Chapter 191: Let’s Run, Fox (VII)

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Chapter 191: Let’s Run, Fox (VII)

After the coming-of-age ceremony, Mutu’s prestige within the tribe rose noticeably, and the lions treated him with even greater respect. Shang Ke, too, was gradually accepted by most of the tribe thanks to the Lion King’s obvious favor. He no longer had to rise before dawn and work himself to exhaustion; Mutu now decided how his time was spent.

As Lion King, Mutu no longer needed to hunt every day. His primary duty was to guard the settlement and protect his people. But he was not the sort of man to sit back and enjoy an easy life. In his view, only battle could make a person grow quickly and become truly strong.

Ever since using the mule oxen to drive off the Avani, Mutu had become fascinated by riding. He immediately recognized it as a new and potentially devastating way to fight, so he decided to see whether he could tame a group of mule oxen and form a mounted combat unit.

The Avani had massacred his people and invaded his territory. Mutu had no intention of letting that go unanswered. But the cold season was approaching, and everyone was busy stockpiling food. For the moment, they simply did not have the time or manpower for revenge.

The cold season on Kaloch Mountain was unnaturally dangerous. Low temperatures and food shortages were only secondary concerns; the true terror was the Deathfrost Vortex. These small, wandering whirlwinds appeared and vanished without warning. Anything they touched froze solid in an instant. No matter how powerful a creature might be, it was helpless before one. There was only one way to survive: run.

For that reason, few creatures on Kaloch Mountain ventured outside during the cold season—especially during the final month, when the Deathfrost Vortices were most active.

Although lion beastfolk preferred meat, they would eat plants as well when food was scarce.

To help them survive the cold season, Shang Ke cleared several small plots beside his house and transplanted edible wild vegetables, fruit-bearing plants, and medicinal herbs. He had seen no cultivated fields around the settlement, which made it obvious that the lions knew little about farming.

When Shang Ke studied cultivation and planting in the Hundred Training Space, his first lesson had been learning to identify common plants from different worlds. That alone had taken an enormous amount of time. Even a single “skill” could require knowledge spanning countless environments and ecosystems, which was why his training often lasted years within the accelerated space.

“Fox, stop fussing with your plants and come with me. I found another herd of mule oxen.” Mutu stood outside the fence brimming with energy as he called to Shang Ke.

Shang Ke quickly tidied up, grabbed his weapon, and followed him.

For more than ten days, Mutu had been trying to tame mule oxen, with little success. A lion’s scent naturally frightened them, and no combination of force or coaxing had made any of the animals truly obedient.

Shang Ke did have an idea, but he was not sure it would work, so he kept it to himself for the time being.

Once they reached the herd, Mutu expertly cast a rope around one mule ox and began another round of man-versus-beast combat.

Shang Ke sat on a treetop, enjoying the “heroic sight” of a certain man being tossed around while keeping watch over the surroundings.

His gaze caught on a damaged trap nearby, with a jumble of hoofprints scattered around it.

Shang Ke dropped from the tree and approached the pit. Looking down, he found a young mule ox trapped inside, craning its head upward and crying in panic.

Shang Ke untied the rope from his waist, secured one end around a tree trunk, then climbed down and fastened the other end around the calf.

He hefted the calf experimentally. It weighed well over fifty kilograms—far too much for him to haul up alone. He was just about to call Mutu over when the man appeared above the pit on his own.

Without needing an explanation, Mutu seized the rope. His muscles bunched as he hauled both the calf and Shang Ke out of the pit.

Before Shang Ke could even steady himself, Mutu swept him up and kissed him hard. Then, with complete satisfaction, he announced, “We’re having roast calf today.”

Shang Ke: “…”

In the end, Shang Ke did not roast the calf. He decided to take it back and raise it instead.

“Mm. We could catch a few more calves and pen them up. Then we’d have fresh meat during the cold season.” Mutu immediately took the idea a step further. Raising livestock, however, was not so simple. A handful of animals was manageable; dozens or hundreds would require enormous quantities of feed, and once the cold season arrived no one would dare go out to gather fodder. Shang Ke’s vegetable plots were nowhere near productive enough to spare food for livestock.

Mutu apparently reached the same conclusion and shook his head. “We’ll think about that after the cold season.”

The two ate a simple meal of dried meat, after which Mutu prepared to resume his battle with the mule oxen.

Shang Ke lay on his side in the grass, watching Mutu enthusiastically wrestle another mule ox while silently mocking him. Every time Mutu finished tormenting one, he dragged it home and turned it into reserve meat. With that crude “obey me or I’ll eat you down to the bones” approach, he would never tame a mule ox in his life.

Shang Ke got to his feet and decided to look around nearby for new plants suitable for cultivation.

Mutu heard Shang Ke move and glanced over. The fox was strolling toward the trees, his huge tail swaying lazily behind him, and Mutu’s gaze followed it without conscious thought.

Just as Shang Ke was about to disappear into the trees, Mutu abandoned the bull and rushed over like a whirlwind. He tackled Shang Ke into the grass, yanked down his trousers, spread his legs, and drove his cock straight inside.

Shang Ke gave a muffled cry at the completely unprepared penetration, irritation flaring through him. His tail immediately began smacking Mutu’s chest in wordless protest.

The moment Mutu realized Shang Ke was hurting, he slowed down and patiently stroked and worked his body until he relaxed. A short while later, he braced Shang Ke against a tree, gripped his waist, and pressed heavily into him again…

By the time the two returned to the settlement, the sun was already setting.

Mutu returned bare-chested, fresh scratch marks crisscrossing the hard muscles of his torso.

Shang Ke wore Mutu’s hide tunic, which hung loosely on his slimmer frame and made him look even more petite.

The nearby beastfolk took one look at them and immediately exchanged knowing smiles. These people were veterans of sex in the wild; the marks on their bodies and the condition of their clothing made the intensity of the “battle” obvious. Considering Mutu’s legendary stamina, the fact that Shang Ke could still walk under his own power was impressive enough.

The two brought back a pair of mule oxen. The adult became reserve meat, while the calf was entrusted to Shang Ke to raise.

Mutu had assumed Shang Ke was simply fattening the calf up for the cold season. Instead, the fox lavished astonishing care on it—feeding it well every day, bathing it, massaging it, and even sleeping beside it!

That mule ox was ugly, coarse-haired, and cowardly. What made it worthy of so much attention? Mutu himself—the chief of the entire tribe—had never enjoyed treatment like that!

Mutu was outraged.

That night, Mutu returned to their room, stripped completely naked, and emphatically demanded that Shang Ke bathe him, massage him, and sleep with him too!

Shang Ke calmly admired his physique for a moment, then nodded.

Mutu broke into a satisfied grin. He watched Shang Ke fill the stone-lined bathing pool with warm water, test the temperature, and beckon him over.

Mutu immediately bounded over and jumped into the pool with a tremendous splash. When he turned around, however, Shang Ke was already walking out of the room.

“Fox! I still need a massage!” Mutu hurriedly shouted after him.

There was no answer from outside. A moment later, however, Shang Ke returned leading the little mule ox.

Mutu stared. “Why did you bring it in here?”

Shang Ke smiled at him, then led the trembling calf into the pool.

Mutu could scarcely believe it. His fox actually expected him to share a bath with this mule ox! Where was the dignity of the Lion King?!

Under Mutu’s glare, the calf’s fur stood on end. It shrank fearfully into the far side of the pool and kept bleating toward Shang Ke.

Shang Ke sat at the edge and let the calf rest its head on his lap, gently stroking its back until it calmed down.

Before long, the calf relaxed. Still pillowed on Shang Ke’s leg, it rolled its dark eyes toward the terrifying giant sharing the pool with it and stole nervous glances.

Seeing that the calf had occupied the fox’s leg that rightfully belonged to him, Mutu swam over in a huff, rudely shoved it aside, and planted his own head in its place.

The calf was annoyed but did not dare challenge Mutu. It could only slink around to Shang Ke’s other side and cling to his other leg.

Looking at the two heads occupying his lap, Shang Ke nearly laughed.

“Fox. Massage.” Mutu demanded gruffly.

Shang Ke could not massage him properly from where he was sitting, so he slid into the pool as well, motioned for Mutu to lean against the edge, and began kneading his shoulders and back.

Mutu closed his eyes and let out a satisfied purr. His taut muscles gradually loosened, and even his unruly golden hair seemed to relax with him.

The calf had been pressed nervously against Shang Ke, but after watching Mutu melt under the fox’s attention, it gradually stopped being so afraid. After observing for a while, it cautiously swam over, copied Mutu by resting its chin on the pool’s edge, and waited for Shang Ke to “favor” it too.

Shang Ke’s massage soon made Mutu drowsy. Just as he was about to fall asleep, the hands on his body suddenly disappeared.

Mutu cracked one eye open and glanced lazily to the side—only to discover that the fox who had just been massaging him had gone back to pampering that calf!

Mutu let out a threatening growl. The calf’s fur shot upright, and it darted behind Shang Ke with a splash.

Shang Ke gave Mutu a displeased look.

Mutu was furious. His fox was actually glaring at him over that ugly mule ox!

He angrily dragged Shang Ke over, bent him over a flat stone ledge, and began a fierce round of “punishment.”

The calf continued to soak in the pool with only his large eyes visible. He watched the two mating individuals and silently blew his bubbles.

This round of “punishment” lasted until the next morning. Shang Ke learned absolutely nothing from it and continued bringing the calf to bathe with Mutu whenever he felt like it.

After protesting several times, Mutu finally gave up. Once the fox became stubborn, even the Lion King could only surrender.

At the time, Mutu had no idea why Shang Ke treated one little mule ox so well—well enough to make him jealous. It was only after the cold season, when he gained his first mount that obeyed him as naturally as his own limbs, that he finally understood Shang Ke’s intention…

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