By the time they reached Weijie's tribe, the sky had already begun to dim.
Shen Ningning had been prepared for something crude, mud huts at best, scattered tents at worst.
What she saw instead made her pause.
The settlement was built into the mountains.
Natural caves had been expanded and reinforced, their entrances shaped and smoothed by hand. Stone steps wound upward along the rock face, connecting different levels of dwellings.
Some caves had wooden frames, others were sealed with animal-hide curtains.
There were even torches fixed into the walls, burning steadily.
More surprising still, a small open space lay near the center of the settlement.
It looked… like a market.
Stone tables had been arranged in rows. Animal skins, dried meat, bones, crude tools, and woven items were displayed openly. One stall even had clothing—roughly stitched garments made from fur and hide.
Shen Ningning blinked.
This was far more advanced than she had imagined.
So this world wasn't completely barbaric after all.
As soon as Weijie stepped into the settlement, the atmosphere changed.
Conversations halted.
Footsteps slowed.
Dozens of gazes turned toward them—then focused entirely on her.
Shen Ningning's back stiffened.
So many men.
Weijie hadn't exaggerated in the slightest.
Tall figures stood along the stone paths, some fully human in appearance, others clearly not. Sharp claws glinted under torchlight. Thick tails dragged against the ground. A few males had human upper bodies while their lower halves were entirely serpentine, scales catching the light in cold, iridescent patterns.
Shen Ningning swallowed.
A shiver crept up her spine.
She instinctively hugged her arms closer to herself, painfully aware of her exposed belly. Her skirt barely reached her thighs, and the two folds of her stomach were completely visible.
Her lips twitched.
Was it… her ugliness that had stunned them into silence?
Or perhaps, because there were so few women here, it didn't matter what she looked like at all—as long as she was female?
The realization made her uneasy.
Whispers rippled through the crowd.
"Is that… a female?"
"I've never seen her before."
"She's so fleshy…"
"Which tribe is she from?"
More than a few gazes lingered far too long.
Weijie's steps did not slow.
His presence alone was enough to keep the others from approaching, but their eyes followed her openly.
Among the murmurs, confusion was evident.
Weijie rarely brought females back.
In fact, he almost never did.
So where had he found this unfamiliar, beautiful, fleshy woman?
Was she a beast female?
If so… what kind?
Shen Ningning felt her scalp prickle.
She leaned slightly closer to Weijie without realizing it.
This place might be civilized….
But it was still dangerous.
Weijie noticed the subtle movement.
His pace slowed just enough for his body to block most of the gazes directed at her. His tail swept lightly across the stone ground, a soft but unmistakable warning.
The whispers immediately lowered.
A few males looked away reluctantly.
Others forced smiles that did not reach their eyes.
Weijie stopped near the entrance of one of the larger caves. The stone around it was smoother, the torchlight brighter. Clearly, this was not an ordinary dwelling.
"This is where I stay," he said as he placed her down, using his body as a shield so they couldn't see her.
Shen Ningning nodded, her attention still drifting around. Everywhere she looked, she felt watched.
Evaluated.
Like a prey.
Or merchandise.
She swallowed and followed him inside.
The cave was deeper than she expected. Stone shelves lined the walls, holding tools, dried herbs, and neatly stacked animal skins—there was even crude needle and thread.
A shallow fire pit sat at the center, and the air smelled faintly of smoke and something earthy.
It was… livable.
Much more than livable.
She let out a quiet breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.
At least she wouldn't be sleeping in the open tonight.
Before she could relax further, a voice echoed from outside.
"Weijie."
A tall male stepped into the cave entrance. He had sharp eyes, broad shoulders, and dark scales trailing from his waist down. His gaze slid past Weijie—straight to Shen Ningning.
He paused.
"…You really brought back a female?"
Weijie's expression cooled. "What do you want, Hezhi?"
Hezhi chuckled softly. "Nothing much. Just surprised. It's rare to see you bring anyone back, let alone—"
His eyes flicked briefly to Ningning's exposed belly.
"—such a… unique one."
Shen Ningning's fingers curled.
Unique.
That word again.
This place was really no different from modern civilization.
Before she could react, Weijie stepped half a pace forward.
"She is mine.." he said flatly.
The temperature in the cave seemed to drop.
Hezhi raised his brows, clearly amused. "So it's true, then. You've finally chosen a mate."
His gaze sharpened. "What kind of beast is she?"
Shen Ningning's heart skipped.
She didn't know the answer either.
Weijie did not look back at her when he replied.
"She is human."
The cave fell silent.
Hezhi's smile faded. "Human?"
Was it possible for humans to have white hair?
A ripple of surprise passed through his expression. "You're serious?"
"Yes."
A long pause followed.
Then Hezhi laughed, low and slow. "Interesting. No wonder she smells unique."
Shen Ningning stiffened.
Weijie's eyes narrowed. "Leave."
Hezhi studied them both for another moment before shrugging. "Very well. I was just curious."
As he turned to go, he added lightly, "Be careful, Weijie. Humans are fragile. And females..especially rare ones, attract trouble."
Once he left, the cave grew quiet again.
Shen Ningning finally exhaled.
"…Is it always like this?" she asked softly.
Weijie turned to look at her.
"For females?" he said. "Yes."
She pressed her lips together.
So this was the reality of this world.
Scarcity bred desire.
Desire bred danger.
And she—weak, human, and alone—was standing at the center of it all.
Inside her mind, a familiar interface flickered faintly.
[Doudou observes: Dumpling's survival probability has decreased and chances of pregnancy has severely increased if dumpling isn't careful.]
-_-
She clenched her jaw.
"Then I guess.." she muttered under her breath, "I'll just have to become untouchable."
Weijie watched her quietly, golden eyes thoughtful.
This female…
She was far more interesting than he had expected.