Chapter 47: Chapter 47: Counting Down the Days to Return (1)

Obsidian Tribe, vermicelli making area.

Theron used an animal skin towel to wipe his face, helplessly looking at the Sub-Beast trotting over to hand him water to curry favor. A few good-natured teasing laughs sounded from nearby; his earlobes couldn’t help but redden, but his facial expression remained incredibly stern.

Since it was just about time for a break, Theron tilted his head, signaling for Mie to follow him. Mie nervously clutched the cup of cool water in his hand, his small feet quickening his pace to run after Theron. Hearing the Sub-Beast’s breathing become slightly heavy behind him, Theron slowed his pace to let him catch up.

Arriving at an empty corner, Theron stopped, lowering his head to look at the hair whorl on Mie’s head.

"I already said I temporarily will not speak of your matter to anyone outside. You don’t have to do this. Tell Orion too, Martin is about to glare me to death." Theron said with full helplessness. Both of these Sub-Beasts didn’t like him; they just wanted to shut him up. On the contrary, Rylan, the initiator of everything, was nowhere to be seen: "You guys obey Rylan’s words so completely like that, aren’t you afraid that in the future the spearhead will stab back at you? I saw through it early on, he’s nothing good, you guys should stay away from him as soon as possible."

Mie’s body trembled slightly. He knew, he had gone along with Rylan to throw stones and hide his hands so many times, how could he not know what kind of person Rylan was. But both of them had their weaknesses in Rylan’s hands, so they could only close their eyes and comply.

"Then you swear, swear to the Beast God that you will not leak our matter to the outside..." Mie tightly shut his eyes, raising his head to state his demand. This "dead pig not afraid of boiling water" appearance made Theron find it a bit funny. Naive kid, not knowing that standing before the enemy, one cannot expose their neck like that. Looking at the fair, white neck exposed before him, Theron felt his throat itch slightly. He coughed lightly, saying:

"Alright, then I swear. But I say this beforehand, the oath is only effective if Kaelen and Walter return safely; but if Sane’s group returns empty-handed, then I do not guarantee it."

Mie’s complexion paled slightly, but this outcome was already the best; he didn’t dare to demand more. Mie nodded in confirmation, and Theron then raised his hand to the sky, loudly reciting the oath. Only after he finished swearing did Mie’s tense body relax a little. He heaved a sigh of relief, shoved the water cup in his hand into Theron’s chest, and said arrogantly:

"Anyway, this is water meant for beastmen, I don’t care to drink it, it’s for you!" After saying that, he sprinted away with a whoosh. Theron curled his lips into a light smile. If I didn’t see your face flushed red, I probably would have believed it.

Theron opened the water cup, took a sip, and tasted the light saltiness. In the water, besides the salt flavor, there was also a slightly pungent smell, very faint; Theron didn’t think much of it, assuming it was the smell of fresh wood. Beastmen often drank salted water to replenish their stamina; it could be said that this Sub-Beast had also put his whole heart into it. He did not hold back, gulping it all down in one breath.

The break time ended, and everyone went back to making strands from golden tuber flour. Throughout this time, there were constantly sounds of arguing from two factions within the team; one faction was grateful to Kaelen for bringing a new food that helped the tribe eat their fill, while the other faction believed this was food bestowed by the Beast God, and had not a single hair to do with Kaelen.

Obviously, they had no such thing as gratitude towards the person who had silently helped them have food to eat and clothes to wear.

There were also some people who understood, but they believed this was a given, that it was Kaelen’s responsibility, and that it was what he should do.

If it were before, Theron would not have cared, just silently doing his work on the side; but for some reason, today he felt very annoyed. Every arguing word from those ungrateful people was like a blunt wooden stake jabbing into his heart, making his mood increasingly irritable.

In the early winter cold, Theron’s sweat poured down; the sounds of conversation turned into mosquito buzzes, and the light before his eyes kept overlapping. Before losing consciousness, a panic-stricken, piercing scream still sounded in his ears.

"Please let us go in to visit him, we will just take one look and leave, we beg you!"

"No, the high council has issued an order forbidding anyone from approaching the prisoner, hurry up and leave. If you still don’t leave, we won’t show any mercy!"

He didn’t know how long had passed; familiar crying sounds along with stern shouting reached Theron’s ears, and he forcefully opened his eyes. Dizziness struck; Theron shook his head several times to sober up, then tried to sit up.

The moment he moved, a tearing pain transmitted through his body; Theron couldn’t hold back the urge to cry out, but the sound that escaped his throat was the growl of a wild beast. Theron was stunned; waiting for the dizziness to pass, he then saw his situation clearly. He was in a dark, damp cave, still in his beast form, and locked inside a cage.

Theron’s pupils contracted; a wave of panic struck his brain. It seemed that, during the time he lost consciousness, he had committed a very serious offense to be locked up in a prison like this. That’s right, this was a prison specifically for locking up the tribe’s major criminals; he had previously taken on the task of cleaning this place for a few months, and knew its structure like the back of his hand.

Theron couldn’t resist the urge to call someone over to ask about the situation, but his throat only let out growls. He didn’t believe it and tried to transform into human form, but nothing changed. This time Theron was truly panicked; he ignored the fact that he was injured, forcefully ramming into the wooden cage, howling in panic. The beastman guarding outside changed his expression, saying loudly:

"Quick! Report to the Chief that Theron is going crazy and self-harming again!"

Going crazy and self-harming? Who? Me? I am not!!!

Theron tried his best to justify himself, but what escaped his throat were only meaningless growls. How could this be, why couldn’t he speak the beastman language anymore?!

Chief Jaxon, along with several elders, walked over; Theron slammed his paws against the cage bars, wanting them to release him. Jaxon looked at the injured, spotted leopard before him, closing his eyes in heartache. The Fourth Elder, who was always silent, only spoke up now:

"Jaxon, he has completely lost the self-control of a beastman, and is now nothing more than a wild spotted leopard; do you truly intend to lock him up like this forever? Not to mention him self-harming to death; what if, due to a moment of negligence, he runs out and attacks the tribe’s people like yesterday? The families of the several people Theron injured are still waiting for you to say a word of justice."

Theron’s clawing motions abruptly stopped. He clearly still had his consciousness, how could he have become a wild leopard. Also, who had he injured, why didn’t he know anything? When? Where?

A pungent scent arrived following Theron’s chaotic emotions; his eyes, which had just regained some humanity, changed again, opening his mouth to let out a ferocious roar, desperately trying to break the cage to attack the people outside. The Fourth Elder said coldly: "Jaxon!"

Jaxon helplessly looked at the leopard in the cage, finally saying in a choked voice: "Pass down the word, Theron has lost the Beast God’s protection and has become a wild leopard. When the sun reaches its peak, we will release Theron back into the wild; if any family or acquaintances want to see him off, take the opportunity to go."

When the sun rose high, Theron’s family was already waiting at the tribe’s exit. Beside them were also close friends and acquaintances. Cael had cried until his eyes were swollen; Zale hugged him in heartache, saying nothing, only using his solid shoulder as a support for him. Elian and Silas stood beside Theron’s Papa and Daddy, supporting the two suffering elders.

The sun reached its peak; Theron had all four limbs tied tightly, and was carried away by two beastman warriors like a pig. He constantly roared that he was still conscious, that he was still a beastman, but no one understood him.

"Theron! Theron! My son!" Jax lunged forward wanting to hug his son, but was stopped by the guard beastmen. Icarus could only stand on one side shedding tears, then transformed into his leopard form, letting out a sorrowful parting cry.

*I am not crazy, I am still normal! Daddy, Papa, you two must believe me!* Theron growled painfully in his throat, his gaze sweeping over a hidden corner in the crowd. Mie was hiding there, his eyes filled with extreme worry and insecurity. Theron recalled the situation yesterday; he became abnormal right after drinking that cup of water from Mie. Today when the Chief arrived, he smelled that pungent scent in the air again, and his consciousness fell into darkness once more.

It was Mie, it was Rylan, it was the Fourth Elder, it was them! It was they who had harmed him to this state!

Mie, Mie! I already swore to the Beast God, why do you still want to harm me!

Theron’s hateful gaze stared intently at Mie, his stark white teeth baring to frighten Mie into a cold sweat.

What happened, why was Theron using that gaze that wanted to eat him alive to look at him. He didn’t even do anything to him, did he?