Judging by their beast forms and star signs alone, not a single one of Jiang Xinli's five Beast Husbands was easy to deal with.
She herself was a Cancer, and in terms of astrological compatibility, she was most suited for a Scorpio.
But the moment she thought of that dark, cold viper, Xuan Ying, her innate fear of snakes made her hair stand on end and a shiver run down her spine.
"What is the Female Master thinking about?" A gentle voice suddenly sounded.
Jiang Xinli, who had been closing her eyes to think of a strategy, jumped in fright, nearly crying out.
She complained inwardly: 'How does he open doors and walk without making a single sound? He's like a ghost…'
"My apologies, I seem to have frightened the Female Master." Sheng Tianze looked apologetic as he gently set a glass of water to the side.
He then leaned down, wrapped his arms around Jiang Xinli, and skillfully half-lifted her into a more comfortable sitting position.
Jiang Xinli composed herself, her mind racing as she said, "I was thinking about you."
"Really?" Sheng Tianze raised an eyebrow slightly. He took off his gold-rimmed glasses, and his pale, handsome face instantly moved closer to hers.
Without the lenses to obstruct them, his dazzling golden eyes seemed even more brilliant, as if they held the entire, glittering expanse of the cosmos.
Looking at the face so close to hers, Jiang Xinli's heart suddenly sped up. She unconsciously pursed her lips and let out a soft "Mm."
She wasn't exactly lying. She had just been thinking about how to handle Sheng Tianze—and, of course, the other four Beast Husbands.
She knew in her heart that tigers, especially Leos, were extremely controlling and possessive.
Therefore, in front of Sheng Tianze, she decided to play the part of a gentle and obedient kitten in exchange for temporary protection and peace.
"Female Master, you're truly different today." The corner of Sheng Tianze's mouth curved up in a meaningful smile. He then pulled back, sat up straight, put his glasses back on, and handed the cup of water to her.
"Thank you." Jiang Xinli reached out to take the cup. She had just taken a sip when she heard strange, low growls and Xuan Ying's angry shouts from outside the window.
Alarm flashed in Sheng Tianze's eyes, and he got up and walked toward the window.
Outside the window, strange, densely packed shadows writhed in the inky blackness, like countless phantoms hidden in the dark, about to break through the glass.
Sheng Tianze's brow furrowed slightly, a trace of vigilance and gravity flashing in his deep eyes.
"There's no moon tonight. The Puppet Corpse Army has arrived." He turned and strode back to the bedside, his usually gentle and rich voice turning a few degrees colder, as if laced with the chill from outside.
Just then, a small, fair, and delicate hand, trembling slightly, gently tugged at the corner of his clothes.
The girl looked up, her eyes red-rimmed and filled with fear and helplessness, her voice tinged with the verge of tears:
"Then… can you not leave tonight? I'm so scared by myself…"
In that instant, Jiang Xinli's fear was completely genuine, as real as the palpable sense of danger rushing in from outside.
Sheng Tianze glanced down at her, a flicker of indiscernible contemplation in his eyes. "The number of Puppet Corpses tonight is massive. I have to go down and help."
After a pause, the corner of his mouth curved up slightly, his tone probing. "How about… we go down together?"
Jiang Xinli barely hesitated. Pausing for just a second, she nodded solemnly, her hair swaying gently with the movement. "Mm."
Her gaze firm, she added, "Wherever you go, I'll go."
Sheng Tianze raised an eyebrow, a hint of curiosity in his eyes. "You're not scared anymore?"
"I am scared, but with you here, I'm not *as* scared…" Jiang Xinli said softly.
After saying this, she felt goosebumps rise all over her body, as if countless pairs of cold eyes were watching her from the darkness.
"Alright." Sheng Tianze didn't question the truth of her words. He simply reached over, picked up a jacket, and gently draped it over her shoulders.
Then, with a sweep of his strong, powerful arms, he easily lifted her up.
'If she's downstairs,' he thought, 'I can get her to safety quickly if something unexpected happens.'
Besides, when Male Beastmen overuse their superpowers, it can easily trigger a rampage in their Spiritual Sea.
With her around, it added a layer of security for everyone, in a way.
After all, he had heard it clearly before: Ye Kuo's rampaging Spiritual Sea downstairs had likely been soothed and calmed by her.
He just couldn't figure out how she, with only F-rank spiritual power, had managed to do it…
Outside, the clamor of battle grew more intense. Amidst the familiar sounds of Xuan Ying's attacks, Jiang Xinli could also faintly hear the shouts of Yue Hua Yin and Hua Xi.
The two arrived downstairs.
The room was pitch-black.
Jiang Xinli looked toward the sofa but didn't see Ye Kuo.
Sheng Tianze carefully placed her on the edge of the sofa. Then he slowly stood up, his figure appearing especially tall and straight in the darkness.
"You're going to kill Puppet Corpses too?" Jiang Xinli was stunned, her eyes full of confusion.
She remembered his superpowers were the Space System and Healing System, which shouldn't have any offensive capabilities.
"Mm. The ones that came tonight are all Low-level Puppet Corpses. One more person is one more pair of hands." Sheng Tianze nodded slightly, his gaze firm. "Also, this house was provided by the interstellar prison and has some defensive functions. Stay inside and don't come out, no matter what."
After giving his instructions, Sheng Tianze turned and strode outside.
He gently closed the door, then took a Space Lock from his Space Ring and skillfully locked the door.
Immediately after, his figure flashed. He activated Spatial Teleportation and vanished on the spot, joining the fierce battle outside.
Jiang Xinli gazed in the direction he had disappeared and couldn't help but sigh internally: 'It's clear that my Beast Husbands are actually quite united behind the scenes.'
She took a deep breath, carefully got to her feet, and, with her legs trembling slightly, shuffled bit by bit toward the floor-to-ceiling window.
When she finally got a clear view of the scene outside, her legs went weak, and she nearly collapsed to the floor.
She never would have imagined that the house was situated in the middle of a barren wilderness piled high with ore!
All around, it was surrounded by a dense crowd of hideous monsters. They were shaped like zombies—half-human, half-beast—their eyes glowing with a terrifying scarlet light.
These monsters were enormous, at least twice the height of a normal person. They swayed as they moved, yet they were incredibly fast, like a black whirlwind.
Their bodies were twisted and deformed, their clothing tattered. With every step, large chunks of rotting flesh sloughed off their bodies.
As they let out low, hoarse roars, the wind carried a thick, acrid stench of decay that was nearly suffocating.
Jiang Xinli felt as if she had suddenly stumbled onto the set of a horror movie. Her heart hammered wildly against her ribs, threatening to burst from her chest at any second.
She reached up to pat her chest and was just about to turn and hide when she caught a glimpse of something—
A massive Puppet Corpse suddenly shot out from behind a pile of ore, baring its fangs and claws as it lunged toward Xuan Ying's back in the distance!