Chosen Mate Of The Beastmen Empire

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"What are you talking about? I'm not making you eat mud. The meat's inside," Nyx said, unable to hold back. She ruffled their clueless heads one by one before crouching down and cracking open a mud shell in a few quick moves.

They had just eaten roasted meat and drunk meat soup, so everyone was about seventy to eighty percent full. They thought they wouldn't be tempted by any more delicious smells.

But the moment the mud shell cracked open, an irresistible fragrance filled the air, making them all instinctively show blissful expressions.

It smelled amazing.

Their hunger resurfaced, their stomachs growling as their cravings kicked in.

Unfortunately, there were only a few chickens in the tribe, so everyone could only have a single bite to taste it.

The chicken, wrapped in leaves, was fully cooked-the meat tender and falling off the bone, with juices overflowing.

For people who had spent their entire lives eating only roasted or boiled meat with a little salt, this was a game-changer.

The chieftain licked the meat juices off his fingers and smacked his lips, savoring the taste.

'Good thing I gave out that punishment, or those three would've hogged all this delicious food for themselves!' he thought.

Behind him, three fluffy figures stared at him with resentment.

"Can you make me another one tomorrow?" Lila buried herself in Nyx's arms, using her cute face and fluffy belly to act pitiful. She whimpered, "I only got a little bit of chicken breast... I didn't have enough."

Lila thought that whole chicken should've been hers.

Before Nyx could answer, Zayne rejected the request without hesitation. "No."

He pulled Nyx into his arms, ruthlessly squeezing the tabby cat to the side. "Why don't you cook for yourself?"

He wouldn't even let Nyx cook for herself, so there was no way he'd allow some clingy tabby cat to make extra demands on her.

If Nyx agreed, Gina and Beau definitely wouldn't want to be left out either. The tribe was full of people-if one asked today and another asked tomorrow, she'd never get any rest.

The tabby cat lowered her head in embarrassment, her face turning slightly red. She belatedly realized she really had been troubling Nyx. She actually knew how to cook-she could've just made it herself. "Nyx, can you teach me how to make baked chicken?" she asked.

She had already learned how to make meat soup, but when Nyx was cooking the baked chicken earlier, she had been busy getting scolded by everyone and missed the whole process.

It wasn't just Lila-no one else had seen it either. Now, they all regretted it, sneaking glances at Nyx's expression.

"Sure," Nyx said generously with a nod. "In a couple of days, I'll take you to gather the seasonings first."

For now, though, everyone was probably more eager to learn pottery-making.

Nyx tapped the hardened mud shell of the baked chicken. "Actually, making pottery is pretty similar to this. Special types of mud become solid when exposed to high heat."

05:27 Mon, 10 Marw

Everyone froze on the spot, their understanding of the world shattered. It was a huge shock. They had always thought pottery was made of some special kind of stone. It turned out to be just burned mud.

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“To be precise, it's clay," Nyx cleared her throat and reminded them to snap out of it. "You can usually dig it up by the river.

Not only was it available here, but their old tribe had it too.

Squatting by the river, staring at the ordinary-looking mud, Lila was in disbelief- then suddenly burst into tears.

She thought, 'My dried meat! I've saved up dried meat for so long just to trade for a small bowl at the Grand Trade Market!'

That person had told her they were only selling it at a low price because of her father, and she had thought she'd gotten a great deal. Later, she had even treasured it and gifted it to Nyx. But it turned out to be just a lump of mud.

She remembered the banks of the river outside their old tribe were full of this kind of soil.

Lila slumped onto the ground, completely crushed.

"Thanks to the bowl you gave me, I remembered how to make pottery," Nyx said, holding back a laugh as she gently comforted her.

Hearing that, the tabby cat's drooping ears perked up slightly, but she still pouted, looking glum.

"If you're upset about it, we could sell pottery at this year's Grand Trade Market at really cheap prices. That way, that guy won't have any business and will learn his lesson," Nyx suggested.

Pottery wasn't exactly a valuable item, but it was convenient and useful. Instead of selling it at high prices to a few rich people, she'd rather spread it to everyone.

Even if they lowered the price and didn't sell it for much, the tribe could still make a decent profit. Besides, they couldn't rely on this for a living-it was just some extra income.

As she spoke, Nyx grabbed a handful of clay. With a few skillful movements of her fingers, a lifelike little cat took shape in her palm.

She waved it in front of Lila like she was coaxing a child. "Do you like it?"

Instantly, Lila's eyes were glued to it. All her sadness vanished. "I love it!"

Eager to try, Lila attempted to sculpt a little rabbit for Nyx. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get it right. Sweat covered her forehead as she finally managed a rough shape.

Just as she looked up, excited, she saw Zayne standing beside Nyx, holding a perfectly crafted rabbit he had already made to amuse her.

At a glance, Lila's face burned with embarrassment. She hid her abstract creation behind her back and slinked away in defeat. She thought, 'Damn that Shaman.' Zayne had won-completely.

Now that the nuisance was gone, he happily wrapped an arm around Nyx, sculpted a Snow Wolf to pair with the rabbit, and was about to fire them.

"Hold on." Nyx stopped him, crafting a chubby little wolf pup and shoving it into his hands. She raised an eyebrow. "Cute, right?"

Zayne had no idea what she was getting at, but he nodded anyway. "Yeah...

cute."

"This is our pup," she whispered into his ear, arms draped around his neck. "His name is Noel."

05:27 Mon, 10 Mar

In an instant, Zayne's face flushed crimson, the color spreading down his neck

and chest.

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He opened his mouth but couldn't make a sound for a long time. He thought, 'Noel... What a strange name... But if Nyx likes it, I have no objections... Once we have a pup, we'd name it that.

Nyx watched him with a smile, taking in his every reaction. Her amusement deepened.

Teasing her amnesiac mate had its own special charm. Satisfied, she broke Zayne's train of thought, hooked his finger with hers, and said, "Come on, let's fire them."

By the river, flames roared into the night.

The chieftain stood close to the fire, while the others gathered in layers around it.

The bonfire crackled fiercely, its heat scorching the air.

Time ticked by. The people grew thirstier, but no one dared move for water. Their eyes stayed locked on the fire, not even blinking.

"It's about time." The moment Nyx spoke, everyone sprang into action.

They had been waiting too long for this. With serious expressions, they poked at

the fire with their tools, holding their breath.

Slowly, a clay pot emerged from the flames-noveldrama

"It worked!" Seeing the large pot he had molded with his own hands, the chieftain's eyes widened, and he jumped three feet high. He thought he had finally learned how to make pottery.

A chorus of howls echoed by the river, overflowing with joy.

If Zayne hadn't been keeping a tight hold on Nyx, shielding her from the frenzy, she might have been tossed into the air in celebration..

"Beast God!" With a loud thud, the chieftain dropped to the ground, raising both hands to the sky. "Thank you, Beast God!"

As he spoke words of gratitude to the Beast God, his eyes remained locked onto Nyx, as if he saw her as the Beast God's incarnation.

People slowly came to their senses. One by one, they followed the chieftain's example, kneeling before Nyx and chanting the Beast God's name, thanking him for his blessings.

Ever since Nyx suddenly appeared in their tribe, they had gained more food, richer lands, and even learned how to weave bamboo baskets and fire pottery. Nyx had seemingly descended from the heavens, her origins a mystery. She had taught them so much, led them in their migration during a disaster, survived being buried under an avalanche, and even found them such an incredible place to live... Everything pointed to a single conclusion-she must be deeply connected to the Beast God.

The scene before her was so over-the-top that Nyx felt a little embarrassed. She quietly took a few steps back, refusing to accept their grand gesture. In her mind, she hadn't really done that much for them-she just wanted everyone to live a little better.

"Hurry up and take out the rest of the pots, don't let them burn too long," she said, clearing her throat as she urged them on.

After experiencing shock after shock, the chieftain now followed her every word without question. With a wave of his arm, everyone sprang into action-some putting out the fire, others retrieving the pots.

Before long, all the pottery was neatly arranged beside the fire pit.

Mon, 10 Mar

This was their first attempt, so they had been careful not to waste too much clay.

Aside from the pieces Nyx and Zayne had made, they had fired only a dozen or so pots of varying sizes.

Maybe because everyone had been so meticulous, the success rate was higher than Nyx had expected. Only one pot had cracked during the firing, but even that, the chieftain refused to discard.

He carefully picked it up, gathering every shard, planning to take it home as a keepsake-who knew, maybe it could still be useful somehow.

That night, many in the tribe were too excited to sleep. The chieftain, in particular, spent the whole night wide awake, clutching a pottery jar in one hand and a lump of salt in his mouth, full of energy as he organized tasks for the tribe. The hunters would continue hunting as before, while the others were divided into two groups-one for boiling salt, the other for making pottery. Those with free time

could learn from Nyx how to identify different seasoning plants and go foraging with her.

Life quickly returned to normal.

With hope in their hearts and enough food to sustain them, the once lifeless members of the Wolf Tribe seemed reborn. Their gaunt bodies, reduced to skin and bones, regained their original strength before the hot season arrived-in fact, they were even healthier than before.

Zayne had even managed to fatten Nyx up by a few pounds.

In human form, it wasn't noticeable, but in beast form, it was obvious. The little

rabbit felt soft and plush in his arms, her fur fluffy and sleek, giving him a deep sense of satisfaction.

Of course, Nyx refused to be outdone-she fed him just as much.

Even with limited resources, she had plenty of recipes in her head. With a diet

that was mostly meat with some greens mixed in, she made sure her male was well-fed and strong-holding him at night felt reassuring.

After starving in that cave for so many days, she had been afraid Zayne's stomach would be permanently damaged. Fortunately, he was still as sturdy as ever, with no lingering issues. In every way, he was in perfect shape.

Now that life had settled down, the only thing weighing on her mind was when the

trial would end. The Heavenly Law hadn't given her any hints.

At first, Nyx had been anxious, worried that there might still be countless challenges ahead. But over time, she let go of her

worries.

She believed that no matter what trial awaited them, they would get through it. At

worst, she would have to live here with Zayne for a lifetime before she could return.

To her, that wasn't such a terrible fate. As long as Zayne was by her side, she felt at peace. The living conditions might be rough, nowhere near as advanced as in the interstellar era, but within his abilities, he had given her the best he could. Ever since she had been recognized as having ties to the Beast God, the males in

the tribe looked at her with careful reverence and longing, yet none dared to challenge Zayne or try to take his place.

Even among her mates, Zayne was the one who served her best. The longer he

lived with her, the more thoughtful and meticulous he became-so much so that the other males felt ashamed in comparison.

"I feel like going for a walk," Nyx said after lunch, lying on the bed and rubbing her

full stomach before lazily sitting up.

Just as she finished speaking, before Zayne could respond, a sudden clap of

thunder boomed outside, and the sky darkened

in an instant.

05:2 Mon,

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Thick clouds rolled in, rumbling with muffled thunder, and raindrops the size of

beans pelted the ground. Because the hot season was near, the weather had been unpredictable lately-sunny one moment, stormy the next, changing faster than a child's moods.

"Do you still want to go out now?" Zayne asked, pulling out a thick fur cloak for

her-it was a new one he had made not long ago. If Nyx wanted to go, he was willing to accompany her, even in the rain.

"No," Nyx shook her head, dragging a stool over to sit by the cave entrance. "Just

watching the rain from here is nice too."

She had a cloak, but Zayne didn't.

No matter how strong he was, she couldn't bear to let him get drenched for no

reason. If he got sick, it would be a hassle. Even if he didn't, standing in the rain would still be uncomfortable.

Zayne saw right through her thoughts. His expression softened as he crouched beside her, gently taking her hand in his.

The rain gradually lessened. The downpour had only lasted a short while before coming to an end.

It wasn't the first time such heavy rain had fallen recently. Every time it rained, the temperature seemed to rise a little. The weather was getting hotter by the day, and the mountains were turning greener.

"In ten days, we'll be heading to the Grand Trade Market," Zayne said, breathing

in the damp air after the rain. He climbed up to a higher spot and gazed into the

distance.

He lifted Nyx onto his back so she could see farther.

The Grand Trade Market happened once every few years, and most tribes attended, no matter how far they had to travel.

Only those struggling to survive-hit by disasters or enemy attacks, on the verge of extinction-would fail to make the journey and disappear from the market.

For the Wolf Tribe, this year's market was particularly significant. Everyone had been busy preparing pottery-mostly practical items like jars, bowls, and spoons. Lila and Gina had even made some jewelry, hoping to sell them for a good price.

Nyx looked around. She saw the pottery team working tirelessly by the river and the hunting team chasing a herd of wild horses.

In the distance, she vaguely spotted land belonging to other tribes. It looked

close, but in reality, they were separated by several mountain peaks. "Where's the Grand Trade Market?" Nyx asked curiously.

She thought for a moment and rephrased her question. "Was our old territory

closer to it, or is our current one closer?"

"The old one was closer," Zayne replied, pointing in a direction. "That's why we

need to leave earlier this year."

Even though they had a long journey ahead, they weren't the farthest tribe from

the market. The tribe farthest away lived by the sea.

Zay

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