After Giving Birth, All My Beast Ex-Husbands Suddenly Want Me Back

Chapter 424: Why they fell ill

By evening, most of the dispatched beastmen had arrived. Some were stationed at various points across the city, while the rest gathered at Nina’s place.

Yarin looked at Nina, his eyes wide with curiosity and awe. He nudged Dio. "Hey, is that unbelievably gorgeous female the boss’s female lord?"

Dio frowned and scolded him, "What do you mean ’unbelievably gorgeous female’? You should address her as Lady Nina."

"You guys call her Lady?" Yarin asked, bewildered.

"What of it? Lady Nina is incredibly strong. You better show her absolute respect from now on, otherwise, the boss and the rest of us will personally skin you alive."

"Got it, got it," Yarin muttered, though a hint of envy slipped into his voice. "Man, what kind of crazy luck does the boss have to find such a beautiful female lord? Do you think guys like us ever stand a chance?"

For rogue beasts like them, finding a normal female was hard enough, let alone someone this exceptional. The boss’s luck was simply off the charts—he went to steal a spiritual bead and ended up coming home with a female lord.

Dio smacked Yarin hard across the back of the head. "Don’t even dream about it. Lady Nina’s beast husbands are all incredibly powerful and elite males. You can’t even beat me, so you don’t stand a ghost of a chance."

Yarin rubbed his head. "I was just asking! Besides, I’m not that bad looking myself."

Who wouldn’t want a great female master? Looking at how blissfully happy the boss looked, anyone could guess with their eyes closed that this female must be amazing to her males.

"Pfft, you think you look better than Lady Nina’s husbands?" Dio scoffed.

Yarin glanced over at Odian and the others, feeling a bit sheepish. Alright, he really couldn’t compete. But that was only because those males were ridiculously good-looking; his own appearance was actually well above average for most males.

As they were chatting, Sal walked over and asked Yarin, "Yarin, how are things looking back in the City?"

"Boss, you’ve been gone for so long this time that Ning and Rong have been getting restless. Word is they found a particularly powerful beastman from somewhere. Now that you’ve drawn so many men out of the city, they probably won’t pass up this chance to move in."

"Let them try," Sal said, a sharp smirk playing on his lips. "If they dare touch my territory, I’ll let them experience exactly how terrifying my female lord can be."

Yarin and the incoming rogue beasts stared at him as if they had just seen a ghost. Was this really their boss? Since when did their cold, domineering leader turn into a doting, dependent husband?

Yarin asked in sheer disbelief, "Boss, are you serious? You’re going to let your female master fight those powerful rogue beasts for you?"

Sal looked entirely dismissive. "Of course. Dealing with them won’t even require Nina to lift a single finger."

"Exactly! Lady Nina will beat them all into the dirt so they never dare try to steal our territory again," Dio and the others chimed in.

Yarin and his crew stared at Dio’s group. How had they all ended up like this too? They couldn’t help but wonder: was the boss’s female really that powerful?

"Boss, you’re a male. Letting your female protect you like that... isn’t it a bit unseemly?" Yarin pressed.

"What do you know? The happiness of being protected by your female lord is something you dateless, single males couldn’t possibly comprehend," Sal bragged proudly.

The rogue beasts: Damn it, there’s no need to attack our relationship status.

Dio and his guys: ...Boss, why did you have to loop us into that collateral damage too?

Sal shifted back to business. "Did you bring the things I asked for?"

Yarin pulled out a spatial stone. "I grabbed everything I could get my hands on from the estate. I didn’t have the key to the main treasury, though, so I couldn’t get in there."

Sal took the stone. "This will do for now. I’ll find a chance to head back and empty the treasury myself later." He did a quick inspection, nodded in satisfaction, and took the spatial stone back to turn it over to Nina.

Nina had Ridan and the others prepare a massive, delicious feast to welcome everyone. The newly arrived males, tasting such incredible food for the very first time, practically inhaled their meals. Afterward, Nina distributed supplies to the entire group.

As she tallied up the expenses, she finally understood why ancient monarchs always complained about the ruinous cost of maintaining an army—it really drained the funds. Little Bun, however, was absolutely thrilled, as this massive transaction triggered another system upgrade.

Once everyone was fed, hydrated, and supplied, they headed off to their designated quarters to rest.

The night passed quickly, and the morning sun gradually broke across the horizon.

While the morning light usually brought a fresh surge of vitality, Serpent City was blanketed in a heavy, somber silence. Today was the day countless males in the city were scheduled to be sacrificed to the formation.

At dawn, Nina had everyone pack up their gear, gathered the cubs in her arms, and prepared to head toward the array. With the city bound to be chaotic today, she didn’t feel safe leaving the cubs behind.

Just as she got a secure hold on them, Phar suddenly leaped straight into her arms as well.

Nina looked down. "Snowflake, why don’t you go with Roro and the others?"

Phar shook his head, clinging tightly to her clothes and refusing to budge. Seeing his stubbornness, Nina let it go. Whatever, carrying one more little animal wouldn’t hurt.

The beast husbands, however, narrowed their eyes in annoyance. Why does this little white beast always insist on snuggling into Nina’s arms? They would definitely have to give him a firm talking-to later—even they didn’t get treated to such prime real estate so easily!

Nina arrived at the formation grounds with the cubs and her males, while the rest of her forces took up hidden positions nearby.

The great formation was divided into two distinct sections. One side was designated for the males who were to be sacrificed, while the other was for the sick females and cubs. They were positioned at opposite ends with a significant distance between them. The sacred artifact sat closest to the females and cubs, protected by a powerful defensive array.

Heavy lines of guards ringed both the artifact and the formation boundaries. Beyond that, a vast sea of Serpent City beastmen packed the area, creating a massive, suffocating crowd. Milt had arranged for Nina and her group to occupy a prime spot right near the front.

Meanwhile, Tair stood hidden within the crowd, wearing a mask as he scanned the area intently, trying to locate Xirin. From another hidden vantage point, Xirin was also keeping a close eye on the entire setup.

Milt stepped onto the high platform in the center, his voice booming over the crowd. "For the sake of our city’s females and cubs, and for the future of Serpent City, we must activate the formation and awaken the sacred artifact!"

He raised a chalice of beast blood high into the air. "To the beastmen sacrificing themselves for Serpent City!"

The crowd below roared in unison, "To the beastmen sacrificing themselves for Serpent City! To the beastmen sacrificing themselves for Serpent City!"

Milt poured out the beast blood as a libation. The males designated for the sacrifice shared a final, agonizing farewell with their families before resolutely stepping into the array. At the same time, the ailing females and cubs were systematically guided into the opposite side. Within moments, both sides of the formation were packed.

Milt surveyed the perimeter. "Prepare to activate the array."

The surrounding shamans took their positions. The doomed males cast lingering, reluctant looks toward their loved ones, bracing themselves for the end.

Just as the shamans raised their hands to trigger the magic, Xirin suddenly surged out from the crowd and into the air, shouting, "Wait!"

He led a large faction of beastmen in an attempt to fly straight toward the formation, but they were immediately intercepted by the perimeter guards.

Milt waved his hand to stand them down. "It’s fine. Let them through."

The guards stepped aside, allowing Xirin and his followers to land directly in front of Milt.

"Xirin, what is the meaning of this interruption?" Milt demanded.

"What do you think?" Xirin sneered. He turned around to face the males trapped inside the sacrifice array, projecting his voice. "None of you need to sacrifice your lives today! I have the medicine to cure the city’s females and cubs!"

Milt’s brow furrowed tightly. "You truly possess a cure?"

Xirin radiated absolute confidence. "Of course."

Nina stroked her chin thoughtfully. This Xirin actually has an antidote? Could he be the one behind the poison in the first place?

Idir stared at Xirin, his eyes burning with pure, unadulterated hatred. He was going to kill him today. Forcing himself to suppress his murderous aura, he reminded himself that it wasn’t the right moment to strike yet—he needed to help Nina secure the sacred artifact first.

Xirin caught Idir’s gaze and frowned slightly. Idir was a wildcard, and given how fiercely his female lord protected him, Xirin wasn’t entirely sure if he would be able to strike a deal with her later.

Meanwhile, the males inside the array looked up with sudden, ecstatic hope. Did this mean they didn’t have to die? The rest of the onlookers felt a massive wave of relief as well; if there was any alternative, no one wanted to see so many innocent lives snuffed out.

The males inside the array couldn’t contain themselves and called out, "Lord Xirin, do you really have the medicine to cure the sick?"

"I do," Xirin promised solemnly. "Rest assured, I will personally heal your females and cubs shortly."

Milt stepped forward, his voice laced with suspicion. "And how exactly did you come by this medicine?"

"I formulated it myself, through immense effort and hardship," Xirin replied smoothly. He shot a pointed look at Milt before turning back to address the entire assembly. "Do any of you actually know why the beastmen of our city fell ill in the first place?"