Chapter 128
Bai Tu was shocked by Xiong Liao’s train of thought.
Not only were they not on the same wavelength, but they were worlds apart—beyond ten thousand miles of difference. Such confidence was admirable but certainly not worth emulating.
After a brief silence, Bai Tu said, “Have you considered the possibility that when he said he was leaving, he meant forever?”
No wonder Xiong Liao had been so relaxed and cheerful yesterday. He had only just now started looking for Ying Mian, but given the speed of the Eagle Tribe, he was probably already close to the tribe by now.
“That’s impossible!” Xiong Liao instinctively refuted Bai Tu. “Mian will definitely come back! He has to! He wouldn’t leave the team…”
But as he spoke, his voice grew quieter. Normally, by this time, Ying Mian would have already returned. Yet today, there was still no sign of him. Could it be that Bai Tu was right? Had he really left forever?
As soon as the thought surfaced, Xiong Liao shook his head furiously. “No way! Ying Mian will come back for me!”
Bai Tu: “……”
Forget it. There was no getting through with just hints. Bai Tu decided to give him a straightforward answer. “Ying Mian went back to the tribe first. Just wait until the salt exchange is done, and you’ll find out why.”
He suspected that if he didn’t say anything, Xiong Liao might just stand here waiting forever.
“Why would Mian go back to the tribe? I’m here,” Xiong Liao couldn’t understand why, after leaving together, Ying Mian would suddenly turn back halfway.
“Probably something important.” Whether it was hatching an egg or raising a youngling, these were significant matters. Before success was certain, it was best not to talk about it too much. If things didn’t work out, the disappointment would be much greater.
Bai Tu wasn’t sure what was going on with Ying Mian, so he could only offer a vague explanation. “The tribe is safer. Isn’t it better for him to stay there?” For Ying Mian, the tribe was undoubtedly the safest place—no risk of encountering beastmen trying to steal supplies, no dangers on the road where an egg might accidentally get bumped.
Unhatched younglings were even more fragile than the newborns who could already cry. If the yolk got shaken apart, it would never hatch. Thinking about how Ying Mian had already traveled two days with the wolf cubs, Bai Tu felt a little nervous.
“But if Mian is back at the tribe, I can’t protect him,” Xiong Liao argued, believing that being by his side was the safest option.
“Forget about why he went back for now. Just return to the tribe first. You’ll find out once the salt exchange is over.” Bai Tu figured that it was better to let the couple work things out themselves. One thing was clear—there was a major mismatch in how the two of them saw their relationship. As for the misunderstandings and their causes, Bai Tu silently shook his head. He couldn’t figure it out.
Xiong Liao was still doubtful until two other members of the White Bear Tribe confirmed that they had seen Ying Mian flying back with another eagle. At that point, there was no denying it.
But now, Neng Liao fixated on something else. “Why was he flying back with another eagle?” His mate—why was he with another eagle?
“Because Mian doesn’t know the way, so an eagle helped guide him,” Bai Tu explained helplessly.
“But why does it have to be another eagle…” Neng Liao muttered under his breath. Then, catching sight of Lang Qi returning with food, he scratched his head and mumbled, “Forget it, I can’t bully you.”
He almost forgot—Bai Tu had a mate, too. If he accidentally scared Bai Tu to tears, Lang Qi would definitely fight him.
Bai Tu: “……”
Fine. He wasn’t going to argue with an idiot who didn’t even realize his own mate had left.
Lang Qi walked up to Bai Tu, glancing at Xiong Liao’s retreating figure. “What’s he doing here?”
“Why hasn’t Ying Mian come back?”
Lang Qi: “?”
Bai Tu explained, “He thought Ying Mian just went out for a short flight last night and would come back afterward.” He only started worrying when he didn’t see him in the morning.
Lang Qi was silent for a moment. Letting his own mate run off—what kind of nonsense was that? Even herbs could cling tightly to their mates, yet this particular White Bear Tribe member had let his slip away. Lang Qi secretly looked down on him before casually continuing to feed the cubs with Bai Tu.
Bai Tu didn’t waste any more energy on Xiong Liao either. He lowered his head to check on the cubs’ food, muttering to Lang Qi as he did, “I think the cubs have gotten heavier again.”
The growth phase for wolf cubs around three years old varied. Some could gain several times their body weight, while others showed little change. Though there was no fixed standard, the more they grew, the stronger they were. It meant they’d be less likely to get hurt while playing or practicing hunting skills.
“They have,” Lang Qi agreed, picking up the two largest cubs. “Their appetites have grown too.” Yesterday, the food he prepared for Bai Tu had been devoured by these two.
Bai Tu also acknowledged the increase in their food intake. Previously, these two ate about twice as much as the other three combined, but now they needed half as much more on top of that.
With so many cubs to care for, Bai Tu knew this was just the beginning. Their appetites would continue to grow, peaking in their teenage years. Right before adulthood, beastmen often ate even more than those in their prime, constantly complaining about hunger. Just thinking of Lang Ze, Bai Tu felt like he was seeing the cubs’ future already.
He sighed, looking down at the little wolves.
Lang Qi glanced at him, silently asking what was wrong.
Bai Tu shook his head. “Nothing, just thinking about the tribe. Hopefully, everything is going smoothly.”
They had already made all the necessary arrangements before leaving. With Bai Chen, who was relatively stable, still in the tribe, there shouldn’t be any major problems. As long as the beastmen completed the tasks Bai Tu had assigned them on time, everything should be fine.
He wasn’t too worried about most of them—except for Lang Ze’s squad. No matter how many times he warned them, they always found loopholes in the rules. Like when they were told not to climb trees to mess with beehives, a bunch of young wolves immediately ran to the pond and got themselves covered in mud. When they were later banned from playing in the pond, they somehow discovered a hidden spring in the mountains that no one had seen before.
All Bai Tu could do was hope Lang Ze would behave for once. As long as the beastmen in the tribe didn’t cause too much trouble, things would be fine. But Lang Ze was never the type to stay quiet.
Hearing Bai Tu mention the tribe, Lang Qi didn’t say anything. The two exchanged a glance and sighed in unison. Hopefully, everything would be alright.
*
Snow Rabbit Tribe
The little wolves, who had just tasted the soil, curiously stared at the strange substance they had dug up. The dirt wasn’t just bitter—it had a slightly salty taste and was oddly flavored. But one thing was certain: it was definitely not the clay they needed for making bricks.
“Boss, what do we do now?” one of the little wolves asked Lang Ze.
Lang Ze wanted to ask the same thing. Under normal circumstances, he would have called Bai Tu over to take a look. But now, Bai Tu wasn’t here. Lang Qi wasn’t here either. Even Bai An had left with the team.
His eyes darted around, and he waved his hand. “Cover it back up!”
“Why cover it?” The little wolves hesitated. They had dug so deep—wasn’t it a waste to just bury it again? Besides, this was such a big patch of land. Even if they didn’t use it for bricks, it could at least be fun to play with.
“Because I said so!” Lang Ze kicked the wolf who questioned him. “What if someone else digs it up?” He didn’t even know what it was yet. There was no way he was letting someone else take it.
The little wolves quickly nodded. Right—what if someone else took it? Then the salt-exchange team would come back and find it gone!
The little wolves, always so eager to share, immediately shifted into their beast forms and started refilling the hole.
Lang Ze grabbed a handful of the strange soil and wrapped it in a piece of animal hide. When he returned to the tribe, he placed it at the entrance of Bai Tu and Lang Qi’s cave.
Since Bai Tu and Lang Qi had gone to the market, the cave was unoccupied. To prevent anyone from entering, Lang Qi had sealed the entrance with a large rock, leaving only a small gap for ventilation.
After setting the soil down, Lang Ze clapped his hands in satisfaction and happily went down the mountain for dinner.
There was going to be something delicious today!
Having a large team had its advantages—primarily safety. With over 400 people in the group, not even rogue beastmen or large tribal salt-trading teams would dare provoke them.
However, the downside was equally obvious: managing such a large group was difficult. As the saying goes, whether you’re herding one sheep or a whole flock, the effort required is vastly different—after all, not all sheep move in the same direction.
Even though every tribe’s leader was present, some beastmen were naturally slower, while others got distracted by the scenery along the way, zoning out or stopping altogether. It was up to those at the back of the group to remind them to keep moving.
If the ones at the back also got distracted and wandered off, it wouldn’t be noticed until the next break when the leaders did a headcount and had to turn back to find them.
This sort of thing rarely happened among the wolf tribe. Lang Qi wasn’t at the rear of the group, but he had assigned a few reliable beastmen to watch the back. Lang Ya would also occasionally check in on the stragglers.
The rabbit tribe had sent only about twenty to thirty people on this journey, and Bai An was so familiar with his tribe members that he would immediately notice if even one of them went missing—there was no need to wait for a headcount during breaks.
The leopard tribe had also sent a small group, but they were known for their speed. Even if they fell behind, they could easily catch up within half a day. There was never any real concern about them getting lost.
The lion and deer tribes occasionally had members fall behind, but they reacted quickly—either someone from the front would go back to fetch them, or they would catch up on their own shortly after.
The only tribe that stood out from the rest was the bear tribe. Their behavior was incredibly consistent: whenever they spotted something unusual along the way, they had to go over and take a look. And after looking, they wouldn’t leave immediately; sometimes, they would even gather to discuss it. Those who didn’t participate in the discussion wouldn’t walk away either—they would just stand there, physically present but mentally lost in thought.
This wasn’t limited to the regular bear tribe members—even Xiong Liao was exactly the same.
Bai Tu could only shake his head. Like leader, like tribe.
Everyone finally understood why the White Bear tribe always set out several days earlier than the other tribes. If it weren’t for the other tribes keeping an eye on them, their slow pace would mean they wouldn’t arrive at the market until two or three days after it had already opened.
At first, Xiong Liao still made an effort to check on his people at the back, but after realizing that the other tribes were also keeping them in line, he stopped going out of his way to check. Instead, he focused entirely on the question that had been bothering him all along.
Why did Ying Mian leave the group? Why wouldn’t he stay with me? Even if he had something to do, couldn’t he have waited until we got back? Why did he have to return on his own?
That night, under the full moon, Xiong Liao missed Ying Mian even more. The last time they were together, the moon had been just as round. Though only two days had passed, it felt like an eternity to him. Thinking about the fact that he wouldn’t see Ying Mian for another ten days or so, Xiong Liao lay on the ground, feeling miserable—so much so that he lost his appetite and skipped dinner.
While Xiong Liao was too lovesick to eat, Ying Mian had already arrived back at the Snow Rabbit Tribe.
This was a tribe completely different from his own. Whether compared to his previous tribe or the White Bear Tribe he had joined, neither could compare to the Snow Rabbit Tribe. It was obvious just from the food the beastmen ate.
When Ying Mian arrived, the beastmen had just finished breakfast. They were coming out of the dining hall, holding fruit or small post-meal snacks. These were best eaten after waiting a while, but the beastmen clearly didn’t care—before they even stepped out of the hall, the food was already in their mouths.
Watching these well-fed beastmen, Ying Mian couldn’t help but feel a little envious. The eagle tribe had joined the White Bear Tribe later on. While the White Bears weren’t as cruel as some tribes that mistreated those who joined them, the resources they provided were still limited. At most, in exchange for guarding the settlement in winter, they were given scraps and leftovers.
Because of his unclear relationship with Xiong Liao, Ying Mian received slightly more food than others. However, he still didn’t dare eat freely. His stamina was nowhere near Xiong Liao’s, and just eating a small portion already left him exhausted. If he ate more, he feared he wouldn’t even have the strength to move.
He noticed a few lion beastmen among those leaving the dining hall. Their situation was similar to the eagle tribe’s—perhaps even worse, since the eagle tribe had voluntarily joined the White Bear Tribe, whereas the lion tribe had been defeated in battle.
If the lion beastmen could eat their fill here, then as long as he worked hard, shouldn’t he be able to do the same?
Even though he hadn’t yet met the sub-beast Bai Tu had mentioned, Ying Mian was already beginning to look forward to his future.
——
When Hei Xiao heard that a tribesman had returned, his first thought was that Bai Tu’s group had run into trouble. After listening to the explanation, he realized they had simply sent a sub-beast back, and he let out a sigh of relief before heading out to take a look.
To his surprise, the newcomer was an eagle sub-beast. Though not from the Black Hawk Tribe, they were still the same kind of beast, so his attitude was much gentler than when dealing with other beastmen.
“We use incubation boxes for eggs in our tribe now,” Hei Xiao explained. “Bai Tu has successfully hatched chicks with them before, so it should work for eagle eggs too. Do you want to try?”
Since sub-beasts were generally smaller in size, the chance of one being able to hatch five eggs at once was very low.
“Yes, I want to try,” Ying Mian agreed. The person in front of him was a sub-beast who had experience with eggs of his own, so it was best to follow his advice.
Hei Xiao immediately called out to a well-fed eagle beastman, “Go and bring another incubation box over.”
The eagle beastman spread his wings and took off, returning shortly with a brand-new incubation box, which he delivered to Hei Xiao’s cave.
Hei Xiao patiently taught Ying Mian how to lay out the fur bedding, how to regulate the incubation box’s temperature using warm water, and how to adjust for humidity changes. He passed on all the knowledge needed for hatching cubs, which could also be applied here.
Initially anxious about his own and his future child’s well-being, Ying Mian gradually felt at ease. Now that he had found a place where he could finally relax, even sleeping at night was more comfortable than before.
——
Unlike Ying Mian, Xiong Liao was unable to sleep. He tossed and turned, his mind filled with thoughts of Ying Mian.
The journey had taken longer than expected, as they had stopped frequently along the way. It took them three extra days to reach the market, but since they had set out early, they still arrived before it officially opened.
Arriving early meant they had more choices for setting up camp. Perhaps because they were too early this year, only a few scattered tribes had settled around the market so far. However, each tribe was highly wary of the newcomers.
Seeing such a large group approaching, every tribe—whether close to the market or farther away—watched them with clear vigilance.
Bai Qi spotted an old friend he hadn’t seen in a long time and excitedly ran over to greet him, only to be met with an unexpectedly tense reaction.
The joy of seeing a familiar face quickly turned to confusion. Bai Qi frowned. “Xiong Tuan, it’s me, Bai Qi.”
He suspected the other might not recognize him anymore. After all, the past two times he had come to the market, they had either missed each other entirely or barely exchanged a few words before parting in a hurry.
Thinking this might be the case, Bai Qi brushed his fingers through his hair and added, “I’m Bai Qi from the Snow Rabbit Tribe. We agreed to meet again at the next market.”
“I know who you are,” Xiong Tuan said, but his voice still carried unease. “Just step back a little.”
The beastman beside Neng Tuan was far less polite. “I don’t care if you’re Bai Qi or Hei Qi—just get away from our tribe’s land!”
Bai Qi froze. He recognized that beastman—it was Xiong Tuan’s uncle. The last time Bai Qi had come looking for Xiong Tuan, the man had even given him a piece of meat.
Why had his attitude changed so drastically this time?
Bai Tu was discussing the beastmen around the market with Lang Qi. The market wouldn’t officially start for another two days, so it made sense that there were fewer tribes around. However, what was unusual was that most of the beastmen looked particularly thin.
Beastmen’s body sizes changed quickly—after a single winter, their size could double or shrink to half of what it was before. Of course, this referred to horizontal growth.
Most members of the Snow Rabbit Tribe and the Blood Wolf Tribe had eaten well during the past winter. While they hadn’t doubled in size, each person had gained dozens of kilos on average, and many beastmen had grown noticeably rounder in their beast forms.
After going through spring and the early part of summer, they had shed some of the fat they gained in winter, but overall, they were still slightly heavier than they had been at the end of the previous winter.
Now, after getting used to seeing the well-fed beastmen of their own tribes, the contrast with these thinner beastmen was striking.
Bai Tu frowned. “I don’t remember them being this thin last year.” Back then, their body sizes had been similar to the bear tribe’s current state—not as large as the bears, but still with some meat on their bones.
Lang Qi’s eyes briefly swept over the baskets the beastmen were protecting. “They’re all lacking food.”
This situation was clearly abnormal. Bai Tu scanned the area and said, “Let’s find a place to settle first.”
Just as he was about to call Bai An, he noticed Bai Qi being surrounded by several beastmen in the distance and quickly alerted Lang Qi, “Let’s check on Qi first!”
They had just arrived, and the last thing they wanted was to have conflicts with the tribes already present. Not only would fighting be dangerous, but it would also leave a bad impression—appearing as if they were here to cause trouble.
On Bai An’s side, he had just finished discussing with Shi Su and the others where to set up camp. When he looked up and saw Bai Qi being surrounded, he immediately strode over.
As Bai Qi’s father, Bai An was the most anxious of them all. He nearly ran all the way there, only to realize that the ones surrounding Bai Qi were from a tribe they had known before.
“Chief Xiong He! What do you think you’re doing?” Bai An demanded loudly. Their two tribes had previously gotten along quite well, so treating a Snow Rabbit beastman like this—whether it was Bai Qi or anyone else—was completely unjustified.
The named beastman, Xiong He, looked even more on guard. “We already warned him to stay away from our land.” If one listened closely, they could hear the tension in his voice.
This wasn’t the same rabbit tribe that had once followed behind others. Xiong He saw that at least three other tribe leaders were standing with Bai An, and Bai An was positioned near the center, which meant they held equal status.
The Black Bear Tribe had no chance of winning against so many beastmen. However, their food stores were running dangerously low. They had painstakingly saved up supplies to trade for salt, and if Bai Qi tried to get close, Xiong He would do whatever it took to stop him.
“Qi just wanted to find his friend,” Bai An explained, fully aware of his son’s intentions. Bai Qi had come to look for Xiong Tuan.
There weren’t many beastmen in the Rabbit Tribe, and in the past, it had been difficult for rabbit cubs to survive. Bai Qi had been born in particularly harsh winters, and among his age group, only two or three other cubs had survived. Finding a friend of the same age and compatible personality was even harder.
When he met Xiong Tuan later on, despite being from different tribes, they were close in age and got along well. Bai Qi saw Xiong Tuan as the closest person to him outside of family. He hadn’t been able to reunite with him at the market during the last two visits, so he had been looking forward to it ever since their group set out this time.
But instead of a warm welcome, he was met with a cold rejection. Neither Xiong Tuan nor the other beastmen of the Black Bear Tribe wanted him there.
Bai Qi hadn’t deliberately ignored their warnings—he was just too shocked by their sudden change in attitude. Having never encountered something like this before, he was stunned into inaction. To the Black Bear beastmen, however, his hesitation made it seem like he was refusing to leave, which was why they surrounded him.
On the side, Xiong Tuan was anxiously pacing in circles. But as a child, he hadn’t done as much work for the tribe as Bai Qi had, so he had no authority to give orders. All he could do was desperately grab onto one of the bear beastmen who seemed ready to take action.
Facing Bai An, the leader of the Snow Rabbit Tribe, Xiong He’s tone softened slightly, and he was willing to explain a little more. “Our tribe does not welcome beastmen from other tribes.”
In the past, they wouldn’t have stopped the younger generation from going out to play, but now, every single person needed to protect their dwindling food supply. No one was allowed to slack off, let alone leave for something as trivial as playing.
Since they were close, Bai An could see that the Black Bear Tribe was in bad shape—even their chief hadn’t eaten enough, let alone the others. That explained why they were so on edge. If their food supply was low, they would naturally be more vigilant than usual. Bai Qi hadn’t taken their warning seriously earlier, so of course, he ended up surrounded.
Now that the other side had made their stance clear and the reason was understood, Bai An didn’t push further. He simply explained, “Qi meant no harm. I’ll take him away right now. I’ll also send you half a basket of roasted meat as an apology.”
No matter Bai Qi’s reason for coming over, ignoring someone’s warning and getting surrounded was his own fault. Besides, the Black Bear Tribe hadn’t actually harmed him. The roasted meat was a token of apology for disturbing them, and Bai An didn’t want to sour relations with the Black Bear Tribe, which they had previously gotten along with. If both sides took a step back, the matter would be resolved.
Hearing Bai An’s words, the Black Bear Tribe members—including Xiong He—couldn’t help but swallow instinctively. Half a basket of meat. Even with their numbers, everyone would get a share. In order to save food for trading salt, they had been surviving on bones and animal hides for a long time. They had nearly forgotten what real meat tasted like. The food reserved for trading couldn’t be touched, but if it was given by another tribe, they could eat a little.
Perhaps it was the offer of meat, or perhaps Xiong He didn’t want to embarrass Bai An, but he finally spoke, “Let him go.”
The beastmen surrounding Bai Qi stepped back. Xiong Tuan immediately rushed over to check on him. “Qi, are you hurt?”
Bai Qi had come excitedly to find his friend, only to be rejected outright and nearly detained. Now, his tribe even had to give up half a basket of food because of him. His initial joy had turned into disappointment. He felt betrayed. Looking at Xiong Tuan, he couldn’t bring himself to push him away, but he still withdrew his arm from his grasp. “I don’t need you to care!”
The tribe’s food supply was limited. His slow reaction had almost gotten him caught, which had already caused trouble for his tribe. The food used to trade for his release wouldn’t come from the tribe’s reserves—it would be taken from his own share, which wasn’t enough to begin with. His father would definitely have to set aside some of his own food for him.
Thinking about how his father would have to go hungry with him in the coming days because he had come looking for Xiong Tuan, Bai Qi took a few steps back, then turned and ran. He had been wrong—Xiong Tuan didn’t see him as a true friend.
Unable to process the feeling of betrayal, Bai Qi remained sulking for the rest of the day.
Bai Tu and Lang Qi were still some distance away. By the time they arrived, Bai An had already settled the issue. The Wolf Tribe had little interaction with the Black Bear Tribe, and Bai Tu didn’t even recognize the people involved. Since Bai An had resolved it, he said nothing.
It wasn’t until their group had chosen a spot to set up camp that Bai Tu noticed Bai Qi again. Not only did he seem more downcast than usual, but his eyes were slightly red. The last time Bai Tu had seen Bai Qi this upset was when Bai An had scolded him for the Rabbit Rite. Bai Tu immediately walked over and asked, “What’s wrong?”
Was he scared? That didn’t seem right. Bai Qi was young, but he was part of the patrol team. He had encountered beastmen from all kinds of tribes before. He had traveled with polar bear beastmen, who were fiercer than black bear beastmen—there was no way he was afraid of a few from the Black Bear Tribe. Bai Tu was still puzzled when Bai Qi spoke, his head hanging low.
“I thought he was my friend, but he doesn’t think of me as one.”
“What?” Bai Tu didn’t immediately understand.
“I went to find Xiong Tuan, and he told me to leave. His tribe’s beastmen even tried to capture me.” Bai Qi’s voice was filled with disappointment. No matter how decisively he had acted in front of Xiong Tuan, he still felt hurt. He had known Xiong Tuan since childhood. Back then, he hadn’t been as strong as he was now, but every time he thought about meeting Xiong Tuan, he would insist on walking the long distance from his tribe just to see him.
The thought of meeting Xiong Tuan at the market had always excited Bai Qi. He wasn’t even supposed to come this time, but he had gone out of his way to exchange tasks with others, giving up hundreds of contribution points, just so he could be here. “If I had known, I wouldn’t have come.” Bai Qi muttered. If he hadn’t come, he wouldn’t have seen Xiong Tuan rejecting him, and he wouldn’t feel this awful now. “Father used food to bring me back. If I hadn’t gone, he wouldn’t have had to give away that food.” The more he thought about it, the more regretful he felt.
Bai Tu finally understood—his friendship had sunk like a shipwreck.
Patting Bai Qi on the shoulder, Bai Tu said, “Alright, I thought it was something serious. He just didn’t go out with you, right? His entire tribe is guarding their food. Wait until they finish trading for salt, then try again. If he still ignores you then, you can cut ties with him.”
At the end of the day, Bai Qi was still young. Although he was already an adult, he hadn’t experienced much. A small setback like this made him feel heartbroken, and he failed to see the bigger picture.
Bai Tu had observed the situation along the way—not just the Black Bear Tribe but other tribes as well. Everyone was extremely cautious when they passed by, afraid of being mistaken for food thieves.
The beastmen on the other side were also highly vigilant, fearing that Bai Tu’s group was there to steal their food. Only a few, noticing the large number of baskets they carried, let their guard down.
Bai Tu figured it was because food was scarce this year. On top of that, some tribes had previously experienced raids, and with so many people arriving at once, the beastmen who had arrived earlier naturally became even more cautious.
Bai Qi had rushed ahead recklessly, so it wasn’t surprising that others misunderstood. It was just a small misunderstanding—once the tension eased, they could explain. Right now, however, was not the right time. If they kept going back and forth while the other side was still on guard, it would only deepen suspicions.
As for Bai Qi’s concern about food, Bai Tu was both amused and exasperated.
“We came with so many people—do you think I wouldn’t prepare enough food?” he asked. “You’re the chief and just brought back half a basket of meat. Even if it were two baskets, it wouldn’t affect anyone’s share.”
Even if they hadn’t brought extra, they wouldn’t just sit there watching others eat. A few dozen pounds of meat might be enough for two people, but within the whole tribe, it wasn’t much. If each person ate just a little less, it would be more than enough to feed them.
There were food distribution guidelines, but at the end of the day, they were people, not emotionless machines. The guidelines were just a general estimate to help calculate supplies. If someone ate a little more or a little less, no one would bother measuring it down to the last bite.
Hearing that Bai An wouldn’t have to go hungry, Bai Qi felt slightly relieved. If he starved, that was one thing—but making Bai An suffer was unacceptable.
After being comforted by Bai Tu for a while, Bai Qi wasn’t as dejected. However, as soon as Baitu left, he glanced toward the Black Bear Tribe’s camp. Not wanting to draw attention, he quickly looked away.
*
Over at the Black Bear Tribe
A group of beastmen was sharing the food that Bai An had given them.
Xiong He cut a piece of the tenderest meat and limped over to Xiong Tuan.
“Eat up. Once you’re done, you’re on night watch,” he ordered.
Xiong He’s son had died a month ago. The person closest to him, both in bond and strength, was Xiong Tuan.
Bringing Xiong Tuan along on this journey wasn’t just about trading for salt—Xiong He had a deeper reason. His body was failing, and when the time came, Xiong Tuan would likely be the next chief. That meant he needed experience on these salt-trading trips.
A chief was not like an ordinary beastman. Regular tribe members only needed to follow orders, but a chief had to think ahead—choosing the best rest stops, ensuring the tribe’s safety in the market, and deciding which tribe to trade salt with for the best deal.
Xiong He wanted Xiong Tuan to succeed him, but only if he proved himself capable. So while he still had time, he taught him everything he could.
Seeing that Xiong Tuan was still upset about what happened that afternoon, Xiong He sat down beside him and spoke seriously.
“You say you’re friends, but look at how many people they have. They also brought a ton of food—it’s very possible they stole it. If we let our guard down, they’ll steal from us next.”
He gestured toward his right leg, where a gaping wound still exposed his bone in some areas.
“Have you forgotten what happened with those rogue beastmen on the road?”
They had encountered a small band of rogue beastmen while traveling. Unlike tribe members, rogue beastmen fought with reckless abandon. Meanwhile, Xiong He’s group had to protect their food, preventing them from fighting at full strength.
During the scuffle, a snake beastman had sunk his fangs into Xiong He’s leg.
It had been a minor bite at first, but with the summer heat and no medicine, Xiong He had to cut away the rotting flesh with his knife. Yet, the wound still worsened.
To make matters worse, the tribe’s healer had left with all the medicine after winter. Xiong He didn’t know how much longer he would last. His only option was to pass on his knowledge to Xiong Tuan before it was too late.
Hearing Xiong He compare Bai Qi to rogue beastmen, Xiong Tuan snapped.
“You’re wrong! Bai Qi isn’t that kind of person!”
“Fine, fine,” Xiong He sighed. “If you say he’s not, then he’s not.”
Xiong Tuan was strong and capable, but he was too soft-hearted.
This year’s prey population had dropped by more than half. Bai An’s group had hundreds of beastmen—if they were truly relying on hunting alone, how much territory would they need?
Xiong He shook his head. Right now, Xiong Tuan wouldn’t listen. One day, when he suffered a loss, he’d finally understand whether Xiong He was right or wrong.
Xiong He didn’t continue the discussion and instead pushed the meat forward. “At least eat something first.”
“I don’t want to eat.”
Xiong Tuan turned his head away. It was all his fault.
If he hadn’t been so happy to see Bai Qi that he forgot Xiong He’s warnings—if he had pushed Bai Qi away immediately—then the tribe members wouldn’t have nearly hurt Bai Qi, and Bai An wouldn’t have had to bring food as compensation.
Xiong Tuan wanted to return the food, but he had no right to do so. The tribe’s beastmen hadn’t had a full meal in a long time, and now everyone was gathered around that half-basket of meat.
Since he couldn’t return it, he simply avoided looking at it. But the more he thought about Bai Qi’s expression when he left, the worse he felt.
If only he were stronger.
Xiong Tuan clenched his fists. If he were stronger, he would have been able to hunt enough food—then the chief and the tribe wouldn’t have to be so cautious. They wouldn’t have reacted so harshly just because Bai Qi got too close.
Even if Bai Qi had been captured, he would have had the strength to make them release him.
It was all because he wasn’t strong enough.
Xiong Tuan leaned against a tree, slowly squatting down as he was overcome with frustration. At first, it was just a tightness in his chest, but then the pain spread across his entire body—burning, itching, as if countless ants were biting him, or as if knives were scraping his skin.
The worst pain was in his head—a relentless pounding, as if someone was hammering it from the inside. The world around him became hazy, Xiong He’s voice growing distant and muffled, sometimes near, sometimes far away.
Suddenly, a figure appeared beside him.
A rogue beastman.
It was their fault!
If it hadn’t been for the rogue beastmen attacking their tribe, their food wouldn’t be so scarce. If they hadn’t encountered rogue beastmen on the road, Xiong He wouldn’t have been injured, and the tribe wouldn’t have become so tense.
Kill him!
Kill the rogue beastman!
Xiong Tuan lunged forward. He vaguely heard a shocked, familiar voice, but he didn’t care. Killing the enemy in front of him was all that mattered.
As he prepared to launch a second attack, another voice suddenly called out from behind him.
“Tuan, what’s wrong with you?”
It was Bai Qi!
The moment he heard Bai Qi’s worried voice, Xiong Tuan snapped back to his senses.
Only then did he realize that at some point, he had shifted into beast form—and standing in front of him, clutching his injured shoulder, was Xiong He.
Thanks for the chapter!