Help! I transmigrated to a Beast World-Chapter 38: The Serpent King’s Ultimatum

Mo Yan stared at her.

Then he stared at Qing Lin.

Then he looked back at Xin Yi, his yellow eyes narrowing to slits so thin they were more or less nonexistent.

"The cat?" he repeated, his voice dropping several octaves lower. It sounded like gravel being dragged across a metal sheet. "You want to return to the cat?"

"YES!" Xin Yi squeaked, trying to inch backward. But Xiao Long was still clinging to her leg like a barnacle, and Qing Lin had somehow materialized directly behind her, effectively trapping her between a rock, a hard place, and a very clingy seven-year-old snake.

Mo Yan’s scowl deepened. He crossed his massive arms over his bare chest, the muscles rippling. "And why, little female, would you prefer a cat over a serpent?"

"Because the cat doesn’t talk about TAMING me like I’m a wild horse!" Xin Yi shot back, her fear rapidly converting into indignation. "And he brings me meat! Good meat! Without the threatening undertones!

[DING! (๑˃ᴗ˂)ﻭ]

[System Commentary: OOH! Host is getting SPICY! +50 Sass Points! Also, mentioning meat to hungry snake men? Bold strategy! Let’s see how it plays out!]

Mo Yan’s eyebrow twitched. Just one. But it was enough to make every guard in the vicinity take a simultaneous step backward.

"Meat," he said slowly, as if tasting the word. "You prefer the Panther because he......brings you meat."

"GOOD meat! Seasoned meat! Meat that doesn’t still have the fur on it!" Xin Yi was on a roll now, her hands gesticulating wildly. "And he doesn’t sniff me without permission! And he sits when I tell him to sit! And he—"

"She’s hungry," Qing Lin interrupted smoothly, his cool hand coming to rest on her shoulder. His voice carried that amused lilt that made it clear he was enjoying this way too much. "Forgive her, Mo Yan. The journey was long, and I may have forgotten to feed her properly."

"YOU FORGOT TO FEED HER?!" Mo Yan’s roar shook the trees. Several birds exploded from the canopy in terror. "What kind of host starves a female?!"

"I am NOT starved!" Xin Yi protested. "I’m just.....mildly peckish! Very mildly! Barely noticeable!"

Her stomach chose that exact moment to let out a growl so loud it echoed off the stone throne.

Grrrrrrrrrowwwwwwwl.

The entire clearing went silent.

Xiao Long looked up at her with wide, horrified eyes. "Pink Skin, is there a beast in your belly? Do you need me to fight it?!"

"NO!" Xin Yi’s face went nuclear red. "That’s just......that’s what hunger sounds like!"

Mo Yan uncrossed his arms. He looked at Qing Lin with an expression of pure disdain. "You brought a starving female to my territory. A guest. Starving."

"She’s not starving, she’s just—"

"GUARDS!" Mo Yan’s voice boomed like a war drum. "Prepare a feast! Now! Bring everything! The good fish! The river fowl! The—what does she even eat? Bring it all!"

The guards scattered like startled minnows.

Qing Lin sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Mo Yan, you don’t need to—"

"She’s HUNGRY, Qing Lin!" Mo Yan snapped. He took three massive strides toward Xin Yi, and before she could protest, he scooped her up like she weighed nothing. One arm under her knees, the other supporting her back.

Xiao Long tumbled off her leg with a surprised yelp.

"PUT ME DOWN!" Xin Yi shrieked, pounding her fists against Mo Yan’s extremely solid chest. It was like punching a boulder. A warm, surprisingly smooth boulder that didn’t smell like wet fish.

"No," Mo Yan said simply. He started walking toward the largest structure in the village, completely ignoring her flailing. "A female should not walk when she’s weak from hunger. It’s disrespectful."

"I AM NOT WEAK! I’M PERFECTLY CAPABLE OF—"

"Qing Lin," Mo Yan called over his shoulder, not even breaking his stride. "Control your female."

"She’s not MY female," Qing Lin said, though there was a dangerous edge to his voice now. He was following close behind, his expression shifting from amused to maybe irritation. "Not yet. She’s a guest. Of both our tribes."

"Hmm." Mo Yan’s grip tightened possessively around Xin Yi. "Then she’s available."

"She is MARKED by the Panther! And I am still going to take her from him!" Qing Lin hissed, his pupils contracting to slits.

"Marks can be challenged," Mo Yan said casually. He looked down at Xin Yi, his yellow eyes gleaming. "Can’t they, little female?"

"I— what— EXCUSE ME?!" Xin Yi sputtered. "I am not a PRIZE to be won! I am a PERSON! With RIGHTS! And OPINIONS! And a very angry CAT waiting for me at the border who will EAT ALL OF YOU if you don’t PUT ME DOWN!"

Mo Yan stopped walking. He looked at her for a long, intense moment. Then, slowly, a smile spread across his face. It wasn’t a friendly smile.

"I like you," he declared. "You’re loud. Fierce. Warm." He sniffed her hair. "And you smell like flowers. It’s intoxicating."

[DING! ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)]

[ALERT! POSSIBLE ROMANTIC INTEREST DETECTED!]

[New Character: Mo Yan - Serpent King of Black Water]

[Threat Level: MAXIMUM]

[Flirt Level: ALSO MAXIMUM]

[Host’s Chances of Escaping This Situation: LOL]

"System, I will delete you," Xin Yi muttered through gritted teeth.

"She talks to the air," Mo Yan observed, looking at Qing Lin. "Is she.....damaged?"

"She’s CIVILIZED!" Xin Yi shouted. "Which is more than I can say for ANY OF YOU!"

Xiao Long, who had been unusually quiet, suddenly let out a delighted cackle. "FIGHT! FIGHT! Uncle Qing looks mad! Dad looks hungry! Pink Skin looks like she wants to bite someone!"

"I DO want to bite someone!" Xin Yi confirmed, glaring at Mo Yan.

Mo Yan’s smile widened. "You can bite me anytime you want, little female."

Qing Lin’s hand shot out, gripping Mo Yan’s shoulder with enough force that his knuckles turned white. "Put. Her. Down."

"Make me."

"I will turn your favorite bathing pool into a frog sanctuary."

"You wouldn’t dare."

"Try me."

The two Serpent Kings locked eyes, the temperature around them dropping several degrees.

Xin Yi, still suspended in Mo Yan’s arms like a very angry princess, threw her hands up in exasperation. "Oh for the love of— FINE! You want to fight over me? FINE! But can we PLEASE do it AFTER I eat something?! I didn’t survive explosive diarrhea and transmigration just to DIE OF STARVATION in a swamp!"

Both serpents froze.

"Explosive.....diarrhea?" Mo Yan repeated slowly.

Xin Yi’s face went red. "It’s... it’s not important! The point is I’M HUNGRY! SO EITHER FEED ME OR TAKE ME BACK TO HEI YAN WHO WILL ACTUALLY FEED ME!"

There was a beat of silence.

Then Mo Yan threw his head back and laughed. It was a deep, booming sound that shook the ground. "You’re magnificent! Qing Lin, where did you find her?!"

"She fell from the sky into Panther territory," Qing Lin said dryly. "And she’s been causing chaos ever since."

"I HAVE NOT!" Xin Yi protested. "I’ve been CIVILIZING! I taught them soap! And cooking! And basic hygiene! I’m a BENEFIT to society!"

"You started a three-way Alpha war," Qing Lin pointed out.

"THAT WASN’T MY FAULT!"

Mo Yan was still chuckling as he finally set her down on her feet. "Very well, fierce little female. We’ll feed you first. Then we’ll discuss terms."

"Terms?!" Xin Yi’s eye twitched. "What terms?!"

"The terms of your stay," Mo Yan said smoothly. He turned and started walking again, expecting her to follow. "Qing Lin brought you to my territory. That means you’re my responsibility now. And I take care of what’s mine."

"I AM NOT YOURS!"

"Yet," Mo Yan added, glancing back with that predatory smile.

Qing Lin moved to Xin Yi’s side, his hand finding the small of her back again. "Ignore him. He’s testing you."

"By claiming ownership of me?!" 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

"By seeing if you’ll submit," Qing Lin murmured, his breath cool against her ear. "Don’t. It only makes serpents more interested."

[DING! (◕‿◕✿)]

[System Analysis: You now have TWO serpent kings competing for your attention! Congratulations! Your harem is expanding at an alarming rate!]

[Current Romantic Interest Count: 4 (Panther, Tiger, Snake King #1, Snake King #2)]

[Host’s Sanity Level: Dropping Rapidly]

[Recommendation: EAT FOOD. SURVIVE. FIGURE OUT YOUR LIFE LATER.]

"Finally," Xin Yi muttered, "the System says something useful."