8

The first thing the arrogant Naga did after completing his differentiation phase was to empty my entire refrigerator.

I stared at the empty shelves, my jaw dropping in disbelief.

I couldn't help but think with a cold sweat:

At the rate he eats, I won't be able to afford him. He’s basically a high-maintenance deity!

Between beauty and money, I still preferred the latter.

As if reading my mind, Caspian let out a cold snort. Then, out of nowhere, he pulled out several bank cards.

"Is this... enough?"

Seeing that I remained silent, he gave them a shake, and several black cards fell out.

My goodness!

My heart raced, and my hands trembled. He wasn't a high-maintenance deity—he was the God of Wealth himself!

He seemed to see through my thoughts again; his hand paused, and he stopped shaking the cards.

He crossed his arms, his tone composed.

"That's all."

Before I could ask more, my phone suddenly began to ring and vibrate.

Buzz— Buzz—

I pressed answer.

It was my sister, Victoria, on the other end, her tone frantic.

"Sienna, your beastman is in trouble!"

My brain blanked for a second. "Huh?"

"It’s Hunter, that fox beastman you raised. I don't know what he did, but he’s been captured by the people from the Sector A Research Lab! They’re transporting him to the beastman prison right now!"

A headache throbbed behind my eyes. According to Article 53 of the

Beastman Adoption Regulations

:

If the termination agreement hasn't been delivered to the Beastman Bureau yet, I am still legally responsible for Hunter's guardianship.

Since something happened to him, I had to go.

I hung up the phone.

Caspian's expression shifted; his eyes grew dark like surging waves.

He gripped my wrist and said in a heavy voice:

"Dangerous. Don’t go."

9

I immediately sensed that he was hiding something.

I asked tentatively:

"The Sector A Research Base has secrets, doesn't it?"

Caspian lowered his voice and gave a solemn nod.

10

Transport trucks were speeding down the highway.

I chased them down one by one, overtaking them.

Finally, I spotted the Sector A transport vehicle.

Just as I let out a sigh of relief—

Bang—

A bullet grazed past my scalp, shattering the car window.

I was stunned for a moment.

Have the people from Sector A started firing at civilians at will? They are a bunch of unreasonable maniacs!

In the next second, more gunfire rained down toward my side.

I gritted my teeth. Suddenly, I saw a bullet heading straight for the space between my eyebrows.

Clang—

A force swung out, parrying the bullet and sending it crashing into the window.

Web-like cracks spread across the glass.

With a sharp

crack

, it shattered completely! I turned my head—it was Caspian!

He didn't look well. The scales on his tail were grazed by bullets, carrying the smell of scorched flesh.

My face went pale. "Why are you here? I told you to stay at home!"

Caspian grunted, silently shielding me.

"If I hadn't come, something would have happened to you."

His scale-covered tail swiped through the air, knocking the bullets aside while leaving me completely unharmed.

Many of his beautiful scales were damaged, and the flesh beneath was scraped and burned.

Despite this, he didn't retreat an inch.

He stood resolutely in front of me.

A pang of heartache hit me, followed by a strange sense of tenderness.

I had raised Hunter for so many years, and he had never once worried about me or considered my safety.

This sense of security was actually given to me by Caspian, whom I had only just met.

Then came another loud bang. A cloud of powder exploded inside the car, making me feel drowsy.

A tranquilizer bomb!

Those research maniacs from Sector A...

They forced my car to a halt and locked us both inside the transport truck.

11

Inside the dim dungeon.

Hunter was covered in wounds, chained helplessly within a cramped, iron cage.

When he saw me, his eyes flickered with surprise, confusion, and sorrow.

There were also other obscure, complicated emotions swirling within them.

Suddenly, he noticed the unconscious Caspian beside me.

Hunter’s gaze darkened, filled with hostility.

"Who is this Naga?"

I replied reflexively, "Oh, he's the new beastman I'm raising. Isn't he beautiful?" His jaw tightened.

He tugged at his chains, ignoring the fresh blood trailing down, and grabbed my hand.

"You terminated our agreement... just for this Naga home-wrecker?!"

"Sienna, have you lost your mind?"

I pulled my hand away inch by inch, answering him with a smile.

"Hunter, I heard everything you said on your birthday. Why bother acting so two-faced?"

"Letting you go is my way of letting myself go, too."

I wasn't sure if it was just my imagination.

But Hunter’s eyes seemed to glaze over with a layer of mist as he turned his head away.

"Then why did you come to save me?"

He looked like a wronged little fox.

A pity, really—he was no longer the cute fox he used to be.

I sighed inwardly. Believe me, I didn't want to be here either. If I had known this would be life-threatening, I wouldn't have come even if I faced sanctions from the Beastman Bureau.

Clang—

The lock of the iron cage was opened, and a woman with a striking figure walked in.

She wore high heels and vibrant red lipstick.

I said in shock, "Sister?"

That’s right, the woman before me was Victoria.

The very person Hunter had been so desperate to be adopted by.

Yet at this moment, Hunter curled himself into a ball.

His eyes were evasive, and his body shivered instinctively, as if he were terrified of her.

I could already guess what was happening.

My sister had always enjoyed using various methods to abuse beastmen.

Only ignorant beastmen would eagerly scramble toward her, blinded by her 79% excellence rating.

Hunter’s injuries were likely her handiwork.

In a way, he had brought this on himself. He deserved it.

Victoria saw me and let out a light chuckle. "Long time no see, Sienna."

"Nagas are sentimental creatures. I knew he would follow you here."

A smile played on the corners of her mouth.

She seemed to have seen through the entire situation, keeping everything under her control.

A sudden realization dawned on me.

All the clues connected.

She was the one who made that call. She used Hunter as bait, knowing I would definitely come.

And Caspian, being loyal and protective, would follow me for my safety.

The whole thing was a trap she had set.

All to capture the escaped SSS-rank beastman—Caspian.

I stared at her with resentment.

"To capture him, you actually ignored protection regulations and opened fire on a civilian!"

"Does Father know you're doing something this insane?"

Victoria looked at me, completely indifferent. "Insane?"

She leaned over, seemingly amused by my words.

"Someone always has to sacrifice for science. What does the death of an ant matter? Once I develop a 100% excellence rating, Father will be proud of me."

I frowned.

She was an utterly unreasonable maniac.

Science is important, but if it wipes out humanity, how is it different from a massacre?

Victoria said with a hint of jealousy:

"Sienna, sometimes I truly envy you. These beastmen, one after another, are so devoted to you."

"What a shame. Why didn't you just die a moment ago?"

Her eyes glowed with a sinister, crimson light.

I couldn't help but feel a chill run down my spine.

Victoria was an adopted daughter, and while she was my sister in name, we weren't close. I had always kept my distance from her.

Learning that she wanted me dead still made me shudder.

A nearby researcher urged her.

"Hurry and take the Naga away. Once he wakes up, it'll be difficult to handle."

Victoria nodded with mock regret and led the unconscious Caspian away.

I clenched my fingers.

Inwardly, I was actually worried about his safety.

The dungeon returned to silence.

I said indifferently:

"Hunter, you've disappointed me deeply."

Hearing this, Hunter’s delicate eyelashes trembled.

"You... you know?"

He shuddered violently, as if trying to stand up to explain himself to me.

But his injuries were too severe, and he collapsed onto the ground time and time again. Hunter’s eyes were red, and his handsome fox ears drooped.

"Sienna, listen to my explanation, I..."

He choked up for a second. "I was just so afraid of losing you."

"When Victoria showed me the surveillance footage, I hated you for terminating our agreement for a cold-blooded Naga. So, I agreed to help her set the trap to capture the escaped SSS-rank Naga."

"Sienna, I really know I was wrong. Forgive me, please?"

"Can't we just go back to how we were before?"

I scoffed, cutting him off.

"Drop the act, Hunter. I’ve raised you for all these years; do you think I don't know you?"

"You took the termination agreement to Victoria, only to suffer her inhuman abuse. Then the SSS-rank beastman escape happened to occur. Victoria found out I was the one who took Caspian, so she forced you to cooperate."

"Am I right?"

With every word I spoke, his face grew a shade paler.

Cold sweat poured from his forehead.

"I..."

He choked, but in the end, he said nothing. I knew that perhaps, for a fleeting moment, he was moved that I actually came back to save him.

Maybe he hadn't even dared to hope.

But Hunter would always love himself the most.

To him, I was nothing more than a tool to be used.