Chapter 424 - 423: Meeting the Snake Pup

’I’ll find some time to see the cub tomorrow when I’m free.’

Yu Zhizhi stayed in the Little Octopus’s room for a long time. When night fell, she took the little tiger cub back to her own room.

Outside the castle, Jialou stood up from the steps. He gazed at the distant horizon, faintly smelling... the scent of rats.

He walked toward the coastal area.

The waters here were occasionally frequented by mercenaries and pirates. Although the territory’s location was not easy to find, some ships might accidentally stray here. Seeing that the island was small and had few forces, they would get some bad ideas.

A ship moored far in the distance. Soon, they spotted the figure of the newly arrived male Beastman.

Realizing he was "not to be trifled with," they quickly retreated.

Only when the ship was far away did someone finally realize who the master of this isolated island was: an SS+ female from the Valoran Empire, an incredibly noble Rabbit Clan Lady!

The mercenaries on the ship broke out in a cold sweat.

Thankfully, they hadn’t gone ashore!

The island only looked like it had few forces. It was definitely under the "special care" of many powerful factions. For one thing, the flag of the Valoran Empire was still planted in the territory, and it was said that the guards hired by the territory were all from the Knight Alliance!

When Jialou saw that the potential crisis had vanished, he turned and walked toward the center of the territory.

Yu Zhizhi returned to her room and slept through the night.

「The next day.」

She specifically instructed Ai Xi that she had something to do and was not to be disturbed by anyone until she came out of her room.

Yu Zhizhi ate a cranberry cookie, glanced at the little tiger cub still sleeping on the bed, then sat on the rug and began to try using the Teleportation Array.

Her Array had been automatically unlocked by the system when she leveled up. It was very convenient to use, though it had time and usage limits.

This time, she decided to summon the second one to join her teleportation list after the little wolf cub: the Snake Cub.

The system displayed it as [Snake Cub 01].

Yu Zhizhi clasped her hands before her chest and softly chanted, "Teleportation Array... activate!"

A round, blue Array, just like last time, materialized on the rug before her. The light of the Transmission Runes slowly enveloped the entire room.

A jet-black serpentine shadow gradually appeared within the Array.

The little python was much larger than an ordinary snake. Its body was coiled up, and having been suddenly summoned to a strange place, it was tense all over. Its golden, slitted pupils narrowed slightly as it stared coldly at the blurry figure before it.

After the light faded...

The little python suddenly realized something. ’This familiar scent... is it Mother?’

Unlike the little wolf cub from before, Yu Zhizhi felt an instinctual chill when seeing a cold-blooded reptile like a snake up close.

Especially since it was so different from Little Amon.

Little Amon had been weak, his snake body tiny and slenderer than a finger, snow-white all over, and completely harmless. ’Then again, he’s probably grown up by now.’

But this little python was thicker than an ordinary snake and dark-colored, making it look quite terrifying.

The human and the snake stared at each other, neither saying a word.

「After a long moment.」

The little python’s gaze lowered slightly. It tucked its tail in a little, and when it looked up again, it revealed an "innocent and pure" smile. "Mother."

Being called "Mother" snapped Yu Zhizhi back to her senses.

’This...’

’This is my cub...’

’Did I just show the "fear" I felt? I hope the little python didn’t notice.’

Yu Zhizhi regulated her breathing. She wanted to get closer, but her body wouldn’t move. "Mm, hello there~"

The little python didn’t just stay obediently in place.

"I heard Mother has her own territory. Is this the place?"

It proactively started a conversation.

It wanted to alleviate its mother’s fear.

Yu Zhizhi nodded lightly.

’The Snake Cub knows about this already?’

That was a bit of a surprise to her.

The little python turned its head to look at the view from the balcony. A faint smile appeared in its golden eyes. "It’s very beautiful."

’It’s very warm.’

’Much better than the scenery I saw at the Duke Mansion.’

’Probably because...’

’Mother is here.’

"I like it here, Mother." The little python’s voice was still a bit childish, but its words were exceptionally humble.

Yu Zhizhi couldn’t help but take another look at it.

’After looking for a while, she found that the little python seemed... much gentler than when she first saw it?’

She slowly scooted forward, closing the distance to the little python.

Yu Zhizhi reached out a hand, wanting to pat the little python’s head.

But...

She was still instinctively afraid.

The little python watched her with a smile, perfectly still. Its tail was coiled, its body sat upright, and it even deliberately widened its pupils to make them round.

’It knew this would make it look cuter.’

’Only then would Mother be willing to get close to it.’

Yu Zhizhi was just too afraid of snakes.

She thought about how whenever she was with the Duke, he at most only ever revealed his snake tail, never appearing before her in his full Beast Form... Otherwise, she probably would have fainted on the spot.

Yu Zhizhi slowly withdrew her hand.

There was a sound from behind her.

She turned to see the little tiger cub in the blankets stretching. It had just woken up and was still a bit dazed, not noticing the new snake in the room.

The little tiger cub shook its head, jumped down from the bed, and groggily walked toward Yu Zhizhi, burrowing into her arms without a second thought.

"Awooo~"

The little tiger cub let out a soft cry, exposing its fluffy belly and raising its chubby paws, acting cute in her arms.

To the side, the little python watched the sudden arrival of the little tiger with a blank expression.

The little tiger cub seemed hungry.

It let out a couple of grunts and whimpers.

Yu Zhizhi said softly, "Hang on, I’ll go get Ai Xi."

She wanted Ai Xi to take the little tiger cub to eat.

Yu Zhizhi set it down and walked outside.

The little tiger cub sat on the floor, its mind a little clearer now. It was only then that it suddenly noticed a beast’s shadow ahead!

It jumped up in fright. Its tiger eyes immediately darkened, and it let out a fierce, yet squeaky, roar!

’A snake?!’

’How did a snake get in the room?!’

The little tiger cub felt its territory had been invaded. It pounced forward furiously, wanting to bite the snake to death!

A cold sneer flashed in the little python’s eyes. Its previous gentle demeanor vanished as it mercilessly raised its tail and whipped it forward—

SMACK!

The little tiger cub was sent flying. It landed heavily on the rug and tumbled a few times.

It was stunned by the blow.

It couldn’t process what had just happened.

The little python hadn’t moved an inch from start to finish. It stared at the little tiger, and the thought of how close it could get to their mother made its aggressiveness grow stronger.

Yu Zhizhi came in with Ai Xi.

She saw the little tiger cub sitting in the corner, bent down, and picked it up. "Be a good boy and go eat with Ai Xi, okay?"

When the little tiger cub saw its mother had returned, it burst out crying with a "WAAAH!"

While crying, it pointed a paw at that stinky black snake on the balcony.

This was the first time Yu Zhizhi had seen the little tiger cub wailing like this. Not knowing what had happened, she looked at the little python.

The little python had its head lowered and was murmuring, "I was wrong, Mother."

...Huh?

’What’s going on?’

Just as Yu Zhizhi was about to ask, the little python added a second sentence: "I shouldn’t have hit my little brother."