novelraw Chapter 184: He could start with her
Chapter 184: He could start with her
"Nina—finally! We got through to you." Odian’s voice was tight with urgency. "Where are you? Are you hurt?"
By the time the battle ended on Nina’s side, theirs had nearly concluded as well.
Ino had been slain by Odian—but Mei and Gin had seized the chance to escape.
The moment it was over, he had tried contacting her again.
"I’m fine," Nina replied, glancing at the system map. "I’m... somewhere to your southwest. Pretty far away. I don’t know the exact location."
The system only marked terrain, not names—and in this world, most places had none.
"Stay where you are," Odian said immediately. "We’ll come find you. Just find somewhere safe and hide."
"Alright," Nina said. "I’ll keep track of your position and guide you."
"Mm. Take care of yourself," he added softly.
Kith and the others crowded in beside him, speaking toward the locator with anxious warmth.
"Nina, don’t be afraid—we’ll be there soon."
"Okay. I’ll wait for you," she replied.
Then they turned their attention to the children.
"Yinny, Didi, Linny—look after your mother. Don’t make her worry."
They didn’t say anything to the younger ones.
With so many babies, they couldn’t help but worry—how could Nina possibly manage them all alone?
If they could, they would have flown to her side already.
The children answered earnestly: We understand!
Nina couldn’t help but laugh a little. Look after her? They were still so small.
"Alright, I’ll hang up now. I need to find a place to settle."
"Be careful," Odian said.
With that, Nina ended the connection.
Off to the side, Setan and the others stared at the device on her wrist in astonishment.
That crystal... it could transmit voices?
Setan stepped forward, unable to hold back his curiosity. "Little female, do you have another crystal like that? I’m willing to pay a high price for it."
Nina shook her head. "Sadly, no."
Each of their locators looked different, so Setan hadn’t realized that the babies had them too.
He looked disappointed but didn’t press further.
Something that powerful was bound to be rare.
"Your mates will be here soon," he said. "Let’s find a cave to rest in first."
Judging from Odian’s tone, Setan had already concluded—they were her mates.
"...Alright." Nina didn’t particularly want to stay with Setan and his group, but she knew they wouldn’t leave easily because of the Flame Crystal.
Together, they found a cave and settled there temporarily.
***
Meanwhile, Drago only emerged from hiding after the battle had ended.
By then, Odian and the others had already finished speaking with Nina and were preparing to leave.
Drago stepped forward at once, stopping in front of them.
"Hello," he said calmly. "I am the city lord of Spirit Stone City. I intend to travel to Barbarian City—would you be willing to cooperate and escort us?"
He revealed his identity directly, confident they would understand the value of aligning with him.
At his words, Odian and the others stiffened.
Shock flickered across their faces—quickly replaced by rising anger.
The city lord of Spirit Stone City?
That meant... he was the one who had exiled Nina.
Aviel and the others were equally startled.
What was he doing here?
"Get lost," Odian said coldly. "We’re not working with you."
"That’s right," Sal sneered. "Who would cooperate with a beastman as heartless as you?"
To abandon even your own daughter and cast her into exile—what else could that be, if not utterly devoid of conscience?
Odian and the others didn’t know Nina’s true feelings toward Drago, so they held themselves back. No matter what, he was still her biological father.
"Even if you refuse, there’s no need for such insults," Drago snapped, anger rising.
He had intended to recruit them with courtesy and benefits—yet they proved so ungrateful.
Odian gave him one last icy glance. Leaving a portion of their men behind to collect beast cores, the rest departed immediately to pursue Nina.
Only then did Drago notice Ming and the others.
"Ming... Taru... what are you all doing here?"
His gaze swept further—Finch and Aviel were also present.
These were among those who had once been engaged to his daughter.
No one answered him.
"Ming, if they won’t help, surely you will? After all, we’re still in-laws," Drago pressed. "And the rest of you city lords as well."
Ming let out a cold snort. "We don’t have the time."
You already abandoned Nina—what in-laws are you talking about?
Taru and the others frowned slightly but said nothing.
Suddenly, Drago’s eyes landed on Mino, who bore a resemblance to Ming.
"You—he’s your son?"
"And if he is?" Ming replied indifferently.
Drago clenched his fists. "Our engagement hasn’t been formally dissolved. How can your son be given to another female? Isn’t your Spirit Cat clan supposed to honor its promises?"
He hadn’t expected that even Spirit Cat City would break the engagement in the end.
Ming didn’t even bother responding. He left swiftly with Mino.
Taru and the others followed immediately—they had already withdrawn from the engagement anyway.
Furious, Drago lashed out and destroyed a nearby sapling before chasing after them.
***
After a long stretch of travel, exhaustion finally caught up to them. Odian ordered a halt to rest.
Lina was equally worn out—but she forced herself to freshen up, changing into her best clothes and carefully grooming herself before approaching Odian and the others.
Drago noticed but said nothing.
If she could win them over... that wouldn’t be a bad outcome.
"You must be tired from traveling," Lina said sweetly. "Would you like something to eat?"
She held out freshly roasted meat—prepared by her own mate. She hadn’t even taken a bite herself before bringing it to them.
Odian shot her a cold glance.
He had already sent people to track them—yet they had followed on their own.
Once they found Nina... at a single word from her, he would kill them without hesitation.
A vicious glint flashed in Sal’s eyes.
Kith and Mino looked at her with undisguised hostility.
Lina felt the chill of their killing intent and instinctively shrank back—but still forced herself to extend the offering.
With a flick of his power, Sal knocked the meat from her hands.
"Get the hell away from me," he growled. "You’re an eyesore."
If not for the fact that she was female, he would have killed her already.
Lina’s face paled as she stumbled backward.
That male’s gaze... it was terrifying.
Not daring to linger, she grabbed what remained of the roasted meat from her mate and hurried toward Aviel instead.
"You—"
"Get lost."
Before she could finish, Aviel cut her off coldly.
"I’m just offering you food," she said in a soft, coquettish tone. "Why be so harsh?"
Still unwilling to give up, she stepped forward—reaching out toward him.
She had barely moved half a step when a bolt of lightning struck.
She had no time to react. The current surged through her body, and a wave of searing numbness spread from head to toe.
This time, she was truly afraid.
Her mate hurriedly dragged her away as they scrambled off.
Aviel’s gaze remained icy.
If she weren’t female... she would already be dead.
***
Later, gritting her teeth against the pain, Lina had her mate apply medicine.
Why are these males being so difficult...?
And yet, she found herself wanting them even more.
Her fingers dug sharply into her palm.
I will have them no matter what!
She refused to believe she could lose to some ugly female.
Drago watched her with a trace of disdain.
Useless woman!
***
At dawn the next day, before the sky had even brightened, they set off again.
This time, however, Drago’s group was less fortunate.
They were ambushed midway by a horde of mutated beasts.
Odian didn’t spare them a glance. He led his people onward without slowing.
Taru and the others hesitated slightly.
Spirit Stone City had helped them before—should they intervene?
Ming spoke up, almost kindly, "I suggest you stay out of it."
taru exchanged a glance with him—then chose not to act.
Drago was livid.
Not a single one of them stepped in to help.
A bunch of heartless bastards!
Lina’s luck was even worse. A flying mutated beast swooped down and snatched her up.
"Ahhh—help me!" she screamed.
Her mate immediately gave chase.
Drago used the power of spirit stones to deal with the attacking beasts. When he learned that Lina had been taken, he merely sent a few beastmen to search for her—then continued pursuing Odian and the others.
He needed to understand why Ming and the other old figures were here.
At last, Odian and the others found Nina.
They rushed toward her all at once.
High above in the distance, Drago witnessed the scene.
Odian, Aviel, and the rest—surrounding a single female.
His eyes widened in surprise.
They had hurried all this way... for her?
Just what kind of female could command the loyalty of such powerful males?
A calculating glint flickered in his gaze.
Perhaps... he could start with her.