Chapter 22: Two dragons cannot share one mountain, unless one is male and the other female!

"Moo..."

The desperate wail of the fallen female Triceratops echoed as her kin stood by, offering no help.

Unmoved by their indifference, the father Tyrannosaurus showed no mercy toward the hard-won prey. He tore violently at the Triceratops' neck with his blood-stained jaws and ripped open her abdomen with his powerful claws. Blood flowed like a river beneath them, staining the earth crimson before anyone realized.

Exsanguinated and unable to resist further, the female Triceratops resigned herself to fate, lying perfectly still as she awaited death. Her vitality was remarkable; it took over half an hour for her life to finally flicker out. Her massive, heavy head slumped to the ground, never to be lifted again.

The remaining Triceratops had already retreated, shielding the juveniles of their herd. Only the father Tyrannosaurus and Chu Xu remained at the blood-soaked scene. While other carnivorous dinosaurs caught the heavy scent of blood, they dared not approach upon discovering the two T-Rexes—one large, one small—merely hoping for a share of the scraps once the giants had finished their meal.

[Ding! You have hunted a juvenile Triceratops. Evolution points +15.]
[Ding! You participated in the hunt of an adult Triceratops. Evolution points +50.]

Two system notifications rang in Chu Xu's ears in quick succession. While the juvenile Triceratops yielded few points, the value of an adult was significant! Chu Xu had earned a full 50 points just for assisting his father. Had he hunted the adult alone, the reward would likely have doubled.

"Roar..."

After killing the female Triceratops, the father T-Rex did not immediately bury his head in the feast. Instead, he let out a curious, rather friendly growl toward Chu Xu, asking why he had come to this place.

Chu Xu let out a breath of relief. He had been secretly on high alert while facing his father, as he couldn't be sure if the older T-Rex would recognize him. Even if he did, there was a risk of aggression that could not be ignored. While Chu Xu might not be a match for an adult T-Rex, he was confident in his ability to escape. Fortunately, his father showed no hostility; he truly was a model husband and father among Tyrannosaurs, not one to turn his back on his own offspring.

"Roar..."

Chu Xu responded quickly, indicating that he was simply out hunting and happened to be passing through.

The father T-Rex snorted, seemingly in gratitude, but did not linger to interact further. He clamped his jaws around the thick, long tail of the female Triceratops and began dragging her heavy carcass in a specific direction.

This struck Chu Xu as strange. Having spent so much effort to hunt this Triceratops, why show no intention of eating? Was he dragging her away to store for later, or for some other reason? Curious, Chu Xu clamped his own juvenile Triceratops in his jaws and followed in the shadows.

The commotion caused by the father T-Rex dragging the carcass was immense, startling countless beasts and birds along the way. Yet, he remained indifferent, marching proudly across his territory until he reached the border.

"ROAR—!!"

Suddenly, a T-Rex roar erupted from the distance, shaking the earth and piercing the sky. Chu Xu identified it as the call of a female. Hearing it, the father T-Rex quickened his pace, dragging the carcass toward the source of the sound.

Well, well! Chu Xu finally understood. His father had hunted the female Triceratops as a courtship gift for another female! It was the breeding season, after all. His father must have taken a fancy to this young, strong female and hunted the formidable Triceratops to prove his prowess and win her favor.

Chu Xu felt no particular emotion, perhaps even a hint of amusement. Though this was his biological father, their bond had ended once the mating with his mother was finished. It was perfectly natural for him to seek out another unbred female during the mating season.

Soon, through his psychic perception, Chu Xu caught sight of the female. She was slightly smaller than his mother, but appeared younger—likely having only recently reached adulthood.

The father T-Rex dropped the Triceratops at her feet and let out a mighty, domineering roar, seemingly boasting of his skill in securing such a prize from the midst of the herd. Chu Xu couldn't help but scoff internally; the smooth talk of a male was truly deceptive. If not for his own sneak attack on the herd's rear, his father would never have had the chance to break their defensive formation.

The young, naive female, swayed by the father T-Rex's grand display, seemed clearly moved and began to feast on the flesh of the Triceratops. Just as the father T-Rex was basking in his success, seemingly on the cusp of winning his new mate—

"ROAR!!"

Another thunderous T-Rex roar shattered the air, echoing for miles. Chu Xu hurriedly looked toward the source and spotted a male T-Rex of similar size to his father approaching rapidly.

The newcomer was missing his left eye, which was clouded and sightless. He appeared a few years older than his father, his scales covered in the scars and dried blood of countless battles, exuding an intimidating, bone-chilling pressure. Clearly, this one-eyed T-Rex had also come for the female.

Hearing the roar, the father T-Rex's muscles tightened instantly. He lowered his body and raised his tail, adopting a fierce combat stance. This was not the first time they had met; their territories were adjacent, and they had frequently clashed over resources and food. Now, a new cause for conflict had arisen: the right to mate.

The one-eyed T-Rex arrived, bringing his own trophy—an adult Edmontosaurus. Upon spotting the father T-Rex, his cold, violent right eye flashed with a murderous light, and his sharp teeth bared in a menacing snarl.

When rival males meet, their eyes turn red with hatred. The fight was imminent. The female T-Rex, the cause of the conflict, watched with keen interest, stepping aside to leave a clearing for the two to duel. Only the ultimate victor would be worthy of becoming her mate.

"ROAR!!"
"ROAR!!"

The two earth-shaking roars signaled the start of the duel. The one-eyed T-Rex and the father charged simultaneously, colliding with a force that sounded like a thunderclap in the sky.