In the Beast World, salt was a critically scarce but essential resource.
Males could meet their salt needs by drinking blood, but females and newborn cubs needed to consume salt directly.
Xiong Rou herself required a fair amount of salt, and now with several little bear cubs, the amount needed was even greater.
Having finally saved up some salt, it all vanished in the blink of an eye. This was a huge blow to the family living in the cave!
Xiong Rou almost immediately glared at Si Yan. "Thief! Chief, she's a thief! She stole our salt; her whole family are thieves!"
A miscalculation, Si Yan thought to herself.
She had hoped that with everyone's attention on her, this theft would have gone undetected, but she was surprisingly found out.
It wasn't a big deal, though. In this world, no one knew of the existence of 'space'.
Si Yan sneered. "Xiong Rou, accusations require evidence. Otherwise, you're just slandering. Besides, how can you be so sure it wasn't one of your own males who stole it?"
"Si Yan!" Xiong Rou, practically an enraged, fat bear, declared, "I'm telling you, my males are absolutely loyal to me! None of them would ever betray me."
"That's not necessarily true. After all, you have so many males, and you haven't borne cubs for all of them. Perhaps they're dissatisfied," Si Yan said with a smile.
Veins throbbed on Xiong Rou's forehead from anger. She turned to the chief and said, "Chief, search her! I'm sure our salt is on her!"
"Why should I let you search me?!" Si Yan asked, cocking her head and looking at her with a smirk.
The four cubs looked at Si Yan. Bei Ji was completely focused on her, feeling anxious as he watched the standoff with Xiong Rou.
He wanted to rush over to protect her, but Xi Qing held him back.
Xiong Rou shouted angrily, "Si Yan, it was definitely you who stole my salt! That's why you have a guilty conscience, and why you don't dare let us search you!"
"HAHAHA. Okay." Si Yan paused. Her clear eyes met Xiong Rou's, instilling an inexplicable fear. "I'll allow a search. But what if it's not on me?"
Si Yan turned to the chief. "Chief, there must be a punishment for slander in the tribe, right? Or will the tribe just let anyone sling mud at others whenever they please?!"
"Si Yan, what do you propose?" the chief asked.
Si Yan stated, "If Xiong Rou's salt isn't found on me, I demand she compensate me with two beast hides and apologize!"
"In your dreams, Si Yan!" Xiong Rou retorted angrily.
Si Yan folded her arms, watching her calmly. "You don't dare."
"You!" Xiong Rou's face flushed with anger. "Fine! Let's do it. You stole our salt; it must be on you!"
With that, she started to approach Si Yan.
Si Yan immediately stepped back.
"Si Yan, you truly are guilty!" Xiong Rou said, a triumphant gleam in her eyes.
"Guilty of what? The thought of being searched by a female as fat as you disgusts me," Si Yan retorted.
Then, Si Yan turned to Witch Doctor Mei Wen with a smile. "Witch Doctor, your credibility is high. Please conduct the search. That way, Xiong Rou will have to accept the outcome."
Xiong Rou shot Si Yan a fierce glare before turning to Mei Wen.
Witch Doctor Mei Wen nodded. "I'll do it."
Xiong Rou, unable to conduct the search herself, puffed out her fat cheeks in displeasure.
Mei Wen took Si Yan aside to search her. Indeed, nothing was found.
Xiong Rou's eyes widened incredulously. "This... this is impossible!"
The items were in her space. Which beastman here knew what space was? And which beastman could open Si Yan's space?! Of course, nothing could be found.
Si Yan smiled. "Xiong Rou, perhaps you should investigate your own males. Maybe one of them did it. Alas, I'm just trying to give you a friendly reminder. Why won't you believe me?"
"Si Yan!!" Xiong Rou cried out recklessly. "It was you! It must have been you! You did it, didn't you?!"
Si Yan held up two fingers. "You lost the bet. Two beast hides. Shall I pick them, or will you hand them over? Your Xiong Rou family has so many males; surely you're not so poor that you don't even have a few beast hides to spare?"
The chief and Mei Wen both looked at Xiong Rou, as if wondering if she would go back on her word.
Xiong Rou ground her teeth. "Si Yan, don't push it! You think I can't afford a mere two beast hides?!"
Si Yan smiled faintly.
Soon after, Xiong Rou, her gaze malevolent, reluctantly had one of her males give the beast hides to Si Yan. She then watched Si Yan leave and walk towards the snake cubs.