17: The living environment is not stable

Li agreed to Tu Nan's request.

The two of them appeared together in the "Hall"—the place where they had met Gray on the day they arrived at the River Valley.

Fiona was half-reclining in a chair. Despite being bandaged in so many places, she still managed to wear that camisole dress that left her cleavage half-exposed.

This made Tu Nan look askance; this posture was truly ill-intentioned.

She would wait and see what this woman was planning.

In any case, Li was the man she had just gotten her hands on. Before she got pregnant, she would absolutely not let anyone else have him.

Fiona was equally displeased by Tu Nan's appearance.

Her disdainful gaze swept over Tu Nan only once before she spoke delicately to Li, "The moment I woke up, I told my brother how you rescued me from those brutal Patrol Army soldiers~"

She writhed her body cloyingly, striking what she considered a more seductive pose.

"Brother said he must thank you properly."

Oh?

Your breasts are practically twisting out of your dress, yet you keep saying 'Brother said' this and 'Brother said' that.

Tu Nan sneered inwardly; she wouldn't even deign to use such low-level seduction tactics.

Li spoke directly, his bluntness enough to make Fiona cough up blood.

"No need. I don't rescue people for free."

"Yesterday, I already had Gaia pass on a message for Gray to calculate the price for saving you."

He added warily, "The Soft Armor doesn't count; that was my reward for this trip out."

Tu Nan turned slightly, using Li's arm to hide her smile.

Li's directness was truly the most effective lethal skill.

When the day came that her gene repair was complete and her abilities improved, she also wanted to speak like that, instead of being cautious like now, weighing every word repeatedly.

"Hahahaha."

Gray walked out from the inner room with a hearty laugh.

He shook his head while patting Li's shoulder, seemingly unbothered by Li's bluntness.

"You saved her; whatever you want, I will surely give it to you."

He pointed a finger at Fiona, joking.

"My father left Fiona a substantial dowry; just take it from the dowry."

He teased Li, "If you take it all, that's fine too."

How did this get to dowries?

Frowning slightly, he said, "No need for such trouble. Just weigh her and calculate the price according to a Sand Scorpion King."

The entire hall fell into a dead silence.

Gray's hand resting on Li's shoulder now seemed very presumptive. His Face turned dark, and fury surged in his eyes; he looked ready to explode.

Gaia spoke up, breaking the murderous tension.

"Li is thinking about hunting Sand Scorpions every day; he probably only has this one unit of currency in his head!"

"Hahahaha, in his eyes, a Sand Scorpion King is an astronomical price."

Tu Nan noticed that Gaia's attitude toward Li was indeed very good. Yesterday, under those circumstances, he was still willing to tell her the blockaded news; it could only be for Li's sake.

This person was worth cultivating.

Perhaps she should let Li interact with Gaia more? Just as she was thinking of a way... Li turned to look at Tu Nan and, by some strange impulse, blurted out: "A Sand Scorpion King isn't actually that valuable; a Black-Scaled Snake is more expensive."

"Tu Nan wants to eat that. I'll go catch one in a few days; I'll come to borrow a net then."

Tu Nan's mouth twitched. This blockhead.

Why say this now?

She was being brought along by him, her whole body radiating an aura of having been well-loved... those who needed to know would naturally re-evaluate her weight as a Foster Mother in Li's eyes.

There was absolutely no need for superfluous additions... Sure enough, Fiona's fury stabbed toward her like a needle.

"Her? A Foster Mother wanting to eat Black-Scaled Snake?"

"Is she even worthy?"

"A Foster Mother certainly has some use, but that refers to a complete Foster Mother. This one..."

Fiona snorted repeatedly, gesturing for everyone to look at Tu Nan.

"Everyone knows, right? No ears, no tail... for this kind of Female Beast... her genetic integrity definitely won't exceed 50%."

The mockery in her eyes was completely uncontrollable.

"Even if she manages to conceive, can she give birth?"

"Or will she give birth to... a waste? A monster?"

The hand Li used to hold Tu Nan twitched for a moment; he was stung by Fiona's words.

Tu Nan told herself Fiona was an idiot.

She was so focused on attacking that she completely forgot she wanted to establish a relationship with Li.

And Li, as a Chaotic Beast, was also called a waste.

"Fiona." Gray seemingly scolded his sister, but in fact, he turned the conversation toward Tu Nan, though his words were much smoother.

"Don't talk about this... Tu Nan, was it, like that."

He looked at Tu Nan generously and said to Li with a smile, "Men, it's nothing to want to keep a Foster Mother for use."

"Whether she can give birth or not doesn't matter much."

"Raising anything is still raising it. Fiona, didn't you raise a little eagle yourself? What use is it? It can't even fly now; isn't it just for fun?"

He showed a smile that all men understood. He glanced at Tu Nan's eyes, which were filled with a watery spring-like luster, and was slightly dazed for a moment.

Why hadn't he noticed this Foster Mother was so alluring before?

Those green eyes were shy yet inviting, paired with black hair that wasn't completely dry... her entire body carried the aura of having been intensely loved.

"She... if you sleep with her more, maybe she can conceive."

Gray's greasy, snake-like gaze made Li unhappy.

"No need to say more. She's the Foster Mother I bought; I know."

He warned Gray. Once Gray shut up, he surveyed the hall, staring down the group of men one by one.

"I've paid every Sand Scorpion I'm supposed to pay daily. If you're unhappy, I'll take her and find another place."

This kind of head-on response seemed satisfying, but... it also offended people.

Li could survive anywhere, but Tu Nan lacked that confidence. She had to find a way to smooth this over without making Li, who was currently acting tough, lose Face.

Having made up her mind, she tugged on Li's sleeve. When Li looked down, she put on a sincere and anxious expression.

"Li... are they worried about you? But... I was born in the Central Breeding Farm."

"Our batch used new technology; the Border Star might not know about it."

Her eyelashes drooped slightly, as if discussing this in front of so many people made her shy, but for the sake of Li's Face, she still plucked up her courage.

"I told you then, my genetic direction is tilted toward fertility... I easily give birth to twins."

She asked Li innocently: "The researchers at the Central Breeding Farm told me that my nurturer would like me very much... is it true?"

Li was dazed, as if he finally knew the answer to his impulse back then.

"Yes."

He thought back to the day they first met.

Under the sunlight, this tiny Foster Mother had thrown herself into his arms regardless of everything. Her Face, so white it seemed to glow, was illuminated by the sun, and even the fine hairs on her Face were so lovely in his eyes.

Tu Nan happily buried her head in Li's chest, turning her head slightly to meet Fiona's gaze.

Oh? The gauze on that woman's chest was already seeping blood?

She was far too impatient... Fiona was arrogant but stupid; her vision was limited to this tiny River Valley.

And her brother, Gray, the leader of the River Valley, wanted to win Li over but couldn't control his lecherous eyes. No matter how strong Li's martial power was, he was still a newcomer. Gray didn't hesitate to throw his sister out, which showed... his inner anxiety. What was he anxious about?

If there's a chance, it's worth pondering. Tu Nan thought.