Chapter 84: Mao Yue’s Demise

Chapter 84: Mao Yue's Demise

Some beastmen felt the chieftain's actions were improper. If it were merely male beastmen and Lesser Females from the Sand Cat Tribe, killing them would be inconsequential. But now, their chieftain intended to execute a female! Given the scarcity of females on the Beast World Continent, if word got out, wouldn't the Iridescent Snake Tribe become the common enemy of all beastmen tribes? This was unthinkable! How would they be any different from true rogues?

However, upon seeing the cold, stern gaze of Bikui, the priest's apprentice, they all lowered their heads, daring not to speak. Every beastman in the Iridescent Snake Tribe knew Bikui was their next priest. Unless the matter was so severe that they found it intolerable, none wished to offend him. Since Bikui supported the chieftain's decision, there must be a valid reason for it!

As Mao Yue was dragged from the cave, on the verge of being strangled, her eyes glazed over with terror. A stream of yellowish liquid seeped from beneath her animal-hide skirt, carrying a pungent odor of urine. Ban Shao, tasked with her execution, instantly darkened his face in disgust. He swiftly released his snake tail, flinging her away, then slithered aside, whipping his tail repeatedly through the sand, attempting to dislodge the urine.

Mao Yue coughed violently on the ground, feeling as though her bones were about to shatter. Was this truly her end? Was she to meet the Beast God? She didn't want to die! Someone, save her! Who could save her?

Just then, a familiar male scent reached her nostrils. She looked up to see Brownchain, that spineless snake beastman! Earlier in the cave, a mere glare from the Iridescent Snake Tribe's priest apprentice had silenced him, preventing him from speaking a single word in her defense, let alone saving her! Such a coward—no wonder other snake beastmen despised him!

But she had no choice. Her only hope for survival now was Brownchain. She scrambled frantically toward his snake tail, clinging to it tightly, begging him to save her.

This provoked uproarious laughter from Ban Shao and Jian Huan, who reveled in drama. "You're asking our tribe's outcast to save you? Hahaha, Mao Yue, you truly are foolish! Brownchain can't even protect himself in our tribe—how do you expect him to save you?!"

"Exactly, hahaha," Jian Huan mocked mercilessly. "You'd have better luck begging us! You certainly know how to pick 'em! What terrible judgment, hahaha!"

The relentless taunts made both Brownchain and Mao Yue's faces contort with shame. Perhaps spurred by their mockery, Brownchain, who had been a coward for over twenty years, finally found his resolve. With a sudden flick of his brown snake tail, he scooped up Mao Yue and zipped away at astonishing speed!

The move was so swift that Ban Shao and Jian Huan were momentarily stunned before realizing what had happened. Cursing, they quickly slithered after them. If the chieftain discovered they had botched his orders, even eight heads wouldn't be enough to spare them from his wrath.

......

"Chieftain Mao Ke! Wise Wen Ran! The patrol team discovered several male beastmen corpses on our regular route. Upon inspection, they were all Mao Yue's males!"

"Mao Hu's body was covered in wounds, his flesh mangled and rotting. It appeared he had been flayed alive. By the time we found him, vultures had already consumed much of his body, exposing large patches of white bone."

Mao Shi reported grimly. He had led the first hunting team to inspect the tribe's safety that day and immediately encountered the gruesome scene. There was no doubt—it was the work of those snake beastmen!

Mao Ke's voice was icy. "This is their retaliation!"

Last night, Lang Zhi had trapped Mao Yue and Mao Hu in a fishing net and left them at the entrance of the snake beastmen's cave. Today, Zi Yao had killed all of Mao Yue's male beastmen and left their bodies on the tribe's main path.

After a moment of silence, Wen Ran asked, "Was Mao Yue's body found?"

"No."

"So, Mao Yue is still alive?"

"Hard to say. But," Mao Ke's eyes darkened, "I hope she doesn't die so easily!"

Wen Ran had heard snippets about how Mao Yue had abused and humiliated Chieftain Mao Ke and his female, Hu Ya, during their return to the tribe. Seeing Mao Ke's attitude now, he understood just how extreme Mao Yue's actions had been. She had truly brought this upon herself!

......

With numerous snake beastmen in pursuit, fleeing anywhere in the desert meant certain death. Gritting his teeth, Brownchain slithered toward the Sand Cat Tribe! In truth, the moment he scooped up Mao Yue and fled, he regretted it. He must have been provoked by Ban Shao and Jian Huan, acting on impulse to save this female. But it was too late for regrets now—he could never return to the Iridescent Snake Tribe. Going back meant certain death, and his corpse might even become food for other snake beastmen! After all, even as snake beastmen, they retained some serpentine instincts, including cannibalism!

As soon as they dashed into the Sand Cat Tribe's territory, they encountered the tribe's hunting team. Panicking, they fled in all directions but, unfamiliar with the terrain, were soon surrounded and captured by the Sand Fox Beastmen, who knew the area intimately.

Brownchain glared venomously at Mao Yue, the treacherous female who had seduced him into betraying his tribe. His face ashen, he offered no resistance, allowing the cat beastmen to restrain him—seemingly resigned to his fate.

Mao Yue trembled uncontrollably, her eyes darting fearfully among her former tribespeople. When Wen Ran arrived, she immediately begged him to spare her, pleading for the sake of Round Cat's three cubs.

Wen Ran scoffed, "How dare you mention Round Cat, Mao Xuan, and Mao Yin? Have you ever considered how your actions would shame them in the tribe?!"

Mao Yue froze.

Wen Ran continued, "Mao Yue, I won't plead for you. Your deeds deserve death a hundred times over."

Mao Yue's eyes reddened instantly. She then pointed a trembling finger at Wen Ran, shrieking curses, her madness apparent. She raged at Hu Ya, at everyone in the tribe, and at Lang Zhi.

Pointing accusingly at Lang Zhi, she cried hoarsely, "If it weren't for you, despicable wolf beastman, I wouldn't have let Mao Lu bully Mao Yin and nearly get my cub killed, leading to Mao Lu's exile!"

"It's all because of your wrongdoing! It planted seeds of hatred in me, making me vow to oppose you and Wen Ran at every turn! That's why I chose to lead the migration to the zebra tribe during the dry season, why we were captured by the Iridescent Snake Tribe's snake beastmen, and why all this happened!"

"If only you, wretched wolf beastman, and that vile Lesser Female Wen Ran hadn't been found and brought back by my three cursed cubs! Then none of this would have happened! Those three Lesser Female cubs would still be at my mercy—scolded and beaten as I pleased! I'd still be their birth mother, and they'd still have to treat me better than they treat you!"

"It's you! It's all because of you! If not for you, I'd still be living well in the Sand Cat Tribe! I'd still be that esteemed female! My male beastmen would still be alive!"

"Everything is because of you, wretched wolf beastman! And you, vile Lesser Female! Lesser Females should always be the lowest! You'll never rise above your station!"

As Mao Yue spewed her venomous curses at Wen Ran, the faces of Mao Shi, Mao Fei, Mao Ke, Cat Tooth, and Hu Ya darkened. Lang Zhi's expression turned black as thunder, and he gripped his axe, ready to behead her and silence her spiteful tongue.

Wen Ran stopped him, shaking his head. "Killing her outright is too merciful. To truly destroy someone, you must break their spirit. Let me handle this."

Wen Ran locked eyes with Mao Yue. The calm in his eyes made her flinch and scramble back twice as she eyed him warily. "What are you going to do?" she demanded.

"Mao Yue, listen carefully. I, Wen Ran, in the name of the Beast God's Messenger, curse you: may you never bear female or male cubs—only Lesser Females. May those Lesser Females never love, cherish, or respect you. May you suffer the agony of betrayal."

As Wen Ran invoked the curse in the Beast God's Messenger's name, all the Sand Cat Tribe beastmen knelt, hailing the Beast God's wisdom.

Mao Yue's body went limp, unable to even sit upright. She covered her ears, shaking her head wildly. "I won't listen! I won't listen! I won't listen!"

Round Cat, Mao Xuan, and Mao Yin watched their mother's frenzy with calm detachment. They felt neither joy nor sorrow—only indifference, as if the female before them were a stranger. They had long given up on Mao Yue. The maternal and paternal love they lacked had been replenished by Wen Ran and Lang Zhi. They were content now. Someone like Mao Yue wasn't worth their grief.

Though Mao Yue screamed refusal and denial, accusing Wen Ran of not being the Beast God's Messenger, deep down, she believed it. His curse would surely come true! Her future would be filled with unwanted, low-status Lesser Female cubs. Realizing this, Mao Yue lost all will to live.

Just then, a pair of dry feet appeared on the sand before her. She looked up and saw Hu Ya, that wretched female. Tears welled in Mao Yue's eyes. She let out a cold laugh, then suddenly transformed her right hand into sharp claws. With a swift motion, she slashed her own throat. A jet of blood sprayed through the air, splattering across Hu Ya's feet.

She stared triumphantly at Hu Ya, her voice raspy and broken. "Heh... Hu... Hu Ya, you wretched female... think you can take revenge? No chance! I'd rather die... than give you the satisfaction! You'll... stew in your anger forever... haha..."

Wen Ran sighed as he looked at Mao Yue's dead, staring eyes. One wrong step had led to another. Even in death, she showed no remorse. He felt sorry that Round Cat and his brothers had suffered bullying from tribe cubs because of her betrayal.

Hu Ya gazed with pity at Mao Yue's corpse, the resentment in her heart mostly faded with Mao Yue's death. Mao Ke kicked the body several times, insisting it be thrown to the wild beasts. After all, she had bullied him and Hu Ya relentlessly and betrayed the tribe—unforgivable!

But out of respect for her being the birth mother of the three cubs, Wen Ran stopped him.

However, Mao Ke countered, "Fine, we won't feed her to the beasts, but a traitor doesn't deserve burial within the tribe. We can't show such mercy to betrayers!"

Wen Ran nodded in agreement. "Dig a pit outside the tribe and bury her there."