"Keep an eye on her. I'll go heat more water."
Lang You spoke to his older brother, Lang Zuo, still worried that the crazy female might suddenly bolt again.
After saying that, he turned and strode out of the cave to prepare another pot of hot water.
Night had already fallen. Lang You embedded a glowing stone into the cave wall to provide light, then returned carrying a fresh stone pot filled to the brim with steaming water.
Yue Ling looked at the pitch-black bathwater beside her—already cold—and fell silent once more.
She wrapped herself tightly in a large animal hide, the thick fur completely swallowing her slender frame.
When Lang You poured out the old water, the sight of the murky black liquid—and the foul stench rising from it—made his handsome face darken instantly.
Amazing...
Yue Ling lowered her head in embarrassment.
Never in her life—never—had she been this filthy.
It took six full washes before the water finally ran clear.
Yue Ling gazed at her reflection in the water. Her skin was pale and milky white, and the brows and eyes mirrored there were exactly her own—no different from her original appearance.
[Host, the most compatible body is one that is identical to your original body in every way.]
System 999 explained matter-of-factly.
Yue Ling smoothed her damp hair with her fingers and braided it into a simple plait that fell over her chest.
The animal-hide skirt Lang Zuo had brought was too large, hanging loosely on her and leaving her feeling exposed.
She really wasn't used to that empty, drafty sensation—it gave her no sense of security at all.
As the filth and stench faded away, a faint, unique fragrance slowly filled the cave.
Lang You twitched his nose, disbelief flickering across his face.
How could the scent of this crazy female be… so sweet, so enticing?
"I'm done."
Fully dressed, Yue Ling wrapped another hide around herself and peeked out from behind the curtain, looking toward the brothers at the entrance.
Lang You kept a stiff face, refusing to look at her at all. He lifted the bathwater and headed straight out of the cave.
It was completely dark outside now—pitch black, so dark one couldn't see their own hand in front of their face.
Yue Ling's clear voice echoed softly through the cave.
"You can go back now. I won't run around."
Lang Zuo and Lang You still didn't quite believe her.
After being crazy for so many years, she had suddenly changed overnight—how could that be normal?
To them, this felt like the eerie calm before a storm.
This crazy female absolutely could not die under their watch. If word ever got out, it would become a lifelong stain they could never wash away.
No female would ever choose them as mates.
Yue Ling watched silently as Lang Zuo lifted a massive stone and blocked the cave entrance, leaving only a narrow gap.
Yue Ling: ...
In just one day, she had lost count of how many times she'd been rendered speechless.
She spread animal hides thickly across the ground, layering them until the surface was soft enough.
The nights in the Beast World were chilly. Yue Ling wrapped herself tightly in fur and sat on her bedding, communicating with System 999 in her mind.
[999, you said my first high-quality beast husband is in the wolf tribe. How exactly am I supposed to raise his favorability to 95%?]
[Host, I'm a romance system. Of course you need to fall in love with the beastmen, seduce them, deepen emotional bonds, and eventually form a mating bond.]
This time, it was System 999 that felt speechless.
The host had asked an incredibly obvious question.
Yue Ling, clearly just killing time, propped her chin in her hands and pouted.
[But what if he doesn't like me? What if he already has a female he likes? Wouldn't I be completely doomed?]
Her concern was painfully reasonable.
In this tribe, her reputation was that of a filthy, deranged female—someone everyone despised.
How could the most outstanding male of the wolf tribe possibly fall for her?
That question completely stumped System 999.
It had never considered what would happen if the target beast husband already loved someone else.
[Uh… Host, you probably aren't that unlucky.]
If the very first beast husband already belonged to another female, it would truly be a catastrophic start.
With this body's condition, she wouldn't even survive long enough to meet a second one.
Yue Ling let out a soft sigh.
[I'll do my best.]
[Host, trust me—you really don't want to go to the Chaos World. There's nothing there except yourself. You'd spend decades inside, and if you're unlucky, you might not even get a chance at reincarnation for hundreds of years. It's truly miserable.]
[Host, you're a modern woman overflowing with charm. Use your personal charisma to conquer this tiny Beast World—easy win.]
System 999 spoke enthusiastically, brimming with confidence.
With a host this beautiful, no beastman could remain unmoved.
Yue Ling tugged at the corner of her lips.
The system really did dream big.
[I just want to lie low and develop quietly. Conquering the world—sure, that can stay in your dreams.]
[By the way, since you're a system, do I get a newbie gift pack? Or a points system to exchange for modern supplies? Maybe a shortcut—something like overtaking on a curve?]
System 999: ...
Host, if anyone's dreaming, it's definitely you.
[No newbie gift pack. No points. No modern supplies. Anything that violates the rules of the Beast Continent is strictly forbidden. I'm just a simple life-extension romance system.]
After hearing that, Yue Ling felt thoroughly disappointed.
It seemed her future really would be that of a primitive cave dweller.
[But don't lose heart, Host. I'm essentially an encyclopedia designed to serve you. If there's anything you don't know or can't do, you can ask me. I'll answer everything I know and serve you wholeheartedly—until the end of your lifespan.]
Yue Ling: ...
[Alright. I won't push my luck.]