Free Web NovelChapter 93: Chapter 93: Ye Ming’s Transformation
Ye Ming’s movements were still a bit hesitant.
He lowered his gaze, glanced at Shi Lan, and silently took another small step back before transforming into his human form.
He hadn’t experienced transforming in a long time. He could clearly feel the process of his bones stretching, pulling, and twisting. The cumbersome long tail behind him gradually disappeared, and a feeling of lightness slowly washed over him.
A Beastman’s transformation is a quick process. In just a few seconds, the Black Panther before Shi Lan had become the tall, slender figure of a man.
He kept his head down, kneeling on one leg. The crown of his jet-black head faced Shi Lan, and beneath his messy short hair, an emerald earring on his fair right ear sparkled brilliantly.
Ye Ming subconsciously brought a hand up to cover his face.
Shi Lan’s gaze lingered on his ear for a moment, and she subconsciously touched her own.
’The original owner of this body didn’t have any piercings. I can’t believe Ye Ming, a Prince, actually has his ear pierced.’
’But this earring really suits him.’
She sat on the sofa, watching him remain in the same position without moving for a long while. Confused, she couldn’t help but ask, "Lord Ye, what’s wrong?"
Ye Ming kept his eyes on the floor and shook his head slightly. "It’s nothing. I just haven’t transformed in a while, so I’m not used to it."
As he spoke, he finally stood up slowly, his fingers tensed as he gave his limbs a small stretch.
The hand covering his face hesitated for a moment before slowly lowering, revealing a porcelain-white face, a stark contrast to the color of the Black Panther.
Shi Lan’s eyes were immediately drawn to it.
The one thing Ye Ming’s face had in common with his beast form was its slightly diamond shape. However, it wasn’t defined by sharp, uneven curves; the lines of his face were smooth and fluid. His lips were neither too thin nor too thick, giving him a gentle appearance that starkly contrasted with the fierce impression his beast form gave.
But when her gaze shifted up to his brilliant green eyes, the sharp, cold indifference of a predator watching its prey rushed back. Furthermore, his eyes were covered by a pure black eye mask. The mask fit snugly against his skin, looking like a thin layer that extended down to the middle of his nose and up past his brow bone, disappearing into his messy, jet-black hair.
The presence of the eye mask instantly shattered the gentleness of his features, making him look more mysterious and dangerous. It added an intimidating aura, and even the light from the emerald earring by his ear seemed to take on a sharper, colder glint.
However, Shi Lan wasn’t frightened. She was just surprised that Ye Ming still wore an eye mask in his human form.
She asked curiously, pointing to the area around her own eyes, "Why are you still wearing that?"
Ye Ming stood frozen in place. No one knew how anxious and uneasy he felt, like a criminal about to be sentenced, not even daring to breathe too loudly.
It wasn’t until he heard Shi Lan’s voice that he dared to look up. His green eyes carefully studied her expression. Seeing more curiosity and confusion than fear and distance in her eyes, he felt as if he had come back to life, granted a redeeming release.
Ye Ming’s lips parted. He explained, "This eye mask is custom-made. It requires a special solution to be removed, and that material isn’t available here in the prison."
His eye mask was tailor-made for him by Dr. Ai. It wouldn’t even fall off when he was in his beast form.
"Oh, I see."
Shi Lan still didn’t quite understand, but she nodded her head and didn’t press the issue.
’Maybe Ye Ming has a scar around his eyes and has to wear this thing.’
’But he’s probably so good-looking that even a simple black eye mask can’t hide his strong brow bone and deep-set eyes.’
"It suits you."
After a moment’s thought, she offered the compliment with a slight curve of her lips.
A ripple seemed to pass through Ye Ming’s eyes, and a hint of a smile appeared in their depths. Although he still gave off a cold impression, he also seemed to have softened considerably.
The truth was, he could have transformed two days ago. But the thought of the eye mask on his face made him too afraid to act, worried that he would frighten Shi Lan again.
After all, his original purpose for wearing the eye mask was to repel other females. He knew better than anyone the convenience it brought him.
That was why he had been so hesitant.
’Thankfully, Lanlan didn’t avoid me or get scared. She even complimented me.’
Bubbles of joy welled up in Ye Ming’s heart. Across from them, Jiang Xia, who had seen his human form before, was unfazed. However, he had never seen Ye Ming without the eye mask and was quite curious for a moment.
But when he heard Ye Ming say it couldn’t be removed right now, his interest instantly faded. He just secretly calculated in his mind, ’At Lanlan’s current pace, maybe I’ll be able to transform into my human form in less than a week.’
’Haha, I have to charm Lanlan and prove to her I’m not some short-legged beast!’
After confirming Ye Ming was physically fine, Shi Lan left cell number three.
Then, looking at the equally worn Combat Suit he was wearing, she said, "If you’d like to buy other clothes, Lord Ye, you can send me a request too."
"Alright."
Ye Ming knew that Shi Lan had helped He Hanshi buy clothes, so her words didn’t come as a surprise.
’Still, he was very happy. Lanlan isn’t treating me any differently than she treats He Hanshi.’
The corners of his lips curled up unconsciously, a faint dimple appearing for a moment near his rosy lips before he quickly composed his expression.
Shi Lan took another look at him. ’I never expected Ye Ming to be a person of such contrasts.’
’He keeps surprising me. His height, though...’
She thought back. It seemed the males in this world were all very tall. The shortest one she had seen was probably still over 175 cm.
’But that makes sense. Beastman genes are dominant, and they have to fight the Insect Clan, so everything evolved toward strength.’
She pulled her thoughts back and, as she passed cell number one, she couldn’t help but glance at He Hanshi out of the corner of her eye.
She saw him doing climbing exercises on the wall. His loose-fitting athletic shirt had ridden up, revealing a lean, powerful lower back and alluring back dimples. Her eyes widened for a moment.
’Hot damn. He Hanshi is so tall, and on top of having a perfect physique, he has back dimples too?’
Shi Lan subconsciously wiped the corner of her mouth. Hearing what sounded like a disgruntled cough from Mu Tangfeng, she guiltily averted her gaze and looked at him. "What’s wrong?"
Mu Tangfeng just stared at her with a mournful expression without saying a word. He stared for so long that Shi Lan began to doubt herself. Finally, he spoke, his voice dripping with sour annoyance, "I’m in human form too, you know. Why have you never offered to help me buy clothes?"
"Huh?"
Shi Lan understood what he meant. She glanced at the large wardrobe in his room and explained helplessly, "Don’t you have a whole closet full of clothes in your room?"
Unlike He Hanshi and the others, Mu Tangfeng was already in his human form when he arrived at the prison, and he hadn’t been short on clothes.
Originally, He Hanshi and the others all had spatial storage, but because their storage might have contained dangerous items, it was temporarily confiscated before they entered the prison. This was how Yan Huoshui had been so certain: on the surface, they were sent to the prison to recuperate, but in reality, they had all been abandoned. Even their families weren’t allowed to visit, under the pretext that family members would make them emotionally unstable and trigger a collapse of their spiritual power.
Mu Tangfeng gritted his teeth, unhappy. ’How could that be the same thing?’
’Shi Lan hadn’t even asked him.’
The bitter taste in his mouth intensified as he accused her again, "It’s not the same! How can you treat me differently just because I already have clothes?"
"We’re all locked up in this prison. Even if I have a lot of clothes, they’re all old by now."
