Holly’s face flushed crimson as she stared at Evangeline in disbelief.

’I can’t believe it,’ she thought. ’How could a witch, so revered by the beastmen, say something like that!’

"You—!" Holly opened her mouth to curse, but a sharp pain shot through her arm. She turned to see Orion’s crimson eyes glaring at her and flinched. Before she could say another word, he was forcibly dragging her away.

Once Orion and Holly were gone, the other beastmen from the Sky-Rend Tribe were too ashamed to remain.

After they left, Elias Moretti gave a seemingly casual shrug, a faint smile playing on his roguishly handsome face. "I was honestly worried they’d lost their minds and were determined to start something."

He had brought the Sky-Rend Tribe here, after all. If they really caused a scene, it would reflect poorly on him.

He and the Grymdale Tribe were supposed to be following Evangeline across the Triangle Sea to claim new territory.

With that, Elias Moretti nodded to the others and sauntered away without lingering.

Thorne narrowed his eyes. ’It’s only been one rainy season and one hunting season,’ he thought. ’Elias Moretti has really changed.’

Loras had already led Evangeline back into their tent. He gently brushed the snowflakes from her clothes and said softly, "Pay them no mind."

Evangeline chuckled. "That doesn’t sound like you."

The tips of Loras’s ears turned red. He pursed his lips, his violet eyes meeting hers as he whispered, "I just want you to be safe and sound."

When Thorne and Danton entered the tent, they were greeted by the sight of Loras’s love-struck expression.

"Hah. It’s not your turn today, so move it." Thorne rolled his eyes and shoved Loras aside. ’This guy is a master of pretending. He looks all timid on the outside, but when it comes to vying for her affection, he’s as fierce as anyone.’

Loras knew Thorne’s temperament and didn’t bother arguing. A thought suddenly occurred to him, and he said in a low voice, "Eva, I communicated with the root systems underground and found the Triangle Abyss. But it’s shrouded in a thick mist that completely separates the clifftop from the chasm below. I can’t communicate with the plants beneath the mist, so I don’t know if the Goldeagle Clan is there."

"Oh?" Evangeline raised an eyebrow. ’It’s been days. We’ve finally found it.’

A serious expression fell over Thorne’s sharp features. "I’ll go scout ahead this time," he said in a low, determined voice. He then turned to Evangeline, his expression softening. "Eva, you shouldn’t go. I’ll make The Everwake and Drake come see you themselves."

’The Triangle Abyss is crawling with the Swarm. Who knows if The Everwake will suddenly have one of his violent episodes? Eva’s pregnant now. That place is far too dangerous for her.’

Loras nodded from the side, adding in a low voice, "I’ll go with you."

Thorne glanced at him and grunted in acknowledgement. It was better for two to go. They could watch each other’s backs. If something happened, they could handle it or return for help. And no matter what, they still had Genesis as leverage.

’Even if The Everwake was so heartless as to abandon his female, surely he wouldn’t abandon his own child?’

Evangeline looked up at the two of them and gave a slight nod. "Alright."

*

That day, Thorne and Loras set off.

The two headed for the Triangle Abyss, the nesting ground of the Swarm.

It was some distance from the coast and completely obscured by heavy snow. If Loras weren’t a Plant Beastman, it likely would have taken them several more days to find it.

"This is the place?" Thorne stood at the cliff’s edge, frowning at the chasm below. It was completely shrouded in a thick fog that seemed to swallow all light. "They say the temperature in the Triangle Abyss is perfect for the Swarm to breed and thrive, but you can’t see a thing from up here."

Loras nodded, his violet eyes grave. "Once we enter the Triangle Abyss, we’ll be in the Swarm’s territory. We have to be cautious. The Everwake is violent by nature. He might attack us on sight."

Thorne’s expression grew grim as well, and he gave a slight nod in acknowledgement.

’He’s right to be cautious. After all, The Everwake nearly killed all of them back at the Blackwater Swamp.’

’Even though I can’t stand The Everwake, Genesis is still a cub who needs his father. I’m about to be a father myself, so I understand how important that bloodline is. I can’t keep thinking about having Genesis call me ’father’ and provoking The Everwake.’

"Let’s go." Vines shot from Loras’s hands, wrapping around the rock face. He leaped first, disappearing into the layer of clouds.

Thorne took a deep breath and shifted into his beast form. A colossal black serpent, he slithered down the protruding rock face.

The moment they passed through the clouds, a wave of warmth washed over them.

Thorne was astonished. "I can’t believe it... The legends are true!"

Outside was a world of ice and snow, a Cold Season so harsh it had claimed the lives of many beastmen. Yet down here in the Triangle Abyss, it was so warm it felt no different from a regular hunting season. It was truly an ideal place to live.

Loras’s expression was also strange. The moment he entered the clouds, he was nearly overwhelmed by a flood of information from the plants all around him.

He fixed his gaze in one direction and said to Thorne, "This way! Follow me!"

Along the way, they passed several migrating flocks of the Avian Clan, but they avoided disturbing them and headed straight for the place where the Goldeagle Clan had settled: a cliff face that nearly touched the cloud layer.

Loras leaped effortlessly into a cave opening. Thorne followed close behind, shifting back to his human form the moment he landed.

"This is the place? Where’s Drake?" Thorne’s dark green eyes scanned the empty cave, his suspicion growing.

Loras’s brow furrowed. "I think something’s happened to the Goldeagle Clan," he said hesitantly.

"Happened?" Thorne’s brow furrowed in concern.

’I know how much Eva cherishes her Beast Husbands. Whenever any of us are in trouble, she never hesitates to pull us back from the brink. If she finds out something happened to the Goldeagle Clan, she’ll definitely come here herself. This is not good news at all.’

Loras nodded. "It seems they got into a conflict with the Swarm," he whispered.

Thorne was annoyed. "Isn’t Drake at the Nine-star Extreme Realm? Is this the best he can do?"

The two exchanged a look and were about to search for Drake when a patrolling Goldeagle Clansman spotted them. "You..."

Before the clansman could finish, he recognized Thorne. After all, Thorne had visited the Goldeagle Tribe a couple of times before.

"Where’s Drake? Tell him to come see us." Thorne crossed his arms and leaned nonchalantly against the cave entrance.

Hearing this, the Goldeagle Beastman’s face fell. His lips trembled as he whispered, "Drake’s in trouble. He’s been poisoned, and his feathers are corroding away. Our Witch can’t do anything. The leader wants to take him back to Blackwater Swamp to be saved by his female."

At these words, Thorne instinctively straightened up, his eyes flashing with anger. "The one in trouble is *Drake*?"

’Hah, that’s even more pathetic. A beastman at the Nine-star Extreme Realm, and he’s this useless? Letting himself get into such a state? And now he has to be dragged all the way back to Blackwater Swamp for Eva to save him? How humiliating.’

The Goldeagle Clansman nodded. He was about to say more when it suddenly dawned on him. "How did you get here?" he asked, shocked.

Loras said grimly, "Take us to him."

The Goldeagle Clansman saw the nine-star pattern on Loras’s forehead and dared not object, nodding quickly.

’I know that these two, just like Drake, share the same female. They can be trusted.’

’Maybe they can save Drake?’

’Besides, the Goldeagle Clan was already losing ground under the assault of The Corrosive Swarm. We were on the verge of retreating from the Triangle Abyss entirely. But now, a beastman of the Nine-star Extreme Realm and an Eight-Marked Beastman have arrived... maybe they can turn the tide?’