Chapter 113
After closing his eyes for three seconds, Bai Tu suddenly woke up.
No, there was another possibility.
Bai Tu, who had opened his eyes again, slowly turned to the other side. A naked child was lying on the bed, staring at him. When the child noticed Bai Tu looking back, he happily called out again, this time more clearly than before.
“Dad… dad!”
Bai Tu glanced down at his arms. The three little wolf cubs were still asleep. The only one awake was the gray one, who was clutching a piece of animal hide and trying to crawl out.
Realizing which cub the child in front of him was, Bai Tu was both shocked and delighted. “You transformed?!”
Although no one had said it out loud, the cubs’ ability to transform into human form had always been a concern for everyone. After all, only by successfully transforming could they prove that the cubs were healthy enough.
The two wolf cubs had been relatively weak in the past two years, and while they had improved slightly this year, they were still smaller than wolf cubs of the same age.
Bai Tu didn’t know the exact threshold for when cubs could transform into human form, so he had done his best to prepare nutritious and tasty food for them. Now, it seemed his efforts hadn’t been in vain. The cubs hadn’t let them down and had successfully transformed.
The little wolf waited for a moment, but when Bai Tu didn’t move, he began crawling forward.
Having grown accustomed to walking on four legs, his speed actually increased after transforming into human form. Plus, the distance between them was short, so it only took a few steps for him to reach Bai Tu. Just as he was about to climb onto Bai Tu, the latter finally reacted and grabbed him, pulling him into the blanket.
The sudden elevation in height didn’t scare the little wolf at all. He waved his paws at Bai Tu, then paused when he noticed his paws had changed shape. He looked down, studying them curiously. After comparing his own hands to Bai Tu’s, he was thrilled to see that he now looked like his dad.
“Dad!” The clever little wolf quickly mastered the word after saying it twice, now able to connect the two syllables smoothly.
“Yes!” Bai Tu couldn’t hide his joy.
He didn’t care that the child should technically be calling him “uncle.” He hugged the little wolf tightly and planted a big kiss on his cheek. He had raised these cubs for months, and it was impossible not to feel attached. That was why he had allowed them near his nest right after giving birth.
Seeing the wolf cub transform filled Bai Tu’s heart with happiness. For beastmen cubs, the risk of dying before successfully transforming into human form was high. Only after transforming did their chances improve. Looking at the little wolf’s chubby hands, Bai Tu couldn’t resist kissing them again.
The little wolf kicked his feet excitedly, and Bai Tu quickly lifted him a bit higher to avoid him kicking the other cubs. The three-year-old wolf cub looked about the size of a one-year-old human child. He could crawl and speak, but since he had been using four legs before, he hadn’t yet learned to walk on two feet.
These were things that could be taught gradually. Bai Tu held the little wolf and placed him back in the nest, wrapping him in a smaller piece of animal hide.
There were already plenty of animal hides in the cave, and Bai Tu had later collected the softest ones to store in the wardrobe. Now, they were perfect for the cubs. Although many of his actions in the past had been driven by instinct, there was no denying that his taste was still impeccable. The hides he had prepared for the cubs were all soft, comfortable, and warm. Beastmen in human form didn’t have the warmth of fur, so they would feel cold. The first thing they needed after transforming was either a blanket or clothes.
The little wolf wasn’t used to the unfamiliar animal hide. He opened his mouth and tried to bite it, only to realize his neck was now shorter and he couldn’t reach it. Frustrated, he raised his hands to tear at it.
Bai Tu quickly stopped him. He hadn’t expected such a small child to be so strong. After some coaxing, he finally managed to get the little wolf to stay wrapped in the hide. Just as he turned to check on the other cubs, another naked child appeared in front of him.
Bai Tu: “???”
Bai Tu looked back at the one in the blanket, then at the new one. Apart from a slight difference in hair color, the two looked almost identical. Silently repeating the earlier steps, he wrapped the new child in animal hide and tucked him into the blanket. With their limbs restrained by the hides, the two cubs couldn’t walk or crawl. They could only express their needs with their mouths, calling out “Dad” in unison.
The three remaining wolf cubs were quickly woken up by the commotion. With five cubs making noise together, their combined voices were as loud as a flock of ducks. Bai Tu wobbled slightly, momentarily unsure of what he was even doing.
When Lang Qi walked in carrying food, this was the scene he was greeted with—five cubs, three howling, and two calling out “Daddy.”
Although they didn’t actually know what “Daddy” meant, it was clear that their combined noise was overwhelming Bai Tu. Lang Qi set down the food and lightly poked each cub.
Instantly, the little ones quieted down. They were still young, but they could sense clear signs of irritation. Their instincts told them that if they kept making noise, they might get scolded—or worse.
The two who had transformed into human form looked up at Lang Qi expectantly, their eyes full of hunger.
Lang Qi didn’t say much. He simply grabbed their food from the side.
“I’ll feed them,” Bai Tu said. It had been a long time since he last fed the cubs. It was fine for Lang Qi to feed them when they were in beast form, but now that they were human-shaped, it was better if he did it himself.
“No need,” Lang Qi shook his head. “Look.”
The moment he finished speaking, the two cubs transformed back into their wolf forms one after the other. Their wolf forms were significantly smaller than their human forms. The fur blankets that had snugly wrapped around them as humans were now easy for them to wriggle out of. The first thing they did upon escaping was rush over to Bai Tu, complaining about the injustice of being wrapped up.
Bai Tu picked them up one by one, comforting them. “Next time, I’ll hold you for a longer time, okay?” It wasn’t that he didn’t want to, but newly transformed cubs couldn’t be left in the cold. Wrapping them in fur and keeping them in the warm bedding was the safest option—it kept them warm and prevented illness. The only downside was that, to stop them from running around, the blankets had to be wrapped tightly.
The first shift into human form was exhausting, and after rubbing against Bai Tu for a bit, the two little ones soon turned their attention to the food. Seeing this, Bai Tu simply carried them over so they could eat.
This meal was entirely different from before. While Bai Tu was still in shock, the two cubs had already emptied their plates.
Lang Qi, on the other hand, wasn’t surprised by their appetites at all. He simply took some food from his own portion and placed it in front of them.
The fact that they had transformed meant that their teeth and digestive systems had developed enough. They no longer needed all their food to be mashed into a paste. Of course, wolf cubs under three years old didn’t necessarily need meat puree either—some started gnawing on bones as soon as they turned one. But Bai Tu had been especially meticulous in raising them, especially since they had been extremely weak when they first arrived. He had taken extra care in every aspect of their upbringing.
But now, there was no longer a need to worry. The two wolf cubs were happily gnawing on chunks of meat, eating with impressive enthusiasm. Under Bai Tu’s astonished gaze, they consumed nearly a third of their body weight in food.
Bai Tu slowly turned to Lang Qi. “They eat this much?”
Lang Qi nodded. “Mm. And from now on, every meal will be at least this much.”
This was only their first day in human form—their appetites would only continue to grow.
Bai Tu was momentarily stunned but quickly accepted the reality. After all, this amount of food was perfectly normal for beastmen. He couldn’t judge a beastman cub’s appetite by his own standards. The powerful physiques they developed as adults weren’t built overnight—they were the result of years of steady nourishment.
So, ensuring they had enough nutrition was absolutely essential.
Lang Ze couldn’t stay put in the cave for the rest of the night. The bedroom, warmer than anywhere else, was extremely comfortable for Bai Tu and the cubs. For Lang Qi, as long as Bai Tu was there, he didn’t mind the heat and could endure it. But for Lang Ze, the same environment was a disaster—he got hotter and hotter until he couldn’t take it anymore. In the middle of the night, he sneaked out to find others to play with.
The young wolves were full of energy, especially now that they had less work and were eating more. Each one had grown much sturdier than before. Staying inside the cave for a whole day felt unbearable, so the moment Lang Ze called, plenty of them were eager to join him.
A group of young wolves played joyfully on the still-frozen snow, having so much fun that they didn’t even think about returning to the cave until their stomachs started growling.
However, when Lang Ze got back, he didn’t see anyone outside. There was only one portion of food in the pot, which he shamelessly finished off before heading to knock on the door of the innermost bedroom.
Technically, he could’ve just walked in. But even if he had ten times his usual courage, he wouldn’t dare to enter without permission. If he really wanted to die, there were plenty of other ways—no need to choose the most tragic one.
Worried that those inside might not hear him, Lang Ze cautiously called out, “Brother? Tu?”
He had already finished eating—why was there still no movement from inside?
At that moment, Bai Tu and Lang Qi were busy feeding the newborn wolf cubs goat milk. Newly born cubs couldn’t even consume meat paste or broth yet, only milk. Since they were too small to drink on their own without making a mess, the two of them fed them by hand. It was much faster with two people than one. Just as they were finishing up the last mouthful and hadn’t even put the bowls down, they heard Lang Ze’s voice from outside.
Bai Tu reacted first, quickly placing the cubs back into the nest.
Lang Qi only allowed Lang Ze inside once Bai Tu had made sure the cubs were settled. Nowhere else in the cave was as warm as this room.
The moment Lang Ze stepped into the significantly warmer bedroom, he hadn’t even managed to say a word before his eyes landed on the bed—where two full-bellied cubs had transformed back into human form. He pointed at them in surprise. “Brother, they shifted?!”
Lang Qi nodded. “Just did.” As he spoke, he helped Bai Tu drape fur over the cubs.
In truth, he didn’t think it was necessary. Newly shifted cubs usually couldn’t maintain one form for long—they could shift a dozen times in a single day. As for Bai Tu’s concern about them catching a cold, that was mostly unnecessary. In the tribe, wolf cubs under three years old needed to be monitored, but after that, no one really paid much attention.
But no matter what he thought, Lang Qi didn’t argue with Bai Tu. He obediently followed his lead, learning how to properly wrap up the fidgeting cubs.
“We’ll do it like this for a couple of days. After that, we can use lighter coverings,” Bai Tu explained.
When he was in his beast form, he didn’t need extra warmth. But once he shifted back to human form, he needed multiple layers of fur to stay comfortable.
The same principle applied to young cubs—they were still adapting to shifting forms, and sudden changes in temperature could make them sick. Keeping them bundled up for a few days would help them develop the habit of staying under the covers when in human form.
This time, however, Bai Tu didn’t wrap their hands up. The earlier bundling was just for safety—since he had been the only one watching them, he had to ensure they wouldn’t accidentally crawl too close to the edge of the bed. Now that there were three adults in the room, there was no such concern. Each of them could watch over one cub while the third person could tend to the three smaller ones.
Once the cubs were wrapped up, Bai Tu didn’t place them deep inside the bed but instead positioned them near the edge, closer to Lang Ze.
Pointing to them, he said, “This one is the black one, and this one is the gray one.”
Perhaps because they were still young, their hair was particularly soft, and the colors appeared lighter than they would when fully grown. Combined with their identical features, they were much harder to distinguish in human form than in beast form. In beast form, their entire bodies were different colors, but now, only their hair color varied.
As their biological uncle, Lang Ze wasn’t as attentive to them as Bai Tu and Lang Qi, but he still cared about them from time to time. Having grown up in the wolf tribe himself, even though he hadn’t fully reached adulthood yet and didn’t have a mate, he still understood the significance of shifting into human form.
Looking down at the two cubs staring up at him with wide eyes, Lang Ze raised his head and asked the two adults, “Brother, Tu, are they going to live with the other cubs soon?”
The wolf tribe differed slightly from other beastmen tribes in that, once a cub successfully transformed into human form, they would be grouped with their peers, regardless of whether they had previously been raised collectively or by their parents. Shifting into human form signified the time to integrate with a team.
The two wolf cubs were of the perfect age for such a group. If nothing unexpected happened, they would be sent to live with the others once winter ended.
Bai Tu had almost forgotten about this. He looked down at the two little ones clutching his hands. They had only just learned to shift, and now they would have to leave? He felt reluctant.
However, it had always been a tradition in the wolf tribe for cubs to be raised together after shifting. Bai Tu wouldn’t interfere just because of his own emotions. This period of bonding was crucial for their future hunting skills and relationships with their fellow wolves.
Wolves who grew up together formed stronger bonds—not only would they be more coordinated when hunting or fighting, but they would also serve as key allies when vying for leadership in the future.
Take Lang Qi, for example. His rise to the position of chief wasn’t just due to his own strength; his relationships with other wolves also played a significant role. A chief had to earn the trust of the entire tribe for the group to truly unite as one.
Bai Tu lowered his head and kissed the cubs on their foreheads. The snow had already stopped falling. According to Bai An, this winter’s snowfall hadn’t been particularly heavy, which was good news. But now, it seemed that the time for the cubs to return to the wolf tribe might come even sooner.
Seeing Bai Tu’s reluctance just from Lang Ze mentioning the matter, Lang Qi thought for a moment and then said, “We’ll send them over before the next winter instead.”
“That late?” Lang Ze was a little surprised.
Lang Qi pointed at the two cubs, who still couldn’t even walk. “They’re too small. They’ll get bullied.”
It was normal for young cubs to play rough with each other, but these two couldn’t even run away if they were hit.
In the past, Lang Qi hadn’t thought much about injuries—after all, everyone got hurt at some point, including himself. But knowing how much Bai Tu cherished these cubs, he figured that even if the injuries weren’t serious, Bai Tu would still be distressed. Since that was the case, they might as well delay their integration for a bit. When they were older, they would have better control over their bodies and would know how to avoid serious injuries when fighting.
Lang Ze pondered this for a moment before looking up. “Brother, why didn’t you say that when I was little?”
He had been born six months later than the other cubs his age, and because of that age gap, he had taken quite a few beatings! Although the fights between young cubs weren’t too harsh, and injuries were usually limited to minor scratches from claws, the fact remained—he had been thrown into the group right after shifting and had to learn how to fight through experience.
“I wasn’t the one who sent you there,” Lang Qi replied flatly, shutting him down immediately.
Lang Ze muttered under his breath, “Even if it wasn’t you, you could’ve said something.” He hadn’t even been worried about him getting hurt.
Listening to the brothers’ conversation, Bai Tu thought for a moment before suddenly suggesting, “How about we build a comprehensive nursery?”
The initial plans for the residential area already included communal buildings like a cafeteria and a school. The school was a simplified version of those from Bai Tu’s past life—at first, there would be no age divisions since everyone started from the same basic level. The idea was to gradually introduce commonly used numbers and words to facilitate future communication.
However, children who were still too young to hold a pen wouldn’t be suited for learning these things yet. So, Bai Tu had set the age threshold at around six years old. By that age, cubs were already somewhat sensible, capable of sitting still for over half an hour, and wouldn’t randomly shout during lessons. Any younger, and their playful nature would be too disruptive—they would constantly shift back into their beast forms. A teacher couldn’t be expected to teach just two characters before the class devolved into chasing rabbits, wolf cubs, lion cubs, and kittens. At that point, it wouldn’t be a classroom—it would be a wildlife park.
The original plan was to continue as things were—having a few beastmen take care of the younger cubs collectively, while parents who didn’t want their children in group care could keep them at home. But now, Bai Tu felt that the communal environment for the cubs needed some proper organization.
Currently, the cubs were scattered across different caves. The rabbit and cat tribe cubs were housed together, the cubs brought back from the Red Eagle Tribe were in another location, and the wolf cubs had their own separate area.
Instead of keeping them divided, it would make sense to set up a proper nursery when building the residential area. This “comprehensive nursery,” or daycare, would allow cubs of the same age to be raised together—similar to the current arrangement, but more structured. The cubs would eat and sleep there, with parents picking them up at scheduled times and returning them after rest days.
This way, parents could better plan their work schedules, and the beastmen caring for the cubs could take breaks more frequently, instead of working nonstop year-round without rest.
On the Beast God Continent, there was no concept of a “New Year.” People tracked time by counting days. In the tribe, the chief—or a designated recorder—would draw a horizontal line on a cave wall each day. After every tenth line, they would draw a vertical slash through them, and after thirty-six sets, it marked the end of a full year. A new sequence would then begin.
This method was used to determine when to prepare food for the snowy and rainy seasons, as well as when to set out for the market. Bai Tu had asked around and found that every year, when they returned from the market, the weather was always about the same—confirming that the year was indeed 360 days long, without deviation.
With that in mind, Bai Tu planned to introduce a proper calendar at the start of spring, setting up designated workdays and rest days. Working nonstop led to exhaustion and frustration over time, while unstructured breaks disrupted productivity. It would be best to factor rest days into the work schedule from the beginning.
Within just a few breaths, Bai Tu’s mind was already racing with ideas. He grabbed a pen to jot them down, but as he looked at the heavy, cumbersome wooden board, he started missing paper again.
With the river’s ice about to melt soon, Bai Tu assigned Lang Ze a task: “Go chop some bamboo, remove the leaves, cut it into sections, and soak them in lime water. Make sure to prepare plenty.”
Thrown into “work mode” so suddenly, Lang Ze took a moment to react before quickly nodding.
Bai Tu wrote down the calendar and rest days he had just thought of on the wooden board, then noted the nursery’s layout. Only then did he feel at ease.
Looking down at the two cubs again, Bai Tu suddenly remembered something. “Shouldn’t we give them names now?”
He had brought up this topic before, but since beastman cubs typically didn’t receive names until after their third year, it had been put off. Now that they were three years old and had even shifted into human form, naming them should finally be on the agenda.
“Call them Lang Hei and Lang Hui!” Lang Ze was the first to offer suggestions. “One’s black, and one’s gray—simple.”
Bai Tu shot him a glare. “How about we name you Lang Da Hei then?” He reminded him that he himself was also a black wolf.
Lang Ze immediately shook his head. “No way, no way.”
“You won’t even use it yourself, and you expect to give it to the cubs?”
Though they were cubs now, they wouldn’t stay cubs forever, so such a name was definitely out of the question.
As soon as Bai Tu finished speaking, Lang Ze added, “My brother should be Lang Da Hei instead.” At most, he would be Lang Er Hei.
Lang Qi was struggling to suppress the urge to punch him.
Bai Tu quickly cut him off. “Anyway, names with ‘Hei’ are off the table. Think of something else.”
Some beastmen did name their children after their beast form’s species and color, and while it wasn’t exactly wrong, it was about as creative as naming people “Zhang San” or “Li Si” in his past life—call out once, and half the tribe would respond.
So these names were a definite no-go. They needed better ones.
“Then I’ll think of something truly shocking.” Lang Ze declared, determined to come up with a name that would amaze everyone.
Bai Tu waved a hand dismissively. “Sure, go ahead and think.” He had only brought it up—he wasn’t expecting to finalize the names today.
However, Lang Ze didn’t leave. Instead, he stared longingly at the three sleeping wolf cubs, especially the one closest to him. “Tu, can I hold them for a bit?” He rubbed his hands together, feeling an itch to do so.
“No.”
“No!”
Bai Tu and Lang Qi refused in unison.
It wasn’t just Bai Tu—Lang Qi also rejected Lang Ze’s request outright. They both knew Lang Ze too well. Even if they couldn’t read his entire mind, they could guess at least half of it. Not to mention, Lang Ze had a criminal record—he had just bullied the black wolf cub yesterday. It would be ridiculous to trust him with the cubs now.
Lang Ze wagged his tail, and the two of them could immediately tell he wasn’t thinking anything good.
“…Fine.” Lang Ze’s eyes dimmed the moment he was denied. He could only squat to the side, pitifully watching the sleeping cubs with longing.
Even if Lang Ze was unreliable most of the time, seeing such a dejected little wolf was hard to ignore. Bai Tu glanced at him, then at Lang Qi, his eyes carrying a silent question—Should we let him hold them just for a bit?
After all, Lang Ze wouldn’t be able to do anything except hold them. Bai Tu figured that as long as he kept an eye on him, there wouldn’t be any real harm. After yesterday’s lesson, Lang Ze probably wouldn’t dare mess with the cubs again. As long as their safety wasn’t at risk, there was no real issue.
Since Lang Ze was his own younger brother, Lang Qi, after receiving Bai Tu’s glance, looked at Lang Ze again before finally nodding. “Alright, you can hold them—but just for a moment.”
Seeing that Lang Ze didn’t have any cubs of his own, Lang Qi decided to be a little more lenient and grant him this one-time privilege.
“Really?” Lang Ze’s eyes lit up instantly, an unidentifiable gleam flashing through them.
“Hold out your hands. Be careful.” Bai Tu gently lifted the black wolf cub and carefully placed it into Lang Ze’s arms. “Don’t use too much force.”
Among the three cubs, this one was the calmest and most well-behaved. Since Lang Ze had barely interacted with the cubs before, he was only allowed to hold this one. The other two would definitely cry out or get frightened.
The black cub twitched slightly upon being placed into unfamiliar arms. But as soon as it felt the familiar touch of Bai Tu’s reassuring strokes on its back, it slowly relaxed.
Lang Ze stared intently at the tiny creature in his hands. This was his brother’s cub—it looked exactly like Lang Qi when he was little.
Did that mean that by holding this cub, he was essentially holding a baby version of his brother?
With this thought in mind, Lang Ze turned to Lang Qi and grinned. “Brother, look! When you were little, I used to hold you too! Hey, can you call me ‘big brother’ just once?”
If Lang Qi called him “big brother,” then surely he wouldn’t be able to hit him!
Bai Tu: “…”
Three days without a beating, and he’s already climbing the roof.
It hadn’t even been a full day yet, and he was already daring to challenge his older brother.
If there was ever a phrase that perfectly suited Lang Ze, it was unchanging nature.
Thank you for the chapter!