Chapter 413: Chapter 367: Is the Heat That Unbearable?

"The 12th District," the Black-winged Beastman repeated, his voice heavy.

Kuinan’s lips curled into a smirk. He remained unhurried as he said, "Even if I got you into the 12th District right now, she wouldn’t be there anymore."

The Black-winged Beastman said, "Go on."

Kuinan said, "Her destination isn’t the 12th District. It’s Zone 5."

The Black-winged Beastman’s icy eyes twitched. "You were holding back."

At his words, the other members of the Heavenly Beast Clan glared at Kuinan with killing intent. Silver blades slowly extended from their wrists.

The cold, murderous atmosphere made the hairs on the other Beastmen stand on end as they broke out in a cold sweat.

"It’s not that I deliberately hid it from you." Kuinan pinched the Black-winged Beastman’s silver blade, moving it aside. He leaned forward slightly, his gaze searing as he said, "I thought you lot actually had the incredible ability to snatch her from right under the noses of the Upper Middle District and the Military Department."

The Black-winged Beastman said, "We were close."

Kuinan said, "Failure is failure. ’Almost’ means you were still a long way off."

The Black-winged Beastman said, "The timeframe."

Kuinan said, "According to my intel, they’ll be leaving the 12th District for Zone 5 in a week at the latest. It might be harder for you to make your move then, but it could also be easier."

"I just need to get in." The Black-winged Beastman retracted his silver blade, then turned and soared cleanly into the night sky. A moment later, he and the other members of the Heavenly Beast Clan had vanished from sight.

"Boss," Wind Blade said, his expression darkening. "Are we really going to let them into Zone 5? If they actually manage to take her..."

Kuinan stuck the thumb that had been nicked by the silver blade into his mouth. "The 12th District’s defenses are far weaker than Zone 5’s," he said coldly. "They can cause a little trouble in the 12th District, but once they get to Zone 5... heh."

Wind Blade paused. "The Wolf Pack has Zone 5 pretty much locked down right now. They’re consumed with infighting. Will they have the resources to deal with the Heavenly Beast Clan?"

Kuinan said nothing. He flicked his fingers, lit up his terminal, and the face of the young female appeared in his eyes.

"There’s a man named Alex in her escort convoy. He’s an alpha wolf, and he’s *her* wolf. He’s bringing her back to Zone 5 because he obviously wants to use her to climb the ranks."

Kuinan said, "If the Heavenly Beast Clan makes a move on her, the Wolf Pack will have to make time for them, whether they have it or not."

Wind Blade glanced at his screen. "Should we start preparing to head to Zone 5, then?"

Kuinan leaned back. "What’s the rush? Let’s wait for word from Biyou Si. He’ll pave the way for us."

Wind Blade hesitated. "Boss, the Military Department always makes us take the lead while they hide in the back. I’m afraid they’re just trying to use us as cannon fodder again."

"So what if we are?" Kuinan said nonchalantly. "Sooner or later, I’ll let them have a taste of being cannon fodder themselves."

After serving as cannon fodder for those higher-ups a few times, he had learned patience. He’d become a patient hunter, not just prey that only knew how to charge recklessly ahead.

Wind Blade hefted the bag of Crystal Stones, his gaze falling on Kuinan’s damaged eye and wing. "Boss, for our next payment, we have to ask them for a Repair Potion."

Kuinan watched the young female on the screen. "No rush."

*

*

「Evening.」

After dinner, Gu Ning took a deep breath and sat down at the desk as if preparing for a monumental, unavoidable ordeal.

Barto sat down right beside her, placing a handmade workbook in front of her.

"First, write down the sentences I taught you this afternoon from memory. Then, do these problems."

Gu Ning wasn’t wearing her translation earpiece. She strained to understand him, then gritted her teeth and turned to the exercises that made her feel completely lost.

Two days ago, Barto had announced he was going to teach her. True to his word, he’d immediately found a desk and some language books and started his lessons.

At first, Gu Ning had been full of confidence.

But after just half a day of studying with Barto, she began to feel that something was very wrong.

She had studied the Beastman language on her own and had also gone through systematic lessons with Alex.

Barto’s teaching style was nothing like her own method of painstakingly learning sentence by sentence with the translation system. Nor was it like Alex’s, who taught so meticulously it was as if he was chewing the food for her. Instead, Barto would ramble on about things she barely understood, shove a pen into her hand, and say, "See? Simple, right?"

Gu Ning clutched the pen, staring at him in a daze.

’Simple what? What did he even just say?’

After the first day, during which Gu Ning remained completely clueless despite Barto’s countless assurances that "it’s simple," they both reached their breaking point.

Gu Ning snatched back her translation earpiece and told Barto to change his teaching method. "Just treat me like I’m a Beast cub!"

Barto said, "You’re an adult female. You can’t learn the same way a Beast cub does. You’re much smarter than they are."

Gu Ning said, "Oh, thanks so much..."

Before she could finish, Barto added, "I could understand these books when I was six."

Gu Ning slammed her fist on the thick, advanced language textbook and got into a huge argument with Barto.

She won. Today, Barto had switched to a new teaching method: making her do practice exercises.

"I was up all night writing this," the little fox said.

Gu Ning looked at the handwritten, rather thick workbook. She wasn’t any happier than she had been yesterday.

Without her translator, she could only understand the most basic, everyday sentences. Barto had only been teaching her for two days, and he was already making her do written exercises.

After two days of lessons, she felt like she hadn’t learned a single thing.

Gu Ning stared at the workbook, scratching her head in frustration, and started writing, relying on pure guesswork.

Barto didn’t just leave her to struggle on her own, though. He wrapped an arm around her and explained what the sentences and questions meant and how to write the answers. He was practically spoon-feeding her.

But this method of trying to fly before she could even walk was impossible for Gu Ning to absorb.

Seeing her miserable expression and how she was fidgeting, Barto asked, "Is it really that hard? I’m telling you all the answers."

Gu Ning didn’t feel like talking and just shot him a "try it yourself and see" glare.

Barto pushed the translation earpiece into her ear, took hold of her hand, and guided her pen to write the answer to one of the questions. "This is the simplest way to learn. Just be patient. You’re only learning the common language, not taking some advanced examination."

Gu Ning gritted her teeth. "I don’t get it. Can you just... teach me the words first?"

Barto said, "I am teaching you."

Gu Ning: "Teach me one sentence at a time."

Barto: "I *am* teaching you one sentence at a time."

Gu Ning flopped face-down onto the desk.

’This is hopeless. Absolutely hopeless.’

Barto’s brow furrowed. "You’re usually so clever. Why are you throwing a tantrum about this?"

Gu Ning flicked the pen on the desk. "It’s your fault," she muttered.

Barto stared at her for a moment, his nostrils flaring slightly. He leaned close to her face and whispered, "Is your heat making you too uncomfortable?"

Before, he hadn’t really understood what was going on with Gu Ning’s body, but after that one experience, he now knew what it was all about.

Besides, the scent coming from her was unmistakable.

"...?" Gu Ning turned her head to look at the little fox.

’How on earth did he reach that conclusion?’

Barto wrapped his arm around her waist. "If you need something, just tell me. Don’t try to endure it on your own. I’ll help you take care of it first." He figured that was why she couldn’t focus.

Gu Ning: "That’s not..."

Just as she spoke, Alex pushed open the door to the medical ward and walked in.

The sight of him was like a godsend. Gu Ning shot up from her seat.

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