Volume 3, Chapter 6 – Yeluo

The Stronghold.

As one of the Eight Great Factions, the dominant race of the Stronghold was the Beastmen, green-skinned, tall, muscular warriors whose prowess in close combat ranked among the best of all factions.

Though they were called Beastmen, the name was somewhat misleading. While they possessed beast-like fangs, they were fundamentally different from humans despite both races sharing similar physical structures. In terms of aesthetics and worldview, the Beastmen of the Stronghold and the humans of the Kingdom were completely unlike each other.

Humans excelled at uniting and cooperating, amplifying their collective strength through teamwork. Beastmen, on the other hand, were far stronger as individuals, but generally inferior in intellect.

However, while the Beastmen were the main population of the Stronghold, there was another race that coexisted with them.

This other race had an appearance vastly different from the Beastmen yet surprisingly similar to humans. They also bore beastly features such as ears and tails.

These were the Half-beasts.

Though the number of Half-beasts was far smaller than that of the Beastmen, their status within the Stronghold was extremely low and awkward. Even so, the Half-beasts played an indispensable role in the Stronghold’s survival.

The reason was because the Beastmen were a battle-loving race with volatile tempers and generally low intelligence. They had no talent for developing their tribes. Most importantly, they didn’t know how to herd livestock or cultivate crops. And so, the Half-beasts, who were far more similar to humans, naturally became responsible for providing food to the entire Stronghold and handling the kinds of work the Beastmen refused to do.

Although the Beastmen offered them protection, the position of the Half-beasts in the Stronghold remained humiliatingly low. Because they resembled humans so closely, no matter how beautiful a Half-beast looked, in the eyes of the Beastmen, they were unbearably ugly.

Rеаⅾ on KαtRеαԁіոɡСаfе

Ironically, in the Kingdom Faction, beautiful female Half-beasts with animal ears and tails were highly sought after.

At the same time, because of their low status, the Beastmen, despite offering them shelter, were perfectly willing to sell Half-beasts to human nobles and merchants who offered large amounts of food in exchange for ownership rights. Most Beastmen saw no issue with this, and even the few who disapproved merely watched in silence.

This was the cruel result of the Half-beasts’ lowly status.

But… It was precisely because of that low status that, during the recent war against the Graveyard’s undead, so many Half-beasts chose to leave the Stronghold and join Tianyin’s Eden City.

……

At that very moment, in the heart of the Stronghold stood its central city, Windwalker City.

Inside its simple palace complex, a petite and delicate girl with beautiful features and long black hair that framed a pair of twitching cat ears was being led forward by two towering Beastman guards.

They soon arrived before a massive palace hall. Inside, two rows of large, green-skinned Beastmen stood lined up on either side. At the center of the hall sat an elderly Beastman wearing a crown, seated upon a throne.

As the cat-eared girl entered, every Beastman in the hall turned their eyes toward her. When they realized the one stepping into their sacred council hall was a Half-beast, the looks in their eyes turned openly hostile.

Rеαd оn КatRеαdіոgCafe

“A Half-beast… How dare they bring a Half-beast into our sacred council hall! What reckless behavior!”

Clearly, none of them were pleased that a Half-beast had been allowed into the Stronghold’s most central chamber.

“Guards! Guards! Drive that Half-beast out!”

“A lowly Half-beast dares to trespass into the royal hall! Why was she even allowed inside?”

“Get out, Half-beast!”

Some even began shouting insults outright.

The elderly Beastman on the throne neither stopped nor approved their outburst, while the cat-eared girl being berated kept her head down, biting her lip tightly.

“Enough!”

After a few minutes, the Beastman King’s calm yet commanding voice finally cut through the noise, silencing the hall.

Rеаd оn ΚαtReadіոɡСаfe

“I summoned this Half-beast here myself. I understand your dissatisfaction, but she is the newly appointed chieftain of the Half-beast tribe. Show at least some respect. Understood?”

“The chieftain of the Half-beasts? Wait… wasn’t their leader that Half-beast named Ye? Why is it a girl now?”

One of the Beastmen who recognized the previous Half-beast leader spoke up in confusion.

Just as the king was about to answer, the cat-eared girl suddenly raised her head.

“During the undead attack, my father sacrificed himself to protect our people as they fled. Since he gave his life for our tribe, as his daughter, is there anything wrong with me inheriting his position as chieftain of the Half-beasts?”

“You? A girl? Was your father really so lacking in heirs that only you could take his place?”

Not only did the Beastmen show no sympathy toward a Half-beast who had just lost her father, they even questioned her with contemptuous tones and skeptical glares.

“That’s none of your concern. And besides, I believe I can lead the Half-beast tribe well enough!”

The girl lifted her head and met their eyes defiantly, her voice firm and unwavering.

Reаd oո KatReαdіngСαfе

“A mere Half-beast, daring to speak such arrogant words in this hall?! My king, I propose we immediately strip her of the Half-beast chieftain’s title!”

One of the Beastmen stepped forward, voicing his demand directly to the throne.

“Let’s not act rashly,” the elder Beastman replied calmly. “The Graveyard issue has yet to be resolved, and the Half-beasts have only just lost their leader. Replacing their chieftain now would not benefit the stability of our Stronghold.”

His reasoning was sound enough that the protest died down.

“Besides,” he continued, “the reason I summoned the current chieftain of the Half-beasts here today is because I have something important to ask.”

At those words, the cat-eared girl lowered her head deeply.

“If I remember correctly, your name is Yeluo… is that right? Then, Yeluo, tell me, why has the Half-beast population within the Stronghold mysteriously decreased by one hundred thousand in such a short time?”