Chapter 114
Lang Ze was sent back to the wolf tribe by Lang Qi to do some work. As he left, he was still muttering under his breath, “I’ve called you ‘Brother’ for so many years, what’s the big deal about calling me that just once…”
Bai Tu admired his persistent spirit—despite failing every time, he never gave up on provoking his older brother. But he quickly shifted his focus to the residential area layout. Previously, he had only provided a basic template, marking rough zones, such as areas designated for storage, public facilities like dining halls, and entertainment spaces.
Now, he was refining the divisions further. For instance, a single dining hall wouldn’t be enough—there should be one placed at intervals for convenience. Similarly, the newly considered comprehensive nursery should ideally be located close to the residential area.
Even with help from others, completing this entire plan would take several days at the very least. Otherwise, Bai An wouldn’t have been so anxious for Bai Tu to regain his human form.
Fortunately, Bai Tu had transformed back earlier than expected, leaving plenty of time to work.
Bai An had another reason for his urgency—some of Bai Tu’s previous markings were only understandable to him. Others who looked at them could make no sense of them at all. Lang Qi could have helped, but when Bai Tu was in his beast form, Lang Qi rarely left his side or the cubs. Given his personality, getting him to set aside time to explain complicated problems was nearly impossible.
The weather outside was still freezing, and Bai Tu had no intention of going out unless necessary. Since this was just the initial design phase, there was no actual construction work happening yet, so there was no need for him to be there in person. The best part was that there was plenty of space—no matter how they designed it, there would be enough land to build on. All they needed to do was clear the trees in the designated areas.
Knowing that the central area would require the most adjustments, Bai Tu prioritized breaking it down into smaller sections. That way, once the snow melted, everyone would have work to do.
Since the first snowfall, only those whose jobs required them to leave—such as the patrol teams—had been stepping out regularly. Most other beastmen rarely left their caves or the residential areas. Apart from energetic wolves like Lang Ze, who constantly ran around, the majority had stayed indoors. Many of them were actually looking forward to this new work project.
After several days of effort, Bai Tu finalized the detailed zoning plan for the central area and handed it over to Bai An. Bai An planned to go check out the area in a few days. However, before he could set out, an unexpected visitor arrived despite the harsh winter weather.
This surprised Bai An. Even in winter, most of their own tribe members didn’t travel much unless they needed food. Those who didn’t want to cook would go down the mountain to eat, but otherwise, beastmen preferred to stay in their caves, doing even the dullest tasks, like weaving fur, rather than venturing outside.
When Bai An saw that the visitor was a beastman from the Flower Deer Tribe, he was even more astonished. The differences between tribes were undeniable—for instance, the deer and rabbit tribes weren’t as strong in combat as the wolves, lions, or bears, so they were even more reluctant to leave their territory.
Although the two tribes were neighbors, the land between them was mostly barren sand with little grass. As a result, they didn’t interact often. Their relationship was decent due to similarities in temperament, but even so, it was hard to believe that the Flower Deer Tribe had braved this weather just to visit. Clearly, they had something important to discuss.
Running through recent events in his mind, Bai An confirmed that nothing had gone wrong in the tribe, which gave him some relief. As long as they weren’t here to settle a dispute, things should be fine.
The Flower Deer Tribe, like the cat tribe, was led by a female chief. Her name was Lu Hui, and her beast form was a young and elegant spotted deer.
Fortunately, Lu Hui didn’t keep Bai An in suspense. She got straight to the point: “Our tribe has run out of food. We’d like to borrow some and will repay it after the rainy season.”
“Borrow food?” Bai An was a little surprised.
The deer tribe was well-known for their speed. While they weren’t as fierce in hunting as the surrounding tribes, their agility allowed them to chase down prey and drive it into a trap. Additionally, their beast form was larger than that of the rabbit tribe, making their hunting success rate significantly higher.
Hearing that the issue was food-related, Bai An immediately gestured for Bai Qi to fetch Bai Tu. Thanks to Bai Tu’s lessons, many of the tribe members had learned to read, and when Bai Tu was too busy or unwilling to leave the cubs, Lang Qi would take over as the teacher. However, even after half a year of learning, their arithmetic skills were still far behind Bai Tu’s.
This kind of decision had to be made by Bai Tu.
Besides, food distribution required Bai Tu’s approval in the first place. Bai An alone wouldn’t be able to authorize it.
“Before winter, there were fewer prey animals, and our tribe caught significantly fewer than in previous years. Now, all we have left are bones.”
The few remaining bones and pelts could sustain them for a few more days, but if they waited any longer to seek help, they might freeze to death before even reaching another tribe.
Lu Hui had thought ahead. Seeing that their tribe’s food supply was running low, she immediately set out to find the rabbit tribe, who were relatively more approachable. That way, if they couldn’t borrow food from them, they would still have time to seek help elsewhere rather than risking starvation and frostbite along the way.
Hearing her explanation, Bai An nodded in understanding. “This year’s prey was indeed scarcer than usual.” He sighed. “We also have more mouths to feed in our tribe now.”
He then explained how they had rescued the cubs that had been imprisoned by the Red Eagle Tribe.
“Cubs?” Upon hearing that word, Lu Hui immediately grabbed Bai An’s sleeve, her voice trembling with urgency. “Chief Bai An, you rescued all the cubs that the Red Eagle Tribe had taken?”
“We didn’t bring all of them back—only the ones who were still alive,” Bai An clarified. The difference was significant, as many of the cubs taken by the Red Eagle Tribe had not survived.
It was at that moment that Bai Tu entered the room.
Seeing Bai Tu, Lu Hui and the young man beside her were visibly surprised. After all, Bai Qi had left right after she mentioned borrowing food, so they had expected him to bring back a high-ranking beastman who could make decisions for the tribe. Instead, they were greeted by someone so young.
Bai An introduced them. “This is Tu. He’s the one who rescued the cubs.”
Hearing Bai An emphasize Bai Tu’s role in the rescue, and recalling the conversation from earlier, Bai Tu glanced at the deer beastmen before focusing on the male deer standing beside Lu Hui. “Did your tribe lose any cubs?”
Originally, Bai Tu had planned to wait until spring to return the cubs once he had more information on Hei Xiao’s whereabouts. But if he could reunite some of them with their families now, that would be even better. The cubs who had already been returned to the Yellow Lion and White Lion Tribes were reportedly doing well.
No matter how much care they provided here, it was still dozens of beastmen looking after nearly 200 cubs. In their home tribes, however, each cub would have their own family caring for them. While they had provided ample food and toys, the emotional connection wouldn’t be the same.
Bai Tu remembered that among the rescued cubs, there were indeed two young deer. Their fur was slightly paler than usual, but he wasn’t sure if they matched the ones the deer tribe had lost.
Lu Hui took a deep breath to calm herself before turning to Bai Tu and saying, “The missing cubs were mine and Ji’s.”
The young man beside her nodded. “I am Lu Ji, Hui’s mate.”
“Your cubs?” Bai Tu asked. “When did they go missing? How did it happen? How old were they? Do you remember their fur color and markings?”
At these questions, Lu Ji hesitated. He avoided Bai Tu’s gaze and didn’t look at Lu Hui either. Instead, his eyes drifted to an empty spot in the room, his expression uncertain.
Lu Hui, too focused on answering, didn’t notice Lu Ji’s reaction. She replied, “They were taken after last winter ended. Ji was watching them when Red Eagle Tribe beastmen stole them. Both fawns were just over a year old, born in the second month of last winter. Their markings were lighter than mine.”
To clarify further, Lu Hui shifted into her beast form.
Her winter clothing was loose, and since she was tall in human form, shifting only made her attire fit a bit tighter rather than tearing. Unlike other beastmen, she didn’t need to remove her clothes beforehand, making it much more convenient.
Bai Tu examined the patterns on her fur and, after a moment, regretfully said, “Among the cubs we brought back, we didn’t find any from the deer tribe.”
Lu Ji’s expression visibly relaxed.
Even though he knew the chances of encountering their missing cubs by sheer coincidence were slim, Lu Hui still looked disappointed after shifting back into human form. “Are you sure they’re not here?”
Deer cubs, especially those from the flower deer tribe, had very distinct features. Those with lighter fur were even rarer. If Bai Tu had seen them, he definitely would have taken notice. If he said they weren’t among the rescued cubs, then they really weren’t.
Bai Tu thought for a moment. “They’re not here, but it’s possible they’re still hidden somewhere in the Red Eagle Tribe.” He then looked at Lu Ji. “Do you remember what the vulture beastmen who took the cubs looked like? Especially their chief?”
Lu Ji shook his head. “I don’t remember. They moved too fast. The moment they grabbed the cubs, they flew off.”
Bai Tu sighed in disappointment. “That makes things difficult. Without identifying the vultures who took them, there’s no way to ask where the cubs were taken.”
Lu Hui immediately clutched onto Lu Ji’s fur cloak. “Ji, try to remember! What did those vultures look like? Think harder!”
Lu Ji instinctively raised his hands as if to push her away but stopped midway. “…I really don’t remember.”
Bai Tu averted his gaze from him and instead tried to ease the situation. “Chief Lu Hui, if he can’t remember now, let’s leave it at that. If you recall any more details in the future, you can come find me—I’ll be at the Snow Rabbit Tribe.”
Upon hearing this, Lu Hui slowly released her grip on Lu Ji. She still had more pressing matters to deal with, so she forced herself to regain composure, thanked Bai Tu, and then turned to Bai An to bring up the second reason for her visit. “Chief Bai An, could you spare us some food? We don’t need much—just enough to last for a while. We will return it as soon as the rainy season passes.”
Adult beastmen could survive on bones and hides, but young cubs couldn’t. The tough fur was impossible to chew, and their teeth weren’t strong enough to bite through bones. While such resources were life-saving for grown beastmen, they were useless for cubs, who could only stare at them helplessly. Even a small portion of food would be enough to sustain the young ones for a while.
When Bai Tu heard the request, his apologetic expression deepened. “Chief Lu Hui, it’s not that we don’t want to help you—it’s just that we don’t have much food left either.”
A flicker of disbelief appeared in the eyes of Lu Hui and the deer beastmen behind her. They then turned to Bai An, hoping for a different answer.
Bai An sighed. “The food in our tribe has always been managed by Tu.”
In other words, whether they could borrow food depended entirely on Bai Tu’s decision. Even Bai An wouldn’t be able to overrule it once Bai Tu had already refused.
This answer dealt another blow to Lu Hui.
Beside her, Lu Ji muttered, “The beastmen in the Snow Rabbit Tribe all look so well-fed. There’s no way they’re lacking food.” As he spoke, he pointed at Bai Qi, who stood behind Bai Tu.
Lu Hui hadn’t expected Lu Ji to say something like that. She was too stunned to stop him, and by the time she realized it, he had already finished speaking. Seeing that several of the rabbit beastmen’s expressions had darkened, she quickly apologized, “Ji is just worried about our tribe. Please don’t take offense, Chief Bai An.”
Bai Qi, on the other hand, was utterly confused. Of course, he could eat as much food as he wanted—what was wrong with having a big appetite? It wasn’t as if he was eating their food! The more he thought about it, the angrier he got, though he couldn’t entirely refute it. His food intake had indeed increased a lot recently. If the tribe didn’t have enough supplies, they wouldn’t have been able to support the way he was eating.
Bai Tu didn’t even need to turn around to know Bai Qi’s expression had soured. He looked at Lu Ji and said coldly, “How much we eat in our tribe has nothing to do with you.”
Bai Qi was one of the first beastmen Bai Tu had met after waking up. Last year, he had been far less composed than he was now, but even then, he had saved some fruit for Bai Tu.
Even though they hadn’t interacted as much over the winter due to various circumstances, Bai Tu wasn’t about to let Lu Ji talk about him like that.
The rabbits’ appetites had all increased, partly due to the winter but also because food had previously been scarce. Everyone used to eat sparingly, either never truly getting full or rarely experiencing a full meal. But now, they could eat their fill at every meal, and thanks to their labor, they weren’t growing fat—just stronger than before.
Not just Bai Tu, but even the cooks like Tu Mu were happy to see the young beastmen of the tribe eating well. They were all quite satisfied. So what right did Lu Ji have to question them?
If Bai Tu said the food supply was insufficient, then that was the truth. However, his words were directed only at Lu Ji. Lu Hui had maintained a respectful attitude throughout, so there was no reason to turn his frustration on her.
Hearing Bai Tu’s blunt response, Lu Ji’s anger flared. “The Snow Rabbit Tribe clearly has food, yet you refuse to lend us any. What a fine example—”
This time, Lu Hui reacted quickly, stopping him before he could finish. Her face carried a mix of embarrassment and apology as she turned to Bai An and Bai Tu. “Lord Bai Tu is right. The Snow Rabbit Tribe’s food has nothing to do with the Deer Tribe. Ji’s words are his own and do not represent our tribe. I will punish him for this.”
Lu Hui had not become a chief without reason. She understood that if she didn’t clarify things now, they could end up offending the Snow Rabbit Tribe. Even if rabbits weren’t known for their combat strength, the fact that their people were well-fed and clean in the middle of winter was proof that their tribe was no weaker than the Flower Deer Tribe. Offending a tribe like this was not a wise move.
As for Lu Ji, Lu Hui frowned slightly, unable to understand why her usually sensible mate had failed to grasp such a simple principle today. She subtly signaled the two deer behind her, and they immediately stepped forward to restrain Lu Ji.
Lu Hui then apologized again to Bai An and Bai Tu before announcing their departure.
After all, she had come here to borrow food. If they couldn’t get any from the rabbit tribe, they needed to hurry to the next tribe. Traveling in winter consumed several times more food than staying in the cave, and their small supply wouldn’t last much longer.
“Of course, Lu Ji’s words have nothing to do with the Deer Tribe,” Bai Tu replied, his tone much softer toward Lu Hui. Seeing that she was about to leave, he raised a hand slightly to stop her. “It’s already late. If you set out now, you’ll reach the next tribe in the middle of the night. Why not stay here for a night and leave in the morning?”
Lu Ji suddenly broke free from the two deer holding him and growled, “We’re not staying! What are you planning?”
Lu Hui shot a cold glance at the two deer who had let go. They trembled slightly and quickly grabbed Lu Ji again, holding him firmly this time.
Bai Tu ignored Lu Ji’s outburst and continued speaking to Lu Hui. “Although there aren’t any deer cubs among the ones we rescued, there are many cubs in general, and they’re quite adorable. Why don’t you take a look? If you find one you like, you can take them in.”
Lu Hui paused slightly. “We can adopt them?”
She had suffered injuries while giving birth to her two cubs and would never be able to have more.
After losing her own children, she often found herself lingering whenever she saw the cubs of other tribes.
Whether it was bad luck or simply coincidence, the number of births in the Deer Tribe had been declining each year. This year, only three cubs had been born in their tribe. The newborns were cared for by their mothers and their mothers’ sisters, so as chief, she had limited chances to be involved.
One of the reasons she had left the tribe this time was to ensure that the deer cubs had enough food. Some beastmen believed that broth made from boiling bones and fur was enough to feed cubs, but every time she saw it, it pained her.
It was impossible for her to bring a cub from her own tribe to raise, but if it was one of the rescued cubs… that might be different?
For a moment, Lu Hui was tempted to agree immediately. But then she hesitated, remembering something. “Can I return after winter?”
Once the ice and snow melted, traveling would be easier. The tribe would also be able to catch more prey, making it less of a burden to stay out for an extra day. Right now, every bit of food needed to be used wisely, and wasting a day just to see the cubs felt irresponsible toward her tribe.
“You’re worried about food?” Bai Tu quickly understood the reason for her hesitation. “We don’t have much food in the tribe, but providing two meals for you is no problem. Besides, you’ve never tasted our tribe’s food before—why not give it a try? The cubs have been staying here all winter. If you take one now, they’ll adjust to their new environment more quickly. If they stay here too long, they might not want to leave with you later.”
Lu Hui wavered. On one hand, there was the opportunity to adopt a cub, and on the other, there were the deer cubs back in her tribe. She didn’t want to give up on either.
Bai Tu noticed her hesitation and continued, “Half of our tribe’s food is reserved for these cubs. If you take one, we’ll also provide you with their winter food supply—you won’t have to worry about taking resources from your own tribe. And traveling at night isn’t safe. Wouldn’t it be better to leave in the morning when the weather is warmer and everyone is more rested?”
These words erased nearly all of Lu Hui’s concerns. After exchanging a few words with one of the deer beside her, she finally nodded. “Thank you, Lord Bai Tu. We’ll trouble you for one night, then.”
“It’s no trouble at all,” Bai Tu waved it off before calling out, “Qi, take the deer to rest. I’ll take Chief Lu Hui to see the cubs.”
Lu Ji, whose mouth was still covered by the other two deer, was practically fuming with rage. But after Lu Hui’s earlier warning, the deer holding him didn’t dare let go.
Bai Tu didn’t spare him another glance. Before heading to the cubs’ cave, he stopped by his own first, informing Lang Qi of the situation and checking on the cubs. Even though the two older cubs could shift into human form, they still spent most of their time in their beast forms.
After tucking the cubs in, Bai Tu told Lang Qi, “The Flower Deer Tribe has some issues. I might be back late.”
On the way to the cave where the cubs were being raised, Bai Tu took the opportunity to ask about the Flower Deer Tribe.
“Chief Lu Hui, you are very impressive. I rarely see female chiefs.” The imbalance in gender ratios, combined with natural size differences, meant that most tribal leaders were male beastmen.
Lu Hui explained, “That’s how it has always been in the Flower Deer Tribe. The position of chief is only passed down to daughters or sisters, never to sons or brothers.” Many young beastmen were surprised when they first encountered her tribe. Since this was Bai Tu’s first time meeting her, she wasn’t surprised by his curiosity.
Bai Tu nodded and asked another question. “Lu Ji isn’t from the Flower Deer Tribe, is he? I didn’t see any markings behind his neck.” Beastmen from the Flower Deer Tribe, even in human form, had distinctive markings behind their ears. But Lu Ji had none. When he had struggled earlier, his cloak had slipped slightly, revealing his bare shoulder—without any markings.
“He is a deer I rescued,” Lu Hui explained. “He originally belonged to the Brown Deer Tribe, but his tribe was framed, and he was severely injured. I happened to pass by with my hunting team and found him.”
“Chief Lu Hui and Lu Ji seem very devoted to each other,” Bai Tu remarked.
Lu Hui’s steps faltered slightly. She neither confirmed nor denied it. She seemed to want to say something but hesitated, ultimately choosing to remain silent.
Bai Tu acted as if he hadn’t noticed her hesitation. When they entered the cave, he didn’t wander around but went directly to the second heated bed. Many of the cubs here belonged to the Horse and Deer Tribes.
Lu Hui hadn’t yet figured out if Bai Tu had been lying about there being no deer cubs when her attention was immediately caught by two distinctively marked fawns.
Perhaps it was the innate connection between mother and child, but the two fawns, who had been playing just moments ago, suddenly stopped and slowly turned their heads toward her.
The moment she met their eyes, Lu Hui almost instinctively knew—they were her cubs.
“I… can I hold them?” Lu Hui asked softly, as if afraid of disturbing a dream.
“Go ahead.” Bai Tu nodded. He had brought her here specifically to see these two cubs, so of course, she could hold them.
Having spent most of the winter in the care of the Snow Rabbit Tribe, the cubs looked entirely different from when they were first rescued. Now, they were plump and well-fed. The two fawns were just as round, but their naturally long legs balanced out their chubby appearance, making them look slightly more agile than the others.
With Bai Tu’s permission, Lu Hui immediately stepped closer and carefully reached out toward the cubs.
The other cubs were curious about this stranger, but most of them only glanced at her before turning their attention back to Bai Tu. However, the two fawns didn’t move away. Instead, they slowly approached Lu Hui’s outstretched hand.
One of them sniffed her hand curiously.
Even though it was just a touch of a tiny nose, Lu Hui was overwhelmed with emotion. She held her breath, watching the cubs’ reactions closely.
The fawn lifted its head after sniffing her, tilting slightly as if deep in thought. After a moment, it leaned in to sniff again before taking another step forward.
When Lu Hui saw the cubs come right up to her, she didn’t hesitate—she scooped them both into her arms.
Normally, cubs would instinctively resist being held by someone unfamiliar. But her scent was familiar to them, so neither fawn struggled. Instead, they nestled into her embrace, even pressing their little noses against her neck, taking in her scent.
There was no need for her to shift into beast form to confirm anything—Lu Hui held them tightly, afraid of losing them again.
After a while, she looked up at Bai Tu. “Lord Bai Tu, I…”
Bai Tu, who had been adjusting a blanket for another cub, raised a hand to stop her. He offered a piece of advice:
“Leave the cubs here for now—and take a good look into your mate.”
