**[Beastman Sale Contract]**
S-tier terrestrial beastman, Lucian Greyveil, member of the Jade Scorpion clan, strength level: Tier 3, price: 1,000 Federal Credits.
...
"Tsk, to think that once prestigious S-tier beastmen have been reduced to being displayed on street stalls—and at such a cheap price at that."
"Mara Whitfield is notorious for mistreating males. Poor guys."
"Still, this scorpion-clan male is incredibly handsome. Buying him to warm the bed wouldn't be too bad..."
"Pfft, it’s the Oceanic Era now—what’s the use of being good-looking? Didn’t you see? His strength has already dropped to Tier 3. If he doesn’t start consuming beast crystals, it’s going to fall even further. At that point, he’d really just be a worthless beast. Besides, for an S-tier terrestrial beastman to evolve into an oceanic form? The resources that would require—who could afford that?"
"..."
When Mara Whitfield opened her eyes, she immediately heard these discussions.
Instinctively, her gaze swept over the diverse beastmen around her—some with rabbit ears, others with tiger-like faces, and some entirely transformed into large, ferocious animals, the type that she’d only glimpsed in zoos in her previous life.
Her scalp prickled, and her face turned deathly pale, drained of all blood. She couldn’t help but shiver.
"Clink—"
Accompanied by her tremor, the sound of chains clattering echoed.
Lowering her head, Mara Whitfield realized she was clutching a chain in her hand.
Following the chain to its end, she saw that it was attached to a man.
He knelt on one knee, his upper body bare. His lean but muscular frame was crisscrossed with scars from both new and old whip marks.
Silky black hair cascaded down his back, with a few loose strands falling onto his shoulders—setting off the pale, translucent skin that made him appear both alluring and morbidly fragile. His eyes were slightly lowered, and the dense lashes cast a small, fan-shaped shadow beneath them, concealing whatever thoughts might be churning in his mind.
A chain wrapped around his neck, passing just below his Adam's apple. The silver metal pressed tightly against his long, slender neck, and as he breathed lightly, the faint movement of his Adam's apple caused the chain links to emit soft clinking sounds—delicate, almost teasing, enough to make one's heart tingle.
Yet, despite this disheveled and humbling posture, his temperament remained unblemished. On the contrary, it accentuated his striking and decadent beauty, creating an image of restrained allure that made one want to ravage him with abandon.
Mara Whitfield shuddered. Lucian Greyveil...
She had actually transmigrated—into the interstellar beast-world novel she had stayed up all night finishing.
The heroine's name in the book was Nora Evansdale, a natural-born heartthrob.
The story also featured a malicious supporting character who shared Mara's exact name: she was the foil to the heroine. Her actions were so despicable they could have been sent straight to exile in the northernmost regions. Mara had been so enraged while reading that she had cursed this character out, even muttering in half-drowsiness before falling asleep: **"Living such a privileged life but still so ungrateful... Flirting all over the place is bad enough, but tormenting these handsome beastmen? She’s such a vile person."**
"If I had her talent and those gorgeous beastman husbands, I would definitely..."
But who would have thought that after a single night's sleep, she would wake up to find herself transformed into that cheating, abusive, vile supporting character who tormented her beastmen husbands?
Mara Whitfield's eyes widened in shock as she hurriedly tried to recall the plot.
Before the interstellar world turned into a vast ocean, the original owner of this body had lived like a princess.
She was born into wealth, holding great power, and possessed a rare S-class mental ability. Through the match-making mandates of the master brain, she had secured five top-tier S-class beastmen husbands. Her life had been the peak of glory—abundant and carefree.
But later, the glaciers melted, submerging the planet and turning the world into an endless ocean.
Her five beastmen husbands, who were all terrestrial-type beastmen, struggled even to catch a fish and became entirely useless in this water-drenched world, reduced to "wasted beasts."
The original host had been left without protection when the Age of the Seas dawned. Her head collided with jagged rocks on the ocean floor, causing grievous injury that led to the wilting and decay of her spiritual tree—resulting in the complete loss of her spiritual powers.
In contrast, Nora Evansdale, the female protagonist, had fortune on her side. She had preemptively contracted with five oceanic beast husbands. Although they weren’t S-class, she had seized the perfect timing to indulge in daily seafood feasts and enjoy the highest privileges at the ocean camp.
The original host could only watch as Nora Evansdale's days grew brighter and better. Bitterness and jealousy twisted and tangled around her heart like seaweed.
Soon, she began to obsessively covet Nora Evansdale's beast husbands, scheming to approach, seduce, and steal them by any means possible.
“Mara Whitfield, don’t you like me?”
“I don’t care for your beast husbands. Get rid of them, and I’ll divorce Nora Evansdale to be with you. How does that sound?”
Nora Evansdale’s merman beast husband softly whispered soothing words to the original host. Naively swayed, the host then sold off her beast husbands one by one.
What she didn’t know was that long before the Age of the Seas began, Nora Evansdale had set her sights on those five beast husbands. Over time, she had secretly sent her most alluring merman husband to charm and cater to the original host—strategically enticing her to torment and abuse her beast husbands. Eventually, one by one, they were sold off cheaply, only to fall into Nora Evansdale’s possession.
S-class beast husbands... Their physical appearance aside, their innate talents spoke volumes. Once they evolved into their oceanic forms, they became forces to reckon with in the beast-filled oceanic era.
And ultimately, things went exactly as Nora Evansdale had planned.
Within the story, after the original host sold off her beast husbands, Nora Evansdale’s merman husband immediately revealed his true colors. His previously gentle demeanor shifted as he berated the host for being foolish and delusional, akin to a toad lusting after swan meat. Meanwhile, the sold beast husbands were embraced under Nora Evansdale's care. Her soothing words and tender love gradually won them over. They fell deeply for her, and upon evolving into their oceanic forms, they banded together to protect her as they sought the last remaining land amidst the oceanic era.
The female protagonist and her family naturally achieved their perfect happy ending.
As for the original host... During a pirate raid at the ocean camp, she was left vulnerable with no beast husbands to safeguard her. Due to her despicable character, she was abandoned and ultimately met a tragic fate—devoured by the pirates.
Jolted back to reality, Mara Whitfield shuddered violently, as though dunked into icy water.
She glanced down at the iron chain clutched in her hands—it suddenly felt unbearably scorching.
At that moment, a slender figure hurried over.
The newcomer cast a glance at Lucian Greyveil, who was half-kneeling on the ground, and a hint of pain flashed through her eyes. Without hesitation, she turned to Mara Whitfield and began to reproach her: “Mara, stop it! Lucian Greyveil hasn’t done anything wrong. How can you treat him like this?”
Mara Whitfield looked up.
The approaching person was stunningly beautiful, with fair skin, long, silky hair cascading down her shoulders, bright and spirited eyes, and striking, vivid features.
This was Nora Evansdale.
Seeing Mara Whitfield remain silent, Nora Evansdale nervously glanced at Lucian Greyveil. There was a trace of anxiety in her expression.
Biting her lip, she lowered her voice and said, “Fine. If you’re dead set on selling Lucian Greyveil, then sell him to me. I’ll pay you Federation credits—just don’t humiliate him any further.”
As she spoke, Nora Evansdale quickly took out 1,000 Federation credits.
In the era of the Interstellar Sea, what did 1,000 Federation credits mean?
It was barely enough to feed an average person for two days.
A humiliatingly low price.
It truly was a pittance.
Mara Whitfield grappled with an internal struggle, deliberating carefully before ultimately deciding to sell.
After all, the five beastmen despised her—loathed her to the core. Even if she tried to mend her ways now, they wouldn’t forgive her. Besides, these five beastmen had been arranged by the author as the female lead’s harem; forcing things wouldn’t change that. What was the point in trying to hold onto them?
Nevertheless, she didn’t want Nora Evansdale to get her wish so easily.
Thinking of this, Mara Whitfield slightly raised her chin, imitating the original owner’s haughty demeanor, and put on a thoroughly provoking expression. She gave a cold snort and said, “You want to pay? One thousand won’t cut it. I want one hundred thousand Federation Credits—not a penny less!”
Gasps of astonishment erupted all around, quickly followed by angry curses directed at Mara Whitfield for being so money-hungry she must have lost her mind.
A hundred thousand Federation Credits was no small amount. That kind of money could even rent a property in the inner camp at the Ocean Territory.
However, Mara Whitfield remained unruffled. One hundred thousand might be impossible for others, but for Nora Evansdale, it was within reach.
The Ocean Era had only just arrived a few months ago. Before long, Federation Credits would lose their purchasing power, and bartering, akin to ancient times, would become the primary means of trade. The once advanced living standards of the interstellar age were poised to regress.
In a world submerged by vast oceans, food would become the most valuable commodity.
She had to get those Federation Credits, buy more food, and survive.
Amidst this bargaining, Lucian Greyveil, whose head had been drooping all this while, slowly lifted his gaze.
His emerald green eyes swept over Mara Whitfield, carrying a trace of cold hostility that disappeared in an instant.
Mara Whitfield shivered slightly and looked at Lucian Greyveil with a hint of caution.
She was well aware that after the Ocean Era began, several of her beast husbands had been unable to hunt for beast crystals, their strength deteriorating until they were considered useless beasts. Add to that Nora Evansdale’s merman husband fanning the flames on the side, and the original owner had frequently tormented them in ways that could only be described as inhumane.
These beast husbands all probably wanted to kill her.
If it weren’t for the restraints of the marriage contract, her life would have been forfeit long ago.
When Nora Evansdale heard Mara Whitfield’s greedy demand, a trace of displeasure flickered in her eyes. But when her gaze shifted to Lucian Greyveil, it softened involuntarily. With such an outstanding and attractive male, even a price of one hundred thousand Federation Credits was a steal for her.
Her expression chilled as she took out her wallet, carefully counting out a thick stack of Federation Credits. She waved the money in front of Mara Whitfield and said in a calm tone, “I can give you the money, but you must sign the divorce agreement and completely set Lucian Greyveil free.”
Mara Whitfield's so-called "selling" was nothing more than leasing. She wasn't stupid. Now that her spiritual power was gone, no male would be willing to marry her. Once she completely lost her five beast husbands, she would have nothing left.
No divorce, no letting them go—she simply rented her beast husbands out to other females for their amusement, profiting from it and amusing Nora Evansdale's merman beast husband in the process. Such behavior was a hundred times more malicious than outright selling them off.
Just as Mara Whitfield was about to nod, a crisp "ding" suddenly resonated in her mind—
Mechanical and clear.
["The Ultimate Gourmet System is at your service. Would you like to bind it?"]
