Rebirth with the Beast_6

Chapter 43 continued….

“C-Can I have a little more to eat?” Tang Yu stared at the orc, lost in thought, before he couldn’t help but ask.

Hearing the omega’s voice, Jares snapped back to reality and handed him the entire leg of the beast. Tang Yu immediately beamed with joy, hugging the beast leg to his chest—yes, with both arms. As the orc’s friendly attitude put him at ease, Tang Yu’s initial wariness gradually faded.

Jares watched the strange omega before him, who seemed ready to pin down the beast leg and tear into it with terrifying enthusiasm. He quickly looked away, unable to bear watching any longer. He feared that if he kept looking, his perception of omegas would be completely overturned, leaving a lasting shadow in his mind. Seeing this omega, Jares inexplicably thought of Su Yi, who had faced the ominous orcs with cold indifference. There was something oddly similar about the two.

It wasn’t until Tang Yu’s belly was round and full, and he truly couldn’t eat another bite, that he remembered to greet the orc beside him.

When Tang Yu finally looked up, he realized just how exceptional this orc’s genes were.

Earlier, he had been too tense to really take in the orc’s appearance. Now that he was full, he could see clearly: the orc had long, black, slightly wavy hair, thick and silky as satin. What surprised Tang Yu even more were the orc’s eyes—pure, deep black, without a single fleck of impurity.

The orc had the face of a mixed-race beauty, with slightly arched brows and upturned eyes that held a hint of mischievous, half-smiling wickedness. Tang Yu met his gaze for a moment before uncomfortably looking away. He wasn’t sure if it was his imagination, but he felt as though the orc’s eyes could see right through him. Tang Yu disliked the feeling of being controlled.

“Hello, thank you for the food. I’m Tang Yu,” he said politely, introducing himself despite his discomfort.

Jares heard his words, and a faint, almost imperceptible smile flashed in his eyes. “Mm, I’m Jares.”

The fleeting smile in Jares’ eyes left Tang Yu momentarily dazed. Cold beauties really are different when they smile, he thought.

“You’re a dragon, right? I saw your beast form earlier—it was incredibly handsome.”

Jares nodded. “Thank you. You’re quite adorable yourself.”

Tang Yu’s mouth twitched slightly at Jares’ words. He knew exactly what he looked like right now. What kind of eyes did Jares have, to call this face “adorable”? Maybe the dragons here had a unique sense of aesthetics.

The two chatted for a while. Though most of the conversation was Tang Yu talking to himself, with Jares only occasionally nodding or humming in agreement, this was the first person Tang Yu had been able to talk to in a long time. He couldn’t help but want to confide in Jares about his misfortunes.

Jares had come to the salt lake to gather salt, and Tang Yu eagerly volunteered to guide him. The salt lake wasn’t far, and they could have reached it in no time. But Tang Yu, having seen Jares’ beast form, insisted on seeing it again. An omega asking to see an orc’s beast form was already a sign of favor. When Tang Yu even asked to ride on Jares’ back, it made the emotionally slow Jares glance at him a few more times.

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Chapter 44

Jares was different from other ominous orcs. He had encountered omegas before—omegas who, drawn by the dragon race’s powerful advantages, were willing to overlook his status and reluctantly be with him.

These omegas were usually attracted by his powerful beast form or the prospect of bearing strong, healthy orc children.

But even they couldn’t hide their fear of him, whether it was fear of the dragon race or fear of ominous orcs. Jares found that disgusting.

If they’re so afraid, why pretend to fawn over me? he thought.

Tang Yu, however, was different. At first, he had been wary of Jares, but once he was sure there was no danger, his eyes filled only with excitement and curiosity at seeing a dragon.

Though Tang Yu had been reborn, his mindset hadn’t been influenced by Xi Ruo’s memories. All he could think about was how cool it would be to ride a giant dragon through the sky. He didn’t notice the hidden emotions flickering in Jares’ eyes.

Jares lifted Tang Yu onto his back and, without warning, transformed. The brief moment of change startled Tang Yu. He watched as Jares’ sturdy body suddenly hardened, black, armor-like scales spreading across his skin, his form rapidly expanding as massive wings unfolded from his back. Before Tang Yu could even process what was happening, the air trembled, and the sound of wings beating filled his ears.

Tang Yu quickly wrapped his arms around Jares’ neck, but Jares was so enormous that even with both arms, Tang Yu couldn’t fully encircle his neck. When Jares took to the sky, Tang Yu couldn’t help but cry out in surprise.

Jares thought Tang Yu was scared and slowed down, ready to offer some comfort—after all, he was still an omega. But then he heard Tang Yu shout, “Haha, Jares, fly higher!”

There wasn’t a trace of fear in Tang Yu’s voice, only unbridled excitement.

Jares shook his head and let out a snort. Suddenly, he flapped his wings and shot straight up. The sensation of breaking through the clouds made Tang Yu want to shout, but before he could open his mouth, the rushing wind stung his cheeks, and he obediently closed it.

Tang Yu was a thrill-seeker. Back in his old life, he had often played dangerous games, and his family had indulged him with affectionate tolerance. He had always followed his brother around like a shadow. But that brother, who had spoiled him endlessly, had ultimately pushed him away in a moment of danger.

Even now, Tang Yu couldn’t let go of that betrayal.

His earlier excitement faded as he thought about the dangers he had faced since arriving in this primitive forest—living meal to meal, constantly on guard against wild beasts. The nostalgia made his nose sting, and he nearly cried.

Tang Yu had grown up in a mafia family. Though he seemed carefree, how could he truly be naive after living in such an environment? His brother’s betrayal had cost him his life.

Now that he had a second chance, he vowed to do everything in his power to protect himself and cherish this new life.

Later, when they reached the salt lake, Tang Yu eagerly offered to help Jares gather salt. He then casually suggested that Jares take him back.

Jares looked at him. “I’m an ominous orc. If I take you back, it will cause you a lot of trouble.”

Tang Yu had already guessed Jares was an ominous orc, so when Jares admitted it, he didn’t react strongly.

Ominous orcs were those whose beast and human forms differed from ordinary orcs. They were believed to be abandoned by the Beast God, bringing misfortune to their tribes and families.

On this continent, the legend of ominous orcs had been deeply ingrained in the minds of the natives since ancient times, much like the belief in ghosts and gods in the old world. Such beliefs weren’t formed overnight but had taken root over generations.

However, being an ominous orc didn’t mean every ominous orc was evil. Just like people with fierce appearances weren’t necessarily bad, and those who were strikingly beautiful could be terrifyingly cruel.

“You’re completely different from the other ominous orcs I’ve met,” Tang Yu said, and Jares keenly caught the implication in his words.

“You’ve met others?” Jares asked.

Tang Yu recounted in detail his previous encounter with an ominous orc. Jares rarely showed surprise, but this time, his expression flickered with it. So this was why the omega had been wandering alone in the wilderness. Before meeting Jares, Tang Yu must have lived a harsh, difficult life.

“After the first rain of the rainy season, there will be a few days of clear weather. I’ll take the salt back first, then take you home afterward.”

Jares rarely spoke so much at once. Tang Yu realized that if Jares took him back to the Winged Wolf Tribe with the salt, they might run out of time, and the salt could get wet in the rain. Jares’ plan was undoubtedly the best option.

Reluctantly, Tang Yu agreed.

Jares gathered two bags of salt and secured them tightly with vines. The two of them took out the roasted meat from earlier and ate it as their dinner.

To ensure the salt was delivered before the next rain, Jares carried Tang Yu and the salt bags and hurried back.

Riding the dragon again, Tang Yu was just as excited as the first time. If they weren’t in a hurry, he would have asked Jares to take him for a spin around the area.

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Chapter 45

While Jares was taking Tang Yu back, something happened in the valley.

Before dawn, Su Yi was woken by the noise coming from nearby. Xinor, seeing him awake, patted Su Yi’s back, signaling him to go back to sleep. Su Yi, still half-asleep and irritable, scratched his head and burrowed deeper under the beast hide blanket. Xinor quietly got out of bed and began dressing. After Xinor left, Su Yi tried to go back to sleep, but the noise only grew louder. Annoyed, he sat up abruptly, put on his clothes, and walked outside in a foul mood.

The sky was still dark, and the air was thick with mist, likely due to the rainy season, carrying the damp, earthy scent of wet soil.

The commotion was coming from Dirsen’s house not far away. From a distance, Su Yi recognized a few familiar figures. As he approached, he realized it was Aide and the others from the Winged Leopard Tribe. When Su Yi walked over, Aide and his group noticed him as well.

“Never expected to see you here,” Aide said, his emerald-green eyes fixed on Su Yi. His tall, imposing figure bore several wounds. Teg, who always followed Aide, also saw Su Yi and seemed to recall their previous unpleasant encounter, his expression turning awkward.

Su Yi frowned slightly. He hadn’t expected to run into them again and gave them a surprised glance before walking over to Xinor and asking, “What’s going on?”

No matter how he looked at it, he didn’t think they were here for a friendly visit.

“It seems they ran into a beast herd and ended up here by accident.”

Su Yi remembered that the Winged Leopard Tribe was more than ten days’ journey away. They wouldn’t have come all this way just to hunt. For them to suddenly appear here and conveniently run into a beast herd? Su Yi found it hard to believe, but the wounds on their bodies told a different story.

The wounds on their bodies made it clear they had indeed been through a fierce battle.

“We stumbled in here by accident,” Aide explained, trying to ease the tension as he noticed Su Yi’s unfriendly expression. “This place is a natural fortress. The cliffs surrounding the valley are steep—most wild beasts can’t climb them. There’s also a large river inside, and with no massive trees blocking the sunlight, the lighting is excellent.”

Before he could finish, Dirsen cut in angrily, “This is our home, so you’d better not have any funny ideas.”

Aide’s emerald-green eyes flickered, and he quickly clarified, “I mean no harm. We have our own tribe. Even though your houses and valley are beautiful, we’re a large tribe—we wouldn’t abandon the place we grew up in for this.”

Dirsen scoffed, “Good.”

Su Yi shot Dirsen a glare. “Why do you always end up in the middle of everything?”

Dirsen hesitated, recalling the incident with the ominous orc, and looked slightly embarrassed. He didn’t want to run into these situations either, but waking up to find several orcs standing outside his home had startled him.

“Su Yi!” Mino, who had been hiding in his own yard, pushed open the door and cautiously stepped out when he spotted Su Yi.

Su Yi glanced at Mino’s timid, bride-like demeanor and beckoned him over. Mino immediately rushed to Su Yi’s side, clutching his arm. “Su Yi, what do we do? Will our valley attract other orcs? Will we be driven out?” Mino’s eyes flashed with panic. Life in the valley was improving, and he didn’t want to be forced to leave.

Su Yi patted Mino’s hand and turned his cold gaze toward Aide. “Since you’ve taken refuge here, and the danger has passed, shouldn’t you be leaving now?”

The orcs from the Winged Leopard Tribe, upon seeing another omega, began whispering among themselves. Hearing Su Yi’s words, they all looked up at him in unison. There were six of them in total, four of whom had met Su Yi before. They knew he was an omega who had chosen an ominous orc and had witnessed his ruthlessness firsthand. They didn’t dare entertain any improper thoughts about him. But now, another omega had appeared—one who clearly lived with Dirsen, the owner of this house.

They couldn’t comprehend why any sane omega would choose an ominous orc.

One of them spoke up, “Building a tribe without the Beast God’s permission is forbidden.”

Before he could finish, Teg shot him a sharp glare.

Su Yi put on a thoughtful expression and asked seriously, “Is your tribe specially approved by the Beast God?”

The orc didn’t understand why Teg was glaring at him, but he replied, “Of course. Our tribe has existed for thousands of years. We have a priest—only with a priest can a tribe be established.”

Su Yi pressed further, “What proof do you have that the Beast God allowed your tribe to be built? Did the priest say so? Does the priest have evidence? Or did someone in your tribe overhear the priest speaking with the Beast God?”

Su Yi was never one to back down. He wasn’t about to let them intimidate him, especially not in front of these so-called “natives.” He didn’t think his verbal skills were any worse than theirs.

The orc clearly hadn’t expected an omega to fire so many questions at him. He was caught off guard, momentarily stunned.

Su Yi was about to unleash his usual interrogative intensity when he felt Xinor tug at his hand. He sighed inwardly and swallowed back all the words he’d been about to say.