Clumsy Beast, Keep Your Paws Off - Chapter 99

99: Chapter 99: Su Qinglan Is Missing 99: Chapter 99: Su Qinglan Is Missing Hu Yan was still running.

His breath came out in ragged bursts, his chest heaving as his strong legs carried him across the rugged mountain path.

The endless forest stretched far ahead, but he didn’t stop.

He couldn’t.

His mate’s mark was glowing as he used it to reach her as far as possible.

That faint light was the only thing keeping him from breaking down completely.

It was proof that she was still alive… somewhere.

He had already lost sight of that damned owl beastman long ago.

The moment the sky darkened, that winged beast had vanished like smoke into the horizon.

Hu Yan had tried to chase him, but no matter how fast he ran, he couldn’t reach him.

Now, the only thing he could rely on was the mark’s faint pull, her presence calling to him from far, far away.

But the farther she was, the weaker it became.

Her scent, her warmth… everything was fading.

And that terrified him more than any wound on his body.

“Useless… I’m so useless,” Hu Yan muttered under his breath, his voice trembling with frustration.

His golden eyes dimmed with pain.

“I couldn’t even protect her… and now she’s gone.” The words echoed again and again in his mind, making him hate himself more than anything.

He stumbled once, catching himself against a tree, leaving behind a bloody handprint.

His golden-striped fur was matted with blood…

some dried, some still fresh.

The ferocious beasts that had chased him earlier had not let him go easily.

They tore into him whenever he slowed, biting, clawing, leaving deep gashes across his back and arms.

But Hu Yan didn’t fight back.

He didn’t even look at them.

He just kept running.

Even if his claws broke.

Even if his lungs burned.

Even if his vision blurred.

He ran.

Because the thought of losing her was worse than death.

“I couldn’t protect her from danger… I couldn’t even stand between her and another beastman,” he whispered hoarsely, his voice shaking.

“What kind of beast husband am I…?” He gritted his teeth, tasting blood in his mouth, his jaw trembling with guilt as his mind flashed with her terrified expression when she was clutched by that owl beastman.

He forced his body to move again, each step heavier than the last, but he didn’t care.

His entire body screamed in pain, but his heart screamed louder.

“I’m sorry, Qinglan… I’m sorry…” His voice broke as the wind carried his words away into the dark night.

— Rong Ye and Han Jue were busy digging a hole inside the thick trunk of a giant tree.

It was hard work, but both of them were excited, as this was going to be their new home.

The sound of claws scraping against wood echoed softly in the quiet forest.

Everything was peaceful.

The breeze carried the faint scent of leaves and earth.

But suddenly, Rong Ye stopped.

His furry ears twitched.

“Han Jue,” he said slowly, turning his head, “don’t you feel… something’s off?” Han Jue paused too, his claws halfway into the bark.

“What do you mean?” Rong Ye frowned.

“It’s already so late.

Hu Yan and Su Qinglan should’ve come back by now.

Every day they came before sunset.

But look, it’s already going to be dark.” Han Jue’s blue eyes shifted toward the horizon.

The sky had already turned orange, and the first stars were starting to appear.

His chest tightened a little.

“You’re right,” he said.

“They should’ve come long ago.” Both of them went silent.

For a while, the only sound was the soft rustle of leaves in the wind.

“Maybe something happened,” Rong Ye whispered, worry flashing across his face.

“Or maybe they’re just late today,” Han Jue said quickly, trying to calm himself.

“Let’s wait a little longer.

They’ll come soon.” Rong Ye nodded slowly.

“Alright… let’s wait a bit.” They went back to digging, trying to act normal.

But neither could focus.

Every few moments, they’d stop, look toward the forest, and listen.

But there were no footsteps or any whispers.

Minutes turned into hours.

The night deepened.

Finally, both of them stopped working completely.

They looked at each other, and this time, there was no mistaking the fear in their eyes.

Something was wrong.

Without a single word, they both transformed.

Rong Ye’s body flashed with light as he shifted into his beast form…

a magnificent six-tailed fox, his fur shimmering like pearl in the moonlight.

Beside him, Han Jue transformed into a large arctic wolf, his white fur blending with the mist that was starting to rise from the forest floor.

The two beasts leapt down from the tree in perfect sync and dashed toward the familiar path leading down to the mountains.

But the moment they reached halfway down the path, both of them froze.

The ground was covered in blood.

The air was thick with the metallic scent of death.

Dozens of evil, ferocious beasts lay dead, their bodies torn apart, their black blood staining the earth.

And mixed in with it… was Hu Yan’s scent and Su Qinglan’s.

Rong Ye’s tails stiffened.

Han Jue’s expression darkened.

They exchanged a glance…

one filled with both anger and dread.

“There’s… so much blood,” Han Jue muttered, his voice low and heavy.

“And this… this one is Hu Yan’s.” Rong Ye moved further, his sharp eyes scanning the ground.

His breath hitched when he saw a faint, smaller trail of blood.

“This one… this is Su Qinglan’s.” Both of their faces turned pale.

Something had definitely happened here.

Without wasting another second, they bolted to the tribe, hoping that both Su Qinglan and Hu Yan were fine and that they had simply returned back to the cave.

When they reached it, the entrance was dark and quiet.

They rushed inside, but it was empty.

No one was there.

Only at the corner of the cave, a familiar figure lifted its sleepy head.

It was Stove.

He almost jumped out of his skin when the fox and wolf stormed inside.

Rong Ye grabbed him with his claw and shook him hard, which made Stove dizzy.

“Did Su Qinglan and Hu Yan come back here?” he asked urgently.