Chapter 42: You Are Not Worthy Yet

Chapter 42: Chapter 42: You Are Not Worthy Yet

What could a commoner sub-female do but obediently hand over the recipe to save her own life and the lives of her friends?

In the Beastman World, the cruel law of the jungle was a truth everyone understood deep down.

...

Meanwhile, the City Guard Team had already taken Mao Qiu and the two other sub-females to the dungeon.

Niu Dou had thought it was a simple matter of finding a sub-female. He had waited so long for that delicious food, only to receive a report from the City Guard Team: "Little City Lord, we’ve searched all over Thirteen Seats, but we can’t find her."

"Have you searched her home?" Niu Dou asked. He was holding a piece of meat wrapped in green leaves, but after tasting the pickled cabbage stew, the more he chewed, the more flavorless it seemed.

"We searched, but she wasn’t there." Fearing punishment, the City Guard Team Beastman quickly added, "We brought her helpers here. We’ll be sure to force her whereabouts out of them."

Before Niu Dou could get angry, Yang Junran volunteered from the side, "Don’t get angry. I’ll go take a look myself. I guarantee you’ll be eating the delicacy you want in no time."

Niu Dou ended the call, his eyes dark. "Find her, and fast. I don’t believe a mere sub-female can hide anywhere."

The City Guard Team occupied the entirety of Building Thirty-Six in the North District, near the city gate. The dungeon where they kept Beastmen was on the second sublevel.

Behind the rust-colored gate was a series of filthy cells. The sunless underground and the characteristic stench of rot from a place steeped in years of bloodshed could instill fear even in a night-vision Beastman accustomed to the dark.

Yang Junran strolled in, his hands clasped behind his back. The four guards at the dim entrance to the dungeon immediately saluted, raising their right hands to their foreheads and bowing their heads. They then pulled open the iron-barred gate.

Mao Qiu and the two other sub-females were suspended in midair by their wrists, their bodies hanging limply with their feet dangling above the floor. Their heads were slumped against their chests, and they trembled at the sound of approaching footsteps.

Yang Junran looked up, his rectangular pupils filled with predatory confidence. "Where is that sub-female, Feng Si?"

"I... I really don’t know..." Mao Qiu said fearfully. "We only helped her collect the food. She told us to leave it at her door after we got it."

Yang Junran was not satisfied with this answer. His face darkened. From the wall covered in torture implements, he selected a pitch-black iron whip. With a flick of his wrist, he lashed it across Mao Qiu’s body, producing a heavy, sickening THWACK.

"AHHH—"

Following her scream, a long, bloody welt appeared across Mao Qiu’s chest. Her clean clothes tore, and blood seeped through, dripping to the ground and staining the ochre-colored dirt a dark red.

"Bunch of idiots," Yang Junran muttered.

He tossed the whip aside, too disdainful to speak to such a sub-female, considering it beneath him. He turned and ordered a Beastman standing behind him, "Take her communicator and find Feng Si’s contact number."

The man complied, stepping forward and roughly snatching the communicator from Mao Qiu’s wrist. He found a contact labeled "Stall Owner" and dialed it. Then, with a fawning gesture, he presented the device to Yang Junran with both hands.

"DING—"

In the splendidly lit, luxurious hall, a piercing ringtone sounded again, just after Feng Si had finished comforting the little cat and ended her call. This time, the display showed it was Mao Qiu.

Feng Si’s heart hammered in her chest, but her expression remained as calm as ever. Under the watchful eyes of all the other sub-females, she accepted the call and spoke in an icy tone:

"You’re just after my recipe. Capturing them is pointless. Let them go."

"Heh—" A deep, male chuckle came from the other end.

Yang Junran had been impatient, but now that he had found the sub-female, hearing the urgency in her voice filled him with a sense of malicious glee.

’Fucking hell. You dare make our boss wait this long and think we’ll just let you and your friends off the hook so easily?’

’In your dreams, you ugly sub-female.’

The towering Yang Junran turned and walked out of the dungeon. He patted his clothes, brushing away non-existent dust, his expression dripping with contempt:

"Do you know who’s looking for you?"

Without waiting for a reply from the sub-female on the other end, he snorted. "It’s the Little City Lord! Niu Dou is the sole Beastman heir to the City Lord of Nantong City. The lands, the forests, the cities of the Southern Copper Mountain Range... he is the master here."

The surrounding sub-females gasped, their eyes filled with shock.

’Niu Dou... He isn’t just the Little City Lord of Nantong City; he’s also a captain in the Second Legion of the South Desolate Empire!’

’It’s over. This sub-female has offended him. She’s really and truly finished.’

Feng Si clenched her fists, struggling to maintain her calm expression, her tone cold. "What do you want?"

"For Lord Niu Dou to take an interest in your food is an honor. Present it to him obediently. If Lord Niu Dou is pleased, he’ll naturally spare your life and the lives of your friends. Otherwise, you’re all dead," Yang Junran threatened.

Feng Si’s eyes grew dark, her voice firm. "I will go to the City Lord Mansion."

"See? It would have been better if you’d been this reasonable from the start. You’ve wasted my time. I’ll give you one hour. If you’re late, I’ll kill one of your helpers." Yang Junran’s voice was thick with wicked glee.

"You’re nothing but an animal kept on Niu Dou’s leash. You’re not fit to make decisions for him." Feng Si looked at the brawny man on the screen and sneered. "You had better release my helpers, or you’ll be the one to suffer the consequences."

Yang Junran scoffed. ’Who does this sub-female think she is, acting so high and mighty?’ He was deeply displeased and secretly decided that even after Feng Si handed over the recipe, he wouldn’t let any of them off the hook so easily.

The hearts of the sub-females on the sofa hammered in their chests. Their pupils constricted and their faces flushed. ’Don’t talk to an Intermediate-rank male beast from the military like that! It’s terrifying! Someone’s going to die!’ 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

Just as expected, Yang Junran had nothing but contempt for sub-females. He was about to open his mouth to taunt and intimidate her.

CLICK.

The light screen went black.

The image of the sub-female on the other end was gone.

Yang Junran froze.

Then, understanding dawned, and his pupils blazed with fury.

’She... hung... up... on me!’

He crushed the wristband in a fit of rage, throwing the shattered pieces to the ground. The murderous glint in his eyes was impossible to conceal. He would go wait with the Little City Lord and watch how that brazen sub-female would grovel and beg for mercy.

After ending the call, Feng Si’s gaze fell upon the female seated in the center of the sofa. Generally, a close, younger female relative of the Lady of the City was entitled to come and go from the City Lord Mansion as she pleased. Mao Yang’s position was unique.

’But how can I convince her to take me into the City Lord Mansion...’

Feng Si’s thoughts were interrupted by an anxious voice beside her. Bai Yi took her hand, her own brow deeply furrowed:

"Feng Si, you have the worst luck. You ran into the ill-tempered Little City Lord, who just got back from the front lines. There’s no one who can help you now. You have no choice but to hand over the recipe."

Mao Yang nodded in agreement. "My cousin wasn’t like this before. After going to the battlefield, he became unreasonable. He lets his fists do the talking now, and he’s become even more domineering."

The others also felt it was a great pity for Feng Si’s sake. Her cooking was delicious, after all. If the recipe was given to the Little City Lord, they might never get to eat it again.

Feng Si folded her arms, her slender fingertips tapping lightly against her bicep. Then, a calm, detached smile graced her lips.