The Game Heroine's Cannon Fodder Leopard Cub - Chapter 37

The blush on Yi’an’s ear tips gradually spread across her cheeks…

Yi’an stood frozen before the white-haired woman, gazing up into her familiar gray-green eyes. The pupils seemed to hold a touch of unbelievable reality.

The Beast God struck a pose, one hand on his hip, trying to look cool. A slight smirk played on his lips, and his eyes gleamed with pride and anticipation, clearly expecting Yi’an to rush into an enthusiastic embrace.

But as the seconds ticked by, Yi’an didn’t react as he’d imagined. Instead, she remained silent and motionless, her gaze complex and unreadable. The atmosphere grew awkward, and the Beast God’s smile gradually stiffened.

“You little brat!” the Beast God finally snapped, his smile vanishing in a huff. “After all these years, you don’t even recognize your own mother?”

Yi’an didn’t reply, simply standing there, staring at the Beast God as he adopted the same feigned ferocity he’d worn years ago. Suddenly, her eyes felt hot. She lowered her gaze to the ground, and a single tear slid down her cheek, landing with a soft plop.

Seeing Yi’an’s drooping little leopard ears, the Beast God’s gaze softened instantly. She drifted toward Yi’an like a gentle breeze.

She raised her hand and gently stroked Yi’an’s head, while her other hand kneaded the little leopard ears. “What’s wrong, little one?” she asked softly.

Though her hand rested on Yi’an’s head, it felt weightless. The hand kneading her ears carried no warmth.

Yi’an lifted her head, two glistening tear tracks still clinging to her cheeks. Her voice was barely audible. “Are you… really not a hallucination?”

The Beast God paused, then chuckled. She cupped Yi’an’s face, gently wiping away her tears, and playfully pinched her cheeks into a pout. “Now do you still think I’m a hallucination?” she teased.

Watching this scene unfold, Nora, who stood nearby, widened her eyes in astonishment, utterly bewildered by what she was witnessing.

Sensing her gaze, the Beast God turned to look at the girl behind Yi’an, a warm smile curving her lips. “You must be little Nora.”

“You… know me?” Nora’s surprise deepened.

“Of course,” the Beast God replied, drifting over to Nora and taking her hand with a natural, affectionate gesture. “I even gave you your name.”

Nora froze, stunned to learn that her name had such a profound connection to the Beast God. She looked down at his hand clasping hers; though it was devoid of warmth, it filled her with an inexplicable sense of warmth.

The Beast God stood between Yi’an and Nora, his gaze sweeping back and forth between them. “I thought Xia La was just being whimsical back then,” he mused, “but here you two are, together.”

Yi’an’s emotions had gradually calmed. She lifted her head, a hint of unease in her eyes. “What’s going on with you now? And… are you really… dead?” Her voice trailed off.

“Well…” The Beast God blinked, waving his hand. The cramped, dimly lit room instantly transformed into a spacious, brightly lit living room. He floated gracefully to the sofa, poured himself a cup of tea, and changed the subject. “This is… a long story…”

Seeing this, Yi’an decisively interrupted him. “Then take your time. We’re not in a hurry.”

The Beast God shook his head, sighing helplessly. “The older she gets, the less adorable she becomes.”

He lifted his teacup, his fingertip tracing a circle through the rising steam. “My soul is shattered into fragments. You can consider me dead, or not. If my soul fragments can be reunited and reintegrated into my body, I will naturally awaken. Otherwise…”

“…The Garden of Eden not only holds our memories but is also the vital source of your mother’s power. It must never be destroyed. But when I sensed something was amiss, time was already running out. So I created a false Garden of Eden and allowed them to destroy it, while the true Garden of Eden…”

He paused, his gaze settling on the delicate teacup. “It’s as far as the heavens, yet as close as your own eyes.”

Nora’s eyes lit up, as if a realization had struck her. “So this Colson Island…”

“Shh—” The Beast God pressed a finger to his lips, winking to silence her speculation.

Yi’an watched their silent exchange, scratching her cheek in confusion. So, could the true Garden of Eden actually be Colson Island right here?

The Beast God refilled his tea and continued, “The Garden of Eden was originally meant to reside in the heavens. To maintain its ever-shifting location and form, it required a Divine Power seal. So I infused a sliver of my consciousness into my personal sword and placed it at the heart of the Garden. Only those connected to my bloodline can activate it.”

Hearing this, Yi’an finally understood. Just as she had suspected, Colson Island was indeed the Garden of Eden in disguise, explaining its complete lack of human inhabitants.

“Then can you sense the location of the soul fragment?” Yi’an couldn’t help but ask.

The Beast God shook his head. “Regrettably, as merely a wisp of consciousness, I lack such power.”

“However…” He paused, noticing the hope in their eyes, and smiled. “Aren’t you two capable of that?”

Huh? Yi’an and Nora exchanged bewildered glances.

“Let me see.” The Beast God took their hands, closed his eyes to sense their energy, and then opened them in surprise. “So neither of your powers has truly awakened yet?”

“Your Sacred Beast Power relies on the Divine Spark replicated by Mommy, while your Green Bloodline power remains completely dormant.”

“Seeing you two arrive together, I assumed…” The Beast God clicked his tongue, his words trailing off.

“Then how do we awaken our powers?” Yi’an and Nora asked in unison.

Observing their synchronized, eager gazes, the Beast God lowered his lashes and chuckled softly. “I just hope your mother doesn’t kill me for this.”

With a wave of his hand, a black-leather book materialized in his palm. He tossed it directly into Yi’an’s arms. “Read this when you have time. I’m confident you’ll awaken your powers within a few attempts.”

Yi’an caught the book and glanced at the cover, her mind buzzing with questions. Just as she was about to open it, the Beast God stood up, clapped his hands, and declared, “Alright, I’ve said all I need to say. Now leave and let me sleep.”

“Wait!” Yi’an stepped forward urgently. “Now that you’ve solidified your form, can you come with us?”

The Beast God waved his hand dismissively. “Until all dangers are eliminated, I must remain here to guard this place.”

As she finished speaking, she suddenly remembered something. She turned her palm upward and chanted a string of incantations, causing the longsword that had just vanished to reappear in Yi’an’s hand. “Take this. I believe the sword will teleport you here when you need to come.”

She added, “Or come to Colson Island. You should be able to communicate with the whales by now, right? They can guide you here too.”

“Remember, never come alone. Otherwise, you’ll be torn to pieces by the storm vortex.”

“But besides Baal, is there something else…?” Yi’an couldn’t help but ask.

The Beast God’s expression suddenly turned grave, silencing Yi’an.

She spoke softly, “I can’t tell you now. Your mother and I haven’t fully recovered our strength, and you haven’t awakened yet. Even if you knew, it would only increase the risk of leaks without solving any problems.”

Yi’an knew her mother was right, but the feeling of being kept in the dark was unbearable. She couldn’t help but lower her gaze, her ears drooping.

Seeing Yi’an’s drooping ears, the Beast God paused before floating closer. She spoke gently, “Good child, don’t be impatient. Retrieve my soul fragments, and when I awaken fully, I will tell you everything.”

Yi’an nodded, gripping her longsword tightly. “Don’t worry,” she declared, her voice ringing with determination. “We’ll definitely retrieve all the soul fragments!”

The Beast God smiled warmly at the revitalized Little Leopard. “I have no doubt,” he said, his voice filled with genuine reassurance.

As the Beast God escorted them out of the council hall, they witnessed the final rays of the setting sun, reflected off the dome, plunge into the sea. Darkness began to envelop the island.

“Should we find an inn to rest first?” Nora suggested.

Yi’an nodded. Since the storm struck, they hadn’t stopped moving, and they were indeed growing weary.

The pair approached the nearest stone-built inn to the council hall. At the end of the damp corridor, a cloud of choking dust billowed out as the wooden guest room door creaked open.

Yi’an waved her hand, sighing. “Looks like this place isn’t doing too well.” Knowing her Mommy’s obsessive attention to detail, she was certain the inn had been meticulously recreated to match its state on Colson Island, meaning the guest rooms had likely remained unoccupied for a long time.

Nora lit the wall lamp with a dark smudge on her hand, her gaze sweeping casually around the room. “Still, apart from the entrance, the room itself is quite spacious and clean.”

This was likely one of the inn’s premium rooms. In addition to a plush double bed, there was a sofa, a writing desk, and a wardrobe in the corner. A small door on the opposite side led to a bathroom.

Yi’an tried turning on the faucet, and to her surprise, clear, clean water flowed out. When she turned it the other way, warm water soon followed.

“Amazing!” Yi’an exclaimed, turning to Nora, who was making the bed. “This bathroom is actually working!”

Hearing this, Nora came over to try it herself. Just as Yi’an had said, warm water flowed freely. Nora, who was always fastidious about cleanliness, was overjoyed to finally escape her grimy state.

While Nora showered, Yi’an sat at the desk, bored, and pulled out the black-covered book her mother had tossed her from her pocket.

Could the answers I’m looking for really be in here? Yi’an shook her head and solemnly opened the first page.

Seconds later, she slammed the book shut as if shocked by electricity, took a deep breath, and tried to calm herself. “That shameless old woman…”

Yet the images from the book involuntarily flashed through her mind, the blush on her earlobes gradually spreading to her cheeks.

Yi’an stared down at the indecent book given to her by an indecent person, silent for a moment. Then she looked around, listened to the sound of the shower in the bathroom, and, confirming that Nora wouldn’t be out anytime soon, inexplicably picked up the black-covered book again and opened its yellowed pages…