The Abyss World, the Kemono Girl Encyclopedia Project!

Wang Yan currently has two options. One is to build a brick wall on the edge of the cliff, leaving only one gap, to enclose the entire courtyard. This way, the strange beast can come out through that gap, and the gap can be guarded.

However, Wang Yan was not very optimistic about this plan, because the giant dog-headed man was very strong. It would be fine in the short term, but in the long run, the brick wall would probably be destroyed in a few months, which was not worth it.

Another option is to hide entirely in a cave, just like the one in Bai Guo's family's cave. The exit is just a small dog hole. Although getting around is a bit inconvenient, at night you only need to block the entrance with a large rock, and you don't even need to keep watch at night.

However, finding a cave like this is entirely up to fate, and since their family has six members, a smaller one wouldn't be suitable.

Wang Yan thought to himself that he should keep an eye out for remote caves when he goes out in the next few days, and if he finds a suitable one, he should move there.

After spending some more time with You Li, Wang Yan returned to his cave to continue sleeping. Usually, there would only be one attack at night. After a brief chat, he went back to sleep.

The next morning, Zhuohua woke Wang Yan up early. Since the weather was nice, they decided to have Wang Yan take them to see the family of rats. The two of them left early.

Wang Yan is not a local, so it would be best for the well-informed Zhuohua to take a look at the origins of these "new neighbors" himself.

Along the way, Wang Yan told Zhuo Hua about what happened last night. Zhuo Hua's expression was somewhat helpless, but more than that, it was filled with heartache.

"That girl Youli...sigh..."

Wang Yan also voiced the question that had been on his mind, saying:

"Why does Youli like to act so strong?"

When this topic came up, Zhuohua couldn't help but purse her lips. Wang Yan was now considered family to them, so it was only right that he should learn about the background of these girls.

"I found Youli later. The story behind this is long and needs to start with my origins."

As she walked, Zhuohua put her hands behind her back, as if she were taking a stroll.

"I originally came from an upper-level place called the Cuckoo Dynasty, a country completely ruled by the salamanders. Because of some unspeakable things, I was forced to leave my hometown and wander around until later, I adopted three little girls, Yingluo, Zhizhi and Huayue, by a twist of fate."

"That was a slave trading group that specialized in selling bestial beings to humans to satisfy their perverse desires."

Zhuohua spoke calmly, as if she were talking about something insignificant, but she didn't notice that her mood seemed to have turned gloomy.

"I killed someone, and dragged the three little ones, huddled together and trembling, out of the cage. My original plan was to give them all up for adoption, but who would adopt a beastman for no reason?"

"At first, I just felt sorry for the three tiny ones, huddled in the cage shivering. It was just a passing fancy. But when it came to deciding what to do with them, I was stumped."

"I originally wanted to give them some money and let them fend for themselves, but my conscience wouldn't allow it, so I gritted my teeth and adopted them all at once."

"So, we took them to a remote place and lived in seclusion there. Although life was a bit hard, it was enough that they could grow up safely and healthily."

After hearing Zhuohua's story, Wang Yan was filled with emotion. Zhuohua had truly treated him as family and confided in him. At the same time, he suddenly understood why Yingluo had shown kindness when she saw Baiguo's family. It turned out that Zhuohua was the one who had shown kindness.

"And so, I lived with my three younger sisters for several years, until one day, we met Youli in a cave."

"The moment she saw me, she rushed at me like a madwoman in a fit of rage, tearing at me. I turned her body to the side and found a somewhat decomposed female corpse lying deep in the cave. Instantly, I understood the general situation of her."

"Later, I couldn't stop worrying about that child, so I often brought her food to visit her. But the result was obvious: every time, she would bite me until I was covered in wounds, and sometimes even bite off pieces of my flesh."

"But this is nothing to me. After all, I am a salamander. At most, I can just go back and take a nap. This went on for about a month or two before I finally calmed down that irritable little one and led her out of the cave for the first time."

"Whether it's three or four, it's still raising them. Later, I adopted Youli. I learned from her that the woman who died in the cave was her mother. She was so shocked that she attacked me. Maybe that's why she's been so quiet and reserved since she came to our home. She feels guilty and always wants to make amends."

"But we're family, so there's no need for guilt. In the end, I had no other choice, so I cut off my own tail in front of the child. I held up the still-wriggling piece of my tail and said to her, 'See, this is nothing to me!' But the child just cried even harder..."

Wang Yan listened silently, his heart filled with mixed emotions. He suddenly understood the weight behind You Li's silence—it wasn't just guilt, but also a deep-seated, cautious protection of her new family after losing a loved one, a clumsy defense born of fear of losing them again.

For example, it's like a blended family. No matter how affectionate the family members are, there's still a strange sense of estrangement. They feel that Zhuohua and the others are the real family, so they are always careful not to cause trouble for others. Even if something happens, they will grit their teeth and bear it themselves.

The two exchanged a glance, then let out a long sigh. Wang Yan slowly spoke:

"I will try my best to comfort Youli. She's been keeping quiet like a taciturn person, which only makes people worry."

Wang Yan has only been here for a little over a month, but he knows he should learn to accept other people's kindness. If he were to counsel You Li, the effect might be better.

"Okay, then I'll leave it to you."

Zhuohua didn't have any better ideas and could only place all her hopes on Wang Yan. It would be best if he could help You Li resolve her inner conflict.

I'll keep this in mind and spend more time with Youli these next few nights.

The little beast girls' territory wasn't very big to begin with; a little further out was where Bai Guo's family lived.

The two left early and weren't in a rush, arriving at the family's location around 10 a.m.

Before Wang Yan even reached his doorstep, he saw two small mice lying on the ground, seemingly doing something. Hearing someone approaching, they looked up, saw Wang Yan, and jumped up excitedly, chattering away:

"It's that big brother who gives us delicious food! He's here again!"