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"This will be an opportunity for a brand new start," the scenery on both sides of the railway tracks retreated as the train swayed rhythmically. The inner monologue whispered quietly, "I will leave the familiar circle and get to know the elites from all over the place. What will the scenery be like in different parts of the world?" The residential area outside the window slowly transformed into a dense commercial high-rise, indicating that I was getting closer to my destination – Central City. For animals who see the world's largest city for the first time, the towering skyline of glass boxes that make up the skyscrapers is definitely a stunning sight. But for me, who was born here and has lived here for over a decade, it's more like a kind of nostalgia and embarrassment that cannot be expressed, like a stranger in my hometown. "In these vastly different environments of extreme cold in the polar regions, eternal day and night, the dry heat of the desert, the temperature difference between day and night, Mediterranean climate with dry summers and wet winters, and the moderate climate of the westerlies... what different values will be nurtured under such differences? In the exchange of mutual contact, what kind of new sparks will it bring?" I lightly tapped the car window glass with my fingernail, and the lights and shadows of the bustling metropolitan area intertwined and unfolded various possibilities of everyday life and transcendence. ".... The harmony between life animals and natural animals! And above both, Beastars, which all animals rely on, will lead the Central City to a golden age of coexistence and prosperity ...." As customary, the electronic display board on the train played promotional videos just before arriving at Central City. The screen showed the Police Commissioner in uniform standing in front of the Central Police Headquarters, greeting all passengers arriving in Central City and promoting various guidelines and laws to prevent unfamiliar or careless animals from violating local customs and laws. "All public escalators in Central City operate at high speed. Please stand on the right and leave the left side free for passengers in a hurry. And large ungulate animals, please use the designated elevator..." For the Police Commissioner, who was at high risk for the occupational hazard of middle-aged weight gain, I couldn't help but take a few extra glances at German Shepherd's well-maintained physique. But soon enough, I turned my attention back to the view outside the window. I hated this kind of official language that called out "coexistence and prosperity" in policy propaganda. Suppressing the life animals' hunting instincts and natural animals' fleeing instincts to live together was definitely not a simple matter. In the past few years, anyone could talk about coexistence, as if it were some kind of mysterious and powerful spell that could make everything go smoothly as long as you said it. I remember that when I was in middle school and returned to Central City, the promotional videos always introduced iconic buildings that showcased the Central City's founding spirit, rather than this kind of preachy and awkward propaganda. It seemed as if they were afraid that any animal might accidentally disrupt the harmony, disturb the reflection of Central City's calm waters and make something unspeakable rise from the bottom. My favorite famous landmark in Central City is the "Rex of liberty" statue, a memorial statue erected at the city's port 110 years after the end of the Great War between life animals and natural animals. "Give me your fear, the bodies that crave freedom; give me your pain, the desperate souls that have been abandoned. Whether you are homeless or suffering from turbulence, all abandoned animals, give them all to me! On this road to freedom, I hold up my torch to light up the night." The inscription on the statue's base, ever since I first heard it in the introductory video on the train, I could not forget. However, as for the bronze Rex tyrannosaurus with the torch held high, I personally strongly suspect that there is some kind of strange taste. "Wow, he's so handsome. Is he a model?" "Yeah, I just noticed him when he got up to go to the restroom. He's sitting by himself, do you want to go introduce ourselves before the next stop?" "No way, I'm not that forward. If you like him so much, why not go talk to him yourself?" "He really looks like a young Miyagi. Do you think he's from another country?" "Yeah, he's so handsome." "Nana, aren't wolves supposed to be more open-minded? I heard there was a pair of gray wolf lovers who did some really vulgar things in a cafe without caring about other people's gaze. Do you want to try flirting with him?" "Don't believe those weird urban legends!" A few young females dressed in warm-temperate ecosystem style sat in the next aisle and whispered to each other. Their plain clothes were paired with bright green plant patterns, and they were adorned with various types of trimmings, as if it were this season's trend. After a commotion, I heard the sound of a mobile phone camera shutter. "What are you doing? He'll hear you!" "Don't worry, his ears didn't move at all. He hasn't noticed us." Chirping and chirping like small animals hiding in bushes, my ears were itchy and annoyed as if they were constantly being scratched behind them. I tried to refocus my attention on the scenery outside the window and suppressed the urge to scratch or shake my ears. When the city lights at night turned pitch black because the train entered a tunnel, I finally found peace in the complete darkness. Maintaining the posture of holding my chin, I gazed through the window glass at the female animals losing interest in me, and at the other passengers who were getting ready to pack their belongings. It's natural to feel happy when praised, but I find it difficult to regard this cheap gaze and fleeting attention as compliments. I have even developed a habit of occasionally knocking my head to make sure it's not hollow, in order to avoid a distorted personality due to being constantly praised for my handsome appearance by the animals around me since I was young. The point is not whether there is really something inside my skull, but to use body movements as triggers to remind myself to examine my life trajectory. My own reflection on the window was impatiently staring back at me, as if intending to scold the recently confident but immediately hesitant youth who just made a bold statement and gained a new beginning, but immediately returned to the past. "Please be advised that the train will soon arrive at the final destination, Central Station. Kindly prepare to disembark and don't forget to take your belongings with you." The announcement was followed by gentle arrival music from the broadcast system, and almost all the passengers began to gather their belongings and move towards the doors. I smiled, with one side of my mouth slightly upturned and even revealing the tip of my canine tooth on the window glass, giving me an expression that could almost be considered a smile. It looked almost eerie. Perhaps it represented my excitement for the unknown new things ahead, which outweighed all the past entanglements." "Race and name?" Beagle, dressed in a blue customs uniform, said exhaustedly. He yawned as if to emphasize how tired he was, then reached for the coffee sitting nearby. I observed brown spots on his canine teeth, which suggested he consumed a significant amount of coffee in this position. "Gray wolf, Haruo." It only took about ten minutes to get through the inspection checkpoint this time, which was like heaven compared to the usual waiting time of at least half an hour. Not to mention I was already using the Central City citizen-exclusive channel. I looked at the entry queue for the regular channel with pity. Every animal's face revealed a fleeting thought process of their significant life decisions that led to the current predicament, the high-speed computing trace of how they ended up in this tormenting checkpoint of Central City's immigration inspection station. Whether they were staff or waiting passengers, this is a terrible torture. "Not an Arctic wolf? Aren't you a resident of District Zero... Hmm, what's this?" Beagle, confused, scanned my passport and attempted to read the data on the screen despite his heavy eyelids hindering him from being cooperative. This had happened many times before, and most of the time, I couldn't be bothered to explain my gray wolf identity to those who assumed I was an Arctic wolf due to my white fur. It was much simpler to let them continue misunderstanding than to explain why a gray wolf could have all-white fur. People preferred to believe in their own perceived facts to maintain the integrity of their world's framework. Not to mention, many animals didn't even know that gray wolves and Arctic wolves were the same species. Beagle, sir, we are of the same family, okay? "Oh, it's the Young Beastar candidate recommended by Cherryton Academy this year! No wonder you look familiar. It's been so long since we've had a Young Beastar recommendation for a life animal. Hey, young wolf, don't let my appearance fool you; I'm also a Cherryton alumnus!" Suddenly, Beagle, the customs officer, lit up with enthusiasm. I didn't know if it was the caffeine or something else, but he quickly tapped away on the keyboard. Before I could respond, he returned my passport and waved me through. I nodded slightly in acknowledgment and continued walking forward, the queue of animals behind me grumbling about the long wait, with the natural animals grumbling more than the life animals. The excitement of the life animals could be heard in their conversations, and the difference between the two was evident in the deep-throated growls amidst the words. It seems like I'll have to get used to occasional small privileges brought by my reputation, the accompanying jealousy, and the responsibility that comes with my title. After all, Cherryton Academy is a prestigious school with a long history, and the proportion of students selected by Cherryton to become a Sublime Beastar is the highest among all schools. Naturally, there are many excellent alumni. Becoming a stable civil servant with a good income and retirement plan is also a major career path for many alumni. However, compared to top elites whose every word and deed can potentially change the world, civil servants can only be considered ordinary people. Upon entering the main station through customs, the true scale of the massive wave of animals becomes apparent. Countless individual life forms, both natural and life animals, ranging from large to small, covered in fur, feathers, or scales, with claws, webbed feet, sharp teeth, and horns, all come together to form one enormous living entity. Like a creature with its own consciousness, it breathes and pulses. Moving through it while trying not to be swallowed up always comes with a damp, heavy feeling of suffocation, like a plankton being propelled by a huge tide, unable to determine its own direction or breathe at its own pace. However, there are always gaps in it. Despite its seemingly flawless appearance as a colossal collective entity, it is ultimately a social organism that has been extended from a group of individuals following a certain set of rules through their collective actions. As a result, there are always flaws in the system, and it is impossible for individuals to coordinate indefinitely. Purely random or systematic chaos events can cause gaps to appear. By observing the rules, one can quickly navigate through these occasional gaps. Even if I try to maintain my individuality in the crowd and cross the flow as quickly as possible to avoid getting trapped, the pulsing giant creature always notices me, recognizing me as the lone wolf that refuses to join it. The aroma of freshly baked bread in the underground shopping street, the ink on the free newspaper in the newspaper dispenser, the inflamed and ulcerated polar bear skin from years of poor maintenance while working abroad, the pungent odor of newly oxidized anti-slip strips on the stairs, the polished horns treated with honey and shea butter, and the musty smell from the air conditioning system that cannot be frequently cleaned due to insufficient funds, as well as the rancid oil used repeatedly in the cheap fast food restaurant catering to commuters. All these scents, mixed with the smells of the 10,000 resident animals in the station, represent the social organism's way of welcoming me. It is a scent that only I can recognize, a nostalgia that is exclusive to me. Look, who has come? The lone wolf from a distant land has finally returned home. Finally, I arrived at a less crowded area and took out my phone to dial the familiar number, waiting for a response. "Yes, I've arrived and I'm heading to the subway now," the person on the other end replied to my greeting and asked if I needed them to pick me up, knowing I'm directionally challenged. "No need, I remember how to find you. Alright, I'll head over now. I can even find you by your scent, your presence is just too massive to ignore. Haha, that's it for now." I hung up the phone and stepped into the train car. Although it wasn't as crowded as the trains heading towards the station during peak hours, the Green line was still packed. "...Currently there are many passengers, please move towards the inside of the car as much as possible and give way to passengers who are getting off..." I shifted slightly, trying to squeeze out some space, but the animals near the door didn't seem to have any intention of moving. "Hmm..." As the train started to move, I looked out the window and felt a twinge of guilt as I saw the disgruntled faces of the passengers who didn't make it onto the platform. If I hadn't asked those animals by the door to move closer and make some space, would my behavior have been any different from theirs? I pondered this question while rubbing my nose. A moment ago, a brown bear had turned around and accidentally hit me with his backpack, which was quite painful. Canines snouts are particularly fragile and sensitive. "It's okay, I'm getting off at the next stop anyway. Don't be fooled by this old water buffalo's appearance, I'm still quite strong!" A buffalo in the next car refused a young leopard's offer to give up his seat, leaving the latter feeling embarrassed as he sat back down. A few years ago, the issue of giving up seats to animals from life and nature animals had caused a heated debate in Central City. I'm grateful that I wasn't living in this city at the time and didn't have to witness this strange urban legend. As my thoughts wandered, the train had already taken me to my destination. "It should be...the second exit of the private society station?" I tried to add some confidence by talking to myself, but it was probably an overestimation of my own abilities. I took a deep breath and tried to catch that specific scent. Thousands of tracks, countless life journeys unfolded in my mind, and all I had to do was focus on the one that I was particularly familiar with... No, this was impossible. I laughed at myself inwardly, realizing that as civilization advances, all the innate qualities we have for survival will slowly lose their purpose. Someday, just like how the invention of the telephone made it unnecessary for wolves to communicate through howling across long distances, the overly complex and chaotic modern city will eventually turn our sharp sense of smell into some kind of entertainment program to heat up the atmosphere. I shook my head and successfully navigated my way out of the fog of smells in Central City. Then, I climbed the stairs and headed towards the second exit, searching for signs with detailed maps of nearby roads. I pressed the doorbell and waited for the resident to answer. Seriously, the heir's dormitory at Galdona University? Geez, could it be any more extravagant? "Yo, it's been over a year since we last met. You haven't changed a bit," said Xingfeng as he opened the door and glanced at me. "Come in, it's strange to see you standing so stiffly at the door." I nodded and followed Xingfeng into the room. It's not that I'm stiff. Can't you tell from this distance that the scent you emanate with every move is enough to make me tremble? If I'm the wolf who is often praised by other animals for my handsome appearance, then Xingfeng is the deer who is always envied and admired by all animals for his handsome appearance. The perfectly symmetrical large deer antlers, like the new shoots of a forest blooming from ashes and dead branches after a raging fire, dancing between destruction and rebirth. "Let's put your things here first. I've cleaned the room." Xingfeng glanced at me again, as if falling into those deep eyes. My heart tightened again. What the hell am I doing? It's just a reunion after a year. Don't be so dramatic. The black stripes under Xingfeng's eyes accentuated his large eyes, and every time he stared at me, I felt very small. The room was as big as I had imagined, and well-equipped. It was even a bit luxurious, like a bachelor apartment. I put down my backpack and took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down, but the faint red deer scent in the room did not help. Only a faint red deer scent? Xingfeng had cleaned the room because I was coming, and he had used a lot of deodorant. A lot. I looked at Xingfeng with a questioning look. He was already a bit of a neat freak and wouldn't have washed away his own scent with deodorant, so was there a special reason? "What's that look in your eyes? Are you prying into my privacy?" Xingfeng tilted his head like he had heard a funny joke, leaning against the short cabinet next to him, giving me a slightly reprimanding smile. "No, no, of course not. It's just been a while since we met, and I'm a little flustered." What am I saying? I was supposed to keep calm. I interrupted my thoughts, shook my head, and pulled out a small knife from my waist, placing it on the table and pushing it towards Xingfeng. "Haha, do you always carry that with you?" Xingfeng looked at the knife and laughed even more happily, but he didn't make any further moves. "You told me to come directly to you after arriving in Central City, so I brought it with me... I guess you must have had an urgent need for it to say that," I said, trying to relieve my restlessness by scratching my ear. "That's so typical of you. Although I don't think customs specifically search for dangerous weapons on life animals, you're just asking for trouble by bringing it. Besides, you might not even need it today," Xingfeng got up and walked towards me. "Speaking of which, I haven't congratulated you yet. You also received a recommendation for the Young Beastar of Cherryton Academy," he said, leaning in so close that I instinctively took a step back, feeling the icy touch of the wall against my back. "I will catch up to your footsteps. One day I will reach a position where I can stand with you on the same level," I said sincerely, looking deep into Xingfeng's eyes. My reflection in his eyes was full of confidence and pride. "Hmph, if there is another life animal who becomes a Sublime Beastar, I'm sure the natural animal council will make a big deal out of it. Stand with me equivalently? Are you trying to follow in somebeast's footsteps?" Xingfeng leaned in so close that his head was almost touching my snout. But mentioning somebeast suddenly changed the burning flame inside me into something else. "What a scary look. I forgot that you also have a side that's so life animal-like. Alright, I won't tease you anymore," Xingfeng stepped back a bit, as if mocking me for being angry. "You want to stand on the same level as me? Just follow me if you can. But for now..." he turned off the light, plunging the room into darkness. Although it was a full moon tonight, only a little moonlight penetrated through the clouds, making Xingfeng's eyes two dots of light in the darkness. In a few seconds of silence, he just looked at me, immersed in the shadows. "Take off your shirt," he commanded. Judging from the sound of the fabric rubbing against itself, I could tell that Xingfeng had taken out something else. The appearance of the object, which had been specially cleaned, made it impossible for me to discern what it was by scent alone. I obediently took off my shirt and laid it aside. "Looks like you've been getting more muscular, huh?" I couldn't help but moan softly as a tingling sensation suddenly emanated from my left nipple. "Is it too much for you from the start? Sorry, I don't have as much time today, so just bear with me." Xingfeng whispered in my ear, his words and breath stimulating my nerves with their scorching heat, making my ears involuntarily twitch as I nodded. His hand first pressed lightly against my chest, running through my hair before sliding sideways. After kneading and rubbing my thin chest muscles a few times, Xingfeng supported my back with one hand and used the other to run his fingertips down my upper abdomen, feeling his way down one section at a time until he reached my navel. He then used his palm to gently caress my stomach, eliciting a moan from me that I couldn't control. "Like being tickled on the stomach?" he asked playfully, his gentle touch like a warm stream. After a while, he commanded me again, "Put your hands behind your back and stand with your legs apart." I could only obey. He quickly stripped me naked, leaving me completely exposed before him. "Your eyes turn red in situations like this, it's a bit scary," Xingfeng said as he covered my eyes with something and tied a knot behind my head. "Is it cold like this?" I shook my head, then felt a wet, sticky sensation on the side of my neck, moving up until it reached the tip of my ear. Xingfeng gently licked my ear as his hands continued to tease my nipples, causing them to become hard and sensitive. I couldn't help but shudder with pleasure. "Still so sensitive, what are we going to do when we get to the main course?" Xingfeng whispered in my ear, increasing the intensity of his teasing. "Ah..." I couldn't help but start panting, taking in more of the scent of male red deer, making my heart beat even faster. Xingfeng's scent was just as I remembered, the smell of a seed breaking through the earth. "Hey, why are you drooling now?" I felt Xingfeng embrace me from behind, one hand gently caressing my chest while the other slid up from the side of my neck, fingertips gliding along and entering my mouth, playing around on my large canine teeth. "Hmm, drooling non-stop, huh? If the council saw you like this, there wouldn't be another life animal Beastar for a hundred years. I'd love to see you can’t help but bite me." Xingfeng inserted his entire hand into my mouth and held onto my lower jaw. "No...this is too...dangerous...ah..." I tried to protest but the insincere words were shattered and disappeared as Xingfeng's other hand slowly made its way down. Damn, this guy likes to play dangerously, but I couldn't really blame him since I was drooling so much. "Stand up straight and put your hands behind your back," Xingfeng increased his grip on my jaw and firmly grasped the base of my penis. I had to give up trying to stop him and placed my hands behind my back. "Good boy." He started playing with my penis, maintaining a tight grip, every stroke felt like an electric current passing through me. "Listen to that sound, you're already so wet, but maybe you need a little more." Xingfeng pressed down on my chin and caught my saliva with his mouth. "You're so hard and swollen, you must be incredibly aroused." He whispered, pushing his hand from my mouth towards my throat, forcing me to lean against him, my head tilted back on Xingfeng's shoulder, panting heavily. Each time I inhaled, the musky scent of red deer's excitement mixed with Xingfeng's own body odor became stronger, and the smell on my delicate palm only made me more excited, but still within the range of what my mind could handle. I think Xingfeng remembers our safe word. "But not yet." At first, I felt the warmth and moisture of the glans that had been covered up, after he fully retracted my foreskin and began to play with my glans in his palm. "Ah..." Since the previous stimulation had already reached the edge of orgasm, my glans, which was now swollen to the limit, became even more sensitive, and the sudden intense stimulation suppressed the urge to ejaculate, replaced by an endless stream of intense pleasure. "Ah...Ah..." My whole body began to tremble again due to the intense stimulation, and I even felt the tip of my canine teeth touch Xingfeng's hand. "Ah...Ah..." Xingfeng probably noticed my signal and slowed down the speed of his palm rubbing, but increased the pressure on the glans. Under this wave after wave of high-pressure attack, I could only occasionally gasp for breath from the gaps in my trembling body. The only remaining bit of sanity was used to suppress the desire to bite Xingfeng's hand hard. Finally, Xingfeng's palm stopped rotating temporarily, he pushed the glans from the base to make it completely exposed, and lightly pressed it against the base of my penis. Meanwhile, his other hand was finally pulled out of my mouth, allowing me to rest for a moment. I gasped for air, constantly swallowing the saliva surging out of my mouth. "Your cries make me want to see your expression." Xingfeng said as he untied the blindfold from my eyes. "Look closely, your eyes are actually very beautiful." In the dim moonlight, I could only see Xingfeng's silhouette, and his huge deer antlers remained solemn, while his shining eyes added a touch of mystery. This was incomparably beautiful. "Oops, a little bit of praise and you're blushing." He playfully teased, tapping my nose twice with his finger. "Not at all, hmph." I shook my head and let out a snort, trying to salvage a bit of my dignity. Although I got a break for the time being, Xingfeng's grip on the root of my penis didn't let up, leaving me still in a tense state. He gave me a few chuckles in response and touched my cheek with the back of his hand, which was covered in my saliva, before moving to my lower body. I guessed what he was trying to do and hesitated whether to resist. "Stand still." Two simple words made me give up the idea of resisting. With the slickness of my saliva, he quickly fingered my entire genitalia, as the foreskin was pulled down over the base of the penis to expose the entire head, and when I got to the end the overpowering stimulation would slightly suppress the urge to ejaculate, and so on and so forth. In my breathing began to shortness of breath when Xingfengj judged that I was close to orgasm, and stopped fingering temporarily, but the grip on the root of the hand still did not let go. "Ha... Ha…" The hot air comes out of mouth through teeth with my breath. I swallowed as much saliva as I could, but it still has no tendency to stop secreting. This time, Xingfengj did not intend to let me rest, palm against the bottom of the penis and move towards the end, nails while scratching the sponge body below. "Too exciting … soon … Ah…"The first thing that Xingfeng did was to run his palm around the horse eye area a few times and then move down to wrap his fingers around the area of the glans, stimulating the sensitive area between the horse eye and the frenulum by rubbing rapidly with the continuing flow of prostate fluid. The constant over-stimulation of my sensitive area caused me to leak a lot more prostate fluid, and this reaction made Xingfeng play even more vigorously, increasing the force and speed of the friction. The muscles of my inner thighs finally trembled under the successive attacks, and I tried my best to maintain a standing position to obey Xingfeng’s orders. "Your ears are dropping, are you begging me to stop with such a low posture?" Xingfeng said so, but he had no intention of stopping, and extended the stimulation to the dorsal plexus area of the glans, rubbing the back of the glans, the horse eye, and the frenulum with rapid stimulation, causing the sensation of ejaculation to be raised but the other stimuli were too intense to reach orgasm. I shook my head at Xingfeng and he finally stopped rubbing and slowly wrapped and kneaded the glans, released his grip on the base of the penis, stroked the scrotum a few times and then wrapped the balls in his palm and started playing with them. "Now even the tail is tucked between legs. The natural animals are not the same as the life animals, and we are only crueler when we see a low posture of submission. " Xingfeng continued to stroke quickly, gently squeezing and rubbing my testicles while touching the skin of inner thighs and perineum from time to time. Whenever he sensed that I was about to come, he would slow down his strokes and apply pressure to my testicles to cause pain so that the feeling of ejaculation would subside. Once again I reached the edge of orgasm with Xingfeng's stroking, but this time he did not interrupt the orgasm directly, but stopped stroking and completely retracted the foreskin and continued to push firmly towards the root of the penis, pulling the skin on the penis shaft and the glans, while the other hand continued to press the testicles and occasionally stimulate the scrotum, thighs and perineum area. "Awwww ..." I clenched my teeth and tried to restrain from biting the neck of the tantalizing red deer. "Awwww ..."The tightly stretched penis began to tremble and contract like an orgasm due to the continuous intense stimulation, but no semen was ejaculated. "Awwww ..."Each time I accustomed to stimulation makes the ejaculatory contraction going to subside, Xingfeng will hold the part of the penis stem more towards the root, making the skin tenser, stronger orgasmic sensation makes the penis of the contraction can not stop, still no semen ejaculation but constantly shaking. "Awwww ..." I shook my head in despair as Xingfeng continued to push me past the limit until the pain began to form in my overly tense skin. Finally, Xingfeng stopped. The penis that had been trembling so wildly finally stopped contracting, and a large amount of prostate fluid flowed from the painfully enlarged glans. The excitement of my almost-orgasm subsided a little so that I had time to breathe in and out, but Xingfeng didn't intend to stop there to give me a break. With the fresh flow of prostate fluid, he accelerated his stroking of my entire genitalia, and when he reached the top, he particularly stimulated the nerve plexus and frenulum area of the glans, and the hand that squeezed and pressed on the testicles occasionally touched and scratched the skin of the perineum and scrotum with his fingers. This intense stimulation, coupled with the fact that I’m still nearly reaching climax, caused me to immediately reach the threshold for ejaculation, but because the muscles involved were a little tired from the previous stimulation, I was able to continue receiving such intense stimulation before ejaculating, bringing the feeling of orgasm to a whole new level. "Awwww ..." I quickly shook my head to Xingfeng, but he didn't have any intention of letting me go and accelerated the speed of his strokes, causing me to start spurting out a stream of semen with my whole body shivering as I exceeded the ejaculation threshold. "Awwww ..." The ejaculation pleasure that broke through the orgasm made my mind go blank for a while, and Xingfeng stroking my penis hard with the frequency of my ejaculation, I could only clamp my tail and let out a miserable whimper begging for mercy. Finally, Xingfeng slowed down the frequency of stroking, and squeezed my glans before leaving his hand. "The two weeks of reservation are really quite a lot, but you're wasting it all by cumming a mess like this, and it's really hard to get a handle on a downward curved dick. " Xingfeng started to lick up the semen that had shot on me, and the warm and wet touch swam over my body. "You don't shake it so vigorously in the end that it won't spray everywhere, okay?" After I defended myself, I quietly watched Xingfeng help me lick the semen-stained part, and the red deer began to clean my hair. After licking the slime all over my body, his bright eyes looked at me. "I heard that even after the wolf ejaculates, the penis will remain engorged for a long time, is it true?" Xingfeng asked in a somewhat casual tone. "Don't just believe in some baseless...ah..." Xingfeng took hold of my still-erect cock and began to rub his other hand up and down the head of my cock. " Baseless, is this what you mean?" "No...don't...don't...ah...auuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu..." When Xingfeng gently embraced me, I felt relaxed and safe from the warmth he transmitted. I lightly kissed his cheek in return. "I just cleaned up, and now you've made a mess again. I have to go out soon, so make sure you clean up before leaving, okay?" Xingfeng complained while gently stroking my head and scratching my drooping ears. "Oh, okay. Can't I stay here and wait for you to come back?" I smelled the musk scent of red deer, and also the smell of Xingfeng's prostate fluid, so he must have been excited. I leaned my nose closer to his chest and sniffed. "What are you doing? I already said I'm in a rush today." He pushed me away and began to tidy up his clothes. "I accidentally played too long and didn't even have time to change and wash up. Anyway, they are all natural animals with normal sense of smell, so it's okay. Today these friends might be playing until morning, so you should go back to the dormitory of Normal University first. It will also take you some time to unpack your things, and your curfew time is almost up. Just clean up the mess you made, I hate cleaning up your fur." Xingfeng turned on the light, and I finally saw the extent of the mess I had made. "Okay." I reluctantly agreed. " Xingfeng, did you invite other life animals back here?" "Haha, is this the legendary strong possessiveness of canines?" He laughed again. "Of course, I have invited other life animals before, how do you think I spend my time when you're not here?" Xingfeng walked over to me, grabbed the hair on my neck, and pulled me towards him. "Don't be an ungrateful mutt, you big stupid wolf." Xingfeng's grip was unusually strong, and I only noticed his trembling hand and lowered voice then. "Damn, is it not enough to just have a bite for the genuine one?" I didn't realize he had already taken out our small knife and cut my left shoulder until then. "I'm sorry, it's been too long since I did this, so I'm a bit rusty. Cutting so deep may leave new scars." First, he licked the blood that flowed down my arm and back, then sucked on the cut on my shoulder directly. His voice became even deeper, with a hint of a growl. I hugged his waist gently, patting his trembling back with my other hand. We accepted each other. "I think that's enough for now." Xingfeng let go of me and went to the sink with some toiletries, probably intending to do some simple cleaning. "Let's meet up next week. It's time for the monthly family dinner, and since mother knows you're back in Central City, she's invited you too. Will you come?" Xingfeng asked as the sound of running water filled the room. "I suppose that somebeast and my big brother have also been invited to this occasion," I said with a hint of bitterness, while trying to stem the bleeding from my left shoulder. "Don't have that attitude every time you talk about your family. I hate it when you're like this," Xingfeng came back, his deep eyes showing a hint of disapproval. "Besides, with the current situation in Central City, I doubt they even have time to attend. Please, do it for me. My mother also wants to see you. I have to go now." Xingfeng lightly tapped my nose twice before leaving, causing my sensitive nostrils to twitch uncontrollably. "Alright," I watched him leave and then turned to survey the mess in the room, contemplating where to start cleaning up. Whenever Xingfeng was around, my psychological state and way of thinking seemed to undergo a significant change. I even wondered if it was a completely different personality. Is this feeling of serotonin and oxytocin flooding my bloodstream what people call... happiness? My tail gently swayed, scattering the fallen fur even further. After finishing tidying up and leaving Xingfeng's residence, it was already quite late. When I entered the student dormitory, the dormitory supervisor gave me unfriendly looks. After all, Normal University is a relatively conservative school in terms of academic atmosphere. Otherwise, it would feel strange to have access control in university dormitories. Room 302 is at the end of the corridor on the third floor, next to the laundry and drying room, which is quite convenient for future use, but it is far from the stairs. I hesitated a bit at the door of the room because the smell coming from behind the door was not what I expected. "Remember the opportunity for a brand new start?" I took a deep breath and entered the room. As I worried, there were three big cats, two jaguars and a clouded leopard. Did I come to the wrong place? "Hey, why are you so late?" One of the jaguars stood up and greeted me. We had met at the freshmen orientation in Area 7 before, so I knew he was a senior in the department. "I took the last train and got lost for a while. It was quite embarrassing." I scratched my head and looked embarrassed. "This is so canine-like of me." Clouded leopard also stood up and said. I continued to laugh awkwardly but I noticed the two of them were staring at me. "And I told you, he really looks like him." The clouded leopard gestured to the jaguar, and they both laughed. "Sorry about that. We were talking to ourselves. I'm Jianhuo , panther, and this clouded leopard is Silaya. We are all sophomore students in the Biology Department and members of the Film Research Society." Jianhuo began to introduce himself to me, and I nodded as I unpacked my luggage. "Because we are the dormitory committee member, I discussed with Jianhuo about finding two freshmen from the department to share a room with. So we chose you and Xuanyuan." Silaya gestured to the other jaguar, and the latter waved to me in greeting, and I nodded in response. "You are the only arctic wolf in the Biology Department with a dormitory. We wanted to take care of our juniors, so we included you in the list." It turned out to be like this. I thought it was an administrative mistake or something. Mixing canids and felines might not be a good idea. "But the main reason we noticed you is that you look too much like Miyagi." Jianhuo and Silaya laughed together again. This is the second time I have heard this name today. It must be some actor. "Do you like watching movies?" Silaya asked. "I quite like them." I have probably watched over a thousand movies and sometimes I would search for some classic movies to watch. "Then you know Miyagi, the legendary god of B-movies!" Oh, I see. Well, those kinds of movies are really not my cup of tea. I tilted my head and responded with a puzzled expression. "He debuted as a model at a young age and then entered the film industry because of his good looks and handsome appearance as a gray wolf. However, he had no acting skills and could only play supporting roles or be a decorative vase, relying on his handsome face and physique to get roles," Silaya continued to elaborate. "Later, because he had acted in so many weird B-movies, his appearance became a selling point. It's like something is missing if there is no sign of Miyagi in a B-movie now. He still occasionally appears in some film roles, and his foundation donates large sums of money every year to help rehabilitate animals with criminal records back into society." Although Silaya did not explicitly state what kind of criminal record it was, I could guess it was probably a taboo topic now. However, after hearing this introduction, I vaguely remembered being introduced to this Miyagi at a banquet hosted by the Horns Conglomerate. However, I was already tired of hearing that I looked like a movie star or that I was handsome at that time, so I didn't pay much attention. In order to avoid touching the memory relevant to somebeast's, I decided not to delve into the memory vault which with "the Horns Conglomerate banquet's" label for now. Perhaps later, I would study Sir. Miyagi's foundation more closely. There must be something special about an animal willing to touch such a sensitive issue at this time. "He sounds like an interesting animal." I tried to find a response that was not impolite but also did not show too much interest. If this matter developed into a dormitory movie night, it would be troublesome. Watching B-movies was really a kind of torture for me, the kind that would not be enjoyable. "Yes, to welcome you, we specially changed our dormitory movie night to the Miyagi series marathon, the legendary B-movie awards, which has more than 200 films!" Silaya was so excited that his pupils dilated. Things were really developing in the direction that I was most looking forward to. "Also... um, that... " Silaya hesitated and looked at Jianhuo. "We don't know what the habits of canines are like… Haruo, would you mind if we only wear underwear in the dormitory?" Ah, is this the stereotype between canine and feline animals? "No, I don't mind. I think it's best if everyone is relaxed." I waved my hand and tried to appear sincere. "I knew it. It's an urban legend that canines care so much about how much fur is showing." Jianhuo laughed softly. "Yeah, we're all male animals, so what's there to be bothered about? We can definitely get along well." Silaya said with a relieved smile. The rest of the conversation passed easily in a relaxed atmosphere. Soon, all three big cats were down to just their underwear and appeared even more relaxed from their body language. I chatted with them while packing my things, and as we all became more at ease, the big cats lazily sat back at the table and tended to their own affairs. I took advantage of the opportunity to tidy up my laundry and left the dormitory. As the washing machine started to fill with water, I kept repeating to myself, "A fresh start, a fresh start... " Well, to be fair, things weren't too bad at the beginning. I've never really gotten along with feline animals, but now is a good opportunity to practice get along with them. Earlier, I brought a pile of dirty clothes into the dorm to wash because my washing machine at home was broken. Fortunately, no one asked too many questions. Ha, these big cats are such simple-minded creatures. Speaking of detestable creatures... A silent gray sadness and a bright, intense red-gold life streaked through the cold forest night sky, accompanied by a hint of... apples? This unique and powerful entity, so familiar that there was no mistaking it, could push me to the brink of exploding with just its appearance. No, remember, this is a chance for a fresh start. "This building has an elevator, don't tell me you climbed up from the wall?" I turned to the source of the smell and saw somebeast crouching on the edge of the floor's low wall, its huge body creating a silhouette under the moonlight that would frighten any creature. The eyes that shone in the darkness slowly looked at me as it spoke. "I'm guessing you don't want your classmates to see me, so I climbed up along the pillars. Why didn't you turn on the lights? Washing clothes in the dark here?" Its enormous white canine teeth flashed intermittently as it spoke. I could fully understand why other animals were intimidated and unable to move by its overwhelming strength." "I don't think you want to be seen by other animals. If I turn on the light, a big grey wolf crouching on the edge of a tall building should be quite conspicuous." I tried to maintain a stable tone, ignoring the rage in my heart and calmly spoke. He was silent for a while, as if pondering something. "If you don't mind, I actually don't mind appearing in front of other animals." His tone was so peaceful and his scent showed no signs of fluctuation. Damn, he must have practiced specifically to deal with me. Every time he appears in public, he is always so tense, as if ready to fight or flee at any moment. Do you think I just like some insensitive animals didn't notice that? So now you're going to lower your posture to cooperate with me? Who do you think you are? No, damn it, a chance for a fresh start. "Well, I don't mind either. I think it's normal for us to meet and interact with other animals. There's nothing to mind or not mind." Was that my sincere opinion? Damn it, I didn't even have time to think about whether this would lead to unexpected results that I would regret later. Am I really ready to give you another chance? Is this the determination and cost required for a fresh start? "Okay." With my brief response, he gently wagged his tail. What, damn it, why are you wagging your tail? This looks too sincere, it can't be fake, should I also wag my tail? Damn it, my body is too stiff. Move, my tail! if I don't distract attention by wagging, all the hair on my body will stand up in anger. So, now, wag! "This is a bag of apple. You have to remember to buy fruit for yourself. And I put some hangers in there. You don't seem to have brought enough." He handed me a paper bag, and before I responded anything, I took it. In the end, my tail just stiffly wagged back and forth twice, it was so smooth. But after he saw my stiff movements, his tail wagged even faster. What are you kidding me? Are you happy to see your son trying hard to communicate with you? No, calm down, think about the apple. I hate eating apples the most! Don't assume I like it just because you do! And I'm pretty sure I said I hate apples. Are you even paying attention to what I'm saying? If I want to eat fruit, I'll go buy it myself! And not only did I bring enough hangers with me, but you also stuffed a bunch more in before we left, and now you've brought even more hangers over. Am I supposed to fill my closet with hangers upon hangers like this? I might as well hang myself up in the closet and call it a day. "Thank you." Thank you!? Did I really say that just now? Am I thanking you for giving me such a strong willpower? Please stop wagging your tail so happily! "Hmm?" He seemed to sense something, tilted his head and tried to restrain himself from sniffing, but his nose still wrinkled slightly, and his intact ear twitched twice. Damn, can't you have a less understandable expression? If the relationship between father and son of the Canidae family is not particularly intimate, it is generally awkward, only these two extremes are more common. "Did Xingfeng mention anything about dinner to you?" For the sake of giant blue whale, can’t you just pretending or something? To avoid this embarrassing situation that could be fatal, Canidae-specific cleaning products have a strong deodorizing function, but I haven't had time to take a good bath since leaving Xingfeng's place. "Yes, he told me his mother specially invited me, and I will attend." Through the moonlight, I could vaguely see his deep frown, and the scar above his right eye looked even more menacing when it moved. So are you trying to look thoughtful now? Please don't make a sudden realization expression until after I've embarrassed myself and disappeared on the spot. I don't want that to be my last impression of the world. "I will try to attend. But the situation in Central City is a bit delicate right now. Be careful out there. Something is brewing, but I have no further leads, and that makes me uneasy." He maintained his usual calm tone, but I noticed his intact ear perked up and turned towards the back. "It's okay, I know you're busy. I didn't expect us to attend the gathering together next week anyway." Seeing his somewhat worried expression, I realized the scent of the gray wolf's blood coming from him. "Your 18th birthday is next month. Do you want me to take you to the black market?" Such a private action has significant meaning for closely related animals, but we're not that close. "No, I already made plans with Xingfeng. He will take me there." He nodded at my response and didn't say much. But I really don't know which one of you showing up at the black market will cause a bigger commotion or escalate into a panic. Why is there the smell of blood? Did he get injured? No, that's impossible. It's on the surface, and the scent is strongest on his fingertips and nose. He once knelt down and tried to identify the smell. So it's the victim's blood, a lot of blood, the kind that has flowed from the whole body. "Is it about the fur stripping incident?" He nodded in response to my question. "Take care of yourself, we'll be in touch." He was about to get up when he suddenly stopped, as if hesitating about something. Oh great blue whale or Rex, whichever works, please answer my prayers and let some unfortunate animal be covered in blood with its fur stripped off in a dark alley to distract his attention. I can't handle his sudden realization expression that he has been brewing for so long. "Take care of yourself." After patting my head, he leaped into the dimly lit alleys of the city, blending with the darkness of Central City. It's a three-story height, if I didn't know the truth, I would just like anyone else, have misunderstood his desire was body enhancement type. If only it were that simple. The warmth of his touch remained on my head, and my ears instinctively lowered. Damn you, you traitors. "Take care of yourself?" Don't you think it's a bit too late to say that, like 17 years too late? No, to be fair, our relationship had already hit rock bottom when I was 12 and my entire body turned white, although it wasn't particularly warm before that either. After five years, I had grown accustomed to this distance. You only now intend to mend our relationship? Damn it, I thought only Xingfeng's appearance could cause me such confusion, where I couldn't control my physical and emotional reactions. I wasn't even sure whose emotions were causing this strange disorientation. I tapped my right temple, trying to calm my thoughts. "A chance for a fresh start," It was warm. "I want a chance for a fresh start," It was so warm. My thoughts finally settled. Leaning against the low wall, I watched him disappear into the mist, which became denser with the deeper night, making the moonlight hazier. The full moon was really beautiful. This time, the Central City smelled of the same lonely, out-of-place snow white, rigid, and clearly demarcated blackness. But from this familiar scent, there was a touch of warmth...apple fragrance? "This will be a chance for a fresh start."
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Haru...ha...ha..." Your touch is so warm, so delicate, and it makes me feel so happy. Responding to my rhythm, Haru lets out weak gasps, her black eyes reflecting my image. I kiss every inch of her body, and after a sudden rush, we both reach the climax. Breathing heavily, Haru's small hand clasps mine as she smiles at me. "Why do you make that expression at this moment?" She gently strokes my cheek, and the lavender scent from the blooming outside fills the whole room. Uh-no, I fell asleep. Four consecutive nights of tracking have been too thoughtless. I forced my eyes open, the cold mist still hiding my figure, and there was no sign of the target's scent moving. Luckily, my reckless actions did not cause any problems in the secret operation. I vaguely heard the special engine sound of the Secret Operations Department's vehicles coming from a distance. It would take about ten minutes to reach the target location at this distance. It seems that the cooperation between the security department and the police station is good. "Do you know that the entire police station's aerial investigation team is on standby waiting for your assignment? You will not only harm your body by acting recklessly, but have you thought about how much damage it would do to our reputation if something changes during your negligence?" With a familiar tone and a hint of reproach, I was told, but I was mostly curious as to why you haven't made an appearance yet. "Louis." I simply responded. Now is not the time to be distracted. Is the target pacing back and forth? From this distance, I can barely discern that the other animal seems to be emitting a hint of anxiety. This is not a good sign. "That’s it? Are you just going to greet me like nothing happen? Didn't we agree last time that you couldn't do this kind of brainless behavior again?" Louis sounded really angry. "I'm sorry...I didn't forget. Not to complain, but the covert operations ability of the aerial investigation team is really not good." I explained as best as I could within the circumstances. Did I miss something that caused the target to become anxious? "Is the ability to monitor the target from two kilometers away not good enough?" Louis walked to my side, leaned his elbows on the slightly mottled wall, leaned his upper body out, and looked toward the location of the target following my gaze. "Nowadays, electronic optical equipment that can surpass bird's-eye vision has been popularized by most criminal organizations, mainly because the police still rely on primitive investigation methods." The sound of urgent brakes and metal impact came from the street below. It's unfortunate that an accident occurred at this time and place, and the secret operation team had to take a detour to get here. "Is there no activity on the target's phone?" I activated the microphone on my ear and asked the support center in charge. "No activity has been detected." The operator's response was decisive, and I disconnected the communication and pondered. Well, maybe I am just too sensitive. "Is it not an issue of the investigative team's work ability? You seem to be troubled by something else. Is your 'repairing relationship with Haruo's ' plan not going smoothly?" Louis patted the small rocks on his suit sleeve and said. "No, I would say it's going more smoothly than I expected. I think my feelings were somewhat conveyed. He, who usually doesn't release tension or show body language, actually wagged his tail a few times for me. Fortunately, I remembered that he likes apples. But, Louis, you know..." How should I put it? Is this considered casually interfering with Haruo's privacy? What if Xingfeng doesn't want Louis to know? But I have no one else to consult with. I turned my head and looked into Louis's big eyes. "Do you know that Haruo and Xingfeng have a very… close relationship?" Louis looked a bit puzzled at my question at first, but then burst out laughing. "Only you don't know, right? Azuki and I guessed it was probably due to that trip to the Black Forest. Didn't you notice that look that made it seem like they were the only two people in the world?" Louis laughed so hard he had to hold onto his antlers to avoid too much shaking. So it's just me who doesn't know. "But, aren't you worried, Louis? It's not a big deal, like something you occasionally hear about, something that happens in a faraway place, but this time is my son. I can't help feeling like they chose a very difficult path... No, I shouldn't say chose, but it's a path full of obstacles." I accidentally raised my voice a bit, and when I realized it, I immediately tried to regain my inner calm. If the downstairs neighbor noticed something strange and came up to check, it would be troublesome. "A path full of obstacles? Is that something a perverted wolf who ate my leg can say?" Louis put his arm around my shoulder and leaned his head over to ask. "No... I just hope they can live happily, I just hope all animals can be happy." The relaxed feeling of not needing to be on guard in front of Louis makes it easy for me to loosen my emotional control. This is not a luxury I can indulge in. "So as fatherhood, shouldn't we take action to show our support, and make sure they have enough information to protect themselves, like health education and explicit consent, and so on?" My to-do list just got a few more items. Louis put his hand on my back, silently staring at me, as if pondering something difficult, with a troubled expression. "No, absolutely not." Louis turned around, leaning against the wall, and looked up at the sky slightly. "When they feel the time is right, they will naturally tell us. What we should do is always be prepared and wait for that appropriate moment. Until they are willing to trust us, let them know that we have always been here waiting to be accepted," Louis searched for something in the night sky, his watery eyes shifting back and forth. "A home may not necessarily be where the heart is, but it's always where the heart leads." Louis took a deep breath and closed his eyes as he spoke. "But don't you find it strange? We didn't get any reaction from our target's phone, yet just now he suddenly became agitated. Going back to the issue of technology, there are many means of communication in this world besides phones," Louis turned his head to me and opened his eyes. "Act with your brain, please." A sense of unease crept up my back, making all the hairs on my body stand up. I activated my microphone. "Air surveillance team, track my location and provide support." I took a deep breath from the mist and tried to find the best path to the target, taking in all the scents of Central City. Damn it, the target started moving. "I won't mess up our reputation." I nodded to Louis, my thigh muscles tensed, and the path made of scents unfolded before me. The moonlight guided me as I leaped into the darkness of the city's bustle. *** Several gunshots shattered the darkness of the night, and the grey wolf held on to its body, which was riddled with bullet holes, constantly pouring out gushing blood. "It's not going to end like this." Another round of gunshots rang out, and the grey wolf took a few steps back, its weak legs giving way, and it fell to the ground, leaving a large bloodstain on the wall behind it. "There will be others...to continue the mission I started..." Blood gushed out from the grey wolf's mouth and nose, making it difficult to speak. The leader in the black coat took out a shiny Desert Eagle, aimed it at the grey wolf's heart. "Ideals cannot be killed." Said the grey wolf. The trigger was pulled, the firing pin struck, the gun fired, and the cartridge fell to the ground. "Ugh, ah...ah..." Accompanied by Miyagi's melodramatic dying cry, the audience burst into laughter without restraint. " Haruo, you seem to be really into it!" Silaya laughed and patted my back. I tried my best to suppress the urge to flinch, which was even more difficult with all my hair standing on end for two hours. "Yeah, that blood looked pretty realistic." I said casually, showing a tense expression. Of course, the evidence was my hair standing on end all over my body, which was convincing enough. Our dorm's movie night also invited freshmen from nearby rooms in our department to get to know each other and watch movies. I hadn't noticed before that there were so many big cats among the biology students living in the dorm. The point was that they all seemed to really enjoy today's film. I seriously considered that even if Miyagi won the Nobel Prize, I shouldn't delve too deeply into this animal. He had already brought me enough pain to last a lifetime. As I finally relaxed, my fur gradually lay back against my skin, and that was when I noticed something was off. "Yeah, it's normal to have a reaction to such realistic blood plasma. You guys haven't been to the black market yet, have you?" Jianhuo emphasized the end of his sentence, and pairs of cat ears perked up. After experiencing this level of horror movie torture, I didn't have the energy to force my ears to react to anything. "Tomorrow night, I'll take you guys to broaden your horizons before the semester starts." Jianhuo said somewhat mysteriously, and I seemed to catch glimpses of those fleeting looks of anticipation. As everyone headed back to their own rooms, they were excitedly talking and even a few bold ones tried to mention that taboo word. Sigh, at this rate, my chance for a fresh start would evolve into a bloody street full of corpses, and a little mouse would be standing on a burning street corner waving a red flag and choking on its own blood. "Jianhuo, actually I'm not even eighteen yet, so I think I won't go with you guys tomorrow." I tried to show a little disappointment, but I wasn't really looking forward to it and prayed for a turnaround. "Haruo, you don't have to worry. I know a lot of animals in the black market, and I'm familiar with the place. Checking documents and other small things can be easily taken care of!" Jianhuo didn't know what he was thinking and became a little excited, as if he was determined to play the role of a bad senior who sticks to his principles. I could already hear the first shot of the revolution, General Lamarck had died, and the situation would be irreparable in the future. "Ayaan, you can sleep on the bed, we have a puzzle mat on the floor and I can sleep there instead." I took out my prepared blanket and my bone-shaped pillow ready for rest. Ayaan is an Indian lion with pure black mane. He heard about our movie marathon in the dormitory this morning during our badminton team practice and came to check it out. Because of the curfew and the team practice the next morning, I suggested he spend the night in the dormitory. "How could I let you sleep on the floor? Your bed is so big, let's sleep together." He took off his glasses and put them on my desk, and his green eyes seemed to shrink a size instantly. "Oh, okay." No, this is not good. How did I agree so easily? According to the law of everything that can go wrong has gone wrong, I can think of a hundred possibilities of strange developments. The room design in dorm seven is quite interesting. Each student's space is a combination of two-story furniture, with a desk, wardrobe, and various storage compartments on the bottom, and a bed on top. As I climbed the stairs, I immediately turned off the prelude of "One Day More" playing in my mind. Took a moment to adjust our positions, and then Ayaan and I both lay down on the bed, just slightly crowded. "I think you're very brave," Ayaan whispered. "I was also made very uncomfortable by that fake blood plasma. My whole family don’t eat meat, being Indian lions, it's hard to believe, right? When I saw that scene in the movie, I almost threw up, but I didn't dare show any reaction." His voice trembled slightly when he spoke that forbidden word, but he still managed to say it. Although I wanted to tell him that things weren't what he thought they were, I remained silent and listened quietly. "So I don't really understand, why don't you tell them you're not an Arctic wolf?" He pulled my right hand out of the blanket and stroked the hair on my forearm. "Because I went to school with Arctic foxes and Arctic wolves since elementary school, so I know that animals in the polar regions are very sensitive to heat. Also, Arctic wolves have three layers of fur." Ayaan finished speaking and then pinched the muscles on my forearm. "You're too solid, how did you train to be so thick?" Damn it, damn it, damn it, don't tease me with such a casual tone, this is so frustrating. I think Gavroche should be dead by now from a bullet wound. The hair on my back stood up again, but at least it was limited to my back and not be noticed by Ayaan. "Animals that are used to playing badminton will have particularly thick muscles in this area, like yours," I put Ayaan's right hand in a fist and bent it downwards. "I'm just too tired to explain to other animals why I'm not an Arctic wolf. Because they assume that since I have white fur all over my body, I must be one." Ayaan nodded and put his hand back under the covers and yawned. "I understand that feeling. Since I was young, I've been constantly told that because of my all-black mane, I must be very brave and sexually strong, and other nonsense, when in fact I can't even tell other animals that I'm afraid of blood." He whispered with his eyes closed. Lions with black manes are generally believed to have high testosterone levels, but this doesn't necessarily correspond with other characteristics such as personality. "I've heard of some lions having this problem." Or rather, who doesn't have this problem? The shadows on the dormitory walls swayed with the movements of the other roommates at their desks, and for some reason, this inspired a thought in me. "Do you want to know why I am a gray wolf with pure white fur?" I will go and meet the elites who have gathered from different parts of the world, seen different landscapes, and experienced different experiences. What will our interactions and exchanges be like, and what kind of new sparks will they bring? I am really looking forward to this brand new start. "Okay, thank you for being willing to tell me. But I'm really tired now, maybe later..." Ayaan yawned and turned over, speaking vaguely. Cats are all like this, it's really unbearable. I was originally planning to just sleep like this, but when Ayaan turned over, the rush of heat and the scent of a male animal instantly made me lose my rationality and all the fur on my body stood up. A stormy sea without moonlight. What a joke. This strong presence and scent of a lion who hates blood appeared, and he's lying next to me with his belly exposed. Please spare me. After a long few minutes, Ayaan's tail began to sway, and the end of his mane brushed against my thigh. This is beyond my limit. "They will witness the people's uprising!" "Haruo... Haruo... Haruo!" I opened my eyes to see a green-eyed lion with black mane filling my vision. "Why did you sleep on the ground?" I sat up and rubbed the bump on my right temple. "Your sleeping posture is really bad. You even hit me with your elbow, so I couldn't sleep and had to come down here to sleep." Actually, I wake up whenever other animals nearby move, as my hypersensitivity prevents me from sleeping with them or being too close to them. The desire to try new behaviors and bring about change sometimes overrides my ability to think rationally, making things difficult. My forehead still hurt a little, and I hoped it would go down soon. After apologizing, Ayaan went to take a shower, saying that if he didn't clean up in the morning, his mane would be a mess. This is the "Fisher runaway" hypothesis, right? While Ayaan was showering, I changed and washed up. The other big cats were still sleeping, and I only heard them crawling into bed to sleep around two o'clock last night. Oh, by the way, Xuanyuan also sleeps on the floor. Compared to Jianhuo and Silaya, who are slender and thin, Xuanyuan is a sturdy and muscular feline, more like a tiger than a leopard in build. He looked pretty attractive lying on the ground in just his underwear, but big cats really aren't my type. Perhaps Ayaan's unique presence is an exception, and the stormy sea without moonlight only stoked my curiosity. What color is the deepest part of the night? Is it a mixture of scents from various life trajectories, from roads I've never walked on and views I've never seen from around the world? My desires began to awaken. With so much unknown, what kind of color and taste would there be? "Good shot!" The opponent barely managed to catch Ayaan's cross-court shot while adjusting his position from the back of the court, but he made a mistake while trying to hit the ball far away from me at the net, giving me an opportunity. I hit a nearly vertical drop shot that flew over the centerline, ending the game. "Your reaction time is so fast!" Ayaan commented while we were cooling down after practice. "And your drop shots are too powerful! You should consider practicing with the second team of the school team!" The captain of team, the sophomore Mountain Gorillas also praised me. "Haha, you guys are exaggerating. My stamina is just not good, so I have to rely on bursts of energy. If the game had gone on for just five more minutes, I would have passed out on the court. My hands and feet are already starting to feel numb." I said as I changed back into my hiking shoes. "Want to grab lunch together? But you don't look so good. Are you okay?" Ayaan changed into his white sneakers and asked me. "Eating something will make me feel better." I put my racket in my backpack and drank some water. It wasn't very wise to play without eating anything in the morning, but I just didn't feel like eating at this time. "I know a great breakfast place." Ayaan pointed in the direction of the Private Social district. "Let's go then." We left the gym together. "So, which courses did you choose? Wow, this salad is really good." Ayaan said as he picked up some avocado and dipped it in sauce. "Basically, the required courses in the biology department are already so numerous that it's impossible to fit in any other major courses. The remaining time seems to be specifically reserved for general education courses." I said, glancing out the window at some resident students from other departments walking by, but not paying them too much attention. "I chose 'Diversity/Sexuality Identity' in the sociology field. I don't really know what that means and the syllabus hasn't been uploaded yet, but it's the only social field general education course I could take with a free period. For the arts field, I picked 'Marine and Land, Bilingual Artists'. I think it's an introduction to seal and penguin artists, not sure if it just includes animals that can speak Marine and Land languages. Oh, and there's also the general education course 'Animals and Natural Resources' that amazingly enough is scheduled for Friday at noon." I said, flipping over my scrambled eggs and taking a bite. "You took too many courses, I only added two. The time for 'Diversity/Sexuality Identity' is too late for me to catch the bus home, so I chose 'Film and Society' for sociology. I remember at that time we didn't have any major courses," Ayaan said, finishing up the food on his plate. Later, I found out that half of our class were residents from the Central City, making for quite a different scenery, really. "Besides being quite certain that I've watched enough movies recently, I have another class during that time." I hesitated whether or not to tell the other animal, but my desire for more connection with Ayaan pushed me to deepen our friendship. "In 'Beastar first year', I am the recommended Young Beastar of Cherryton Academy this year." Mushroom cheese and potatoes can be tied up and poked like a ball, which is quite convenient to eat. "What, you're that grey wolf?" Ayaan seemed a bit surprised. Every time a life animal is recommended, it attracts public attention. "Moreover, due to being a minor, the media cannot publish photos, so no one would think that the snow-white creature in front of them is the recommended Young Beastar of Cherryton Academy this year. It's really interesting." Ayaan poked away my rolled-up cheese mushroom potatoes. "This is delicious too!" He took a sip of water and wiped his mouth. "Finally, another life animal has been nominated and caused quite a stir. You must stand out and become the Sublime Beastar to speak up for life animals!" Even a lion who doesn't eat meat would say this. It seems that there is an undercurrent beneath the calm surface of Central City, and this may be a problem that needs to be addressed quickly before small waves turn into tsunamis. However, it seems like everyone has forgotten who the current Sublime Beastars are, but I think this is not a good topic for discussion now. It's not so much that they've forgotten, but more like they're afraid to remember. As I was deep in thought, Ayaan fell silent and poked at the avocado on her plate. "Speaking of life animals, what should we do tonight? I really don't want to go to the black market to eat meat, but everyone seems so excited about it, and I don't want to be a downer." If it were me from a year ago, I would have told Ayaan straight away that we should skip it and that I knew a good restaurant nearby. This path might have opened up a friendship that would still shine brightly after many years, supporting us as we moved towards our goals. But I was greedy. Even now, I could feel the gaze of the massive social organism, that sticky, humid, and hot atmosphere. I had already attracted its attention. But today I stood at a different height and discovered places I had never noticed before. What colors would they be, what kind of scent would they have? Could I understand them before being engulfed? Didn't I want a brand new start? I should take the risk. "Well, we don't necessarily have to eat meat at the black market. We can order other things." That's what I said, but you also need to be able to withstand the pressure from your peers and the incomprehensible stares. And I was surprised by my hesitation when I mentioned the taboo word. It's really difficult to resist this huge social pressure. "Just like that?" Ayaan seemed a little incredulous. "The fact is that most of the time the simplest solution is the best." But the simplest solution in this case is just not to go. I lied to the lion who was willing to be my friend because of my selfishness. "However, almost no animal knows that the black market actually prepares food specifically for natural animal guests. Not to mention that when the air is filled with alluring smells, the power of instinct is basically overwhelming, so even life animals that don't want to eat meat will succumb." I looked at the plate of zucchini, which I had only seen on TV before. "What? The black market prepares meals for natural animals? Isn't that a bit strange?" Ayaan’s doubts made me somewhat anxious. Black market reforms were just something that happened over twenty years ago. Does this mean that efforts to integrate the surface society and the underworld have basically failed, leaving only the tradition of allowing senior life animals to openly take their juniors to the black market? "Well, how should I put it..." I bit into the zucchini. The flavor was something I had never tasted before, but it didn't touch anything. I was worried that this would be a reflection of my future life. "Have you heard of the hyperdrug?" In the evening, Jianhuo and Silaya finished their volleyball practice and joined a group of volleyball team members waiting at the dormitory gate with the big cats and some other animals. "Are you ready? Today, as your seniors, we will show you little brats the world!" Shouted a slightly shorter lion with fiery red mane in high spirits. Silaya had mentioned him before - he was a senior in their department and lived in the third male dormitory, an African lion named Masaimara with an easily excitable personality. "Today, we're treating you all, and I want to you eat until you are full!" After a round of cheers, Masaimara, surrounded by the other big cats, led the way with great momentum. Three seconds after seeing him, I knew he was my least favorite type of cat personality. I hoped our paths would never cross in the future. "Wow, the true colors of felines. At least some animals are looking forward to tonight's dinner," Ayaan chuckled with a hint of sarcasm. "Hmph." I didn't comment. The entrance to the black market is actually just next to the Private Society commercial district, and can be reached through an inconspicuous alleyway. "The black market now requires real-name registration, so you'll need to press your fingerprint later. This is all linked to the official data stored of the Central City." Explained Masaimara to everyone, as he was the first to press his fingerprint at the counter. When the freshman members found out that their records would be kept, a sense of unease spread among them. "What? You've come this far, do you want to run away with your tail between your legs like a dog or something?" Masaimara bared his fangs, looking like an effective motivator for the hesitant cats. It's amazing, I can already see the teeth of that small stupid lion I'm going to knock out, and see him crying on the ground with his mouth full of blood. No, damn it. I shook my head hard to shake off the tempting thought, and started anew. Everything has different depths, and I should try to get rid of my prejudices. After Jianhuo completed his certification, he walked towards Masaimara and gestured at me. The latter gave me a glance, then rolled his eyes in an exaggerated manner and quickly spoke with a burly lion standing next to the counter. If we continue to have interactions, I will definitely accidentally tear his throat open one day and see how many colors Masaimara's inner self has. Even Ayaan has completed registration, leaving only me. Masaimara's body language and speaking speed became faster and faster, but the lion he was talking to remained unmoved. I sighed in my head and walked towards the counter. How can you say that you’re familiar with this place if you can't even tell who's in charge? As I approached, the honey badger behind the counter swallowed her saliva. Yes, I noticed that she has been nervous since I stepped into the restaurant. I took a glance at the small square screen used to record fingerprints, blew a breath, and shook my head slightly. After understanding my body language, the honey badger nodded in relief, said something to the lion guarding the door, and then asked the server to take us to our seats. Basically, there is not much difference between here and a regular restaurant. During the integration period of the city surface and the black market, many new regulations were created to ensure that the black market outside the law is included in the management. "Considering that there are many first-time guests here, according to the Beastars Act, the seventh clause of the Black Market Management Regulations, and..." The waiter who just seated us began to explain to us after everyone was seated. The second-year seniors showed annoyed expressions, while the freshman members either looked confused while taking the menu or distracted by the smell in the air, clearly not paying enough attention to understand the restaurant's explanation. I had no idea that there were so many possible situations that could happen when coming to the black market if I hadn't followed this group of energetic cats. It turns out that there are many difficulties in implementing the law. The Alaska brown bear in the dorm room next to us even drooled a few drops. The Beastars Act was finally passed and recognized by the council after many twists and turns in an attempt to ease the tension between life animals and natural animals and to normalize carnivorous behavior in life animals. The law stipulates that the source of goods can only be bodies with the consent of the parties or immediate relatives, and the only exception is non-essential body parts that have already lost or are about to lose their functions. Therefore, it is basically impossible to see animals selling themselves. Sales and processing can only be conducted in a designated area, namely the black market, which is only allowed one entrance and exit and prohibits flight. Additionally, the word "meat" is allowed to be used within the black market area. All adult animals, unless declared for special reasons by a court or medical institution, are free to enter and exit the black market for trading. There are many regulations regarding transactions, mainly focusing on the management of parts that are directly used for consumption. During the implementation of the law, there were many struggles, and many subtle regulations were added due to the insistence of the natural animal council. "Is this really necessary?" Ayaan flipped through various photos of morgues and accident scenes, looking uncomfortable. Several freshmen also seemed uneasy. "By law, I have to tell you that it's necessary." The waiter gave us a formal smile and continued the introduction. "What do you know? Accidental death is a chance to eat the freshest and highest quality meat, you fools." Masaimara said disdainfully. All customers must view photos of every item still in the store, and the entire process must take no less than ten minutes. When entering the restaurant, pressing the registered fingerprint directly connects to the Central City's database, so foreign animals can also use the Central Black Market without barriers. Therefore, many tourists from countries where they cannot eat meat or openly eat meat specifically come to the Central Country for "sightseeing." All consumer behaviors, such as what they ate, how long they stayed in which restaurant, and the frequency of their visits, are all transmitted to a terminal network that only a few senior official members can access. Animals that eat meat in the black market for the first time must undergo physical and psychological examinations at a designated hospital every week within a month. Meat addiction symptoms that cannot be handled by themselves must be treated compulsorily. The law also stipulates that the tax revenue from the black market's profits is mainly used for the development and improvement of alternative products, and the remaining part is injected into the construction of social safety nets. The Beastars Act faced a lot of resistance when it was proposed. It was ultimately passed by the council with the help of many powerful allies and the strong support of the wealthy and influential the Horns Conglomerate. Of course, in the early stages, chaos was everywhere due to the black market's reopening and the oppressed life animals. All animals were at a loss, and the conservatives were also restless, seeing all efforts to eliminate conflicts between animals go to waste. Then, inevitably, that incident happened. "Can we please have two servings of 'Courageous Breath'? Thank you." I confirmed our order and handed the menu over, nodding at the waiter to take it away. "Ah, are you sure you want to order that, pup?" Masaimara tilted his head and sneered. "I just think the name sounds cool. 'Courageous Breath' sounds really powerful." I smiled and scratched the back of my head. Actually, this was one of the provisions of the law, where the actual items on the menu didn't have photos and were named things like "Venus's Leap" or "Last Tuesday," making it impossible to judge what the actual item was. Only experienced regulars who were familiar with the routes could guide you. Interestingly, the provision also stated that first-time customers to the black market couldn't be told what the actual item was behind the name, or influenced in any other way. Just Masaimara's behavior alone was enough to force him to attend a seven-day black market safety seminar. Please don't test my patience anymore, you stinky cat. "Are all canines this stupid? Do as you please then. It really takes a lot of courage to order that dish." Masaimara muttered to himself. "Guests, please do not disturb other customers' first-time experiences. This is a very impolite behavior." Honey badger, the manager of the restaurant walked into our private room and spoke up to stop Masaimara, who remained silent. After we finished ordering, the manager and server left together. Before leaving, honey badger gave me a worried look, which made me roll my eyes. "Don't worry, I won't go on a rampage like somebeast." I thought to myself. But I couldn't imagine what would happen if Masaimara really said those words in front of him. Guys like Masaimara would never understand the true meaning of courage. "Actually, a more accurate name for it would be 'Juniper’s Courage,'" as everyone's food arrived and we studied what we had received. Because of the two plates of lettuce salad in front of me and Ayaan, we were teased by the other animals for a while. I responded with a silly grin, then whispered to Ayaan in a voice only we could hear. "It's to commemorate a very brave lion." I put a handful of alfalfa in my mouth as Ayaan listened quietly. "Senpai, is this restaurant operated by the Horns Conglomerate?" The brown bear who had just drooled suddenly noticed the Horns Conglomerate logo in the lower right corner of the menu. I vaguely remembered that he was called... Asgard? "Oh, no, that's the Shishigumi's logo," said Masaimara as he wiped his mouth. "That's the former infamous gang, right? My dad told me about it. But why did they use antlers as their logo?" Asked the Bengal tiger who lived in room 202 downstairs from us. "I heard their former leader really liked to eat deer meat, so he hung a deer head in his office as decoration. Later, when the black market reopened, they used that deer antler for registration to whitewash themselves as a legitimate company." said Silaya, joining the conversation. The Jianhuo also nodded, saying he knew the same version. So the story has become so distorted now. "That's the gang whose leader was usurped by Melon, right? I heard Melon ambushed the Shishigumi's boss in the tunnel, shot him in the back, and took over the entire Shishigumi." Several big cats enthusiastically shared various rumors and urban legends they knew, talking about the Central City. "Speaking of which, what happened to Melon now?" "I heard he's still in the highest-security prison." "Hahaha, my dad told me he even caught the Melon fever and ate honeydew melon for a few months back then." Sigh, they were discussing a topic I didn't want to hear. I tried to shift my focus away from their words and observe everyone's reactions. The senior members didn't have any particular issues. Based on their words and actions, they were the type who occasionally participated in the black market. Therefore, as expected from the previous investigation results and models, just legalizing the black market is unlikely to create a worse situation than before. So, what about the freshman members? Ayaan seemed to be a bit troubled as he quietly ate his salad. The surrounding smells seemed to make the vegetarian lion uncomfortable. The other animals were pretty normal, as if they had discovered a new world, but there were no particular behaviors to note. So, what has changed? The social atmosphere, differences in education level, or is it simply the passage of time? The bill also includes a part that promotes education on the basic physiological needs of all animals. In the past, ecology and physiology would emphasize instincts that should be suppressed or that we have already overcome, so these issues were often avoided. However, by directly bringing this issue to light, the new generation of animals can understand everyone's differences from a young age and eliminate barriers and misunderstandings caused by ignorance. It's hard to imagine that somebeast is one of the important drivers behind all of this. "Hey, are you okay?" Masaimara looked at the Bengal tiger who had just spoken, and his hands were trembling involuntarily. "I don't know what's wrong." He looked at his hands and said a little panicky. "Here, eat this first." Masaimara put a blue and white square in the Bengal tiger's hand. It was a minty scent. " Jianhuo, can you take the freshmen back later?" Jianhuon nodded in response to Masaimara, while the latter supported the Bengal tiger and left. Unexpectedly, Masaimara took care of people, and he even had mint candy prepared in advance. So, is this what different levels of depth mean? How can I avoid making the same mistake and giving unfair evaluations to other animals? How can I keep the balance of the scales and what kind of judgment criteria should I use? If there are so many complex parameters, how can I know what is right and wrong? The atmosphere became awkward for a while due to the unexpected incident, but the optimistic big cats soon found a topic to break the ice. They discussed course selection, professor reputations, and various harmless campus gossip. After the dinner, Ayaan and I made an excuse to separate from the group and wandered around the streets of the black market. "So, how was your first meal in the black market?" I asked Ayaan with a slightly mocking tone. "The salad with thirty types of vegetables was interesting, but it tasted the same as the ones sold in convenience stores. It's not worth making a special trip to the black market just for that. I'd give it three stars." he replied, making me accidentally burst out laughing. I had no idea that Ayaan had such a sense of humor. "But, Haruo, didn't you say that the Beastars Act prohibits this kind of behavior?" Ayaan pointed to the occasional animals walking down the street with price lists on their backs. "This is one of the loopholes in the law. They sell contracts for before the animal's death. If the animal dies during the contract period or due to certain accidents, the transaction content will be executed according to the contract. It's like the opposite concept of insurance. Of course, there have been cases where impatient buyers have caused accidents to happen earlier, but the punishment is severe, and there is no need to take that risk now that the supply is stable." I diverted my attention back and continued to explain. This is one of the benefits of bringing underground transactions to the surface. "So, they haven't made any amendments to the law because there is no practical need for it. It sounds a bit like administrative negligence," Ayaan pushed his glasses up and suddenly stopped walking. "What's this?" There were several elephant skulls placed at the entrance of a store that had a mix of Chinese-style architecture. It looked a bit eerie. "Oh, this is an ivory trading center. Ivory can be used as one of the ingredients for hyperdrug. Look at this," I pointed to the QR code engraved on the ivory. "Didn't we mention earlier that the permitted trading scope includes parts that have lost their functionality? So, things like ivory and antlers also count. The Interpretation of the Supreme Court’s ruling a few years ago mentioned that with the evolution of society and changes in ideas, these characteristics that were originally used to highlight their biological capital are gradually no longer favored by females and only cause various inconveniences in daily life. Therefore, it is allowed to sell these parts as non-functional parts." As for what buyers use them for, that falls within the scope of other laws. "Of course, some animals still choose to keep their features due to aesthetics or societal pressure, but those are personal choices," I shrugged and said, while Ayaan walked towards the bright white ivory thoughtfully, as if trying to get a closer look. But upon reflection, decisions made under pressure cannot be considered personal choice. "Going back to the issue of administrative negligence, there have been ongoing attempts to add new clauses to close loopholes, but conservative forces have been constantly blocking and opposing, and the counter-attack of opposing forces has caused the Beastars Act to basically become a flickering candle in the wind, with its repeal just a matter of time." it was the most chaotic time in Central City. "Even though animals from all walks of life who supported the Act worked tirelessly to gain societal recognition, the situation was still one-sided, with various radical conservative groups even inciting destruction everywhere." I stopped walking and waited for Ayaan to catch up before continuing, and we continued strolling down the black market street. "At that time, like all the elements coming together, that famous incident occurred." *** As the leader of the famous foreign mercenary group, the "Irish Wolfhounds," feared by all animals around the world, I was puzzled when I received a commission to take down a single gray wolf. Did it really require my entire team? But money is money, and I had no objections. Originally, the development of purebred dogs was intended to prevent war by breeding out wolves' fighting instincts and physical combat capabilities. However, with time, some malicious experiments resulted in the creation of dog breeds specifically designed for fighting. Our country has long been oppressed, with every powerful nation treating the conquest of our land as a significant milestone in their history. Even now, the Emerald Island is still being divided and conquered by multiple superpowers. To raise funds for independence and to build an experienced combat force, our country bred the Wolfhounds and hired them out as mercenaries around the world. I have done many dirty deeds, witnessing powerful nations dispatching our money-making group to handle many unsavory affairs, and fighting alongside my fellow Wolfhounds under different employers. But compared to my country's dream of breaking free from weakness and no longer being one of many lands trampled underfoot, my deeds are insignificant. That day, we were on standby in the basement of a commercial building in Central City, which was used by the employer to host private armed groups like ours. In addition to us, the employer had hired many other more notorious mercenary groups as a reserve force, which made me feel fortunate. We still had some bottom lines, just a little bit low. When things went wrong, the employer requested us to immediately go for support. Initially, I didn't want to expose ourselves so blatantly in a big city like Central City, but after the employer anxiously paid us an extra 100 million dollars, I ordered the members of our group to move out. At that time, I was still wondering how lucky we were, until I understood how foolish I was. Before arriving at the scene, we had to pass through many panicked and fleeing animals, and I even recognized a few members of other mercenary groups. However, facing chaos was already part of our daily life and did not shake our morale until we met him. At first, only a gray shadow was rapidly moving on the battlefield, and it was not until the intermittent screams and splashing of blood that I realized that was our target. This was too absurd. Could such overwhelming strength really exist? It was like an irresistible natural disaster! I heard the members of our group dropping their weapons one after another, and only then did I realize that my own automatic rifle had fallen to the ground long ago, splashing some viscous blood. I tried to move or issue commands, but the overloaded mind and the slippery ground that could not absorb more blood made us unable to move. We caught the attention of the gray figure. He stood about three meters in front of me, silently watching us. Broken body parts and scattered viscera were everywhere, and the dead with terrified faces or headless were hanging from various places like the ragged dolls. The blood dripping from his claws and teeth formed ripples on the ground, and his muscles and veins were twisted and bulging. The gray hair on his body was stained with pieces of flesh and blood, but the great gray wolf himself looked unscathed except for an old bullet wound on his abdomen and a missing ear. It was a moonless day, but his eyes still shone in the darkness, and the scar above his right eye was as fierce as a sacred rune. His posture, standing on a throne of bloody corpses, was like that of a deity, so powerful that one could only feel awe and fear. Is this the appearance of my ancestor, the great gray wolf? He tilted his head, wiped away the bloodstains from the corner of his mouth, and squinted his eyes. I wet myself on the spot, and a few of my comrades did too. But I felt no shame at all. When faced with a powerful being that transcended your understanding, this was the only rational reaction. "Please have mercy." I immediately knelt down on both knees and prostrated myself on the ground. I always knew that I would never live to see the day my country gained independence, so every day in the mercenary corps, I was ready to die immediately, just to advance our goals a little more. But when faced with such a powerful being, I understood why people prayed to gods. It wasn't out of despair, but out of hope. "Please help us build our country!" I couldn't even understand why I blurted out such a ridiculous request. Maybe it was like a dying wish that one couldn't achieve before passing away. Later, I found out that the gray wolf had already left to deal with other threats. It was only after being stunned for a long time that my comrades finally came over to help me up from my kneeling position. That day, a new title was born, matching my uncontrollable murmurs of worship, and all animals dared to only whisper it in a reverent tone in the darkness. "Hidden Beastar." I kneeled down and felt the nervous breath of the honey badger next to me. The gray wolf was watching a surveillance video of one of the restaurants in the area. Alpha really hated that title, but apparently, I was the only animal allowed to call him that because he felt guilty about almost killing our mercenary group. "How's everything at home?" Alpha turned off the screen and stood up from behind his desk. "Thanks to you, Merlin and Budika have grown into outstanding young adults and aspire to become Beastars of the European Union in the future." I stood up proudly and said. After the Central City incident, mainly under the mediation of the Central Country, the previously independent strong entities in Europe, which were divided and separated, finally achieved reconciliation and formed a federal country on a continental level. Although it was different from the original wish for independent nation-building, every border that had divided our country had disappeared, and all animals could once again move freely on their homeland without restrictions. The wishes of countless generations of animals were finally fulfilled; the regrets of countless generations of animals finally came to an end. As I began to have a future vision to fulfill, I also fell into a love affair that I had never thought possible, and gave birth to two children. Even in my wildest dreams, I had never imagined this scenario. Our group of last-generation mercenaries were treated like heroes, mostly retired to enjoy their remaining years, while a few of us, like me, traveled across the ocean to join Alpha's ranks and serve our God. "You're overestimating me. I've never been responsible for the diplomatic part. The diplomatic institutions of the Central Country have dominated most of the work. I only attended the negotiation process once." Alpha sat at his desk and said, seeming a bit troubled. It was that expression. During that critical meeting, Alpha just sat there with that troubled expression, scaring the representatives of various countries half to death, ultimately leading to the establishment of the alliance. "There is a faction in Central City secretly planning something, and I'm afraid we will need your help soon. Can you gather manpower for me, El?" Alpha looked at me and asked, and I placed my fist over my heart and gave a military salute as a response. "For your service." I obey only your orders, my God. *** "Thank you for letting me know, Mira. Please ask other restaurant managers to be more careful during the freshman season when things are more likely to go wrong." After I finished speaking, Mira bowed slightly and walked out of the office. "Don't you think that hound is a bit too enthusiastic?" A familiar voice came from outside the door. He walked into the office and turned around in the center, forcing me to sidestep to avoid his large antlers. Then he sat on the desk and looked at the antlers decoration hanging on the fireplace. "It turns out that antlers are really suitable for office decoration." He said to himself like he was performing a monologue. I sighed and closed the door. "Where were you when I needed you just now?" Senpai raised his arms slightly, as if answering my question, and looked around the room again. "I got a little nostalgic and lost track of time wandering around. After all, I've lived here for six months. But I remember there was supposed to be whiskey here." He frowned at the small shelf next to the bookcase. "I got rid of all the alcohol. The Shishigumi is now a publicly traded company and we should try to distance ourselves from the old image." Although this didn't seem to have much impact. I shifted my thoughts away from the image that had just flashed through my mind- several natural animal corpses hanging from the pailou of the Shishigumi. "Hmph, Shishigumi with only three lions left, sounds like a mockery." Senpai said. "I don't really see how you need my help. If the hound is misbehaving, why don't you just give him a good kick in the butt? And Mira seems to be so afraid of you, everything seems to be in order on the black market." He stood up and walked towards me, patting my shoulder. "No need to worry." From his tone, it sounded like senpai had a good grasp of the situation, while I just sighed and felt the invisible weight on my shoulder. "No, it's not about these things. Although there are still some problems to be dealt with on the black market, I want to wait for Shuntaro to come back. He will be responsible for it." My thoughts drifted off for a moment. It had been over a month since he left, but according to the messages he had sent back, things should be almost done and he would be back in Central City soon. "Senpai, have you noticed anything unusual about the recent crime patterns? It's summer, yet there have been numerous fur stripping incidents. All the suspects have found ways to commit suicide either during or after being arrested, and the chain of custody is being destroyed. It's clear that there's a powerful group behind this, and just the fact that they can operate so transparently in front of us shows how dangerous they are." I said to senpai, who quietly listened and then turned his gaze to the antlers hanging on the wall. "You do realize that this isn't our main area of duty, right? You're too influenced by Yafya." He said with a hint of complaint. It's true that each Beastar has their own unique style and way of solving the Central Country's problems. Yafya is known for his habit of operating behind the scenes and frequently intervening in police actions, but he still focuses on issues that may affect the balance between life and nature animal in society. "I found it very suspicious from the beginning that the large grey wolf fur stripping incident happened in such a hot summer. The subsequent suspect suicides and evidence disappearance are completely baffling. I'm certain that the manipulator behind this is extremely dangerous, and if we don't understand their conspiracy in time, the whole society will be in turmoil." I continued, but senpai still looked at the antlers on the wall. "When you say that, isn't it similar to the early actions of the radical conservative armed groups? That's why you asked El to gather people. If those guys are planning to make a comeback, we have an opportunity to uproot the whole organization." Senpai turned back to me with a slightly cold look. So, this means he's giving me the green light, but is this really the only way? "Confirming your ideas really put my mind at ease. I'll discuss a new plan with the chief tomorrow. Thanks, senpai." I yawned and prepared to leave. I didn't want to make a hasty decision on such an important matter. "You're leaving already? I thought you came to the black market for something like a drink with me?" Senpai also stood up and stretched. "Next time, I came to the black market for other reasons. See you." I waved to Senpai and left the headquarters of the Shishigumi. *** "A total of 163 animals were killed, and that's only counting the ones he directly killed with his bare hands. There were many fragments that couldn't determine their owners or how many animals were torn apart. Not to mention the casualties caused by mutual trampling, building collapse, and destruction. The incident caused a total of 361 animal deaths, and the number of injuries is difficult to estimate, and that was only a matter of minutes. It was said to be like a battlefield. "The council authorities used all their resources to block reports and news, deleting all the remaining video evidence. Now, only the broken testimony of surviving witnesses and rumors are circulating in the streets." Ayaan looked a little surprised at my explanation. "It's hard to imagine that the one who was one of the important proponents of the Beastars Act, and the Hidden Beastar who could do such a thing, was the same gray wolf. I really don't know what kind of changes he went through in his mind," Ayaan said, casting me a doubtful look as to why I would go down a dead end. "Exactly. If you really want to know, you can ask him face to face what happened. But I suggest you not use that title; he hates being called that." I had just finished speaking when a huge gray figure fell. Despite its enormous presence, it made almost no sound when it landed. "Dad, this is Ayaan, a classmate of mine. He's a non-carnivorous Indian lion. Ayaan, this is my dad, one of the current Beastars of Central City, a non-carnivorous gray wolf. I think you two will get along." I introduced them to each other, then looked at Ayaan. He seemed to be frozen in shock, still trying to understand what had happened. "Hello, I’m counting on you to take care of Haruo," He shook Ayaan's hand, who responded with something that sounded like "no problem" and "it's an honor to meet you," but it was so broken that judging by Ayaan expression, it wouldn't be surprising if he was actually saying "please don't kill me." I should have been less clear in describing what happened that day. "As soon as you entered the black market, the Shishigumi notified me. If I didn't know you better, I would have thought you were looking for the excitement of underage meat eating." he turned to me and sniffed the air. "I was your age the first time I entered the black market, of course, it was even more dirty and disorderly back then. But soon, the smell of meat made my mouth water, and my head began to swell," he seemed to recall something, his gaze slightly distant, but he quickly returned to the present. "But you ordered a salad in a restaurant where everyone else was eating meat, as if the smell didn't bother you at all. Do you know how much time it took me to practice that kind of self-control?" He sighed softly, looking into my eyes. "I'm not trying to compare my weak willpower to yours, but as a father, I still have to ask. Did you lie during the physical exam? Do you really have no sense of taste and everything tastes like sand?" I thought this conversation, which seemed impossible due to your incredible slow nerves, would never happen. "No, I didn't lie. My sense of taste and smell are completely normal." I said, and it was the truth. But the truth was more complicated than you thought, so let's not complicate things for now. "Well, it's good to see you standing strong where I stumbled. You'll be a better Beastar than me." He said, clearly relieved. "Is this a father encouraging his son, or a Sublime Beastar admiring a Young Beastar from the heart?" I asked, reaching out my right hand to him. "Of course it's the latter," he laughed and firmly grasped my outstretched hand. And that's how we swayed our tails gently at the same frequency in the alley of the black market. *** "Then he petted my head! How could he pet my head right after implying we have an equal relationship? Doesn't petting someone's head mean that they are superior to you? He doesn't see me as a potential successor at all. He's just so despicable!" Haruo complained as he lay on my lap. Every time he talked about his family, he couldn't control his fangs and growled unconsciously. It reminded me that Haruo was a life animal and how much he longed for the things that normal teenagers took for granted. "I understand how you feel. Petting your head is indeed an unequal relationship, but he has to remain neutral. So that statement is more likely a father's expectation of his son. After all, the decision of whether a Young Beastar who achieved prominent achievements can be recognized as the Sublime Beastar is the responsibility of the council." I said as we sat by the huge floor-to-ceiling window, basked in the sunset's afterglow. The Kashmir wool carpet on the ground was soft and comfortable, but I still preferred the warmth and rough yet delicate fur of Haruo. I wrapped one hand around Haruo's neck and let him lean back slightly, pressing his upper back against my thigh. With the other hand, I continued to stroke his head from the hair above his eyes to the back of his ears. His head was so big. Haruo relaxed and his ears flattened against his head. "Neutral my ass." Haruo retorted, "Back then, Yafya acted like he would kick the ass of anyone who dared to reject his recommendation, and that's how somebeast got into his position." As I continued to soothe him, his tone gradually became calmer and he closed his eyes. I continued stroking his head and scratching the back of his ear. "Do you really want other animals to talk behind your back, saying that you became the Sublime Beastar only because of him? You'll always be living in his shadow." Haruo exhaled twice and then rubbed his head against my stomach, taking a deep sniff. "Hmph," he chuckled softly, indicating his understanding. This big, foolish wolf was surprisingly perceptive. Life animals have a natural aversion to exposing their bellies, a vulnerable position that can be easily targeted. If they have any hesitation, they won't put themselves in that position. Maybe that's why I always liked rubbing his belly. Of course, the sturdy and rippling abs were also a big plus. But when he wriggled a little because he was ticklish and occasionally wagged his tail, it was too cute, and I just wanted to see him hold his tail between his legs and look at me with those eyes full of tears and begging me stop. What is the grey wolf, who exposes his belly to me, a red deer, really thinking? Is this an imprint behavior that started since the incident in the Black Forest? If so, is our relationship unhealthy? Why am I even caring about what other animals think? It's abnormal in their eyes no matter how I look at it. His unguarded smile is genuine. While stroking Haruo's cheeks and the hair on both sides of his snout, I pondered. The itchy sensation made him smile again. Damn it, he always manages to arouse my deepest desires when he makes that happy expression. Although he never reveals his true emotions to other animals, why can he trust me? Is it because we know each other's darkest secrets and can tolerate each other in the shadows where the light cannot reach? Is this the consolation between a lonely wolf and a lonely deer in a foreign land? Haruo can occasionally make friends, but usually, he loses interest after a while. When he realizes that "it's just like this" or "you're just like this," the communication stops. If things are too "normal," sooner or later, the intangible barrier will be felt, and the distance will grow. Haruo is not good at saying goodbye. This may be difficult for ordinary animals to understand, but I understand the feeling of being a stranger no matter where I am. I just prefer to speak with a pure accent and authentic language, so that I can be mistaken for a member of the same group of animals, which makes me feel less lonely at times. As I stroked the hair between his chest and belly, feeling Haruo's lean body, he smiled again, wagging his tail on the carpet. My mind immediately flashed to the image of hanging this big dumb wolf with his hands apart and whipping him until he was bleeding while holding his tail and wailing. If I hit hard enough, will you be willing to cry for me? He opened his eyes and looked at me with big, dark, beautiful eyes that made me sure they would be even more beautiful if they were tearing at the same time. He turned his head to the side and sniffed at my trouser stall. I was so excited by that scene that I had some prostate fluid coming out. Haruo said mine smelled faintly of musk, but I couldn't smell it myself. "Hey, are you being greedy?" Haruo began to lick my erect penis through pants. Since this is the case, I can no longer let you have your way. Continuing to scratch his ears, the other hand held Haruo's already fully erect penis and began to fondle it. In a short time his breathing became rapid, his body twisted slightly, and his hands curled up on his chest in a submissive position. Haruo has a sensitive constitution and is easily stimulated, but controlling him requires a lot of skill. However, handling this big dumb wolf is no challenge for me. I slowed down the pace of teasing, slowing down a little every time he was about to climax, repeating this process until the slightest touch made him ejaculate, and then I tightly held onto the base of his penis. "Haa...haa..." He panted heavily, his hot and wet breath blowing onto my face. I maintained this position for a while until the convulsions of his penis subsided a bit. "Grab it yourself and use your other hand to hold onto your scrotum." He obediently followed my instructions, with a somewhat embarrassed expression on his face. "Tease yourself." I gently bit his ear and started stimulating both of his nipples. "Too slow, faster." He complied and increased the frequency of his teasing. The muscles in his upper body and legs tensed up, creating a scene that was truly worth savoring. "Stop." I ordered him to stop when I judged that Haruo was on the brink of climax. He gritted his teeth and made a choking sound." "Good, keep going." He vigorously shook his head, but obediently began to stroke his swollen and red penis again. I continued to play with his nipples, admiring the occasional convulsions and low cries of pain and pleasure that came from his body. "Stop." I ordered him to stop his impending climax once again, and he tightly grasped the base of his penis in despair, as if on the brink of collapse. "Good, very obedient." I petted his head. "Then continue stroking." He shook his head and protested with a small sharp cry, begging me with his eyes for mercy, but still began to stroke. It's impossible to play like this with any other life animals. It can only be achieved with enough trust and obedience. Haruo approached orgasm again and again, but each time he stopped at my command. After this was repeated five times, his chance of ejaculation on the brink of climax was once again terminated by my command. His desperate moans of pain and intense pleasure, and the tense, trembling muscles of his body pushed to the limit, made me almost orgasm. I was so distracted that I almost missed his warning low growl. The moment I noticed the change in his gaze, he struggled against his instinct, giving me an extra second to react. Haruo turned his head and tried to bite me, his nose wrinkled. If he had bitten me in this state, it would have been more than just a flesh wound. Fortunately, I still noticed his warning growl, and when Haruo bit down, I grabbed his snout and held it tightly, forcing his head up. "Are you trying to rebel?" I asked. After his mouth was held, he immediately let out a scream of mercy and wriggled lightly in resistance. Oh no, I played too hard and ignored Haruo's needs in pursuit of my own desires. It's a big mistake for a novice to only focus on oneself and ignore the needs of others. I calmed myself down. If Haruo noticed that I had almost let him lose control and bite me, he would feel guilty. I had to find a way to cover it up. Even though he was on the verge of losing control and wanting to bite me, Haruo's hand was still gripping his genitals without my command. Oh, you big silly wolf. What should I do if I'm not really worthy of your trust? Haruo instinctively continued to cry for mercy, but I could tell he was still on the edge of orgasm. I held his snout even tighter, and he let out a scream in response. "Now continue stroking." He obeyed, but the muscles in his hands looked a bit stiff from being in a tense state for too long. "Faster. I said faster." As he increased the speed of his thrusts, the frequency of moans grew higher and higher, until streams of semen spurted out from his engorged penis, with many landing on the chest. "Did I tell you to slow down?" I gave his nipple a hard pinch, and he continued to speed up his strokes until he finally stopped ejaculating but still didn't stop stroking. "Grab the base, use the other hand to rub the head. Haven't I shown you how to do it many times?" After hesitating for a moment, Haruo followed my instructions, and the same scream that had stopped with his ejaculation came out of his mouth again. Haruo held onto the base of his penis to keep it still, and used his palm to cover and rotate the huge glans, rubbing it. "Go faster." He closed his eyes tightly, shook his head violently, but still followed my words to speed up. "Ah... ah..." Streams of pale yellow urine sprayed out, splashing onto Haruo's abdomen and chest. He couldn't even scream in pain anymore. Ha, he really does have the ability to squirt. "Did I tell you to stop?" I made Haruo squirt twice more before letting him stop. He immediately collapsed. Luckily, not much urine had sprayed out, and most of it was absorbed by Haruo's dense fur. Otherwise, cleaning the Kashmir wool carpet would have been a real hassle. It was all my fault for not thinking clearly in the heat of the moment. Haruo opened his eyes and looked at me. With his flat ears and big black eyes, he looked like he was about to cry, which immediately reignited my desire. I unzipped my pants and took out my hard penis, grabbing Haruo's upper jaw and opening his huge wolf mouth while straddling his neck. "Uh..." He made a questioning sound, and I responded by inserting my hot and hard penis into his mouth. With one hand pulling his hair to force Haruo to keep his head back, and the other hand holding the back of his nose to keep his mouth open at the right angle, I wildly thrust into his upper jaw, while he carefully avoided touching his teeth to me, using his tongue to wrap around my penis from underneath. The warm and moist feeling made me feel completely accepted. Why are you always so unconditionally accepting of me? That pitiful puppy-like expression makes me want to hurt you again. I increased the thrusting speed, and occasionally saw the reflexive expression of nausea on Haruo's face, guessing that I had hit his uvula. He tried to endure the discomfort, but his pitiful expression of wanting to please me finally made me unable to bear it, and I reached orgasm. I pulled out my penis and shot all of my essence onto Haruo's face, some of it flowing onto his chest, and a stream landing on his closed right eye. I breathed heavily. "We'd better go to the bathroom before the enzyme starts working. " We're both exhausted, but if all that semen starts melting, it will definitely turn into a disaster. Haruo nodded without speaking, clearly not wanting the white liquid hanging on his cheek to drip down. "Don't move." I got up and wiped the secretions stuck to my body onto Haruo, who protested. "What else can you do? I'll wash it off for you later." I put my hands under Haruo's neck and knees, and lifted him up. "Hey, why are you blushing like that?" He turned his head away from me, but his tail started wagging rapidly. "Don't wag your tail, you big silly wolf. Stop, right now!" We really ruined the high-quality Kashmir wool carpet. Leaning into me, Haruo rubbed himself against me with deliberate slowness. "Why are you getting so close?" The wet, stiff sensation of hair scratching against my skin, itchy and yearning to be touched but unable to deny its own nature. "Otherwise, the water will be wasted if it doesn't reach me." He was always so practical, and I thought it was some kind of teasing hint. I raised the showerhead high, ready to rinse Haruo's head, but he immediately dodged quickly, even his gaze became alert. "Are you still so afraid of water? I thought it was only during swimming or something, but even showering too?" I didn't expect that after so many years, he still hadn't overcome his fear of water. Most life animals instinctively know how to swim, but Haruo is one of the few individuals who are afraid of water, even just getting his snout wet can trigger his escape response. He looked silently at the showerhead, without speaking, and showed a fierce look. "Come here." I hung up the showerhead, pulled Haruo over, gently hugged him, and slowly stroked his back to soothe him. His high-frequency heartbeat, which is disproportionate to his appearance and size, pulsed in my chest, and I bit his ear. "That's probably when I was three years old. Without more memories as a reference, I'm not sure." He switched to Marine language. Whenever he reveals his most embarrassing memories and secrets to me, he always uses such a distant tone, an unfamiliar language, as if he is telling the story of another animal, disconnected. "It's like some kind of commodity. That year, my full custody was just granted to a somebeast, and the court's reasoning was actually quite reasonable, 'How could a rabbit family raise a wolf normally?' Not to mention, nobody wants to offend the current Sublime Beastars." Some words in Marine language cannot be pronounced in the air, but I can understand them from his mouth shape and context. I continued stroking his wet fur and looked at the scar on his left shoulder while listening. Haruo's wounds always healed so quickly that it was hard to imagine, much like his father. It was an undeniable genetic trait of the family. The last incision had indeed left a scar, so I decided not to hurt him again today. "That was the first time he helped me take a shower. When the water touched my head, I immediately had an uncooperative reaction, which angered him. He couldn't control his strength and hit my butt a few times, threw me onto the bed, smashed nearby furniture, and shouted loudly. That was the first time he hit me. I think he must have been exhausted during that time, after all, so much had happened. Three years of legal proceedings, various hindrances from conservative groups, and the peak of natural animal mistrust towards him. So, I guessed that all the pressure made him finally lose control of his emotions that day, and accidentally hit me too hard because he couldn't control even the slightest thing." The simple statement of fact sounded as if no animal was hurt in the process. "I think the point isn't how much my butt hurts, but rather that during my most vulnerable time, when I sought the help of a blood relative who should have protected me, not only did I not receive a response, but I was also subjected to additional harm. If it weren't for luck, at least I already broke into so many fragments that impossible to be more broken. Otherwise, I really don't know what impact this would have on my character development." This is the only solace that two people who have fallen into a foreign land and can understand each other can offer each other. "A few days later, your mother came to visit and discovered the large bruises on my buttocks while ridiculing him as a fool who couldn't even properly change a diaper. Your mother scolded him on the spot and also informed your father. Uncle Louis warned him that if anything similar happened again, he would lose his parental rights and took me and my brother to the Horns Mansion." Haruo's large head rubbed against my shoulder a few times. "You know what happened afterwards." Switching back to the Land common language, is he happy about our encounter in the future? Haruo and Shuntaro basically grew up at the Horns Mansion, but I never knew these things happened. "Raise your head." He did as I said, maintaining a posture that exposed his throat to me, with his black nose pointing towards the ceiling. I picked up the showerhead and tested the water temperature, then wetted Haruo's hair while smoothing his ears downwards to prevent water from getting inside. After the hair above his eyes was wet, I started washing his head with a detergent specially designed for canine. He opened his eyes and looked at me with his black eyes, seemingly thinking about something. When his wet tail swung back and forth vigorously, it made a rhythmic slapping sound. Haruo has very thick hair, and both cleaning and drying it are a big task. As I was helping him dry his fur, he kept staring at me with his expectant black eyes. "Nope," I said, "I know what you're up to." You even flattened your ears? You should know that doesn't work on me. I know you're just trying to please me. "I never agreed to let you stay overnight here. Go back to your own room. Besides, I have a lot to do, and I don't want to be distracted by your presence." You know how tiring it is for me to pretend to care about this and that in my daily life. Can't we just relax a bit when we're together? I turned off the hair dryer and patted Haruo's big head. He nodded obediently. But since I'm willing to put on a show for other animals, why can't I occasionally play the role of a responsible caregiver for Haruo...what kind of relationship do we have, anyway? Do we understand each other's loneliness as strangers in this place? There doesn't seem to be any responsibility issue here. "Let me see if I can find time after I finish my work, okay? If I can, I'll come find you." I suggested another plan, but Haruo shook his head after thinking for a moment and began to get dressed. "It's okay, I know you don't want to. See you at dinner tomorrow. Good night." When he finished speaking and got up to leave, I grabbed his fluffy tail and pulled him to my side. I gently pressed down on his head and touched his forehead with my nose. I don't even know who's being considerate of whom anymore. We're both shameless. "Happy 18th birthday, you big dumb wolf." I could smell the familiar faint wolf scent in his breath, and I laughed at the blushing pure white gray wolf. He responded by touching my cheek with a kiss and said good night again before leaving my room, wagging his tail. I stretched lazily and sat back at my desk, turning on my laptop. Okay, where should I start? My fingers flew over the keyboard, and suddenly, inspiration struck. Let's use this title: "To Us, the Lonely Ones." *** "...Haruo not only received the recommendation of the Young Beastar from Cherryton Academy, but he has also made friends in college and even introduced them to me. He never admitted I am his father in front of other animals before. Shuntaro is also returning to Central Country soon, maybe we can all have a dinner together sometime. We can also invite Xingfeng, and it's okay if Azuki comes too. I don't have any dislike for her, really! Oh, and you should know that Haruo and Xingfeng seem to be dating. No, if it's you, you must have already noticed. I'm the only one who can't see it. If it's you, you should know what to do... huh? Father-in-law has already come to visit? Does he come a day early every year to avoid an awkward encounter with me? After all, it's been eighteen years since… I'm sorry, I don't want things to be so tense, but I don't know what to do. Haru, tell me what to do. It seems like everything I do is wrong. My family, society, and even the council are all unsatisfied with me. Now, there isn't even an animal willing to call me by name. You must know, right? If you were still here, we would have been a happy family, right? It's all my fault, I miss you, Haru... sob sob" My tears fell onto the lavender blossoming on the tombstone.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
As a gazelle, an herbivore, I have always had a great advantage in my work. I am the industry's foremost expert in bombs and explosives, but when it comes to hiring military professionals, most animals always stereotypically think of strong carnivores and forget that bomb design and explosive expertise require intelligence. Therefore, only customers who truly know the ropes will come to me. However, my greatest advantage is actually my perception of danger. In our line of work, carnivores are particularly prone to forgetting that only the survivor is the winner. My sixth sense for avoiding danger always allows me to detect trouble early or at least escape in time. So when I realized that the bomb detonation location was wrong, I immediately began planning the fastest way to leave Central Country. But my curiosity still drove me to investigate what went wrong, perhaps providing me with design direction for future improvement, so I borrowed a telescope from other mercenaries. The bomb, which should have detonated indoors, appeared to have been thrown out in some way, blasting a big hole in the building's wall. The original design was intended to detonate at close range, and even the cement barrier should have allowed the target to survive. As the smoke and dust dispersed, I witnessed the birth of the terrifying "Hidden Beastar." At the command post nearly two kilometers away, I looked at him through a telescope, and the big gray wolf's glowing eyes stared straight back at me. It was the gaze of a predator, and from a distance where it was impossible for him to see me, he recognized his prey. The ancestral factors of all the gazelles in my bloodline began to scream in unison, urging me to escape for my life. The gray wolf touched the half-destroyed wall with exposed steel reinforcement. Without knowing what gray wolf had done, he only touched the cement structure, and the remaining building began to crack. The rapidly spreading damage eroded the entire building until the remaining parts could no longer bear the weight and collapsed. That was when I knew I had to run, or it would be too late. I left my employer and the other mercenaries without taking the final payment and ran for my life, without considering how devastating this would be for my career. Later, it proved that I didn't really need to consider it, because no other animal survived to witness the embarrassing sight of me fleeing. Since then, whenever a gray wolf appears near me, my instinct to escape from predators is triggered, and those terrifying glowing eyes are hidden in every shadow. However, just now, when the wolf sat down next to me, my instinct to run did not trigger because I didn't even notice his presence until he ordered a whiskey from the bartender. It would be strange to run now, so instead, I feel a bit awkward and rusty as I sit with the wolf, whom I was about to mock for not asking permission before sitting next to me as a carnivore next to an herbivore. But when I looked at the wolf, the familiar feeling awakened my memory, and it was those glowing eyes staring straight at me. I know why my instinct is now silent. Other animals often make the mistake of thinking that weaker herbivores give up resistance and seek death in situations of extreme fear, but it's not like that. Excessive pressure can cause a physical response that dissolves all muscles in the body and leads to death, as if the body is being cooked from the inside. In fact, I had already died when the gray wolf sat down next to me. After confirming this fact, I felt slightly relieved. After the Central City Incident, I knew that one day, that terrifying presence would catch up to me. After all, I had never truly escaped the predator's sight. But the nightmare had become a reality, and the feeling of the dust settling actually made me breathe a sigh of relief. It was like a decisive conclusion was better than a slow torture, as if a hanging sword that had been swaying over my head had finally fallen. However, the gray wolf sitting next to me was obviously not the Hidden Beastar. Both of his ears were intact and there were no scars on his eyes. Was my nervousness so severe that it caused my death just because his scent was similar to the Hidden Beastar's? It was very much in line with the final outcome of a cowardly and fragile herbivore. "I've seen your work in Chechnya, Tehran, and New York. I have to say, it's as exquisite as a work of art. Who would have thought that such a delicate toy filled with destructive power would be created by a fragile natural animal like yourself?" He shook the glass in his hand and took a sip of drink. When the gray wolf spoke, I knew instinctively that my survival instincts that had saved me countless times were still reliable. It wasn't my misunderstanding. I was really going to die here. I have always struggled to survive in the realm dominated by carnivores, trying to stand out and let everyone know that herbivores also have power. I was so blessed that the moment of realization for the ignorant turned out to be their moment of destruction. This is how truly powerful carnivores behave. I wanted to retort, at least to say some cool last words before I died, to leave some traces of struggle. But all of these fantasies dissipated in front of the huge canine teeth revealed as he spoke slowly. His accent was so heavy, he must have come from the Central Country. That terrifying figure had caught me from the darkness of the past. "You should know what I want to ask. Who commissioned the special bomb you designed, how many did you make, and where are they now?" He finished his whiskey and crunched the ice in his huge wolf mouth. "If you don't waste my time, I promise to make your death very fast. That's the greatest mercy I can offer." His tone sounded calm at first listen, but I could still detect some threatening signals. The bartender and other customers had obviously fled for their lives. Even without a special sensitivity, one could sense the approaching danger to their lives at a time like this. "You know the rules... My dealings with the employer have always been done through a black box, so I have no way of knowing their identity or the flow of goods. But I can tell you that I made three bombs for him, and one was used in Central City that day. There have been no signs of the other two being used during this time. That's all I can tell you," I swallowed hard to moisten my dry throat. "Please, do it quickly." His huge hand looked like it could snap my neck in an instant. "I believe you, but you also know the rules." Oh no. "Please..." Before I could even finish the first syllable, I was pressed down onto the bar, with unbearable pain and the sound of something shattering coming from my head. "Did this hand make those unimaginable bombs?" He licked the blood dripping from the base of my broken horn and asked. "Please..." I still couldn't finish a complete word. The gray wolf pierced my palm with my own horn and nailed my right hand to the bar counter. The unbearable pain overloaded my nerves, and I could only scream in agony. He then broke my other remaining horn, causing me to cry and salivate uncontrollably due to the pain. "Where are the other two bombs now?" He used my horn to cut the skin under my eye and slowly moved towards my eyeball. "I don't know, I really don't know!" I was willing to say anything to make it stop, but the incomprehensible pain left my mind blank, and I could only repeat meaningless words. "I believe you," he sighed, let go of me, stood up and straightened his clothes. "But I have bad news, telling you that it would make you die faster was a lie." The last thing I saw was his huge canine teeth. *** "Botchan." Two gray wolves bowed to me, their movements completely synchronized. "I'm done, left some for you to enjoy. Go ahead and have some fun." I had just finished speaking when Dusk immediately became excited and started drooling, but Dawn looked uneasy. It's strange how twins can have such different personalities. "Don't get too excited and lose your head. Remember to start eating from the parts that won't immediately kill him, and bury the parts you can't finish below six feet so that other animals won't smell it." I waved my hand to dismiss them, and Dusk immediately rushed into the bar, drooling. "Botchan, if your father finds out..." Here we go again. Dawn continued to stutter, and I couldn't help but sigh, trying to express my point of view. "That's why I won't tell him," I grabbed Dawn by the collar and pinned him against the back of the car. Perhaps sometimes more direct actions could better emphasize my point of view. "Will you tell him?" I pressed the tip of my antelope horn against Dawn's throbbing neck vein and began to exert pressure. "Of...of course not." He didn't even dare to tremble, but I continued to exert pressure until a small drop of blood emerged from the surface of his skin. "SO, WE, ARE, CLEAR, ON, THIS." I let go of Dawn, and he immediately ran into the bar to find his big brother. I don't think Dawn is the kind of wolf that would eat livestock, but it's up to him, I don’t care. Oh, the antelope horn. I think I already have one from a Thomson's gazelle, but this one seems to be in better condition, so I'll take it back first. I opened the trunk, licked the blood off the antelope horn, and put it in my bag. Huh? I have a missed call. "Dad, it's me. What's up? No, everything's been taken care of. I can go back next month. Ha, as soon as we opened the suitcase, the money made him spill everything. You know how mercenaries are. I think he'll spend the rest of his days in Australia or New Zealand since more than just you are looking for him. No, we only know that there are at least two more bombs still out there. Dawn and Dusk were a great help. They're very good at tracking, so please continue to have them work with me. Okay, I know." There was a brief silence on the other end of the phone. "I know, it's been eighteen years. You don't have to call me every year at this time. I know, I miss her too. If I have time after I go back, I'll let you know, but you know the current situation probably won't give us a chance to rest. Okay, you too, take care." I hung up the phone and wiped the blood off my mouth. I really shouldn't have bitten that gazelle. I tasted nothing but sand. It was disgusting. I spit out the blood that was left in my mouth and sat in the car waiting for Dawn and Dusk. *** I knelt on both knees, with my head lowered, as if I were performing some sort of ritual. Xingfeng stepped on my thigh and forced me to lift my head by pushing his knee against my chin. His brown eyes locked onto mine. He leaned in, placing his head right in front of my face, and began to gently touch my sharp fangs one by one. "Wanna give them a little bite?" He pulled the skin on my cheek and stared at my exposed teeth, teasingly. I embarrassingly nodded. Appetite, destructive desire, sexual desire; I don't know why these desires always intertwine with each other. "Well, since you're being so honest, I'll reward you with a bite." Xingfeng's tone was slightly frivolous. I raised one eyebrow and made a questioning sound. This wasn't the first time Xingfeng had asked me to bite him, but we usually prepared for it beforehand to avoid things getting out of hand. Was it just a whim today? "You're not a pup, you should act like a wolf." Xingfeng's eyes were very serious, but come on, don't use such strange analogies. Lightly biting each other to show affection is a common behavior among carnivores, but if we were to bite a natural animal, it could lead to an irreversible tragedy. But I guess we have a different kind of relationship beyond that. "A wolf should act like a wolf." He continued to use strange analogies while I exaggeratedly opened my mouth, showing off all my fangs to Xingfeng without any reservations. He just quietly watched, continuing to caress my head and cheeks. "That's it." He said, as if encouraging me, patting my cheek gently. I turned my head slightly and nibbled on Xingfeng's hand, then his arm, and then his shoulder. I increased the pressure on his shoulder, pretending not to notice his slight tremble. I felt him carefully cut open the skin on my left shoulder and gently licked it. I suppressed the low growl that rose from the bottom of my throat, released Xingfeng's shoulder, and lightly bit his neck. He couldn't hide his intense trembling this time, whether from fear or excitement, and he bit my shoulder hard. It hurt. Even though Xingfeng's teeth were standard natural animal molars, it didn't mean that it wouldn't hurt when he bit down like this. We were so close, like our souls were touching each other, revealing each other's pain, desire, and vulnerability without reservation, and then accepting it all and making it a part of ourselves. Just as we were using all our strength to restrain the trembling of our bodies and suppress the instinct of killing and survival, we hugged each other tightly. "It seems that none of the Beastars had the time to attend," Azuki said, cutting a carrot covered in sauce. "How's everything going with school, Haruo? Have you settled into the dorms?" She looked at Haruo, while the big silly wolf nodded his head as he rolled his mashed potatoes into many small balls. "Everything has been taken care of. Although I didn't expect all of my roommates to be big cats, they all seem to be easy to get along with," Haruo said, although he never got along with cats, so I might need to pay a little attention later. I pushed the eggplant aside, trying to stay away from my food as far as possible. Why did they have to cook eggplant just when my sense of taste was recovering? Manila must be on duty today, that horse who likes to hold grudges and retaliate. "Haruo, you also have to take the core curriculum of Young Beastar this year. Maybe Xingfeng can give you some advice?" Ah, I almost forgot. Fortunately, Azuki mention this. "There isn't really much to worry about, just approach it with a calm mindset. Everyone sits according to the tradition of the all species council, so alumni will sit together." I recalled some course segments from memory and searched for details that might need attention, while Haruo nodded and ate another potato ball in response. "And during the general introduction in the first class, if the materials used haven't changed, it might be a bit delicate." I offered a somewhat vague explanation, prompting Haruo to raise an eyebrow in inquiry. But I shouldn't be too clear, as that would be suspicious and go against the spirit of the course design. "After that, we'll have weekly seminar, starting with members of the graduate school and going down to first-year undergraduates. It'll be a while before it's your turn. Graduated Young Beastar and members of the council are also invited to attend this event, and occasionally, there is also the Sublime Beastar who show up." I added, but noted that Haruo's father never appeared. While I continued sorting out my thoughts, Saguu, Azuki's red deer secretary, hurried into the restaurant and apologized to us before whispering something in Azuki's ear. "Again?" Azuki wiped her mouth with a napkin and gave Saguu a few instructions before saying, "Sorry, kids. You know things don't just work themselves out. Sometimes animals without the ability can't get things done. Let's meet again next month." Azuki then left the restaurant, with Saguu following in embarrassment. "Well, that went smoother than I expected. After all, there's a saying that goes, 'a party without animals is a great party,' or something similar." I concluded about the situation, while Haruo shrugged in response. "Young Master Xingfeng, wasting food will bring karma." Manila said as he approached the table with a nauseating fake smile. I had initially planned to pretend not to notice him, but a surge of emotion in my chest made me unable to resist the urge to retort. "I'm pretty sure it's appropriate to throw it away if it's not edible. Any qualified chef should know this basic common sense." When I noticed that I had unintentionally bared my teeth at Manila, I immediately switched to a calm expression as if nothing had happened. I knew it was because I had drunk too much blood. The big dumb wolf was really testing my self-control. "Yada yada, Young Master Xingfeng, what are you saying? You look so scary. I prepared my best dish because Young Master Haruo came home, so don't jump to conclusions." Manila's annoying voice continued to ring in my ears like sandpaper on my brain. What a strange onomatopoeia for "Yada yada", Is this really how "Yada yada" is used?! It turns out that it was because Haruo came back that Manila specially came to tease me. I had suspected long ago that Manila already knew the connection between these two things. This stupid horse may be narrow-minded, but his observational skills are really sharp. "Thank you for the perfect dinner, Manila, but please don't involve me in your argument." Haruo said frustratedly, continuing to eat his dinner. "Don't pretend to be nice, you phony horse! That was so long ago, and I did it for your own good..." Did I just growl quietly? Rex, I have to maintain my composure. Fortunately, the agitated Manila didn't notice. "That was a huge insult, un enorme insulto! Poor Master Louis, giving birth to an ungrateful and tasteless son like you..." Manila would mix Italian in his speech when he was particularly angry. "Stop pretending. You're a fourth-generation immigrant. Why do you still have an accent?" Don't let me say anything that sounds like racial discrimination. "This is my mother's accent, you ragazzo ingrato," Manila sniffed contemptuously. "The red deer who aspires to be a Sublime Beastar has such a narrow mind. You'd better take the civil service exam and work at the Department of Motor Vehicles. After all, your ability to bring misery to other animals is Olympic-worthy, with a medal-winning potential! I’m sure you’ll use your Sublime Beastar desire from the Great Whale to make eggplants disappear from the world." he said fluently, and then glared at me. Wow, a great combination of humor and satire! "When I become the Sublime Beastar, I'll immediately use my desire to make all chefs in the world capable of making eggplants taste good. That way, a certain phony horse can find a job!" I retorted. Manila slowly breathed in and out like in slow motion, damn it, I almost applauded for his excellent acting skills. "You ragazzo ingrate! For the sake of all the ancestors of the Horns..." I couldn't understand Manila's words as his speech became too fast. "I'm going back to my room," Haruo said after finishing his plate and setting down his utensils. Before I could respond, Manila uttered a vulgar word. "I'm pretty sure that wasn't even Italian. You're a terminally ill patient with a self-identity disorder!" We then engaged in a deep literary exchange about different cultural regions and unique customs. I took a deep breath outside of Haruo's room, rehearsing what I should say. After knocking on the door, I entered the room, and Haruo stood behind the door, looking at me. He seemed to have smelled me already. "I'm sorry...I know you hate conflict, but I couldn't control myself, and I got angry at Manila because of such a small thing." I closed the door and said. "No, I understand your feelings about eggplants." He looked at the ground, his gaze shifting left and right. "How do you control it, or is it the daily condition of all life animals?" I walked up to him and hugged him, and Haruo's stiff body slowly relaxed. "I think it's the same for all life animals, so everyone tries to maintain inner peace in ordinary times. Of course, not all life animals can do it, so it is easier to see life animals lose control of their emotions in public places. But it's interesting that when natural animals are present, most life animals can maintain their calmness easier." As if answering my question, Haruo said in a very calm and steady voice. "I can't be immune to anger because it's a negative emotion, right?" I rested my head on his shoulder and spoke, noticed his wound already healed. "I'm not entirely sure, but I suspect that this might not necessarily be an emotion of anger. It could be a similar byproduct of the desire to kill that has been distorted. It's like how 'spicy' is not a taste but rather a sensation of pain. I don't think all animals think about killing when they're angry, but maybe it's not a suitable topic for casual conversation, so I don't really have a good reference for it either." Said Haruo, his tone perfectly steady, unaffected by his rapidly beating heart. "Life animals really have it tough, don't they? Even if natural animals constantly look fearful or run away from other life animals for no apparent reason, they won't be criticized." I sighed. "Of course, I'm not saying that the consequences of losing control are equally severe for both life and natural animals, but I..." But I couldn't continue thinking after smelling you. "Is it because this is my first time experiencing this situation that I find it difficult to endure? How do other life animals, or even Haruo, cope with it in their everyday lives?" "But I really want you now!" I pushed Haruo down onto the bed, took off his shirt, and eagerly sniffed and touched his solid body. He let out a surprised cry, his ears standing up as if he was caught off guard. I bit and nibbled on his lean muscles, making him moan like just begging for more roughness. As I was about to take off Haruo's pants, he tried to stop me. I growled at him, and he immediately placed his hands on his chest in a submissive gesture. After getting rid of the pesky pants, his large tail, which was twitching slightly, covered his genitals. I snickered, grabbed the tail, and pulled Haruo towards me, while starting to stroke his penis. Because I was so rough, Haruo quickly shook his head and made a pleading sound as he was immobilized by me holding onto his tail. Seeing his lean body begging for mercy and his struggle to hold back his orgasm excited me greatly. I took out my already erect penis, squeezed it against his genitalia, and used his prostate fluid to lubricate myself, causing Haruo to moan. I held both of our penises and quickly stroke them, feeling the scorching body heat coming from him. Soon, Haruo's entire body began to convulse, but I continued to be even rougher, causing him to ejaculate under intense pleasure. Tense muscles, clenched teeth, a painful expression of humiliation, and the sound of him begging me to stop under such intense sensory stimulation made me reach climax as well. We both panted heavily, and my remaining semen flowed onto Haruo's abdomen. After calming down a bit, I forgot what I had wanted to say earlier and could only say somewhat awkwardly, "We shall go clean up in the bathroom." Haruo sits exhausted in the bathtub, while I continue to try and calm down by pouring cold water over myself. The strange scene is due to Haruo's body being covered in a mess of white fur and various liquids, and his flaccid penis continuing to drip transparent fluids, that make me couldn't help but embrace this white wolf from behind and aggressively ravage him, causing him to climax in pain and helplessness once again. "Next time, you have to stop me if I drink too much," I said before my rationality slipped away, again. The only sound in the bathroom was the sound of water droplets falling to the ground. "How am I supposed to know when you've had too much?" Haruo grumbled. "Aren't you a life animal? You should have some sort of judgment criteria." I formed a mental scale and pondered the weight of different items. Haruo rolled his eyes at my guess. How dare you? "There's no such thing, let alone how I can objectively judge your subjective feelings. And I thought this would have a similar desensitization effect, but exposure to too many stimuli at once can still cause a reaction. Or it may be that the cumulative dose has reached the critical threshold, causing the part that has been fed all the time to finally wake up," Haruo began to throw out various jargon as if he were in biology-nerd mode, but I have no idea what any of it means. "Learning how to control is the fundamental solution, as all life animals do. Although it cannot be used as a judgment criterion, your smell changes even when you drink my blood. It used to be very weak, but today it's particularly strong, like a seed breaking through the soil and igniting a flame." Haruo closed his eyes and took a deep breath. I used to think it was because Haruo had synesthesia, so he described smells this way, but I gradually realized that it was because of his extreme mastery of smell and sensitive thoughts that he could glimpse into this realm that no other animal could understand. "Okay, let's just take this as a lesson," I closed the water and said. "Are you okay?" "I'm fine, just a little tired, and you were a bit rough just now, it hurts..." When I began to stroke the fur on his upper body, Haruo stopped speaking. "Since you're okay, let's do it again." I didn't finish my words when he quickly got up and tried to escape, but I grabbed his big tail. "That's not what I meant. I really can't take it anymore, please...please...ugh..." His pleading cries were always so pleasing to the ear. "Just take this as a lesson," I said, and for the rest of the time, Haruo continued to wail in agony. *** When Xingfeng carried me to the bed, he made me cum again, and all I could remember was his image cleaning me up and leaving the room. Damn, it ruined my entire morning class. Fortunately, I had no trouble with the regular biology section, but this fatigue was irritating. It felt like all my senses and willpower had dulled a bit. I hope Xingfeng can calm down before we meet again the day after tomorrow. I rubbed my eyes with my palm, trying to wake myself up. Laughter echoed around me. After all, this was the first time our whole class had a common course, and I just met other classmates of natural animals. Individuals with normal socialization skills take advantage of this opportunity to get to know each other or make friends. I should force myself to socialize a bit, but damn, I'm so tired. I smelled the scent of Ayaan, who sat down beside me. I turned my head to say hello, but what I saw made me stunned for a moment. Ayaan had cut his mane a lot, leaving only a short circle around his neck. His head was so small. "What's that expression? Are you trying to make fun of me?" There was some unusual anxiety in Ayaan's tone, which made me secretly laugh. Actually, I thought it looked quite handsome, but I didn't say it out loud. "It's all because of what you said that I made up my mind to cut it. You can't laugh at me too." Ayaan scratched his short mane with some embarrassment. "No, I think it looks great." My answer made him laugh, showing his canine teeth. "Your dad is really terrifying, although in my imagination, he should have more scar on his face," Ayaan said quietly. "I've heard plenty of strange versions of how he should look like," Ayaan's expression turned slightly curious at my response. "I don't think it's something appropriate to talk about loudly in public," you never know how many fanatics he had, or has. "Also, my friend and I are meeting up at the black market after practice on Wednesday, do you want to come? I'd like to introduce you guys to each other." It was a sudden invitation. I wondered how Ayaan would react. "Of course, I'd love to," he said, but was there hesitation in that moment? Rex, I'm not feeling too good right now, I can't catch the right scent, but since Ayaan agreed, I breathed a sigh of relief. I nodded to him, then tried to rest a bit more to get through the rest of the class. I rested on the desk and a few classmates came over to chat with Ayaan about his new mane-style. Ayaan responded with a hearty laugh. During their conversation, Ayaan touched my shoulder once and all the hairs on my body stood up, the sound of their conversation disappeared. Damn, they think I'm angry. But forget it, explaining will only make things more complicated. I don't really want other animals to know, just being touched like that felt like a strong current of electricity passing through my body. It's more practical to take advantage of the time to rest, just a little bit more...just a little bit more...I fell into an endless darkness. *** The Komodo dragon is really hard to deal with. I fought my way to the top floor of their headquarters, got bitten twice, had many small cuts on my body, and ran out of bullets. I removed a Komodo dragon's head that was stuck on my left arm, tore off my sleeve to tie it around my armpit to reduce bleeding. It was tough; I even broke his neck, but he still bites on tightly. Fortunately, the wound wasn't big enough to hinder me. Only the boss and his two bodyguards were left, and I drew two knives from my waist, ready to finish them off. "Why is he still standing? Didn't Juan already bite him?" The capo looked a little panicked, probably because of his comfortable life at the top, but his two bodyguards remained calm and professional, both sticking out their tongues at me. It seemed like they couldn't be dealt with easily. "It looks like we need to be prepared to die against such a strong opponent. Juan's toxin should take some time to take effect. I'll try to buy us some time." One of the bodyguards withdraw his tongue and said, and the other nodded. "Cover me." The first bodyguard drew a big machete and jumped over with lightning speed. I laughed and caught the first strike from the Komodo dragon with my left-hand knife. He retreated as soon as he touched my knife, dodging my attack from the right hand. I vaguely saw a flash of metallic light and immediately lowered my body, almost touching the ground, using the knife in my left hand as a pivot, and kicked the Komodo dragon's leg as I turned around. At the same time, the other bodyguard tried to shoot me, causing the floor where I was previously standing to be pierced by the bullet, spraying some wood chips. "That's not a normal way for a gray wolf to move." The bodyguard forced to the wall jumped up and swung at my unarmed left hand. Did he reveal such a big flaw just to hit me once? Well, I don't hate animals who are determined to achieve a specific goal, even if it means facing certain death. Let me live up to your expectations. I quickly raised my right hand, feeling the pain from my left bicep, which as expected wasn't deep. The knife was raised and cut through the connection of the left pectoral muscle and humerus of the lizard, severing the brachial artery in the process. Reaching the end of the knife's force, I reversed the grip to a forward position and sliced downwards, severing the corresponding part of the lizard's right side. Then, I turned and stabbed the knife into the crevice between its vertebrae before it hit the ground. "Why are you just standing there, Jose? Shoot him!" The capo yelled in frustration at the other bodyguard while the Komodo dragon's body twitched on the ground. After his other bodyguard fell to the ground too, the capo was unable to say anything as he realized there was a hole in the Komodo dragon's head. Dawn's skills were impeccable. "I guess you coated the machete with the venom of the Komodo dragon, right? It's quite gutsy to sacrifice yourself just to take a swing at me, but it's this mentality of thinking that one killer move can win the day that caused your downfall today." I took off my shirt and bandaged my left hand. "I have the antidote, as long as..." blah, blah, blah. The capo's lips moved, but I wasn't listening. Can't I say anything else? I drew another knife and shot it toward his left foot, pinning the lizard to the floor. "I hate unnecessary chatter." I wasn't sure if he heard me, but I figured I needed to ensure his attention was on me so I wouldn't be wasting time speaking to the air without any response. He knelt down, screaming in pain, trying to pull the knife out, while I stepped on his hand with one foot, pushing the blade in deeper. The lizard let out a more mournful scream as its bones broke. "This account wired a large sum to you. Did he buy goods or services?" I waved a set of numbers in front of him, but he just continued screaming and shaking his head, so I reluctantly kicked the ball joint of the lizard's other humerus, dislocating it. "Don't test my patience. I lose control when I'm angry, and we don't want things to escalate, do we?" I drew the small knife bound to my leg and held it to his nose. "I haven't seen a reptile shedding its skin in person yet. I only have one slot for my curiosity today, so I suggest you choose your words carefully." I shook the paper with the account details, but he continued to scream in agony. "Consider it your decision, but I'm easy to talk to," I said, holding his head down and cutting into his forehead with a small knife. "You can change your mind anytime." He spent the rest of the time screaming, occasionally spitting out some possibly useful information. *** "Regular check-in, no abnormalities." I whispered into the microphone attached to my ear while hiding under the camouflage blanket. The night sky was filled with stars without light pollution, but it increased the risk of exposing my location. "Got it. I'm going to help the botchan with his wounds now. Use the third channel for the next report." Dusk replied on the other end. "Understood." I picked up my binoculars and checked the surroundings of the safe house again. I activated the motion sensors around me. As a sniper, I had to rely on myself to take care of everything when there was no observation team. However, with the development of technology, more and more equipment could reduce the burden on snipers. "Botchan, I'm coming in." Did Dusk forget to turn off the receiver? I heard the sound of the door opening and Dusk suddenly stopped with the sound of a glass bottle and metal instrument colliding. "Why are you standing there?" Botchan's voice sounded calm now. "B-Botchan, please let me handle it. You might get infected if you mess around like this." Dusk's voice sounded panicked, something must have happened. The motion sensor showed no activity within a hundred meters, so my curiosity drove me to pick up the binoculars and look at the safe house. Botchan was standing near the window wearing only a boxer. His tight boxer could not conceal his handsome buttocks and strong thigh lines. Dusk was using alcohol cotton balls to clean and disinfect the various small wounds on botchan's body. I noticed that his hand was shaking slightly. Botchan must have noticed too, but his expression showed no signs of emotion. Unlike the usual lean and slender body of a grey wolf, botchan's torso was very strong and broad, more like the body of a bear. His biceps and chest muscles were as solid as rocks, and the lines of his serratus anterior and abdominal muscles were clearly defined. The muscles of his upper body were entangled, rising and falling in a perfect and flawless way, like an exquisite work of art. I want to see your back muscles, too. I don't know if they are as I imagined. I try to use the twin legend's telepathy to convey my thoughts to Dusk. But if it weren't for the fact that it was completely absurd, it might be that Dusk has already been stunned and doesn't want to bother with me. Dusk is so easily swayed by his penis. By the way, your alcohol swab is already dry. You might want to grab another one. I shake my head vigorously, trying to remember my responsibilities. I should have told them that the layout of this temporary safe house is not good, and not to stand by the unprotected window. I even drew the sniper's line of sight area for them to avoid. I was about to speak when botchan spoke first. "How long have you been working with me?" While pondering the botchan's question in silence, Dusk seemed to have finally noticed that the alcohol swab had dried up. He threw down the cotton ball, untied the gauze on botchan's left hand, and picked up a needle and thread to prepare for sewing. "Six months." Twilight finally answered after thinking for a long time, and dealt with the wound very skillfully, while I could only stare blankly a kilometer away. I should have chosen the profession of an observer. Damn it, I wonder if the touch of those huge biceps is the same as it looks. "You are both very professional. I have already asked dad to make you permanent member of my tracking team." Botchan turned sideways to check the stitches on his hand. Oh holy Rex, those back muscles! "But don't transfer your worship of my dad to me," botchan continued. As he was about to put his tools back on the tray, dusk dropped them to the ground, making a clanging sound as the metal hit the floor. He stared at botchan in a daze, mouth agape with surprise. "It's really weird to accept the worship of believer. I can only tolerate loyal dogs who want to serve me." Botchan said. Wait, what was happening? I increased the magnification and noticed botchan's tight boxer and Dusk's bulge, realizing that both of them were erect. As if his wish had been granted, Dusk carefully stroked the powerful statue-like body, gently licking every muscle and scar, just to please this mighty presence. Botchan held Dusk's face and caressed it almost tenderly before pulling off his shirt. It was as if he had touched a sacred area but had not been punished by the Rex, instead being rewarded. Dusk greedily embraced botchan, his hands wandering over those perfect back muscles, and hungrily licking and biting the massive chest. Slowly moving towards the abdomen, Dusk's trembling hands slowly took off botchan's boxer. Even from this distance, I could see Dusk's pupils dilate to the extreme, like hesitating which dish to start with at a feast. However, before he could take the next step, botchan slapped him. "Are you trying to get yourself killed, you idiot?" Botchan turned around and walked to the desk by the window, as if looking for something. Oh, Rex, he looked exactly as I had imagined, with his large and erect manhood, veins bulging, and wet glans almost touching his belly button. As a professional sniper, I estimated it to be eighteen and a half centimeters. As I consciously pulled my chin back, I suddenly felt jealous of Dusk. I couldn't believe I had entered fanboy mode. Sweet Rex, even I didn't expect that to happen. Nearly 80% of animals in Ireland adhere to the Rex Roman Church, which is a religious denomination based on the Vatican, and even after joining the EU, the region remains relatively conservative. The recent Popes have made significant reforms to try to keep up with the times, but old ideas are not so easy to change. So in my short twenty-something years of life, I have never had the opportunity to explore myself, not even to discuss my confusion or struggles with Dusk, and I know he's the same way. Botchan then took out a condom and put it on his massive penis, making it look even more tempting. Dusk knelt down and began licking botchan 's testicles, holding the giant member with one hand and masturbating himself with the other. This shocking scene made me unconsciously undo my own belt and grab the hot and hard penis. What was I thinking? It seems that at the bottom line, Dusk and I are indeed twins. I shook my head hard, trying to stay rational. If I did something stupid and left behind a scent, it would lead to the leakage of the squad's information. This would be extremely fatal for a sniper who needs to remain secretive. Just from the smell, the physiological condition of a sniper, the equipment support, and even the size of the squad could be determined, not to mention it could be used to track our position. So snipers always carry powerful deodorants to eliminate their scent, but deodorants themselves also have a smell. If I used enough to eliminate my impulsive scent, it would definitely be discovered by other trackers. After thinking it over, my head became a little calmer, and I put my penis back in my pants, but my eyes couldn't move away from such a stimulating scene. Botchan lifted Dusk and placed him on the table by the window, and completely removed Dusk’s pants and began caressing Duk's body. Botchan’s expression even became somewhat gentle. "Ah..." Dusk couldn't help but let out a soft moan as botchan's large hand gently played with his penis. Botchan's other hand continued to roam around Dusk's body, occasionally focusing on his sensitive spots, causing Dusk to gasp even more intensely. When botchan saw that Dusk had relaxed enough, he spread Dusk's legs and put them on his shoulders. He began probing Dusk's anus with his fingers to help him adjust. Based on botchan's movements and Dusk's increasing moans, he slowly increased the number of fingers he inserted. "I'm going in now." Botchan whispered, and Dusk nodded nervously. "Ah... it hurts..." I couldn't see clearly from my perspective, but I could tell from Dusk's pained expression that the young master was slowly thrusting deeper inside. "Mmm..." Botchan also let out a low moan and continued to caress and play with Dusk to try to ease the pain. "Is it okay?" After stopping the thrusting motion for a while, botchan asked, and Dusk nodded that he could endure it. Botchan then began supporting Dusk's waist and started thrusting while still stroking with Dusk's penis. At first, the thrusting was slow, but when Dusk got used to it, botchan began to speed up. Both of their muscles tightened, and botchan's already well-defined body looked even more majestic. "Ah..." Through the headphones, I heard Dusk's lustful moans, as well as the melody of their bodies colliding. If it continued like this, I wouldn't be able to resist. Watching the wolf that looked exactly like me being ravaged by another strong gray wolf, it was as if I was being crazily thrust inside and it excited me. Just as I was about to turn off the sound because I could no longer bear it, botchan picked up Dusk and maintained a position where his large and thick penis was completely inserted. Dusk let out a cry of pain and pleasure that couldn't be distinguished, perhaps both. Botchan increased the speed and depth of his thrusts, causing Dusk to moan continuously and tightly embrace him. Botchan's breathing also began to grow heavier. At this point, botchan looked straight at me with a hint of a smile, his eyes flashing. Wait, did he know that I was watching all along? "Dawn, your regular check-in?" He deliberately pronounced each word slowly, letting me see his lip movements clearly. "No... no abnormalities." I forced myself to stay composed and gave a response. His move caught me off guard, and I even noticed that I forgot to switch channels. But botchan just gave me a smile, then pushed Dusk onto the table and held onto his waist, continuing to thrust wildly. Dusk bit his hand to suppress his moans after botchan talking to me. "No abnormalities is good." Botchan's voice continued to roar along with his low moans, and Dusk began to tremble all over, even with his effort to bite his hand. The shaking grew stronger and stronger, but botchan didn't slow down at all. Dusk shot out semen wave after wave under botchan's fierce attacks and couldn't help but moan out loud. This scene almost made my composure collapse, as if I were the one being penetrated and cum. My whole body muscles began to tremble slightly. Dusk's intense ejaculation finally stopped, but botchan did not slow down his thrusts. Dusk's head flopped to the side, but his penis remained hard and erect, emitting a pleading cry with the frequency of the thrusts. After a while, botchan began to pant heavily, and his wild low growl sounded like some kind of primal and powerful call. With the final thrust, botchan threw his head back and let out a wild howl, while Dusk reached his second climax and semen shot out onto his chest and abdomen. "I'm actually quite certain that there is no evidence of our whereabouts being leaked or being watched in this wilderness. You don't have to set the highest level of defense line all the time. It's easy to exhaust yourself and increase the risk of making mistakes. You are always welcome to come back and join us." This was the first time botchan showed concern for me. Previously, I had been constantly opposing botchan out of fear of angering Alpha, which made our relationship a bit tense. Or was it all just my imagination? Like Alpha, botchan rarely showed emotions that other animals could interpret, but when he just said "you are always welcome to come back and join us," was that a teasing tone? Botchan still stood by the window, with his eyes shining and a mysterious smile on his face. "Copy that. I'm going back now." After checking all the instruments and confirming that there were no threats lurking nearby, I began to disassemble the sniper rifle and the camouflage blanket. I feel like I brushed past the surface of myself today, the part of me that I didn't know existed, catching a glimpse of the shining mysterious eyes underneath. I saw myself, I saw the divine. *** I ended up sleeping through the last class today, didn't hear a thing. This is the first time I've ever fallen asleep in class, it's so frustrating. I listlessly picked at the white cauliflower in my plate, shutting off any unnecessary sensory functions to give my brain a break. The other students chatted and ate their meals, but with my current processing ability, I couldn't possibly manage the complex social interactions, so I tried to avoid eye contact at all costs. Ayaan said something that made the other students burst into laughter, and another lion responded with something even funnier, which made everyone laugh even harder. After finishing lunch, Ayaan and I returned to my dorm room. I needed to rest, otherwise the afternoon would be even worse. "You can have this spot, and you can put your things here in the future." I said as I opened the closet and pointed to the top shelf. "Okay, no problem," He replied after putting down his backpack. "What's wrong with you? You look like you're about to die." In fact, he was pretty close to guessing what was happening. "I just didn't sleep well, that's all. I need to rest now. Feel free to use the desk." I yawned and crawled onto the top bunk, burying myself in the covers and feeling for my bone-shaped pillow. I heard Ayaan plug in his laptop, and then heavy eyelids closed as darkness enveloped me. *** "Dad, it's me. We're following another lead. Dusk cracked the hard drive we found earlier, and I've been investigating the target's clients through their bank account transactions. I confirmed that the target bought a lot of venom from Komodo dragons, but the motive is still unclear. Hmm, a Mexican Cartel was wiped out? Isn't that a common occurrence? A power vacuum left by a toppled capo is quickly filled by other animals. The skin of capo was completely peeled off and nailed to the door? Wow, that's a new benchmark even by the standards of Mexican Cartel. It's so brutal. Alright, I know, I'll stay safe. I'm about to board the plane, and those Cartel fights on the streets won't... What? Weren't you just telling me to stay safe? Yes, I know, but is this our top priority right now? I agree. We can worry about other things in the world after dealing with this organization. They've directly invaded our doorstep. Isn't it too negligent not to respond fully? Alright, that's it for now. You take care too." *** After a midday break, I had at least returned to my normal level of consciousness, and the world was no longer a blurry mess. This was my first general education class, and I was going to meet animals from other departments. However, there were probably only a dozen or so animals taking the course, perhaps because it was too late in the day. "Hello, everyone. Welcome to this core general education course in sociology," said the female Thomson's gazelle teacher, deftly operating the electronic lectern. "Many of you may not know how to pronounce the name of our course," and the words "Diversity/Sexuality Identity" appeared on the projection screen. "It's pronounced 'sexuality identity diversity' and 'gender identity diversity'." Well, I know that was how it supposed to be pronounced now, but I was a little more confused. Gender also has diversity? No, in fact, I had never really thought about this issue before. Turner syndrome, XXY chimerism, and androgen insensitivity syndrome... regardless of genotype, phenotype, or even appearance, gender cannot be simply classified as male or female. Therefore, under these conditions, gender identity not being a binary is a normal thing. I tapped the table with my nails, feeling the various scents of confusion around me. It was one thing for ordinary animals, but as the greatest taboo, a life and natural animal hybrid, and knowing about these gender-related genetic polymorphisms, but I hadn't thought about such a simple thing. "This is our course schedule. Firstly, as this is a core general education course in sociology, we will introduce the origin of sociology - philosophy - and how it has influenced the diversity and identity of gender in this field. We will then discuss some contemporary important issues and achievements that this field concerns, and the course will include some on-site visits and interviews. Moreover, the highlight of this course is the participation and observation of social movements. We have not decided which social movement topic to choose for this year yet since many issues such as environmental protection, labor rights, animal rights, and the right to survival are currently brewing in the Central City. However, if there are no unexpected circumstances, the confirmed topic will be announced after our guest speaker's lecture in the third week." She switched to the next slide. "Now let's move on to today's topic, the foundation of all disciplines - philosophy." The teacher surveyed the entire classroom as if brewing some atmosphere. I have heard of this saying before, but I still don't quite understand why philosophy is the mother of all subjects. "I won't talk to you about convoluted things like 'if P then Q' here. Instead, let's go straight into the popular classic thought experiment." The projection screen displayed a white fox standing behind the lectern with a large red title on its head, saying "Justice". Recently, I have seen many best-selling books related to this topic at bookstores, but I still don't understand why this kind of speculative journey is called justice. "Let's start with the most classic version of this famous thought experiment. Although there are many variations, let's start with the most classic one." The projection screen showed a trolley car and two rails. "On a trolley car with only you as a passenger, you see five animals tied to the tracks ahead and unable to move. You cannot stop the trolley car in time, but you can turn it by pulling a lever. However, on the alternate track after the turn, there is another animal tied up. Would you pull the lever and change the trolley car's course?" The teacher asked, but all the animals remained silent. Although not as difficult to answer as the question of "which one of us to save if your mother and I fell into the water", it was still an impossible dilemma for most animals willing to seriously engage in this thought experiment. "Do we know anything about the animals tied up, such as what kind they are?" Asked a zebra from another department. "No, you have no additional information. All you know is that there are five animals and one animal tied up on the tracks, respectively." The teacher replied, answering the zebra's question, and causing the zebra to fall into deep thought again. The subtext was almost revealed, but never mind. When faced with such a choice, knowing more information is like having more chips in your hand, but it is only an illusion. More information does not make it easier to make a decision. Everyone remained silent, even though the trolley car continued moving forward. "I would pull the lever and change the trolley car's course." I said. "Would you like to explain why you would do that?" The teacher asked, causing all the animals to turn and look at me. "When there is no other information available and only I can make a choice, I must minimize the damage. Five lives are worth more than one." My tone was colder than I had anticipated. "What? How can you think like that? That's like you're killing the one animal. The five animals were going to die anyway, and I wouldn't pull the lever." A voice said, but I couldn't be bothered to look in the speaker's direction. "There's no such thing as ' the five animals are going to die anyway.' You simply chose to give up on intervening by 'letting fate execute its plan'. What you did is called 'inaction', not 'doing nothing'. The five animals died because of your inaction, not because it was their destiny. Free will is the most important thing; we make choices and bear the consequences, rather than imagining some higher being pulling strings on us and we can only dance to its mysterious will." My tone was too detached and cold. Damn, if I scared the other person away, there would be no point in discussing it. I tried to speak in an equal tone. "I don't think I could make the decision to switch the tracks. It would be my responsibility to bear the deaths of the other animals, and I don't think I could handle that pressure. Even though I know that letting the trolley car continue its path would still make it my responsibility, I feel too weak to make that kind of decision. I can only watch the trolley car move forward helplessly," the Himalayan hare said with a faint smile. "I envy those animals with strong willpower." "In the actual situation, maybe the hare wouldn't be able to pull the lever and make the trolley cars witch tracks," said the lion. Many animals laughed, but I didn't know what was so funny. "In this thought experiment, the trolley car will switch tracks if you want it to." the teacher explained what a thought experiment was. "Well, of course I would make the trolley car switch tracks," the lion from earlier said. "Five lives are better than one, and every life is equally important, no matter the animal." He finished by sneering at the zebra, making the meaning clear. "If every life is equally important, then why do you think five lives are greater than one?" Said the African elephant who had not yet spoken from the back of the classroom. "Huh?" The lion's confusion was evident in his tone. "The value of each life is infinitely large and cannot be measured, so why is five lives greater than one?" The elephant spoke slowly and steadily, with infinite patience. "There must be a way to quantify the value, it's impossible for every life to have the same value." the lion responded by scratching his ear. "Putting aside the question of how to measure the value, didn't you just say that every animal's life is equally important? Under this premise, the value of five lives may not be greater than one." The gigantic animal's voice always seemed to emit some kind of spiritual aura, even intimidating life animals. "But in a situation where there is no information available and you have to make a choice, you have to assume that all lives are of equal value." The lion tried to express his point of view again. "Five times infinity is still infinity." The African elephant, was he major in mathematics or philosophy, no, wait, philosophy courses should not be available to him. "So, classmates, we've heard a lot of different ideas," the teacher said as she switched to the next slide. "Many of these ideas belong to various, more nuanced philosophical categories, but that's not our focus for this class. Broadly speaking, we can divide everyone's ideas into two categories: that all life is equally important, and that we should prioritize minimizing harm. These two views belong to two different schools of thought: deontologists and utilitarians." The slide displayed bullet points detailing these ideas. "Simply put, deontologists believe that all life is equally important and that no one should ever price or weigh life in any way. Regardless of what they've done or their status, all life has inherent value. Utilitarians, on the other hand, believe that as long as the benefits outweigh the costs, then it's worth doing and is therefore the right thing to do." The next slide showed many trolley car tracks with multiple trolley car on them. "As a result, this thought experiment has spawned many variations. Some of you have already mentioned this, but what if the animals on the tracks were five life animals and one natural animal?" The teacher directly raised this very sensitive topic, and the atmosphere in the classroom became a bit awkward. "I would protect the natural animal." The zebra said softly, and the lion rolled its eyes so big that all the animals should have noticed. "What? How could you, a life animal, understand the psychological fear that natural animals might suddenly die? Today, I have the opportunity to choose, and of course, I would protect the natural animal, which has never had the power to choose." The zebra said, shooting a sideways glance at the lion to express her thoughts. "Although it might sound strange," a high-pitched voice said, coming from a tiny forest mouse. "I think if the expected lifespan of the five animals is longer than that of the one animal, then we should sacrifice the one with the shorter expected lifespan." The mood began to become a bit heavy, and this is the effect of university-style non-lecture teaching. Rex, I seem to be getting excited. "This leans towards the perspective of utilitarianism. There are a few variations of the scenario. Today, instead of being on a trolley car, you are watching a trolley car heading towards five animals tied to the tracks. However, there is a very large elephant next to you," the lion gave an exaggerated grin towards the elephant behind him as the teacher spoke. "You are certain that if you push the elephant onto the tracks, the train will stop. Would you do it?" The teacher's voice fell silent, and there was only silence echoing for a moment. "I think I should be more worried about the elephant throwing me onto the tracks." The lion concluded. Everyone laughed, even the African elephant. "Okay, let's switch to a more practical scenario. Today, you are a doctor and a completely healthy animal came in for a check-up. However, you happen to have five patients who need critical organ transplants that can be obtained from that healthy animal. Would you sacrifice one healthy animal to save those five patients?" The teacher looked around the class with encouraging eyes. "Although the Hippocratic Oath explicitly prohibits this, and in practice, it would lead to a lack of trust in the medical institution by patients, which is clearly more harmful than beneficial, but I think I understand the comparability of these two thought experiments." I said as I thought. "So if I were a utilitarian, I should also accept this seemingly absurd situation? As long as the final benefit outweighs the cost, if I were truly a utilitarian, I should accept it. On the other hand, if I were a deontologist, because I believe that the value of life cannot be measured, no matter how many animals of any number or type are placed on either side of the track today, whether they have done good or bad things, they cannot meet the conditions for the train to change direction. Therefore, if different choices are made for situations with the same conditions, it indicates that one's actions are logically contradictory, lacking core guidance, or that one lacks a true understanding of oneself, and has been living in a fantasy of misunderstanding oneself." I began to understand the logic behind it. "That one way to put it. To summarize, the trolley problem is simply used to illustrate and examine the logic used by utilitarians and deontologists, and not a real demand for judgment in emergency situations. Of course, there are many variations and schools of thought to discuss, but perhaps your philosophy core curriculum will cover them more. What I want to point out here is another interesting issue - what does the trolley problem have to do with us? We won't encounter such scenarios." The teacher continued operating the electronic lectern, and the next slide showed a sinking ship and a car about to hit a pedestrian. "In 1884, the Mignonette shipwreck occurred, and the surviving three animals - a jackal, a crocodile, and a hyena - killed another surviving zebra for food when they ran out of supplies. The three animals were then sentenced to death but were granted clemency and imprisoned. However, after this incident, a rule was clearly established that emergency evacuation could not be used as a reason to commit murder. "If this sounds familiar, yes, it is the prototype of the story of 'Life of Pi.' " The teacher explained, and many students seemed shocked, whether it was life animals or natural animals. These were secrets of history that only the Young Beastar and the most outstanding students could know, and the impact of knowing the truth for the first time was very strong. "So, I said that tigers are not the worst companions during a shipwreck." The Bengal tiger living downstairs in our dormitory said, breaking the solemn atmosphere and making everyone laugh. I didn't even notice that he was taking this course. "This may still be too far away from us, so let me share with you one that is currently ongoing. Autonomous vehicles are already in the testing phase. As manufacturers who sell cars to customers, setting the priorities for the autonomous driving system will undoubtedly prioritize protecting passengers rather than animals on the road. Is this reasonable?" The teacher raised the question again, and the students continued to discuss. Some felt very scared of this cold possibility, while others trusted the purely logical calculations established by big data. So, is this what speculation means? I think I'm starting to understand why the book is called 'Justice.' What kind of sparks will different values and experiences produce in mutual communication? I feel like something is changing. After dinner, I sat down at my desk in the dormitory and opened my laptop. The student cafeteria, commonly known as the "Chinese restaurant," was located on the first floor of the seventh student dormitory, and the prices were very cheap, especially in the expensive Central City. I thought back to what had happened today and tapped my head. I opened my browser and searched for "justice" related videos on Beastube, and a bunch of white fox speeches popped up. In this era where all information can be found with just a three-second search, what kind of impact will it have on the future? The cost of acquiring knowledge has been greatly reduced, and as long as animals know how to access the internet, they can immediately understand unfamiliar issues. The barriers to communication and participating in public discussions have disappeared. With so many new possibilities intersecting, we can overcome the last obstacle together. And I really want to know, what the scenery is like beyond the hill. I refocused my attention on the browser, and it turned out that the "justice" speech videos were indeed very popular. Many translated versions were uploaded, and I clicked on the Harvard Open Course version. "This is a course on discussing 'justice'," the white fox walked back and forth on the podium. "First of all, this is how the story begins..." "Would you like to be in a group with me, Haruo?" Ayaan came over to me during our regular biology experiment in the morning and asked. "Sure, that's fine with me." I replied with no objections. However, I was a bit surprised since Ayaan had a personality that liked to interact with different animals. "I'm already in a group with that guy in chemistry class," he nodded towards the beaver sitting opposite us. "He misspelled my name on the report twice, and the TA returned it to him. He even said to me, 'Why was it returned? I didn't write anything wrong.' It's not like he was writing in Sanskrit. It's really ridiculous. It's just a matter of time before something goes wrong when you're in a group with this kind of animal." After explaining, Ayaan rolled his eyes. I didn't realize I had this feature as alternative plan, and I quietly laughed before agreeing. The first class was about inspecting the basic equipment and tools, registering glass slide specimens, and cleaning the laboratory. I thought of it as a necessary first step. "... the number and serial number of the glass slides are correct, next is the microscope." I randomly picked a permanent glass slide specimen from the organized box of slides and placed it on the microscope stage. Ayaan checked it off on the list. "Power supply, aperture, adjustment knob, eyepiece, objective lens..." I moved the stage and adjusted the focus, confirming which layer I was looking at. "Our oil lens is moldy. It seems the previous user didn't clean it properly." I stepped aside and let Ayaan look at the fungal growth on the lens. "Oh, it's not as gross as I imagined." He said, noting the problem and loosening and removing the oil lens. He put it back in the box and went to exchange it with a good one from the TA. "Okay, I think there are no more problems." I checked to make sure I didn't miss anything. "How should we drawing scatter plot in future? It's impossible to finish it within one course." Ayaan asked, still looking through the eyepiece. "We can take a picture with your phone first, press the lens against the eyepiece to focus..." I borrowed Ayaan's smart phone and demonstrated it to him. "Wow, that's so professional," Ayaan sarcastically said. I responded with an eye-roll. For the remaining time, we packed up the glass slide specimens and microscope, and Ayaan went to check the to-do list with the TA. I looked at the beaver sitting opposite us, talking to the lion sitting next to him. It seemed like he found a group member. If I remember correctly, the lion also lived in the male third dormitory. I wonder what kind of sparks would ignite between them? After Ayaan returned, he kept using a mischievous expression to look at the beaver and lion caught in the alternating grasp of the kappa. It made me unable to help but laugh quietly. After the guard verified my identity, he allowed me to enter the basement entrance of the capsule track. Deep beneath the Central Country, enormous vacuum tubes were laid out, generally used for the rapid transportation of important government members, or in this case, for the Young Beastar conference. Although I personally found it a bit exaggerated, I still felt a sense of superiority as I sat inside the capsule. Let me indulge in this moment for a while. As the council was located deep underground, only accessible through the capsule track, there weren't many animals who knew the exact location. When the staff sealed the pipeline and activated the capsule, my heart skipped a beat. Shouldn't they warn those with cardiovascular diseases not to ride this thing? It only took a few seconds to arrive at my destination. Like most animals guessed, the council was likely located somewhere deep beneath the Central City. To prevent the tragedy of getting lost in this underground palace, there were guides at each transfer point to direct unfamiliar visitors. With their help, I arrived at the council hall and found my seat in the sector of Cherryton Academy, one of the twelve academies located in concentric circles around the central seating area. The seats on the second floor were still empty, indicating that no non-enrolled animals were attending the first introduction course. Xingfeng arrived, too. His huge and beautiful antlers always stood out wherever he went. He walked over to me and sat down. What a surprising day. In public places, he always consciously avoided me, keeping his distance to avoid awkward topics such as the shadow from our father or hearing about chasing after someone’s path. My eyes had rolled so many turns that they could no longer convey the correct meaning. The burning smell coming from Xingfeng's body had faded a bit, indicating that he had returned to his normal state. But why did he come to sit next to me? Xingfeng silently surveyed the venue, and his huge antlers swayed slightly with his movements, like a forest in a gale. "Now that everyone is here, let's begin," said a leopard as he walked to the large pot in the center of the room. "I'm the host for today, Fuminsuo. Since the first course is an introduction, we'll follow tradition and welcome the new generation to join us as Young Beastar." He scanned the audience with a big smile, clearly having memorized all the animals' names. Ugh, do we really have to go through this? It's my least favorite part. But I suppose social skills are crucial for any line of work. I took a deep breath and prepared myself to be called upon. "Barite Academy, Dichi." A mountain gorilla stood up, bowed to the others, and his silver fur shone as he moved. "Warden Academy, Faline." A female red deer stood up gracefully and greeted the others with the elegance unique to her kind, reminding me of Aunt Azuki. "Olivier Academy, Mickey." A tiny forest mouse waved to all the animals with all his might, although I doubt that any visually impaired animals could see him from this distance. "Dorpal Academy, Francine." When the host called her name, the flamingo stood up and exaggeratedly bowed to everyone. Then, speaking each word slowly and clearly, she said, "I will claim the position of Sublime Beastar." Ah, there are also those who specifically come to declare war. But the laughter around me indicated that everyone was good-natured and that, as elite students, they all knew how much each other weighed, so there was no need for polite conversation. So this place encourages competition, huh? "Francine, please don't get too excited. Strictly speaking, there are no quota restrictions for the position of Sublime Beastar, although there is usually no more than one qualified animal chosen. However, there are always exceptions." The host said and looked slightly in my direction. Damn. "Cherryton Academy, Haruo." Ah, so many academies were skipped and it's already my turn. I stood up and bowed to everyone like other animals did, but the murmurs around me made me feel annoyed. "It's life animal..." "Cherryton always likes to do unconventional things." For the love of the Rex, it's not pleasant to smile at all the animals in this situation, but I'm sure showing my fangs would be a serious diplomatic mistake. So was Xingfeng sitting next to me just to offering support? I can handle this level of attention, but I don't mind it. "Marison Academy, Mino." The male impala stood up and bowed to all the animals. "Rokuma Academy, Biscuit." The beige mare stood up and bowed, with an indescribable avant-garde sense in her demeanor and dress, probably due to the hat she was wearing. Who wears a hat indoors? "Zeika Academy, Alfonso." The big-horned sheep bowed a bit awkwardly to everyone, almost unable to lift his head, another example of a Fisher runaway. "No other academy recommended Young Beastar this year," the host said, and after the introduction was over, the faint whispering in the room continued. "This is indeed unusual, especially since even Cherryton, who likes to go against the norm, recommended someone for us." He waved in my direction, eliciting laughter. "But we still have our finale, the Sublime Beastar recommendation." As soon as Fuminsuo finished speaking, the atmosphere instantly became serious. Did the animals here know what happened that day? "Yes, yes, I know. It's also unusual. Only a few Sublime Beastar have used this power in history, although technically Yafya used it twice. But that was also a special case, as there were no qualified Young Beastars available." The host cleared his throat. "Sublime Beastar recommended, Aida." I heard the sound of movement behind me. Perhaps it was because the recommender belonged to the same academy as I did, so Aida sitting in this section. If any animal were to ask me, I would never admit it. But when I turned around, I felt a tremendous shock and also a sense of relief. Even the thought "this is too abnormal" crossed my mind, which I quickly buried along with my embarrassment. However, an endless feeling of gratitude rose within me. Sometimes hybrid animals inherit traits from both parents. Other times, they inherit visible traits that stand out, and most animals instinctively feel uncomfortable. It is a constraint from ancient genes. However, I am not some slave of my own instinct. I have my free will, and I should make my own choices and take corresponding responsibilities. I forced myself to remain calm and smile. "Looking forward to working with you, my fellow countrymen." Spoke a sharp-toothed black-faced sheep. The entire venue was silent. From the scent emanating from Xingfeng, he was also very shocked but trying to appear calm. None of the animals reacted. Rex, is this the behavior that animals aiming to be Sublime Beastar should have? Is this the character of our generation's top elite? Clearly, when all the animals stood up to greet me, there was at least some criticism of me. You damn hypocrites! What happened to the chance for a fresh start? "Looking forward to working with you, too." I stood up and extended my right hand towards her. Holy Great Whale! I couldn't believe that I actually did it, especially since I was almost too nervous to stand up when I was first introduced. It seemed too dramatic, but now I'm committed. Moreover, due to the complexity of her scent and her neutral voice, I couldn't be sure if she was a female animal. But really, does that matter? She just called us countrymen, didn't she? "Thank you," Aida shook my hand and smiled. Her sharp teeth in the sheep's mouth were so incongruous, but this time I put in all my effort to keep my fur from reacting and maintain a smile. Over the past few decades, the rate of inter-species marriage has greatly increased, and offspring with both characteristics of a life animal and a natural animal are becoming more and more common. It's only a matter of time before they appear at the highest power center of the animal society. However, the entire room was still silent. You damn hypocrite, why is it me, a Stranger, who has to welcome her? This is so incredibly awkward. You, with intact mirror neurons, why are you just sitting there looking shocked? No, actually, if you look carefully, you can see that thirty percent of the animals in the room have a detached special look in their eyes. How is this possible? No, whether it's possible or not is not important. The point is, why are you all just sitting there? "We welcome your joining." Xingfeng was the first to applaud, and gradually sparse applause spread throughout the venue. Elite or not, they are ultimately a group of natural animals. As long as an animal takes the lead, everyone will follow. It's really pathetic. As I felt myself about to reveal my fangs, I immediately pulled my attention back, nodded at Aida, and sat back in my seat, grateful to Xingfeng with my eyes. He nodded slightly in response. I hadn't fully recovered from the shock just now, so I couldn't focus on the host's next words. Is this the scenery behind the hill that I've been anticipating? No, these are probably the obstacles we encountered before reaching the summit. But what if that's really how it looks over there? What if the scents and colors that I don't know actually don't exist? I can feel my canine teeth trembling slightly. It's been so long since I've had to exert so much effort to suppress my urge to kill. How many false throats can I tear open before I'm stopped? No, no, no. Focus. I knock my head hard, trying to regain my composure. Even though we're all Young Beastar, we're still animals. It's normal for us to have the same reactions as "normal animals." But shouldn't elites be special? My thoughts are interrupted by some keywords, and a picture is projected: a young wolf and a young deer walking in the forest. Ah, so this is what "subtle" means. The fidelity of this picture is too high, although it was drawn, almost all the details have been captured. The animal who made this picture was very serious, capturing the black fur of the young wolf's entire body, the types of trees in the forest, and even the seasonal effects on the environment. My emotions are still too heightened. I almost reach out to hold Xingfeng's hand, but I restrain myself. Stay calm, damn it! As if sensing the waves of my emotions, Xingfeng lightly steps on my right foot. So this should be about discussing the possibility of coexistence and mutual prosperity. Two young animals, a life and a natural, got lost in the forest for a week and were rescued by working together. It's a classic teaching material. If this weren't classified information, I should have seen this thing run out earlier. "...It's hard to imagine how frightened the deer must have been during that time." Faline said sympathetically. "But I think it's just as difficult for the gray wolf. So long without food, but still able to remain rational and guide the red deer out of the forest." The camel at the Zeika Academy said. "For life animals, long periods of fasting are not that difficult, but it is a challenge at such a young age. Judging by the all-black fur, it should be around nine years old. It's hard for this age group to tolerate such a long hunger and still keep their sanity, especially when there is a red deer right next to him." Several unfriendly eyes turned to the speaking gray wolf, but he continued, "But for natural animals, there are plants that can be eaten all around them, and the risks and challenges faced by both sides are completely different." "It is worth mentioning that when the rescue team found them at the edge of the forest, the red deer was carrying the grey wolf on its back, reversing the roles of weak and strong. But without the grey wolf's sensitivity to scent, they would not have been able to find their way out." Said the mountain goat from the Dorpal Academy. "So it was the collaboration between the two that allowed these young animals to display the courage that even adult animals would find hard to match." Said a zebra from the Marison Academy. "What if it wasn't courage?" I spoke up. "What if the grey wolf was just terrified?" I hadn't even realized it myself, but I had already voiced my thoughts. "What?" The zebra looked a bit puzzled. "Why would the grey wolf be terrified? The worst-case scenario for him is just..." The zebra gave a disgusted look to the grey wolf from the Warden Academy who had just spoken, and the grey wolf shrugged indifferently. "Afterwards, he just needs to deny everything that happened, since there won't be any evidence left anyway." Said the zebra, expressing the thoughts of many natural animals. They all nodded quietly. "So are you trying to say that the grey wolf's behavior is even more admirable?" The grey wolf asked me, with an enthusiastic look. "No, that's not it," I took a deep breath and continued. "In this context, the gray wolf seems to be fearless and brave, which is why it can cooperate to overcome obstacles. But it's taken for granted that the red deer is afraid. But what if the big gray wolf is also afraid? If he is afraid, is he still a gray wolf?" Most of the animals looked confused, and the gray wolf from Walden Academy twitched its ears twice and flicked its tail to the left. "Look at the trees in the picture, these are black spruce and balsam fir. These two tree species are only found in the Black Forest Reserve, the largest pristine forest reserve in Central Country. This is not a place where any animal can apply to enter. Both of them require a certain background to have a chance to appear here. Life animals born in the middle or upper class, especially females, actually have a weak desire for meat." Some animals frowned at my use of the word "meat," but there wasn't much of a reaction. "Perhaps it's because of good education, or perhaps it's because they haven't experienced any particular scarcity in life, but regardless of the reason, the data clearly tells us that life animals born in the middle or upper class have a significantly lower rate of committing related taboo behaviors, whether intentional or unintentional. In addition, the Black Forest is known for its dense forest canopy. Even during the day, the forest floor is almost impenetrable to light, and it is in darkness for long periods. Therefore, there are no edible low-lying plants or lichens growing at the bottom, and the main tree species have waxy and alkaloid protection, so only specialized natural animals can eat without being poisoned." The elk from Zeika Academy nodded in understanding of my description. "So in this case, both sides are actually equal. So if the wolf is afraid, is he still the wolf?" I continued. "No matter how scared he is, it's not like he's going to be the one who gets eaten. According to your logic, the hungry deer should be the one who's afraid because he's the one who could be eaten at any time," Faline said. "Even if it's such a young wolf, a week without food shouldn't cause any major physical problems besides unbearable pain. Can a deer go for a week without food and still have the strength to carry a wolf on its back?" The gray wolf from Warden Academy asked Faline, who shook her head. "It's probably not possible. I've talked to friends who wanted to try fasting for weight loss, and a whole day without food is already the limit for a red deer." They both looked at me with curious eyes, and the gray wolf even tilted his head, a gleam passing through his eyes. "I think what Haruo means is, if the wolf is afraid of his idea to eat the red deer, is that still a display of courage?" The host intervened, even in here. As the former director of the Inter-Species Fusion Bureau, he should know the truth. Xingfeng lightly stepped on my foot again, as if to comfort me. I leaned back in my chair and listened to the rest of the discussion. "Hey, you're from Cherryton, right?" Warden 's gray wolf greeted me after class. "I'm Wolfgang." We shook hands. "You're more interesting and polite than your senpai." he said, glancing sideways at Xingfeng. "Gray wolves are all idiots." Xingfeng said, unkindly, causing Wolfgang to burst out laughing. "I agree with that," Faline said, coming over and nodding at us. "I hope we'll have more chances to chat in the future." We exchanged greetings and chatted for a while. "Your smile is so fake, it doesn't look like you can fit in with them." A coyotes passing by me said, whom I hadn't noticed before. "Why would you say that?" I gave him my most sincere and deep smile, revealing my two biggest canine teeth. Coyotes snorted and left. I'm not smiling for you, you jerk. "I'm starting to like you!" Wolfgang lightly punched my arm a few times while laughing and said. "It's good to put that weirdo in his place, but I hope you don't make such scary faces in the future, 'won't be able to fit in with us,'" Faline imitated the tone of coyotes, making everyone laugh. "So this is what they call a luxury private room," Xingfeng, Ayaan, and I were sitting inside the private room, and after I introduced them to each other, Ayaan spoke up as if struck by something. "I thought the Shishigumi and the Horns Conglomerate were not related." He looked around at the behavior of the service staff and the special treatment we received, and began to question. "Basically, the Shishigumi is operated by the Horns Conglomerate, and even the trademark is the antlers of my father. I really don't understand how other animals can't understand it" Xingfeng said irritably. "But why would these two be involved? One is a wealthy and powerful conglomerate and the other is a notorious underworld organization." Ayaan said as he ate the salad he had sent ahead. He seemed to suddenly think of a possibility and became a little awkward."No, it's not a cooperative relationship like money laundering." Xingfeng waved his hand and laughed. "But it's a long story to explain. In short, my father used to be the boss of the Shishigumi. After the Shishigumi disbanded, he helped them start over by establishing a new company." Xingfeng smiled a little as if he had thought of something else. "So you guys are only acquainted because you're Beastars' sons?" Ayaan continued to ask. "You could say that. So have you met Haruo's father?" Xingfeng thanked the waiter who had just delivered the food. "How does he seem to you?" He asked Ayaan. "He's not as terrifying as the rumors say, but I've never felt that kind of pressure from any other animal." Ayaan thought for a moment and said. "Speaking of which, Aida left directly without saying a word. I am curious about why she was recommended." I briefly mentioned, as the things that happened in the council were generally confidential to other animals. "Maybe you can just ask your father directly next time we meet." Xingfeng's face changed drastically as the waiter took away the food cover, making me curious about what had happened. "Manila was deliberately picking a fight." Xingfeng rubbed his temples, and the plate was full of eggplants surrounding a piece of meat in the middle. "Did Manila come just now?" Xingfeng asked the waiter who delivered the food to me. "Yes, the chef insisted on preparing the meal for the young master personally. It was not his shift today, but we could not stop him." Xingfeng looked displeased as he poked a piece of eggplant into his mouth but immediately spat it out. "No, I can't eat it when my taste is normal." He began to cut the middle piece of meat, and Ayaan looked a little surprised. "When my father did this, other lions appreciated it very much," Xingfeng made a little joke, but Ayaan might not have caught the punchline. "What?" Ayaan's tone was very shocked. "Yes, most animals probably have never heard of it. Louis of the Horns, he ate venison for quite a while. Although according to my father, he still vomited every time and never really digested it." Xingfeng explained, and Ayaan looked like he didn't know what to say. I'm not sure what this story means to the Indian lion who doesn't eat meat. What about me? The slightly undercooked meat cutlet, still pink with a hint of blood, gave away the type of animal it came from just from the smell. My nose twitched involuntarily. "Are you sure about this, Xingfeng? I'm starting to doubt it’s your malicious prank," I said, examining a piece of meat with an unfamiliar sensation creeping up on me. "I was just guessing, but..." he trailed off for a moment. "I inferred from Shuntaro's reaction that it would have the same effect on you." I put the piece of meat in my mouth and bit down. Xingfeng was right. "So this is why rabbit meat isn't sold on the black market in Central City?" I asked. Xingfeng nodded in response to my question as I mechanically cut off another piece of meat. "It's ironic, isn't it? Such a sick sense of humor... it's the reason I don't believe in higher powers." It was delicious, too delicious. For years, it had been the only food that could excite my taste buds. Was this what it felt like to enjoy eating? I struggled to control the shaking in my body with all my willpower, fighting the urge to drop my utensils and tear into the meat with my bare hands. Lately, it seemed like I was using up all my willpower too often. It was ironic, though. Shuntaro would return soon, and Xingfeng would never be able to sneak rabbit meat into the black market in Central City again. I guess I shouldn't touch rabbit meat for the rest of my life. It was so frustrating. The gods that may not exist were truly twisted. I blinked away tears and Ayaan pretended not to notice. After finishing my food, I finally calmed down. As long as I didn't develop an addiction, I wouldn't have to face this feeling again. Or maybe I secretly longed for it? No, I didn't want to know. After all, this wasn't the first thing I had given up. "Xingfeng, did you say that Shuntaro also had the same reaction?" I was too distracted earlier and didn't think about what that meant. "That was our first time at the black market and Shuntaro lost control on the spot, attacking all living things around him. If your father hadn't been there, we would have all died. So today, I asked El to bring four of his men to stand by next door in case your reaction was too extreme," Xingfeng said casually. "Don't you think you should have told me about this kind of thing beforehand?" I complained a little helplessly. "I didn't want to ruin your first experience," Xingfeng waved his hand as if it was no big deal. "In a few years when Shuntaro takes over the management of the black market, all restaurants will no longer serve rabbit meat." I hadn't even considered Shuntaro's feelings. If he had the same feeling as me, did that mean we could understand each other and eventually have a chance to reconcile? Maybe I'll talk to him when he comes back. I silently added this to my to-do list. "Compared to the chaos today, I learned an important lesson yesterday," Xingfeng chuckled as I interpreted the first seminar. "Turns out I'm a utilitarian." Xingfeng raised an eyebrow and looked at me curiously. "I used to always ponder on how to define right and wrong, especially when the variables and situations are so complex. How do you make a decision and know that it's the right one?" I leaned back in my chair and said. "But the trolley problem and various thought experiments have taught me that right and wrong are indeed relative. What does that mean? Many animals would just say this and throw up their hands, as if they had seen through the ways of the world and there is no absolute right or wrong, so it doesn't matter what you do. This is the behavior of cowards, of lazy and thoughtless fools who stop there. Right and wrong exist because of rules; without rules, there is no right or wrong. There may not always be a perfect rule for every situation, nor is there any rule that can apply to all scenarios. But only when rules exist can we judge right and wrong. Right and wrong may not always align with our biological instincts. Our biological instincts reward us for behavior that is beneficial for the overall gene pool, by generating positive feedback, such as making you feel happy or like you did the right thing. Conversely, it punishes behavior that is harmful to the overall gene pool, with feelings of guilt or being ostracized by others. However, this doesn't fully reflect in our judgment of right and wrong. Unless you fully adhere to biological instincts as a standard, I think many animals would argue that this is not helpful for the continued prosperity of our civilization. When you follow a standard as a moral judgment, there will inevitably come a day when doing the right thing will mean suffering, and whether you are willing to endure pain for doing the right thing will be the ultimate test." Therefore, a rational individual with normal mental faculties must follow their own standards, rather than their preferences, when making decisions. I believe that ultimately, the greatest benefit is the most important, exitus ācta probat, which makes me a utilitarian. Even if there are more parameters to consider, as long as the gains and losses can be calculated, the best solution can be determined. Therefore, I think I can finally answer the question that has been troubling me for a long time: If the gray wolf in the Black Forest ate the red deer because of hunger, would it be the correct behavior? The answer is no." I looked up at Xingfeng. "If the gray wolf eats the red deer, even if he survives, he will lose his precious and unimaginable experiences. He will lose the figure who stands beside him, listening to him describe the smells of the things he has never seen before when he tries to cross obstacles and climb mountains. These values far outweigh the loss of an unknown color and firelight life." After I finished speaking, Xingfeng blinked his brown eyes. "Although I think you seem to have confused some moral theories..., I think the most important thing is," he laughed and made exaggerated gestures. "Let's toast to celebrate the birth of a utilitarian wolf!" In this way, the Indian lion eating salad and the red deer eating deer meat, toasted together to celebrate the birth of the utilitarian moral view of the gray wolf. *** " Sorry for leaving you out. I got too excited earlier." He said as we walked along the streets of the black market. "Haha, no worries, I find listening to you very interesting," I replied, flicking my mane. It still felt a bit strange at this length, almost too exposed. "But what you said earlier sounded like a confession speech," I recalled what Haruo had said to the heir of the Horns Conglomerate, wanting to tease him a bit. Was everyone in Haruo's circle so complicated? That red deer that eats venison had given me some sort of impact on my values that I couldn't quite describe. "Haha, it's not like that," Haruo replied, his ears turning red. Maybe I should have been more careful about what not to say. "Well, with Xingfeng and me..." Haruo looked like he was pondering something, his eyes looking down but darting quickly. Then he said something in a language I couldn't understand. It was probably the Marine language, something we learned in middle school, but my listening skills weren't good enough to understand it directly. I gave Haruo a look full of confusion. Was he trying to explain their relationship? "It's okay, you've heard enough from me today. Maybe another time." He said, taking the initiative to postpone the explanation. Suddenly, there were two clicks, and the lights in the whole area went out, leaving us in darkness. "I heard this kind of thing is quite common in the original black market because of the lack of maintenance and funding, not just streetlights but also damaged roads," Haruo explained as he walked. When he stumbled on a glass bottle, he cursed under his breath. Three lions were staggering towards us, and Haruo sidestepped them, wrinkling his nose. Oh, even I could smell that strong alcohol odor from this distance. "Criminological studies have found that simply having dark streets or broken windows can significantly increase the crime rate in that area, escalating from minor acts such as graffiti and littering to more serious offenses such as robbery and murder. This is known as the well-known "broken windows" effect." He kicked a stone and made a small click, complaining about something like "administrative laziness." "It's interesting because this works both ways. If we simply light up the streets and fix the windows, security will significantly improve, and its effectiveness is better than spending the same amount of money on police patrols." He took a deep breath, as if savoring all the smells emanating from the black market. That's when I noticed something strange. "Your eyes...they weren't red before, were they?" I walked up to him and asked. "You noticed, huh? This is something only animals with dark vision can see, because I don't have the choroid layer, so the color of the blood vessels can be seen directly." We continued to wander around the dark black market, and the surrounding wildlife continued to go about their business unaffected. I remember the function of the choroid layer... " Haruo, can you not see anything in the dark?" I asked cautiously. "I suspected it from the debris you kicked just now. Do you rely on scent to determine your direction of movement? That's why you were able to avoid the three lions that came out of the izakaya but couldn't detect the brick." I said, expressing my doubts. He chuckled softly in response to my question, with an expression that could be interpreted as satisfaction and relaxation, truly a unique wolf. "Yeah, I don't have night vision, but my sense of smell is very keen, so I can recognize the rough position of objects with a scent and move around without obstacles. So, I really want to know," he quickly turned twice, dodging an alligators rushing past. "What color is the deepest part of the night?" He slowed down, allowing me to keep up. "Animals with night vision can't see it, and animals without night vision can't see it either. So what kind of color is it?" I pondered for a moment before speaking. "Isn't it just pitch black? Maybe that's the true color of a lightless night." Haruo tilted his head in thought. "I don't know. But I think I may have seen it before in a slightly fuzzy state of mind, the deepest part of the night. How did he describe it?" Haruo seemed to be trying to remember something, rubbing his forehead. *** "Big dumb wolf, wake up already, you're so heavy." It was glowing red. *** The wind on the rooftop was a little strong today as I leaned over the iron fence and looked down at the black market. Haruo was in a particularly good mood today, dancing his unique steps on the dark street like a newborn pup playing with his own tail. He had mentioned to me before that it had something to do with gaps and rules, but I didn't quite understand. The presence of the lion seemed to relax Haruo, the little wolf pup who once cried in the darkness had grown up. Speaking of which, what about the other little wolf pup? He must be furious at the state of the black market due to my lack of management. Perhaps when he's scolding me, we might have a chance to talk. I wonder where he is now. *** The crowd is cheering, a group of violent enthusiasts who come to release their bloodlust watching heavyweight brown bears fight each other without rules. "Another perfect knockout!" The atmosphere in the arena is boiling. "Let's present the championship belt to our Kamchatka brown bear player, Ivan!" What's happening around me is a bit blurry, like watching from a third-person perspective. "Ivan's hands are so powerful, they always give me a sense of security." Who said that to me? I can't quite remember. All I can vaguely recall is the warm touch of that small hand in my giant palm. Even though I was still young, that small hand still seemed unusually tiny in my hand. I don't often reminisce about what happened after that because, after all, for someone who was brought into the world as a weapon and honed into a sharp destroyer, the past isn't really important. How many years have I spent in this bloody arena? It doesn't seem like very long, but it feels like a lifetime. I lost the desire to live a long time ago, and my birth was only meant to satisfy some ambition I can't quite comprehend. All animals told me that I was created to be perfect, that a weapon only needed to be used and didn't need to have a life or will of its own. I was too powerful, and I never imagined any animal could free me from this miserable fate until I met God. Amidst all the chaos and hazy memories of the past, this memory is so clear. I can't remember the exact year, but it was one of the strategy of Motherland to expand her influence in East Asia, and we were cooperating with a fascist group to achieve our goals. We, as the team directly in contact with the target, were lurking in the basement of the designated negotiation building. It was a trap for the gray wolf, and in order to avoid premature exposure of the ambush due to its abnormally sensitive sense of smell, the plan was to forcefully enter the room after the hidden bomb detonated. The bomb was a sophisticated device commissioned by professional animals, known for its disguised concealment, and to this day, there is no means of detecting the existence of the bomb. Many animals are amazed when they learn that the craftsman who made the bomb is a gazelle, but I am well aware of the underestimated power that herbivores can possess. When the bomb detonated, we quickly arrived at the designated floor, smashed the door, but only saw two broken and charred lion remains and a large hole on the wall. The commander received some news from the radio and kept shouting orders, but everything seemed to slow down. I watched as the walls, floors, and ceilings began to crack, and the structure of the entire building collapsed. Screams and struggling bodies falling surrounded me, and then everything fell into darkness. When I pushed aside the rubble and left the building wreckage, I saw it, the gray wolf with shining eyes in the pitch-black night. Fear was a new feeling for me, an emotion I had never experienced before, so at that moment, I knew that this was the god who could fulfill my desires and free me. I let out a roar challenging him and rushed towards him, but the gray wolf didn't even show any preparedness or reaction, only tilting his head. Then I fell to the ground, coughing dryly and unable to breathe, and the world plunged into darkness. I survived because of my extreme sarcasm. The search team from Motherland found me and brought me back for treatment. After I recovered, I left the camp and destroyed every animal that tried to stop me, as well as killed all the recovery teams sent by my Motherland. They received a clear message that I would not be going back. When I saw the god who could fulfill my desires, I could no longer tolerate living in this strange time. However, my logic and reasoning had deteriorated to the point where I could not find the terrifying gray wolf. I could only stay here, in an outlawed fighting arena that was my best chance at escaping this miserable state. However, all my opponents were too weak, like eggs that could easily be broken with a little force. I don't blame them, because in front of me, a weapon created specifically for killing, strength, skill, or courage is worthless. Just now, I felt it - the momentary gaze from the audience. My sanity briefly returned, and fear gave me the ability to think and fight for my life or run away. Oh god, have you come to fulfill my desire? "I've already finished my flashback. It's your turn to perform now." This is the prayer before the offering. I stand in the center of a hexagonal cage, the audience has dispersed long ago, and I have lost the ability to sense the passing of time. A gray wolf wearing only shorts steps onto the stage. His walk exudes an aura of terror, with death seeming to trail him like a shadow. "So, you want to have a fair final match with me. You are really kind!" I have never seen such a sturdy and agile gray wolf before, he is a weapon just as dangerous as I am. "I know what you're looking for. The rumor about you has already been spread on the black box." What is the black box? I pull out my necklace from collar and try to push aside my fragmented thoughts. Necklace was stripped from the body of a base manager, and I know there are many things that the Motherland doesn't want to expose inside, but I no longer have the intelligence to use it. "This is an offering for you. Please respond to my fervent prayer." I rush forward and swing my right fist at him. I was expecting to experience liberation from overwhelming power like last time, but I notice that the gray wolf today is different from the one I fought before. How can I put it? Well, it's just a difference in magnitude, and I am very impressed with my remaining intelligence for being able to make such a connection. The gray wolf evades my punch with minimal movement, allowing it to graze his cheek. As I'm unable to retract my momentum, he closes in on me and lands a heavy punch just below my right ribcage. Normally, an ordinary animal would have collapsed at the sound of bones breaking, but this is where you made a mistake. When the gray wolf realized I still had the strength to fight back, the moment his pupils widened in surprise was truly satisfying. However, his movements were incredibly quick, swiftly retreating and shaking his head in the direction of my left fist to dissipate most of the force. The gray wolf and I distanced ourselves, his gaze returning to the same indifference as before. He then spat out two teeth that I had knocked down. "This reaction speed is really exaggerated, how did you..." Oh, this smell. "You're a hybrid." The distinct smell of blood in the air unlocked my memories. The gray wolf watched me silently, wary but not responding. "I know," did I really know? "I was created like this, you know. To fuse the power of carnivores with the danger perception and agile evasion abilities of herbivores, in order to create the strongest warrior." I remembered the Chimera project. "My mother miraculously gave birth to a healthy me, well, at least mostly healthy. Oh, you really should see the discarded ones, bodies too small to contain the massive organs, claws and teeth too large to pierce their own skin," it was the smell of a mix of herbivore and carnivore blood, why did I know that? "And a small brain in oversized skulls," I pointed to my own head. "The mirrored organs were the least of their concerns. When I reached a certain age, my mother was forced to conceive again, but the miracle did not happen this time. Have you ever seen a small animal try to give birth to a large animal fetus, only to die in childbirth? Ironically, our scientists from Motherland prioritized trying to save my brother's life, only to discover he was also a failed experiment and was eliminated early." "At that time, witnessing such a scene of hell playing out in the world made me certain that there was no God in this world, or if there was, He was extremely cruel and had a twisted sense of humor." I parted the hair on my left chest, revealing a scar. "It wasn't until that day when I encountered the power that was willing to free me from this tragedy that I realized God existed, and that He would answer my prayers! If my heart had been in its normal position, I would have died on the spot when they cut open the septum, but because of this malformed body, I suffered a collapsed lung and lost consciousness. Since then, I have been praying constantly to that mighty being, and now, He has sent you to carry out His will and correct the mistake like me!" You smell like God, gray wolf boy. But what kind of herbivore's blood is that smell from? "Please tell me, as a failed experiment begging for mercy from a successful one, is that blasphemous experiment still ongoing? Or is it because you were chosen by God that you are flawless?" The manager of the research facility once told me how lucky I was to be selected to merge two powerful traits. But looking at him, that's what luck really is. His is the true form of being blessed by God. "Sorry, that's classified information." the gray wolf said lightly. Alright, then. I feel my consciousness slipping away. "Let's end this," I threw a powerful straight right punch, but the Gray Wolf had no intention of dodging. He closed his eyes and lowered his head. As I struck him in the forehead, a large amount of fresh blood sprayed out from his brow, staining the fur around his eyes and mouth. The intense pain from my right hand made me realize that all of my finger bones and palm bones were shattered. He took the blow from my fragile finger bones with his hard skull, exposing my weaknesses. When he opened his blue eyes, I knew it was over. The gray wolf broke my right arm from both the top and bottom, quickly flashed to my side, and struck the correct spot where my liver was located. The unbearable pain made me temporarily stiffen, but the gray wolf did not stop. He kicked my left shin from the side with such force that my feet were lifted off the ground, leaving me hanging upside down and falling to the ground. As the back of my head hit the ground, I felt a moment of intense pain in my neck, and I knew that my trachea and spinal cord had been broken by my own weight. So, this is the end, huh? The gray wolf looked down at me with its deep blue eyes, its face covered in vivid red blood dripping in my direction, as if it was weeping for me. What's this, pity? So even the merciless god can show such an expression. "Ivan's hands are so strong, they always give me a sense of security." Ah, mother, you said that to me before, didn't you? Even the small hands of a rabbit can make me feel at ease. I'm sorry for being a failure and for being a hybrid born into this world.