The Villainess Redeems Herself, The Beast Husbands are in a Daily Love Battle-Chapter 179: Will We Have to Pay Compensation?
Their gazes were cold.
Claire Joyce could only keep her head down, hold her breath, and slowly move along the cold wall.
Her heart pounded so fast it nearly burst from her chest.
It was not until she completely stepped out of the door that she dared to take a deep breath.
On her way home, she patted her chest and whispered, "That was terrifying... If it weren’t for Selene’s high status, I felt like I would be torn to pieces just from their glance."
She leaned against a stone post on the roadside, hands on her dramatically rising and falling chest.
The oppressive feeling from that moment still lingered in her mind.
The gaze of those High Rank males seemed to pierce through the soul.
If it weren’t for Selene Kane’s unique status.
She probably wouldn’t even have had the right to approach those kinds of people.
"Luckily, Selene protected me..."
She murmured, a trace of gratitude in her eyes.
She had neither a car nor an electric scooter, so Caleb Shaw had someone take her back to the village.
A black SUV was parked by the roadside.
Two guards in uniform stood waiting silently.
Though they said nothing, their straight posture spoke of their remarkable status.
Claire Joyce hesitated for a moment but still got into the back seat.
The car drove smoothly, passing through the bustling city and heading towards the remote mountains.
The scenery outside the window gradually changed from towering buildings to forests.
Her mood also slowly calmed down.
As soon as she reached the village entrance, she saw the village chief squatting under the old locust tree, waiting for her.
The old locust tree had stood there for hundreds of years.
Its trunk was sturdy, and its branches and leaves were lush, making it the most spiritual symbol in the village.
The village chief sat in the shadow of the tree roots.
His ears twitched slightly, indicating he had been listening intently to the road’s movements.
When he saw the black SUV appear, he slowly stood up, a long-lost look of anticipation in his eyes.
That old tiger was aged, its fur graying, yet its body remained strong.
The once majestic king of beasts now had white streaks in its mane.
The tiger stripe on its forehead had faded considerably.
But when it stood firm, its aura was still imposing, its steps steady.
Though its claws rarely extended, the wild strength remained deeply buried within.
The wind gently stirred the long fur around its neck.
Its gaze was empty, carrying an indescribable forlornness.
The once bright tiger eyes were now covered with a faint mist.
It gazed into the distance as if waiting for someone.
The village had declined significantly over the years.
Young people sought livelihoods elsewhere, leaving the elderly and children to struggle on.
Claire Joyce felt a lump in her throat, and she immediately turned back into a Little Fox, jumped up twice, and nestled into his arms.
"Chief, I’m back!"
Her small body leapt lightly, carrying a familiar scent.
She nuzzled her head against the village chief’s chest, her tail wagging happily.
The village chief’s hands trembled slightly, hugging her tightly.
Just like when she was a child, his rough hands stroked her soft fur gently.
Those hands, full of calluses, had chopped wood, carried grain, saved lives.
Yet now they cautiously caressed every inch of her fur.
He moved his throat, seeming to want to say something, but ultimately stayed silent.
He just held her tighter.
With a shine in his eyes, he didn’t speak, only repeating softly.
"It’s good to be back... good to be back."
He closed his eyes, letting his emotions surge in his chest without allowing tears to fall.
She held back tears, pretending as if nothing had happened.
"Chief, these are seeds that Selene asked me to bring. She wants to hire us to farm, with daily wages."
She took the cloth bag from her arms and gently placed it in the village chief’s hands.
"Selene said, as long as we water and fertilize them on time, we can get money every day and even share the harvest."
She poured out a handful of small black granules that no one recognized.
The seeds were only about the size of rice grains.
The surface was matte black-brown, vaguely carrying a strange fragrance.
Some were slightly flat; others were round like beans, with no uniform shape.
Villagers gathered around, curiously examining them, but none had seen these plants before.
Even the oldest farmer shook his head, saying he had never heard of them.
But Selene Kane said, just plant them like potatoes and cabbage, bury them in the soil.
No special soil was needed, no complex care required.
Only ordinary farmland and water sources were necessary.
She especially instructed not to use chemical fertilizers and not to overturn the soil excessively; letting nature take its course would make them grow better.
Even the sowing depth had its specifics to consider.
Not too deep, nor too shallow—around two fingers deep was best.
These were treasures painstakingly coaxed from the system by Selene Kane.
They grew fast, had high yields, enough to support a village.
Those seeds belonged to a special resource cache, typically not distributed to the public.
Selene Kane had begged and even used her exchange rights to get this small packet.
With them, the village might escape poverty and revive.
The village chief held the packet of seeds, trembling.
"What good things are these? Us Beastmen aren’t good at much, but we’ve got strength. Selene still remembers us."
He looked down at those inconspicuous little granules, his eyes seemingly envisioning fields of harvest.
"Selene... hasn’t forgotten her roots..."
He murmured.
"Now, prey outside is growing scarce. Hunters often return injured, but thanks to her, the children can go to school every day, sheltered from the wind and rain, and even learn to read. However, the tuition fees alone are suffocating, with textbooks and uniforms costing hundreds of Star Coins each semester, along with supplies and transport fees. It’s an immense burden."
He held the small seeds more carefully than his life.
Claire Joyce understood.
Her family was dirt poor; even the rice jar was often empty, and the pot usually only held wild vegetable soup to stave off hunger.
She was a fox, naturally weak in combat.
Fast but lacking endurance, she couldn’t beat the Bear Clan or the Tiger Clan.
Even a regular member of the Wolf Clan could probably one-slap her to the ground.
And being a female, in this strength-worshiping Beastman tribe.
It was hard enough for females to survive, let alone single ones like her without a powerful mate for support.
Had it not been for the village chief secretly helping with food and medicine.
She and her sickly father would have starved to death in the mountains long ago, their bones likely gnawed by beasts.
"They’re rose seeds."
She said quietly, her tone calm.
The village chief’s hands jerked, nearly dropping the seeds, his face suddenly changed.
"Roses? Aren’t those the flowers only grown in noble gardens? I heard they’re so delicate, they wilt at the slightest breeze or sun, and it’s tough to balance their water needs. Some even use special dew to water them and build shelters for shade and rain... My rough hands, worn from hard work and all scabbed over—if I accidentally damage the seedlings, how could I afford to pay for it?"
"What if we can’t grow them...will we owe money?"
He swallowed hard, carefully asking.
He feared not the effort, but that a failure might lead to deeper debt.
Claire Joyce used her slender fox paws to scratch the dirt beneath her, cluelessly raising her head.
