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Chapter 200: Let’s Run, Fox (XVI)

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    尚可走到两只小狐狸身边，见他们缩成两团挤在一起，仰起的小脸蛋上，沾着点点污迹，两只大大的眼睛，透着几分期待和胆怯。身上衣服很破旧，看起来像是许久没有换洗过一般。

As Shang Ke walked to them, the two kits shrinked together. Blotches of dirt littered their faces while fear shone yet expectation shone in their large eyes. Their clothes looked rather shabby as well, like they haven’t been washed in a long time.

    他们的手上，各自抓着一块……生肉？

And they were each holding… a block of raw meat?

    尚可蹲下身，牵过他们的手仔细看了看，确定自己没有看错，的确是生肉，上面还有咬过的痕迹。

Shang Ke squatted down and took their hands for a closer look. He wasn’t mistaken, it was raw meat. They even have a bite mark.

    凯罗娜竟然让自己的孩子吃生肉？虽然兽人身上还带着野性，但已经脱离茹毛饮血的状态，很少再食用生肉。生肉中存在许多寄生虫，对于体质偏弱的孩子而言，无疑是极不健康的。

Kellona actually had her children eat raw meat? Although beastmen still had some of their wild nature, they have already broken away from eating meat raw and rarely eat raw meat. A lot of parasites exist in raw meats so for children whose constitution was naturally weaker than adults, it was not healthy at all.

    尚可脸色微沉，将小狐狸手里的生肉片扔掉，然后带着他们来到灶台旁，上面空空荡荡的，没有一点开伙的迹象，这两天分发的食物也不见踪影。

Shang Ke’s face sank and took the raw meat from the kits and threw them away. Then he led them to the kitchen stove. The kitchen stove looked deserted, it showed no sign of ever being used. The food provided the past two days were naturally gone without a trace.

    “你们就吃这个？”一个小兽人好奇地问小狐狸，“你们的妈妈呢？没有给你们做吃的吗？”

“All you guys eat is this?” A young beastman asked the kits. “Where’s your mom? Does she not make food for you two?”

    两只小狐狸看了看尚可，怯怯的不敢说话。

The two kits snuck a glance at Shang Ke and did not dare to speak out of fear.

    尚可舀了几瓢水，帮他们擦了擦脸和手，然后将自己做的点心拿出来，分给小兽人们。

Shang Ke scooped up some water and wiped their faces and hands. Then he took out some deserts he had made and divided it up.

    小狐狸捧着还冒着热气的点心，闻着浓浓的香气，小心翼翼地咬了一口，随即眼神发亮，快速地吃起来，一边吃，一边看着身边的小兽人打打闹闹，脸上逐渐露出开心的笑容。

The kits held the still steaming deserts and carefully took a bite as the strong scent of the desert lingered in the air. Their eyes immediately shone as they chowed down at a faster rate. As they ate, they watched the young beastmens next to them chatter loudly. A big smile gradually formed on their faces.

    穆图靠在门边，眼睛盯着屋内的情景，耳朵却在留意外面的动静。

Mutu leaned against the doorway as he carefully watched the scene within the house while his ears were alert for any movement outside.

    等尚可陪小兽人们疯玩了一会，直到小狐狸玩累了才离开。离开时已是深夜，凯罗娜依然不见踪影。

Shang Ke played with the children and left when they tired out the kits. By the time they left it was already very late, but Kellona was still gone without a trace.

    两人将其他小兽人送回家后，穆图突然说：“凯罗娜应该在阿培家。”

After the two of them sent the rest of the children home, Mutu spoke. “Kellona should be at Apei’s home.”

    阿培是一名狮族雄性，身材魁梧，相貌英挺，只是太过花心，族内许多年轻雌性都与他有过关系。以前畏惧老狮王的专制，只敢偷偷勾搭，如今却是没了顾忌，开始本性毕露。

Apei was a lion beastman. He was tall and broad and looked rather heroic. But he was too much of a playboy, most of the young females within the tribe had a leg up with him. Back in the days of the former Lion King, he did not dare to openly hook up with girls. But now he had no such misgivings and his playboy nature thoroughly blossomed.

    凯罗娜这个时间跑去阿培家，不用想也知道两人在干什么。

It was clear as day what Kellona and him were up to at this time of the day.

    穆图和尚可正好经过阿培家，立刻听到一阵娇媚的呻吟声突然从房屋中传来，还夹杂着男人的嘶吼。

Mutu and Shang Ke had made their way by Apei’s home right in time to hear a coquettish moan along with a man’s shout.

    两人的动静很大，在寂静的夜晚显得异常清晰。

Their activity was very loud and sounded exceptionally clear in the quiet night.

    对于兽人的开放，尚可早已见怪不怪，但凯罗娜的情况不同。如果她是为了孩子，用身体换温饱可以理解，也没有人会指责什么，但事实上，她只顾自己欢愉，并没有将孩子照顾好。

Shang Ke had long gotten used to the beastmen’s openness, but Kellona’s situation was different. If she was doing it for her children, no one would criticize her for it. But she was focused on only making herself happy and did not take care of her children at all.

    小狐狸在清冷的屋子中吃着生肉，担惊受怕，她却在这里和男人鬼混。作为一位母亲，她的行为实在太令人不耻了。

While the kits were eating raw meat in a cold house and fearfully clinging to each other, she was playing around with a man. As a mother, her actions were really too shameless.

    尚可不禁怀疑，那两只小狐狸真的是她的亲生骨肉吗？

Shang Ke had his suspicions. Were those kits really her children?

    正在不忿中，一只大手搭在他的头顶，随即听到穆图的声音：“别想了，以后多照顾一下那两个孩子就是了。”

While he sank into his angry thoughts, a large hand landed on his head followed by Mutu’s voice, “Don’t think about it anymore. We’ll just take more care of those two in the future.”

    这不是长久之计，以凯罗娜的性格，一旦给了好处，必然会得寸进尺。

This wasn’t something he could drag out. With Kellona’s personality, she would want a mile the moment she got an inch.

    第二天，尚可看到凯罗娜带着孩子在部落中溜达，虽然衣衫破旧，但那副红光满面的样子，看起来就像一朵受到滋润的鸡冠花，时不时还会和一些雄性眉来眼去。

The next day, Shang Ke saw Kellona with the children strolling in the tribe. Although her clothes were still shabby, her appearance was rosy like a cockscomb flower that had been water. She would even exchange flirtatious glances with some males from time to time.

    尚可不打算花太多精力在她身上，还有很多事情等着他去做。不过他心中已经有一个计划，那就是建立一所学校。当然，并非传统意义上的学校，而是边劳动边学习，让孩子们靠自己的勤学和勤劳赚取食物。

Shang Ke did not plan to spend too much energy on her, he had too much to do. He already had a plan, and that was to establish a school. Naturally, it wouldn’t be a school in the traditional sense, but rather more like interning, where children can work as they learn and rely on their own diligence to earn their food.

    兽人年满十二岁后，就会由大人带领参加狩猎活动。所以尚可的学校主要针对的是五岁以上、十二岁以下的小兽人。新开辟的土地，正好用来做试验田，以后这里出产的作物，饲养的家畜，将优先奖励给小兽人。同时，尚可还会免费提供两顿伙食。授课时间为两天一休，月底进行表现评分。

When a beastman hits twelve years old, an adult will guide them through the hunting process. So the targeted age of Shang Ke’s school was five and older, but below twelve. The new farmland he had toiled would be perfect for an experimental farm. The crops and animals that would be produced here would have the young beastmen have first pick for rewards. At the same time, Shang Ke will also offer two free meals. The schedule for classes would be two days of class and a day off, and they would be graded at the end of the month.

    学校的建立并没有受到太多阻力，反正小兽人们闲着也是闲着，让他们自食其力也是好事。凯罗娜的孩子今年五岁，正好达到入学的年纪，以后有尚可照看，至少不用再担心挨饿受冻。

There wasn’t much resistance against the establishment of a school. Children in general have nothing to do, so having them work and pay for their own food is a good thing. Kellona’s children are five years old this year, right at the age to enter school. With Shang Ke watching over them, they would not need to worry about going hungry or freezing at least.

    学校筹办期间，狮族第一支骡牛骑队已经初具雏形，其他牲口也逐渐被驯化，开始实现从野生向家畜转变。

While making preparations for the school, the lion tribe’s first loch bull squad was starting to form. Other animals were also gradually tamed and being domesticated from their wild counterparts.

    尚可探索的步伐没有停息，每次外出都会搜索各种新奇的物种。穆图则带领他的骡牛骑队，在卡洛奇山四处巡视，对雉狗进行千里追杀。

Shang Ke’s exploration of the wild did not stop. Every time they went out he would search for new species. On the other hand, Mutu led his loch bull squad on patrol over Kaloch Mountain and killed any avanis they saw.

    骑队的威名，很快传遍周边部落。不少流亡在外的兽人以及一些实力薄弱的部落，先后向狮族表示了投诚之意。穆图与尚可商量之后，决定选择性收编这些部落和兽人。

The fame of the squad quickly spread out. Many beastmen who were forced to wander as well as weaker tribes surrendered to the lion tribe. Mutu and Shang Ke had a discussion and decided to selectively incorporate these tribes and beastmen.

    随着狮族的迅速发展，对劳动力的需求也越来越大。穆图没有发展部落的经验，但他胆大心细，善于变通，在尚可的协助和引导下，逐渐拥有了作为一方领主的意识和风范。

With the rapid development of the lion tribe, they needed more and more manpower. Mutu did not have experience in developing a tribe, but he was careful and flexible. With Shang Ke’s guidance, he gradually gained the thought process and style of a leader.

    很多时候，不用尚可提醒，他也可以将内部矛盾处理妥当。在他的治理下，整个部落呈现一片欣欣向荣的景象。

Oftentimes, he could handle internal turmoil without Shang Ke’s reminder in an appropriate fashion. Under his governance, the whole tribe flourished.

    对于他的成长，尚可真是倍感欣慰。他的任务目标，也在快速接近中。

Shang ke was very gratified with his growth. He was quickly approaching his mission goal.

    “狐狸，你在干什么？”穆图站在篱笆外，看着空中飞舞的蜜蜂，眉头揪成一团。

“Fox, what are you doing?” Mutu stood outside a fence, watching the flying bees with a worried face.

    尚可几天前带回来两个蜂窝，挂在自家后院的花圃中。成千上万的蜜蜂很快将这块领地占据，每天都能看到它们在花丛中飞舞，嗡嗡嗡叫个不停。

Shang Ke had brought back two bee hives and hung them near his flowers a couple days ago. Thousands of bees had quickly occupied the place so the scenery was filled with them flying and buzzing through the flowers everyday. 

    蜜蜂可是会蜇死人的，一旦被它们围攻，躲都没地方躲，狐狸为什么要把这种危险的东西弄回家！

Bees can stick people to death! The moment someone was surrounded, they wouldn’t have any place to hide. So why did he bring home something so dangerous?!

    尚可没有理会穆图，将他制作的蜂箱竖在花圃边，以便日后进行分巢。

Shang Ke did not pay attention to Mutu as he placed a beehive he had made near a flower bed so that he could divide up the nests later.

    他费力弄回两个蜂窝，自然是为了蜂蜜。这些兽人似乎并不知道蜂蜜是什么东西，他到这个世界这么久，也没见有人采过蜂蜜。兽人们对蜜蜂保持着敬而远之的态度，尽量不招惹它们，更别说往自己家里带。

He worked so hard to bring back two bee nests — it was naturally for honey. These beastmen did not seem to know what honey was. He had been in this world for so long now, but he never saw anyone harvest honey. Beastmen remained a safe distance from beehives when they saw any so as to not provoke them. So there was no way they would take any home.

    尚可的行为，无疑让其他兽人感到不可思议。

Shang Ke’s action was no doubt unfathomable in the other beastmen’s eyes.

    “狐狸，快出来，小心被它们蜇到了。”穆图浑身紧绷，做好随时营救的准备。

“Fox, hurry up and come out. Be careful to not get stung.” Mutu’s whole body was taut as he readied himself to rush in and save Shang Ke at any moment.

    尚可却是不紧不慢，把前期准备做好后，才闲庭信步般地穿过群蜂乱舞的花圃，来到穆图跟前。

Shang Ke remained at his own pace as he made his preparations. When he was done, he leisurely passed through the flowers filled with passing bees and arrived in front of Mutu.

    “狐狸，你打算养这种东西？”穆图长臂一伸，护着尚可远离花圃。

“Fox, you’re planning to raise this kind of thing?” Mutu stretched out his arm to bring Shang Ke farther from the flowers.

    尚可点点头，安抚地看了他一眼，示意他放心。

Shang Ke nodded and placating looked at him, telling him to not worry.

    穆图怎么可能放心？作为曾经被蜜蜂蜇过的人，他对那种疼痛记忆犹新。不过，他也知道狐狸做事向来有分寸，既然他觉得可行，那就暂时先静观其变吧。

How could Mutu not worry? As someone who had been stung before, he was clear about the pain they could bring. But he knew his fox always have a plan, so since he thinks it was possible, then he will just observe for now.

    如果那群蜜蜂敢在狐狸身上蜇出一个疙瘩，他立马就放火把它们给烧了！

If that swarm of bees dares to leave even one bump on his fox, then he will immediately set fire and burn them all!

    两人走到前院，这里已经聚集了十几个准备上课的小兽人。

They walked to the front courtyard, where dozens of children were already present for class.

    尚可环视一圈，发现那两只小狐狸不在，于是指了指刻在石墩上的名字，用眼神询问那些小兽人。

Shang Ke looked around and saw that the two kits were missing. So he pointed at the stone block that had their names and used his eyes to ask about them.

    其中一个小兽人回答：“我看到他们被凯罗娜关在家里了。”

One of them answered, “I saw them being shut at home by Kellona.”

    尚可皱了皱眉，前阵子他看到小狐狸将他做的食物仔细包好带回家，说是凯罗娜要求的。尚可当时以为凯罗娜只是想尝尝他的手艺，也没在意。但是后来，小狐狸每次都会把食物带回家，直到不久后，其中一只小狐狸突然抱着肚子喊疼，尚可这才知道那些食物都被凯罗娜吃掉了。小狐狸每天只能吃一顿，早饭没人做，晚饭则进了凯罗娜的肚子。

Shang Ke frowned. Some time ago he had saw the kits carefully wrap his food up and take it home, saying that Kellona had asked them to do so. Shang Ke had just thought Kellona wanted to try his food and did not care about it. But after that, they would take home his food every time until one day, one of them held their bellies and cried out in pain. That was when Shang Ke found out all the food was eaten by Kellona. The kits could only eat one meal a day. No breakfast would be made for them and dinner was eaten by Kellona.

    后来尚可就不让小狐狸把食物带回家了，没想到她居然会把他们关起来。

After that, Shang Ke did not allow them to bring their food home. He didn’t expect her to shut them in.

    尚可出离愤怒了！

Shang Ke was thoroughly angered!

    先不说她是小狐狸的母亲，就算只是一个毫无关系的成年人，但凡有一点羞耻心，也不可能抢夺孩子的食物！

First of all, regardless of if she was their mother or not, even an adult with no relationship with them would not steal a children’s food as long as they had a hint of shame!

    尚可突然意识到部落应该制定相应的惩罚制度了。偷窃、抢劫、谋害族人、出卖情报、侵害他人财物、毁坏公共财产、虐待老幼妇孺等等，都将给予不同的处罚。

Shang Ke suddenly realized that the tribe should create a punishment system. Stealing, mugging, murder, selling tribal information, property infringement, damage to public property, mistreatment of others and so on should all be penalized accordingly.

    尚可草拟的基础法案，不过四五天便被穆图和长老们通过了。凯罗娜作为兽人部落第一部新法的第一位体验者，被派往窑土矿挖掘陶土，要求挖够三百担才允许回来。

Shang Ke’s first bill draft only took four to five days for Mutu and the elders to pass it. Kellona became the first person to experience the new laws and was sent to the caves to dig for clay. She was required to dig 600 buckets of clay before she can return.

    这对于懒惰成性的凯罗娜而言，无疑是最好的惩罚。

To the lazy Kellona, it was the best punishment there could be.

    在她挖土的这段时间，小狐狸则由尚可代为照顾。

In the time she spent out her punishment, the kits were taken care of by Shang Ke.

    开始小狐狸还有些不习惯，但尚可天天帮他们洗澡，梳理毛发，给他们做好吃的，陪他们玩游戏，教他们学习各种知识，将两只瘦弱的小家伙，养得油光水亮，健康开朗，逐渐让他们从凯罗娜带来的伤害中走出来。

At first, the kits were a bit out of place. But Shang Ke bathed them, combed their hair, made them good food and played with them everyday. He also taught them all sorts of knowledge. He raised them up from their thin and weak state into healthy ones. He gradually pulled them out of the harm Kellona inflicted on them.

    尚可后来又断断续续从他们口中得知，凯罗娜并非他们的生母，在他们模糊的记忆中，他们的亲生父母在两年前就被雉狗杀死了，之后一直由凯罗娜抚养。他们并不恨凯罗娜，而是真心将她当作自己的母亲，尽管她对他们不太好，还经常利用他们博取别人同情，但她确实养育了他们两年。

Shang Ke later found out through pieces of information that Kellona was not actually their mother. From their blurred memories, their own mother and father had been killed two years ago by the avanis. After that, Kellona had raised them. They did not hate her, rather they sincerely treated her as their mother. Although she might not be too nice to them and frequently used them to win people’s sympathy, she had raised them for two years.

    在凯罗娜终于服完劳役，两只小狐狸穿戴整齐，欢喜地跑到部落外迎接她的回归，不顾她满身的泥污，眼泪哗哗地扑到她的怀里。

When Kellona finally finished her punishment, the two kits were dressed nicely and happily welcomed her back to the tribe. In spite of her muddy state, they threw themselves at her with happy tears.

    半个多月的辛苦劳作，让凯罗娜削瘦了不少，见到小狐狸跑过来，她脸上闪过一丝怨怼，但最终还是隐忍下来，虚虚地抱住他们。

After half a month of hard labor, Kellona had thinned a lot. When she saw the kits run over, a flash of resentment went through her face but she still endured it and emptily held them.

    晚上，尚可用采来的新蜜做了蜂蜜面饼、蜂蜜果脯和蜂蜜果汁，交给小狐狸，让他们带回去，陪他们的母亲一起吃。

That night, Shang Ke made honey flatbread, honey candied fruit and honey fruit juice with the honey he had just harvested. He gave some to the kits and had them bring it home so they could eat it with their mother.

    送走小狐狸后，尚可转身就看到穆图循着香味走过来，一脸馋样地站在灶台边，尾巴一甩一甩。

After sending them aways, he saw Mutu making his way over following the sweet smells. He gluttonously stood there, tail wagging.

    灶台上放着一碗蜂蜜，金色的液体，清澈柔滑，呈现漂亮的光泽。

A bowl of honey stood on the kitchen stove. The golden liquid that was clear and smooth was like beautiful gloss.

    尚可用筷子沾了一些蜂蜜，放到穆图嘴边。穆图用舌头一舔，立刻被甜化了。

Shang Ke used chopsticks and dabbed some honey. He put it in Mutu’s mouth who licked it and was instantly melted by the sweetness.

    嗷呜……他一把抱住尚可，吻住他的唇，与他分享甜蜜。

Aoooo… He immediately hugged Shang Ke and kissed him, sharing the sweetness.

    甜味能让人产生幸福感，所以穆图决定，今晚要大干一场！

Sweetness could make people happy. As such, Mutu decided, he was going to go all out tonight!

    这边浓情蜜意，小狐狸那边却是冷清异常。凯罗娜认为这次劳役都是被这两只小狐狸害的，在外人面前还能保持温和，但回到家后，立刻板起脸，对小狐狸的亲近毫不理会。

While this place was filled with honey sweetness, the kits place was cold and cheerless. Kellona believed that her forced labor was all because of these two kits. So while she remained gentle while in outside view, the moment they returned home she gave them cold faces and remained uncaring to their gestures.

    小狐狸看着桌上冷掉的点心，缩着脖子，默默抽泣着。在尚可身边生活的那段时间，是他们有生以来最幸福的时光。但即便如此，他们还是希望能和母亲在一起。然而。他们的母亲，并不爱他们，这是他们第一次如此清晰地认识到这一点。

The kits looked at the cold desserts on the table and shrinked back their neck as they silently sobbed. Their time at Shang Ke’s was the happiest time in their life. But even so, they still wished to be with their mother. However, their mother did not love them at all. This was the first time they understood it so clearly.

SnowTime: Trying to finish the remainder of this arc within these few days before I go back and die on my projects. Thank you guys for your patience and whatever donations have been chucked. It has all gone into boba tea… *sippppp*

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