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Chapter 197: The Enemy of Young Beasts—Bai Ge
🕑 Added 2024-09-16 04:46:12 +0000 UTCLeaving the cave, they quickly returned to the surface.
Rhett carried a bundle of thick cloth, cradling three White-Eyed Mouse pups with their tiny heads nestled together. Tylers' eyes lit up with excitement.
"Oh my god, they really are White-Eyed Mouse pups, and there are three of them!" Tylers' breathing became slightly heavier, his eyes burning with enthusiasm.
"They look like they were born just two or three days ago, right? This is the perfect time to tame them!"
Rhett smiled warmly at his third son.
"So, do you want the White-Eyed Mouse or the Ice Mouse?"
As soon as the question was posed, the smile on Tylers' face gradually faded. He took a deep breath and began to seriously consider his options.
Thoughts raced through his mind. Both the Ice Mouse and the White-Eyed Mouse had mid-tier potential, and once they matured, they could become formidable magical beasts. The Ice Mouse was a water-element creature, while the White-Eyed Mouse was wind-elemental. Both had their unique qualities, but he could only choose one...
After a moment of contemplation, Tylers made a decisive choice.
"Father, I still want the Ice Mouse!"
"Why?" Rhett asked with a smile.
"Rylai's Snow Elf can bless water-elemental creatures. With its help, the Ice Mouse will definitely grow faster than the White-Eyed Mouse!"
"Not bad." Rhett nodded, as if he had expected this answer. He then said thoughtfully,
"In that case, we need to set off quickly. Let's return to the territory and distribute the White-Eyed Mice to others. We’ll also bring the Ice Mouse back, and once it gives birth, you can have the pup."
"That sounds great, Father!" Tylers replied happily.
A few minutes later, as the confused Ice Mouse emerged from the mouse hole, preparing to escape, Rhett seized the opportunity and cast a Sandflow Spell.
Squeak! Squeak!
The sand-yellow vortex swirled, frantically pulling at everything on the ground! The Ice Mouse was trapped as if in quicksand, unable to move, and quickly became terrified. As Rhett approached step by step, it trembled with fear, its tail drooping.
Rhett pulled out a simple linen bag and reached out to grab the Ice Mouse.
Squeak! The Ice Mouse's fur bristled, and it lashed out with its claws, jumping up in a reflexive attempt to fight back, unwilling to let anyone get close.
But a sudden earth spike pierced one of its hind legs.
Squeak!
A sharp cry of pain echoed, filled with fear.
The Ice Mouse rolled onto the ground, blood staining its blue fur. Its body trembled twice before curling into a ball.
It understood that it was no match for this human, its life entirely in his hands.
Fortunately, it didn’t sense any killing intent from Rhett. A large hand reached out and gently stroked its back twice. Accepting this gesture of goodwill, the Ice Mouse gradually calmed down.
Then, Rhett grabbed it by the scruff of the neck and lifted it. The Ice Mouse struggled briefly before submitting, allowing him to place it into the linen bag.
Although the bag was fragile, the menacing spikes Rhett conjured whenever it attempted to escape kept the Ice Mouse in line.
Whistle!
Rhett whistled.
From the sky, Firebird swooped down and landed beside Rhett, affectionately nudging its neck against him.
Rhett smiled, smoothing Firebird’s feathers before mounting it.
Tylers followed suit, sitting behind his father.
This hunting trip had been relatively short, only half a month long, and the harvest wasn’t particularly bountiful.
Rhett glanced at his [Destiny Points: 103], which weren’t abundant enough for extensive simulation training but were more than sufficient for regular simulations.
After a brief moment of thought, realizing there was nothing else pressing, he pointed southward and shouted,
"Firebird, let's go!"
Chirp!
Firebird let out a sharp cry, spreading its wings.
The fiery silhouette soared into the sky, heading south.
Six days later.
They passed through countless clouds. Rhett looked down at the landscape below; they were still some distance from the Dark-Patterned Eagle Range. It would take about another day to arrive.
However, the Ice Mouse in the linen bag suddenly became restless, rolling around inside.
"Hmm?"
Rhett frowned, sensing something was wrong.
This time, instead of suppressing it, he untied the bag and let the blue Ice Mouse out.
The small blue figure rolled out, landing on Firebird’s back.
Squeak! Squeak!
The Ice Mouse squeaked anxiously, its eyes showing signs of pain.
At that moment, its lower abdomen had visibly swollen, and a trace of blood was beginning to show, becoming increasingly pronounced.
As a fourth-tier magical beast, it didn’t need assistance with childbirth. Although giving birth was painful, it wasn’t much different from engaging in a fierce battle with other magical beasts.
"Father, what’s happening?" Tylers instinctively asked upon hearing the commotion.
He shifted from his reclining position to a kneeling one, peeking over his father’s shoulder. Upon seeing the scene, he exclaimed with delight,
"Wow, the Ice Mouse is about to give birth!"
"Keep quiet. We don’t want to startle it," Rhett said with a smile.
Both of them fell silent, their eyes fixed on the Ice Mouse. Gradually, a cool chill began to spread. The Ice Mouse's face tightened in pain as blood began to seep through its blue fur.
At the same time, a tiny head, no bigger than a thumb, started to emerge, pink and delicate.
Though its eyes were tightly shut, the vibrant new life drew all their attention.
This was the first time Rhett had witnessed a magical beast giving birth firsthand.
Though the process was somewhat bloody, Rhett didn’t find it unsettling.
As time passed, more of the pup’s body emerged. Its bald, pink flesh was soft, and its rice-grain-sized eyes were tightly closed, forming narrow slits.
Perhaps because it was the offspring of a water-element creature, the high altitude and cold air didn’t bother it as much. Unlike some other magical beasts, it didn’t shiver from the cold upon birth.
After a while, with half of the pup’s body out, the Ice Mouse glanced down, recognizing its child. A small smile appeared on its tense face, and its eyes squinted in relief.
Its light blue tail wagged unconsciously. It reached out its tiny arms and carefully pulled the pup out completely, then gently used its sharp claws to cut the umbilical cord.
Despite the pain, the Ice Mouse endured, cradling the pup in its arms.
The scene was heartwarming and peaceful.
The next moment, Rhett took out an ice-blue leaf from his pocket, a water-element herb he had found while hunting in the White Mouse Range.
The enticing aroma caught the Ice Mouse's attention, and it immediately turned its gaze toward Rhett, fixating on the food in his hand. Its eyes darted back and forth, and it hesitated before taking a half-step forward, then quickly retreating out of fear.
Clearly, the earlier lesson had left a deep impression, and it didn’t dare provoke him lightly.
Rhett chuckled softly and brought the leaf closer to the pup’s mouth.
Still asleep, the pup instinctively began nibbling on the leaf, its tiny mouth slowly consuming the edges.
Piece by piece, the leaf was gradually devoured by the young Ice Mouse.
Satisfied, it then curled up on Firebird’s back and continued to sleep.
Rhett maintained his smile, but inwardly, he knew that the pup couldn’t stay with its mother any longer. Any prolonged contact would make it harder for Tylers to tame it in the future.
For a magical beast pup, its parent’s presence naturally provided comfort, making it easy to form a bond of dependence.
Taking advantage of the pup’s sleep, Rhett grabbed the Ice Mouse by the scruff of its neck and lifted it, preparing to toss it back into the linen bag while quickly taking the pup into his other hand.
Squeak?
The Ice Mouse hesitated for a moment, then panicked when it saw that the human had taken its pup and didn’t intend to return it.
Flailing its limbs in mid-air, its claws gleamed coldly as a chilling aura suddenly condensed!
Squeak! Squeak!
Its cries grew louder, filled with anger and desperation.
Even when thrown back into the linen bag, the sound of fabric tearing soon followed.
Shredded cloth scattered everywhere.
The Ice Mouse glared with wide eyes and charged at Rhett, its claws aimed directly at his throat.
"Sigh, you’re courting death…"
Seeing the Ice Mouse’s reckless attack, Rhett’s eyes flashed with a hint of killing intent.
While it was true that he had taken the pup, the human concept of morality couldn’t be applied to magical beasts. Human kindness was limited to certain boundaries, and crossing species lines could sometimes be seen as foolishness.
How many innocent lives are sacrificed each day to fill our plates?
Humans, standing at the top of the food chain, inherently trample on countless other lives. Sacrificing other species for survival, strength, and evolution is inevitable.
If humans ever lose their place at the top, they will face the same fate.
"I saved your life, helped you kill three enemies, and this is how you repay me?" Rhett said coldly.
The Ice Mouse ignored him, desperately lunging at Rhett.
Thud!
Suddenly, a sharp spike pierced through its back, striking right at its heart.
Blood splattered through the air, and a chilling scream echoed in the sky.
This time, Rhett didn’t leave the finishing blow to Tylers. He allowed the Ice Mouse's life to slowly drain away as it plummeted from the sky to the ground below.
Witnessing the scene, Tylers watched the blue figure fall, shaking his head.
After composing himself, he took the Ice Mouse pup from Rhett's hand.
Unaware of what had just happened, the pup remained in a deep sleep, sniffing Tylers’ extended finger as it familiarized itself with his scent.
Another day and night passed.
Rhett and Tylers sat on Firebird’s back, gazing down at the golden slopes below, forming a winding golden line. Occasionally, wild geese flew over the Dark-Patterned Eagle Range, but upon noticing Firebird's silhouette, they scattered in fear.
Chirp, chirp, chirp, chirp.
The noisy cries of the geese filled the air as an autumn breeze swept by, prompting Rhett to sigh,
"We’re finally home."
Tylers also beamed with joy,
"Father, let’s hurry back to the manor! I want to show the Ice Mouse to Mina!"
Rhett chuckled softly, patting Firebird’s neck,
"Let’s descend, Firebird."
Chirp!
Chirp!
Firebird chirped once, but soon after, a strange, sharp cry echoed from the distant forest.
Chirp? Firebird curiously glanced to the side. The sound seemed to come from its companion, Moge.
Rhett also glanced over, his eyes filled with surprise.
Amidst the golden leaves, Moge’s black feathers stood out. Its small, vengeful eyes were fixed on the large white tiger below, a clear memory of childhood bullying resurfacing in its mind. The tiger had often tormented it when it was still weak, leaving scars on its young heart.
So, today, when both of them were playing in the Dark-Patterned Eagle Range and met by chance, a fight seemed inevitable.
Even though the white tiger had been following Rylai’s orders back then, the pride of a magical beast wouldn’t allow it to submit or show fear!
Facing the dark eagle blocking its path and constantly provoking it, Bai Ge bared its fangs, growling low and building up its momentum.
Suddenly.
Roar!
A fierce roar erupted as Bai Ge made its move!
It leaped onto a sturdy tree nearby, using the branches as leverage to spring into the air, soaring over ten meters high.
It became a white flash of lightning, pouncing directly at Moge.
Chirp!
Moge was momentarily disoriented. As a Wind-Patterned Tiger, Bai Ge’s speed was much faster. Facing the fierce tiger, Moge suddenly opened its beak, spitting out a corrosive acid.
The air filled with the acrid smell of corrosion.
Bai Ge twisted its body, narrowly dodging the acid, but its claws missed as Moge swooped down just in time.
As Bai Ge landed, it noticed the ground sizzling where the acid had hit, a small crater forming. It blinked its large eyes and looked back at Moge with newfound caution.
That creature was no longer the little eagle it could bully...
Chirp! Moge, realizing that its opponent was struggling to deal with it, let out a triumphant cry.
Bai Ge, unwilling to accept defeat, ignited with anger and once again launched itself into the air.
"Enough!"
Rhett’s voice rang out calmly as Firebird sped toward the scene.
As the two magical beasts were about to clash again, Rhett summoned two stones, controlling them with just the right amount of force, and struck Bai Ge on the head and Moge on the belly.
Roar! Chirp!
Two cries of pain echoed simultaneously. Moge glanced at Rhett in fear before flapping its wings frantically and fleeing in a panic.
Bai Ge also shot a wary glance at Rhett before quickly retreating.
Meanwhile, Firebird, who had just arrived, watched Bai Ge’s retreating figure with wide eyes, a gleam of battle readiness in its gaze!
It wanted to teach that white tiger a lesson!
It hadn’t forgotten how it, too, had been bullied by that white tiger when it was young.
Chirp!
It wanted revenge!
Turning its head, Firebird let out a soft chirp, conveying its desire to Rhett.
Cough, cough. Rhett looked away, stroking Firebird’s head. "Let it go for now. I’ve already taught it a lesson for you this time. We’ll let it off the hook this once..."
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