Chapter 337- Fierce and Ominous Top VS Pretend Weak but Actually a Big Boss (03)
Thus, Mu Jin knew he had to prevent the female protagonist from causing such chaos. Although Qian Sha wouldn’t directly attack them in this small world, stopping the turmoil and averting the risk of collapse would weaken Qian Sha’s power to some extent.
After exchanging names with his lover, Mu Jin realized that his man in this life was Wu Po—the very person who, in the original storyline, killed the female protagonist but was ultimately killed by her brainless followers.
Thinking about the hardships his lover had endured as a child, Mu Jin couldn’t help but feel a deep ache in his heart after reviewing the plot.
Simply because Wu Po’s eye color was different, he had been branded as “ominous” from birth. To make matters worse, his father died shortly after his birth during a hunting expedition, further solidifying the superstition surrounding his “ill-fated” nature. Following this, his mother, Wu Chan, abandoned him.
Fortunately, the chief of the Pingshan Tribe showed a sliver of humanity. Instead of ordering Wu Po’s death, he left him in the tribe’s communal cave for the elderly, weak, sick, and orphaned, essentially leaving him to fend for himself.
Perhaps it was the tenacious vitality of a villain that kept him alive. With the help of a few kind-hearted elders, the young boy managed to survive.
However, food in the tribe was scarce, and those in the communal cave received even less.
To survive, Wu Po ate insects and grass roots and even resorted to stealing food from others. He devised countless methods to ensure he wouldn’t go hungry.
As he grew older, he began catching small creatures like mice and fish on his own. Using every resource at his disposal, Wu Po avoided starvation and even grew tall and strong.
Wu Po was intelligent, learning early on how to use traps to catch prey. Despite his skills, the hunting team excluded him due to his “ominous” reputation, forbidding him from joining their ranks.
Undeterred, Wu Po hunted alone. When he managed to catch extra prey, he sometimes shared it with the few elders who had cared for him in the communal cave.
Over time, as Wu Po grew stronger, he became one of the tribe’s most formidable individuals. Self-sufficient and capable, he could hunt enough to sustain himself and live comfortably.
After the elders who had cared for him passed away, Wu Po left the communal cave. However, because of his “ominous” reputation, the tribe’s priest only allowed him to build a house on the outskirts of the village.
The people in the tribe feared Wu Po, and even though he never left the tribe, he lived a solitary life.
As for Mu Jin’s identity in this life, after reviewing the original character’s memories, Mu Jin suddenly felt a sense of shared hardship with his lover. However, this wasn’t because the original character had a tragic backstory, but rather because the original character was none other than the lesser chieftain whom the female protagonist, Mu Xuan, was supposed to marry.
The so-called arrogance and tyranny described in the original plot were entirely false. The original character’s personality was indeed a bit mischievous, but he cared deeply for his tribe.
Those individuals Mu Xuan saw him “bullying” were actually troublemakers within the tribe who were being reprimanded for their wrongdoings.
From a young age, the original character possessed immense strength. Even though he was short in stature, his abilities were exceptional, making him worthy of the title of the strongest warrior in the Ping Yuan Tribe. While his playful nature could be bothersome at times, he was well-liked and treated the elderly and weak in the tribe with great kindness.
As for the mask he always wore, it originated from an accident during his childhood. While playing, he accidentally scratched his face, and due to the lack of proper medicine, the wound became infected, leaving a noticeable scar.
At the time, because he was so young and prone to scratching the wound, the priest made him wear a mask. Unexpectedly, the original character grew fond of the mask, thinking it looked imposing, and thus it became his signature accessory.
However, everyone in the tribe knew what he looked like. While the scar on his face was prominent, it didn’t make him particularly unattractive. If anything, it was more a case of the original character’s rough personality and lack of attention to personal grooming.
In terms of height, compared to the average height of over 1.9 meters in this world, the original character was indeed considered short.
Despite his stature, his immense strength and the fact that his father was the chieftain made him a highly respected figure. He was well-known in the Pingyuan Tribe, and many women wanted to be with him.
Mu Xuan’s arranged marriage to the original character was a private decision made by the latter’s father, Mu Shan. Mu Shan believed his son was getting older and needed to settle down. He thought a woman would help his son mature and carry on the family line, so he selfishly chose the most beautiful woman in the tribe for his son.
However, no one ever forced Mu Xuan into anything. Before her transmigration, Mu Xuan willingly agreed to be with the original character. After all, being with the lesser chieftain guaranteed a comfortable life.
The original character was never short of people who wanted to be with him. So, whether it was Mu Xuan before her transmigration or the female protagonist after it, if she truly didn’t want to marry him, all she had to do was say so. There was no need for the elaborate charade of running away.
What was even more unforgivable was that after helping the Pingshan Tribe rise to power and forming alliances with other tribal leaders, the female protagonist grew worried that the original character might bear a grudge. Fearing that the Ping Yuan Tribe posed a threat, she incited the tribes to join forces and attack the Pingyuan Tribe. This resulted in the death of the original character and the massacre of his entire family.
Thus, the original character’s wish in this life was simple: to protect his family and ensure they wouldn’t suffer harm at anyone’s hands.
Mu Jin naturally intended to help fulfill this wish. However, he was puzzled as to why, upon opening his eyes, he found himself in the depths of a forest far from the Pingyuan Tribe.
As he was pondering this, the voice of 003 echoed in his mind:
“That’s because the original character didn’t like women at all. But the chieftain, Mu Shan, insisted he find a female partner and have children. Unwilling to comply, the original character ran away, choosing to leave home and grow stronger before eventually returning.”
“So, does that mean that regardless of whether the female protagonist ran away or not, the original character wouldn’t have married her?”
Hearing this, 003 squinted and nodded in affirmation. Mu Jin was left speechless by this revelation. Both the original character and his tribe were truly innocent victims caught in an unwarranted disaster.
Having gained a deeper understanding of this small world, Mu Jin also realized that while women were rare in this society, relationships between men were fairly common.
However, individuals of high status, such as chieftains or warriors, typically sought women for the purpose of reproduction. The original character, being the lesser chieftain, was expected to follow this norm, but his insistence on being with a man naturally angered his father.
However, Mu Jin felt the original character’s actions were commendable—far better than those who secretly preferred the same s*x but chose to deceive others through arranged marriages.
After glancing at the current timeline, Mu Jin realized that the female protagonist should have already escaped from the Pingyuan Tribe with Mu Xiong’s help.
His father in this world was still fuming with anger, so Mu Jin decided it might be a good idea to follow his lover back to the Pingshan Tribe and lie low for a while. After all, the female protagonist would be arriving there soon. Mu Jin was curious to see what kind of tricks she could pull once she entered the Pingshan Tribe.
“This is just an excuse for you to stick with your man!” 003 muttered, leaning lazily against Teng Gen while waving its tiny paws in exasperation.
Mu Jin shot a glance at Teng Gen, who was smiling warmly at 003, and rolled his eyes at the system. He had no interest in arguing with such an oblivious creature.
Still, recalling the prominent scar on the original character’s face, Mu Jin suddenly remembered the focused way his lover had looked at him earlier. Reaching up to touch his own face, he felt only smooth skin under his fingertips.
In his moment of surprise, 003’s smug voice chimed in his mind:
“Xiao Jin, when you first entered this small world, I used system energy to repair the scar on your face. Aren’t you thrilled?”
“…”
To be honest, not really. Mu Jin remained silent, staring at 003. He’d actually been looking forward to finally embracing a rugged, unrefined appearance for one lifetime. Now that hope was dashed.
On second thought, though, with the scar gone, if the female protagonist recognized him later, he could deny being the lesser chieftain of the Pingyuan Tribe. In that sense, losing the scar had its advantages.
The conversation between Mu Jin and 003 took place entirely in his mind. To Wu Po, it seemed as though Mu Jin had been quietly resting in his arms the whole time, exuding an air of gentle obedience.
Sure enough, Wu Po found that the person he liked was perfectly suited to being held tenderly in his arms, staying by his side. Pleased beyond measure, Wu Po picked up his pace, striding forward with renewed vigor.