I picked up a wounded Naga.

While I was giving him a bath, his body felt burning hot, as if he had a high fever.

His voice was low and raspy: "Help me..."

A sudden shiver ran through me. Damn it, he was in his Heat Phase!

The next second, I was dragged down into the water.

1

Today was Hunter's birthday party.

I was carrying a gift box, hoping to give him a surprise.

Who would have guessed that as soon as I reached the door, I'd overhear him talking with other beastmen?

"Hunter, why are you unwilling to sign a contract with Sienna?"

"Yeah, Hunter, she's so good to you. Anyone with eyes can see she loves you."

Hunter let out a scoff and said slowly:

"Her? What does she have besides a bit of money? If it weren't for her weak constitution, I would have been able to shift freely long ago."

"In a little while, I'm going to find Victoria and ask her to take me in."

A chorus of gasps erupted from inside.

My hand froze on the doorknob, and I pulled it back.

A master's constitution rating affects how early a beastman can transform.

Victoria is my older sister. Her rating is 79%, which is top-tier in the country.

Mine, however, is only 33%—pitifully low.

Back then, I saw Hunter being bullied at the Beastman Shelter and took him in out of pity.

Little did I know, Victoria visited the shelter the very next day.

Which meant... he actually could have been adopted by my sister.

Because of my weak constitution, I had always felt guilty toward Hunter, trying every way to make up for the fact that he couldn't shift freely.

For this birthday, I had even spent a fortune on a transformation serum developed by a top research institute.

But I never imagined he had been hating me for this all along.

I sighed.

Honestly, he could have just told me directly. It's not like he's the only option in the world.

And as for my sister...

In reality, she loves nothing more than abusing beastmen, finding pleasure in their torment.

I arched an eyebrow.

Then, I turned and walked away.

2

I drove toward home.

Strangely, the traffic was backed up the entire way.

I turned on the car radio just as a news flash came on:

"Welcome to today's broadcast. We have a breaking update: At 3:19 AM, an SSS-rank Naga escaped from the Sector A Research Lab in Silverport. Citizens are advised to remain vigilant..."

My heart skipped a beat.

SSS-rank?! If a creature that dangerous was on the loose, things were going to get ugly!

Suddenly, my trunk seemed to thud.

A sense of foreboding rose in my chest.

The next second, something cold wrapped around my waist and began crawling up toward my neck...

Hiss—

I didn't look back, but I could already hear the sound of a snake flickering its tongue by my ear.

In a panic, I shouted, "Don't do anything reckless! If you eat me, the police up ahead will find you immediately!"

I wasn't lying.

Silverport was under a Level 1 alert, and I could even see officers patrolling just ahead.

It felt like salvation was right in front of me.

But that serpent was exceptionally sharp and clever. It seemed to scent something different.

A long tail swept past my legs...

With a cold touch, it coiled around the gift box I had placed beside me.

The transformation serum!

To my shock, I saw out of the corner of my eye as he deftly opened the vial and downed it.

Something miraculous happened.

His tail began to turn into legs, and his head gradually took on a human form. Judging by his features alone, he was an absolute beauty.

Just looking at me made my heart skip a beat.

Seeing the police officer getting closer, I prepared to act.

"Officer—"

I was about to report him, but the words were cut off before I could speak.

In that moment, the cunning Naga gripped the back of my neck.

His breath carried a chill, and sharp fangs pressed against my throat.

It felt as though he would puncture my veins in the very next second.

I instantly behaved.

I didn't dare move an inch, my hands gripping the steering wheel in tension.

The officer walked over, looking into the car with suspicion.

Upon seeing the situation, he gave me a look of exasperated amusement.

"I know you young couples are full of energy, but we're in traffic. Try to show a little restraint..."

Seeing me blinking frantically, he looked at me like I was a hopeless case.

"Winking won't help! That's a 200-dollar fine!"

I was speechless.

Quite an honor—I had just been ticketed.

I was terrified the entire way.

Under the Naga's intense pressure, I drove to my villa.

He was exceptionally vigilant, sticking closely to me as we walked.

It wasn't until we were in the elevator that I gathered my courage to ask cautiously.

"It's safe here, you can now..."

Thump—

A dull sound echoed as something heavy slumped against my shoulder.

Glancing out of the corner of my eye, I realized the Naga had fainted.

His lips were pale, and he leaned weakly against me.

His body was still dripping with fresh blood. He looked severely injured.

I hesitated for a moment, then used every ounce of strength I had to drag him to the edge of the bathtub.

Then I found a first-aid kit and began treating his wounds.

Nagas have incredible self-healing abilities.

Once the bleeding stopped, the wounds began to heal at a pace visible to the naked eye.

I began to study him closely.

His eyes were tightly shut, his lips pressed thin, and his cold, white skin was firm and smooth

He carried an innate sense of coldness and indifference.

As the transformation serum wore off, his long legs gradually shifted back into a scaly serpent tail.

I was practically drooling at the sight.

"Is this Naga male or female? I heard they are hermaphroditic before differentiation. I wonder if this one has changed yet?"

"Should I... take a look?"

Slap!

What are you thinking! I gave myself a sharp slap, forcing those chaotic thoughts out of my head.

4

Just then, the sound of the door opening drifted in.

Hunter walked in dressed in a suit, revealing a pair of handsome fox ears adorned with silver earrings.

He glanced at the bloodstains on the floor and said flatly.

"Period?"

"Tsk, you really should clean up after yourself. It's disgusting."

Hunter seemed exhausted; he began undressing as he walked toward the bathroom.

He said, "I'm taking a shower."

In the past, I definitely wouldn't have been able to resist staring at his abs.

But now...