Yue Ling watched Bai Ying's retreating figure and nodded obediently, then sat down properly on the animal-hide bedding.
[Host. Host!]
System 999's exaggerated shriek suddenly rang out in her mind, startling her so badly that she almost jumped.
[What is it?!]
[Bai Ying's affection level for you has reached eighty percent!]
System 999 sounded downright ecstatic. At this rate, Bai Ying would be completely taken—no, seduced—before long. As long as the bond succeeded, the Host wouldn't die, and the system itself wouldn't be erased either.
Yue Ling was genuinely surprised.
She hadn't done anything special, yet his affection was skyrocketing on its own.
[Keep it up, Host! I have absolute faith in you!]
Even the electronic tone of System 999 carried unmistakable delight.
Yue Ling let out a soft laugh.
Just then, Bai Ying returned. The moment he stepped into the cave, he caught sight of the gentle curve of her lips and the faint dimples at the corners of her mouth. She looked sweet—almost sugary—and unexpectedly adorable.
[Host, eighty-two percent now. Incredible. Truly incredible. You're just sitting there and his affection keeps climbing.]
Yue Ling: "..."
She was stunned.
Bai Ying still wore that same cool, stoic expression—sharp features, calm eyes, no obvious emotion on his face.
Was Target Number One… seducing himself?
Yue Ling felt oddly satisfied.
She very much approved of such a cooperative seduction target.
"Have some fruit to tide you over," Bai Ying said, as if performing a magic trick. He produced two red fruits, each about the size of a clenched fist. They looked somewhat like apples.
"I'll have the meat roasted in a moment."
Earlier, he'd returned to his own cave to fetch meat and firewood. On the way back, he remembered she hadn't eaten all day. Roasting meat would take time, and he didn't want her to go hungry, so he'd traded with a mated male for berries—something females favored most.
Yue Ling had eaten nothing but meat for days.
Seeing fruit—actual fruit—nearly made her eyes shine.
Her stomach, already weak and strained, struggled to digest heavy meat. Since arriving in this world, her digestion had been… less than cooperative.
She happily accepted the berries, her eyes curving into crescents as she smiled brightly.
"Thank you, Bai Ying."
Her voice was light and clear.
Seeing her genuine delight made Bai Ying's heart itch like it had been brushed by a cat's paw—soft, restless, yet oddly full.
After handing her the fruit, Bai Ying crouched near the cave entrance and started a fire. He skewered the meat with a wooden stick, turning it slowly over the flames. From a small animal-skin pouch, he sprinkled crushed crystalline grains over it.
Yue Ling was already starving.
She wiped the berry against her skirt without much care and took a bite. Juice burst across her lips, sweet and fragrant. It really was like an apple—slightly smaller, but far more concentrated in flavor.
Bai Ying kept stealing glances at her.
When he saw her eyes brighten, his own mood lifted without him realizing it.
[Host, eighty-five percent.]
Listening to System 999's enthusiastic broadcast, Yue Ling glanced at Bai Ying's handsome profile.
She had to admit—he was truly good-looking. Sunlit, clean-cut, youthful. The smooth lines of his muscles added a restrained sense of strength. The more she looked, the more satisfied she felt.
Her impression of Bai Ying quietly shifted.
A pure-hearted wolf with the personality of a self-seducing puppy.
Soon, the rich aroma of roasted meat filled the cave.
Yue Ling was already sick of roasted meat, but seeing the expectant look in Bai Ying's eyes, she couldn't bring herself to refuse.
The meat was tender and springy—easily the softest she'd eaten since arriving here. The crystals he'd sprinkled earlier were clearly salt. Even with nothing but salt for seasoning, it was delicious.
[Salt crystals are a luxury in the Beast World.]
That matched her suspicions.
The meat Lang Zuo and Lang You had given her before was simply cooked—no seasoning at all.
[Only males' bonded females are allowed to eat meat with salt crystals. For Bai Ying to casually season food for you… he's already well within your grasp.]
[That's a bit dramatic, isn't it? And yesterday at the old shaman's place, the meat had salt too.]
Yue Ling rubbed her forehead.
Eighty-five percent was high—but "easily taken" felt like an exaggeration.
"Aren't you eating?" Yue Ling asked, holding her roasted meat and looking at Bai Ying.
"We male beastmen eat raw meat," Bai Ying replied calmly.
"This much wouldn't even get stuck between my teeth."
Yue Ling nodded thoughtfully.
An image of blood-soaked hunting feasts flashed through her mind.
She shook her head vigorously.
"…What's wrong?" Bai Ying asked, noticing her reaction.
He watched as Yue Ling suddenly shook her head, a flicker of confusion crossing his eyes.
"It's nothing," Yue Ling said lightly.
She decided not to dwell on it. Perhaps this was simply one of the many peculiarities of the Beast World. In truth, she must have been far hungrier than she realized—because she ended up polishing off the entire piece of roasted meat without leaving a single scrap, even letting out a loud, unrestrained burp afterward.
Bai Ying's gaze dropped instinctively to her abdomen.
Full…?
He honestly couldn't tell at all.
Her stomach was flat, almost alarmingly so. This little female was far too thin.
Dried blood from Lang You still clung to Yue Ling's body. Now that it had crusted over, it pulled uncomfortably against her skin, leaving her itchy and stiff.
Having eaten her fill, Yue Ling looked up at Bai Ying and hesitated for a moment before voicing her request in a softer, quieter tone.
"Um… I want to bathe. I'm weak, and the water outside is too cold. I was hoping to use hot water."
Bai Ying took a closer look at her and noticed that even her face still bore patches of dried blood. Guilt surfaced immediately—he cursed his own carelessness.
"I'll heat some water right away."
"And… I'll need a new animal-skin skirt too."
"All right."
His gaze lingered briefly on the animal-skin skirt she was wearing now—it was far too large for her frame. Thinking it over, Bai Ying realized the tribe probably didn't even have clothing sized for such a small female.
"Thank you," Yue Ling said sincerely.
Bai Ying felt a strange sensation in his chest.
This little female was… far too polite.
Other females always accepted the efforts of male beastmen as a matter of course, never questioning it, never thanking them. In all his decades of life, Bai Ying had never once been thanked by a female.
Today alone, he'd heard it several times.
He moved quickly. Before long, Bai Ying returned carrying a massive stone pot filled with clear water. He set up a crude stone stand near the cave entrance and placed the pot on top, feeding the fire beneath it.
With no phone, no distractions, Yue Ling sat on the bed and quietly watched him tend the flames.
Being watched so intently made Bai Ying inexplicably restless. His throat went dry, and he unconsciously licked his lips, finding the passage of time unusually slow.
Once the water was heated, Bai Ying carried the stone pot into a secluded corner of the cave. The temperature was just right, though the pot itself was scalding hot.
Yue Ling couldn't help admiring the sheer tolerance of these male beastmen. One after another, they handled searing heat without so much as a flinch.
She lowered the animal-hide curtain at the corner. Beastmen had no concept of doors or privacy, and if someone wandered in—
Just thinking about it made her uneasy.
"Bai Ying," she called out softly, peeking her head out from behind the curtain. "Could you stay for a bit? Just… guard the cave for me."
Bai Ying halted mid-step.
A low sound rumbled in his throat. "Mm."
Only after she saw him sit down at the cave entrance did Yue Ling finally relax and slip into the stone pot.
Bai Ying sat outside, glancing up at the flawless full moon hanging in the sky. In his hands was a bone needle and a sheet of animal hide. With Yue Ling's small frame in mind, he trimmed and stitched with practiced precision, his sharp claws moving swiftly and smoothly.
When Yue Ling finished bathing, she realized there was a problem.
Bai Ying hadn't left her a new skirt.
The old one was soaked with Lang You's blood—putting it back on would make the bath pointless. After clearing her throat, she called out awkwardly, "Bai Ying… could you bring me another animal hide? I don't have anything to wear."
Hearing her voice, Bai Ying tugged lightly on the freshly finished skirt in his hands. He stood, walked to the curtain, and immediately turned his back before passing it over.
"Wear this."
At the sound of his voice, a round little head popped out from behind the curtain. Yue Ling's gaze landed on the skirt in his hands. Seeing that his back was firmly turned, she quickly withdrew, stretching out an arm to grab the edge and pull it inside.
The moment the skirt left his grasp, Bai Ying released it.
"Try it on. If it doesn't fit, I'll adjust it."
The skirt's design was simple, and Yue Ling slipped it on with ease. When his words registered, her beautiful almond-shaped eyes widened in surprise.
"You made this?" she asked, delight clear in her voice.
"Mm."
Bai Ying's tone was flat, as though this were nothing out of the ordinary.
[Host, most females here have anywhere from a dozen to several dozen beast husbands. To gain favor and affection, these things are basic conduct—mandatory skills, even. For male beastmen, failing to care for a female is a disgrace.]
System 999 chimed in helpfully, clearly convinced the Host still knew far too little about the Beast World.
[A dozen… to several dozen?!]
Yue Ling was utterly stunned.
She knew females were rare here, but dozens still felt absurdly excessive.
[The gender imbalance in the Beast World is extreme. Many females truly do have dozens of beast husbands.]
System 999 provided its calm explanation.
Yue Ling swallowed hard.
If seducing one target granted her ten years of life… then how many did she need to seduce?
Her actual age was already twenty-three.
[Then… how many seduction targets do I have?]