Future Beast World: Becoming A Pampered Beauty-Chapter 497 - 436: Still the Children from Back Then

Chapter 497: Chapter 436: Still the Children from Back Then

"You, Little Stone, and the others are the greatest blessing of my life." Lan Cang lifted her head, gazing into her eyes.

"Dad, when did you get here? Why didn’t you let me know? I was wondering why I couldn’t find you!" Zhuizui grumbled as he pushed the door open.

Sang Luo gave a light cough and quickly pushed Lan Cang away.

Lan Cang flashed a brilliant smile, holding her hand tight and refusing to let go. Seeing his parents together, Zhuizui immediately knew what was going on. ’Dad wants some alone time with Mom and doesn’t want to be disturbed! Hmph!’

"Mom, you’re finally back after so long. Dad, you should spend some quality time with her. I’ll go deal with the envoy from Pingling City!" Zhuizui finished, then turned to Sang Luo with pitiful, star-like eyes. "Mom, you’ve been gone for ages. You have no idea, Dad’s practically become a Wangqishi these past few years. If I hadn’t stayed to keep him company, who knows how lonely this solitary wolf would have become~"

"You little brat, you must be bored, huh?" Lan Cang scolded laughingly.

"See, Mom? I hit a sore spot, and now he’s getting all defensive~" Zhuizui clutched his rear and made to escape.

’His personality hasn’t changed much at all.’

’Still the same carefree little brat!’

"Hold on. I got you a present, but I’m not sure if you’ll still like it."

"Whoa, what is it? Mom, hurry up and open it, let me see! I’m sure I’ll love it!"

"You love it already? You haven’t even seen what it is."

"Heh heh, I love anything you give me, Mom. A gift from you is the best gift of all!"

"...You little sweet-talker. I wonder who you get that from." Sang Luo was amused.

She took a gift box about half a person’s height from her storage space. She opened it to reveal a Klein blue skateboard with a string of silver characters printed on it. Zhuizui’s eyes lit up. He loved collecting all kinds of skateboards, and the one his mother gave him was a limited edition you couldn’t buy anywhere!

"Mom, I love this gift! I’m gonna go try it out!" Zhuizui said, his responsibilities completely forgotten.

Lan Cang didn’t bother reminding him of his duties. "Just be back in time for dinner," he said.

"You got it."

Zhuizui slipped out the door, hopped on his new skateboard, and vanished in the blink of an eye.

Lan Cang summoned his personal guard to relay a few messages, then accompanied Sang Luo for a walk around the city.

As they passed a nearby courtyard, they heard the sound of happy laughter from within. Lan Cang paused for a moment. Just then, several small cubs from different tribes came running out, laughing and playing. When they saw Lan Cang, they stopped and greeted him politely, "Hello, City Lord!"

"Mm."

Smiling, Lan Cang bent down and took out some jerky for them.

The little cubs happily ran off.

"I remember this is where Asa used to live," Sang Luo said, turning to Lan Cang with a smile. "He told me you two went through countless life-or-death missions together and were the best of friends. When it came time to build his house, he put it right next to yours. Asa adored the Wolf Pups. Whenever we couldn’t find the children at mealtime, we knew just where to look. Little Stone and the others loved going to Uncle Asa’s to scrounge for food and drinks when they were young..."

Lan Cang’s gaze grew nostalgic. "Asa never had a female companion, so he didn’t leave any children behind when he passed away. After he was gone, this courtyard stood empty for several years; no one moved in. Eventually, I turned it into a welfare home where abandoned cubs and lonely elders can live."

"It’s better to help others than to let it sit empty."

...

The changes in Ice-breaking City over the past few centuries had been nothing short of monumental. It was now every bit as impressive as any bustling capital on the Western Continent.

The streets bustled with people, lined with a dazzling, almost overwhelming array of shops and goods. Sang Luo bought a few things, with Lan Cang dutifully carrying the bags at her side.

As they walked home together, they chatted about everything that had happened over the past few hundred years.

When Lan Cang spoke of Lan Ruo’s passing, a flicker of sorrow crossed his eyes. The two brothers had relied on each other to survive since they were young and shared a deep bond. It was impossible not to be sad, he said, but he felt more acceptance than anything else.

Lan Ruo’s bloodline wasn’t particularly powerful, but through sheer effort, he became a Seventh Rank Beastman and lived to be three hundred. You could say he died peacefully of old age.

Lan Cang had visited him the day before he passed.

The older brother was there to see his younger brother off.

Lan Cang said that when Little Ru passed, he felt no pain. His children and grandchildren were gathered around his bedside, which was filled with fresh flowers.

’...’ ’Little Ru... In my memory, he was still just a shy, awkward boy, but now... So much has changed.’

It hit Sang Luo profoundly once again: she had been gone for just over half a year, but for Lan Cang and the others, more than five hundred years had passed.

"Little Ru was your brother, an unforgettable part of your family. If his Crystal Core and soul were preserved, I could try to resurrect him after I repair the Creation Furnace."

Lan Cang shook his head. "Old age, sickness, and death are all a natural part of life. To live a full and happy life is the greatest blessing one can ask for..."

As he spoke, his gaze rested on Sang Luo’s face, a look of pure bliss and contentment on his own. "I have everything I ever wanted. I have no regrets. Going against the natural order always comes at a price. There’s no need to defy the Heaven and Earth Laws and burden you with unnecessary karma."

"Cangcang..."

Sang Luo stopped walking.

Lan Cang pulled her into his arms, his voice soft and husky.

"Luoluo, if I’m the one who goes first someday, don’t bring me back."

...

「Suilin City.」

It was the most important Star City under the jurisdiction of Ice-breaking City, responsible for energy transport. Many railways and transport lines had been built, and the capital invested by the main city increased annually.

Many people wanted a piece of the pie here. The group of trusted confidants who had followed Lan Cang in the early days were almost all gone, and he no longer had the energy to cultivate new ones.

The city’s officials inevitably skimmed off the top of the allocated funds. With each level taking a cut, less than thirty percent of the money actually went toward the projects.

After arriving in the city, Little Stone immediately began investigating the siphoned funds. He rooted out numerous corrupt factions, displaying the same swift and decisive style his father had in his youth.

When Sang Luo came over, she saw Little Stone working diligently in his study.

The young man had short black hair, a tall, well-built frame, and pale skin. His face was sharp and handsome. From a distance, he looked like he was cast from the same mold as a young Lan Cang, only without the faint scar on his nose and cheek. Up close, his features were even more refined and striking.

Several young females were loitering outside, craning their necks and trying to peek inside, but they were all shooed away.

"Mom? You’re back!"

As if by telepathy, Little Stone looked toward the door. WHOOSH. He shot up from his seat, grabbing the jacket draped over his chair and shrugging it on. He strode forward to greet her, taking the food container from Sang Luo’s hands. "Why didn’t you let me know you were coming? I would have come to get you. I hate that you had to travel all this way."

"I’m the one who told your father not to bother you over something so small." Sang Luo’s heart ached as she looked at the young man’s slightly gaunt face. ’He’s a workaholic, just like his father.’ "Your dad said you’ve been so busy you’ve been skipping meals. I made you some food—all your childhood favorites."

She opened the container, and steam billowed out. The food was as hot as if it had just been cooked.

"Thanks, Mom!" Little Stone grinned, his wolf ears and tail popping out to wag happily.

"Mom, have you eaten? Sit down and let’s eat together."

"Sure. I’m actually a little hungry," Sang Luo said, taking out a Divine Fruit and starting to munch on it.

Little Stone asked, "It’s been so many years, but there’s still no sign of our little Nine-tailed Fox brother and sister. How much longer until they’re born?"

"Divine Beast cubs have a long gestation period, so I’m not sure either," Sang Luo sighed. "According to your Uncle Fei Yuan, it’s best for Divine Beast cubs to eat Divine Fruits from the Heavenly Realm. Before the Divine Venerable left, he transferred the authority to enter the Heavenly Realm to Fei Yuan. He’s been there a few times over the years and said that some of the Divine Fruit Trees have started to grow back."

"What kind of place is the Heavenly Realm?" Little Stone asked curiously.

"I’ve never been either, so I’m not sure. I’ll take you for a look if we get the chance someday."

"Okay." Just as Little Stone finished his meal, a brown-haired Beastman approached and said a few words to him.

Little Stone said, "Mom, please excuse me for a moment."

"Of course. Go on."

When Little Stone returned after dealing with the matter, Sang Luo was gone. A beautifully wrapped gift box sat on the desk. He opened it to find a set of toy race cars. The young man froze for a moment, then smiled.

’He’d been so busy since growing up that he rarely thought about his childhood. Back then, these little race cars had been his favorite toy.’

’In his mother’s eyes,’

’they were all still the same three mischievous, rowdy little Wolf Pups from all those years ago.’

He carefully took out the model car and its remote, placing them on the highest shelf of his bookcase. Now, whenever he felt exhausted from his work, he could just look up and see it...