Building a Civilization and Raising Cubs in the Beast World – CH74

Chapter 74

The moment Bai Tu finished speaking, Lang Qi’s expression softened considerably, though he still wouldn’t allow Bai Tu to leave the cave entirely. At most, Bai Tu could go as far as the entrance, but any attempt to step beyond that made Lang Qi visibly agitated. 

Resigned, Bai Tu placed a stool near the cave’s entrance and began grooming Lang Qi’s fur while asking Lang Ze about what had happened.

Lang Ze, having witnessed Lang Qi’s transformation from start to finish, didn’t dare leave out a single detail. 

He recounted everything, from the moment the Lion Tribe stabbed him, to Lang Qi’s subsequent transformation, and the injuries he caused as he rampaged through the battlefield.

“There were thirteen injured from the Lion Tribe and six from the Wolf Tribe,” Lang Ze explained.

These were all from being knocked down or thrown aside. 

Last night, Lang Qi had charged through anyone in his path. The wolves quickly realized something was wrong and backed off, but the lions weren’t as perceptive. Some even underestimated Lang Qi’s strength and tried to surround him.

“What about the knife? And the person who stabbed him?” Bai Tu asked, suspecting the issue lay with the blade.

Lang Ze replied, “The man’s locked up at the base of the mountain, and the knife is with Yang.”

“Bring me the knife and the person,” Bai Tu ordered. “I need to find out what’s going on.”

Lang Ze immediately complied, sending Lang Zuo and Lang You to retrieve the man while Lang Yang, who was nearby, brought the knife.

Lang Qi glanced outside at the commotion but quickly returned his focus to Bai Tu.

“Tu, do you think you can—” Lang Ze began to ask if Bai Tu had a way to treat Lang Qi, but his voice faltered when he noticed the device on Lang Qi’s face. “Tu… what is that?”

“It’s a muzzle,” Bai Tu explained calmly. “This way, we don’t have to worry about him attacking anyone. Hui is making more of them now. You can give them to the lions who are still able to work.”

Bai Tu originally planned to teach Tu Cai how to add padding to the muzzles for comfort, but after learning that Lang Qi’s condition was caused by deliberate sabotage, he’d lost any sympathy for the Lion Tribe. 

If they wanted to suffer, so be it. Bai Tu’s opinion of the lions had plummeted to an all-time low.

Lang Yang arrived quickly with the knife. The moment he stepped into the cave, Lang Qi immediately sprang to his feet, glaring at him with a menacing look.

“Chief…” Lang Yang, who had grown up with Lang Qi and been by his side for years, was deeply trusted by him. Seeing Lang Qi in this state hurt him just as much as it did Lang Ze.

Bai Tu quickly grabbed Lang Qi, stroking his back and softly reassuring him. “It’s okay. He’s not here to attack us. He’s just bringing me a tool.”

Whether it was Bai Tu’s touch or his words, something worked, and Lang Qi gradually calmed down. 

His attention shifted back to Bai Tu and the knife, though he remained wary of the blade, his gaze filled with concern.

Sensing this, Bai Tu gently explained, “I won’t hurt myself.” 

By now, he had a good grasp of Lang Qi’s behavior. 

As long as Bai Tu and the cubs were safe, Lang Qi rarely got angry. 

He only lashed out when he felt threatened, and even then, a quick explanation and a lack of further provocation usually sufficed to pacify him.

Even so, Lang Qi didn’t relax entirely and stayed on high alert around the knife. Bai Tu rubbed his back to soothe him while examining the blade.

The knife was sharp, and its design was similar to one Bai Tu had received from Hei Xiao. 

He pulled out his own knife and compared the two. The size and shape were nearly identical, differing only in the markings on the handle. 

Hei Xiao had once explained that these markings identified the craftsman—each beastman’s work bore a unique insignia.

After inspecting the blade’s exterior, Bai Tu focused on the cutting edge.

If the knife was responsible for Lang Qi’s current condition, the issue would either lie in the blade itself or something on it. The former seemed unlikely. 

These knives weren’t uncommon, and if being stabbed by one could turn someone into a Fallen Beast, there would be chaos across the Iron Elephant Tribe and any other tribe that traded with them. Yet, after so many years, only a handful of cases like this had occurred.

The knife had been through the chaos of the previous night and had even been trampled on, leaving it with little more than faint traces of blood. No other substances were visible on its surface.

Bai Tu fetched a clay bowl, filled it with water, and placed the knife inside to soak. 

After a few moments, he poured out half the water and added another knife made by their tribe into the bowl for comparison. Once everything was set, he turned back to Lang Qi to calm him again before shifting his attention to the Lion Tribe member being dragged into the cave by Lang You.

The captured lion looked pitiful, his face bruised and swollen, one arm hanging limply at his side. 

He was in worse shape than Tu Cheng had been after returning from his own ordeal. 

The moment Lang Qi saw the lion, his body tensed, and he looked ready to attack. 

Bai Tu held him back, though the killing intent in Lang Qi’s gaze didn’t subside—it was clear he could strike a fatal blow at any moment.

The lion, faced with the enraged Lang Qi in front of him and the hostile wolves behind him, was surrounded by danger on all sides. He collapsed to the ground, cradling his injured arm, utterly despondent. 

He had thought that after stabbing Lang Qi, he could escape. After all, he’d only inflicted a small wound on him. 

Shi Hong was supposed to be the real target, but Lang Qi had reacted far faster than expected. Although the stab landed, Shi Hong’s retaliatory blow had nearly cost him his life.

“Tu, his name is Shi Ming,” Lang Zuo explained, sharing the information they had gathered from questioning the wolves at the base of the mountain. “He’s Shi Hong’s cousin—his mother’s younger brother’s son.”

The interrogation had been rushed. The wolves had only captured the lions this morning, and with everything that had happened, many of them hadn’t even had time to eat yet.

Bai Tu waved the knife in front of Shi Ming and asked, “Where did this knife come from?”

“Hu Bu gave it to me,” Shi Ming replied, his voice filled with regret. “He said all I had to do was stab Lang Qi, and he’d take care of the rest.” 

If he had known that one stab would drive Lang Qi into such a frenzy, he never would have dared to act. 

Now, seeing the increasingly dangerous glint in Lang Qi’s eyes, Shi Ming wished he could disappear. Normal beastmen wouldn’t kill easily, but Lang Qi looked ready to tear him apart at any moment.

Almost all of the beastmen from the Wild Lion Tribe had been captured, including Shi Hong, who looked like he might die any second, and Hu Bu, who had yet to show himself.

If there were anyone Shi Ming feared more than Lang Qi, it was Lang Ze. 

One brother had nearly killed the Lion Tribe’s strongest leader, and the other had gone into a frenzy of his own after seeing his brother lose control. Shi Ming’s broken arm was proof of that—Lang Ze had bitten straight through it.

Shi Ming had never felt such terror. 

Back in the Wild Lion Tribe, as one of Shi Hong’s few relatives, he had held a small but significant position of power. 

Even though he wasn’t as strong as Shi Hong, his connection to Hu Bu had emboldened him. 

He had started treating Shi Hong with disdain, pretending to respect him in public while secretly considering him a brainless fool. If not for needing Shi Hong to fight other tribes, Shi Ming wouldn’t have hesitated for a second to betray him.

He hadn’t expected things to turn out like this. He’d abandoned Shi Hong and chosen to kill Lang Qi, only for Lang Qi to survive and turn into a Fallen Beast.

After a few more questions, Bai Tu confirmed that Shi Ming didn’t know the secret of the knife. He told Lang You, “Take him back and keep him isolated. Don’t let him talk to anyone.”

Lang You agreed without hesitation. While wolves traditionally only took orders from their Wolf King or local leaders, the tribe had grown used to following Bai Tu’s instructions since Lang Qi and Lang Ze had deferred to him in nearly all decisions.

The wolves didn’t see anything unusual about this arrangement, but Shi Ming was both shocked and terrified.

Until now, Shi Ming had only been worried about his immediate safety, not the future. Even if Lang Qi survived, as a Fallen Beast, he would lose his ability to lead. 

The Wild Lion Tribe had three to four hundred beastmen, far too many to take on the wolves in their prime, but they could easily overpower a fractured wolf tribe without a Wolf King.

According to Hu Bu, after the Wolf King’s death or incapacitation, the wolf tribe would fall into chaos. It would take at least half a month for a new leader to earn the trust of the entire tribe. The lions just needed to seize that opportunity.

This was why most of the lions hadn’t resisted after being captured. The wolves only slightly outnumbered them, and many wolves were physically smaller than lions. 

Last night’s ambush had caught them off guard, but once the lions regrouped, they could easily retaliate. They could even claim the Snow Rabbit Tribe’s resource-rich territory and live comfortably through the winter.

Besides, the lions had one more ace up their sleeve.

The plan was foolproof—or so Shi Ming thought. 

Sure, they’d lost track of Tu Cheng, and the wolf tribe’s numbers were higher than expected, but those were minor setbacks. Even Lang Qi surviving wasn’t a deal-breaker. 

As long as Shi Ming stayed alive and the lions picked the right moment to strike back, both the wolf and rabbit territories would fall into their hands. They’d no longer have to scrape together inedible grass for two months just to stave off starvation.

As Lang You dragged him off to solitary confinement, Shi Ming’s confidence briefly returned. He could still see victory within reach—until he realized that Lang You had followed Bai Tu’s orders without so much as a glance at Lang Ze.

How could this be? Lion Ming’s mind reeled. How does the wolf tribe have a hidden leader? Why can Bai Tu give orders to the wolves without even consulting Lang Ze? And why did Lang You obey so easily?

As Shi Ming was locked away, despair began to creep in. 

Individually, the lions weren’t afraid of the wolves, but the wolf tribe was known for growing stronger the more they fought. 

While two wolves might struggle against one male lion, ten wolves could easily take on six or seven lions, especially under the command of a leader.

Then, a sudden thought gave Shi Ming hope. Lang Qi. 

If Lang Qi went berserk and killed both the wolf and rabbit tribes, the lions could take over both territories without lifting a finger. 

Though things hadn’t gone entirely to plan, there was still a chance to salvage the situation. Shi Ming’s spirits lifted as he began plotting how to get this information to Hu Bu.

What Shi Ming didn’t know was that events on the mountain were unfolding in a way that would shatter any lingering hope he had.

While waiting for Lang Zuo to bring Hu Bu up the mountain, Bai Tu inspected the water from the soaked knife. Suddenly, Lang Qi lifted a paw and placed it on him, stopping him from touching anything.

“What’s wrong?” Bai Tu asked, surprised. 

He felt that Lang Qi was much more composed than he had been earlier. Though still unclear on who was friend or foe, Lang Qi seemed able to understand some of what Bai Tu said.

The few wolves near the cave entrance watched Lang Qi expectantly, hoping for some clue or sign from their leader.

Lang Qi turned his attention to Bai Tu’s face and leaned in to nuzzle the corner of his mouth.

Lang Ze: “???”

The other wolves: “???”

Lang Ze stared in disbelief. “Big Brother?”

Lang Qi, annoyed by the interruption, shot a sharp glare at Lang Ze. 

Though his gaze lacked the killing intent from earlier, it was still intimidating. 

Even if he didn’t fully grasp what was happening, he could tell that Bai Tu cared about these people. If Bai Tu cares about them, I can’t kill them. 

Lang Qi wasn’t pleased, especially since the one he could kill had already been taken away. Realizing he might have overstepped, Lang Ze immediately shut his mouth.

Satisfied with Lang Ze’s silence, Lang Qi withdrew his gaze and pushed all the bowls in front of Bai Tu to the side. 

Only when Bai Tu’s attention was fully on him did he feel at ease. Through the muzzle, he resumed nuzzling the corner of Bai Tu’s mouth, his eyes gradually darkening as his gaze settled on Bai Tu’s lips.

Even if Bai Tu were dense, he couldn’t ignore the shift in Lang Qi’s demeanor. 

Unlike Lang Ze, Bai Tu wasn’t clueless. 

What might have initially seemed like a dog’s affection for its owner was clearly something else now. This look—there was no way to pretend it was anything innocent.

Trying to redirect Lang Qi’s attention, Bai Tu gently rubbed his ears. “Are you hungry? Want to eat something?” Anything to stop him from staring—especially with so many people nearby.

Lang Qi paid no attention to Bai Tu’s words. 

His gaze remained fixed on Bai Tu’s lips as an all-too-familiar sense of agitation bubbled up inside him. He wanted to grab Bai Tu and drag him back into the cave, away from everyone else’s sight.

Lang Qi’s eyes roamed over Bai Tu, contemplating where to start.

Though there was no trace of killing intent in Lang Qi’s gaze, Bai Tu somehow felt more threatened than before. 

Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted the bowl and knife and suddenly raised his voice: “Cover that bowl! Put the knife in a box, wrap it several times, and make sure no one touches it directly!”

Lang Ze, who had helped Bai Tu with food preparation before, immediately understood. 

Some ingredients couldn’t be handled directly during processing. 

Following Bai Tu’s instructions, Lang Ze quickly covered the bowl with another bowl and used tree leaves to wrap his hands before placing the knife in an empty wooden box used for holding medicine.

“Where’s Yang? Has anyone seen him? Find two people to stay with him and make sure he gets a full day of rest!” Bai Tu issued several rapid orders, all while keeping both hands firmly wrapped around Lang Qi, afraid he might bolt out of the cave.

But Lang Qi showed no intention of leaving. 

His gaze remained fixed on Bai Tu, a rare sense of joy welling up inside him. All he wanted was to take Bai Tu away to a place where no one else could see him.

The urge was becoming unbearable. 

He repeatedly tried to act, but the muzzle and his claws were frustratingly insufficient. 

His agitation grew more intense by the second, but Bai Tu’s constant touch—rubbing his ears, head, and back—sent waves of comfort through him. The conflicting sensations only heightened his excitement.

Lang Qi fought to suppress the violent urges building inside him, his thoughts narrowing to a single focus: Take him. Hide him. Make sure no one else sees him.

But things weren’t going the way he wanted. 

The more frustrated he became, the harder it was to suppress his instincts. His growing agitation made him want to eliminate everyone else so Bai Tu would belong to him alone.

Sensing the shift in Lang Qi’s mood, Bai Tu immediately issued another order. “Move the rocks. Block the cave entrance. As long as food can be passed through, that’s all we need!”

Many caves had large stones placed at their entrances as a defensive measure. 

If inter-tribal conflict arose and there was time, the beastmen left behind in the tribe would seal the cave entrances with rocks and hide inside to confuse the enemy. 

Now, the rocks would serve to keep Lang Qi inside. If Bai Tu ultimately couldn’t calm him, the stones would at least prevent him from escaping. Like the muzzle, it was a way to minimize the danger.

Lang Ze tried to speak several times, but Bai Tu stopped him with a raised hand. “Interrogate Hu Bu yourselves. Search him thoroughly again. If he has any medicine on him, isolate it immediately and keep him under solitary confinement.” Then he urged Lang Ze again, “Move the rocks—quickly. The longer we wait, the more dangerous it becomes.”

As the cave entrance gradually closed, Lang Qi’s agitation began to subside. But it wasn’t enough. He still wanted to act, to do something—his claws couldn’t manage it, and neither could his mouth.

With nothing but urgency left in his mind, Lang Qi stared at Bai Tu, his gaze growing darker and darker until his eyes turned crimson.

Bai Tu, whose hands were growing sore from petting Lang Qi, glanced at the slowly moving stones and felt a sense of relief.

But at the exact moment when Lang Qi’s eyes turned a deep red, the towering wolf’s majestic form suddenly shifted. In an instant, he transformed into his human form.

The moment the cave entrance was sealed, the beastmen escorting Hu Bu arrived just in time. 

Through the narrow gaps between the stones, Hu Bu caught a glimpse of Lang Qi in human form. His face twisted in disbelief, his voice rising in a hysterical shriek: “How is this possible? How is this possible?! How is he in human form?!”

After everything Hu Bu had done, how could Lang Qi have regained his human form?

No one answered him. Even though the sealed cave made it hard to see clearly and only Lang Qi’s blurry upper body was visible, it was undeniably human. The wolves, realizing this, were filled with nothing but joy.

Inside the cave, the muzzle—both obstructive and unremovable—had fallen away. 

Finally free of its restrictions, Lang Qi could follow his instincts. He pressed closer to the one he had been longing for, nuzzling against him with abandon, as though he wanted to devour Bai Tu whole.

Bai Tu hadn’t even had time to feel relieved when everything went dark. 

The next second, a sharp pain spread across his lips. He froze, stunned, and an urge to curse welled up in him. Only one thought flashed through his mind: Who in the world just bites someone like this?!

Meanwhile, Lang Qi’s heart was full of uncontainable joy. Mine. Only mine.