Chapter 169
As the weather grew colder, the merfolk didn’t stay long in the Beast Tribe. After finalizing the details of their cooperative fish farming project in the sea, they prepared to return home. After all, there were other merfolk in the ocean, and as their leader, Yu Ying couldn’t stay away for too long.
However, not all of the merfolk left. Yu Ying took three with her, while Yu Qiao stayed behind with two others and the merfolk cubs in the Beast Tribe.
During their time in the Beast Tribe, the merfolk quickly realized that life here was far safer than in their own habitat. Since merfolk cubs didn’t require much seawater, it was actually better for them to remain in the Beast Tribe—this, too, became part of their cooperation agreement.
On the day of their departure, Yu Ying looked at Bai Tu and solemnly promised, “I will return.”
Bai Tu: “…”
If she kept talking, Lang Qi was going to get angry again. Bai Tu waved his hand and signaled Ying Quan to hurry up and set off.
For most people in the Beast Tribe, the arrival of the merfolk was just a small episode in their winter. They had far more pressing matters to handle—transporting building materials to nearby tribes and delivering food to those living in more remote areas.
Since most tribes had at least some food stored, the focus for the first two months was on transporting building materials. Bai Tu assigned all the volunteer vultures to the task—not just from the Beast Tribe, but also from the Black Hawk Tribe. With the addition of the eagles, they formed several small teams.
To avoid suspicion from other tribes, Hei Yi and his team mapped out a route that wouldn’t pass over anyone’s territory. This way, no matter how many trips they made, they wouldn’t be detected.
To further conceal their movements, Bai Tu and Hei Xiao discussed a plan: the Beast Tribe would send over a hundred wolves and rabbits to dig underground tunnels.
Of course, the Black Hawk Tribe’s tunnels were primarily for storing supplies—after all, for the eagle tribes, flying was still more efficient than traveling underground.
Since the Black Hawk Tribe had limited housing, the newly arrived beastmen temporarily lived in the freshly dug tunnels. In reality, these “tunnels” were more like an underground fortress—one room connected to another, almost no different from the houses aboveground.
The rabbit tribe excelled not only at digging but also at ventilation and insulation. The underground dwellings they built were far superior to the burrows the wolf cubs had previously dug. They were warm enough to last through the winter.
Now that more than half of winter had passed, everyone knew that once the season ended, large-scale construction would begin. Rather than making another trip back, it was more practical to stay put and continue preparations.
When Bai Tu received news from the Black Hawk Tribe, he didn’t object. A round trip would take over half a month, and while the eagle tribes could fly, they weren’t completely immune to the cold. It didn’t matter where they stayed—as long as it was convenient, that was the best choice.
Fortunately, food supplies in the eagle tribes were relatively stable. Though they didn’t raise as much livestock as the Beast Tribe, they had hunted plenty before winter began. With the various crops they had planted under Bai Tu’s guidance, there was more than enough to support a few extra people.
Compared to the distant Black Hawk Tribe, the nearby tribes were much easier to assist. Travel between them had always been quick, taking just a day for a round trip. Now, with the underground tunnels, it was even more convenient.
On the surface, these tribes appeared to be hibernating for the winter. In reality, they were busier than ever. Every day was spent transporting materials, and by the time they returned to their caves, they would collapse into sleep.
After spending most of the winter working, Bai Tu finally felt that they had stockpiled enough materials. He had to consider each tribe’s circumstances—dumping too many building materials at once would be useless if they couldn’t actually construct that many houses.
Certain materials, like cement, required careful storage. It had to be kept dry—if it got wet, it would harden and become unusable. To avoid waste, Bai Tu made sure that the amount of materials transported was always slightly less than the projected need.
Cement and other commonly produced materials could be replenished later without much trouble. The main goal was to conserve manpower and resources—after all, the beastmen responsible for making cement had been utterly exhausted since the start of winter.
With most of winter already past, some people could finally rest. However, the winged tribes responsible for transportation still had work to do—they needed to urgently deliver food to the various tribes.
When Bai An returned, Bai Tu had already gathered detailed information about the situation in each tribe. By combining what he had learned with the accounts of the beastmen and cubs Bai An had brought back, he was able to piece together an accurate picture of their food supplies. Previously, they were only conducting surveys—now, it was time to start delivering resources.
Food was the most critical resource, as the majority of tribal extinctions were due to starvation. The next priority was warm clothing, such as animal pelts. Within the Beast Tribe, pelts were abundant because many people now preferred cotton clothing and blankets over traditional furs. As a result, pelts that were not soft enough or warm enough were left stacked in storage.
But while these furs were no longer valued in the Beast Tribe, they were a lifesaving resource for tribes struggling to survive. Some tribes, when faced with extreme hunger, would even eat animal hides to stave off starvation. Typically, if a tribe lacked food, they also had few other resources, such as clothing and blankets.
Previously, when Bai An had traveled to trade salt for supplies, he had told them that they would return in the winter.
But most tribes didn’t take those words seriously. The snow in winter could pile up to a person’s height—if someone got lost in it, they’d be impossible to find. How could anyone possibly travel through such harsh conditions, especially across such great distances?
By mid-winter, many tribes had completely run out of food. They rationed their meals and desperately searched their lands for any overlooked sources of sustenance. Some even turned their attention to the seeds Bai An had left behind.
These seeds were meant for planting after winter, but for those who had nothing left to eat, the temptation was overwhelming.
“Just a little…” A beastman, who hadn’t eaten in two days, clutched his stomach. Having food right in front of him but not being able to eat it—it was unbearable.
The others were just as hungry, but one of them still managed to restrain him. “These are for spring planting. Without seeds, we won’t be able to trade for salt next year.”
This year, they had only managed to trade for a small amount of salt—thankfully, not too much, or they wouldn’t have had enough food to last this long. Next year, they could use the crops grown from these seeds to trade for even more salt. If they were lucky, they might get enough salt without having to sacrifice any of their food supplies.
Thinking this way, the seeds suddenly seemed even more important. They had to be protected.
But the starving beastman argued back, “If we starve to death, who’s going to plant them?” Sure, the seeds could grow into food, but only if they survived the winter. Right now, their stomachs were empty, and it wasn’t even certain if they could last until spring—let alone plant crops afterward.
As the group debated whether or not to eat the seeds, a sudden noise came from outside.
For safety reasons, Bai An was once again leading the transport team. The eagle tribes flew according to his directions, but to avoid any misunderstandings, they didn’t fly directly over the beastmen’s caves. Instead, Bai An started shouting from a distance.
Even though he was older than most of the young beastmen and his memory wasn’t what it used to be, he had spent a lot of time working with Bai Tu and the representatives from various tribes. He could still remember the names of the different tribes they were helping.
The starving beastmen inside the cave were stunned when they heard his familiar voice.
“I must be hallucinating from hunger,” murmured the beastman clutching his stomach. “I swear I just heard someone say there’s food outside.”
Although they claimed to have gone two days without eating, in reality, they had been starving for half a month.
During the first ten days, there had been a little food left—just enough for a couple of bites, but never enough to fill their stomachs. Those who were in their final growth stage had enormous appetites, and after starving for so long, many of them had barely managed to hold back from eating the seeds earlier. It had taken immense willpower to resist.
Today, when they finally reached their breaking point and turned to the seeds as a last resort, they suddenly heard the voice of salvation outside.
The beastman who had been ready to eat the seeds was so desperate that he had even considered eating dirt.
As for the voice he heard, the starving beastman dismissed it as a hallucination. He must have been so desperate for food that he imagined it.
“It really does sound like someone talking.” The beastman who had been arguing with him also heard the voice. He slowly stood up and began walking outside. To conserve energy, they rarely left the cave, but the voice they heard didn’t seem like an illusion. It was worth taking a gamble.
He wasn’t the only one who thought so. Half of the tribe had heard the voice, and most chose to investigate.
When they stepped out of the cave and saw the eagle tribe hovering in midair, the entire group froze in shock.
Someone had come!
Their minds raced back to the words they had just heard. It wasn’t an illusion! But why were so many of them here? Were they really delivering food, or were they here to attack?
Fear crept in. Their food supply was almost gone, and they had been starving for so long that they were too weak to fight. If they were attacked now, they wouldn’t be able to defend their territory at all.
It was a terrifying thought—even such a barren land was worth fighting over. The beastmen felt the cruel weight of survival pressing down on them.
Just then, Bai An, seated on a black eagle, spoke again.
“It’s me, Bai An. I’ve brought you food!”
Hearing his voice, the beastmen were momentarily stunned. But when they saw him clearly, their expressions instantly shifted to joy.
It was the tribe that had brought them salt before winter!
Bai An patted the eagle carrying him as the winged warriors landed in an orderly manner. The moment his feet touched the ground, Bai An let out a relieved sigh—he had felt like even his voice didn’t sound like his own while in the air.
Taking a few steps forward, he explained, “Our tribe is no longer called the Snow Rabbit Tribe. Our new name is the Hundred Beasts Tribe.”
The beastmen didn’t care what the tribe was called—as long as the people were the same, they were relieved. The leading beastman, visibly emotional, turned to Bai An and hesitantly asked, “Lord Bai An, did you really say… food?” Had they heard that right?
“Yes, food.” Bai An waved his hand, and a group of winged warriors placed several large bundles between the two groups. “This is the food we brought. You can borrow it, but you must repay it within two years. Do you want to borrow it?”
The food wasn’t free, but there was no interest. The goal was to help the tribes survive the winter, and they could repay the debt over the next two years. If they couldn’t gather enough food by next year, they could make up for it the year after.
“We’ll borrow it! We’ll borrow it!”
The beastmen weren’t even listening to the second part of Bai An’s explanation. Their minds were entirely consumed by the thought of food.
But Bai An didn’t hand over the food immediately. Instead, he took out a stack of papers. The top one was a loan agreement specifically for this tribe.
“If you really want to borrow the food, your leader needs to sign this. Remember—you must repay it within two years.” Bai An emphasized.
“What is this?”
“What’s a loan agreement?”
The beastmen stared at the papers in confusion.
Seeing their reactions, Bai An suddenly felt a sense of satisfaction. He had been just as bewildered when Bai Tu first introduced the idea to him. So it wasn’t that he was stupid—it was just that Bai Tu’s ideas were too unconventional.
He patiently explained the purpose of the loan agreement. Then, he pulled out a small identity card similar to the one he carried.
“This is your tribe’s identity card. If you ever need help in the future, you can bring this to our tribe. When you come to repay the food, you’ll need both this card and the loan agreement.”
There were two copies of the agreement—one for the Hundred Beasts Tribe and one for the borrowing tribe.
The beastmen, who had never seen anything like this before, listened carefully. Just as they were about to follow Bai An’s instructions and press their handprints onto the document, Bai An suddenly smacked his forehead.
“Ah, I almost forgot!”
He quickly signaled for the winged warriors to call out the young beastmen from the tribe.
The cubs, around ten years old, had spent two months in the Hundred Beasts Tribe. In that time, they had learned many things—numbers, basic writing, and even some reading skills.
Bai Tu had anticipated that they would be lending food to these tribes, so he had specifically instructed the teachers to familiarize the children with the loan agreement format and its contents. As a result, these young ones could now read and understand the document.
One of the cubs read the loan agreement aloud for the tribe leader. The beastmen listened intently, but they couldn’t help being distracted by the remarkable change in the children.
Most of the beastmen who had entrusted their cubs to Bai An had done so out of desperation. Some had been too injured to provide for them. Others had newborns to care for. Some had lost their mates and could no longer support a child.
They had known that sending their cubs to a tribe they had only heard rumors about was a huge risk. But at the time, it had still been a better chance at survival than keeping them here. So, they had made the heart-wrenching decision to let Bai An take them away.
The cubs that Bai An took away were mostly weak and malnourished, with some even suffering from illnesses.
When they left, they were frail and thin. Now, while they couldn’t be called fat, they had clearly gained weight compared to before. Their clothes were clean and intact, proving that they had not been mistreated. The beastmen who had been constantly worrying about their children finally felt relieved.
However, those who hadn’t sent their cubs away were now filled with regret. Holding their starving, skin-and-bone cubs, they pleaded with Bai An:
“Lord Bai An, can you take these cubs too?”
“And this one—his beast form is a rabbit, just like yours…”
“This one is also a rabbit…”
Everyone understood that while their tribe now had food, life would still be far worse than in the Hundred Beasts Tribe, which had enough to lend food. Since that was the case, they figured it was better to send all their cubs there.
Bai An hadn’t expected so many people to want to entrust their cubs to them. He turned to look at Hei Yan, who stood behind him, and the two moved aside to discuss the matter.
Lending food was even more important than trading salt. Since they were distributing a large amount of food, Bai Tu worried that Bai An alone wouldn’t be able to handle everything—especially with so many vulture tribesmen involved. Coincidentally, affairs at the Black Eagle Tribe had settled down, so Bai Tu and Hei Jian had arranged for Hei Yan to assist Bai An for a while.
Ever since becoming a father, Hei Yan had become more stable and responsible. He also understood that if this food-lending task wasn’t handled well, Bai Tu would be unhappy—and if Bai Tu was unhappy, Hei Xiao would feel distressed. So, he had readily agreed to help.
Now, as he looked at the cubs and thought about the two brothers’ personalities, Hei Yan felt conflicted.
If he didn’t take the cubs, Hei Xiao would never let him off the hook once he found out.
If he did take them, Hei Xiao would become even more attached to the Hundred Beasts Tribe and refuse to leave.
After weighing his options, Hei Yan decided that it was better to bring them back. After all, with so many cubs already at the Hundred Beasts Tribe, a few more wouldn’t make a difference.
Bai An also leaned toward taking them. He understood Bai Tu very well—if Bai Tu were here, he would definitely agree. Going back to ask for permission would only waste time, so it was better to just take the cubs right away.
However, this was only the first tribe on their route—they still had several more to visit. Bai An said, “Keep taking care of the cubs for now. Once we finish delivering food to the other tribes, we’ll come back to pick them up.”
“Alright, alright.”
“We’ll wait for Lord Bai An to return.”
The beastmen holding their cubs quickly agreed.
Bai An wasted no time. As soon as they settled things with this tribe, they immediately moved on to the next.
They had mapped out a route based on each tribe’s situation, starting with the ones in the most critical need of food. This first tribe was in the worst condition—those that followed were slightly better off.
Now that they had established a procedure, the rest of the journey became more efficient. Before departing each time, they rearranged the group so that the next tribe’s cubs or beastmen were at the front. That way, even if the tribe didn’t recognize Bai An, they would at least recognize their own people.
With over a hundred people in their relief team, they spent the next few days traveling in a large circuit around the region. Once they had distributed all the food, leaving only enough for themselves, they finally ended this round of relief efforts and retraced their path back—this time, to pick up the cubs.
It wasn’t just the first tribe—several other tribes also wanted to entrust their cubs to them.
So, Bai An and his team returned with the cubs, just as they had left with food. To an outsider, it might have looked like they were trading food for cubs with other tribes.
Upon arriving back at their tribe, the first thing Bai An did was return the loan agreements to Bai Tu.
In reality, these agreements weren’t legally binding—Bai Tu simply wanted to keep a record. If a tribe that had received help later refused to repay their debt on purpose, then there would be no need to help them again in the future.
Bai Tu had his own principles—he was willing to give away food for free, but he wouldn’t allow others to just take it without consequences.
These tribes only needed to properly cultivate the seeds they had received, and their harvest in the next one or two years would be enough to repay the food loan. Even if they didn’t have enough to return, Bai Tu wouldn’t force them to repay immediately. However, those who took food without a word or tried to avoid repayment on purpose would not be tolerated.
As Bai Tu reviewed the loan agreements, Bai An reported on what they had seen along the way.
Just as Bai Tu had predicted, smaller tribes were struggling more, and many were already experiencing hunger.
Flipping through a dozen or so agreements, Bai Tu quickly memorized them before storing them away. Then, he asked Bai An about the weather conditions outside:
“How does this year’s winter compare to past years?”
This was Bai Tu’s second winter since waking up. The previous year, he had rarely gone outside, so he didn’t have a strong sense of the temperature changes. Bai An, on the other hand, had lived through many winters and should be able to tell the difference.
“It’s colder than usual,” Bai An replied.
Even without Bai Tu asking, Bai An had already planned to bring it up. “The snow is thicker than before. We even encountered several snowstorms on the way.”
It had been about two and a half months since the rivers froze over. Based on previous years, even if the temperature hadn’t risen yet, the heavy snow should have stopped by now. But this year, instead of stopping, the snow kept falling—and was only getting heavier.
Outside, the snow was higher than a person’s height—even taller than a full-grown beastman. The only reason they had been able to deliver supplies was thanks to the winged tribesmen. Even so, many people had suffered frostbite.
Hearing this, Bai Tu sighed.
Although they had prepared in advance, he had still hoped it would all be unnecessary.
No matter how much they had stocked up, there would always be people they couldn’t help.
“Oh, right,” Bai An remembered the cubs they had brought back and quickly explained, “Several tribes wanted to send their cubs to us. They had already gone without food for days, and I figured even if they received food, the cubs still wouldn’t be well-fed. So I brought them back.”
Because of Bai Tu’s influence, the Hundred Beasts Tribe ensured that cubs received the best food possible.
They ate four to five meals a day, plus snacks. Bai An had traveled to many places, but he had never seen a tribe where cubs lived as comfortably as theirs.
“Cubs?” Bai Tu began considering where to house them.
Most of the empty houses in the tribe were already occupied. After a moment of thought, he found a solution, “I remember there are still empty classrooms in the school. Let’s have the cubs stay there.”
The tribe had two schools, one for cubs—which operated year-round, regardless of the season, another one for adult beastmen—which only ran during winter and rainy seasons, when they had free time.
The cubs’ school still had a few vacant classrooms, but Bai Tu had never arranged for outsiders to stay there.
His reasoning was simple—the school was full of cubs, and letting unknown beastmen stay there could put them in danger. Even if those outsiders came with good intentions, Bai Tu never let his guard down.
In the tribe, the two most vulnerable groups were cubs and sub-beastmen.
Bai Tu was always extremely cautious—he would rather go through extra trouble than allow harm to come to them.
Since the new arrivals were also cubs, having them stay in the school dormitory would be no problem at all.
In fact, Bai Tu even considered building a dedicated residential area behind the school in the future, specifically for cubs from other tribes who came to live and study.
When Bai An heard Bai Tu’s decision, he immediately understood that Bai Tu had agreed to take in the cubs.
“I knew you wouldn’t turn them away.”
Bai An had never met anyone who liked cubs as much as Bai Tu did. It wasn’t that other beastmen didn’t care for cubs, but most people only looked after their own. Bai Tu, however, was different—he cared about every cub he met, regardless of species.
Bai Tu cleared his throat but didn’t say anything.
What could he even say? It wasn’t like he could just admit that whenever he looked at cubs, all he could think about was their beast forms.
In the world of beastmen, it was generally believed that cubs around ten years old were already capable of fending for themselves. Even if their parents stopped feeding them, it wasn’t considered wrong.
But in Bai Tu’s eyes, those weren’t just cubs—they were tiny wolf pups, little rabbits, small lion cubs, baby pandas, or tiny bear cubs…
Especially since juvenile beastmen in their animal forms looked no different from newborns—just one or two months old. It was practically unfair.
Every time Bai Tu saw their small, fragile forms, he couldn’t help but think—if no one took care of them, how could they possibly survive?
Bai An didn’t stay long. After finishing their discussion about this round of aid, they moved on to planning the next batch of tribes that needed help.
Since they were prioritizing tribes based on need, the upcoming ones were in slightly better conditions. Each tribe wouldn’t need to borrow as much food, meaning they could visit more tribes in a single trip—but that also meant they had to be extra careful.
Bai Tu handed Bai An a new set of loan agreements, which already included repayment dates. The only thing left was for each tribe’s leader to decide how much food and animal hides they wanted to borrow. Every document had been stamped with a new official seal to prevent tampering.
After finishing the loan agreements, Bai Tu took out a fresh stack of identity cards and asked:
“What are the names of the cubs?”
Every beastman or cub who entered the tribe received an identity card.
Even tribal leaders had similar cards, but theirs represented their entire tribe. This system made it easier for previously unfamiliar tribes to recognize a common standard, ensuring smoother interactions.
Bai An listed all the names he could remember, and once Bai Tu had finished writing them down, Bai An took the loan agreements and left to organize the next round of aid.
Meanwhile, Bai Tu finished preparing the identity cards and went to check on the newly arrived cubs.
The new cubs were completely different from those who had arrived in the tribe during the previous batch.
Even among cubs of the same species and age, the contrast between them was stark.
It hadn’t even been three months since the first group of cubs arrived—not even a full winter—but for growing cubs, that short period was crucial.
For those who had been starving, their growth had been stunted; For those who had been well-fed, the difference was dramatic.
A human-shaped cub who had once been skin and bones now looked healthy and normal.
A cub in beast form who had been nothing but fur over bones had now turned into a round, fluffy ball.
The newly arrived cubs were tense and reserved. Even though some of their tribe-mates were already here and trying to help them relax, they still seemed cautious and afraid to move freely.
Bai Tu observed them for a moment before saying:
“Take them to the cafeteria.”
No matter what species they were, cubs always acted differently when they saw food.
When the cubs entered the cafeteria, their eyes widened in shock.
It was their first time seeing so much food in one place—they didn’t even know where to look.
Even though they hadn’t stepped forward yet, they could already smell the delicious aroma filling the air.
They had never smelled anything so good before.
Instinctively, they clutched at the animal pelts on their bodies, as if afraid they might lose control and pounce on the food.
Before arriving, their family members had repeatedly warned them:
“Be obedient in the new tribe.”
“As long as you stay here, you’ll have plenty of food to eat.”
“You can eat as much as you want.”
But the cubs didn’t believe it—after all, they had never seen a tribe where food was truly unlimited.
At least, not until now.
Now that they were staring at the food right in front of them, they realized—what their elders had told them was actually true.
Meanwhile, the beastmen of the Hundred Beasts Tribe—who had casually spread these rumors—were equally confused:
“Wait, really? We just said that randomly… but I guess it’s actually true?”
The cubs couldn’t take their eyes off the food—it was obvious they wanted it more than anything.
Seeing this, Bai Tu instructed Tu Mu to arrange for someone to serve them.
Unlike adult beastmen, the cubs couldn’t easily get their own food.
The cafeteria windows had been built to match adult beastmen’s height, so for the cubs, they were too high to reach. From a distance, the cubs could see the food, but the closer they got, the less they could actually see over the counter. Plus, since this was their first time here, they didn’t know how the cafeteria worked.
Instead of making them figure it out on their own, Bai Tu decided it would be easier to just serve them directly.
Many of the newly arrived cubs had experienced hunger before, so none of them were picky eaters. Tu Mu and a few chefs distributed the food, adding a little bit of everything to each plate. The cubs ate every last bite.
Tu Mu and the others stood nearby with large bowls, ready to give extra portions to any cubs who were still hungry.
One particularly brave cub pointed at one of the bowls and asked, “I want to eat that.”
Bai Tu glanced over—it was lion’s head meatballs. He instructed the chef to scoop out half of one and said, “Eat half now, and save the rest for dinner.”
The lion’s head meatballs in the tribe were large—made from a mix of 70% lean and 30% fatty meat, finely chopped into a paste, mixed with eggs and a little starch, then boiled until cooked through. After that, they were deep-fried until the outer layer turned golden brown.
Deep-frying them directly would taste even better, but oil was scarce. Bai Tu was already planning to plant more soybeans next year to extract oil. Legume crops could also improve soil fertility by increasing nitrogen levels, and rotating them with other crops would boost overall yields. Some parts of the tribe had already been growing corn for two years straight, so the next year was the perfect time for a change.
Each lion’s head meatball was about half the size of an adult beastman’s palm. The cubs had already eaten one each, so a second one would be too much. However, since this was the first time a cub had asked for extra food, Bai Tu didn’t want to turn them down, so half a portion was just right.
Once one cub spoke up, the others followed suit, expressing their own preferences—some wanted more rice, some shredded meat, and some even asked for another chicken leg. Bai Tu simply watched, and as long as they weren’t overeating, he allowed them to have more.
For these cubs, this was the most abundant meal they had ever eaten.
They were so full and excited that they no longer seemed as nervous and restrained as before.
As expected, food could solve most problems.
After the meal, Bai Tu took them back, checked their animal-hide clothing, then went to Tu Cai to fetch new clothes and towels—it was time for the cubs to bathe and change.
During winter, most beastmen from other tribes disliked bathing. Not every species could modify their living environment at will, and most of them lived in natural caves or stone dwellings that weren’t properly insulated.
A cave that was comfortable in summer could become cold and drafty in winter.
If a gust of cold wind came through after a bath, sickness was almost guaranteed.
Because of this, most beastmen preferred to avoid bathing in winter unless absolutely necessary.
But the Hundred Beasts Tribe was different.
They had a designated bathing area with hot water inside and heated kang beds outside. After bathing, the warmth prevented anyone from feeling cold.
There were also changing rooms and two additional resting rooms where people could dry their hair completely before heading out.
Once their hair was dry, their bodies no longer felt damp, so returning home afterward felt incredibly comfortable—a perfect way to relax before sleeping.
At first, even the permanent residents of the tribe had resisted bathing in winter.
But after being urged to try it once, they realized how different it was from their usual experience. Instead of shivering from the cold, they enjoyed soaking in warm water and gradually came to love winter baths.
While long-term residents of the tribe already knew about the benefits of the bathing facilities, the newly arrived cubs didn’t.
They were thrilled when they received new clothes but immediately shook their heads at the mention of a bath.
Bai Tu didn’t force them.
Instead, he separated the boys and girls and had some older cubs who had been in the tribe for a while take them to see the baths first.
The cubs instantly became less resistant after seeing the facilities.
There were still a few who were too scared to go in, so Bai Tu brought out a basin and let them shift into their beast forms to bathe.
The humanoid cubs could bathe themselves, but those in beast form needed assistance.
After the cubs finished bathing and changed into their new clothes, Bai Tu took them to their new dormitory.
During the start of winter, it became clear that the tribe’s dormitories were not enough to house everyone. Bai Tu had already planned to build new ones in the spring, and the carpenters had already prepared many bunk beds, which were now being put to use.
In addition to beds, the rooms were furnished with wardrobes and other basic furniture. Although time was tight, the tribe had enough manpower, so everything was set up quickly.
“Is this our home?” The cub who had asked for the lion’s head meatball earlier spoke up. The other cubs also turned to look at Bai Tu.
Bai Tu nodded. “Yes, it’s yours. You’ll stay here for now, and once winter is over, you’ll move into a bigger and better dormitory.”
The current dormitory was actually a repurposed classroom. Each room was packed with many beds, making the space a bit cramped. However, the new dormitories to be built in spring would be much more spacious and better suited for the cubs.
The cubs had never expected to have an even better place to live, so their eyes widened in surprise.
After a long journey, a hearty meal, and a warm bath, the cubs were exhausted. They were still thrilled, but they kept yawning every few minutes.
Bai Tu assigned them beds and told them to sleep first. Nothing was more important than rest—cubs needed plenty of sleep to grow properly.
There were actually many empty classrooms available, so the cubs didn’t have to be so tightly packed together. However, Bai Tu had a gut feeling that more cubs would be arriving soon.
When he saw the young cubs brought back by the Eagle Tribe, Bai Tu wasn’t surprised at all.
The arrival of two groups of cubs seemed to remind other tribes, and soon, more tribes started asking if they could send their cubs as well.
Somehow, despite the harsh winter, these tribes had managed to spread the message. Even the tribes that had borrowed food but hadn’t sent cubs before now expressed interest in doing so.
To communicate, some tribes lit large fires on mountaintops, using the smoke as a signal.
When Bai An and his team went to deliver food, they initially thought one of the tribes was on fire—the smoke was so thick it rose high into the sky.
But when they arrived, they discovered that the tribe was simply trying to get their attention because they couldn’t find them otherwise.
They had hoped that the smoke would attract the food delivery team.
It was a strange but effective method, and since the tribe was already accepting so many cubs, Bai An figured a few more wouldn’t make a difference, so he brought them all back.
From that moment on, the tribe fell into a repeating cycle: Deliver food, pick up cubs, deliver more food, pick up more cubs.
Bai Tu watched the ever-growing number of cubs in the tribe and fell into deep thought.
He liked having more cubs around, but…
With so many cubs, wouldn’t outsiders start getting the wrong idea? As if on cue, something else unexpected happened.
This winter was much longer than usual. Normally, after three months of winter, the snow would start melting. But this year, even after more than three months, the snow hadn’t changed at all.
To make matters worse, it had even snowed lightly in the past two days. With the extended winter, the Flower Deer Tribe and the Yellow Lion Tribe were running low on stored fodder for their livestock.
That day, Shi Su arrived at Bai Tu’s tribe with a few cubs in tow.
Over time, the tribes had developed an unspoken rule for trade and visits:
If they were only transporting building materials, they could just exchange goods at the underground tunnel’s transfer point; If they were delivering new supplies or had important matters to discuss, they had to visit in person.
Now that the underground tunnel was complete, visiting in person was much easier than before.
In the past, people had to trudge through deep snow or even dig their way through, making the journey cold, exhausting, and time-consuming—taking an entire day to travel.
But with the underground tunnel, the trip now took less than half a day, and they arrived with dry clothes.
When Bai Tu heard that Shi Su had arrived, he didn’t think much of it and simply told his people to bring them in.
When Bai Tu saw the two beastmen behind Shi Su carrying cubs, he was momentarily stunned.
The Yellow Lion Tribe can’t afford to raise cubs anymore? That can’t be right. Their tribe’s support efforts should have had some effect, right?
But his surprise only lasted a moment. Bai Tu quickly regained his composure, pointed to the seat across from him, and said to Shi Su, “Sit down and explain.”
Since they had already brought the cubs here, it was likely a problem they couldn’t solve on their own, and Bai Tu might need to figure out a way to help.
Shi Su nodded, sat down, and said seriously, “Tu, we need some fodder.”
“Huh?” Bai Tu wondered if he’d misheard. “You only need fodder?”
“Yes, we need enough for half a month,” Shi Su confirmed. Then, he took the large basket from the lion beastman behind him and began pulling out cubs one by one.
“This is my cub. This one belongs to our tribe’s patrol team captain. This one is from a hunting team leader…”
“Wait—” Bai Tu raised a hand to stop him. “Why are you bringing cubs here?”
Something wasn’t right. The higher a beastman’s status, the more food their cubs had access to.
These cubs looked well-fed, so there was no way the tribe couldn’t afford to raise them.
“We’re trading cubs for fodder,” Shi Su said matter-of-factly, confused by Bai Tu’s reaction.
Then, as if to reassure him, he added, “I specifically picked the fattest ones.”
Bai Tu: “…???”
Thanks for the chapter!