and seamless, as though she had merely fallen asleep. Compared to the stabbing pain of earlier crossings, this was an entirely new experience.
Without delay, she absorbed the original body's memories:
Her name had been Qingmu, revered as the priestess of the Tiger Tribe. Yet her life was destroyed by an otherworldly Mary Sue woman named Bai Youran.
Bai Youran had once been a modern-day mountain-climbing enthusiast. An accident brought her into this Ancient Beastman World.
The original priestess had divined that Bai Youran would bring disaster to the tribe. But the clansmen, enchanted by the new foods Bai Youran introduced, ignored her warnings. Instead, they believed the priestess was merely jealous of this so-called savior.
Bai Youran's golden finger allowed her to increase her beauty value by raising the favorability of beastman powerhouses. Her presence lured nearly all the tribe leaders to her side. Eventually, wars broke out between tribes, fought for her sake alone.
And Qingmu? She was secretly murdered by one of Bai Youran's sycophants, Muyuan.
After death, her resentful soul lingered, only to overhear the truth in a conversation between Bai Youran and Muyuan:
"Muyuan, your tribe's Qinghua always oppresses me with her priestess identity. She even wants me to leave you…"
For her, he betrayed his kin and struck ruthlessly. Qingmu, skilled only in divination and minor medicine, had no power to protect herself.
After her death, Muyuan spread rumors that "Priestess Qinghua betrayed the tribe and fled," decreeing that her name must never be spoken again.
As for those who had once benefited from Qingmu's aid? They listened to his words without question. Perhaps some doubted, but no one dared risk defying the chieftain.
Author's Note:
This is a privately set Ancient Beastman World. Male beastmen can transform and possess combat strength, while female beastmen do not.
The heroine is a 26-year-old priestess of the Tiger Tribe.
No CP. Beastman lifespans range from 40–50 years.