The System, which had been snoring away, seemed to be startled awake by a nightmare, twitching as it suddenly came to its senses.

It then learned the news that its Dog Host had given it away, and the System’s heart turned ice-cold.

Yuan Lang looked at the System in his arms, which was currently licking its paws to wash its face, and said with a wry smile, "What am I supposed to do with a chubby little guy like this? He’s not much use to me."

Wu Yue chuckled. "How could he be useless? When you can’t find any food, you can just cook and eat him. He’ll at least fill your stomachs."

The System stared at its Dog Host, utterly dumbstruck, its mind a whirlwind of complaints.

’What a faithless host! I’ve worked so hard for you, and you just cast me aside like a worn-out shoe.’

Seeing tears welling up in Blue Fatty’s little black-bean eyes, looking like a tough guy about to burst into tears, Wu Yue quickly went over and patted his head. "I was just kidding. How could I ever eat such a cute little System?"

With that, she looked up at Yuan Lang and said, "Don’t underestimate the System. He’s very powerful. You’ll see. You have to keep him with you at all times."

Seeing her solemn expression, Yuan Lang glanced down at the Blue Fatty in his arms, his eyes meeting the little guy’s black-bean ones.

He couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. ’This little furball isn’t even two bites for me?’

’Besides... didn’t I bring this little fatty back myself?’

At the same time, Blue Fatty was whimpering at Wu Yue, "I’m not your favorite System anymore, am I? Why are you giving away someone as cute as me?"

Wu Yue silently scorned this pretentious Little Commander, but to get him to willingly go with Yuan Lang, she said, "Of course not. It’s because, in this world, you’re the System I trust the most."

The System, who had been throwing a fit, instantly stopped struggling at her words. His little black-bean eyes slanted toward Wu Yue.

He had a look on his little face that said, ’Go on. I’m listening.’

Wu Yue’s mouth twitched. ’What kind of System is this? He actually likes being flattered!’

"We’ve relied on each other to get this far. You’ve always been by my side, helping me. You are my light, my electricity, my one and only... AHEM... System. I only trust you. You are my..."

Before she could finish the lyric, the System cut her off, completely exasperated. "My ’Superstar,’ right..."

His expression couldn’t have been more fed up.

Wu Yue chuckled sheepishly. The System simply buried his head in Yuan Lang’s chest, ignoring her.

Seeing Yuan Lang looking at her with an amused expression, Wu Yue reached out and patted a certain fat System’s chubby butt, then said with an awkward laugh, "This little guy’s just a bit mischievous, HAHA. He’s actually very cute and kind."

Yuan Lang smiled, looking at the hand she had just used to slap the chubby furball’s butt. "Mm, you’re the one who isn’t kind."

Wu Yue: "..."

’How could you misunderstand me so deeply?’

The two talked for a while longer. Wu Yue seized the last bit of time to make some more medicinal powders for Yuan Lang and his group.

「As dusk settled,」 Yuan Lang and the others finished packing their things. Carrying the special little Beast Skin pouch Wu Yue had made for the System, they left under the cover of darkness.

Wu Yue had just put away her tools for making the medicinal powders and was about to prepare some food when two heads, one large and one small, suddenly peeked in through the doorway.

Seeing the brilliant smiles on their faces, Wu Yue had a very bad feeling.

Sure enough...

Seeing the two of them gorging themselves in front of the stone pot, Wu Yue’s mouth twitched as she held out her hand. "You two are about to eat all the food in my house."

Qingcao and Aya, holding their stone bowls, froze for a moment. Then they shoveled the last of the stir-fry into their mouths and took off running without even wiping their faces.

Wu Yue: "..."

’Just great... You two little mutts. Don’t even think about coming here to freeload off me again.’

Just as she was about to clear the bowls and chopsticks, the sound of something heavy being dragged came from outside. Wu Yue’s heart tightened. She got up, grabbed the stone pot, and prepared to investigate.

But unexpectedly, she was met with the sight of a very familiar, round butt. That curve and size...

Sure enough, Qingcao and Aya came panting and grunting as they dragged a large bamboo bag inside.

Seeing her dumbstruck expression, they laughed and said, "This is the food for all the times we’ve freeloaded and will freeload in the future."

Wu Yue gave a dry laugh. ’Heh. You two little mutts, did you consider my labor fees?’

Looking at the two females who had returned to the stone pot and picked up their bowls again...

It was obvious they hadn’t.

「Meanwhile,」 Yuan Lang and his group, having left the tribe, were moving swiftly through the forest. Their destination was the heart of the Polar Forest, the deep forest where the Fierce Beasts lived.

"Boss, it looks like Yue really cares about you. When are you two going to become mates?"

Teng Qian sidled up to him sneakily, a wicked grin on his face as he started to gossip.

Hearing this, the other Beastman Warriors nearby didn’t slow their pace, but their ears pricked up high.

Yuan Lang’s dark eyes narrowed slightly. "I think your tiger hide is getting a little too tight. It needs to be loosened up."

As he spoke, he landed a kick on Teng Qian’s butt. "The forest is dangerous right now. We not only have to guard against wild animals and Fierce Beasts, but also those tribes from outside the forest. All of you, stay sharp."

The beastmen couldn’t help but shrink back at his words. They had wanted to get some gossip on their boss, but the outcome was anything but pleasant.

The forest was even more lively at night than during the Daytime. The sounds of wild animals hunting could be heard from time to time.

But suddenly, the sound of their footsteps grew lighter, and they gradually slowed their pace.

Yuan Lang, at the front, abruptly stopped. The group held their breath in unison and concealed themselves.

Sure enough, without the interference of their own footsteps, the sound of heavy breathing ahead became much more obvious.

A forest wind carrying the scent of the woods ahead drifted past the beastmen. The color in Yuan Lang and his group’s eyes instantly deepened. It was the scent of a Black Wolf Beastman.

Thinking of the two corpses of the Black Wolf Tribe’s Beastman Warriors back in the tribe, the beastmen’s muscles tensed, and the atmosphere instantly grew taut.

The heavy footsteps and ragged panting grew closer.

Finally, by the scattered moonlight filtering through the branches, the group could make out figures ahead, chasing and fighting each other.

"Boss, that person up ahead... I think it’s the Black Wolf Tribe’s witch," Teng Qian said in a low voice.

Yuan Lang had of course also seen the old man being protected in the center by several Black Wolf Beastman Warriors. The familiar figure and appearance could only belong to the Black Wolf Witch.

However, the group chasing them from behind made Yuan Lang and his men’s expressions instantly turn grim. They had all been with Yuan Lang on the salt-trading trip before, so they naturally knew who possessed such beast forms.

"It’s beastmen from the tribes outside the forest," the men said, their tone grave.

Yuan Lang waved his hand. "Save them first. We’ll talk later."

The beastmen of the Black Wolf Tribe had just reached their position when they sensed a change in the surrounding aura.

They were about to attack but realized that the Beastman Warriors who had appeared were very familiar.

’Holy crap! Aren’t these the guys from the Snow Tiger Tribe?’