Werebeast Gongs CH 127 Twins Part 2
Dizzy and disoriented, Lei Jin had no idea how far he’d slid. As the slope finally began to level out, he desperately tried grabbing onto something with his free hand. He finally managed to clutch a thick vine hanging from an old tree, stopping his terrifying descent – but only after ripping off two fingernails in the process. Gasping for breath, he looked up and down and cursed inwardly. Damn it, is heaven jealous of my talent? Above him stretched another hundred meters of sheer incline, with large swathes of earth still sliding down. Below was far worse: the great river flowing through Tiger territory. Here, near its estuary where several tributaries converged, the water churned violently. The height alone was dizzying. He had absolutely no desire to personally test the "protagonist survives the cliff jump" trope.
Just then, the two little troublemakers in his belly decided to add to the chaos. Waves of increasingly intense pain wracked his body, sending cold sweat pouring down his back. He felt an almost primal urge to rip his belly open, yank them out, and give them a good spanking. Fatherly reason prevailed, however. He spoke softly to his stomach. "Alright, alright. I scared you back there. Don't be afraid. Daddy's here."
He repeated this several times. Miraculously, the babies seemed to understand and quieted down for a moment. Lei Jin wiped the sweat from his forehead, knowing clinging like a gecko halfway up a mountain was unsustainable. The cool valley wind buffeted him, making the vine sway. The area was deserted; shouting for help was pointless. If the vine snapped, he’d be nothing but a bloody smear on the rocks below.
He’d always thought himself pragmatic about death, even joking that everyone had to go sometime, sooner or later. Faced with it now, however, a fierce will to live surged within him. He thought of the three waiting for him at home, wondered if Grapes’ fever had broken, and remembered the two lives still inside him. These thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant, sharpening his focus. He tightened his grip on the vine, ignoring the warm blood trickling down his arm from torn fingernails. Scanning the cliff face desperately, he spotted a small ledge about two meters away. The vines nearby seemed dense and sturdy enough. No choice. Got to try.
He kicked off the rock face, using the momentum to swing on the vine and grab the next one. After switching vines four or five times, he finally reached the ledge. He paused, catching his breath. It's either do or die. With one final lunge, he landed heavily on the narrow outcrop. The old tree, unable to bear the strain any longer, ripped free from its roots and plummeted silently into the raging river far below.
Lei Jin lay sprawled on the ledge, barely half a meter wide, heart pounding with delayed terror. It took him a good while to calm down enough to mutter, "Survive a great disaster, gain great fortune later..."
Moving his limbs gingerly, he discovered the ledge wasn't isolated. It was part of a path hidden beneath thick weeds and vines. Covered in moss from perpetual shade, it was treacherously slippery. He hadn't noticed it before. Cradling his belly, he inched along the rock face on hands and knees. After crawling cautiously for about two or three hundred meters, the path ended. But in the rock wall, he found a low opening, just tall enough to crawl through head-first. A cool draft flowed from within. Pitch black, its destination unknown. He had no other choice. He crawled in.
The tunnel sloped downward. The walls felt icy and smooth to the touch – not earth, but some kind of stone. It widened as he descended. With no branching paths, he kept crawling forward. By the time he emerged from the other end, he was drenched in a cold sweat from the ordeal. Moonlight revealed he was in a valley, but night had fallen completely. Being human, not a werebeast, he could see almost nothing.
Lei Jin slumped against the rock wall to rest. The familiar, heavy ache in his belly surged back.
"Babies, hold on a little longer," he pleaded, stroking his stomach. "Wait until we get out of here. Please don't come now. Daddy truly has no strength left." During the slide, he was pretty sure he'd broken his left leg; any movement sent sharp pain shooting through it. Ever since carrying these two, he seemed prone to fractures. With Moya around, it was manageable. Alone, with his huge belly, he couldn't even reach his own calf to set it properly.
This time, the babies weren't listening. A fiery, burning pain intensified in his abdomen. They kicked violently. His clothes, just dried by the cold wind, were soaked through again with sweat.
"You three are going to be the death of me," Lei Jin hissed through gritted teeth, clutching his shirt. A man forced to carry children, now giving birth alone in the wilderness... He had a terrible premonition: they were coming. For werebeast babies, eight months was full term. He was at seven and a half. It was time.
He remembered hearing that walking might help speed things along. Leaning against the rock wall, he tried to stand. His injured leg buckled uselessly. He collapsed onto his knees with a thud, unable to move for a long moment.
Labor pains racked him for most of the night. Kneeling on the ground, cradling his belly, exhausted and in agony, Lei Jin finally passed out. The pain woke him again later. This cycle repeated throughout the long night. The babies didn't come, but dawn eventually did.
Soaked and chilled by the night wind, Lei Jin woke feeling heavy-headed, his throat raw and aching. Spotting a lake shimmering in the sunlight nearby, he dragged his injured leg towards it. Seeing fish in the clear water, he knew it was likely safe. He plunged his face in, gulping down mouthfuls of cool water and splashing his face. Only then did he take stock of his surroundings. It was indeed a secluded valley, ringed by mountains. Sparse trees dotted the landscape; the center was flat grassland overgrown with dense bushes and wildflowers. Birdsong filled the air, and he glimpsed the occasional rabbit darting through the undergrowth.
Numerous cave openings dotted the mountain walls, their entrances unnaturally regular, clearly not natural formations. Lei Jin chose one closest to the lake. Inside was dry, and half a stone door offered shelter from the wind – perfect. He crawled around gathering dry branches, speared two fish with a sharp stick, and managed to start a fire. By the time he finished, he had no strength left to even lift a finger. His knees were probably raw, but compared to the agony in his belly, it was nothing.
Catching his breath, Lei Jin knew the time was near. He pushed his pants down, feeling the flint necklace Mingya had given him around his neck. At least it's summer, he thought grimly, trying to find humor. If it was like how he gave birth to Grapes in winter, he would have frozen solid.
A powerful contraction seized him. Warm fluid gushed between his legs. Experience told him his waters had broken. There was no turning back now. Remembering how long Grapes’ birth took, and fearing he’d lose strength, he forced himself to eat the half-cooked fish despite the pain.
Finding a spot sheltered from the wind, he half-lay, legs spread wide. His huge belly rippled visibly; the babies were impatient. Tearing pain radiated from between his legs, but no baby emerged. Gritting his teeth, he mimicked Healer Qingqiao’s method, pressing down on his belly. The agony was unbearable. Even his formidable will broke. A hoarse scream tore from his throat. "It hurts! Ah... Moya, save me! Moya, save me..."
Moya jolted awake where he’d slumped beside the bed.
Xiya, seeing this, asked, "What's wrong? You're exhausted. You were up all night at Uncle An Bu’s. Go sleep in the bed. I’ll watch Grapes. His fever’s starting to break. Chunji said if it doesn’t spike again by tonight, he’ll be out of danger."
Moya rubbed his temples and felt Grapes’ forehead. The heat was indeed receding. "I’m fine. I’ll rest after tonight." He’d managed this long; one more day wouldn’t kill him.
"Nightmare? You're covered in cold sweat," Xiya noted, seeing his pallor.
"Eldest Brother... I’m worried about Lei Jin." He couldn't recall the dream, but a deep sense of dread lingered.
Xiya’s expression sobered. He sighed. "Uncle An Bu is critically injured. Life or death is uncertain. His wish was for one of us to succeed him as chief. You’ve said you don’t want it. If I leave now too... I’d feel like I’m failing him. Grapes is still sick. Mingya’s leg isn’t healed. And you said Uncle Hao Chen has practically adopted Lei Jin. Surely they’ll take good care of him." It was the only way to rationalize it, but the worry gnawed at him too.
Moya clenched his fists. He knew Lei Jin’s nature. He’d never willingly burden others. His temper tantrums with them were precisely because he saw them as family. Even with Uncle Hao Chen, if Lei Jin was suffering, he’d likely just endure it silently. He was probably miserable right now.
"If they're werebeast babies, they should be born this month," Moya added quietly.
The implication hit Xiya. His face tightened. After a moment, he said, "If Grapes’ fever breaks tonight, Mingya and I can manage things here and with Uncle An Bu. You should go to Lei Jin." He saw Moya was nearing his breaking point. A temporary escape might be good. His child, Lei Jin, his father – any one was a heavy burden. All three together were crushing.
"Alright," Moya agreed.
Lei Jin’s face was deathly pale. His legs trembled uncontrollably. He’d bitten his lips bloody. Finally, he felt the baby move lower. Black spots danced before his eyes. Terrified of passing out now, he fumbled in his shirt pocket with shaking hands, pulled out the small bronze knife, and slashed his arm several times. Blood welled instantly.
"Quite sharp, huh..." he gasped, the pain jolting his fading consciousness.
How much time passed, he didn’t know.
"AHHHH!" A guttural scream tore from him as a wet, slippery little body slid out between his legs. Relief washed over him, and he slumped backward. Then his eyes snapped open in panic. The other one! He bore down again with everything he had. The second baby came much faster.
"Two little boys. Thank goodness not two cubs," he breathed, genuinely relieved he hadn't birthed actual leopard kits. Pushing himself up against the rock wall, he gathered the babies, severed the umbilical cords himself, and gave them firm slaps. Strong, healthy cries filled the cave. Assured they were fine, his last reserves of strength vanished. He wrapped them in his shirt, cradled them against his bare chest, and plunged into unconsciousness.
He slept deeply for a long time. Lei Jin woke to a strange, insistent tickling sensation on his chest. He looked down. Two golden-furred leopard cubs, eyes still closed, were nuzzling and kneading his chest with eight tiny paws, suckling fiercely.
"Hey! I don't have milk for you!" Lei Jin grumbled, his face darkening. He grabbed them by the scruff of their necks, lifting one in each hand. He couldn't fathom how the two baby boys he'd delivered had become leopard cubs while he slept, but he vividly remembered their shock of golden hair just before he passed out. Instinctively, despite their furry forms, he recognized them – the babies he'd carried for over seven grueling months.
"Well, well. Look who it is." A voice, colder than winter frost, came from the cave entrance.
Lei Jin froze. He knew that voice. He knew exactly what "meeting your nemesis in a narrow alley" meant now. Standing there was none other than Rong Chuan – the man Xiya had beaten and expelled from the Tiger Tribe.