Crossing to Live in the Wilderness Plains 198
Chapter 198
Chen Qi felt a bit embarrassed by Lang Yan’s sudden behavior, but fortunately, the young man calmed down once they were inside. Chen Qi poured each of them a cup of flower tea. Lang Yan sat quietly on the stool, holding the pottery cup in both hands, gently inhaling the fragrance rising from the tea.
“So these flowers can be brewed into tea like this.” Lang Yan smiled. His smile was faint—barely there—but somehow perfectly fitting.
The little wolf cub didn’t stay in the house for long. It had originally come back only for lunch. After a short nap, Axiang and his mate arrived. Perhaps because they had already met earlier, the little wolf cub only watched Lang Yan for a moment before trotting off to the school to find Ajing.
“I’m sorry… for losing control just now.” Lang Yan’s voice was soft, almost as if he lacked the strength to speak any louder. “I was just… too excited. I never expected to see one of my own kind again.”
Chen Qi placed a dish of flower cakes on the table. Ka Luo had made them the previous day—he had crushed fresh red-fruit blossoms from the tribe, kneaded them into flour, added sugar, and baked them into sweet, fragrant pastries.
“Why did you call Little Wolf a king? He’s lived here since he was young. He’s never even seen another giant wolf-god.”
“…Sorry.” Lang Yan pressed his lips together. He lifted his gaze toward Axiang beside him. Axiang took his hand, worry clearly visible in his eyes.
“I wasn’t sure whether I should tell you any of this. But now… it probably doesn’t matter anymore.” Lang Yan paused, choosing his words carefully. “Your Little Wolf… is most likely the last remaining pure-blooded giant wolf-god. Only a pure-blood can become king of the giant wolf-gods. As for me—I can no longer truly be considered a giant wolf-god. My blood is mixed with beastman blood. My lineage is impure, and my transformation failed. Someone like me can no longer call himself a giant wolf-god. Moreover, if the transformation is not complete and we become half-beastmen, we can no longer live in the forest, nor can we live on the plains. In short, we are abandoned by this world.”
Crossing to Live in the Wilderness Plains (CLWP) is translated by Betwixted Translations. The site you’re reading this chapter on stole our translation.
Lang Yan let out a bitter smile. He touched his knee lightly and said, “I’ve heard about you. Thank you for raising Little Wolf. Because of that, I trust you. Axiang should have told you already—my legs remain in their beast form. That’s the mark of a failed transformation.”
He slowly extended his legs so Chen Qi could see, then bent down to loosen the tightly bound trousers, carefully rolling up the soft cloth.
“Before reaching adulthood, all giant wolf-gods stay in their beast form. Afterward, they face a choice: transform into beastmen and leave their homeland, or remain in their beast form and guard their territory forever. I chose the former… but I never expected to fail and become a half-beastman.”
“The transformations of giant wolf-gods have long been incomplete. After thousands of years, their bloodlines are no longer pure. The chances of failure far exceed success. Over time, fewer and fewer attempted to transform at all. Eventually, generation after generation, they even forgot that transforming was possible.”
Lang Yan being able to transform at all had been a coincidence—a rare accident. He did not belong to the forest-dwelling giant wolf-gods, but to the Dosa River Clan of the plains, a lineage said to have gone extinct hundreds of years ago.
The Dosa River—like the Sanchen River in the forest—was once the only major river of the Dora Plains. A small group of giant wolf-gods used to live at its source. In those days, the animals of the plains did not migrate as far as they do now. They would leave in winter and return in the summer of the same year. Some hardy species even stayed through the cold season, living year-round in their own territories. The giant wolf-gods protected them, and the waters of the Dosa River ensured that none of them froze to death during winter.
But at some unknown point, rumors began to spread among certain dragon species who had awakened intelligence earlier than others—If they devoured a giant wolf-god, they could transform into beastmen.
Transformation meant receiving the Beast God’s acknowledgment—gaining the wisdom of beastmen while retaining the strength of beasts—stealing the power of the giant wolf-gods and rising as leaders of all creatures.
And so, the giant wolf-gods of the Dosa River were slaughtered without warning.
What killed them… was an Azure Dragon. It struck swiftly, biting each giant wolf-god to death and devouring them one by one. The Dosa River ran red with blood.
Without the protection of the giant wolf-gods, the river lost its power to shelter the plains animals. The herds were forced to migrate in groups, returning later and later each year. Eventually, it became the pattern seen today—returning only once every other year.
The animals of the plains and those of the forest grew farther and farther apart, until eventually they diverged completely—into ordinary beasts, and into dragons; creatures far more intelligent than beasts, and far stronger as well.
Crossing to Live in the Wilderness Plains (CLWP) is translated by Betwixted Translations. The site you’re reading this chapter on stole our translation.
Lang Yan’s ancestor had been the only giant wolf-god to escape the catastrophe that wiped out his clan. He had once been the chief of their clan. After fleeing, he successfully transformed into a beastman, but instead of seeking shelter from the giant wolf-gods of the forest, he traveled to the far edge of the plains. There, he founded a tribe for half-beastmen, gathering together those who had failed to fully transform.
Chen Qi looked at Lang Yan’s thin legs, covered in ash-gray fur; his feet were still claw-shaped, though the talons had withdrawn.
“Why are you telling me all this?”
“Probably because Little Wolf is still alive.”
Lang Yan let out a soft laugh and allowed Axiang to help him roll down the hem of his trousers. “This isn’t just something I’m telling you—it’s also something Axiang needs to hear. This winter… no, we may not even need to wait until winter. The forest is going to change.”
“During the last hyena attack,” Lang Yan continued, “Axiang told me he saw a giant wolf-god among their ranks. At first I only suspected, but now I’m certain—those hyena-drakes are planning to move against every beastman on the plains. They’ll devour all beastmen, then head for the half-beastmen at the end of the plains, seize their power, and try to become the rulers of this world.”
A shadow crossed Lang Yan’s gaze. “Perhaps you don’t know this, but I lived in the forest for a time before I met Axiang. Back then, a rumor was quietly spreading among the dragons— that the flesh and blood of beastmen could grant them the ability to awaken intelligence… and to transform into human form.”
Cold sweat slid down Chen Qi’s back. It felt as though someone had torn open the secrets of this world before his eyes. He had thought this was a simple world of survival of the fittest—but now it involved the very survival of beastmen themselves. No wonder so many hyena-drakes had appeared on the plains last time. And even the ironshell-drakes, who had nothing to do with hyena-drakes, had cooperated with them to attack the beastmen.
If hyena-drakes could transform… would they still be just beasts?
If they gained intelligence—then with their overwhelming numbers, could tiny Qi Ze City possibly hold out?
Would he die?
Chen Qi didn’t know. His mind was in chaos; he couldn’t even fully process everything he had just heard.
The sunlight streaming through the doorway dimmed. Chen Qi looked up to see a familiar figure standing before him. Perhaps because the light was behind him, the man’s silhouette appeared exceptionally tall, and for a moment Chen Qi couldn’t even make out his expression.
Crossing to Live in the Wilderness Plains (CLWP) is translated by Betwixted Translations. The site you’re reading this chapter on stole our translation.
“Aze?”
Aze stepped closer, reached out, and touched Chen Qi’s cheek. “What’s wrong? Why are you so pale? Are you feeling sick?”
The familiar warmth on his skin calmed Chen Qi’s frantic heart. He buried his face in Aze’s chest and inhaled the other’s scent as if it were air itself. As long as this man was here—he would protect their home, no matter what.
A soft cough sounded behind them. Azhang had found a seat and sat down. He had already handed the tribe’s affairs to Achu and had come to check on Axiang’s half-beastman mate—only to find Aze and Chen Qi embracing the moment he stepped inside.
Axiang greeted Azhang, then made introductions. Chen Qi had composed himself by then. With Lang Yan’s permission, he recounted everything he had just heard, along with the conclusions he had drawn.
By the end, Aze was holding Chen Qi’s hand tightly.
Azhang’s brows furrowed deeply. He had already been uneasy about the coming winter, but after hearing Lang Yan’s news, that unease only grew heavier. It wasn’t just the Lion-Wolf Tribe anymore—Qi Ze City itself might not withstand another hyena-drake attack, even with all the defenses Chen Qi had built.
“You don’t need to worry. I’ll find a way to improve the defenses.”
Calm again, Chen Qi’s mind began turning rapidly. His memories of his old world were becoming clearer. He couldn’t recreate advanced technology, but some ancient defensive mechanisms—those he might be able to produce. Their enemies were not humans, but dragons larger and stronger than any beastman.
Still—victory of the weak over the strong wasn’t impossible. Chen Qi’s mind began constructing defense plans one after another.
“Chen Qi… if I go to the Lion-Wolf Tribe, then Qi Ze City…” Azhang hesitated. As chief, he wasn’t sure if leaving now would be right.
“No one here understands the defenses better than you. Our two tribes need to cooperate. Teach Axiang what you know. Achu can manage things here in Qi Ze City, and I’ll also keep an eye on the construction.”
“What if I stayed here to study instead?” Axiang asked hesitantly.
Chen Qi shook his head. “Our tribes are different. There isn’t enough time before winter for you to learn slowly. Construction must follow local terrain—you can’t just copy everything. Last time, didn’t your ice wall collapse because it had no drainage and ended up flooding the tribe? With Azhang overseeing things and guiding you, you’ll avoid many mistakes. Even if your final defenses aren’t as strong as ours in Qi Ze City, your tribe has the numbers to make up for it.”
“Thank you.”
Chen Qi went inside and returned with the documents he had been organizing. He handed them to Axiang.
“These are the revised blueprints. I’ve been to your tribe before, but I didn’t survey the terrain—this is based on memory. Azhang can make the proper adjustments once he arrives.”
Then he turned to Azhang. “I used all the remaining materials to make the gunpowder. Take it to the Lion-Wolf Tribe and bury it in the traps. Don’t let it get wet. And be careful when handling it—it’s unstable and we don’t want any accidents. After that, send people to collect more raw materials.”
Azhang agreed to each of Chen Qi’s instructions. Axiang didn’t understand most of it, but he took it seriously and planned to ask questions later.
Once everything was arranged, Chen Qi asked, “When do you plan to return to the Lion Wolf Tribe?” Other than a few newly built houses, they hadn’t started constructing any defenses at all. Finishing defensive works of that scale before winter would be incredibly difficult.
Axiang looked at Lang Yan and tightened his grip on his mate’s hand. “We’ll leave early tomorrow morning.”
Azhang said, “Then stay at my place tonight. Will Lang Yan be all right living alone? Do you need someone to take care of you?”
“Thank you, but no.” Lang Yan smiled faintly and declined. “I lived alone in the Lion-Wolf Tribe too—I can take care of myself. And Little Wolf is right next door. With someone of my own kind nearby, my body will slowly recover.”
Words from the Translation Crew
Miiya: 2 of 3 for the week.
Translator: Miiya
Editor: MushroomKnight73
Proofreader: Yume
Editor stepping into the realm of MTL translating, starting with CLWP. Support this translation with a Ko-fi. Three Ko-fis will add an extra chapter from the stockpile to the next weekly release.
