I Transmigrated as a Villainess to Raise Babies, and My Beast Husbands Are Fighting Madly Over Me!-Chapter 35: He’s So in the Way
"Of course... not!"
Qiao Xixi pursed her lips. "Then why are you wasting my time with nonsense?"
"Now that you’ve completed the mission, Host, I’ll apply to unlock the store for you. Then you’ll be able to exchange for supplies in the store."
"That’s more like it."
Qiao Xixi got out of bed and left her room. Vaguely, she thought she saw a shadow flit past outside the fence.
"Who—who’s out there?"
The fence gate was pushed open from the outside, and Jin Ling walked in, carrying firewood.
"It’s me, Xixi. I saw we were running low on firewood in the yard, so I went to get some more."
Qiao Xixi glanced curiously toward the gate. She couldn’t shake the feeling that the figure that had just walked by wasn’t Jin Ling.
"Are you coming up the mountain with us today?"
"Yeah. I’ll take the opportunity to see if I can catch any prey on the mountain."
The cold snap was coming soon. Their food supply was still limited, so they really did need to stock up.
Just as Qiao Xixi finished washing up, the cubs also got up.
They had just finished eating when Hong Xi arrived.
"Priest, we should head for the mountain. The place is quite far, so we need to get an early start."
"Alright."
Qiao Xixi and the cubs put on their Baobaos, and Jin Ling followed them out.
Hong Xi glanced at Jin Ling, then said to Qiao Xixi, "Priest, how was that piece of meat from yesterday? If you liked it, Priest, I can bring some more over today."
Qiao Xixi was taken aback by the question.
Before she could answer, Jin Ling said flatly, "I ate it. It was good."
Hong Xi’s gaze hardened.
That was the most tender piece of meat on a Deer Beast!
He had gone to the trouble of hunting it on the mountain specifically for Qiao Xixi, and Jin Ling had eaten it!
Qiao Xixi was a bit bewildered. ’Did something happen that I don’t know about?’
Jin Ling had made dinner last night, and it had been delicious.
"There’s no need to bring more. We still have food. Let’s head up the mountain first."
Hong Xi shot Jin Ling a glare and walked ahead to lead the way.
"Priest, why do you want to pick Grass Fruits? Are they edible?"
Qiao Xixi nodded. "They’re edible."
The book said that salt essence could be extracted from Grass Fruits. Having not tasted anything salty for who knows how long, Qiao Xixi wished she could just carry all the Grass Fruits home right now.
Hong Xi led them to the back of the mountain.
Qiao Xixi noticed that the back of the mountain was probably closer to the south. The vegetation in the forest here seemed denser and taller.
Worried about potential dangers, Jin Ling shifted into his beast form and had Qiao Xixi and the others climb onto his back.
Hong Xi walked in front, cautiously scouting for any movement in their surroundings.
The further they went, the more tightly his brow furrowed.
Qiao Xixi also felt that something wasn’t quite right.
"Do beastmen not usually come to the back of the mountain?"
Hong Xi nodded. "Yes. There are more ferocious beasts on the back of the mountain, so the females don’t dare to come to this area for gathering."
Jin Ling lowered his head and sniffed the air.
"I haven’t smelled the scent of any ferocious beasts this entire way."
Hong Xi’s brow furrowed even more deeply.
"That’s what’s so strange. Usually, when we come up the mountain, we always run into one or two ferocious beasts. It’s never been this quiet."
His words put Qiao Xixi and the others on high alert.
Whatever could make ferocious beasts disappear had to be something even more terrifying.
"Is the place where the Grass Fruits grow still far from here?"
"Not far now, it’s just ahead."
Qiao Xixi and her group didn’t notice that after they had passed, a Green Snake Beast slowly slithered down from a large tree.
Following behind the snake was a Long-armed Ape Beast.
Two pairs of greasy green eyes stared greedily in the direction Qiao Xixi had gone.
"That’s a female Wandering Beast. I can smell the scent of the Exile Flower on her," the Green Snake Beast said, flicking its tongue out slowly.
The Long-armed Ape Beast shifted into his human form, but his face still retained two thick tufts of white fur.
"It’s her, then."
After speaking, the two figures quickly vanished into the woods.
After crossing another slope, Qiao Xixi and her group finally arrived before a pitch-black cave.
"We have to go through this cave to get to the other side of the mountain. The Grass Fruits are just on the other side of this cave."
The cave didn’t look very big, only wide enough for two people to walk side-by-side.
Jin Ling had no choice but to shift back into his human form. He looked at Hong Xi.
"You lead the way."
Hong Xi nodded and entered the cave.
The inside of the cave was pitch-black. A little scared, Qiao Qiao tightened her grip on Qiao Xixi’s hand.
"Mother, I’m scared."
Qiao Xixi picked her up.
"Don’t be scared. Mother is holding you."
Jin Ling offered to carry Qiao Lie and Qiao Ang, but they refused.
They weren’t little females; they weren’t afraid of the dark!
Qiao Lie gave Qiao Ang a disdainful look.
"Why are you holding onto me so tightly? If you’re scared, have the big male carry you."
Qiao Ang’s eyes widened. "I’m not scared! I’m holding on to you so you don’t get lost."
Qiao Lie scoffed.
After Qiao Xixi’s group entered the cave, the Green Snake Beast and the Long-armed Ape Beast arrived at the entrance.
They shifted into their human forms and sniffed the air in the cave.
"Should we follow them in now? She’s with a male who’s a Five-Star Beast Soul and another who’s a Three-Star Beast Soul. If we fight them head-on, we can’t win."
The Green Snake Beast flicked its tongue, its eyes glinting maliciously. "We’ll wait for them out here and see where she lives."
"Alright."
「Meanwhile.」
After walking for a while inside the cave, Qiao Xixi finally saw a faint halo of light ahead. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞
"We’re here."
Stepping out of the cave, Qiao Xixi was stunned by the sight before her.
On trees that were about as tall as she was, Grass Fruits grew in abundance.
Hong Xi walked over and picked one.
"Priest, this is a Grass Fruit."
Qiao Xixi picked one and broke it open. It was filled with clear juice.
She gave it a lick, and her face puckered.
’So salty!’
"Qiao Ang, you guys, hurry and pick them. Pick as many as you can."
"Okay!"
The cubs happily rushed into the small grove and quickly stuffed their little backpacks full.
DING-DONG.
"Congratulations, Host, on completing the mission. I’ll load the store page for you right now."
Qiao Xixi saw the page was still black, so she ignored it and focused on picking the fruits.
Jin Ling went and picked a few large leaves, using them to hold the harvested Grass Fruits.
There were simply too many Grass Fruits here. They couldn’t possibly pick them all today; they would have to come back tomorrow.
"Qiao Ang, you guys, don’t run too far. Let’s get ready to head back."
Hong Xi and Jin Ling each carried a large bundle of Grass Fruits.
Qiao Xixi’s and the cubs’ backpacks were stuffed full, and they were even carrying bundles in their arms.
The group headed back, laden with Grass Fruits, and returned to the tribe before dark.
"Hong Xi, thank you so much for today. I plan to go again tomorrow to bring back the rest."
"Priest, there’s no need for you to go again. If you want them, I can take a few males tomorrow to pick the rest for you, Priest."
Qiao Xixi didn’t refuse.
"Alright."
"I’ll be sure to thank you properly tomorrow."
Hong Xi gazed at Qiao Xixi’s bright smile, momentarily lost in a daze.
"N-No, there’s no need to thank me. It’s what I ought to do."
Seeing the infatuated look in Hong Xi’s eyes, Jin Ling shifted his body slightly, blocking his line of sight to Qiao Xixi.
"It’s dark. You should head back now."
Hong Xi’s expression darkened, and he slowly glanced at Jin Ling.
The moment he turned and stepped out of the yard, the gate slammed shut behind him with a BANG.
Hong Xi’s face was grim.
’That Golden Tiger Beast is such a nuisance!’
