Chapter 65 I’ll Feed Myself

[Mission 10: Capture an S-Rank Beast’s Heart Through Affection.]

"...That’s the same mission." She didn’t think much of it and continued reading.

[Current Target: Lie Lang]

"Yeah, I guess so..." Then her eyes moved to the next line.

[Time Remaining: 5 Days 23 Hours]

"..." Xue Yao blinked in pure surprise. She leaned a little closer to the screen before reading it again, just to make sure she hadn’t misunderstood.

"...There was a time limit?"

Her head slowly turned toward Tian Lan, who was still laying unconscious beneath the ancient tree as though none of this had anything to do with her.

"You never told me there was a time limit." Xue Yao said with cracked voice, her throat burning from suppressed emotions.

The little system continued sleeping soundly.

Xue Yao narrowed her eyes. "I knew you were unreliable... but this is a new low." Muttering to herself, she turned back to the screen and continued reading. Her gaze slowly dropped to the next line.

[Target’s Current Affection: -50]

"..."

The world suddenly became strangely quiet. Xue Yao stared at the number for several long breaths before slowly raising one finger.

"...Negative..." Then she raised another. "...Fifty?"

She counted again, just to make sure being strangled earlier hadn’t somehow damaged her brain.

"...My mission is to reach one hundred... and he’s currently at negative fifty..."

Her eyes remained fixed on the glowing number while she silently did the calculation in her head.

"So..." she murmured slowly, "...I need to raise one hundred and fifty affection points... in less than six days?"

She stood there without moving. Then today’s memories suddenly came rushing back all at once.

Lie Lang’s hand wrapped around her throat. His terrifying killing intent. Those cold golden eyes looking at her as though she were already dead.

The way he had calmly ordered that she receive no food for three days. Her expression slowly cracked. "...He just tried to kill me."

Another thought quietly surfaced. "...I’m under house arrest...He hates me."

She looked back at the glowing screen, then at the peacefully sleeping Tian Lan, before slowly lifting her face toward the endless blue sky.

For a very long time, she didn’t say a single word.

Finally, she covered her face with both hands and let out a long, miserable groan. "...It’s over."

She slowly slid down onto the grass until she was sitting there staring blankly into space. "My life is completely over."

To her there was no hope in turning the situation around. Although she always prided herself on being smart, she now believed she had no way to make Lei Lang fall for her. He had Ruo Shuo and he hated her for steaming his fish... she shook her head in despair.

After sitting there for another moment, she slowly lifted one trembling finger and pointed toward Tian Lan, who continued sleeping peacefully beneath the tree without the slightest idea what kind of disaster she had left behind.

"...When you wake up..." Xue Yao muttered in a tone mixed with grievance and helplessness, "...I’m strangling you first."

Her face turned red from anger. ’Why do I have to care about all this nonsense? If I can find my way out of this world I don’t need to put up with their lousy attitude and requests.’ She let out a grunt.

After sitting beside Tian Lan for a while longer, Xue Yao quietly left the Beast Taming Space.

The familiar room slowly came back into view. She lay on the bed without moving, her eyes fixed on the wooden ceiling above her as everything that had happened since yesterday replayed through her mind.

First the elders had almost dug through her memories, then Lie Lang had nearly strangled her to death, and now she was under house arrest with no food for three days. The more she thought about it, the more ridiculous it all sounded. She let out a long sigh and covered her face with one arm. "...Thinking about it isn’t going to fill my stomach."

Almost as though it had been waiting for her to admit defeat, her stomach let out a loud, miserable growl. "Grrrr..."

Xue Yao slowly lowered her arm and looked down at her own stomach. "...I know." She rubbed it pitifully through her clothes. "I heard you. You don’t have to keep reminding me."

Another growl answered her almost immediately.

She stared at it in silence for a few seconds before narrowing her eyes. "So now you’re talking back too?"

Her stomach responded with another loud complaint. Xue Yao finally sat up, looking thoroughly offended.

"Fine. If they won’t feed me..." She swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood up with a determined nod. "...I’ll feed myself."

The thought instantly lifted her spirits. Lie Lang had forbidden the servants from bringing her food. He had never said she couldn’t find food herself.

A slow smile spread across her face. ’That’s his own fault. If you’re going to punish someone, you should make the rules clearer... even if he did, they don’t apply to me... hehehe.’

She glanced toward the couch where Honghong was still sleeping peacefully beneath her little blanket. The tiny bird hadn’t moved at all, her breathing still slow and steady.

"Sleep well," Xue Yao whispered. "When you wake up, I’ll sneak you something delicious too."

Quietly opening the door, she stepped outside.

The servants stationed around the courtyard immediately lowered their heads.

"Greetings, Royal Concubine." They greeted in unison.

Xue Yao smiled at them so warmly that several of them looked visibly nervous. "I’m just going for a little walk." She gestured towards the beautiful pavement.

The guards exchanged uncertain glances. They didn’t want to share the same fate as the maids and guards who were sent to the black tower... and this Royal Concubine is nothing but trouble.

However, the Alpha had ordered that she wasn’t allowed to leave the Eastern Courtyard. Technically... She wasn’t, she was only walking around inside it.

After hesitating for a moment and exchanging a glance, they silently stepped aside.

Xue Yao walked leisurely through the courtyard with her hands clasped behind her back, looking every bit like someone enjoying the afternoon breeze. Every now and then she even stopped to admire a flower or glance at one of the spiritual trees, acting so naturally that the guards gradually relaxed.

’See? I really am just taking a walk.’ She thought inwardly.

She continued wandering until she reached the far end of the courtyard where several towering trees grew close together. Their branches spread so widely that they almost completely blocked the view from the main building, leaving a quiet corner hidden beneath their shade.

Xue Yao looked to her left... No one.

She looked to her right... Still no one.

Then she leaned forward and carefully peeked around one of the tree trunks just to be safe. There were no servants, or guards.

Only then did she finally relax. "...Perfect." She muttered under lip.

With a casual flick of her wrist, a rock rabbit appeared on the grass. The poor rabbit blinked twice, completely unaware of why it had suddenly changed locations.

Xue Yao immediately clasped her hands together in surprise.

"You are still alive?" She frowned, "so I really did miss some of them." Then she cleared her throat . "I’m sorry."

The rabbit continued staring at her.

"I really am." She sighed dramatically. "But I’m the one who’s about to starve to death."

She crouched beside it and gently patted its head. "If it makes you feel any better..." she said in a solemn voice, "...I’ll make sure you’re delicious."

Not long afterward, a small fire crackled quietly beneath the trees. Xue Yao crouched beside it, carefully turning the rabbit over the flames while making sure the smoke drifted upward through the thick branches instead of out into the open courtyard.

’Not too much smoke... good.’ She sprinkled a handful of herbs over the meat and watched the oil begin to sizzle.

’Not too much aroma either... hopefully they won’t smell it...’

A rich aroma immediately floated into the air.

She quickly sniffed. "...Maybe a little."

She hurriedly tossed another herb into the fire. "There. That should cover it."

The rabbit slowly turned golden over the flames. Fat dripped onto the fire with soft crackling sounds, and the familiar smell of roasted meat filled the little clearing.

Xue Yao couldn’t help smiling. ’This is more like it.’ She turned the rabbit one last time before giving it an approving nod.

She leaned forward and sniffed again. She nodded. "Perfect." She muttered under her breath.

By the time the meat was fully cooked, she was practically starving. She quickly tore off a piece, blowing on it several times before taking an eager bite.

The rich, juicy flavor spread across her tongue almost instantly.

"Mmm..." Her eyes curved happily. For the first time since waking up that morning, she felt genuinely satisfied.

She took another bite, her cheeks stuffed like a squirrel before mumbling through the food, "See? I knew I couldn’t trust wolves with my meals."

She ate happily until nothing remained except a neat pile of clean bones.

Leaning back against the tree, Xue Yao let out a contented sigh and gently patted her stomach. "Much better."

Then she suddenly froze. Her eyes slowly dropped to the bones lying beside the fire.

’Right. I can’t leave behind any evidence.’ She immediately sprang into action.

The fire was carefully put out first. Then she gathered every single bone, even the tiny fragments she almost missed beneath the grass. After looking around once more to make sure no one was watching, she dug a small hole beneath a nearby tree and buried everything before covering it neatly with dirt and a few fallen leaves.

When she finished, she stood back with her hands on her hips, studying her work from every angle.

Completely pleased with herself, Xue Yao brushed the dirt from her hands and leisurely strolled back toward her room, looking every bit like a Royal Concubine who had spent the afternoon doing absolutely nothing.