Out of Xijing’s line of sight, Huang Ying frowned.

"Why? You don’t want to leave? What about our cub? Where is our cub?"

"I don’t know either. Maybe she’s locked up somewhere else with the others. Huang Ying, I can’t just abandon my people and leave alone."

"Xijing, come back to Wing Beast City with me first. I’ll have the Beast District negotiate with Tiger Beast City to get your people released."

Xijing refused again, and the impatience on Huang Ying’s face became even more obvious.

"No. For your own safety, I’m getting you out of here today, no matter what."

As she spoke, Huang Ying reached out and pushed a small stone next to the air vent. The stone immediately sank inward, and a crack wide enough for one person to pass through split open on the stone house’s wall.

"Xijing, hurry and come out."

Xijing looked at Huang Ying’s outstretched hand. After a moment of hesitation, he reached out and grabbed it. Just as Huang Ying thought she had succeeded and was about to pull him out, Xijing suddenly yanked her into the stone house.

The moment she was inside, the crack in the stone wall sealed shut again.

Huang Ying was furious. "Xijing, do you have any idea what you’re doing? Are you insane?"

Xijing held onto Huang Ying, his face full of deep affection as he gazed at her. "Huang Ying, I thought you didn’t want me anymore. I don’t understand. We already have Xiya, but you still refuse to become my mate. Do you... despise me?"

Huang Ying had thought Xijing had discovered something, but it turned out this was what he was hung up on.

’I transmigrated into this beast world with one mission: follow the plot of this novel to the end. As long as I complete the mission, I’ll get a hundred million in reward money and return to my own world to live a life of luxury. Why would I ever jeopardize my mission for these paper people?’

"Come back to Wing Beast City with me, and I’ll become your mate immediately."

"Really? That’s wonderful! In that case, can I rescue my people before we leave?"

Huang Ying frowned. "It’s too dangerous."

"Huang Ying... I will never abandon my people and leave alone."

Huang Ying was about to explode with anger. Just demanding Xijing alone had been a concession she’d made to Tiger Beast City. Now, if she asked them to release all the merpeople, those idiots from Tiger Beast City would definitely make an outrageous demand.

But if she didn’t get them released, Xijing wouldn’t leave.

After weighing the pros and cons, Huang Ying gritted her teeth. "Fine. We’ll rescue your people."

"Thank you, Huang Ying."

Huang Ying summoned Fenglin and had him open the stone house. After Xijing stepped out, his eyes quickly scanned the courtyard. He didn’t see Qiao Xixi. ’Xixi must have hidden somewhere safe.’

Without delay, Xijing turned and opened the other stone houses, freeing all the merpeople imprisoned inside.

When he reached the last stone house, he called out, "Ximing."

A merman who bore some resemblance to Xijing stepped out from the shadows. In the faint moonlight, his body was visibly covered in wounds.

"Brother, you escaped." 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

Xijing nodded. "In a moment, take our people and return to the Sea Valley first."

"What about you, Brother?"

"I’ll be right back as soon as I’m finished here."

"Okay."

After leaving the stone house, the two brothers split up.

The two black bear males guarding the courtyard were growing bored when they suddenly saw the heavy wooden gate being pushed open.

Then, countless merpeople poured out from within.

The two black bear males didn’t even have time to react before their throats were slit by sharp fins.

"Xijing, let’s go."

Xijing nodded, deliberately raising his voice. "Alright, Huang Ying. Let’s go by the sea. It’s faster that way."

Huang Ying wanted to refuse, but she was afraid Xijing would change his mind. She could only bite the bullet and run with him. ’As soon as we reach the open area by the sea, I’ll fly him back to Wing Beast City immediately!’

Hiding in the shadows, Qiao Xixi saw Xijing leave with Huang Ying and quickly followed them.

The patrol guarding the salt fields at night soon discovered the merpeople’s escape. They let out a series of roars into the sky, summoning other beastmen to intercept them.

"The merpeople have escaped! Quick, catch them!"

Xijing looked at the Golden Eagle Beasts circling in the sky and glanced worriedly at Huang Ying.

"Huang Ying, what do we do? There are so many Golden Eagle Beasts, there’s no way we can escape."

Huang Ying turned to Fenglin. Understanding her intent, Fenglin spread his wings and flew into the sky, blocking the Golden Eagle Beasts.

The merpeople successfully reached the shore, and Xijing led Huang Ying onto a reef.

"Xijing, let’s go too."

"Alright."

Just as Huang Ying was about to spread her wings, Xijing suddenly grabbed her and plunged into the sea.

Fenglin’s expression changed drastically. He dove down, trying to grab Huang Ying, but it was too late.

Qiao Xixi had also reached the reef by this point. However, she didn’t follow Xijing. Instead, she found the reef where Xiya and the others were hiding and jumped down.

When she found the crevice in the reef completely empty, her world came crashing down!

Her cubs were gone!

In that instant, Qiao Xixi felt her scalp tingle with dread, a bone-chilling coldness emanating from her entire body.

She quickly took out another, paler fish scale. This one belonged to Xiya and worked the same way as Xijing’s scale. But the sea was vast. ’Where am I supposed to find them?’

Xiya had said that as long as the scale remained vibrant, it meant her life wasn’t in danger. Thankfully, the scale’s color was fine.

Qiao Xixi’s hands trembled as she forced herself to calm down.

’I’m not a strong swimmer, but Xijing is. With the scale, he can definitely find Xiya!’

The sky began to turn the pale white of dawn.

In the vast sea, Jin Ling and his group, clinging to several large pieces of driftwood, finally spotted the island from their locator.

"This is the place. Xixi stayed in this location for a long time."

"Let’s rest here for a day before setting off again."

"Alright."

At that moment, on another shore of the island, Xiya was lying on the beach, tightly hugging the tiger cub.

The tiger cub struggled out of Xiya’s embrace and staggered over, tapping Xiya with a small paw.

"MROW~"

Xiya’s light blue eyelashes fluttered gently. She slowly opened her eyes to see a cute little tiger face before her.

"Little sister..."

"MROW~"

The tiger cub licked Xiya’s face and nudged her body with its little head, as if trying to push her up.

But Xiya had been swimming for far too long and was completely exhausted, without a single bit of strength left.

Neither of them noticed two male beastmen walking toward them.

They had been waiting on the island for several days, but Xijing and the others never returned. They had long since grown impatient and were now preparing to head back to the salt fields.

But who would have known that just as they started to leave, they would spot Xiya and the tiger cub stranded on the beach.

"It’s a merman cub! Grab her."

The two males eagerly rushed toward the two cubs.

Seeing them approach, Xiya raised her arm, wanting to grab the tiger cub and jump into the sea to hide. But she was so tired she could barely even sit up.

The clueless little tiger cub just stared curiously at the two tall males with its big, gilded-gold eyes.

"Why is there a tiger cub here too? Grab it as well."

One of the males reached for the tiger cub and snatched her up by the scruff of her neck.

The tiger cub froze, then wriggled in annoyance, letting out an angry "MROW!"

Jin Ling, who was searching for a place to make camp, suddenly froze. ’Did I just hear a tiger cub’s cry?!’