153: Chapter 153 Family Tragedy, Successful Rescue

With nearly forty thousand points, her previous hatred for Dinosaurs had turned into something akin to joy.

With these forty thousand points, her light brain plan could proceed smoothly.

She wondered if Chris had returned yet and how the situation was.

It was still over half a day's journey to Beast King City, but as night had fallen, Sang Qing didn't want to travel in the dark and had them set up camp on the spot.

Another night passed. With morning dew still hanging on the branches, Sang Qing sat up from the arms of Xuan Xiao and Chi Yu, stretching lazily.

Outside the tent, the sky was bright. The beastmen who had woken up early had already proactively gone hunting and returned with roasted meat ready.

Chi Yu helped Sang Qing dress, muttering, "We're finally heading back to the city."

This trip out had actually taken nearly ten days.

He wondered if his cubs had missed him.

Xuan Xiao rolled over, rubbing his cheek against Sang Qing's palm.

He didn't really want to go back yet.

Once they returned, there would be other beastmen competing for his mate again.

It had been hard enough to get some time alone with Qing Qing; such opportunities would be even rarer in the future.

Though Chi Yu had come along this time, so it wasn't exactly alone time. If Chi Yu hadn't been there, it would have been perfect.

Sang Qing ruffled Xuan Xiao's hair and said with a smile, "I should trim your hair when we get back."

Xuan Xiao blinked. His handsome face only appeared so harmless when he was in front of his own mate.

After Sang Qing finished washing up by the stream and returned, she took the roasted meat Song Zhen handed her. She had only taken a few bites when, suddenly, the ground began to shake and the mountains swayed once more.

Ah!

Song Zhen braced herself against the ground to steady herself, then looked at Sang Qing nervously.

It's an Earthquake! What should we do?

She had transmigrated later than the others, so she hadn't experienced the previous Earthquakes.

She had experienced them in her past life, but the power was nowhere near this intense.

Sang Qing, however, calmly bit into her roasted meat and gave her a reassuring look.

She had already grown accustomed to the frequent Earthquakes; she was only worried about the situation at home.

At this time, the Little Cubs should all be playing in the living room.

She wondered if Sa Yu was home. Fu Ning and Herman should be able to handle things, right?

Chi Yu supported Sang Qing, his face showing worry.

He really disliked Earthquakes.

The canyon where the Sea Eagle Tribe lived had been destroyed by an Earthquake, so experiencing one again left him with complicated feelings.

"It's okay," Sang Qing said, taking his hand and sitting down on the ground to wait for the Earthquake to pass.

The Earthquake continued, its power undiminished and growing more violent, as if it intended to flip the very ground over.

Not far away, the stream water splashed high, and the fish in the water leapt out frantically. The roasting racks collapsed, the fires crumbled, and the uneasy roars of wild beasts echoed from all around.

The Guard Beastmen held their breath and stayed alert, looking around solemnly while trying their best to steady themselves.

Having experienced several Earthquakes, they had gained some experience.

But they were also worried in their hearts—worried for their mates and cubs back home. Fortunately, they were all in the city, so they should be mostly fine.

As if a corner of the sky had collapsed, a massive clap of thunder suddenly exploded overhead, followed by dense clouds and falling raindrops.

Song Zhen shrank back, looked up at the sky, and quickly wolfed down the roasted meat in her hand in a few bites.

It's raining!

Sang Qing felt the raindrops hitting her, quickly soaking through her clothes. The rain was quite heavy.

She told the Guard Beastmen to take shelter in the tents and wait for the Earthquake to pass.

With both an Earthquake and rain this time, she wished she had known and rushed back to Beast King City overnight.

Sang Qing took her two mates and hid inside a tent as well.

Thunder and lightning flashed in the sky, accompanied by the shaking ground, like signs of an approaching apocalypse.

A bolt of lightning streaked past.

The scene of her transmigration suddenly flashed before Sang Qing's eyes.

A fierce Snake Beastman was assaulting a female. Before she even understood the situation, she had picked up a stone and charged forward.

Xuan Xiao was half-kneeling beside Sang Qing to protect her. Seeing the grim, eerie light appearing in her eyes, he felt a strange chill down his spine.

"Qing Qing!"

What was Qing Qing thinking about?

Her gaze felt a bit unsettling.

Sang Qing turned her head, and her cold gaze fell upon Xuan Xiao, making him shudder.

Xuan Xiao swore he had never seen his mate look at him like that. Even when they first met and didn't know each other, her gaze had been quite peaceful.

"Qing Qing!" Xuan Xiao reached out to grab her shoulders and shook her body, his throat suddenly tightening.

What happened to his mate? He was afraid of her looking at him like that.

Sang Qing shook her head and snapped out of it. "What's wrong?"

Chi Yu was also looking at Xuan Xiao with a strange expression.

Seeing his mate return to normal in an instant, Xuan Xiao was still uncontrollably worried, his words stumbling. "You... just now... when you looked at me, it was as if you didn't recognize me."

And there was a sense of killing intent.

As if she wanted to kill him.

Xuan Xiao was shaken.

"Huh?" Sang Qing touched his forehead and wondered, "Do you have a fever?"

Just then, the Earthquake stopped, and everything around them returned to silence.

Xuan Xiao's face was a bit pale. He reached out to hold her small hand and spoke uneasily, "I don't. Qing Qing, really, you scared me just now."

Sang Qing was dazed for a moment, scratched behind her ear, and suddenly remembered what she had been doing. "I know. I was thinking about something just now, and I happened to think of a Snake Beastman."

So... it wasn't directed at him... "How could I possibly not recognize you?" Sang Qing smiled and squeezed his palm firmly.

Xuan Xiao had nearly been scared out of his wits.

He could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

"Did a Snake Beastman bully you before?"

If he had known, he would have wiped out the Black Snake Tribe directly.

Sang Qing looked at the gloomy sky outside and the falling rain. "No, it's that I once killed a Snake Beastman."

She was someone who always settled her scores; how could she let anyone bully her?

Xuan Xiao nodded and patted her hair. "That's good then."

Chi Yu thought to himself that Xuan Xiao was truly a man of double standards, but then again, even if Qing Qing wanted to kill someone, he would be right there handing her the knife.

"City Lord, are we still leaving?" Song Zhen's voice came from nearby, asking for instructions.

"Yes!" Of course they had to go.

They had to get back to the city quickly. After an Earthquake, beast tides were prone to occur on the grasslands; it wasn't safe to stay long.

The group hurriedly extinguished the fire, packed up the tents, and left quickly.

The early spring rain was somewhat cold. Sitting on Xuan Xiao's back, Sang Qing put on an extra coat.

As they passed through certain areas, Sang Qing noticed obvious cracks in the ground.

This Earthquake had lasted quite a long time, and its power was no less than the previous two.

Sang Qing felt a faint sense of anxiety in her heart, though she didn't know why.

Could something have happened in Beast King City?

Braving the wind and rain, their travel speed was exceptionally fast.

The silhouette of Beast King City had already appeared before them, but the unease in Sang Qing's heart became increasingly apparent.

It was so obvious that even Chi Yu, flying low beside them, noticed her abnormality and glanced at her frequently.

Above Beast King City, Sa Yu was leading a group of Sea Eagle Beastmen in a confrontation with a group of Dragon Beastmen.

"It's the Dragon Tribe!" Chi Yu's sharp eyes immediately spotted the group of black winged-beings above Beast King City.

Sang Qing looked up, and her expression changed slightly.

Xuan Xiao immediately sped up, and Song Zhen also urged the Sea Eagle Beastman she was riding to fly faster.

When they neared the city gate, Sang Qing climbed onto Chi Yu's back, took out her Crossbow, and flew toward the Dragon Beastmen.

The number of Dragon Beastmen wasn't particularly large, probably only twenty or thirty. Sa Yu and the others could still handle them.

But even after seeing them, the unease in Sang Qing's heart did not vanish.

As the reinforcing Sea Eagle Beastmen arrived, the winged-beasts in Sang Qing's party also flew over to help.

After Sang Qing hit a Dragon Beastman with an arrow, her heart grew even more frantic. She shouted down to Xuan Xiao, "Xuan Xiao, you help Sa Yu! I want to go home and check!"

"Alright!" Xuan Xiao nodded, his face solemn.

Seeing Sang Qing's urgency, Chi Yu also increased his flying speed.

As soon as they reached the manor, the tragic and helpless crying of a cub reached them.

One listen was enough to know something was wrong.

Sang Qing scrambled to jump off Chi Yu's back. Without waiting to steady herself, she rushed into the house.

Chi Yu's expression changed drastically. He quickly transformed into his beastman form and ran in after her.

Sang Qing's forward steps faltered.

Fresh, wet blood trailed from the doorway into the house, and the living room was a complete mess. Herman lay face down on the carpet covered in blood, his life or death unknown. Beside him lay several Dragon Beastmen—their necks were either twisted at eerie angles or slit by blades. Each stared at the ceiling with wide eyes, having died a miserable death.

Nearby, a cub was crying helplessly.

Sang Qing's face turned deathly pale, and her legs nearly gave out. "Herman..."

By the window, Fu Ning held a dagger, fiercely confronting a beastman who wanted to snatch his cub. He was also covered in wounds.

"Let go of my cub, you damned Dragon Tribe."

"Wuwuwu..." The tall Dragon Beastman held a bone knife in one hand and a cub in the other, glaring at Fu Ning with fierce eyes.

The cub in his arms was wailing loudly, tears falling like rain, clearly terrified.

"Back off and let me leave." Dammit.

If he didn't leave now, it would be too late.

Jing Nuo's eyes were filled with coldness as he pressed the bone knife closer to the cub in his arms, threatening in a cold voice.

"Put down my cub, I'm saying it one more time." How could Fu Ning let him go? His cub was in that man's hands.

This damned Dragon Beastman had actually disguised himself as Sa Yu to get him to open the door.

He would make sure this man met the beast god today.

Sang Qing had just carefully propped up Herman and fed him a bunch of pills when she clearly saw the face of the man in the confrontation.

"Jing Nuo!!" she screamed, her rage uncontrollable. "Put down the knife! Give me back my cub!"

Uh... Jing Nuo hadn't expected her to rush back. Immediately, a sharp pain shot through his head, pressing against every nerve.

Thud—

Jing Nuo suddenly collapsed to his knees. Fu Ning rushed forward in a panic to catch Little Four, then kicked Jing Nuo away.

Chi Yu looked at the chaotic scene in the room—vines were everywhere, two cubs were hiding in fright beside the sofa, and two more were wailing in their cradles.

For a moment, his head buzzed.

Seeing the pale Herman, who had been stabbed in the abdomen, he quickly took him from Sang Qing's arms.

How could the house have suddenly become like this?

Chi Yu's face was no better than Sang Qing's, especially after seeing the heavily injured Herman and the terrified cubs.

But he felt as if something was missing.

"Qing Qing, another cub is missing, Little Yu... Little Yu..." After looking around, Chi Yu suddenly realized what was missing from the house. He shouted at Sang Qing in a panic while treating Herman.

What?

Sang Qing turned pale with fright. After scanning the surroundings, she strode over to Jing Nuo, grabbed him by the collar, and questioned him angrily, "Where is the other cub? I'm asking you, where is Little Yu..."

Jing Nuo opened his mouth, his face contorted, "I don't know either..."

Bang!

Sang Qing punched him in the face.

They had a master-servant contract, so Jing Nuo couldn't lie, but she couldn't care less about that now.

She landed several more heavy punches directly on his face, "Did you bring them here? Ah, Jing Nuo, you deserve to die!"

Fu Ning sat down, his body devoid of strength as he held the cub in his arms. He spoke with difficulty, "Qing Qing, Aniel, Aniel and Aqi went out to chase them... Little Yu... Little Yu..."

!!!

What, Aniel and Aqi... Aniel, a beast with memory disorder who looks only seven years old, how could he possibly catch a beastman from the Dragon Tribe?

Sang Qing's heart was about to leap out of her throat.

She activated her Supernatural Ability, binding Jing Nuo with vines before coming to Fu Ning's side.

"Fu Ning, are you okay?" Sang Qing looked at the crying cub in his arms. Seeing the bloodstains on the little face, her heart ached terribly.

She quickly fed Fu Ning a blood-stanching pill.

"Don't worry about me, Qing Qing. Go, Little Yu... bring Little Yu back..."

Those damnable Dragon Beastmen, how dare they snatch his cub.

Once they were caught, he would skin them alive with his own hands.

Fu Ning was weak, but he could still hold on. He quickly pushed Sang Qing away.

Sang Qing also knew the gravity of the situation. Ignoring everything else, she rushed out of the house and blew the horn to summon the Guard Beastmen toward the sky.

Sa Yu's heart felt as if it were being squeezed by a giant hand, making it hard for him to breathe.

Hearing Sang Qing's summons, he snapped the neck of the Dragon Tribe member beside him with one claw, then quickly flapped his wings and flew toward home.

Has something happened at home? This was his only thought at the moment.

Qing Qing... Xuan Xiao also felt a sudden tightening in his chest. Looking at Song Zhen, who was fighting the Dragon Tribe, he immediately summoned even more Guard Beasts.

When Sa Yu learned that his cub had been snatched by the Dragon Tribe, his face instantly turned ashen with fear.

If Sang Qing hadn't been supporting him, he probably would have collapsed first.

"Sa Yu, calm down!" Sang Qing shouted at Sa Yu, her eyes streaked with red.

The main problem was that Fu Ning didn't know which way the Dragon Tribe had fled.

Where should they go to look?

As for Aniel and Aqi, she hadn't seen any sign of them yet.

Sa Yu's hands were trembling with anxiety. Suddenly, he thought of something, "Qing Qing, that beastman must still be in the city. When the Dragon Tribe challenged us, I ordered the Sea Eagle Beastmen to guard the whole city and forbade any beast from flying in the sky."

At that time, the Dragon Beastmen shouldn't have entered the house yet.

Little Yu, his Little Yu... please let her be alright.

Sang Qing bit her lip until it bled, her face tense.

"What if..."

"They won't, Qing Qing. Let's go, we'll take the beastmen and search!" They just needed to ask if anyone had seen Aqi.

Besides the Guard Beastmen, Aqi was one of the few who could fly in the sky without permission.

Once the Guard Beastmen arrived, Sang Qing had them begin a city-wide search for their cub's whereabouts.

Sang Qing also climbed onto Sa Yu's back, and they sped off in one direction.

Little Yu... To dare touch her cub, it seemed the Dragon Tribe was indeed tired of living.

While Sang Qing and Sa Yu were frantically searching the city, Xuan Xiao finished off the attacking Dragon Tribe and returned home. Upon learning the news, he nearly spat out a mouthful of blood.

But he had no time for panic and quickly headed out. He called the Guard Beastmen and told them to inform the city residents to join the search as well.

In his heart, he had already marked the Dragon Tribe for certain death.

They had been too soft-hearted before. Had they known, they should have sent them straight to see the beast god.

When Zhou Wanwan, Fia, and the others found out, they were also extremely anxious and went out to help search.

Fortunately, before Sang Qing and the others could search the entire city, Sang Yu was found and brought back.

In addition, Sang Qing saw an unexpected beastman.

Learning that her cub was at the Witch Doctor Hospital, Sang Qing rushed over with Sa Yu.

In the Witch Doctor Hospital, both Aniel and Aqi were injured and receiving treatment from the Witch Doctor.

The faint cry of a Little Cub could be heard. She moved her limbs uneasily in the arms of a tall male, her eyes nearly swollen from crying.

The white-haired beast had a gentle gaze as he softly coaxed her, his long fingers patting her back while he hummed a low tune, soon lulling the Little Cub to sleep.

Aniel was lying on a bed with several long, bloody claw marks on his back, which the Witch Doctor was tending to.

He gripped the bedsheets, feeling an intense pain.

But he was curious and turned his head toward Aqi on the other bed, asking in confusion, "Brother Aqi, who is he? Why is his hair all white? It's so ugly."

Aniel didn't lower his voice, so his words could be heard throughout the ward.

Aqi's eyes were red. Once the Witch Doctor finished quickly treating his wounds, he ran to the white-haired beastman and shouted excitedly, "Brother! It really is you!"

He had finally fulfilled his promise and come to the Beast King City to find him.

The white-haired beastman looked up and gave him a slight smile, "Aqi, are you alright?"

Aqi nodded.

The white-haired beastman then handed the Little Cub to him, "You take care of the Little Cub. I have to go."

She must be coming soon, and he didn't want her to see him like this.

Aqi didn't take Sang Yu. He just stared at him in confusion and said anxiously, "Brother, where are you going? You're injured too, and the Witch Doctor hasn't treated you yet!"

Why did he have to leave?

The white-haired beastman glanced at his own bloody shoulder and shook his head. His voice was excessively hoarse, as if it had been scorched by fire, "Be good. Brother will come find you in a few days."

Aqi still shook his head, tears beginning to well in his eyes.

"You... No, you're definitely going to leave me alone again."

Aqi looked at him pitifully, his voice hushed for fear of waking the sleeping Little Cub.

The white-haired beastman pursed his lips, his gaze lonely, "No, Aqi, Brother..."

"Little Yu!" Before he could finish, two figures rushed in.

Sang Qing spotted the sleeping Sang Yu in his arms at once. Before she could even notice the surroundings, she ran over and took Sang Yu from his hands.

Sa Yu's heart finally settled. He put his arms around Sang Qing and Sang Yu, his large hand firmly gripping Sang Qing's shoulder, his face full of the relief of having found what was lost.

"Sister! Sister!" Seeing Sang Qing, Aniel struggled excitedly on the bed, wanting to get up, but was firmly held down by Ers.

"Don't move!"

"It hurts..." Bad Witch Doctor.

Aniel gritted his teeth, his face scrunched up.

The white-haired beastman took the chance to try and slip away, but Aqi shouted out, "Brother, you're not allowed to leave!"

Don't leave him again.

They were biological brothers after all.

His brother was the only family he had left.

Brother? Holding her cub, Sang Qing snapped back to reality and turned to look over.

She immediately saw the male being held tightly by Aqi. His white hair was striking, but his back was to her, so she couldn't see his face.

This back... she felt it was somewhat familiar...

Aqi's brother... Sang Qing quickly handed the Little Cub to Sa Yu and walked toward him.

"Xing Jiu?"

Is it him?

"Sister Sang Qing, please tell my brother not to leave. He's injured and bleeding so much." Aqi cried, clutching the white-haired beastman's arm tightly as tears streamed down his face.

Aqi looked at Sang Qing helplessly, hoping his brother would listen to Sister Sang Qing's words.

"Xing Jiu..." Sang Qing reached out, tentatively trying to brush aside the beastman's hair, but he quickly covered his face with his hands and shrank into the corner, "I'm not. You've recognized the wrong beast."

Hearing such an unfamiliar, raspy voice, Sang Qing couldn't help but be stunned for a moment.

But since Aqi had already confirmed it, he certainly wouldn't mistake his own brother.

They hadn't seen each other for a long time, right?

Sang Qing gently patted his back, her voice tender, "Xing Jiu, it's okay. I'm Sang Qing. Turn around."

The white-haired figure shook his head vigorously.

No, no, he couldn't.

He couldn't let her see him like this.

The white-haired beastman kept his head down, staring intently at the floor, trying to find a gap to slip away.

But with Aqi holding his hand and Sang Qing blocking his path, he had no way out even if he wanted to leave.

Sang Qing felt his state was a bit off, likely due to the secret medicine, but the fact that he was still alive was something to be very happy about.

Sang Qing's gaze fell on his right shoulder, which was still seeping blood—a wound from the Dragon Tribe's sharp claws. "Xing Jiu, it's alright, really. You're bleeding. Let the Witch Doctor treat you first, okay? If you don't want to see me, I'll just leave."

The white-haired beastman's body stiffened, and he shook his head slightly again.

It wasn't that he didn't want to see her; it was just that his current appearance was so unfamiliar compared to before... Sang Qing took half a step back, and suddenly her hand was grabbed by the beast.

"...No..."

Xing Jiu spoke in a small voice.

He wanted to see her.

The reason he came to the Beast King City was partly to find Aqi, and partly because he wanted to see her.

But he had been in the Beast King City for several days and hadn't seen her once.

Sang Qing's eyes were bloodshot from the fright she'd had.

Hearing his voice, she held Xing Jiu's large hand in return and smiled slightly, "Then let me see you."

It seemed that Little Yu's safe return was thanks to his help.

Xing Jiu pursed his lips tightly and slowly raised his head.

A face more mature and handsome than before came into view. The smile on Sang Qing's face deepened, but then she noticed a scar running through the end of his left eyebrow, about five or six centimeters long, splitting his black eyebrow in two.

Xing Jiu glanced at her, then withdrew his gaze, looking away evasively as his ears gradually turned pink.