The four Beastn lowered their heads, trembling. They wanted to run but couldn’t, their faces growing more terrified. "We’re so sorry, we had no idea..." They hadn’t realized these two were so powerful.
They’d thought they were dealing with so easy-to-bully, low-ranking beasts, but they’d picked a fight with the wrong people.
One of the quicker-witted Beastn hurriedly explained, "We were just hunting nearby when we suddenly caught an incredibly potent scent. All of us slled it. We... we couldn’t control our instincts, so we secretly followed..."
He stole a glance at An Jin and swallowed, but fear overpowered his admiration. "But we never imagined it was... it was coming from the female in your arms."
Ling Hong and Mi Yin had also been slling her scent lately—a faint, milky fragrance that was indescribably intoxicating, making them want to possess her completely.
But judging by the reactions of these Beastn, her scent was clearly far more intense and overpowering to those who were unmated.
’What’s going on?’
Seeing that Mi Yin and Ling Hong’s expressions had suddenly grown puzzled, as if they’d forgotten about ending their lives, the group of Beastn breathed a sigh of relief.
One of them suddenly rembered sothing and exclaid, "I knew this scent was familiar! I’ve slled sothing like it before, back in my tribe, but it was never this strong."
"It’s the scent that only pregnant females release." The scent indicated they were entering their nursing period, indirectly showing them off as excellent females with strong reproductive abilities.
That’s why most unmated males can’t control their mating instincts when they catch this particular scent.
An Jin, who had been drowsy, snapped wide awake when she heard the word "pregnant." "...What?"
’How is that possible? It has to be a coincidence. I’ve taken precautions every single ti.’
[Ahem, Master, should I perhaps remind you of sothing?] Mirror Mirror gave a mock cough, its voice tinged with shyness. [No contraceptive is 100% effective. Besides, you haven’t exactly been holding back lately, Master. You’ve basically been with your partners day after day. There’s always a chance for a... teensy-weensy accident to happen...]
An Jin was speechless. "..."
’No, I still don’t believe it. How could sothing like this possibly happen to ?’
"Um, can we go now? We’ve told you everything we know."
The Beastn said in terror, "At first, we just slled the scent and couldn’t resist following it to see where it was coming from. We didn’t have any other intentions..."
Without looking up, Mi Yin said coldly, "Get lost." With a flick of his tail, he sent the n flying.
The air fell silent once more.
An Jin looked up at the two of them and said hesitantly, "Why don’t we head back for now? It might just be a coincidence..."
"We’re going to see the Witch Doctor."
His expression unreadable, Mi Yin took An Jin directly from Ling Hong’s arms, turned, and vanished into the forest.
Ling Hong wasn’t angry. He reined in his own surprise and bewildernt, and with a complex feeling he couldn’t na, he followed close behind.
「Sheng’an City, Witch Doctor Castle」
The door was flung open, and a black-and-red snake tail shot inside, followed closely by a slender Silver Wolf.
「An hour later.」
Chi Li looked at An Jin, who was looking considerably paler. His own feelings were complicated as he stated matter-of-factly, "You are indeed pregnant. It’s probably been less than half a month, so the species can’t be determined yet."
The first part of the announcent sent a tidal wave of astonishnt through Ling Hong and Mi Yin, but the last part made their elation instantly vanish.
’Can’t determine the species?’
’That ans...’
"HISS~" Mi Yin shot Ling Hong a dangerous, warning glare, then stepped forward and swept the weakened An Jin into his arms. "Mine," he said coldly.
’His heat was just a short while ago, and Jin’er was with him the most. This litter has to be his.’
Ling Hong laughed in anger. ’Doesn’t this guy hate snake eggs? So whether he likes them or not, he has to claim them as his? How shaless and selfish.’
"If I recall correctly, Jin’er was with last. And based on the timing, it’s unlikely they’re yours, right?" His expression darkened instantly.
’That snake’s heat ended almost two months ago.’
But you can never wake soone who’s only pretending to be asleep.
In contrast to the tense, hostile atmosphere between Ling Hong and Mi Yin, An Jin’s mind was a complete blank. It took her a long ti to co back to her senses.
’This is the first ti in two lifetis... I’m going to have a baby.’
’I an, we’ve been mated for almost four years, so I was sowhat prepared for this. But now that the mont is actually here, my heart is racing and I don’t know what to do.’
’The most stressful part is... whose is it??’
Seeing that the two of them looked ready to start a fight on the spot—as if whoever won would get to claim paternity over the unborn litter—
An Jin quickly intervened. "Let’s just go ho. I-I’m a little tired. I want to go back and rest, okay?" She was genuinely afraid the two would start brawling in broad daylight.
"Wait a mont. I have so special prescriptions here. Rember to take them regularly." Chi Li returned from an adjacent room and handed over several packets of dicine and a piece of paper. "These are the instructions. Read them carefully. Co back for more when you run out."
Mi Yin freed a hand to take the packets of dicine. Without even glancing at Ling Hong, he turned and left with a swish of his tail.
Back at ho, Xi also heard the news. He was stunned for a long mont before it sank in, and his heart overflowed with incredulous joy.
"Ah Jin~" He’d always wanted a brood of cute, beautiful little fry with Ah Jin.
’He would take Ah Jin to play and frolic in the river, and a whole school of adorable, perfectly-ford Little rfolk would swim along behind his tail, clumsily turning in the water and blowing bubbles... Just imagining it made his heart swell with love.’
"Let them be my little fry," Xi pleaded, wrapping his arms around An Jin’s waist and nestling against her side, pliant as if he had no bones. "That Snake Beast doesn’t want them, but I do. I want them so, so badly. I just never said anything because I was afraid it would make you unhappy..."
"Who says I don’t want them?" ’Not liking them doesn’t an I don’t want them.’
Hearing that cold, dangerous voice, Xi—who had developed a conditioned fear from being whipped so often—widened his eyes in shock. He reluctantly let go of An Jin as if she were scalding hot.
A black-and-red snake tail forcefully entered his field of vision. Mi Yin was leaning against the doorway, his cold, indifferent gaze fixed on Xi. His blade-sharp, blood-red serpent eyes were like those of a vengeful ghost co to claim a soul.
A chill ran down Xi’s spine under that stare, and he rubbed his smooth, hairless arms.
He suppressed his anger and muttered resentfully, "You two were with Ah Jin for so long and never got her pregnant. I’ve only been here for two months and now she is. Maybe they really are mine..."
"HISS~"
With a sudden THUD, An Jin saw the rfolk beside her vanish, followed by a cry of pain from outside the door.
An Jin glanced worriedly toward the now-silent doorway. Though she was used to this, she still turned to give Mi Yin a reproachful look and sighed. "Stop bullying Xi all the ti. What if he gets seriously hurt?"
"That’s because he’s weak," Mi Yin said coldly. "And he dared to covet our children." He coiled his tail around her, and his entire being radiated an inviolable, keep-your-distance aura. It was clear he was already convinced the litter was his.
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