Chapter 13

Chapter 13

After settling the young ones, Feng Yan and Rong Shan shifted into their beast forms and began tracking the monster, starting from the spot where it was first discovered.

Feng Yan, with his acute sense of smell, was tasked with sniffing out the monster's trail on plants and soil. Rong Shan, more meticulous, focused on identifying the various physical traces the creature left behind.

When they were newly adult, they had joined the tribe's bravest warriors to hunt down a long-haired monster. The fur clothing crafted from its pelt offered exceptional warmth; in fact, the fluffy garments worn by their two young cubs at home were repurposed from the very long-haired monster fur they had been reluctant to wear in their youth.

Back then, they had the advantage of numbers and an intimate knowledge of the terrain. They lured the monster into the dense forest, and through primitive pouncing and tearing, it took a considerable amount of time to finally subdue it.

This time, however, only the two of them would confront the monster directly. Feng Yan and Rong Shan had matured significantly since then. They felt a mix of excitement and tension—determined to succeed, yet deeply wary of the danger.

Even so, they didn't let their emotions cloud their judgment, having prepared a backup plan. If they couldn't successfully lure the monster to the trap, they had an alternative escape route. With their endurance, they were confident they could outrun the beast.

Feng Yan glanced at the sky. They had begun their search when the sun was at its highest point, and now it had already dipped more than halfway.

The two giant arctic foxes remained unyielding. Their gazes stayed focused, ears sharply perked, catching every unusual sound in the forest. With no recent rain or snow, the tracks wouldn't be easily obscured—they still had a chance.

Occasional bird calls echoed through the woods, but otherwise, there was no other movement.

Rong Shan suddenly stopped and nudged Feng Yan with his paw, signaling him to look.

Pushing aside the bushes, Rong Shan revealed a series of disorderly tracks not far ahead, interspersed with large, elongated footprints deeply impressed into the soil. Nearby, there appeared to be drag marks from a smaller prey—crushed dead leaves, broken grass stems, and a faint, lingering scent of blood.

Feng Yan and Rong Shan exchanged a glance, both understanding that the monster must be close.

They regulated their breathing, lightened their footsteps, and followed the long trail.

Soon, they spotted a colossal creature gnawing on prey at the forest's edge.

It was a Gianthorned Monster—with a head like a deer, a body resembling an ox, and a ferocious countenance. Its terrifying body stretched seven or eight meters long, covered in thick, short fur, and the single horn on its head alone measured two meters.

Before detecting beastmen, the monster appeared no different from an ordinary wild animal, mechanically consuming its meal. But the moment beastmen appeared, its eyes would turn blood-red.

They waited for the opportune moment.

The Gianthorned Monster, an omnivorous predator, had an erratic eating pace. After finishing its meal, it slowly emerged from the dense forest into an open grassland, leisurely grazing on grass roots.

The monster's enormous single horn reflected a purple glow under the sunlight.

Now!

Their long-standing teamwork allowed Feng Yan and Rong Shan to move in perfect, unspoken synchronicity!

Feng Yan bared his sharp fangs, swiftly and ferociously biting the Gianthorned Monster’s neck, while Rong Shan agilely darted forward, seizing the chance to claw its hind leg.

"Roar—!" the monster bellowed.

The two giant arctic foxes struck and immediately retreated, swiftly vanishing into the dense forest.

The Gianthorned Monster spun around, its furious roar reverberating through the sky. Its eyes rapidly darkened to a blood-red, and it charged with its sharp, massive horn towards the direction the arctic foxes had taken.

Using the trees as cover, the two arctic foxes rapidly dodged left and right, circling behind the monster to launch a new round of attacks.

Each time it was clawed or bitten, the Gianthorned Monster struggled to shake off its attackers, but they never lingered, quickly retreating into the woods.

After repeated hit-and-run tactics, the monster grew increasingly frenzied as it failed to catch the beastmen. Sensing the Gianthorned Monster’s stamina beginning to wane, the two foxes exchanged a glance and turned to flee.

Feng Yan and Rong Shan deliberately remained within the monster’s line of sight, sprinting towards the trap.

The Gianthorned Monster, enraged beyond measure, lifted its head and let out a thunderous roar, charging recklessly after the two fleeing arctic foxes.

The very ground seemed to tremble.

Hearing the commotion, Xue Tuan and the others quickly rose from the small hillside, anxiously peering towards the source of the sound.

"Are Father and Dad coming?" Xue Tuan asked, his voice laced with urgency.

The three tiger brothers were already trembling uncontrollably. "...Probably," they mumbled.

No sooner had they spoken than two white figures rapidly approached from not far away, followed closely by a colossal monster.

A single glance at the monster was enough to send shivers down their spines. The young beastmen couldn’t fathom how the arctic foxes had found the courage to face this Gianthorned Monster—it was utterly terrifying!

"Wah!" San Hu covered his ears and crouched down, too scared to watch.

Just as they neared the trap, the two giant arctic foxes leaped.

Feng Yan and Rong Shan’s exceptional jumping ability allowed them to clear the more than ten-meter-wide trap and land safely. The Gianthorned Monster, however, trailing behind them, was not so fortunate.

Its massive size was directly proportional to its weight. Lacking much intelligence, it charged forward blindly, its eyes fixed on tearing any beastmen it encountered to shreds. As it rushed onto the trap, disguised with branches and weeds, the ground gave way instantly.

The Gianthorned Monster plunged into the pit, its feet first striking the sharp wooden stakes, its heavy body sinking further down.

Gradually, the monster’s struggles weakened until silence once again settled over the world.

"Suc... successful..." Bing Qiu murmured.

Everything had unfolded so swiftly and dramatically that the young beastmen were initially stunned into silence, unable to utter a sound.

"Success!" Bing Qiu shouted, picking up Xue Tuan and quickly sliding down the hillside.

"Father! Dad!" Xue Tuan exclaimed excitedly. "That was incredible!" Witnessing his fathers’ bravery firsthand was far more inspiring than any tales he had heard from his brother.

Feng Yan and Rong Shan remained in their beast forms, their snow-white fur streaked with thin lines of blood, though these were only minor injuries. They panted heavily as they nuzzled their two young cubs, the family savoring a rare moment of shared joy.

Thus, when the monster-hunting team returned triumphantly, the entire tribe erupted in commotion!

Unbelievable! Someone had actually hunted a Gianthorned Monster!

This was previously unimaginable, more exaggerated than the legendary tales told by traveling beastmen!

"Can it be real...?"

"Pinch me, am I dreaming?"

"Ouch."

The tribe's beastmen had never witnessed such a sight.

"And they only suffered minor injuries..."

The beastmen watched as five adult beastmen and three young ones struggled to carry all the meat from the Gianthorned Monster.

With such a bountiful harvest, several families would have enough food to survive the cold season.

At that moment, no one could any longer claim that the arctic fox family had merely relied on luck. While stunned, every beastman secretly prayed to receive a share of the meat.

But no one dared to voice such a request outright. It was already embarrassing enough that they hadn’t welcomed the newcomers earlier. To step forward and make demands about the prey others had hunted would surely lead to being cast out by the elders.

Xue Tuan sat on his brother’s back, grinning widely. His Father and Dad were truly amazing! He felt incredibly lucky to have been born into the arctic fox family.

Hui Hui had never been observed by so many people before and curiously glanced around.

Zhong Yan also helped carry a portion of the meat. In truth, he was quite strong and wanted to carry more, but Uncle arctic fox and the others didn’t know him well and treated him like an ordinary cub.

The little black lion walked beside Bing Qiu, keeping a close watch on Xue Tuan, worried the meat Bing Qiu was carrying would cause Little Dumpling to fall off.

The arctic fox family's capability was now undeniable, winning over most people's hearts. Reverence for the strong is an unchanging constant.

"Is this the new family?" a tall beastman in the crowd remarked. He looked weary, his skin bronzed from years of hunting outdoors.

The speaker was none other than the tribe's chief, Shi Hu, who had just returned. His beast form was that of a saber-toothed tiger. Shi Hu and his hunting party had traveled west and finally concluded their long hunting expedition today, bringing back two medium-sized bull-headed beasts. Compared to the arctic fox family's haul, it was practically insignificant.

"Yes," replied Priest Yun Lu, the chief’s partner. At the moment, his brows were furrowed, an expression he had worn for days, as if constantly burdened by worry.

"The matter we discussed with the elders can no longer be delayed," Yun Lu stated; his forbearance had reached its limit.

Shi Hu let out a sigh, as if finally making up his mind. "We’ll announce it at the altar tomorrow."

Shi Hu and Yun Lu’s eyes followed Feng Yan and Rong Shan, noticing that instead of returning to their thatched hut, they headed straight for the altar at the center of the tribe, where meat distributions usually took place.

In no time, the entire tribe had gathered around the altar.

Feng Yan and Rong Shan began silently butchering the Gianthorned Monster. They kept the best parts for themselves; after all, they had two picky, always-hungry cubs at home to feed.

The beastmen of the tribe grew restless, feeling both excitement and shame. The Gianthorned Monster was notorious, but they had also heard its meat was exceptionally delicious. The fact that the arctic fox family had no intention of hoarding the entire beast moved them deeply.

Shi Hu stepped forward and gave a formal, deep bow to the arctic fox family—a gesture of utmost respect.

"I, and my tribe, do not know how to express our gratitude to you."

The elders and the Priest following the chief also bowed to the arctic fox family in the same manner.

"No need for that," Rong Shan, who was butchering the meat, stood up and waved a hand. "We already promised to contribute food to the tribe." They were merely keeping their word.

Even though Rong Shan said this, Shi Hu was deeply grateful. He felt guilty, like an inadequate chief, for not having brought back more food for the tribe.

This Gianthorned Monster would allow many struggling families to survive a few more days in the harsh cold season. Every year, there were people in the tribe who didn't survive the food shortages, and others who left on their own and never returned.

Seeing the elders, chief, and Priest all bowing to the arctic fox family, the Deputy Chief left with a dark expression, taking his family and refusing to participate in the meat distribution.

Shi Hu silently watched the Deputy Chief depart. He knew the Deputy Chief’s family had no shortage of food.

Author's Note: