What?!
That remark was met with uproar.
Ryan wanted to change the century-long rules of their race??
So that no woman could be shared, and only one to a man. What about the remaining males??
"Chief, I object to this," Corey was the first to speak, speaking for all of them, "How will the females be allocated? What about those that aren't assigned? How will the offspring reproduce?"
The others don't speak but they obviously agree with Corey's statement.
They are accustomed to the obtaining, but forgot the most basic primitive instinct to "court."
No female was born to be theirs. Nor should they be allowed to ask for it. Whose skill was great and who was strong, a woman was surely going to wish for them.
"Every male has the ability to choose a spouse," Ryan's deep voice rang out amongst the others.
"To ask for the female you desire, see the elders to register. If another looks upon the same woman, if you can defeat him and have that female nod in assent, then she will be yours alone."
One's.
It definitely sounded more tempting.
Even though the females were shared in the race, it was ultimately that, shared.
But a man's desire for a woman was much more than that.
Who wouldn't want to go out hunting when there is a female waiting at home for them? Sewing or cooking. Someone to smile when they came back. Instead of lying on a cold bed at night, sleeping alone.
"What should the ones who cannot defeat them?" Someone asked rationally.
Ryan: "If you fancy the female of another race and bring her back, I won't object."
"Other races? What about the offspring?"
"They will be treated the same as our own."
"And what if the other races don't have females?" After all, the female population across the entire continent was small.
Ryan suddenly grinned, arrogant and dismissive, "To not even have the skill for that, and you have the nerve to ask about a woman?"
Ryan mercilessly reminded, "First of all, exercise their ability to speak. Otherwise, even if they give birth to future generations, they will eventually be eliminated from the race."
The other party was speechless.
The voices of opposition accounted for the majority, but unexpectedly, there were a small number that shared the opinion.
Almost all the leopard females agreed.
Even so, could they speak up for what they wanted?
After all, a female's physical strength was limited and she could only deal with the many males one by one. Her body became easily unbearable.
Moreover, not all the females were willing to be possessed by different males. The purpose of their existence seemed to be only to satisfy them alone. If all the races were so, but it wasn't the case. Other races had fixed spouses and they were protected, but this only made the leopard females feel even more lonely.
The rest were the males who were second only to Ryan.
Compared to sharing with the race, they were confident they could win their own spouse.
"There is one more thing," Ryan made a little turn and looked in Scarlet's direction. "Scarlet is older now and his mind is gradually growing sluggish. He is no longer suitable as an elder to the leopard tribe. If anyone appears more suitable for the seat of elder, feel free to let me know at any time."
Scarlet heard that and his face rapidly drained of blood, "Chief, I am considering this for the sake of the race. The situation in our race is not suitable for the spouse system. Changing the rules of the race is impossible!"
"Do you mean the females that have been shared for so long?" Ryan asked, his voice heavier and with irrefutable force, "The females have been dwindling in the leopard race and it has become even more difficult to breed. Is it not because of this damned sharing system that the survival rate for them has become lower and lower?"
"This. . . how could it be the system's fault? The previous leader, Rando, never mentioned such absurdity. . ." Scarlet still refused to agree to these new rules.
Ryan: "That is because he was stupid."
A race, even the normal life of a female cannot be guaranteed, how could they ask her to give birth to the next generation?
"Now. . ." said Ryan, narrowing his eyes and asking slowly, one word at a time, "My spouse is here. Who wants to fight me for her? Let them stand up and I will convince her heart."
*
"Rip——"
Ryan's canine bite a piece of gauze and he wrapped it around his arm, lifting his eyes to look at the girl standing on the other side, "You're man's hurt, but do you care about it?"
Jǐ Xiǎo Ōu's cheeks flushed, feeling a bit hot.
What "your man?" He volunteered to bring himself before the tribe and announce that she was his spouse and that she hadn't done it with him yet. He had the audacity to mention it.
At that time, many of the leopard tribe, about two or three hundred, all looked at Jǐ Xiǎo Ōu roughly. If they all fought at once, they couldn't even be said to be opponents. But he also goaded with those arrogant words, she couldn't help sweat for him.
Fortunately, the leopards were a little more principled. They only fought one on one.
A group attack, that kind of thing was only for outsiders, not their own kind.
When Ryan asked who wished to snatch him from her, surprisingly, only Dole stood up.
It wasn't that others didn't want to fight Ryan, but they knew their strength. Even if they tried, they may as well dismiss the idea quickly.
Dole was in the top five warriors of the race, and he naturally had the courage to challenge Ryan.
Of course, then Ryan won.
Jǐ Xiǎo Ōu couldn't figure out if he had damaged his brain. Why did Dole want to take her from Ryan? They didn't seem to have any type of interaction?
Only that time in the Elk Village, so far away.
However, she thought the desires of the leopard race were inexplicable, so she didn't think anything was normal.
She simply put the matter aside and stopped thinking about it.
Jǐ Xiǎo Ōu stood in her spot, hesitating for a long time, "Ryan. Actually, you didn't have to do this for me."
While Jǐ Xiǎo Ōu still had that glimmer of hope, having Ryan declare she was his lifelong "spouse," she couldn't stay calm.
That shackle was too heavy to bear, and she was afraid she would never get rid of it.
"If it's to protect you, it's necessary," Ryan interrupted her, and turned to look at her, "I broke the rules for you, and you stay in this race for me. This deal, will you marry me?"*