Beastlord: Tribal System

Xuan raced through the forest with astonishing speed, carrying Meng Yuqing by the back of his shirt. Each jarring movement sent shocks through Meng's chest and stomach, leaving him feeling nauseated and on the verge of vomiting. He clamped a hand over his mouth, desperately trying to hold it together.

Thankfully, Xuan's pace was fast enough that after about ten minutes, they reached their destination. As soon as Xuan set him down on the ground, Meng Yuqing doubled over, retching uncontrollably.

"Are you alright?" Xuan asked, startled. He began pacing anxiously around Meng, his large paws lifting and lowering in a flurry of nervous energy.

Meng Yuqing waved a hand at the worried panther, keeping his eyes shut as he steadied his breathing. "I'm fine. Just give me a moment to recover." After pausing, he added, "This is the place, right?"

He glanced up and saw the mouth of a cave ahead of him. It was about three meters high, surrounded by thick greenery and dangling vines that almost entirely obscured the entrance. If Xuan hadn't brought him here directly, Meng doubted he would've even noticed it.

"Yes, this is it," Xuan confirmed. "This cave is where the hunters from my tribe rest while on long hunts. It's marked with the scent of beastmen, so most dangerous creatures won't approach. Stay inside, don't make any noise, and don't come out. Rest well—I'll be back soon."

With that, Xuan gently nudged Meng Yuqing toward the cave with a paw, urging him to go in. Then, without another word, Xuan turned and disappeared into the forest, presumably to hunt. Meng watched him go, marveling again at the panther's massive form and graceful movements.

A Voice in the Dark

Inside the cave, the dim light filtered through the vines and foliage outside, casting faint shadows on the rocky walls. Meng Yuqing moved cautiously, running his hand along the cool stone as he ventured deeper inside. The cave was surprisingly spacious—about five meters high, seven or eight meters wide, and at least twenty meters deep.

Finding a relatively smooth spot near the wall, he sat down, pressing his back against the cold surface. He felt a strange sense of safety here, despite the unknown dangers lurking outside.

Just as he began to relax, a cold, mechanical voice echoed in his mind:

"Scanning nearby lifeforms… Compatible host detected. Beginning binding process. Meng Yuqing, do you wish to bind with the Tribal Upgrade System?"

Meng froze, his eyes widening in shock. "What?" he muttered aloud, shaking his head as if to clear it. "Did I just imagine that?"

The voice spoke again, unwavering and precise:

"Meng Yuqing, do you wish to bind with the Tribal Upgrade System?"

"What the hell is this?" he muttered, his heart racing. The calm, robotic tone wasn't something he could dismiss as a hallucination. Was this his cheat system? A long-delayed golden finger?

But why him? He hadn't asked to transmigrate! He was perfectly content with his original life.

"Why me?" he asked, his voice tinged with frustration.

"You are the most compatible candidate for binding in this world. Your arrival here is indeed connected to the system, but your death in your previous world was unrelated to the system."

Meng Yuqing's heart sank. "What do you mean, I'm dead? I was perfectly healthy. A brick hit me, sure, but that wouldn't have killed me!"

The system responded without emotion:

"After the brick knocked you unconscious, a car veered onto the sidewalk due to a drunk driver. You were struck before anyone could move you to safety."

Meng Yuqing's body trembled as the words sank in. He wanted to deny it, to scream that it wasn't true, but no words came.

The system interrupted his silence:

"Meng Yuqing, do you wish to bind with the Tribal Upgrade System?"

Meng clenched his fists, fury and sorrow roiling within him. His parents, his life… Was it all gone? He covered his face with his hands, trying to process the weight of this revelation.

Then, a thought struck him. The system had brought him here, right? If it could bring him to this world, then surely it could send him back.

"You can send me back, can't you?" he asked, his voice trembling. "I don't want to be some hero or lead a tribe. I just want to go home. Can't you find someone else?"

The system replied calmly:

"Once the system has reached its maximum level and accumulated sufficient energy, it will gain the ability to cross worlds. At that point, returning to your original world will be possible."

Meng's heart leaped at first, but then his excitement gave way to skepticism. "If you can send me back after leveling up, then why could you bring me here so easily?"

"The process of your arrival required a one-time activation under specific conditions. The energy required for interdimensional travel is vast and must be accumulated through system upgrades."

In other words, there was no shortcut. If Meng wanted to return, he would have to bind with the system and work tirelessly to upgrade it.

Binding the System

Realizing there was no other choice, Meng Yuqing sighed, his resolve hardening. "Fine. I'll bind with the system."

As soon as the words left his mouth, a wave of warmth enveloped him, spreading through his entire body. It wasn't unpleasant—if anything, it felt soothing, like being wrapped in a soft blanket.

"Binding successful. Host: Meng Yuqing. System functions will activate upon completing the initial task: Establish or join a tribe."

A semi-transparent interface appeared before him, displaying several sections: Exploration, Identification, Inventory, Market, Encyclopedia, and Characters. Only the first two were active, with faint glows beneath their names. The rest remained grayed out.

Meng squinted at the interface. "Wait, where's the experience bar? How do I know when the system will level up?"

The system replied:

"This is not a game. Tribal development will be assessed based on real-world factors such as population, prosperity, and overall strength. Periodic evaluations will guide progress, ensuring balanced growth."

Meng Yuqing frowned but ultimately nodded. He didn't fully trust the system yet, but it was his only lead for getting back home. For now, he would cooperate—and hope Xuan's tribe could offer him the stability he needed.