Chapter 157: Chapter 157: Exchange

Zeke’s lips curved slightly, looking at her with a hint of a smile, “Instead of watching the show here, why not keep an eye on Caleb’s female?”

Luna Sutton knew he meant Chloe Callahan, and her expression turned somewhat rigid.

This sharp-tongued man not only had a venomous mouth but also piercing eyes, to see that she was indeed watching Chloe.

She feigned composure on her face, saying, “I’m worried she might be a spy from The Winged Tiger Tribe, naturally needing to watch her closely.”

“What you said makes sense.”

Zeke nodded slightly, seemingly agreeing with this statement.

But then, his gaze turned sharp as he continued acidly, “Since you suspect she’s a spy from The Winged Tiger Tribe, then why go to lengths to send her away?”

His question sent a jolt through her heart.

Yet she kept her face steady, raising an eyebrow, “Send away? I hadn’t recognized her identity then, just thought she was some unfortunate female who accidentally fell off the cliff, barely surviving, and felt pity, hence wanted to send her away out of kindness.”

Speaking to this point, Luna Sutton lifted her gaze to Zeke’s indifferent face, continuing innocently, “That female later turned out to be recognized by you as Caleb’s companion, wasn’t she locked up? I even went to take a look when Rhys was interrogating.”

“Is that a problem?”

Her tone was light, “I merely saw her as pitiful and wanted to send her away. Is that seen by you as sinister? Or do you think I’m always a deeply scheming malicious female? Whatever I do, you consider bad?”

Zeke frowned, the green of his eyes reflecting complexity.

Luna Sutton indeed always gave him a poor impression, and even though recently she’s changed a lot, it’s hard to completely flip that entrenched image.

So whatever she does, in his eyes, instinctively veers towards suspicion.

Realizing he misunderstood her, his indifferent face showed a hint of embarrassment.

Yet he couldn’t bring himself to apologize, turning aside and lightly snorting, “You have a clever mouth.”

“Ding! Congratulations to the host, Zeke’s favorability increased by 10, current favorability 55, please continue with your efforts.”

Luna Sutton was about to say something when a cheerful system voice echoed in her mind.

She looked at Zeke with surprise; the sharp-tongued man’s affection finally rose, not easily achieved.

Her efforts were not in vain.

She suddenly realized, to win Zeke over, her mouth must surpass his.

If he’s sharp-tongued, she must aim to be even sharper, to the point he admits defeat.

Her lips curving upwards, ready to counter further with words leaving Zeke speechless.

“Roar——”

Not far away came a thunderous tiger roar.

Caleb bathed in blood, his golden pupils flickering with madness.

Fueling his bloodline, he forced a breakthrough to Tier Six. The White Tiger phantom roared behind him.

Spreading his wings, he charged towards Luna Sutton’s hiding spot.

“Watch out!”

Zeke’s green eyes narrowed, Wind Blade ready to strike, but swallowed by the White Tiger phantom behind Caleb.

Luna Sutton felt her vision blur, and the next instant, Caleb’s sharp claws were already gripping her throat.

Her body was pinned against the tree trunk by Caleb’s massive tiger form, pain piercing her neck, her breathing suddenly labored.

Corbin, Rhys, and Kian Sterling’s faces all changed drastically.

Even Zeke and Malachi’s faces were grim and unpleasant.

Caleb’s tiger claw pressed coldly on her neck artery, sneering, “Exchange her for my Chloe, how about it?”

Corbin’s silver bestial markings climbed up his neck suddenly, Silver-moon Grey Wolf’s claws tearing the ground, “You dare touch her—”

Rhys’s dark eyes narrowed, black tail flicking through the air, ready to attack at any moment.

Kian Sterling’s beautiful, fox-like eyes flashed coldly, his lips still carrying a playful smile.

But behind him, nine tails spread like a snowy barrier, swaying gently in the air, gleaming coldly under the moonlight.

Zeke’s green eyes sank, fingertips gathering Wind Blade, ready to rescue.

Malachi’s Netherworld Dark Fire flickered in his palm, black eyes fixed fiercely on Caleb.

Kian Sterling spoke softly, “Caleb, crush her throat, and you won’t have any bargaining chip.”

“Stop wasting time, bring Chloe here and let us leave. Or I will kill her.”

Caleb’s golden eyes flickered with madness, claw tightening slightly.

Luna Sutton felt breathless, her face flushed, and a slight struggle seemed to risk tearing her throat.

Her eyes were icy, palm vines silently snaking into the ground, aiming to ambush Caleb from behind.

Yet, before she could ambush.

Caleb seemed alerted, tiger claw tightened sharply, nearly piercing through skin, tiny streams of blood oozing.

Sudden suffocation engulfed her, darkness besieging her vision, the vines losing control instantly.

She cursed inwardly, Caleb really deserved to be one of the male leaders, even catching on to her little movements.

“If you keep playing tricks, I can’t promise what I’ll do.”

Caleb Manning’s voice was as cold as ice.

Suddenly, a cold fragrance hit his nose.

He paused slightly, looked down at Luna Sutton, and saw her frowning with her face flushed purple, showing signs of difficulty breathing.

Yet her gaze remained stubborn and calm.

That cold fragrance was clearly emanating from her, carrying a hint of crisp cedar, quite pleasant.

At least Caleb quite liked it.

The tiger’s claw loosened slightly, allowing her to breathe, but still firmly controlling her.

Luna Sutton gasped for air, unsure why Caleb suddenly loosened the tiger’s claw, but she was grateful to finally breathe.

She immediately thought of using vines to launch a sneak attack, but knowing how alert this man was, she dared not make a rash move.

Corbin Crowley’s wolf eyes narrowed as he stared at Luna Sutton in Caleb’s grasp, a subtle hint of tension flashing in his gaze.

A flash of white light, and suddenly he transformed into a human shape.

He approached slowly, his gaze falling on Caleb, speaking in a cold voice, “Caleb, release her, you can take your female away.”

Caleb’s tiger claw tightened again abruptly, mocking, “Let me see Chloe first.”

“Alright!”

Corbin waved a hand towards the woods behind him.

Soon, beastmen were escorting Chloe Callahan forward, her expression terrified, one side of her face glowing pale white, the other side dark yellow and sunken, the black-white contrast glaring under the moonlight.

Luna Sutton, Rhys Blackwood, and Malachi Arcanus had already seen Chloe Callahan in this guise, so they weren’t surprised, but even now they couldn’t help but twitch their mouths.

Corbin, Kian Sterling, Zeke Veridian, and Caleb were all stunned, their expressions exceedingly peculiar.

Corbin had never seen Chloe Callahan and thought she naturally looked like that.

He looked at Caleb mockingly, teasing, “Caleb, your female… is truly unique.”

Caleb frowned deeply, instinctively releasing Luna Sutton.

Rhys Blackwood, seeing her escape control, quickly enveloped her with his snake tail and pulled her to his side.

This female’s face had been Cynthia’s doing, and once Caleb knew the truth, who knows what he would do.

Naturally, they wanted to bring her back immediately.

Caleb stared at Chloe Callahan’s “Yin-Yang face,” his expression exceedingly unpleasant.

Chloe’s skin was usually super fair, whiter than snow in winter, looking very pure, completely unlike her current appearance.

His gaze swept over everyone present, his voice sharp and cold, “What did you do to her?”

Luna Sutton had just been pulled to safety by Rhys Blackwood’s snake tail when she heard Caleb’s sharp questioning.

She thought it was bad; the blame would likely fall on her.

Though it was indeed her doing.

The two beastmen also released Chloe Callahan.

Chloe Callahan, once free, instantly threw herself into Caleb’s arms, crying like a weeping willow, “Caleb, you finally came, I thought I would die here, it’s all my fault, I shouldn’t have argued with you over something trivial and left the Winged Tiger Tribe out of spite.”

Caleb’s temper had long since cooled; otherwise, he wouldn’t have eagerly come searching.

He looked down at the crying Chloe Callahan, but faced with her ’Yin-Yang face,’ he felt no sympathy, only a wave of irritation.

He gently brushed her cheek with his hand, frowning deeper as his fingers touched the dark yellow area.

“What’s with your face…?”

Caleb’s voice was low, with an undertone of suppressed anger.

Chloe Callahan sobbed, looking up at Caleb with grievance in her eyes, “It’s… it’s this female, she tricked me, claiming to help, but instead she smeared this black and yellow stuff on my face, drawing for ages, I… I had no idea she’d do this to me!”

Luna Sutton, hearing this, rubbed her temples, feeling she’d done something stupid.

She couldn’t be bothered to explain; there was nothing to explain.

She turned to the nearby forest, found a few purple berries, crushed them, and smeared them on Chloe Callahan’s face, instantly restoring the black-yellow part.

Corbin, witnessing this, slightly curled his thin lips.

He assumed Cynthia was jealous and had deliberately smeared her.

Not only did he not get angry, he was rather pleased, his heart sweet as honey.

He chuckled and walked to her, flicked her forehead lightly, his voice carrying a faint hint of affection, “You’re quite naughty.”

Luna Sutton, suddenly flicked on the forehead, couldn’t help but reach up to touch it, feeling speechless inside.

This dog of a man, when did he develop the habit of flicking foreheads?

“What are you doing, that really hurts, you know?”

She glared up at him, looking entirely displeased.

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