Favorite of the Beast-world: I Got Rich Through Farming

Chapter 409 - 281: So It Was You and What an Adorable Child

The newcomer was a middle-aged to elderly Beastman. His hair and beard were turning gray, but he was in excellent spirits. He seemed to walk with a limp in his right leg.

The moment he saw An Jin from a distance, he froze. But after getting closer and confirming it was her, his eyes quickly filled with tears.

"So what Lord City Lord Ling Hong said was actually true. You’ve really returned." His voice trembled. "Ever since that accident ten years ago, you vanished for no reason. The City Lord sent out many search parties, but they all came back without a single clue. We thought you were..."

He gazed at the female before him, whose face hadn’t changed in ten years. Though her hair had turned silver, her features remained youthful and delicate, a stark contrast to his own aging body.

"You are...?" she began hesitantly.

The man froze for a moment. "I’m Gao Shi, Lord City Lord! Back then, you healed my leg when it was nearly crippled! You’re the great benefactor I, Gao Shi, swore to serve for life!"

’The me from back then?’

Wamiya recalled the somewhat familiar layout of the city as they had walked, as well as the two people before her. She lowered her head, lost in thought. Before she could speak, Ling Hong stepped forward. "Jin’er has only just returned. I’m going to show her around some more. You should get back to your duties."

Beastmen generally have short lifespans. Now, at nearly forty years old, Gao Shi was considered a respected Elder in the city. As he was one of the first generation of workers An Jin had heavily relied on, Ling Hong had also given him a high position after taking over. Though nearing retirement, Gao Shi’s days were still busy.

After bidding Gao Shi farewell, Ling Hong took her hand and continued to stroll outside. They then ran into Chun Ni and her mate, whom they hadn’t seen in a long time.

She was now the mother of several broods of cubs. Two recently hatched, dusty-gray hawk chicks were napping in her soft hair, as if they had made it their new nest.

"Ah-Ah Jin?!" Chun Ni rubbed her eyes hard as if she were dreaming. Once she was sure she wasn’t hallucinating, she excitedly threw her arms around her in a full embrace, nearly knocking the two little hawk chicks off.

Hei Xuan, who was beside her, quickly caught the startled hawk chicks in his arms.

"Is it really you?! I thought... I thought you..." She choked up, unable to speak. Tears streamed down her face, and no matter how many times she wiped them away, they kept coming. "Where have you been all these years? There was no news at all. We all thought you had..."

She swallowed the inauspicious word.

Her two mates beside her tugged lightly on her sleeve. "What is it?" she mumbled. When she looked up, she finally realized something wasn’t right with Ah Jin.

"I’m sorry."

The female no longer looked as dazed as before. Instead, a hint of life returned to her eyes. Under the astonished gazes of Ling Hong and the others, she gently shook her head. "Something happened before, so I couldn’t come back."

After they saw Chun Ni and her companions off, Ling Hong squeezed her hand and asked softly, "Jin’er, did you remember something?"

She smiled, but then shook her head sadly. "Still nothing."

"Then what about what you just said?"

She thought for a moment before continuing, "If I told you I don’t recognize you, you would all be heartbroken, just like you were at first." The memory of his initial sadness inexplicably tugged at her heartstrings.

Although she still couldn’t remember anything, her heart was beginning to accept these people who kept appearing from her past. Her body’s instincts wouldn’t lie.

...

「The next day, an unexpected guest arrived at the Royal City.」

「The castle.」

"Ze Sheng? What are you doing here?" Ling Hong concealed the vigilance in his eyes, deliberately keeping his voice flat.

However, in the shadows, numerous Beastmen had already surrounded the castle.

But the visitor just smiled faintly, his demeanor as gentle as ever. Yet, a sharp glint was hidden in his enchanting purple eyes, and the power of a King Beast Peak silently blanketed the entire area.

Time was short, forcing him to be direct. He got straight to the point. "Hand her over. I know she’s here. I don’t want to start a war with you."

’She might be peeking out that window, watching me right now. He didn’t want to leave a bad impression on her.’

Ling Hong’s expression turned frigid. He, too, unleashed the full pressure of his King Beast power without reservation. The two powerful auras clashed sharply.

"Trying to snatch someone so brazenly? Don’t forget whose territory this is. It’s not a place for an outsider King Beast to act so presumptuously." Since the other party had laid his cards on the table, Ling Hong couldn’t be bothered to hide his own intentions either. ’But it won’t be that easy to take her from me.’

"I told you, I don’t want to fight you." ’Those two are already giving me enough trouble. I don’t want to make more enemies. If possible, I’d even like to befriend Ling Hong and form an alliance to fight our common foe.’

"Since Ah Jin is with you, you must have noticed the abnormality in her condition. She needs me." Ze Sheng raised his eyes slightly, a smile playing on his lips. "Or rather, she can’t do without me."

"What do you mean?"

"You don’t want to give up the chance to save her, do you?" Ze Sheng walked over to him and whispered a few words in his ear.

Ling Hong shot to his feet, his once frosty expression cracking. His tightly clenched fists turned white at the knuckles, and his voice was laced with a bone-chilling cold. "...So it was you."

Ze Sheng ignored the murderous glare, his eyes lowered slightly as he continued to smile. "Can you take me to her now?"

"You should understand that besides me, no one can save her. Otherwise, the only thing awaiting her is a dead end."

CRACK—

Something shattered.

Ze Sheng lifted his gaze and saw a few little ones eavesdropping outside the door. They had accidentally broken a few vases. His impassive gaze swept over them, but when it landed on one of the Beastman children, he was slightly stunned.

"You are..." He came back to his senses and beckoned to the silver-haired, purple-eyed Beastman child with his finger. A genuine smile touched his lips. "Come here. Let me see. Are you Ah Jin’s child?"

Their third son stood trembling in the doorway, looking helplessly at his father. Ling Hong took two steps forward, scooped him into his arms, and said to Ze Sheng with a cold frown, "He is my and Jin’er’s child."

He paused, then reiterated, "He has nothing to do with you."

"Don’t you think he looks a lot like me?" Ze Sheng’s gaze toward the third son was surprisingly gentle—a natural tenderness, unfeigned and pure.

’Through this child, he seemed to see his younger self. The appearance, those eyes, even the same timid and unassertive personality... he was practically a miniature version of him.’

’If he and Wamiya had a child, would they be just as cute and beautiful?’

Ling Hong’s face instantly darkened. A chilling aura emanated from him as he bit out each word, "He takes after his mother!"

Ze Sheng just chuckled and said nothing. As he was about to leave, he turned his head to look at the third son again. He seemed lost in thought for a moment before murmuring with genuine feeling, "...What an adorable child."

"Ze Sheng?!"

After many days apart, the two met again. Wamiya excitedly threw herself into his arms, feeling wronged and sad. "Where did you go? You disappeared for so long! I was taken away by a group of Marmot Beastmen..."

"I’m sorry. I was dealing with some difficult matters and only just had time to come find you. Have you been alright here in this Royal City?"