Future Beast World: Becoming A Pampered Beauty-Chapter 67 - 40: Artificial Females

Over the past few days, Sang Luo had been taking walks around Yalan Academy whenever she had free time.

When Laltu heard she had come over with her large, pregnant belly, he immediately dropped his official duties. He personally came down to receive her. "The academy has a rule that pregnant females can apply for a leave of absence. Noble female, you should rest at home and focus on your pregnancy during this time. There’s no need to come to the academy. If you were to get bumped or scraped, it would be more than my life is worth!"

"It’s fine. I just came to take a look, I’ll be leaving soon." ’I’m not really here to study anyway. I haven’t even looked at a single one of the books the academy gave me. I just wanted to come see Lan Ruo.’

Because of her connection with Lan Cang, Sang Luo already considered Lan Ruo something of a little brother in her heart.

Out of the corner of her eye, Sang Luo spotted an acquaintance walking toward them and waved with a smile.

Glen Tuya walked over and said to the headmaster, "Miss Sang Luo has barely been to the academy since she completed her enrollment. I imagine she wants to familiarize herself with the place. I happen to have no classes this afternoon, so why don’t I give her a tour of the campus?"

"Alright, then. You and a few other teachers can accompany the noble female on a walk around the academy. The woods behind the sports field are quite scenic, and many flowers have bloomed. Just be careful she doesn’t trip or get bumped..." After giving a few instructions, Laltu was called away by another teacher and left in a hurry.

Sang Luo followed Glen Tuya to the Combat Department’s building. Seeing Lan Ruo focused on his studies, she decided not to disturb him and turned to leave.

Glen Tuya blushed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Um... would you like to get a meal together?"

To have become pregnant with a King Beast’s heir in just a few short months was a display of Fertility unheard of in the Yalan Empire for a century. Sang Luo’s name had long since spread, and many wealthy young men of the Empire were itching to make a move. Glen Tuya was naturally no exception, not to mention he had taken a liking to her on the very first day she came to the academy for testing.

Sang Luo glanced at his arm. ’A Seventh Rank Junior Beastman. He’s quite handsome and refined, but his strength isn’t enough. There’s no need to develop this further.’

Just as she was about to refuse, she remembered the empty refrigerator at home. She needed to save as many of the Beast Crystals she had on hand as possible. She sighed. "Are you treating?"

Glen Tuya smiled. "Of course, I’m treating."

"Alright, let’s go then. But... this meal might end up costing you quite a bit."

"Haha, not at all, not at all! It’s my honor."

「Half an hour later.」

Staring at the dozens of empty plates, Glen Tuya’s hands began to tremble slightly.

’The female of a King Beast is truly something else!’

’My salary could never support her.’

He completely abandoned the idea of pursuing her.

Sang Luo ate a few more Beast Crystals before finally letting out a small burp. She gave him a shy smile. "Sorry, I’m pregnant, so I ate a little too much. If it’s really a problem, why don’t I treat you instead!"

"No, no! I said I’d treat you, how could I go back on my word?" Glen Tuya quickly stood up, smiling. "It’s my honor to have earned a small favor from Miss Sang Luo. In the future, I’ll have to rely on you to put in a good word with the Admiral. You see, I hope to join the military headquarters someday."

"Of course, of course. I’ll definitely put in a good word for you with Caesar."

"Then I’m truly grateful!"

The two chatted and laughed as they left the restaurant. Sang Luo was just about to part ways with Glen Tuya and teleport home when her gaze suddenly fell upon a female, and she froze mid-step.

On the other side of the road, there was a female who was rather thin, with a pale face. She looked a bit malnourished and had very plain features.

Normally, Sang Luo wouldn’t have noticed her, but her expression was incredibly listless, one might even say... ’dull-witted?’

The female was gnawing on a piece of fruit, drool trickling from the corner of her mouth. The Beastman next to her skillfully wiped it away.

Sang Luo thought the female might have some sort of mental problem, but soon, several more Beastmen arrived with their own females.

The Male Beasts put their heads together, whispering about something. ’Breeding... inspection...’

And without exception, the females by their sides all had that same dull-witted appearance!

"What’s going on with those females? They don’t look very healthy."

Glen Tuya glanced over as well, his expression suddenly becoming inscrutable. "Those are... artificial females."

"What?" Sang Luo’s eyes widened.

Glen Tuya seemed reluctant to discuss the topic, but under Sang Luo’s pressing questions, he had no choice but to hesitantly reveal some of the truth. "In recent years, the number of female births has been decreasing. The ratio of males to females is now nearly 20-to-1, and the population has seen a serious negative growth. If this continues long-term, the Beastman race could face extinction."

"So, under these circumstances, someone proposed the method of creating artificial females to increase the Fertility rate."

"But these artificial, genetically-engineered females cannot possess Talent Power. They’re just tools for reproduction. Due to immature technology or other unknown factors, they usually have significant physical and mental defects..."

Glen Tuya glanced across the road. "For example, the genetically-engineered females these Male Beastmen bought are from the cheapest tier. They tend to look a bit... ahem, dull-witted."

"These lowest-grade artificial females usually don’t live long. Between their physical defects and constant pregnancies, they can live for thirty or forty years at most. Once they’re past their optimal breeding period, they’re typically wracked with illness and pain, and are forcibly euthanized."

"..." Sang Luo was stunned speechless, unable to reply for a long time.

She frowned. "Cloning artificial females for breeding... do all the continents do this?"

"No, the other three continents have strictly forbidden the research. Besides, the other continents don’t prioritize technological development. Many places are still in a primitive state and lack the necessary conditions to support this kind of research. Only the Western Continent has an academy of sciences that has preserved the method for creating genetically-engineered females. The Royal Family passed a bill twenty years ago establishing the legality of artificial females and heavily funded the experiments."

"Twenty years... How many genetically-engineered females are there now?"

"I don’t know much about it, but roughly a million artificial females have been released into the market. The other continents prohibit these illegal products, so artificial females only circulate on the Western Continent."

"So you’re saying that on the Western Continent, about one in every hundred females is an artificial one?"

’The probability isn’t that high yet, but the research has only been going on for twenty years. Who knows what things will be like in the long run.’

Sang Luo was shocked by the number, but as an outsider, there wasn’t much she could say. Perhaps this was a necessary change for the Beast World to survive.

’But artificial females have no human rights or personality whatsoever.’

’They’re simply breathing breeding tools.’

"Are there any problems with the children they bear?"

"It’s unclear. They’ve been on the market for too short a time, so there aren’t enough samples to support the research data yet."

The two continued walking back, but Sang Luo’s mood had become somber and complex.

Suddenly, someone called out to her.

"Noble female, please wait."