Chapter 2: Damn it! Release the Beastwoman

Wu Qingsong’s sudden appearance clearly unsettled the young wolfwomen, and he himself felt equally out of place.

The recent events were so intense that they imbued him with a profound sense of unreality. Did Ken and Blanca truly exist? And did they genuinely meet their death?

In the three days since he found himself in this unfamiliar world, struggling to survive in the forest, he had imagined numerous potential scenarios. Many of them were even more gruesome and terrifying than what he had just witnessed. He was only nineteen, after all, and had a huge imagination.

However, when everything played out before his eyes he truly grasped the vast difference between imagination and experiencing it firsthand. The two were separated by an insurmountable divide.

Under the skeptical and hostile glares of the wolfwomen, he slowly stepped back, found an empty corner, and quietly sat down.

The ferocious wolf riders hadn’t bothered with introductions, creating a natural alienation between him and the wolfwomen. Perhaps this was also the intention of the elf named Kleine.

As dusk settled, the room was consumed by darkness. Wu Qingsong released a sigh of relief, thinking he was finally spared from their uncomfortable scrutiny. Yet, when he inadvertently glanced up, he was confronted with numerous glowing green eyes, shimmering in the dark and focusing on him.

They weren’t human after all, they were wolfkin.

The scent of grilled meat gradually permeated the room, seeping through the crevices of the house. It appeared the mastiffmen were joyfully singing and drinking around the fire outside. This ambiance slowly eased the tension inside. A few of the wolfwomen began to sob quietly, while the others tried to console them.

“Elisa, the fact that Ken and Blanca are still alive is a blessing in itself.”

Wu Qingsong suddenly heard someone speaking and couldn’t help but perk up his ears to listen carefully to their conversation.

“They will surely seek Nina and the others for help,” someone whispered in the darkness. “We will be saved.”

Wu Qingsong surmised that Elisa, the wolfwoman now being comforted, must be the newlywed bride that Ken couldn’t stop talking about during their journey. This realization brought a mix of unease and turmoil to his heart.

They were probably captured from the very beginning, unaware of the horrors that happened outside.

Blanca’s brutal end was still fresh in his mind. Considering how Ken, younger and more impulsive, had rushed into the village even ahead of Blanca, his chances of survival seemed bleak. But was it appropriate, or even necessary, to share such grim news with them now?

Looking at it from another angle, revealing the harsh reality might not offer any solace. It could, in fact, deepen their despair.

With a heavy sigh, he tried to make himself even more inconspicuous in his corner.

Suddenly, the door was flung open. Several half-drunk mastiffmen staggered in, reeking of cheap alcohol and an indescribable foul stench. This sent the wolfwomen into a panic, and they hurriedly retreated to the furthest corner.

“What do you want?” asked a mature-looking wolfwoman.

“Hahahaha, stinking wenches, what do you think we want to do? Of course, it’s to have our way with you!”

The mastiffman at the lead was exceptionally tall, so much so that he nearly touched the room’s low ceiling. He quickly grabbed the wolfwoman who dared to challenge him, tearing away the scant clothing she had on, and forced her down beneath him.

The heinous act caused all the wolfwomen to scream in despair. However, it only stoked the ferocity of the mastiffmen. They laughed uproariously as they lunged at the other wolfwomen.

Just then, a voice loudly exclaimed, “Let them go.”

The mastiffmen paused, caught off guard by the masculine tone. They soon spotted Wu Qingsong, now standing up behind the wolfwomen. Their derisive laughter echoed through the room, “Look who it is, the half-breed. This is none of your business. Beat it.”

Unlike the wolfmen, whose physiques combined grace with power, these creatures had a more brute appearance. Their short, stubby limbs contrasted with their broad and muscular bodies. Facing them, Wu Qingsong felt dwarfed, as if confronting massive walls. Yet, after witnessing Blanca’s tragic end, he couldn’t bear the thought of standing idly by as these wolfwomen faced harm.

If he were to hide in the corner, pretending as if nothing happened and turning a blind eye to everything, then what would he be?

Was he destined to live in this world as a mere coward?

The mastiffman at the forefront suddenly grabbed Wu Qingsong by the throat, hoisting him into the air.

“Half-breed, how do you wish to die?” A prominent scar trailed past his right eye, with white fur contrasting starkly against the brown fur elsewhere, adding to his terrifying appearance.

Wu Qingsong immediately began to suffocate. He desperately grasped the mastiffman’s arm, kicking and struggling with all his might. However, his strength was far too feeble compared to his opponent, posing no threat whatsoever.

He laughed heartily until Wu Qingsong’s face turned beet red and his eyes bulged out. Suddenly, he released his grip, causing Wu Qingsong to fall heavily onto the ground.

“Scram!” he roared excitedly.

Desperately gasping for air, Wu Qingsong clutched the small knife hidden behind him.

Perhaps because they deemed him as no threat, the wolf riders didn’t even think to search him when they captured him. However, at this moment, Wu Qingsong had to admit, even if his adversaries were unarmed and he held this knife, the scales of victory would hardly tip in his favor.

Even if he managed to kill the scarred mastiffman with a sneak attack, what of the others?

A name flashed in his mind. With newfound courage, he called out, “What would Lord Vals say if he knew you’ve mistreated these women?”

He was clueless about this name, but at this dire moment, it was the only leverage he had. Surprisingly, a couple of the less intoxicated mastiffmen hesitated at his words.

“If you dare lay a hand on them, I swear I’ll make sure he knows what you’ve done behind his back,” Wu Qingsong declared, his voice filled with defiance.

“He wouldn’t waste a thought on these lowly wenches,” the scar-eye shot back, his tone laced with fury. Yet his reaction told Wu Qingsong that, against all odds, his bluff had worked.

“Care to take that chance?”

“I swear, I’ll kill you. You damned half-bread.” The scar-eye mastiffman erupted in a fury, charging once more at Wu Qingsong.

Hastily retreating, Wu Qingsong shouted, “I am a half-elf. Think of the consequences!”

The other mastiffmen managed to hold scar-eye back. Wu Qingsong had been treading on thin ice with his responses, given his sparse understanding of this world. His only strategy was to stitch together a defense from the meager details he had gathered.

Nag, a mastiffman, had alluded that even if Wu Qingsong was seen as a ‘subpar product’, he bore the esteemed bloodline of elves. Perhaps this hint of nobility was the only thing saving him from instant death. Then, the elf named Kleine had instructed them to detain him here, held alongside the wolfwomen, while awaiting Lord Vals’ judgment.

These disjointed clues surprisingly became his beacon of hope.

“He’s a half-elf. We can’t just kill him. When we return, Lord Vals may very well want an audience with him,” one mastiffman whispered. “Lord Vals is capricious. Maybe he won’t care, or perhaps he’ll hang us. It’s too great a gamble.”

“The bounty from this job can fetch us several lovely women back home,” another one murmured in agreement.

After seemingly finding common ground, the scar-eye shot Wu Qingsong one last menacing look before begrudgingly exiting.

“Keep yourself in check, half-breed. Step out of line, and we won’t hesitate to kill you,” one mastiffman threatened with an undertone of apprehension, and then abruptly shut the door.

The wolfwomen were in disbelief that they had dodged such a grim fate. Some, overwhelmed, wept silently. The one, whose garments had been tattered and who had narrowly escaped violation, rearranged her clothes and approached Wu Qingsong.

“Thank you,” her voice came out as a strained whisper.

“I just scared them away for the moment,” Wu Qingsong shook his head, feeling his hands trembling uncontrollably. 

Part of this was the body’s natural response to his near-death experience from suffocation. However, a deep-seated fear, a lingering reminder of the dangers he’d faced in this new world, still surged within him, intertwined with the excitement of his recent victory.

“It’s more than enough,” the wolfwoman whispered with conviction. “Thank you.”

In the shadows, her face remained hidden, but her elegant silhouette was unmistakable. Even though she was but a furry beast-woman, her genuine gratitude filled Wu Qingsong with a deep sense of fulfillment.

He was an outsider to this world. Ken and Blanca had helped him, leading him out of the mountains, but he had likewise aided them in securing their prey, even though they ultimately couldn’t bring it home. He wasn’t truly a part of this world. In a sense, this conflict between the native army and the mountain folk had nothing to do with him, a traveler from another world.

Similarly, the destinies of these wolfwomen weren’t his to meddle with.

However, he found it unbearable to simply watch such atrocities unfold before his very eyes and feign ignorance. Taking a passive stance for his own safety was something he could not, and would not, do.

Destiny had thrust him into this world, and he was certain of one thing–it wasn’t to see him bend and bow continuously. 

If given another chance, he would act the same way, and he’d do even better.

Perhaps his words couldn’t immediately resolve the core issue. If this world was as he imagined, then even if these wolfwomen escaped tonight’s calamity, they would inevitably face similarly tragic fates in the future.

Yet, this successful attempt made him recognize a different side of himself, a side starkly different from what he knew.

If someone had told him three days ago that he would have the courage and ability to face such a situation, he would have never believed it. But now, he had done it and was sure he could achieve even more.

All he needed was a deeper understanding of this world.

The recent upheaval had somewhat lifted the mood in this makeshift prison. As the wolfwomen settled their nerves, they no longer kept their distance from Wu Qingsong. In fact, they took seats beside him, elevating his spirits even further.

Hunger pangs resonated within the enclosure, yet the mastiffmen showed no signs of offering any sustenance. The wolfwomen huddled together, softly comforting one another, which made it difficult for Wu Qingsong to seize an opportunity to gather more information from them.

Fatigue, both physical and mental, loomed over him, and his eyes grew heavy. However, before he could lose himself in slumber, a distant and lingering wolf howl pierced the silence, rousing everyone.

“It’s Nina and her pack!” the wolfwomen cried out with joy, pressing their ears to the wall’s crevices.

Outside, the mastiffmen grew visibly restless. Wu Qingsong discerned the sounds of their hasty movements. The massive wolves outside were growling in discontent, their growls and snarls intermingling.

“Who’s Nina?” Wu Qingsong asked softly. It was the second time he heard the name.

They paused momentarily. Then, the wolfwoman who had expressed her gratitude to him earlier replied, “She is the hope of our wolfkin.”

The hope of the wolfkin? Far from enlightening him, this response deepened Wu Qingsong’s confusion.