Building a Civilization and Raising Cubs in the Beast World – CH17

Chapter 17

While others were eating, Bai An took the opportunity to speak with Bai Tu about something that had happened in the past. “The Blood Wolf Tribe once had a healer who was caught secretly bullying the tribe’s cubs. The wolves broke his legs and drove him out.”

“Is that why no healers are willing to come here?” Bai Tu recalled that when the tribespeople had introduced him to the role of healer, they mentioned that no healers wanted to come to this area and hinted at some unresolved conflict between the wolves and healers. However, they hadn’t gone into detail. Now he understood why.

Bai An nodded. “The wolves don’t like healers. At first, I thought as long as we didn’t tell them about you, there wouldn’t be a problem. But now, it seems Lang Qi might have found out.” 

Even the tribesperson who told Lang Ya about the Poison Grass hadn’t mentioned Bai Tu at all—only the poison itself. However, Lang Qi’s strange behavior today made Bai An think that he must have somehow learned of Bai Tu’s identity as a healer.

Since the two tribes were neighbors, it was impossible to constantly monitor each other’s every move. For Lang Qi to know about their healer—and even to specifically identify Bai Tu—it had to be because someone had told him. 

Bai An was certain that no one from the Snow Rabbit Tribe had said anything, which meant the information must have come from the lions. Given that there was also Tu Cheng, the traitor who had left their tribe, it was hard to imagine anything positive had been said.

Bai An speculated that Lang Qi had likely heard something comparing Bai Tu to the previous healer who had caused trouble in the Blood Wolf Tribe. That would explain why he had arrived so aggressively with his group. 

Lang Qi had probably intended to intimidate them, but for some reason, he had changed his mind and left peacefully.

While Bai An wasn’t too concerned for himself, he was worried that Bai Tu might become a target for the wolves. He made a point of sharing all this with Bai Tu.

Bai Tu thought for a moment before responding, “Then I’ll just keep my distance from them during the journey.”

The marketplace only opened twice a year, and if he missed this trip, he’d have to wait another six months. By then, it would be close to the snowy season, and seeds exchanged at that time wouldn’t have a chance to be planted. 

He didn’t want to give up this opportunity. Besides, avoiding them forever wasn’t a practical solution. Rather than sneaking around, it would be better to face things openly.

Different people required different approaches. For someone like Shi Hong, a brainless brute, or someone like Hu Bu, who schemed endlessly, the best strategy was to stay as far away as possible. 

Getting involved with them could easily end in disaster, or worse, death. Lang Qi, however, was a different matter. No one in the Snow Rabbit Tribe had ever spoken ill of him. While the healer incident had left the area without any healers willing to come here, no one had blamed the wolves for what had happened. That alone was enough to suggest the wolves had been justified in their actions.

Since that was the case, Bai Tu wasn’t afraid. He had done nothing wrong and didn’t believe the wolves would seek revenge without cause.

The salt trade was a major event for the tribe. Although there had been a slight delay, it hadn’t dampened anyone’s excitement.

Under the cover of night, the Snow Rabbit Tribe’s trade team was fully prepared to depart. While they were traveling together with the Blood Wolf Tribe, everyone knew the arrangement was far more beneficial for the Snow Rabbit Tribe. 

Bai An, being a straightforward person, had no intention of delaying the wolves. Since the marketplace was to the east, they would first stop by the Blood Wolf Tribe’s territory.

Most members of the salt trade team carried backpacks, 90% of which were filled with dried meat. The remaining space was used for essentials like stone pots, fire starters, and other necessities. 

Bai Tu’s backpack contained items like straw sandals, mosquito-repellent plants, and seasonings—things he might personally need. Just as he stepped out of the cave, Bai Qi quickly took the backpack from him.

“Tu, I’ll carry your stuff,” Bai Qi said, patting his shoulder. “No tribe would ever make their healer carry anything.”

Realizing the vast difference in their physical strength, Bai Tu didn’t argue. After all, it wasn’t a matter of walking just a few steps; the journey would take several days. 

Simply keeping up with the group would already be a challenge for him. It was better to lighten his load now than to end up exhausted halfway through and have to ask for help later.

Bai An and the stronger beastfolk led the way, familiar with the path to the marketplace even in the dark. Bai Tu and the beastfolk carrying the dried meat walked in the middle of the group, while more strong beastfolk brought up the rear. 

Those at the front and back of the team carried little or no weight, each armed with long, sharp wooden spears, ready for battle at a moment’s notice.

With someone leading the way, even overgrown patches of grass were trampled into a path by the time the middle of the team reached them. 

Bai Tu, whose stamina had improved significantly since waking up in this world, was no longer as frail as before. While he still couldn’t compare to the hunting team members, he could at least walk without getting tired too quickly. Since most of the group carried heavy loads, their overall pace wasn’t fast, giving Bai Tu enough time to even observe the plants along the way.

The night made it difficult to see clearly, but it didn’t matter. They weren’t picking anything today anyway. Any useful plants growing on their own territory could be collected after the salt trade trip.

Bai Tu had gone out with the hunting team a few times before, but different routes had different vegetation, and there was no way ten days would be enough for him to observe everything along this route.

The salt trade team had set out early, and by the time they arrived at the Blood Wolf Tribe’s territory, dawn was just breaking. This was the second tribe Bai Tu had seen. 

The Blood Wolf Tribe was much larger than the Snow Rabbit Tribe, and their territory consisted of a connected mountain range with four peaks running from south to north. The wolves’ salt trade team was gathered in the valley between the two central peaks.

The Blood Wolf Tribe’s salt trade team was also much larger. With just a glance, Bai Tu estimated there were at least seventy or eighty members.

When Bai Tu noticed that Lang Qi had caught him looking and was now returning the gaze, he quickly averted his eyes. He decided not to continue counting the wolves, opting instead to keep a low profile. Stay humble, live long.

Lang Qi frowned as he watched Bai Tu quickly lower his head. So timid. There will be all sorts of strange beastfolk at the marketplace—how is the rabbitfolk taking him there like this?

The wolves, who had been waiting for their alpha to give the order to depart, noticed that Lang Qi had zoned out again. Lang Ze, who knew Lang Qi well, nudged him. “Brother, are we leaving?”

Lang Qi snapped out of his thoughts and immediately returned to his usual calm and reliable demeanor. He nodded slowly. “Let’s move out.”

*

The wolves’ tradition for traveling in a group was similar to the rabbits’: the strongest beastfolk took positions at the front and rear, while the cubs were placed in the middle. However, in this case, since the salt trade team consisted of the strongest members of the Blood Wolf Tribe, there was no need to divide the team by strength. Instead, they placed the Snow Rabbit Tribe in the middle of their formation.

The wolves didn’t care whether they were from the same tribe or not. If their leader said they were traveling together, then they were one team. 

Among the beastfolk, wolves were known for their absolute loyalty to their leader. Almost no one questioned the alpha’s decisions. Even if someone had doubts, they would follow orders without hesitation.

For a moment, the rabbits tensed up, surrounded as they were by wolves. But when they realized that the wolves bore no hostility, they gradually relaxed. Bai An, as the Snow Rabbit Tribe’s leader, took the initiative to approach Lang Qi to discuss the route.

The marketplace was to the east, but there was more than one way to get there. Some routes required crossing rivers, while others involved climbing mountains. Each route carried its own set of risks.

Traveling with a large tribe like the Blood Wolf Tribe could deter smaller groups of beastfolk with bad intentions, but there were certain challenges that couldn’t be avoided, no matter which path they took.

The shortest route, for example, required crossing five or six mountains, the tallest of which was called Black Stone Mountain. The name came from the black rocks scattered at its base. 

Black Stone Mountain was the highest peak along the route and required two days and one night to traverse. Even the most physically resilient beastfolk would need to rest on the mountain overnight.

However, Black Stone Mountain was infamous for another reason. It bordered the territory of the Brown Monkey Tribe, whose reputation was nearly as bad as the Mad Lion Tribe’s. 

Almost every tribe passing through Black Stone Mountain would lose some supplies to the monkeys, whether they were wolves, rabbits, or bears.

The problem was that there was little anyone could do about it. The monkeys were incredibly fast climbers. After robbing a group, they would immediately flee into the trees. Within a few breaths, they would disappear into the dense forest, making it nearly impossible to catch them.

Even the top-tier tribes like the Blood Wolf Tribe and the Mad Lion Tribe had suffered losses to the Brown Monkey Tribe on Black Stone Mountain. 

The difference was that these powerful tribes could retaliate, whereas most other tribes had no choice but to swallow their losses. Seeking revenge would require staying on the mountain longer, which was far too dangerous for tribes without sufficient strength. 

The Brown Monkey Tribe, having lived there for years, knew the terrain better than anyone and could easily ambush other beastfolk.

Bai An had climbed Black Stone Mountain once when he was young. At the time, most of his supplies were stolen by the monkeys. Since then, he had always avoided the mountain when traveling to the marketplace, opting instead to take a longer detour around the other side of the mountain. 

Most tribes made the same choice. What Bai An hadn’t expected was that this time, Lang Qi had specifically chosen the Black Stone Mountain route.

Lang Qi gave his order: “We’re taking Black Stone Mountain.”

“But the Brown Monkey Tribe…” Bai An hesitated. While the wolves didn’t fear the monkeys, the mountain itself was unfamiliar to them. If the group was scattered during an attack, it would be dangerous. Black Stone Mountain was densely forested, providing plenty of hiding spots for the monkeys.

Lang Qi didn’t respond, but Lang Ze, standing beside him, waved dismissively, clearly unconcerned. “Don’t worry about it. Last time, my brother gave the monkey king a beating. They wouldn’t dare steal from us anymore.”

Hearing this explanation, Bai An finally understood. This wasn’t a risky decision—they had already dealt with the problem. Without the troublesome Brown Monkey Tribe, taking the Black Stone Mountain route was actually a great choice. It was the shortest path, required the least amount of time, and avoided the risks of traveling via the Murky River.

The Murky River was far more dangerous than Black Stone Mountain. It was home to a species of man-eating black-skinned fish that were nearly impossible to escape once they bit down.

Bai Tu had been walking at some distance from the two leaders, but as they talked, they gradually made their way toward the middle of the group. 

When he overheard their discussion about the Brown Monkey Tribe and the black-skinned fish, he couldn’t help but think their descriptions sounded strangely similar to two animals he had heard of in his previous life.

Bai Tu was quite satisfied with the decision to take the mountain route instead of the river. Climbing a mountain would at most be exhausting, but the dangers of the water were far greater.

It wasn’t just a matter of whether the two tribes could swim. As the river dried up, many sections would turn into swampy mud pits. If someone got stuck, there would be almost no way to save them.

*

After Lang Qi and Bai An finalized their decision, Lang Ze bounded over to Bai Tu with a curious look on his face and asked, “So, you’re the healer of the Snow Rabbit Tribe?”

Bai Tu nodded. As expected, it seemed the wolves had all heard about him, confirming Bai An’s suspicion from the day before.

Seeing Bai Tu’s acknowledgment, Lang Ze scratched his head, clearly puzzled. “Why are you so different from what Hu Bu said?”

Hearing this, Bai Tu’s expression shifted slightly, and he looked at Lang Ze. “Hu Bu said something about me?”

Lang Qi, who had overheard the exchange, turned his gaze toward his younger brother.

Completely oblivious to his brother’s scrutiny, Lang Ze nodded enthusiastically, speaking without a hint of guile. “Yeah, he said you deliberately tried to stir up trouble between us and their tribe. Isn’t that right, brother?”

Bai Tu: “…”

Lang Qi: “…”

For a moment, the air around them seemed to freeze.