However, it was precisely those five years as a Mercenary that caused his Frenzy Value to skyrocket. Just as he was on the verge of a breakthrough, his power became unstable, and he was ambushed. Years of hard work were wiped out in an instant.
This bag of High Rank Crystal Stones was the nest egg he had scraped together over the past few years, surviving one close brush with death after another. It was enough to buy a house in a decent part of the city, enough for them to live out the rest of their days in peace and comfort.
The expectant, shy look in the man's eyes made Sang Luo's own eyes well up. Her resolve wavered once again.
She had never believed in true love, only in transactional relationships.
Giving was a two-way street. Between females and males, it was nothing more than each getting what they wanted from the other.
Females needed a strong provider, while males needed to continue their bloodline.
Lan Cang had been so good to her from start to finish, yet... he had never expected anything in return.
'What a total sucker.'
'She was almost tempted to friend-zone him.'
Sang Luo suddenly reached out and cupped his face, pressing her red lips against his. 'If... if I really can't go back, then settling down with him and having a litter of Wolf Pups wouldn't be such a bad life.'
Sang Luo didn't accept Lan Cang's nest egg, telling him to keep it for now.
She had no power to speak of. It would be a disaster if carrying such a fortune got her targeted, killed, and robbed.
Besides, Beast Crystals weren't just currency; the energy they contained was also the main source for a Beastman's advancement.
He needed them more than she did.
"In one month, I will take you away from the Kordo Tribe. A war... might break out here in the future." Lan Cang had heard some rumors in the city; the unaligned territory on the continental border had always been fiercely contested land.
Years ago, he had been injured on a mission and was saved by the old Clan Leader of the Kordo Tribe. The old Clan Leader had been good to him and had no children to care for him in his old age, so Lan Cang stayed with the tribe for many years to repay this kindness. He planned to leave with Sang Luo as soon as his debt was paid.
The night grew deep and dewy. With the arrival of autumn, the temperature plummeted after dark. The weather in the Beast World was far more erratic than on Earth. Lan Cang secured the door and windows, then climbed into bed and pulled her into his arms. The exhaustion from half a month of nonstop travel instantly vanished as he held her soft, warm body. Sang Luo, for her part, loved wrapping her arms around his lean, solid waist. She snuggled close, greedily soaking in the addictive heat radiating from him.
Just as the two were wrapped in an intimate embrace, their passion building, the sound of panting—sometimes deep, sometimes shallow—drifted in from outside. The instincts of wild beasts still flowed through the Beastmen's blood. They were particularly fond of forgoing sleep to vent their boundless desires in the woods at night.
The sounds from outside weren't loud, but they reached their ears all the same. Lan Cang's handsome face flushed a visible red, his ears turning as crimson as if they were about to drip blood.
Seeing his shy and flustered state, Sang Luo couldn't help but want to tease him. She extended a slender, pale finger and lightly drew a few circles on his chest.
"So... you're so good to me. How ever should I repay you?"
HUFF! How could a young, virile Male Beast with no worldly experience like Lan Cang possibly withstand such a provocation? His eyes quickly turned red, and he swallowed hard several times. The strong arm on her slender waist tightened, and veins bulged on his skin.
The sight of him staring at her—struggling to hold back, yet full of both expectation and shyness—made Sang Luo's heart ache a little. She hesitated for a moment, then tugged her clothes down just a bit. 'Maybe... I should just give him what he wants.'
"Don't!"
But Lan Cang suddenly grabbed her hand and bundled her up in the blanket, wrapping her as tightly as a spring roll.
Sang Luo glared at him. 'I had just mentally prepared myself to accept him! Why is he getting all prim and proper at a time like this!'
'I want him too!'
'Could it be that he thinks I'm too ugly? Is that why he can't bring himself to do it?'
Beastmen had a wild, libidinous nature; if a pair hit it off in the morning, they could be passionately entangled in the woods by the afternoon. Sang Luo didn't dislike that Lan Cang's demeanor was that of a "refined gentleman" amidst all the other wild Beastmen, but she refused to believe that deep down, any man could truly be a saint, completely immune to temptation.
'Either there's something wrong with him physically, or he thinks I'm too ugly to touch!'
Sang Luo secretly snuck a glance at his lower body. 'Looks pretty... robust. Nothing wrong there,' she mused. 'Don't tell me he injured his family jewels when he was wounded all those years ago...'
'It was the same last time, too. The arrow was nocked and the battle was about to begin. I had even closed my eyes, ready to enjoy it. But he just kissed me for over ten minutes, gnawing on my lips until they were raw and bleeding, yet he still didn't make another move. In the end, he fled in a panic.'
When Lan Cang saw her eyes darting about, a fire surged through him from head to toe. What Male Beast could possibly endure such a provocation? His expression darkened as he flipped over and pinned her beneath him. Bracing himself with one hand beside her, he used his other large hand to grip her pointed chin.
He breathed in the rich, sweet scent wafting from her, his voice already impossibly hoarse.
"You... really want this?"
His large palm moved up, covering her anxiously fluttering eyelashes. His breath grew hotter, scalding.
'Lan Cang adored her eyes, and her scent was a constant temptation. He was no gentleman, able to remain completely composed. On the contrary, every single moment he spent with her, the wicked thoughts befitting a Male Beast stirred within him...'
The only reason he hadn't made a move was that her body hadn't fully recovered yet. He was afraid he wouldn't be able to control his frenzied instincts and would accidentally hurt her in the process.
He was worried about her health, and here she was thinking *he* was the one who couldn't perform!
Afraid that one thing would lead to another and he'd make a terrible mistake, Lan Cang's Adam's apple bobbed violently. "We'll have plenty of opportunities," he said, his voice raspy. "Just focus on getting better first. There's no rush." With that, he planted a hard, deep kiss on her lips and hurried out the door.