Chapter 130
After a while, the reports from other beastmen confirmed what Bai Qi and Xiong Tuan had said.
Any injured beastmen were being treated for free by the Black Forest Tribe’s shaman, who even provided several days’ worth of medicine. If someone had their food stolen and had nothing to eat, they could also receive food from the Black Forest Tribe’s beastmen.
Shamans held a high status on the Beast God Continent, and the Black Forest Tribe’s shaman was among the most revered. They rarely paid attention to ordinary beastmen. Even if their own tribe members were injured, they wouldn’t act unless they were given a significant amount of supplies. The idea of freely giving out medicine was unheard of—not just in the Black Forest Tribe, but even the older beastmen like Bai An and Xiong He had never seen such a thing before.
Although the Black Bear Tribe’s attitude toward the rabbit and wolf tribes had improved, they remained cautious of other beastmen. They strictly kept their own members within a designated area, preventing them from wandering off.
Every year during the market season, attacks were common, but this year had seen even more than usual. The attack on their tribe by rogue beastmen had been linked to Xiong Tai, but even if they had wanted to find such a large group of over a hundred rogues before, it would have been impossible. The beastmen who had died were gone, and Xiong He didn’t have time to grieve too much—his priority was ensuring the safety of the remaining tribe members.
There were still a few injured beastmen in the tribe, though their wounds weren’t as severe as Xiong He’s. That morning, they had already received treatment from the Snow Rabbit Tribe’s healers, but upon hearing about the free medicine from the shaman, they were tempted. After all, it was free. In the past, they couldn’t even exchange food for such medicine, but now, they only had to show their wounds and prove that they were injured by rogue beastmen to receive it. Who wouldn’t be tempted?
However, Xiong He refused to let them go. He glanced at Bai Tu, who showed no visible reaction, then quietly warned the others, “The Black Forest Tribe’s beastmen wouldn’t be so kind as to give out medicine for free. Have you already forgotten how Tuan nearly turned into a Fallen Beast because of Xiong Tai’s drug?”
Although the shaman who had left their tribe wasn’t from the Black Forest Tribe, he had connections with them. Back then, he had deceived Xiong Tai into harming others by using the promise of joining the Black Forest Tribe as bait. Xiong He strongly suspected that the two were working together.
And now, the Black Forest Tribe was distributing medicine—delivered personally by the shaman, no less. That was highly suspicious.
In the past, any beastmen seeking medical treatment from the Black Forest Tribe had to offer half their tribe’s food supply just for a chance at being saved. Even then, recovery wasn’t guaranteed—some were only given a single dose, and if they needed more, they had to continue trading supplies.
Those shamans had always been greedy, stripping tribes of everything before providing treatment. But now, they were asking for nothing—not even food. Xiong He couldn’t believe that they had suddenly become charitable.
Some of the younger beastmen, who had less experience, were still tempted. “The shamans said that because prey has been scarce this year, they decided to distribute medicine and food as an offering to the Beast God.”
That statement made Xiong He even more skeptical. After everything he had lost—his child, his people—due to shamans, he found it impossible to trust them. Even if the shamans did nothing wrong, just hearing about them made him instinctively defensive.
“In the past, the shamans claimed that offering prey to the Beast God was the way to pray. Now, suddenly, giving everyone prey is an offering to the Beast God?!” His voice was sharp with suspicion. “This isn’t paranoia—their words contradict themselves!”
If sharing food was truly a way to pray, then why hadn’t they done it before? It wasn’t as if there had never been starving beastmen or entire tribes wiped out from hunger. Yet, the shamans had never provided free treatment. They always demanded food, and if someone didn’t have any, they wouldn’t even lift a finger, even if that person died right in front of them.
The two hesitant beastmen exchanged glances. They were used to following Xiong He’s orders, and his words made sense. Although they still felt envious of those who had received the medicine, they ultimately chose not to go. Instead, they remained seated beside Xiong He.
Seeing that they had given up on the idea, Xiong He finally breathed a sigh of relief. Injured beastmen shouldn’t be worrying about such matters. Besides, the interrogation had lasted until nearly dawn, leaving him completely exhausted. Even so, he forced himself to stay alert and watch over the tribe—especially the younger members.
Xiong He glanced at Xiong Tuan, who was not far away. As usual, he was with Bai Qi. Beside them were a few unfamiliar items that looked somewhat like pots, but they were much smaller—not even as large as the bowls used in their tribe. If they weren’t pots, then why was there firewood burning underneath them, with steam rising from the top? He had no idea what they were doing, and Xiong He couldn’t help but sigh.
Xiong Tuan was still young. If no one kept an eye on him, wouldn’t he be easily deceived and taken away?
Xiong Tuan’s parents had passed away early, and he had grown up by Xiong He’s side. In Xiong He’s heart, Xiong Tuan was no different from his own son. In fact, when introducing them to others, he would sometimes say they were both his children.
Now that he had already lost one son, he was determined to protect the other at all costs. As for Xiong Tuan’s close relationship with Bai Qi, Xiong He thought it was fine as a friendship, but nothing more than that.
As Xiong He was lost in thought, Xiong Tuan and Bai Qi walked over, each carrying a tray. Xiong He immediately recognized that the items on the trays had come from those strange pots.
Before Xiong He could ask, Bai Qi explained, “Chief Xiong He, it’s time to take your medicine.”
“Medicine?” Xiong He was momentarily stunned, as were the beastmen nearby who had been reminded by Xiong Tuan.
They had medicine?
Hadn’t the chief just told them not to go get it?
“It’s the medicine Tu prepared for you,” Bai Qi continued. “He was worried you wouldn’t know how to brew it, so he left it with us. He told me to prepare it and bring it over.”
Bai Tu had noticed Bai Qi and Xiong Tuan’s close relationship, but he also saw that the Black Bear Tribe remained wary of them. He was also concerned that Xiong He and the others wouldn’t know how to properly prepare the medicine, so he entrusted the task to Bai Qi.
Bai Qi had helped Bai Chen brew medicine last year and was one of the first beastmen in the tribe to learn from Bai Tu. Even though he now led the patrol team, his skill in making medicine was still far superior to someone like Xiong He, who had never done it before—at the very least, he knew how to control the heat.
Previously, Bai Tu had instructed the tribe to make small pots and stoves specifically for brewing medicine. They were just the right size to prepare a single serving of medicine at a time, and they were also useful for cooking late-night snacks or preparing food for wolf cubs.
Since the pots were so convenient, even though they were originally made for brewing medicine, they later became widely used. More were made in a rush, with some set aside for communal use and others available for trade with tribe members.
Many beastmen who preferred cooking their own meals at night brought these tools with them to the market. They were lightweight—only about the weight of a few pieces of meat—so carrying them was no burden at all.
When Bai Tu announced he was brewing medicine, nearly everyone who had a pot willingly lent it to him. While they were eager for food, saving lives was more important. No one would be so selfish as to hide their pot just for a meal. In the end, they didn’t even need that many, using only five sets, and the rest were returned.
Xiong Tuan and Bai Qi carefully carried bowls of precisely portioned medicine. The two beastmen who had initially considered going to the Black Forest Tribe for medicine now felt guilty. They had assumed Bai Tu was like the shamans from other tribes—someone who would only apply medicine to wounds and leave, requiring food in exchange for additional medicine.
That morning, Bai Tu hadn’t asked for any food. They had even thought about preparing some food later to compensate him. But now, not only had he not asked for anything, he had even brewed the medicine and sent it over himself.
Xiong He glanced at Bai Qi, then at the Rabbit Tribe’s side, where Bai Tu was talking to Lang Qi. Seeing this scene, Xiong He shook his head. The two of them did seem to make a good pair, and Bai Qi was clearly trusted by Bai Tu. Plus, he was Bai An’s child…
Forget it. Some things weren’t worth interfering in, Xiong He thought to himself.
Bai Tu, unaware of how much trouble he had just solved for Bai Qi with a small gesture, was currently discussing something with Lang Qi.
Like Xiong He, they both found it hard to believe that the Black Forest Tribe’s beastmen would be so generous as to distribute free food and medicine.
But whether they believed it or not, many other beastmen had already gone over. The Black Forest Tribe had always maintained a decent reputation—after all, demanding supplies in exchange for medical treatment was the norm across the Beast God Continent, not just their tribe’s practice.
Most beastmen had only heard stories of such events but had never personally experienced seeking help from a shaman. Naturally, they couldn’t truly understand the hardships involved. When others spoke about it, they might casually agree, but now that the Black Forest Tribe was actually handing out medicine, the situation directly affected them. Of course, they would be eager to take advantage of it.
What? The Black Forest Tribe used to demand a lot of resources before giving out medicine? That was in the past! Now they weren’t asking for anything, and they were even giving away food for free. People like that must be good!
In less than half a day, the Black Forest Tribe and its shamans had successfully built an image of being second only to the Beast God himself. shamans were valuable, but there were many renowned ones across the Beast God Continent. However, at this moment, the Black Forest Tribe’s shamans had undoubtedly become the most famous of them all.
The Black Forest Tribe had successfully elevated its status in the hearts of the beastmen, surpassing even the major super-tribes. There were many large tribes, but how many of them would distribute food freely? And without any restrictions on quantity? From the start until now, hundreds of beastmen had already received food, and they were still handing it out.
“If this were fake, there’s no way they would give out so much!” declared the beastmen who had received food with absolute certainty. When someone nearby muttered, “Only fools would give away food for free,” they immediately glared at them. Anyone who dared to insult the Black Forest Tribe was picking a fight with them!
Seeing the situation, Lang Qi and the other tribal leaders discussed among themselves and agreed to prevent anyone from leaving.
The surrounding beastmen, who had traveled here together, either stood or sat nearby, keeping watch. They had traveled alongside Bai Tu and knew of his medical skills, which were no worse than those of a shaman. Moreover, most of their injuries were just minor scrapes or bruises from the journey—nothing that required them to seek medicine.
As for food, some tribes were indeed short on supplies, but since so many beastmen were already lining up for food and their own chiefs weren’t taking action, those who had been tempted gave up the idea. They had spent most of their remaining food on salt, but they weren’t so desperate that they needed to rely on handouts. Seeing how greedily the others devoured the food they received, the group remained on high alert.
While they all had different thoughts, they instinctively guarded their group, with no intention of going outside. Meanwhile, in the distance, the crowd around the Black Forest Tribe continued to grow. As more beastmen lined up for food, impatience began to spread.
The market wasn’t set to officially open until tomorrow. The beastmen who arrived today had come early—some had encountered stray beastmen shortly after leaving their tribes, some had been ambushed on the way, and others had just been robbed by strays earlier that day or the day before.
Those who had been robbed near the market had already gone one or two days without food. Some were so focused on tending to their wounds that they hadn’t even noticed the food distribution. But those who had been starving for several days were now staring at food that was just within reach, yet still inaccessible to them. Watching others receive their share and leave while they continued to wait only made them hungrier and angrier.
Hunger, combined with the heat, made tempers flare. Without hesitation, a group of them transformed into their beast forms, hoping to intimidate the others into retreating so they could take food for themselves.
However, no one who came to the market was weak. Even among the supposedly weaker Rabbit and Deer Tribes, the ones sent to trade were always the strongest of their kind. The same was true for the Wolf and Lion Tribes, as well as every other tribe present.
Originally, everyone had been patiently waiting for their turn. But once some tried using their beast forms to scare others away, the rest were not about to tolerate it. In response, they, too, transformed into their beast forms.
At that moment, the previously gentle beastmen of the Black Forest Tribe suddenly turned cold. One of them shouted something toward the back, and in an instant, dozens of beastmen in various beast forms charged forward. They immediately tackled those who had transformed and began to beat them.
The starving beastmen at the front had already been weakened by hunger. Even in their beast forms, they had little strength left. Transforming only made them feel the effects of hunger more acutely. Facing a group of strong, well-fed beastmen with a variety of powerful beast forms, they stood no chance.
The fight ended quickly—so quickly that most onlookers were still in shock when it was over. The first ones to transform had been beaten so severely that they couldn’t even make a sound anymore. The Black Forest Tribe’s beastmen dragged them to the back, leaving behind patches of blood on the ground as the only reminder that this had really happened.
Then, the beastmen of the Black Forest Tribe returned to their previous friendly demeanor. “The troublemakers have been taken care of. Let’s continue. Who hasn’t received their food yet?”
A few beastmen who had been annoyed about waiting suddenly felt relieved that they hadn’t transformed. One who had been on the verge of shifting wiped the cold sweat off his brow—he had almost been one of the ones beaten.
However, after witnessing the scene, a small number of beastmen now felt uneasy about the ones handing out food.
The ones who had been beaten just now had only transformed—they hadn’t even attacked anyone yet. If the Black Forest Tribe had simply driven them away or restrained them, that would have been understandable. But instead, they had beaten them until they couldn’t even cry out.
When a beastman is attacked, their first reaction is usually anger. They only scream in pain when the injuries are truly severe. Since they were all adult beastmen, they wouldn’t submit easily. Yet those who had been beaten just now hadn’t even been able to let out a sound by the end. That meant they had been beaten nearly to death.
Some beastmen, after seeing the severity of the injuries, hesitated for a moment before silently slipping away from the crowd.
However, they were only a small minority. The majority of the beastmen believed those who got beaten deserved it for delaying their chance to receive food. Even if they were beaten to death, it wouldn’t be excessive.
As more and more beastmen gathered around the Black Forest Tribe, Lang Qi quietly had someone bring over a sample of the food and medicine they were distributing. Bai Tu, upon receiving the medicine, immediately went inside the tent to examine it.
He didn’t take the food. Before the beastman delivering it could even get close, he had already caught a whiff of its scent. Although it was cooked meat, there was an indescribable rotten stench, as if it had been left out too long before cooking or had been stored too long after being cooked. Lang Qi reacted even faster than Bai Tu, immediately ordering the food to be thrown away.
The medicine was in powder form, and its color didn’t reveal any issues—many ground plants turned into a similar gray-green shade. Bai Tu sniffed it carefully and detected several common hemostatic and anti-inflammatory herbs. However, there was also an unfamiliar scent, something he couldn’t quite describe. It wasn’t from any plant he recognized.
This feeling unsettled him. He knew there was a problem but couldn’t pinpoint what it was. It had been a long time since Bai Tu had felt this kind of powerlessness.
As he studied the medicine in front of him, the wolf cubs behind him began waking up one by one. The older ones immediately searched for Bai Tu. The smallest white cub sniffed the air and seemed to notice something, anxiously looking around. When it spotted the medicine in Bai Tu’s hands through a gap, it let out a sharp cry.
The sound snapped Bai Tu back to reality. He quickly wrapped up the medicine, cleaned the table thoroughly, and washed his hands before going to pick up the cubs.
The tent they were in was one of the more concealed spots in the camp, surrounded by supplies from multiple tribes, with many beastmen guarding the area. If the wolf cubs were sleeping during the day and Bai Tu was nearby, he would place them inside the long tent. He knew they slept better in his arms, but since he often had to speak with other beastmen, it was easy to disturb them.
Today was no different. In the morning, while treating some beastmen from the Black Bear Tribe, Bai Tu had placed the cubs inside the tent, where they had been sleeping ever since. He had also chosen to examine the medicine inside the tent to avoid unnecessary conflicts with other tribes if they noticed anything suspicious. Bai Tu wasn’t ready to clash with the Black Forest Tribe just yet. Instead of staying with the cubs, he had gone to the section of the tent where he and Lang Qi usually spent their time during the day.
The current tent was an upgraded version of the previous one, with a much larger space divided into three sections: a resting area for the cubs, a sleeping area for Bai Tu and Lang Qi, and a storage section.
The storage section was the outermost part of the tent, where Bai Tu prepared medicine and handled other tasks. It was close enough to hear the cubs if they called for him but far enough to keep them away from anything dangerous. Many medicines contained toxins—harmless to adults but dangerous for cubs. Even though Bai Tu hadn’t identified any specific problems with the medicine, he wasn’t willing to take any risks. Only after making sure there were no traces of medicine left in the area did he finally go to check on the cubs. He placed the suspicious medicine in the furthest corner.
Walking over to his resting area, Bai Tu pulled open the partition separating the cubs’ space and clapped his hands to call them over.
The cubs immediately responded, moving toward him one after another. The two gray ones were the fastest, running ahead to Bai Tu’s side. The larger of the two black cubs glanced around before cautiously moving forward, while the smaller black cub waited for the white cub.
The white cub, however, was behaving unusually today. Normally, it would be the first to rush over, often even faster than its steadier older brother. But today, it remained frozen in place. It no longer cried out urgently like before, but it also didn’t move forward, instead sniffing around the area.
Concerned about the white cub’s earlier cry, Bai Tu crouched down to examine it. After raising the cubs for so long, he could easily distinguish their different cries. Carefully, he checked the white cub all over but found no visible issues. However, the cub clung to his hand as if trying to confirm something, looking anxious.
“Are you hungry?” Bai Tu asked softly. Glancing outside, he realized it was indeed late. Hearing footsteps outside the tent, he called out to Lang Qi, reminding him to prepare food.
Bai An, who had been discussing something with Lang Qi, immediately stopped—after all, their tribe’s cubs were the top priority.
Lang Qi acknowledged the call and gestured for Bai An to continue their discussion elsewhere. He had been waiting for Bai Tu to finish examining the medicine. Since the cubs had woken up, it meant Bai Tu was likely done. And since Bai Tu hadn’t said anything, that probably meant he hadn’t found anything conclusive—for now.
After receiving confirmation, Bai Tu checked the other cubs as well. None of them had any issues. He couldn’t help but tap the white wolf cub and say, “Are you falsely reporting again?”
This cub had cried out falsely before—just like the real-life version of “The Boy Who Cried Wolf.” Out of three cries, only one might actually mean something important, and even then, that “important” matter was usually just hunger.
Of course, the white cub didn’t understand Bai Tu’s words. It anxiously let out two more cries. Seeing that Bai Tu still wasn’t reacting, it started pawing at his hand and sniffing around.
“Hm?” Bai Tu frowned. Crying out without a real issue was one thing, but actively trying to leave his grasp was unusual. He placed the cub on the bed and asked softly, “What’s wrong?”
Of course, he knew the cub couldn’t answer. As expected, the moment it was placed on the bed, the cub began sniffing around. It stopped at the edge of the bed, looking around carefully, then suddenly turned to the corner and let out urgent cries.
Bai Tu followed the cub’s gaze, and his eyes landed on the package of medicine he had sealed away.
Everything he had done today was no different from usual. The only new element was this medicine.
Young cubs had a keener sense of smell than adult beastmen. Realizing this, Bai Tu immediately put on a layer of beast hide gloves, grabbed the medicine, and took it outside the tent. He called out to Bai Qi, “Bury this immediately.”
Some medicines only worked when consumed, while others could spread through the air. The latter was much rarer, and the package he received was meant to be ingested. So, he had only focused on preventing the cubs from touching it, without considering that simply smelling it might also have an effect.
Bai Tu felt a pang of regret—he shouldn’t have brought this thing into the tent in the first place.
But it was too late for regrets. The priority now was how to handle it. Since it was an unknown substance, burying it was the safest solution he could think of. Dumping it into the river or burning it might still cause harm.
The dagger that had nearly turned Lang Qi into a fallen beast was still buried somewhere.
Among beastmen, the rabbit tribe was known for their exceptional digging abilities. If they buried something, it was nearly impossible for anyone else to retrieve it—sometimes, even the ones who buried it couldn’t find it again. It was an extremely secure method.
After washing his hands once more, Bai Tu returned to the tent. Instead of picking up the cub right away, he changed into a fresh set of beast hide clothing.
Once Bai Tu picked up the white cub again, it didn’t struggle but sniffed him carefully, from his hands to his shoulders, and even near his mouth. Only after confirming that there was no scent left did it settle down.
Bai Tu glanced at the now-quiet white cub, then at the black cub that had been influenced by its behavior and was now also looking around warily. Finally, he looked at the other cubs, who had no idea what was going on. His expression turned thoughtful.
At this point, he was certain that the medicine was problematic, but there weren’t many ways to expose the issue. Among all the cubs, only the smallest one had noticed something. Even though they had all been in the same space, the others hadn’t reacted.
Bai Tu gently stroked the cubs. As Lang Qi came in with food, Bai Tu explained what had just happened.
Hearing about the cub’s reaction, Lang Qi looked at Bai Tu seriously. “Do you feel unwell?”
“Me?” Bai Tu was briefly stunned, then shook his head. “I’m fine.”
Lang Qi had only ordered the medicine to be swapped after ensuring that none of the beastmen who had received it showed immediate reactions. If a simple touch had caused harm, the Black Forest Tribe would have already been surrounded by furious beastmen.
“Keep an eye on those who took the medicine,” Bai Tu said in a low voice. “The cub was worried I had ingested it.”
Earlier, the cub had carefully inspected his mouth, not in its usual affectionate way and not out of hunger. It was double-checking whether he had eaten something dangerous.
Aside from monitoring the effects of the medicine, Bai Tu also gave another instruction: “Don’t distribute the food we got in exchange yet. Wait until the Black Forest Tribe leaves. Tell the Lion and Bear Tribes to wait as well.”
At the start of the market, salt had been at its lowest price, making it the best time to trade food for salt while also saving time. However, that only worked when the surroundings were safe. The current situation was different. The Black Forest Tribe was up to something, and while their exact motives were unclear, they were definitely not good. On top of that, there were many beastmen in the area who had already run out of food.
Originally, these hungry beastmen would have only stayed for a day or two, using that time to scavenge for food or borrow salt and supplies from familiar tribes. Once they secured resources, they would leave immediately. If they couldn’t, they would hurry back to their own tribes—staying out in the wild without food for too long was too dangerous.
But now, with the Black Forest Tribe giving away free food, many of those beastmen who would have otherwise left had decided to stay. And now that they were staying, no one knew how long they would remain.
Bai Tu didn’t know the Black Forest Tribe’s exact plan, but he could tell that their lingering presence wasn’t a good sign. Their group was large, and they had plenty of supplies—if they weren’t careful, they could easily become a tempting target for others. Naturally, Bai Tu remained cautious.
They could trade for salt anytime; the only difference was whether the price was high or low. Even if they didn’t manage to trade for salt this time, it wouldn’t be a problem. Their two tribes had enough to last through winter, and they could even spare some food for other tribes while accompanying them to barter with salt-trading tribes—though it would be a longer journey. At worst, the Eagle Tribe could also help.
As long as they kept control of their food, they wouldn’t have to worry about salt. But if their food got stolen, they’d be left helpless.
Lang Qi nodded in agreement. “Alright, I’ll assign more people for night watch.”
He had just been discussing the same issue with Bai An. Seeing the situation, even small tribes with food were growing uneasy. Bai An wasn’t scared, but he believed that being extra cautious was the safest choice.
The Snow Rabbit Tribe’s food was always stored together with the Blood Wolf Tribe’s for mutual protection, so if Bai An wanted to increase the guards, he had to consult Lang Qi. Their thoughts aligned—better to be overly cautious.
Bai Tu understood Lang Qi and Bai An. Since they had discussed it, they were clearly concerned. It was good that someone was taking this seriously.
Bai Tu felt more at ease knowing that other tribe leaders also saw how suspicious it was for the Black Forest Tribe to hand out free medicine and food. They couldn’t stop beastmen from accepting the medicine, but at the very least, they needed to investigate while ensuring their own tribe’s safety.
The beastmen they sent out had to be discreet. The wolf tribe wasn’t suited for this task—not because they lacked skill in stealth, but because the circumstances didn’t allow it.
It wasn’t nighttime yet, so they couldn’t just hide and observe the effects of the medicine on those who had taken it. They had to find another way to gather information. But because the wolves had been eating well lately, there was a problem—they were visibly stronger and healthier than beastmen from other tribes.
Compared to the hungry, malnourished beastmen, they stood out too much. While they could still try to gather intel, neither Bai Tu nor Lang Qi wanted to expose themselves too soon. That meant the Blood Wolf and Snow Rabbit Tribes were ruled out—they had to find help from another tribe.
The best candidates were from the Black Bear Tribe. They had suffered similar hardships to the other beastmen and were visibly weak. Unlike naturally thin people, their malnourishment was evident—something that couldn’t be faked.
Bai Tu and Lang Qi exchanged glances, reaching the same decision—they needed to find Xiong He.
When they asked for help, Xiong He agreed without hesitation. However, upon hearing they wanted to investigate the Black Forest Tribe, he was confused. “You really believe in their medicine?”
“It’s not about believing or not. We need to find out if there’s a problem,” Bai Tu replied. He couldn’t voice his full suspicions yet—not even to Bai An. His instincts had always been sharp, but he preferred to keep such gut feelings to himself, only occasionally sharing them with Lang Qi.
After thinking for a moment, Xiong He nodded. “Alright. We have a few injured beastmen in our tribe.” Since they already had wounds, it would be easier to blend in without arousing suspicion.
To avoid drawing attention, Bai Tu personally wiped the medicine off the injured beastmen’s wounds before they set out. The hot weather meant that some minor wounds didn’t need to be wrapped up, so removing the medicine wouldn’t be too obvious.
The wounds had already been hurting for days, and these beastmen had endured having dead flesh scraped off—rubbing off some medicine didn’t even make them flinch. Following Bai Tu’s instructions, they quietly left, circling the marketplace before approaching the Black Forest Tribe’s area.
By then, the first batch of beastmen who had received the medicine had already started taking it. Some had consumed it a while ago. The Black Bear beastmen found a corner to sit in, pretending to rest while secretly observing those who had taken the medicine.
Some of the injured beastmen who had taken the medicine seemed exhausted, either from their wounds or from being jostled in the crowd. They sat or lay on the ground, showing little interest in the people around them.
One of the more observant Black Bear beastmen approached a fellow beastman who had an empty bowl in front of him and asked, “Does your wound still hurt after taking the medicine?”
The beastman took a long moment to react. When he finally looked up, his gaze was unfocused and wandering.
Seeing the odd behavior, the Black Bear beastman didn’t wait for an answer—he quickly left to observe others.
In another part of the area, some beastmen, perhaps overly excited about receiving the free medicine, started stripping off their beast-hide clothes, waving their arms around in joy. Their shoulder wounds no longer seemed to hurt. Moments later, some even transformed into their beast forms.
One of them, a tiger, let out a low growl, startling nearby tribes into retreating further away.
Meanwhile, others didn’t show any obvious differences—they simply continued discussing how generous the Black Forest Tribe was. They praised the food, saying that while it had a strange taste, it was at least filling. And as for the medicine? It was miraculous—after taking it, their wounds didn’t hurt anymore…
A few of them followed Bai Tu’s instructions carefully, observing the scene before quickly making their way out. However, just as they were about to return to their tribe, two beastmen blocked their path.
“You haven’t taken the medicine, have you?”
The Black Bear beastmen recognized them as members of the Black Forest Tribe. One of them was about to nod, but another Black Bear quickly interjected, “Our chief is keeping our medicine for us. We just stepped out to relieve ourselves—we’ll take it when we get back.”
Hearing this explanation, the two beastmen’s expressions eased slightly. “Hurry up, don’t waste time.”
“Alright, alright, we’re going now,” one of them replied, subtly signaling the others. The three of them slipped away to a concealed spot, then changed direction and ran straight toward the Black Bear Tribe.
When Bai Tu heard their report on the strange reactions of the beastmen who had taken the medicine, an ominous thought crept into his mind.
If things were as he suspected, then it made perfect sense why he couldn’t detect the presence of an extra herb in the medicine—because he had only ever heard of it, never actually seen it before.
Gripping Lang Qi’s arm, Bai Tu asked urgently, “Can we stop them from distributing more medicine?”
By now, many people had already received the medicine, and the number would only grow tomorrow. To conserve food for their journey, most tribes arrived at the market at dawn or in the early morning, ensuring they didn’t have to prepare extra meals.
During the day, with so many eyes watching, their options were limited. They couldn’t stop the medicine distribution outright—anyone who spoke against the Black Forest Tribe would immediately be attacked by those who had received food and medicine. The devotion had escalated into near fanaticism.
Blocking the distribution wouldn’t work; the fastest solution was to eliminate the Black Forest Tribe’s ability to continue handing out medicine.
The food they provided was spoiled—at worst, it would cause stomach issues. Given the portion sizes, these beastmen wouldn’t even suffer food poisoning like the Black Lion Tribe had previously. The real danger was in the medicine. Stopping its distribution was the priority. Bai Tu felt relieved knowing that the Black Forest Tribe only handed out a single package per person per day.
Tonight might be their only chance. Under the cover of darkness, while most beastmen were resting, they could take action with minimal risk.
Lang Qi pondered for a moment, then nodded. “We can try.”
The Black Forest Tribe hadn’t just sent shamans to the market; there were also many medicine apprentices. During the day, it was these apprentices who distributed the medicine. Most of them were young and had only ever gathered herbs or processed medicinal plants inside caves. After working in the scorching heat all day, they were utterly exhausted.
While medicine apprentices didn’t hold the same status as shamans, they still ranked above most beastmen in the tribe. Naturally, they never had to prepare their own food. As a massive tribe, the Black Forest Tribe had dedicated beastmen to handle cooking and food preparation.
After finishing their work, the shaman gathered the apprentices in a dark corner of the forest, scolding them harshly. The apprentices stood there, listening to the reprimand, both aggrieved and frustrated.
It wasn’t their fault that there had been disturbances during the day! It was natural for them to call the tribe’s beastmen to handle it—that’s how things were always done back home. If some people had run away in fear, that was because the enforcers were too aggressive. How could that be their fault?
Of course, none of them dared to say this out loud. They didn’t want to be punished. After living in comfort for so long, none of them wanted to be demoted back to the lowest ranks.
The shaman needed them to continue distributing medicine tomorrow, so after the scolding, he didn’t push the matter further. He merely warned them to be more careful.
Once the shaman left, the hungry apprentices returned to their quarters, only to find that their food was cold. Their frustration boiled over instantly.
One of the younger apprentices angrily knocked over his plate. “Can’t you at least heat it before serving?!”
The beastmen responsible for cooking immediately dropped to their knees, pleading for mercy.
After a while, an older apprentice waved a hand dismissively. “Enough, if you don’t like it, just make a fresh batch. Go now.”
The cooks, relieved, quickly took the food away to reheat it. As they walked off, one of them muttered under his breath and spat to the side before tossing the same food back into the pot to warm it up.
Meanwhile, in the trees above, a few pairs of eyes, almost indistinguishable from the darkness, silently observed everything.
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