The discussions around them grew louder and louder, but Wen Shu let them go in one ear and out the other without a care, even a bit happy that she didn't have to forcibly register.
In the face of survival and food, everything becomes as light as a feather!
She and Nan sat down in a place that wasn't too crowded. Wen Shu looked at the food on the table, unable to stop herself from swallowing a gulp of saliva.
An entire table of meat roasted to a crispy and tender finish, decorated with red and green fruits around it, and most delightfully, the stone barrel in the center of the long table was filled with freshly squeezed juice.
Wen Shu didn't hesitate and took a big bite of a few palm-sized pieces of meat, drinking a mouthful of juice as she ate, the taste was sweet and sour!
After leisurely finishing a whole cup, she noticed Nan beside her hadn't moved at all. She picked up two cups and went to grab the large ladle next to the stone barrel.
Before she could touch it, a hand suddenly intruded, knocking her aside and grabbing it directly!
Rubbing her hand, she looked up to see the female Xue Fu, whom she had met last night.
Xue Fu stood tall, holding the ladle, her pretty face distorted with anger, "You just accepted Mious, and today you're selecting a beast husband again, have you ever thought about Mious's feelings!"
She had been upset the whole night and unable to sleep, who would have thought that the instigator would be here bright and early to select a beast husband!
Wen Shu had guessed about Xue Fu and Mious's relationship last night.
This was indeed a mean thing the original host had done.
She pulled a hint of an apologetic smile, feeling it necessary to offer Mious some excuse, "Mious wouldn't mind these things, he and I..."
Hearing just the first half of the sentence, Xue Fu's anger surged; she stared wide-eyed in shock and threw the ladle back into the stone barrel.
Water splashed, drenching Wen Shu.
"Are you showing off! I've inquired about you; you're just a lazy, filthy bug. Mious was just momentarily confused; sooner or later, he'll see your true face!"
Xue Fu glared at Wen Shu's greasy face, her angry fingers trembling, unable to accept what Wen Shu had just said!
As fellow beastmen of the Snake Beast Tribe, she had pursued Mious for two whole years, but every time Mious declined, citing that he didn't want to share a partner with too many males. Now, with another female, he suddenly doesn't mind!
If it were a strong and excellent female, she might accept it, but it had to be such an ugly and weak female!
Wen Shu wiped her face, feeling the sticky touch on her hand, the smile on her face turned a bit colder, "Xue Fu, indeed I'm not a good person, but you're not much better than me right now."
She didn't want to make enemies and wouldn't provoke anyone deliberately, but if someone sought trouble, she wouldn't greet them with a smile and waste goodwill on irrelevant people.
Facing her indifferent rebuke, Xue Fu's face darkened, trembling with anger, "You!"
The partner behind Xue Fu couldn't bear it, stepping forward to pull her into his arms, giving Wen Shu a warning glance, "Female, you're not worthy to compare with Xue Fu, have some self-awareness!"
Watching them leave in an embrace, Wen Shu resisted the urge to roll her eyes, mentally cursing the original host again.
Beside her, seeing her displeased expression, Nan's long lashes fluttered, a faint trace of darkness flashing in his eyes.
He poured a cup of juice, cautiously moving to Wen Shu's side with a gentle persuasion, "Female, they were too much, don't be angry."
Wen Shu swallowed the meat in her mouth, turning to see a pair of beautiful eyes filled with tension, and sighed helplessly.
He's afraid of being hit, right?
"Thank you," she raised her hand, a smile on her lips correcting him, "didn't I ask you to call me by my name?"
Just as her fingertips touched the edge of the cup, Nan, like startled, his hand trembled, spilling juice all over her.
Wen Shu felt a chill on her leg, and before she could react, she saw Nan's tall figure shrink, trembling as he was about to kneel down.
"Female, I—I didn't do it on purpose!"
Nan's voice was clean, gentle, very pleasing, and the hoarse tone while pleading made him seem pitiful, softening one's heart.
The Rabbit Clan beastmen at the neighboring table looked over with strange expressions, and a few females who had heard of Wen Shu's glorious deeds were indignant.
Seeing Nan about to collapse to the ground, Wen Shu frowned slightly, grabbing him and pressing him back into his seat with hidden force, "It's okay, I know you didn't mean it."
Her mood was odd, yet she maintained a gentle smile, putting a few pieces of meat on Nan's plate and refilling a cup of juice, "Nan, did you spend the morning just worrying about me and not eat? You have to take care of yourself, or I'll worry."
Nan looked at her smile, dazed for two seconds, then replied submissively with his hands nervously clasped, "No, no need to be polite, it's what I should do."
He even attempted to stand up, but the female held him down firmly, her strength unexpectedly great.
"I remember all the kindness you show me, and rest assured, I will treat you better in the future." Wen Shu smiled, but her eyes remained untouched by the emotion.
The expected scene wasn't witnessed, and the Beastmen sighed in relief, remarking that it's best to see things with one's own eyes, while discussing the convention.
Ensuring Nan wouldn't act out again, Wen Shu returned to her seat, lowered her head and wiped her hands, occasionally glancing at Nan who was sulkily eating meat.
A few words promptly brought the Beastmen's attention to her. Was it accidental?
...
After the minor incident, the square was bustling with activity, filled with young Beastmen.
The High Priest in a smooth black-feathered robe, with a Deer Beast skull on his head, appeared at the highest platform. He lit the hanging Holy Grass, and his aged yet divine chanting echoed throughout the square.
After the ritual, the combat tournament finally began.
"There are a total of one hundred and seven registered females, and we will proceed over two days. Each of the five tribes will occupy one platform, three females sharing each platform. No private fighting is allowed during the combat, or else qualification will be revoked."
"Females hearing their names next, please step onto the platform for testing."
The High Priest's dry fingers unfurled the list, "First from the Rabbit Beast Clan, female Duoli, female Hanqiu, female Ruoruo."
Wen Shu rubbed her stuffed belly, observing the tests on the platform.
Rabbit Beast features are distinctive, the three females are all quite petite, but the last to step onto the platform, female Ruoruo, looked the cutest.
She was dressed in a white beast-skin skirt, her exposed skin snow-white and smooth, cheeks slightly chubby with baby fat, large bright almond-shaped eyes, a small pointed nose, and when she smiled, two faint dimples appeared.
This appearance was greatly favored by the males, and as soon as she stepped onto the platform, the entire square erupted with excitement.
Feeling the gaze of the males, the female appeared shy, placing her hand on the smooth and transparent Crystal Stone.
Soon, the halos flowed around within the three Crystal Stones, emitting various colors of light.
"Female Duoli, Third-tier Healing System, Pregnancy value 8%."
"Female Hanqiu, Fourth-tier Purification System, Pregnancy value 10%."
"Female Ruoruo, Fourth-tier Healing System, Pregnancy value 15%. Females, you can go and open the combat arena now." The results were announced successively, and looking at Ruoruo, the High Priest smiled.
With the test results revealed, the gaze of the young males became even more eager!
Some males were excited about the Fourth-tier Purification System's spiritual power, meaning they wouldn't have to worry about food!
But more males stared straightforwardly at Ruoruo, wishing they could swoop in.
It's known that in recent years, the average female Pregnancy value was a dismal 10%, exceeding by five points was already considered moderate fertility.
Males have a natural obsession with offspring, and female Ruoruo is really adorable!
Receiving increasingly heated glances from the males, Ruoruo's entire face turned red, "Thank you, High Priest."
Then she quickly walked towards the platform.
"Next, from the Fox Beast Tribe, female Belinda..."
This name sounded familiar. Wen Shu looked towards the left at the Fox Beast Tribe.
A tall female with sun-kissed skin rose from her partner's embrace.
She wore feather earrings, a trendy beast-skin bustier, and short skirt, with neat white short hair, her eyes slightly elongated, exuding a unique charm belonging to the Fox Beast.
Amidst everyone's gaze, she proudly raised her chin, "Wish me luck, Xi Ya."
The female at the neighboring table waved her hand, her belly swollen, the only pregnant female present today.
To conceal her belly, she wore a brown beast-skin robe, casting a mockingly covert glance at Wen Shu, "Of course, the women of the Fox Beast Tribe will all have good luck."
Wen Shu instantly recognized them.
Among the Fox Beast Tribe's seventeen females, only Belinda and Xi Ya dared to confront the original host.
They are respectively the offspring of the High Priest and the witch doctor, the three have been rivals since childhood. However, upon reaching adulthood, the two despised the original host's behavior towards the Beast Husband, they stood united, often causing trouble for the original host.
This time they gathered together, who knows what antics they'll pull.
Wen Shu felt a sense of foreboding. The next moment, she heard the High Priest call out her name.
"... Female Ya'an, female Wen Shu!"