Chapter 3…

Contract Successful

As more and more black smoke rose, tiny sparks gradually appeared. Su Ye quickly tore the dry fallen leaves into tiny pieces. The moment the sparks touched the shredded leaves, they caught fire.

Before long, a small flame appeared. Su Ye immediately sprinkled an appropriate amount of dry leaves onto it. As the fire grew stronger, she added some dry branches.

Han Zheng stared in astonishment at the blazing fire. Then he turned to look at the calm and composed Su Ye beside him.

His lips parted slightly. Countless questions surged to the tip of his tongue, yet he hesitated to ask them.

Su Ye met his gaze and smiled.

Thinking to herself, she decided that before understanding the rules of this world, it was better not to act rashly.

Right now, the most urgent matter was filling her stomach. She was already starving. If she did not eat soon, she might truly starve to death.

Looking at Han Zheng with an unusually serious expression, she said,

“I’ll explain it to you later.”

Seeing her firm attitude, Han Zheng stopped asking questions. Since they had decided to become contracted mates, this much trust was necessary.

Han Zheng nodded in silent agreement before asking,

“The fire is ready. What should we do next?”

“Please help me skewer this piece of beast meat with a thick wooden stick and secure it firmly.”

Han Zheng said nothing and obediently followed her instructions. His movements were swift and efficient.

Su Ye took the skewer and slowly roasted the meat over the charcoal fire. As the small flames licked the meat, a faint aroma gradually filled the air.

After watching her strange yet practiced actions for a long time, Han Zheng finally couldn’t hold back any longer.

“You’re not a beastman from this continent, are you?”

Su Ye knew she could not hide it forever.

She simply hadn’t expected Han Zheng to ask so directly so soon.

Since she had already decided to become contracted mates with him, they were essentially tied together now.

No, not tied together like grasshoppers on a string.

Allies.

Sooner or later she would have to tell him the truth. The time just wasn’t right yet.

Without answering directly, she turned the roasting meat and said calmly,

“If I’m not from this continent, would you still be willing to become contracted mates with me?”

“Yes.”

There was not the slightest hesitation.

Han Zheng’s voice was unwaveringly firm, and no emotion could be read from his golden eyes.

Fat dripped slowly from the roasting meat and fell into the fire with sizzling sounds.

“My name is Su Ye. My situation is a little complicated. If you trust me, then let us continue with the contract. When the time comes, I’ll tell you everything.”

Fortunately, the original owner’s name was exactly the same as hers, saving her a lot of explanations.

After a moment of silence, Han Zheng responded softly,

“Mm. Understood.”

Wandering beastmen did not live in tribes. For a female, such a wandering lifestyle was extremely dangerous, and finding a female willing to form a contract was harder than reaching the heavens.

Han Zheng himself did not wish to be confined to any tribe, which was why he had never taken a mate.

Whether Su Ye was from this continent or not was ultimately unimportant to him.

Wherever he went was the same.

Meanwhile, Su Ye was so hungry that she had no energy left to think about anything else. All her attention was focused on the roasting meat.

The aroma grew stronger and stronger. Her starving body instinctively produced saliva, and her stomach growled loudly.

Han Zheng had never smelled anything so tempting before.

His eyes widened with shock.

He had never imagined beast meat could be prepared this way.

It smelled incredible.

His Adam’s apple bobbed twice.

Hearing a swallowing sound nearby, Su Ye blinked.

Huh?

What was that sound?

Was she so hungry that she was hallucinating?

Not long afterward, the meat’s surface turned golden brown and crispy, sizzling with oil. The rich fragrance spread throughout the air.

Su Ye immediately removed it from the fire.

Seeing Han Zheng staring at the meat, she smiled and gestured for him to divide it into two portions.

Han Zheng picked a large leaf, washed it, wrapped the meat with it, and handed one portion to Su Ye.

“Be careful. It’s hot.”

Su Ye accepted it and eagerly took a bite.

Though it was only simply roasted and had no seasonings, most of the strong bloody taste had disappeared.

The soft fragrance of the meat spread across her mouth.

Her shriveled stomach was instantly filled, and she felt as though she had come back to life.

Han Zheng cautiously put a piece into his mouth.

The next second, his golden eyes widened dramatically.

“This… this is so delicious!”

As soon as he finished speaking, he took another huge bite.

Behind him, a black snake tail unconsciously appeared and swayed lightly with excitement.

Seeing the snake tail, Su Ye no longer felt as frightened as before.

Earlier, she had overreacted because she had never interacted with snakes, let alone such a huge snake beastman.

Now that she knew he would not harm her, her fear naturally faded.

Very soon, both pieces of roasted meat were completely finished.

Su Ye felt some strength returning to her weak body. She was no longer as exhausted and limp as before.

Looking down at the worn beast-hide clothing covered in dust, then at the clear lake nearby, she felt uncomfortable all over and desperately wanted a proper wash.

Having made up her mind, she turned to Han Zheng.

“Han Zheng, I want to bathe by the lake. Can you keep watch nearby?”

A rare blush appeared on Han Zheng’s handsome face. Even the tips of his ears grew warm.

He quickly looked away.

“Mm. Okay.”

Su Ye’s cheeks also grew slightly warm.

She hurried to the lakeside.

When she saw her reflection in the water, she was thoroughly shocked.

The girl reflected there was frighteningly thin.

Nothing but skin and bones.

Her eye sockets were sunken, her complexion yellow and unhealthy, and her body was covered in scars of varying depths.

Her ribs were clearly visible.

No wonder she had been panting after only a short time drilling wood to make fire.

It seemed that contracting with Han Zheng needed to be moved up the schedule immediately.

With her current physical condition, if she remained alone, she would probably be torn apart and eaten by wild beasts within a few days.

Surviving in this beast world would be even harder.

A contracted mate was currently her best option.

She, Su Ye, was definitely not attracted to a certain someone’s eight-pack abs!

Thinking this, she continued washing the dirt from her body.

Not far away, Han Zheng listened to the sounds of flowing water behind him.

The tips of his ears were so red they seemed ready to drip blood.

Remembering Su Ye’s ragged and rough beast-hide clothing, he immediately sat down cross-legged and took out the snake sheds he had collected.

Over the years, every time he shed his skin, he had habitually kept it.

He had never expected it would finally be useful today.

Taking a bone needle he had polished himself, he began skillfully sewing a dress.

His movements were focused and gentle.

Not long later, Su Ye finished bathing.

Standing by the lake, refreshed and clean, droplets of water still clung to her hair.

She took a deep breath.

Her gaze became incomparably resolute.

Then she called out to Han Zheng.

Thinking she had encountered danger, Han Zheng instantly rushed to her side.

Only after confirming she was unharmed did he relax.

But when he clearly saw her, he still froze for a moment.

Although the cleaned-up girl remained thin and weak, her delicate features could no longer be hidden.

After finally eating a proper meal, her mood had improved, and her eyes shone brightly with a unique vitality.

Embarrassed by his gaze, Su Ye lowered her eyes briefly before looking at him again.

Her tone was firm.

“The mate contract you mentioned earlier… can we do it now?”

Han Zheng snapped back to his senses.

His heartbeat accelerated abruptly, and he began stammering.

“Y-Yes! We can!”

“Then let’s become contracted mates right now.”

There was not the slightest hesitation in Su Ye’s eyes.

Every word she spoke was unwaveringly determined.

Powerful emotions instantly surged through Han Zheng’s golden eyes.

He stepped forward, carefully lifted the frail female into his arms, and carried her back toward the cave.

His stride was steady, though tinged with barely concealed urgency.

An hour later, Su Ye returned to the lakeside to clean herself again.

Looking at her reflection, she thought:

“Su Ye, you’ve really done it now. You started a relationship the moment you met him…”

Her face reddened.

Then her gaze fell upon her collarbone.

A lifelike black snake-shaped mark had appeared there.

Its lines were exquisite, almost as if it were alive.

She touched the dress made from Han Zheng’s shed snakeskin.

He had dressed her in it afterward.

The soft snakeskin was far more comfortable than the rough beast hide she had worn before.

Her attention returned to the mark on her collarbone.

This was the symbol of a successful mate bond.

Han Zheng had explained that it was a mate mark.

After becoming mates, the two beastmen would share an emotional connection.

As she stared at the mark in fascination, a sudden roar erupted from the cave behind her.

An incomparably powerful wave of energy spread outward.

A fierce wind arose, causing the grass and trees around the lake to rustle violently.

Su Ye turned around.

Han Zheng’s long black hair danced wildly in the wind.

A powerful aura radiated from his body as he walked toward her.

His eyes overflowed with unconcealed joy.

“A Ye, I finally broke through to the Ninth Rank! Thank you, A Ye. Don’t worry—I will definitely protect you!”

Han Zheng was deeply moved.

Looking at the thin female before him, he gently wrapped an arm around her slender waist and softly kissed her forehead.

His gaze settled on the black snake mate mark on her collarbone.

An unprecedented warmth and emotion welled up in his heart.

Su Ye also felt a warm current flowing through her body.

Curiously, she asked,

“Why do I feel stronger too after your advancement?”

Han Zheng smiled lightly.

“After beastmen form a mate contract, if one side advances and becomes stronger, the benefits are shared. The other side will also gain strength. Some talented females may even awaken special abilities because of it.”

Realization dawned on Su Ye.

Wow.

That powerful?

Didn’t that mean she might become stronger too?

Seeing Han Zheng successfully advance, the burden in her heart finally eased considerably.

And the thought that she might awaken an ability in the future filled her with anticipation.

The tension she had been carrying finally relaxed.

As soon as she relaxed, exhaustion swept through her body.

She leaned against Han Zheng’s chest, her eyelids growing heavier and heavier.

“Han Zheng, I want to sleep.”

Sleepiness crashed over her like a tide.

Meanwhile, in the Black Tiger Tribe, a certain cave had already erupted into complete chaos.