Shana looked like a crazed harridan, pointing a finger as she cursed viciously, "An Jin! We were part of the sa tribe once, do you really have to be so cruel?"
"I’m a female! Why should I have to be a slave?!"
"Those are the long-standing rules. If you don’t like it, you’re free to leave the tribe." An Jin took the roasted at Gu Yin handed her and was digging in with relish. Her enjoynt was suddenly cut short, and her tone beca sharp.
She glanced up, her expression indifferent. "You didn’t follow back then. It’s not my fault you’ve ended up in this situation."
Gu Yin had just finished cleaning the ingredients. Before he could even slither back to An Jin’s side, he sensed the tense atmosphere and instantly coiled his tail around her.
"HISS~" The man’s red eyes stared coldly at Shana and the tense males behind her as he flicked his forked tongue.
"AHHH—" Shana’s face went deathly pale, and she was so frightened she collapsed, nearly fainting on the spot.
The few males behind her scrambled to catch her, their own expressions turning grim.
’This An Jin really is no pushover. She’s so ambitious and bold, daring to take a terrifying Wandering Beast as her mate?!’
An Jin stepped out from the coil of his tail and grabbed Gu Yin’s hand, which was itching to kill. He gave her a worried glance but ultimately obeyed and stepped aside.
"I know you ca here demanding an explanation. You want to ask why I can’t show a little leniency and accept you as regular tribe mbers instead of slaves, right?"
Her thoughts laid bare, Shana’s face flushed red with fury. A mixture of grief and indignation twisted her already unattractive features into a ferocious snarl.
"Fine. I’ll tell you why. Why you cannot share the sa rights as the rest of our tribe."
She didn’t even spare Shana’s group a glance, instead casting her gentle gaze upon the Beastn who were roasting at and dancing around the bonfire.
’These are my people. The ones who have shared every hardship with .’
"During the great rainy season with its floods, and the bitter cold of the great frigid season, we started with only a few dozen Beastn. We were so weak that even a small beast tide could have easily wiped us out."
"But they chose , and they stood by that choice. They remained passionate and confident in , even when they knew the road ahead would be difficult."
"My people were willing to devote their ti, their effort, and even their lives to build a new tribe with in such a harsh environnt. It is only because of them that this tribe is what it is today."
"And you?"
An Jin’s calm gaze fell upon the people before her, whose faces were now flushed with sha, making them even more uncomfortable. "While our tribe was vulnerable, you sched and plotted, attempting a sneak attack to swallow up the ho we spent a year of hard work building. As the defeated party, what right do you have to enjoy the sa privileges as my people?"
"Being branded as slaves is already a concession on my part."
Her tone was gentle, her voice as pleasant as an oriole’s song, as if she were rely stating basic facts and principles. And yet, the faces of the Beastn behind Shana grew redder and redder with sha, making them wish they could find a hole to crawl into.
’That’s right... what right do we have?’
anwhile, the Beastn who had been reveling around the bonfire slowly quieted down. The laughter and cheerful chatter died away as they, all at once and without warning, fell silent. With tears welling in their eyes, they gazed at the slender, confident female before them.
For a mont, they felt a prickling in their noses, too choked with emotion to speak.
’They had just been working hard without complaint, sa as they had in their previous tribe. They never imagined they would receive such recognition and affirmation, nor did they think the Clan Leader rembered everything they had done.’
The Beastn suddenly felt that no matter what hardships the future held, following An Jin was worth it!
In the distance, Ling Hong also froze, stunned. He lowered the prey he was carrying to the ground, his erald eyes fixed deeply on the slender figure in the distance.
Slowly, a smile graced his lips. Hidden amongst the crowd, he shared the exact sa feeling as everyone else.
’Her people had chosen her, and they stood by that choice.’
’And she, in turn, repaid them with the sa passion and dedication. It was a blessing for both sides.’
[Public Support 5, Total 67]
[Personal Prestige 6, Total 112]
An Jin didn’t notice the gaze from afar. She looked at Shana and her group and chuckled lightly. "If I were truly ruthless, I would have done what other tribes do: kill the resisting males and keep only the females."
"If you are unwilling, you are of course free to leave the tribe. I won’t stop you."
"Since you’re so fond of using your status as a female for a shield, why don’t you go out and see if you can find a better tribe?"
"You—!" Shana was furious and indignant, but the sight of the Snake Beast watching coldly from behind An Jin terrified her out of cursing aloud.
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