2: Being bought by him is just the first step.

Exclamations from women came from behind.

Old Bi never expected Tu Nan to run. After a moment of daze, he flew into a rage and roared, "Catch her! Break her legs for me!"

Tu Nan ignored all distractions, her eyes fixed only on that man. She precisely calculated her route, trying to save every step.

After all, this body was too weak.

She was almost at her limit; there were only three meters left.

The wind from a claw strike already came from behind. She could feel it, but she couldn't dodge it at all. In an all-or-nothing gamble, she abandoned all possible evasions and leaped forward.

"Ugh." Her back was indeed scratched, but the man she had set her sights on hesitated for a second before taking a step toward her, preventing her from slamming onto the ground.

Instead, she fell into his arms.

"Please... I beg you..."

Tu Nan's heart was beating so fast it felt like it would explode. Her throat tasted of blood, and she was gasping for air, unable to speak.

The man used one hand to block the guard's reaching hand while slowly unfastening a water skin from his belt. He bit the cap open with his teeth and poured the water directly into her mouth.

Gulp... gulp... Tu Nan used her tongue to control the flow, barely managing not to be choked to death by his feeding.

Once she had finally drunk enough, she pressed her hands against the man's chest, struggling slightly.

The man shook the water skin, seemingly weighing whether to continue pouring. Fortunately, he eventually hung it back on his waist.

"This... wanderer?" Old Bi greeted cautiously, asking with a frown.

"Can you return our cargo?"

The man spread his hands, indicating it had nothing to do with him.

Tu Nan acted as if she were terrified by Old Bi, clinging to the man with both hands and feet like she was grasping her last remaining lifeline.

Old Bi's face darkened. "No. 35, have you had enough? What, not satisfied with the contract I chose for you? Want to run? A Foster Mother who escapes will be killed on sight."

"I gave you so many chances, and you didn't take a single one. Being bought is better than being used as bait. Don't be so ungrateful."

Tu Nan rubbed her face against the man's chest. Her back had been slashed with four bloody gashes by the guard whose arms had beast-like traits; she was in real pain.

It hurt very much.

This body's tolerance for pain was also extremely poor; she was about to reach her breaking point.

Tu Nan's whole body trembled slightly. She looked up, using the expression she knew best to stir a man's protective instinct, pleading in a soft and pitiful tone.

"My lord, please... buy me."

She bit her lip slightly and tilted her head up, trying to let the harsh light of the sandstorm fall upon her face.

Under such intense light, the woman, pale and sickly from hunger, appeared—harmless, fragile, and devout.

"I only want you to hold me. Can you please not let me be bought by someone else? ...I beg you."

...Devout.

She knew this was one of the expressions men found most irresistible.

Old Bi's eyes widened, doubting he had recognized the right person.

This No. 35 had been dazed and dull the whole way—never mind bearing offspring, she looked like she wouldn't even survive three months on the Border Star.

It was all because that fired Nian Zai hadn't carefully checked the Nursery's manifest. Otherwise, how could such an inferior product have ended up in his caravan?

If this Foster Mother had wisen up earlier, she might have at least had a slightly better chance of being sold.

Now, the contract had already been settled.

Too late.

"Please... do you also despise me?" Tu Nan ignored whatever the approaching Old Bi was saying, only staring at the man she was clinging to with misty eyes.

Now that she was closer, the scroll appeared larger, and its contents became clearer.

She saw a line of supplementary notes at the bottom:

"[90% probability of bearing twins, with a very high probability of both mutating. Can also activate the mother-child mental link function.]"

Heh, useless to her, and it would even mean double the pain.

Tu Nan sneered inwardly.

However, she needed those 10% genes, and she also needed a stepping stone that was obedient and easy to control.

The man gripped her waist and pulled her off him. Then, he pulled back his hood.

Many people on the scene let out suppressed gasps.

"It's... a Chaotic Beast."

They whispered among themselves.

Tu Nan hadn't expected the man to look like this, and "Chaotic Beast"—she understood the literal meaning of the term.

There was a scar across the left side of his face. The doctor's handiwork hadn't been great, as the stitches were uneven, but that wasn't the point.

The man's brown hair was tied in a small bun at the back of his head, and two different types of ears were prominent on his head. One was white and rounded, while the other was black and a sharp triangle.

A hybrid of feline and canine, a visible mongrel, and likely some kind of taboo existence, she speculated privately.

The man put his hood back on without much emotion and turned to leave, only to be clung to by Tu Nan again.

Pressing against his back once more, she buried her face in his clothes, laying out all her bargaining chips without reservation.

"Will you buy me? The Nursery said that although I can only give three births, I... I easily have twins. Isn't that great? I think you'll like it..."

The man froze.

"What!" Old Bi became irritable. "There's such a thing! Why didn't you say so earlier!"

He said to the three men who had followed, "I can't sell her for the price just now! She's 40,000 now!"

"You're crazy. Even with twins every time, she's not worth that price!"

"What's the most important thing about reproduction?"

Old Bi educated them dismissively, "Efficiency. In half a year, you'll have Two Children. I even think 40k is too low."

The onlookers nodded slightly, all agreeing it made sense.

That's right; to ensure reproductive efficiency, each man could only legally purchase one Foster Mother at a time.

Precisely because crises could occur at any time, the higher-ups wanted to ensure that important resources like Foster Mothers were looked after, hence this regulation.

Of course, this had nothing to do with Tu Nan for now. If she couldn't persuade this man, it would be difficult for her to upgrade her genes.

And half a year? That meant... in the most extreme case, maybe she only had a year and a half?

As for anything else?

Was that something someone who hadn't solved their survival problem should consider?

Tu Nan clearly felt that the man was tempted, but she didn't know why he still wouldn't agree to buy her, so she had to describe it even more vividly.

"Is it really not okay? I... I just want to give birth to one cat and one dog, and live a happy life with both. Can you give me this chance... I..."

Tears pooled in her eyes and then fell without restraint, quickly soaking the man's undershirt.

The man's muscles tensed. After enduring it repeatedly, he suddenly turned around quickly and wrapped her in his arms.

His chest heaved violently, and his voice was hoarse as he asked Old Bi, "I want her. How much currency?"

Old Bi's eyes darted around, and he grinned with his buckteeth, saying, "Sixty thousand. Just sixty thousand."

Fearing he wouldn't pay for her, Tu Nan secretly reached out and stroked his waist.

The man caught her mischievous hand and only replied to Old Bi with a single word: "Fine."

He extended his wrist, signaling Old Bi to scan the Information Terminal on it.

With a "beep," the man quickly authorized it, and the contract was drawn up on both sides.

Everything was legal and compliant.

From this moment on, the ownership of the Foster Mother was successfully transferred.

Tu Nan's heart finally settled for the moment, a strange expression that was hard to tell if it was a smile or mockery appearing on her lips.

The man was sparing with his words, simply saying "Let's go," and she was hoisted onto his shoulder.

"Ah..."

Her stomach was pressed against his shoulder, making her feel so uncomfortable she wanted to retch.

"...Put me down."

Tu Nan's voice grew weaker and weaker, like a wild cat trying to act spoiled.

"Or... you could carry me instead."

The man's chest heaved violently as he took large strides and left the Trading Ground. Just before Tu Nan fainted, she heard him whisper:

"You have a wound on your back."