The System didn't give her super strength, but it did give her Targeting Reticles. Bright red circles appeared on Mei Hu's body. Xin Yi swung, and with the help of the System's 'Precision Buff,' her fist connected squarely with Mei Hu's nose.
CRUNCH.
"MY NOSE!" Mei Hu shrieked.
Xin Yi didn't stop. She grabbed a handful of Mei Hu's hair and gave her a literal cat-fight beatdown. She kicked, she punched, and at one point, she even used a wooden bowl of mashed berries as a projectile.
"Don't!" Punch. "Try!" Kick. "Me!" Bowl slap. "NEXT! TIME! BITCH!"
Mei Hu was a beastman, but she was so shocked that a fragile female was beating the absolute black and blue out of her that she forgot to shift. By the time Xin Yi stopped, Mei Hu was curled in a ball, covered in berry juice and sobbing.
"Someone get this trash out of my camp," Xin Yi panted, wiping her brow.
Hei Yan and Feng Huang were staring at her with wide, terrified, and deeply impressed eyes.
"That.….was terrifying," Feng Huang whispered. "I love it."
"She's definitely an Alpha's female," Hei Yan added, nodding with approval.
The tribe erupted into cheers. "SCENT GODDESS! WARRIOR GODDESS!"
They showered her with gifts, flowers, better hides, and even a very confused turtle. The feast resumed, and Xin Yi was pampered like royalty. Hei Yan fed her the best cuts of meat, and Feng Huang peeled rare fruits for her, both of them practically purring at her side.
Hei Yan leaned in, his large hand resting on Xin Yi's thigh, a possessive weight that made her heart skip. He didn't look at the meat. He looked at her lips.
"So, now that you're awake," Hei Yan rumbled, his voice dropping into a register that vibrated right through the stone bench. "You kissed Feng Huang."
Xin Yi froze, a piece of roast boar halfway to her mouth. "Er.…I..."
Feng Huang, who was sitting on her other side, didn't even flinch. He casually peeled a star-shaped fruit and popped a slice into his mouth. "Indeed. It was very... thorough."
"YOU!" Hei Yan roared, slamming his fist onto the table. The wooden plates jumped. "You took advantage of her while she was weak!"
"Weak?" Feng Huang smirked, glancing at the sobbing, berry-covered Mei Hu across the yard. "Did you see her just now? She's about as weak as a hurricane. And for the record, she kissed me first."
Xin Yi's face went from pale to a shade of red that rivaled Feng Huang's hair. "I—it was an accident! I tripped! My face just... landed on his face! Repeatedly!"
[DING! (◕‿◕)]
[System Note: 'Tripped'? Really, Host? You tripped onto his tongue? That is some impressive physics! I should calculate the trajectory for your next 'accident.']
"Shut up!" Xin Yi squeaked.
Hei Yan turned his golden-black eyes back to her, and for a second, the anger was replaced by a wounded, pouting look that was far too cute for a six-foot-five killing machine. "You kissed the Tiger. In the woods. Without me."
"I.….it wasn't a competition!" Xin Yi stuttered, waving her hands around. "I was just... checking his... dental hygiene! With my mouth! It's a modern medical technique!"
Feng Huang let out a bark of laughter, leaning back. "Her 'technique' is excellent, by the way. Very deep. Very—"
Hei Yan lunged across Xin Yi, grabbing Feng Huang by the collar of his vest. "If you finish that sentence, I will rip your stripes off and wear them as a scarf!"
"Try it, Overgrown Shadow!"
"Boys! Stop!" Xin Yi shoved her way between them, her hands pressed against both of their massive chests. "Mei Hu is a liar! Well, okay, she's not a liar about that, but she's a bitch! Can we focus on the fact that I just beat up a panther instead of who tasted whose saliva?!"
Hei Yan let out a frustrated huff, his tail lashing behind him like a whip. He sat back down, grumbling. "Fine. But I am not feeding you fruit. I am feeding you the biggest, best piece of meat. Because Panthers provide better."
"Tigers provide flavor," Feng Huang countered, shoving a piece of fruit against Xin Yi's lips. "Eat this, little one. It's sweet. Like your 'accident' earlier."
Xin Yi sighed, accepting the fruit and the meat simultaneously. She was pampered like royalty, but between the death glares and the competitive feeding, she felt more like a very confused sandwich.
Feng Huang leaned in again, his voice dropping to a whisper. "You're incredible, Xin Yi. But remember.….in two days, the festival begins. You still have to choose. Me... or him."
Xin Yi's heart did a nervous little flip. She looked at Hei Yan, then at Feng Huang. "I... I'll deal with that when the sun comes up."
[DING!]
The System screen suddenly turned a dark, ominous purple.
[HOST. (⊙_⊙)]
[WARNING: We have a party pooper.]
[Incoming threat detected: Qing Lin, the Snake King.]
[Distance: Rapidly approaching. He should be here by tomorrow or the mating day.]
Xin Yi swallowed hard, the meat in her stomach turning to lead. "The snake? Now? Really?"
[Yup! Get ready, Host. The harem is about to get a lot more scaly!]