Crossing to Live in the Wilderness Plains 216 (ex1)
Chapter 216 (ex1)
Chen, as a mixed-blooded giant wolf-god, did not fail at transformation like other giant wolf-gods. On the contrary, his transformation was flawless—just by looking at him, no one could tell that he was not a beastman.
Yet Chen felt that the thing he regretted most in his life was having transformed. After shifting, he became sensitive to heat in summer and cold in winter. If he could, he would rather have stayed in his beast form.
Some time ago, he went to the edge of the forest to observe that foolish Azure Dragon. His feelings toward the Azure Dragon were conflicted. That dragon had once slaughtered an entire group of giant wolf-gods for the sake of transformation. But without it, Chen probably wouldn’t have survived either. That giant wolf-god clan valued bloodlines above all else, and being a mixed-blood born into the royal family, his fate there would have been either death or exile.
He remembered the hyena-drake now kept in the Azure Dragon’s captivity. Before he could hunt on his own, he had lived alongside those hyena-drakes. Together, they had witnessed the Azure Dragon’s first transformation, standing in the scarlet waters of the Dosa River—a sight that left an indelible impression on the hearts of the two young cubs. Later, when he was discovered by the giant wolf-gods of the forest and taken back, the hyena-drakes seemed possessed by a single obsession: they wanted to transform too. So they could roam freely, unbound by the forest, just like the dragon—unrestricted, not confined to a single pool.
A crisp snap of a branch interrupted Chen’s thoughts. He lifted his head slightly and saw a small group of beastmen preparing to hunt impalas. Among them was a familiar white figure.
Chen couldn’t help grinding his teeth. He had only been away for a short while, yet the little wolf cub had taken the chance to secretly return to the beastmen tribe. He had gone to the far end of the plains to trick the half-beastmen back and had even made a deal with them. He transformed into human form and completely handed over the position of king to the little wolf cub. Who knew the little rascal would slip away while he wasn’t looking?
Thinking of the half-beastmen staring bitterly at him near the source of the Sanchen River gave Chen a headache. Though a few giant wolf god-cubs had been born in recent years, pure-blood giant wolf-gods likely no longer existed except for the little wolf cub. Thanks to the little wolf cub, the waters of the Sanchen River had been nurtured back to their original state. Even in winter, no hordes of dragons would cross the plains to the Dosa River in search of water.
Crossing to Live in the Wilderness Plains (CLWP) is translated by Betwixted Translations. The site you’re reading this chapter on stole our translation.
“Xiao Nian, wait here. We’ll be back soon,” Ajing, now grown into a teenager, whispered gently as he patted the head of a seven- or eight-year-old child.
The little wolf cub nudged Chen Nian’s shoulder with its large head. Chen Nian, now a little chubby, flinched with mild annoyance—the thick fur rubbing against him in the summer heat was no small discomfort.
Other young beastmen had already spread out, moving against the wind. Chen Nian squatted obediently in the grass, dressed in a small army-green outfit with a newly woven straw hat—his perfect camouflage.
Chen’s eyes narrowed and he sneered inwardly. Just because the little wolf cub had returned to the beastmen tribe didn’t mean he couldn’t handle it. His thoughts were sharper after transformation than when he was still in beast form. As his eyes flicked around, a plan began to take shape in his mind.
Once everyone’s attention was drawn to the impala, Chen crept toward the chubby Chen Nian against the wind, covering the child’s nose and mouth to keep him silent. Leaving behind traces unique to a giant wolf-god, he scooped Chen Nian into his arms and ran back into the forest.
Only after leaving the plains entirely did Chen finally exhale. Though he hadn’t returned to the plains in years, he had kept some knowledge of the area thanks to the little wolf cub. The tribe called Qi Ze City had expanded significantly, and the patrolling females appeared at regular intervals. Chen just wanted the little wolf cub to obediently return to complete its duties—he didn’t want any direct confrontation with the beastmen. Though his transformed strength far exceeded what it had been in beast form, he had also gained a dislike for trouble, along with his sensitivities to heat and cold.
Chen couldn’t help but reminisce about the days when he was still in beast form, crossing the entire plains without complaint and outsmarting the beastmen to lead them back into the forest. Thinking back on those feats, a surge of pride swelled within him.
Chen was happily lost in thought when he suddenly felt a tugging pain on his scalp. Looking down, he saw the little chubby one in his arms quietly playing with his hair.
Chen’s hair was very long, reaching down to his waist. Probably half of it carried the Azure Dragon’s blood, giving it a bluish-black hue that looked slightly translucent in sunlight. The luster was beautiful, and the little chubby one had never seen hair so pretty. The strands even felt cool to the touch; he had to be careful not to pull too hard, or it would be noticed.
Annoyed, Chen lifted the chubby little boy. By now, they had reached a small pool. After wandering around outside, Chen was already drenched in sweat—the heat sensitivity that came with his transformation was acting up again. Seeing the pool shaded by a few tall trees, a surge of delight filled him. Without hesitation, he tossed the little chubby into the water and, shedding his beast-hide tunic, jumped in himself.
Crossing to Live in the Wilderness Plains (CLWP) is translated by Betwixted Translations. The site you’re reading this chapter on stole our translation.
The icy water enveloped Chen’s entire body, and he let out a contented sigh. Glancing back, he realized the little chubby had vanished. Alarmed, he was about to dive under to retrieve him when suddenly a few bubbles appeared nearby. A fluffy little head emerged, cheeks flushed bright red—perhaps from holding his breath underwater.
The little chubby’s eyes darted around, avoiding Chen’s gaze. He stammered, “Y-you… how can you… take it of… off… na.. naked?”
Chen looked at him in confusion, then down at himself. He had been a beast for decades; swimming without covering up was perfectly normal. He couldn’t understand what the little one meant.
Clearing his throat, the little chubby climbed to the edge of the pool, steadied himself, and proudly lifted his face. “Don’t worry. I’ll become your mate.”
Chen: “…” Is this kid an idiot?
Regardless of the little one’s eccentricity, Chen hadn’t planned to bathe. After cooling off in the pool, he wrapped his beast hide around his waist, left his upper body bare, slung the little chubby onto his shoulder, and headed toward the source of the Sanchen River. Judging by the time, the little wolf cub had probably already realized that the little one had been taken.
Thinking of running off from your duties? Not a chance. This time, he’ll make sure the beastmen keep a close eye on that little wolf cub. He won’t be allowed to step out of the source until he’s an adult. Chen was plotting his plan, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. He didn’t notice that the little chubby, cheeks still blazing from the skin-to-skin contact, was staring at his smile, completely flustered.
After finding Chen’s message, the little wolf cub soothed Ajing, whose head was spinning with worry. Still anxious about Chen Nian, Ajing sent word to Chen Qi and Aze, then went ahead with the little wolf cub to look for Chen Nian in the forest.
Over the years, the little wolf cub had grown taller—still half a head taller than Ajing. Motioning for him to climb onto his back, the little wolf cub waited while Ajing hesitated, took out a small tracking sachet from his pack, made a tiny incision, and finally mounted the little wolf cub’s back.
The little wolf cub moved faster than Ajing could run at full speed. Soon, the pair disappeared into the plains, leaving only a faint trail of scent that could last a day and a night—enough for the females to follow them if needed.
On the way, Ajing imagined countless possible fates for the little chubby. Even hearing from the little wolf cub that he was safely in the hands of a giant wolf-god didn’t ease his worry. What he never expected was that, when he finally arrived, he found the little chubby sitting by the river with an adult man, holding a small wooden comb and tying the man’s hair.
The cloth used to tie the hair had been torn from the little chubby’s own clothes. Now his small, pale belly was exposed. After finishing Chen’s long hair, the little one stepped back to inspect his work and puffed up his chest proudly. “See? Tying up your hair helps to keep cool, right?”
Crossing to Live in the Wilderness Plains (CLWP) is translated by Betwixted Translations. The site you’re reading this chapter on stole our translation.
Chen glanced at himself in the water, shook his head, and swung his high ponytail from side to side. A few short strands framed his ears, adding a heroic flair. The little chubby had never seen a beastman look so handsome and turned his head away in slight embarrassment.
Clearly pleased with the hairstyle, Chen tied all his hair up, leaving his neck cool. Just then, he saw the little wolf cub approaching with a beastman and, without a word, handed the little chubby back to the beastman, then hoisting the little wolf cub onto his shoulder and departing.
Though Chen’s human form was lean, carrying the little wolf cub, who was two to three times his size, was effortless. Thankfully, the little wolf cub had explained the situation to Ajing on the way, or else he might have leapt straight into a fight with the man.
The two left behind—one big, one small—watched as Chen disappeared into the forest with the little wolf cub. They exchanged a glance, seeing the pitiful look of being abandoned in each other’s eyes. Luckily, Aze arrived soon, picked up the little chubby, and scolded Ajing for running into the forest alone. Though the forest was mostly safe these past years, it was still off-limits for underage beastmen.
However, Aze didn’t ask about the little wolf cub’s actions. It seemed he had long expected the little wolf cub to slip away again.
“Daddy,” the little chubby mumbled, resting his head on Aze’s shoulder, sounding a bit weak.
“Hm?” Aze answered, keeping one eye on the surroundings and half-listening to his precious son.
“I have found a mate.”
Aze nearly fell over in shock. Unaware of the gravity of his words, the little chubby continued, “I’ll learn to hunt with you. When I grow up, I’ll catch lots and lots of food for my mate.”
Ajing, who had been trailing behind, couldn’t resist commenting, “Xiao Nian, have you forgotten you’re a male?”
Words from the Translation Crew
Miiya: 2 of 4 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.
