The bear-race beastmen had long been in an uproar.
After all, only a small number of beastmen had sought medical treatment at the beastman town during the plague. Most had remained huddled within their own territories, and upon hearing of the outbreak, they had locked themselves away even tighter. They hadn't even been in contact with the source of the infection, let alone caught it.
It was precisely for this reason that they were only now learning that their King had turned into a human!
Worse yet, they had learned this fact from the mouths of those detestable leopard-race beastmen.
To the prideful bear-race beastmen, this was an earth-shattering scandal. They were first shocked, then incensed. Anger, like a plague, exploded rapidly within the bear-race, spreading far faster than any contagion ever could.
Just as the beastman town had officially opened, they gathered in droves and headed to the town central hospital, intending to demand an explanation from Xiong Ji, only to be stunned on the spot by another piece of news—
The shallow cave behind their territory actually connected to a vast and fertile expanse of land!
The bear-race beastmen had no particular interest in farming, but they were well aware of the value of land.
In the face of such immense wealth, the question of who their King truly was suddenly seemed insignificant.
The crowd of angry, huddled bear-race beastmen fell silent for a brief moment. Then, an even louder roar erupted, but this time it was no longer a roar of fury; it was a cacophony of surprise, ecstasy, and urgent calculation.
"What?! That place behind the mountain where not even a rabbit would drop its dung?"
"Is the news accurate? Who scouted it?"
"How big is it? What’s the soil quality like? How much grain can it grow? How much livestock can it support?"
"Where does it lead? Is there danger? Are the borders clear?"
"Do other races know? Will they come to snatch it away?"
Leading this group was the strongest beastman among them, named Xiong Da.
He had already forgotten he could pound the table. He waved his thick arms in the air, trying to suppress the noise, but his own voice rose involuntarily, laced with unbelievable excitement:
"Quiet! Everyone listen to me! It was the cubs patrolling the mountain in the middle of the night who discovered it. That cave used to be shallow, but suddenly it became bottomless. They squeezed in, crawled a distance, and were suddenly met with an open space! On the other side of the cave is a plain that stretches as far as the eye can see. They didn't dare go too deep, so they hurried back to report!"
"The news is absolutely reliable!"
"And only we know the location of the cave entrance!" The burly man looked around, deliberately lowering his voice, but his excitement was still clearly audible. "Those cubs were clever; after they came out, they disguised the entrance with rocks and dead branches, leaving no trace behind."
The atmosphere had changed completely.
What burned in the eyes of the bear-race beastmen was no longer rage, but a raw, direct hunger for wealth and opportunity.
The original intention of seeking an explanation from the King was smashed to pieces by this sudden, massive windfall.
A few older beastmen exchanged glances, quickly assessing the situation.
"The priority now is not to argue here," a calm voice spoke up. It was a gray-furred bear-man who had been standing in the back, his gaze shrewd. "We must immediately send people to guard the cave entrance and find an opportunity to scout it thoroughly. We need to determine the extent of that land and its accompanying resources, and… whether there are any indigenous inhabitants. Until we are certain, this news must be strictly contained! Even…"
He drew out his words, the greed in his eyes undisguised. "If the news about the King turning into a human is true, we don't need to report to Xiong Ji at all!"
Once this suggestion was made, the eyes of the other bear-race beastmen lit up as if the clouds had parted to reveal the sun.
That's right. Could a King who willingly followed a human still be considered a true King of the bear-race?
Especially after discovering such vast wealth—wealth that might change the fate of their entire tribe—who would still be willing to obey the commands of a human?
"Xiong Er is right!" Xiong Da immediately echoed, puffing out his chest as if he had already become the new leader. "That land was discovered by us, the bear-race, so it should be controlled by us! Xiong Ji…"
At the mention of that name, a flicker of instinctive fear flashed in his eyes.
It was the fear that all beastmen felt in their blood toward their King.
But soon, the greed for wealth overcame everything else.
"We aren't rebelling!" Xiong Er seized the moment to interject. "We just haven't reported it yet."
He looked around, saying every word clearly: "We are just going to scout it and develop it ourselves."
"Once we firmly occupy that land and establish our foundation, it won't be too late to tell him. In the face of a fait accompli and the will of our entire tribe, what can he do?"
"Besides… if what the leopard-race beastmen said is true and the new King is a human, why should we listen to him? Of course, we aren't openly defying the King; the King never issued an order, so why can't we act freely?"
These words completely ignited the fire of ambition in the hearts of the bear-race beastmen.
The fear was dispelled, leaving only excitement and impatience.
"Well said!"
"Xiong Er, your brain is the best. What do you say we do?"
"We'll listen to you!"
Xiong Er felt a secret joy, but his expression grew increasingly steady.
"Good!" Xiong Er's voice was low, yet it instantly suppressed the noise. "Since everyone trusts me, I will make the arrangements."
"First, the news must not leak out, especially to… that one in town. Whoever can't keep their mouth shut is our enemy."
His sharp gaze swept over every face until all the beastmen nodded solemnly.
"Xiong Zhuang, take ten of the strongest brothers and go to the cave entrance immediately. Don't make a scene; just act like you're on a routine mountain patrol."
"Once you arrive, clear away the camouflage and stay hidden near the entrance. Don't let anyone or anything come out from inside, and don't let any outsiders get within half a step of the entrance."
He stared hard at Xiong Zhuang, emphasizing again: "Remember, that means anyone!"
Xiong Zhuang met Xiong Er's gaze and replied in a muffled voice: "Leave it to me! I guarantee not even a ground mouse will be able to crawl through!"
Xiong Da suddenly interjected: "Go quickly, go now!"
His tone was somewhat urgent, his peripheral vision shifting toward Xiong Er without a change in expression.
The bear-race had always judged their leaders by strength. Xiong Ji was able to become the director and the King of the bear-race because he had defeated every other bear at the time.
Now…
Not to mention the human whose whereabouts were still unknown, Xiong Er was clearly trying to stage a coup.
Xiong Er's gaze met Xiong Da's briefly, and a silent spark seemed to flash in the air.
Xiong Er understood.
Xiong Da had heard the unquestionable tone in his command to Xiong Zhuang just now.
That was the posture of a leader.
Strong as Xiong Da was, he was most sensitive to shifts in power.
Xiong Zhuang and the other beastmen didn't seem to notice this subtle clash. They were so fired up by the news of the new land and the impending orders that they couldn't wait to gather their men and claim the land for themselves.
Hearing the order, Xiong Zhuang let out a low growl of acknowledgment and turned to run toward the back mountain, his heavy footsteps soon disappearing deep into the forest.
Xiong Er acted as if nothing had happened, turning to another, relatively slimmer young beastman, and said: "Xiong Shu, you take a few agile ones. Once Xiong Zhuang and the others control the entrance, you go in."
"Remember, if there are indigenous inhabitants, do not provoke a conflict. Just figure out the situation: see how big that plain really is, what the soil quality is like, if there is a water source, and if there are dangerous monsters."
"Remember, only scout. Do not make contact, and do not leave any trace of our presence. You must be back to report before the sun sets!"
When Xiong Shu was called, he felt a jolt. He listened carefully to Xiong Er's instructions and was just about to respond when Xiong Da interrupted in a deep voice: "Wait."
Everyone's gaze instantly converged on Xiong Da.
Xiong Da stepped forward, his burly frame carrying a natural sense of oppression. He stared at Xiong Er and said slowly: "Xiong Er, your brain is sharp, and your arrangements are sound."
"But scouting new territory doesn't just require agility; it needs sufficient strength in case of an emergency."
"Xiong Shu is too young and lacks experience."
His gaze swept over the crowd and landed on another taciturn but sharp-eyed, muscular middle-aged bear-man whose shoulders and back were knotted with muscle: "Xiong Yan, you take five people and go with Xiong Shu."
"Xiong Shu is responsible for scouting and recording; you are responsible for protection and handling emergencies. Remember," he turned to Xiong Yan, his tone intensifying, "protecting Xiong Shu and the others is the priority, but if you truly encounter an unavoidable danger… you know what to do."
Xiong Yan nodded silently, his fists clenching until his knuckles popped.
Xiong Er's pupils constricted slightly.
Xiong Da was openly stripping him of his authority and correcting his arrangements, declaring to the entire bear-race:
He, Xiong Da, was the one who truly held the power and could command force here.
Xiong Shu was his man, while Xiong Yan was clearly Xiong Da's confidant.
Xiong Shu looked at Xiong Er with a helpless expression.
Xiong Er quickly suppressed his annoyance and instead revealed a smile: "Brother Xiong Da's considerations are indeed comprehensive! I was too impatient, only thinking about figuring out the situation quickly and forgetting that safety comes first."
"Brother Xiong Yan is experienced. With him escorting them, it will certainly be foolproof. Xiong Shu, you follow Xiong Yan's arrangements and cooperate well."
He knew Xiong Da's personality. This beastman was overbearing and arrogant, never allowing anyone to challenge his authority.
Except in front of Xiong Ji, he never restrained himself in the slightest.
If anyone else had suggested that Xiong Shu follow, Xiong Er would have naturally assumed the other party was conceding, but Xiong Da's tone and expression were like someone making a veiled threat.
This was why Xiong Shu was so flustered.
Yet Xiong Er couldn't refuse.
His words both flattered Xiong Da and demonstrated his own obedience, brushing off his own overreach and maintaining a surface harmony.
But he knew clearly that the rift between him and Xiong Da had already formed, and under the massive temptation of the new land, it would only deepen.
Xiong Yan and Xiong Shu left to carry out their orders, yet the invisible tension in the air did not dissipate.
Xiong Da acted as if he had only done the most natural thing in the world, turning his gaze back to Xiong Er and asking with a scrutinizing look: "The guards and scouts are arranged, so what next? Just wait?"
His tone was impatient, treating the beastmen under him more like an incompetent subordinate he was questioning.
The surrounding bear-race members all sensed this subtle change, their eyes darting between Xiong Da and Xiong Er.
Xiong Er knew he couldn't confront his brother directly. He racked his brain, thinking about what attitude he should show, when he suddenly looked up and saw the contempt in the other man's eyes.
That was it.
There was no other emotion.
To Xiong Da, he was nothing but someone to be looked down upon.
This naked disdain felt like a basin of ice water poured over Xiong Er's heart, instantly suppressing all his calculations and trade-offs, leaving behind only cold anger and a desperate, reckless clarity.
He suddenly laughed—not the slick, fawning laugh from before, but one tinged with self-mockery and sharpness.
"Brother Xiong Da is right. Just waiting won't work."
Xiong Er's voice calmed down, perhaps even a bit too calmly. "However, the next step might not be something that can be solved just by having brute strength."
He stopped looking at Xiong Da and turned toward the other bear-race members, his gaze sweeping over the faces still filled with hesitation and unease.
"Brothers, why are we gathered here now? Because we found new land, that's right. But what is the root cause? It's because our King might no longer be our King!"
His voice rose abruptly, carrying an inflammatory, tragic indignation. "He personally handed the throne to a human! That's a human! What is a human worth?"
"The leopard-race guys are detestable, but their words might not be groundless! If our King really chose a human instead of selecting a new King from the younger generation of beastmen, how is that any different from abandoning the entire race?"
A few of the older bear-race beastmen swallowed hard, their expressions growing complex.
Xiong Da's brow furrowed into a knot. He instinctively felt Xiong Er's words were too sharp, yet he couldn't refute them because these were the very doubts they dared not voice in their own hearts.
"So," Xiong Er struck while the iron was hot, his tone iron-clad, "what we are doing now is not betrayal, but self-preservation!"
"We are seeking a new path for the bear-race and guarding the future of our race in a situation where the King might already be gone!"
"That new land is not our greed; it is the hope for the continuation of the bear-race!"
"Therefore, the most important thing to do next is not anything else, but to confirm this fact!"
Xiong Er's gaze met Xiong Da's again. This time, he didn't dodge; instead, he carried a sense of challenge. "Brother Xiong Da, you are the strongest warrior among us, and you are the one who should care most about the future of the bear-race."
"Don't you think you should go to town yourself… and ask carefully?"
"See if our King is still our King or not?"
Who the next King would be was clearly decided by Xiong Ji.
If the leopard-race's words were true, Xiong Da would surely be thoroughly "educated" by Xiong Ji if he went to ask.
And if they were false, then as King, Xiong Ji would view their actions as defiance of his orders, or even worse, as treason against the tribe.
They could use the excuse that they hadn't seen Xiong Ji and couldn't report to him, but in that case… what would Xiong Da, who had seen the King, do?
Xiong Er thought that this time, even if Xiong Da didn't lose any blood, he would at least be severely scolded.
Moreover, by asking in front of everyone, he was putting Xiong Da on a pedestal where he couldn't refuse!
He hadn't expected, however, that Xiong Da would suddenly sneer, stand up, and deliver a punch to him without rhyme or reason!
Rate on N.U.
