007 She Didn't Notice What Happened Last Night

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Li Yue frowned slightly as she noticed the shock on the faces of the beastmen. What was going on? Was the reward she offered not enticing enough? Three bandages in exchange for one drop of blood was far more favorable than Chi Yu’s “five meals for one drop.” Logically, their eyes should have lit up with interest.

She blinked and looked at Lan Xi with a puzzled expression. “You... don’t want this reward?”

At these words, the beastmen suddenly snapped back to reality. Si Qi was the first to lower his gaze, masking the surprise in his eyes. Chi Yu’s smile twitched awkwardly before curving into a teasing smirk, and Jin Ye was momentarily stunned, as if he hadn’t caught the sudden change.

But soon they all understood—Li Yue must not have noticed the marks on their necks, nor did she know that Lan Xi had strangled someone.

Since she was unaware, no one would be foolish enough to bring it up themselves.

Lan Xi exhaled in relief and then glanced at You Lie. “It wasn’t me who did the bandaging.”

All eyes immediately turned to You Lie.

His dark red eyes flickered as he met Li Yue’s confused gaze. He stepped forward slightly, his voice low and steady. “It was me.”

Li Yue was even more bewildered and turned to Lan Xi. “Then what were you admitting to just now?”

Lan Xi gave no explanation, only lowering his eyelids, his purple eyes unreadable.

He certainly couldn’t say he’d confessed out of fear she might question the strangling incident and implicate others.

“Regardless of who it was, good work deserves a reward,” Li Yue said, quickly brushing aside her doubts and looking at You Lie with a serious nod. “The bandaging is indeed well done; the wound has already scabbed over. This time counts as one. After two more bandagings, I’ll give you a drop of blood.”

You Lie gave a faint “hm” in acknowledgment, saying nothing more, though his fingertips curled slightly, barely noticeable.

Chi Yu, watching Li Yue’s sincere expression and convinced she wasn’t lying, immediately protested with dissatisfaction. “Why should you get a drop of blood after three bandages, but I have to cook five meals? That’s unfair!”

He knew that by saying this, Li Yue might get angry—after all, he was challenging her decision.

His words were partly a test, but also carried a bit of hope. Since yesterday, she seemed a little different. Maybe... she wouldn’t get mad?

Li Yue considered for a moment and explained, “Because bandaging uses herbs. You Lie used hemostatic herbs for me yesterday. Herbs are precious, definitely harder to come by than roasted meat, so three bandages earn one drop of blood.

If you want to break the bond faster, you can help me with bandaging too. Once each person reaches three bandages, I’ll give out drops of blood.”

Chi Yu’s heart skipped a beat, stunned to the point that his expression almost faltered.

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She actually didn’t get angry?

In the past, if he had questioned her decisions, the whip would have come down long ago.

He quickly suppressed the surprise in his eyes and forced a charming smile. “Alright, fine, you have a point. I’ll go roast meat for you now. Don’t forget, yesterday counts as one, and today’s meal counts as two.”

“No need,” Li Yue waved her hand. A dryness in her throat surged up again, and she coughed twice instinctively.

“My throat feels uncomfortable. I can’t eat roasted meat. Some wild fruit from the cave will suffice.”

Lan Xi, standing nearby, suddenly clenched his fingers at her words.

Throat uncomfortable?

He lowered his eyelids, complex emotions swirling in his purple eyes.

This was clearly the aftereffect of his strangling her neck last night. Her neck must be hurting, yet she hadn’t thrown a hysterical tantrum or lashed out with the whip as she used to.

Instead... she actually rewarded You Lie for bandaging her finger?

What exactly was she scheming?

A new form of torment?

Feign kindness first, then when they let their guard down, retaliate more cruelly?

Lan Xi could not comprehend it and could only fixate on Li Yue’s slender silhouette, searching for any flaw.

Li Yue, of course, was unaware of their thoughts. She just wanted to finish eating quickly and get moving.

She waved her hand. “You all should eat too. After eating, we’ll set off. Don’t waste time.”

She had to find Father as soon as possible. These villains who seemed peaceful but had tried to kill her countless times were a huge threat if left nearby.

Yet before finding Father, she still had to deal with these villains.

As she turned and walked into the side of the cave, the beastmen watched her back, momentarily frozen.

Only when the figure with the purple hair sat down with her back to them did they slowly turn and walk out of the cave toward a nearby stream.

No one spoke; only the gentle sound of flowing water filled the air.

They were strangers to each other, forcibly bound together by Li Yue’s father. Without that damned beast mark, they might never have met in their lifetimes.

Now, silently sharing the same secret, the atmosphere grew subtly tense.

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Among them, Si Qi and Lan Xi had a relatively good relationship.

Si Qi spoke first, looking at Lan Xi. His silver-white hair fluttered in the wind. His tone was calm but carried an unyielding weight. “I know you hate her, but don’t do things like that again.”

Lan Xi’s shoulders trembled ever so slightly. He stared at his blurred reflection in the stream and said softly, “I know.”

Last night, in a moment of impulse, he almost forgot that if a female died at her partner’s hand, all bonded males would perish alongside her.

He had nearly killed himself and almost dragged everyone else down with him.

“She seems... serious. The ‘breaking the bond’ she mentioned might not be a lie,” Si Qi’s voice softened, tinged with uncertainty but also faint hope.

Lan Xi looked up at him, a flicker of wavering passing through his eyes.

Yes, he had noticed it too.

Voluntarily proposing to break the bond, hesitating not at all when giving Si Qi a drop of blood, clearly rewarding You Lie’s bandaging, even patiently explaining Chi Yu’s doubts...

All of this was completely unlike the female who once delighted in tormenting them.

Perhaps... she really can break the bond.

This thought sparked a faint glimmer in the deep silence of Lan Xi’s heart.

Like a pearl buried beneath the sea, finally peeking through thick mud to glimpse a sliver of light.

Chi Yu listened silently nearby, not interrupting, merely stirring stones on the ground with a twig, his pale green eyes glinting with calculation.

No matter what Li Yue was scheming, as long as the bond could be broken, he was willing to cook not five meals, but ten.

Jin Ye, seeing things simply, rubbed his belly and said in a muffled voice, “Let’s eat first, then set off. Let’s see what she’s really up to.”

None objected.

Li Yue ate a few wild fruits from the cave and then came out.

The beastmen had likely finished eating and were waiting for her outside.

She glanced at the time; the morning sun had just climbed the mountain peak, then looked up and asked, “Are you going to travel in your beast forms?”

Si Qi stepped forward, his silver-white hair gleaming softly in the morning light. “If we travel in beast form and run at full speed, we can reach the Eagle Tribe in seven days. If you’re not in a hurry, we can keep human form and walk.”