Help! I transmigrated to a Beast World-Chapter 100: The Wolf’s Redemption

The library was quiet.

Peaceful.

Rows upon rows of books lined the shelves, most written by Lin Zhiying and Wang Xianmo during their years in the Beast World. Records of their knowledge. Their discoveries. Their attempts to bring civilization to this wild place.

Sha Chen stood beside one of the shelves, running his fingers along the spines.

Xin Yi was beside him. Closer than she had been in days. Actually engaging. Actually present.

"This one," he pulled out a leather-bound book, "was Mama’s favorite. She wrote about different cooking techniques. Preservation methods. How to make food last through winter."

Xin Yi took it carefully. Opened it. Her eyes widened. "This is......this is incredible. The detail. The diagrams."

"She was very thorough." Sha Chen smiled softly. "Papa used to joke that she documented everything like she was afraid of forgetting."

"Maybe she was." Xin Yi’s voice was quiet. "If I could never go home......I’d want to write everything down too. So I wouldn’t lose it completely."

Their eyes met.

Understanding passing between them.

Sha Chen cleared his throat. Pulled out another book. "And this one is about architecture. Papa’s work. He designed most of the buildings here. Including the pool."

"The one you threw me into?" She raised an eyebrow.

"The one you fell into. Twice."

"You PUSHED me the first time!"

"Details." He grinned.

She smacked his arm. But she was still smiling.

[DING! (◕‿◕)]

[Host’s mood: IMPROVING]

[Banter detected!]

[This is progress! ☆]

Xin Yi wandered along the shelves, her fingers trailing over the books. "There are so many. They must have spent years on this."

"They did. It was their life’s work." Sha Chen watched her. "Teaching us. Showing us we could be more than just...beasts."

She looked at him. "You’re not a beast, Sha Chen."

"No?"

"Well." She tilted her head. "Maybe sometimes. When you’re being stubborn. Or bossy. Or—"

"I get it."

"Or when you kidnap people."

He winced. "Are you ever going to let that go?"

"Maybe. In about ten years."

"Only ten?"

"I’m being generous." But her tone was teasing now.

He moved closer. "What if I’m very, very sorry?"

"How sorry?" She crossed her arms. "Sorry enough to let me read all these books without interruption?"

"That sorry."

"Sorry enough to not laugh when I inevitably slip in the pool again?"

"Now you are going too far."

She laughed, the sound filling the library like music.

Sha Chen’s chest tightened. There it is again. That smile.

"You know," she said, browsing another shelf, "if you keep being kind to me, I might start thinking you’re not completely terrible."

"Only might?"

"I said what I said."

He chuckled and moved to stand beside her.

Outside the library, wolves gathered. Whispering.

"The Alpha has been with her for hours."

"Just talking. Laughing."

"I’ve never seen him like this. So... relaxed."

"The other female changed him."

"Do you think he’ll—"

"Shh! He’ll hear you!"

But Sha Chen didn’t hear. He was too focused on Xin Yi. On the way her eyes lit up when she found something interesting. On the way she argued with him about cooking techniques.

[DING! (¬‿¬)]

[Sha Chen is SMITTEN]

[Look at him staring]

[So obvious! ☆]

~

Later, Xin Yi sat in the courtyard with Zhao Li.

The little girl had finally worked up the courage to approach again. And this time, Xin Yi had smiled at her.

"Pretty Lady! Look! I made you a flower crown!" Zhao Li held up a circle of woven grass and wildflowers.

"It’s beautiful, baby." Xin Yi let the child place it on her head.

"Now you’re a PRINCESS!"

"A princess, huh?"

"Yes! The prettiest princess!" Zhao Li giggled. "And Uncle Sha Chen can be the prince!"

Xin Yi’s face went red. "He is NOT—"

"He’s always looking at you!" Zhao Li said matter-of-factly. "Mama says when boys look at girls like that, it means they LIKE them!"

"Zhao Li—"

"Do you like him back?"

"I—that’s not—we’re not—" Xin Yi sputtered.

Zhao Li just giggled and ran off to find more flowers.

Xin Yi sat there. Flustered. Embarrassed.

But smiling.

From across the courtyard, Sha Chen watched.

Watched Xin Yi laugh with Zhao Li. Watched her braid the child’s hair.

He sighed.

He had been terrible.

Indeed, a voice in his head agreed. His own conscience. His own guilt.

He looked over at Měi Lán and the other harem females. They sat together under a tree, sewing. Talking quietly among themselves.

Měi Lán’s face was drawn. Sad. She had been part of his harem for years. Ever since he had slaughtered her mate. Her tribe. Taken her by force.

Sha Chen’s jaw clenched.

He had been a monster. Still was, in many ways.

But maybe....maybe he could be less of one.

He looked back at Xin Yi. At her bright smile. At the way she made everything feel... lighter.

I want to keep her, he thought. I want her to stay. Not because I forced her. But because she chose to.

But he didn’t deserve that choice.

Not yet.

Maybe not ever.

He stood. Walked across the courtyard. Toward Měi Lán and the others.

They saw him coming and immediately straightened. They bowed their heads.

"Alpha," Měi Lán said quietly.

"Měi Lán." He stopped in front of them. "May I speak with you? All of you?"

They exchanged nervous glances.

"Of course, Alpha."

He looked at them. At these females he had collected. Controlled. Kept like possessions.

And the words came hard. Painful. Like pulling teeth.

"I have been..." He stopped. Gritted his teeth. Forced himself to continue. "I have been cruel."

Silence.

The females stared at him. Shocked.

"I’m sorry, Měi Lán." The words felt like glass in his throat. "For... for what I did to you. To your mate. Your tribe. I had no right. I was—" His voice cracked. "I was a monster."

Měi Lán’s eyes widened, filled with tears.

"You are all free," he continued. "To leave. To no longer be part of my harem. I won’t stop you. I won’t force you. You can go. Find new tribes. New mates. New lives."

The courtyard had gone completely silent.

Everyone was watching now.

"And Měi Lán.. ." Sha Chen looked at her directly. "I am deeply, deeply sorry. I cannot undo what I did. Cannot bring back what I took. But I... I acknowledge it. The pain. The cruelty. All of it."

Měi Lán stood.

Tears streaming down her face.

Then—

SLAP.

Her palm connected with his face. Hard.

"YOU!" she screamed. "YOU!"

Sha Chen didn’t move, didn’t defend himself.

Some guards rushed forward. "Alpha—"

"NO." His voice was sharp. "Let her."

Měi Lán hit him again. And again. Her fists pounding against his chest.

"I HATE YOU!" she sobbed. "I hate you! You took EVERYTHING from me! Everything! My mate! My family! My HOME!"

He just stood there. Taking it. Accepting it.

"You!!" She was crying harder now. "I’ve been here for years! Pretending! Surviving! Hating every moment!"

She hit him one more time. Then collapsed against his chest. Sobbing.

"I hate you," she whispered. "I will ALWAYS hate you."

"I know," he said quietly. "I deserve that."

She pulled back. Wiped her face. Looked at him with red, swollen eyes.

Then she looked across the courtyard. At Xin Yi, who had stopped playing with Zhao Li. Who was watching with wide, concerned eyes.

"But I will stay," Měi Lán said.

Sha Chen blinked. "What?"

"I will stay. Just to remain friends with Xin Yi." She looked back at him. Her expression hard. "She is the only one who can get through to you. The only one who makes you see your own cruelty."

She stepped back.

"So I’ll stay. For her. Not for you."

Sha Chen said nothing.

"Hmm." Měi Lán turned away. "Maybe there’s hope for you yet, Alpha. Maybe."

She walked away.

The other harem females followed. Some crying. Some angry. But all of them staying.

For now.

Sha Chen stood there. Alone.

Then he looked across the courtyard again.

At Xin Yi.

She was still watching him, her expression unreadable.

Then she smiled.

Small. Soft. But genuine.

And mouthed: Good job.

His chest felt warm.

Maybe, he thought. Maybe I can be better. For her.

He walked back toward her. Toward Zhao Li. Toward the laughter and light.

Toward something that felt almost like......redemption.

[DING! (◕‿◕)]

[Character Development: ACHIEVED]

[Sha Chen is growing!]

[Slowly but surely! ☆]