Surviving The Beast World With My 'Sassy' System-Chapter 16: Encountering Beastmen

Lavayla crouched by the beast’s body. She found the front of it and widened the hole she’d made earlier until it encircled the entire chest. Once she had room to work, she began cutting — crooked, soft strokes with the dagger-like knife.

After a lot of clumsy, uneven cutting, she finally managed to peel the hide off and tossed it aside. The motion was awkward and slow, her hands shaking with every cut, but eventually she reached the ribs and heavier bones, which she heaved into the pit.

One by one, she pulled out the thick cuts of meat. Carefully, she rinsed all the chunks of meat in the plastic bucket, scrubbing lightly so the blood wouldn’t stay on the meat. She arranged the good portions neatly, then fetched several broad leaves, dried them, and then wrapped the unused cuts in the leaves. After tying the bundles with thin vine strips, she stored them in the space vault.

The meat she intended to cook was rewashed after buying another two gallons of water.

She cleaned the pot, filled it with water, and set it over the fire pit outside the cave. Once it boiled, she tossed in the meat. While waiting, she washed the mulberries, peeled & sliced the yam, and cracked open the tamarind pods. She mashed everything together just as she had done that morning. When the meat softened, she sliced it into small pieces and mixed it all, forming a thick porridge that carried a wild, savory scent.

By the time she finished, sweat coated her back, her arms were weak, and her stomach growled again.

The system was silent for a suspiciously long moment.

Then— ’...Host. Fine. Fiiine. I will give you your reward. Both for the morning food and for this one.’

Two prompts appeared in her vision:

[Morning Meal Mission Complete — 2500 Points Awarded plus 500 bonus points.]

[Afternoon Mission Complete — 2500 Points Awarded]

The system grumbled. ’Happy now, host...?’

Lavayla smirked as she stirred the pot. "Extremely."

After she finished cooking, she covered the pot and carried both the pot and the bowl and spoon into the cave. Reaching the laid-out blanket, she paused. The baby was awake, wide-eyed and babbling, wobbling as he tried to push himself upright.

Lavayla smiled despite her exhaustion. She set the items down, went to him, and lifted him into her arms. He squealed, grabbing fistfuls of her top, and she bounced him lightly, playing with him until his giggles filled the cave. After a moment, she sat him down on the blanket.

"Don’t run off," she warned, even though his tiny legs couldn’t carry him anywhere yet.

She stepped back outside, washed everything she’d used, and left the fire burning low.

When she returned, she scooped a bowl of the thick porridge. The baby immediately reached for it with both hands. Lavayla caught his small fingers before he could topple the bowl and played with his hands instead. He burst into laughter, kicking his feet.

Looking at him, she spoke to the system in her mind.

’System, how many points do I have left?’

’Host had 16,300 points left, plus the 5,500 points rewarded for the mission. You currently have a total of 21,800 points~!’

’Right. I want to buy the baby formula — a larger one. Something that can last at least a month. How much?’

’Host~ it is supposed to be 2,500 points, but because you are on a 30% discount, it will be 1,750 points. So you just need to pay 1,750 points, and I’ll give you the baby formula that can last for a month if used sparingly.’

’Alright. Buy it.’

The moment she bought it, the container appeared beside her — large, sturdy, and sealed tight. She nodded to herself, took the small feeder she’d used earlier, mixed the formula, and lifted the baby onto her lap.

The moment she placed the bottle near his mouth, he grabbed it with surprising determination and sucked eagerly. Lavayla couldn’t stop the laugh that slipped out.

As evening deepened, Lavayla checked on the baby. She peeled off his clothes and immediately grimaced—he had pooed in his diaper. She pinched the edge, holding her breath, and tossed it onto a clearing a bit far from the cave. Her eyes narrowed as she gave him a stink eye, then she sighed, muttering, "Oh God... what did I do to deserve this?"

Without letting him touch her, she scooped him up by the armpits and held him in front of her. She rinsed his bottom, then his whole body, before heading back inside.

She dusted off the blanket, laid it neatly, and set the baby on it. Then, she dashed outside again to deal with the diaper. Holding the stained cloth up, she pinched it and scowled, disgust written all over her face.

"System... soap! I need soap! Ugh."

’Sure, host. I can provide a full package—dishwashing liquid, laundry detergent, and body wash. Total: 500 points. Purchase it?’

"Yeah... just give me already."

’Purchase confirmed~!’

She psyched herself up and started scrubbing, grimacing as she worked. By the time she finally finished, the diaper was clean and fresh. She let out a long, satisfied sigh, relief flooding through her.

Then when night fell, she cooked the remaining food, left the fire burning low, cleaned up every tool and surface she’d used, fed the baby again, and finally lay down.

But sleep didn’t come quickly.

She tossed, turned, stared at the cave ceiling, listening to her mind churn. She thought about the python, the cliff, the bridge, the beast she’d killed, the baby beside her, fear of her situation — everything. All of it tangled in her thoughts like vines refusing to loosen.

It wasn’t until sometime after midnight, when her eyes could no longer fight the heaviness, that she finally drifted off, exhaustion pulling her under at last.

|The Next Morning|

Lavayla woke with her face buried in the blanket, stiff-necked, half-drooling, and completely disoriented. For a second, she didn’t even know where she was — until the earthy smell of the cave seeped back into her senses, along with the faint crackle of dying embers outside.

And the soft babbling beside her.

She lifted her head slowly. The baby was already awake, rolling onto his stomach and kicking his legs, as if warming up for a marathon he fully intended to run the moment he figured out how.

Lavayla let out a long exhale. "Morning already...? Damn."

Her body felt heavy. Not the good kind of heavy — the "I only slept three miserable hours" kind. She rubbed her eyes until her vision cleared, then pushed herself upright. Her muscles complained immediately.

The system chimed in, annoyingly cheerful.

’Good morning, host~ You slept for five hours and fifty-one minutes. Impressive, considering how long you stayed awake last night.’

"Don’t praise me," she muttered. "It wasn’t by choice."

The baby reached for her with tiny grabby hands, whining in that soft, pitiful way that stabbed directly into her conscience. Lavayla blinked at him, then scooped him up and pressed him against her chest.

"There, there. You’re hungry, aren’t you?"

’Host, the baby is indeed hungry. His stomach has been rumbling for the past eight minutes and forty-three seconds.’

"Thank you for the unnecessary precision."

She stood, joints popping, and walked toward the entrance. The fire pit still held a weak glow, easy enough to revive. She stoked it, added a few dry sticks, and set the pot on top. The porridge from last night had thickened, forming a dense mass she’d have to reheat and thin out with water.

While it warmed, she prepared the baby’s formula — scoop, shake, test. When she offered it, the baby grabbed the bottle with both hands, as if he feared she might snatch it away.

Lavayla snorted. "Relax. I’m not fighting you for it."

He sucked eagerly, cheeks puffing, eyes half-closing in bliss. The sight made something tight in her chest loosen a little.

Only a little.

She stirred her reheating porridge and sat down on the stone slab. The steam rose, carrying the same wild scent as yesterday, but for once she didn’t grimace. Hunger didn’t allow it. She ate in silence while the baby drank beside her.

After a while, the system cleared its throat — figuratively, but loud enough in her mind.

’Host, you have 19,400 points left after purchasing the soap package. Today, you should consider exploring the surrounding area or locating safer water sources. The river is too far, and using your stored water won’t last long.’

Lavayla paused mid-bite. "Explore where? Everything out there wants to swallow me whole."

’Correct, host. But you also need to survive. And surviving requires information. I will guide you.’

She clicked her tongue. "Fine. After breakfast."

’Noted~’

Lavayla fed the baby the last of his bottle, wiped his mouth with the corner of her sleeve, and then placed him carefully on the blanket. He immediately grabbed his toes and tried to eat them.

She stared. "...Sure. Whatever makes you happy."

Then she sighed, stood, and tightened her grip on her knife.

———

Walking through the forest, Lavayla used her hand to shield her eyes from the sun filtering through the trees.

"We’ve been walking for three hours and still no sign of water. Do you actually know where we’re going?"

’Yes, host~ Just a little more!’

"Yeah, you’ve been saying that for a while. Thank god I used the remaining water for a shower, or I’d be roasting under this sun." 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

She moved cautiously, wearing the same pajamas, the baby tied to her back with the dried furs. Her hair was in a high bun, and she gripped the dagger in her right hand, scanning the forest around her.

Suddenly, a loud growl echoed. Lavayla froze.

"Did you hear that?"

’Yes, host. I scanned it. You’re about to encounter Beastmen before reaching the water source.’

Lavayla’s heart skipped.

"What? Beastmen?!"

’Yes, host. There are five of them. Three on one side, two on the other. They appear to be quarreling.’

Lavayla cursed under her breath. "Shit!"

She looked down at the ground, scanning quickly. "Where can I hide? You said before that they have high hearing, right? Then they could find me—and I do not want them to find me. Meeting them... I don’t even want to meet them. So where can I hide?!"

The system drawled, its voice slow, almost teasing. ’Host... you’ll have to meet and interact with them at some point, right?’

"Yes, I know," Lavayla snapped, her teeth grinding. "Just tell me. Where can I hide?"

’Okay. Go to your left. No, to the right. Yeah... stop there. Behind that tree. You can hide there.’

"Okay." Lavayla’s knees hit the dirt as she crouched, pressing herself against the rough bark. She shifted slightly forward, careful to keep the baby steady on her back. Her breath slowed, chest tightening as the distant rumble of voices grew louder.

And then she saw them.

Oh, fuck.

They really weren’t human. No human could reach the height and mass of those hulking figures. No human would have rippling muscles like stone walls under layers of tattered hides. Their hair and beards were wild and unkempt, and their claws—she noticed the claws—curved like sickles.