Chapter 20
Seeing over a dozen pairs of glowing green eyes in the dark of night was enough to startle anyone, no matter how brave.
Bai Tu took a moment to calm his nerves, reassuring himself: It’s fine… they don’t eat people. They don’t bite.
Once he came to terms with this, Bai Tu felt much more composed. He now had the clarity of mind to take a closer look at the wolves.
Earlier in the afternoon, during the ascent and descent of the mountain, a few wolves had transformed into their beast forms, but they had been too far away for him to see clearly—only their silhouettes had been visible. Now, however, the wolves were right in front of him, giving him a full view of their forms.
The wolves were impressively large, even if none of them were as massive as Lang Qi’s beast form, which he had seen the day before. Nevertheless, their sheer number created a scene that was undeniably imposing.
Their fur came in various shades—mostly black, followed by gray, with only a few white wolves. Bai Tu’s eyes lingered on the lone white wolf for a few extra seconds.
A pack of sleek, shiny-coated wolves… the fur must feel amazing to touch. This bold thought lasted only two seconds before Bai Tu pushed it aside. After all, these were full-grown adults. He didn’t know how many wolf cubs there were, but surely the cubs would be easier to approach and… perhaps even pet?
His thoughts began to wander. Ever since arriving in the Beast God Continent, he hadn’t had the chance to hold even a single cub.
The closest he’d come was briefly stroking one while delivering food. Wolf cubs were likely larger than rabbit cubs, sturdier too, so they’d probably allow more contact…
There was no denying it—being furry was a major advantage. If the creatures in front of him were lizards or snakes, even if they were beastfolk, Bai Tu would’ve instinctively kept his distance. But these wolves? He was actually daydreaming about how soft their fur might be.
Lang Qi had no idea about Bai Tu’s complicated inner thoughts. Seeing Bai Tu frozen in place and staring at the wolves without moving, Lang Qi automatically assumed he was scared. His expression darkened as he barked angrily at the pack, “Transform back, now!”
The wolves, whether sitting or crouching, snapped out of their daze at once. They hurriedly darted behind the trees to transform and put on their clothes. A few who couldn’t immediately remember where they had left their clothes ran in circles, panicked, before finally returning to the right spot.
Bai Tu: “…”
Once the wolves quieted down and returned to their human forms, they seemed like sharp arrows drawn taut on bowstrings, radiating a palpable intensity.
But that tension quickly evaporated when Bai Tu caught sight of one particularly flustered black wolf who had run in the wrong direction. For a brief moment, Bai Tu couldn’t help but think, They’re just like big puppies.
To be fair, most of the wolves were dependable. Their ability to follow orders and act decisively was impressive. They carried out tasks swiftly, without any hesitation or sloppiness.
However, just as every class tends to have a few troublemakers who stand out the most, the wolves who were less disciplined inevitably drew attention. And in this pack, there weren’t just one or two standouts—there were plenty.
Lang Qi’s commands were absolute, and Bai Tu gained a deeper appreciation for the wolves’ discipline. Within two minutes of Lang Qi’s order, all the wolves had returned to human form and dressed—though some were wearing each other’s clothes.
Perhaps realizing their earlier behavior had been a little embarrassing, the rowdiest wolves slinked to the back of the group, looking thoroughly dejected. Every so often, though, one or two would peek out from behind the others, their eyes fixed longingly on the grilled meat sizzling on the stone slab.
With no wolves in their beast forms standing directly in front of him, Bai Tu felt much more at ease and began observing the group more closely. He hadn’t noticed this before, but now in human form, it was clear that the ones sneaking peeks at the food were all on the younger side—around the same age as Lang Ze and Bai Qi.
The older wolves, by contrast, were much steadier. They focused on their own tasks and, if they did glance at the food, did so subtly.
*
A sudden hissing sound broke the relative quiet.
Bai Tu looked toward the source of the noise and found the wolves staring in his direction. Turning his head, he saw Lang Ze stuffing the last piece of grilled meat into his mouth.
Lang Ze had also noticed the noise. Smirking triumphantly, he raised an eyebrow at the other wolves as if to show off. But when his gaze met his brother’s sharp, disapproving eyes, the smugness disappeared instantly. He wilted like a defeated rooster and sheepishly set down his chopsticks. “Bai Qi, let me help you grill the meat.”
Bai Tu, who had witnessed the entire exchange, was silent for a moment before letting out a quiet cough and pretending he hadn’t seen anything. Instead, he pointed to the flat stones scattered around the area. “You can pick some flat stones for grilling. Since we don’t have much dipping sauce left, anyone with salt or fruit can bring it over, and I’ll make some more.”
Humans are complicated creatures. Seeing something you made become popular brings a certain satisfaction, and it’s hard not to want to do more.
For Bai Tu, the enthusiasm the wolves showed for his food made him want to teach them how to prepare the sauces and improve their meals. Of course, this absolutely had nothing to do with his secret desire to one day pet a wolf.
After he finished speaking, the wolves all turned to look at Lang Qi, awaiting his next command. Even though they were clearly eager for the food, not a single one moved without their leader’s approval. Even the youngest among them knew better than to act without orders.
Seeing Lang Qi exhale and nod, he said, “Go ahead.”
At his command, the wolves who had been carving stone pots immediately ran off to pick suitable stones. They returned shortly after, mimicking Bai Tu and the others by placing the stones near the fire and then starting to slice the meat.
“Meat with a little fat will taste better. If you’re grilling deer or beef, try rubbing some pork fat on it. Do we still have more fat? I can render a bit more.” Bai Tu decided to go the extra mile, teaching the wolves how to select the best cuts of meat for grilling.
Though the process was a bit chaotic, the results were excellent. By the end of the evening, all the beastfolk had eaten to their heart’s content.
The wolves, in particular, who rarely tried different cooking methods, ended up eating an extra basket of meat compared to lunch. Combined with the braised meat they had traded for earlier, several of their baskets were emptied in just one day.
The indulgence at dinner, however, came with a price: extra work. Once everyone had finished eating, Lang Qi assigned night-watch duties and then picked thirty wolves to head out with him.
The wolves, who had been lively and playful just moments ago, instantly turned serious.
Transforming into their beast forms, they followed Lang Qi, who now led a pack of over thirty adult wolves.
Together, they looked even more imposing than earlier. However, Bai Tu no longer felt the same tension as before—perhaps because their appearance wasn’t as sudden this time, or maybe because a pack of well-fed wolves had a far less menacing aura.
Lang Qi turned back to glance at the group behind him. His wolf ears twitched before he led the pack in a particular direction. The wolves immediately followed without hesitation.
Bai An watched them go, his tone tinged with envy. “They’re going hunting.” Only a strong and numerous tribe like the wolves dared to hunt while traveling to the salt marketplace.
For most other tribes, hunting in unfamiliar territory was far too risky. The difficulty and danger of hunting in such areas were high, so tribes like the Snow Rabbit Tribe prepared everything they needed in advance and lived frugally along the way. But for the wolves, there was no need to conserve their supplies—they could even enjoy extra meals.
Bai Tu didn’t know much about hunting.
Near the tribe, he could set traps to lure prey, but in an unfamiliar place like this, such methods were impractical. Digging a trap took half a day and could only be used once—not worth the effort.
Fortunately, the Snow Rabbit Tribe’s supplies were sufficient. After trading with the wolves, they even had more provisions than when they first set out. Not only had they recouped their dinner, but there was still plenty left over.
To extend the shelf life of their remaining fresh meat, the rabbits turned it into braised meat. This meant that if the wolves wanted to trade again tomorrow, the rabbits could use the newly made braised meat. The system was simple: turn the raw meat they traded into braised meat, then trade it back for more raw meat. With just an initial investment of braised meat and some labor in the middle, the process was practically a surefire profit.
Bai Tu thought this could be a promising business model in the future. Processing food for other tribes might turn out to be a lucrative trade. As he stared at the bubbling pots of braised meat, he pondered the idea.
If both the Snow Rabbit and Blood Wolf Tribes liked these prepared foods, other tribes probably wouldn’t refuse them either. The jerky they were trading now was the most basic variety, but with the addition of spices and new flavors, they could produce more sophisticated options.
Since other rabbits were overseeing the braised meat, Bai Tu left to find a place to bathe. After walking all day, even someone who didn’t sweat much like him felt uncomfortable. He had already scouted a quiet spot earlier. After washing himself, he also cleaned the beast hide he had worn that day.
For bathing and washing, Bai Tu used a cleaning solution he had made himself. It was a mix of soapberries and mint, leaving a refreshing, cooling sensation that was particularly welcome in the summer heat.
He hadn’t made much of it, reserving most for himself while letting Bai Qi, Tu Bing, and a few others share the remainder. Bai An, on the other hand, found the process too cumbersome and preferred to simply jump into the water to rinse off.
After hanging the damp beast hide on a tree branch to dry—knowing that in this weather, it would be ready by morning—Bai Tu sat down to weave a straw hat.
Lang Ze’s earlier comment about the treeless mountain ahead had stuck with him. Without shade, protecting oneself from the sun was essential.
Bai Tu wasn’t the only one making preparations. Several rabbits had gathered materials and were trying to make their own straw hats, as well as backpacks and sandals. Since the basic weaving techniques were the same, and the hats were for personal use rather than for sale, they didn’t need to be perfect. Most were able to produce usable hats after a short lesson.
*
The wolf pack left quickly and returned just as fast. Bai Tu was halfway through weaving his third hat when one of the beastfolk on night watch suddenly stood up, his posture tense as he stared into the darkness. “Who’s there?”
A low wolf howl answered him.
Bai Tu couldn’t understand its meaning, but it seemed to be a signal or password, as the other guards immediately relaxed. Shortly after, the returning wolf pack appeared in the camp’s torchlight.
The wolves had caught a wild boar. Judging by its size, it had been well-fed, likely due to the lack of other predators in the area.
The wolves carrying the boar tossed it to the ground before heading off to rest. The other wolves, who had stayed behind earlier, stepped in to take over night watch duties. Their teamwork and division of labor were impeccable.
Unlike in their home tribes, there was no place to store the boar safely here. If it wasn’t processed quickly, it might spoil by morning. A group of beastfolk grabbed their tools and dragged the boar to the downstream section of the stream to butcher it.
Bai Tu’s schedule was usually very consistent. Back in the tribe, he would rest about two hours after dinner.
Tonight was no exception—around the usual time, he began to yawn. With so many guards keeping watch, he felt safe enough to sleep, even in the wilderness. Many beastfolk had already started resting as well, knowing they would need to set out early the next morning.
Once the last pot of braised meat was done, Bai Tu took out the beast hide and straw mat he had brought along, setting them up at a spot not too close but not too far from the fire. He scattered some mint and mugwort around the area to ward off insects before lying down to sleep.
As he settled in, Bai Qi glanced over and asked in surprise, “Bai Tu, aren’t you going to sleep in your beast form?”
Hearing Bai Qi’s question, Bai Tu glanced around. Most of the beastfolk had already shifted into their beast forms and sprawled out lazily on the ground, lying in every possible position. Beastfolk weren’t picky about where they slept. While human forms were more fragile and prone to mosquito bites, beast forms didn’t have these concerns. Even on uneven ground, they could fall asleep with ease.
Looking at the sleek, shiny wolves and fluffy rabbits lying about, Bai Tu shifted his gaze away and shook his head. “I’m not used to sleeping in my beast form.”
Even the smallest rabbits in their beast forms weighed several dozen pounds, and wolves could easily weigh over a hundred pounds. As for Bai Tu… well, with his diminutive size, it was better to avoid joining the group. One accidental roll from someone, and he’d be squashed flat.
The thought brought a wave of concern. After observing the tribe for several days, he hadn’t found another rabbit with a beast form as tiny as his.
Rabbit beastfolk grew in stages. The first growth phase was from birth to one month old. After that, they remained palm-sized throughout their juvenile period, with little change in size for several years. This was when rabbits were most vulnerable and required constant protection.
Around the age of three, they entered their second growth phase, during which their beast forms grew slightly larger—about the size of an adult’s palm—and became less fragile than their infant form.
The most dramatic change occurred during their adolescent growth spurt around the age of sixteen. Over the span of one to two years, their beast forms would quickly grow to the size of an adult rabbit. With proper nutrition, some could reach full size in just a year. After this phase, their size would stabilize, with only minor variations due to weight gain or loss. Their skeletal structure, however, would remain fixed.
Bai Qi, who was still in his adolescent growth phase, was already only slightly smaller than an adult rabbit in his beast form.
Younger children, who hadn’t entered this phase yet, often felt embarrassed about their beast forms and refused to show them to others. Still, Bai Tu had seen one once, and he could confirm that even the smallest among them was larger than his own beast form.
Bai Tu didn’t particularly care about the size of his beast form; after all, he preferred staying in his human form to work on things. What concerned him more was whether his tiny size was due to some unknown illness. Unfortunately, no one seemed able to answer this question for him.
Letting out a yawn, Bai Tu set aside his worries and drifted off to sleep. However, the heavy thoughts lingering in his mind made his dreams restless.
*
Returning from assigning tasks, Lang Qi passed by the resting area and immediately noticed that, unlike the rest of the wolves and rabbits, who had transformed into their beast forms and were sleeping huddled together, the little healer was lying all alone on the side, looking pitifully isolated. He was separated from the others by at least a dozen steps.
Lang Qi frowned. Not blending in? That’s a bad habit.
In the Blood Wolf Tribe, beastfolk of the same age grew up eating, sleeping, and playing together. As adults, they joined the hunting teams at the same time, learning to cooperate closely to maximize their success in hunting. A beastfolk who was overly independent was more likely to find themselves in dangerous situations.
Lang Qi pondered for a moment, then withdrew his steps and leaned against the nearest tree to rest.
In his eyes, even with guards posted for the night, the wilderness was still unsafe.
He’s a healer, after all. He needs a bit of extra protection, Lang Qi thought to himself.
*
Bai Tu remained completely unaware of the events of the night. After a decent, albeit restless sleep, he woke up feeling mostly refreshed. He first packed away his bedding and collected the beast hide he had left out to dry. Beast hides were precious resources. Only a few tribes had the skill to tan them into soft leather, and trading for even a single piece required a substantial amount of food.
Not having much of an appetite in the morning, Bai Tu ate some fruit.
Meanwhile, not far away, the wolves seemed to have fallen in love with the stone slab grilling method and were already at it again. Two younger wolves were even squabbling over the last bit of dipping sauce, their wolf ears twitching on top of their heads and tails swishing visibly behind them.
Beastfolk in human form typically didn’t display their animal traits, but for those who hadn’t fully matured, moments of intense emotion could make it difficult to control such features.
Bai Tu’s gaze lingered on the two sets of wolf ears for a moment before deciding to make more dipping sauce. It was a simple recipe, and it could complement not just stone-grilled meat, but also braised meat, wild vegetables, or even jerky, offering a variety of flavors.
Just as Bai Tu finished tidying up and was about to get started, Lang Ze approached, carrying a large slab of meat. “Bai Tu, can I trade this for three packs of jerky?”
The jerky Lang Ze had gotten yesterday hadn’t been enough to satisfy him. He hadn’t even had his fill before it was gone. After eating so much grilled meat last night, he had woken up with an empty stomach and was already craving the taste of jerky again.
Trading jerky for fresh meat wasn’t a problem. The issue was the weight of the meat. Bai Tu glanced at Lang Ze. “Does your brother know about this?” Does he know how wasteful you are?
The three packs of jerky Lang Ze wanted weighed about 500 grams in total. But the slab of meat he had brought easily weighed 5 kilos, if not more. Trading it for just three packs of jerky was a ridiculous deal. Yet here Lang Ze was, carrying it over so casually, completely unbothered by the disparity.
“Yes, he knows. He told me to do whatever I want,” Lang Ze said innocently, revealing his older brother’s response without a second thought.
Bai Tu sighed deeply, suddenly feeling that Lang Qi’s life wasn’t easy either. He grabbed a small bamboo basket and filled it with about ten packs of jerky before handing it to Lang Ze. He added a quick warning: “When we get to the marketplace, don’t say a word. Let your brother handle the negotiations.”
Lang Ze looked surprised. “Bai Tu, that’s exactly what my brother said, too!”
Bai Tu: “…” Poor kid, we’re just trying to protect you from getting ripped off.
Lang Ze, delighted with his basket of jerky, happily trotted back to his group. As he sneaked a look over his shoulder, a swarm of wolves descended upon him, immediately snatching up the jerky. Lang Ze, quick on his feet, managed to save just one pack for himself.
After a full day of traveling together, the wolves had come to a profound realization: rabbit tribe food was far superior to their own. They hadn’t even tried the jerky yet, but judging by Lang Ze’s expression, it must have been delicious. Naturally, they all wanted a taste.
Clutching his last precious pack of jerky, Lang Ze sought refuge with his brother. Around Lang Qi, even the rowdiest wolves would rein in their behavior.
Lang Qi, who had fully anticipated this outcome, didn’t even glance at his foolish younger brother. Instead, he focused on organizing the wolves’ meal schedule. As his gaze swept across the rabbits’ supply baskets, he mentally calculated their inventory. His eyes lingered for a moment on the newly filled baskets of processed wild boar meat—three in total. Based on the current appetite of the group, they would likely need to hunt several more times before the journey was over.
*
The plan for the day was to reach the base of Blackstone Mountain by nightfall. After breakfast, the team regrouped and set out. As before, Bai Tu remained near the center of the procession.
Before they departed, Lang Ze pestered Lang Qi for another chunk of meat to trade for jerky. Having learned his lesson from yesterday, Lang Ze immediately stuffed the traded jerky into his shirt, refusing to let anyone else have it.
With Lang Ze’s stash secure, the other wolves, realizing he wouldn’t share, shifted their hopeful gazes to Lang Qi instead.
Lang Qi hesitated for a moment before giving a small nod.
The first to act were the two young wolves who had fought over the dipping sauce the day before. Each pulled out a piece of pre-cooked meat from their packs and approached Bai Tu to trade for jerky.
Now that the wolves were closer, Bai Tu noticed something interesting—these two looked almost identical.
Though it wasn’t uncommon for beastfolk to have multiple births, most were fraternal twins. These two, however, were clearly identical twins, a rare occurrence among beastfolk.
The only visible difference between them was a tuft of white hair by their ears—one had it on the right ear, the other on the left.
Bai Tu quickly observed that these two had the closest relationship with Lang Ze. They were often seen joking and roughhousing together, though their antics always came to an abrupt halt whenever Lang Qi appeared.
Cooked meat had a similar trade value to raw meat when exchanged for jerky. Following the ratio of four pounds of meat to one pound of jerky, Bai Tu handed them each their share and casually asked, “What are your names?”
The wolf with the white tuft on the right replied, “I’m Lang Zuo (Zuo = Left).”
The wolf with the tuft on the left followed up, “And I’m Lang You (You = Right).”
Bai Tu: “…”
As Bai Tu processed the unusual naming scheme, Lang Ze—chewing on a piece of jerky and finding himself bored—wandered back over and casually slung an arm around Lang Zuo’s shoulder. “Their dad couldn’t tell left from right,” he explained nonchalantly. “When they were little, he mixed them up and called them by the wrong names. They just stuck that way, and now they can’t change it.”
Young wolves, it seemed, often struggled to remember which side was which. Despite countless lessons, they would constantly confuse left and right, stumbling through their daily lives in a fog of misdirection. Yet their names—Lang Zuo and Lang You—had been burned into their memories so deeply that there was no fixing them.
Hearing this explanation, Bai Tu was momentarily speechless. So… that’s an option?
*
With Lang Zuo and Lang You leading the way, it didn’t take long for more wolves to step forward, eager to trade for jerky. After all, the leader had already approved it, and they knew if they didn’t act now, the jerky would all be gone soon!
The beauty of jerky was its long-lasting flavor, which grew richer the more you chewed. On a journey where there was little to do besides walking, it was the perfect snack. By the time they reached the foot of the burned mountain, the rabbits’ supply baskets were nearly overflowing with meat.
For the first time, Bai An found himself troubled by having too much food.
The idle wolves eagerly volunteered to help carry the load. Not everyone had extra meat to trade for jerky—especially the young wolves, who ate everything the moment they got it.
Now, with their energy to spare, they could finally make themselves useful. “Blood Wolf Express—fast, reliable, and delivered without a bite! We only charge one pack of jerky for every ten miles!”
*
The burned mountain wasn’t large, but the heat made it the most challenging part of the journey.
Even with straw hats, there was no way to shield every part of the body from the sun. By the time the group reached the mountain’s base, most of them were practically running to escape the heat.
Fortunately, they arrived quickly, eager to rest and prepare for the next day.
Bai Tu couldn’t accurately estimate how far they had traveled, but he noticed that the group stopped to rest roughly every two hours.
Because they needed to reach the base of Blackstone Mountain by nightfall, their midday meal was hurried, consisting of only a quick snack while boiling water before setting out again.
Most of the group wasn’t particularly hungry anyway, having snacked on jerky throughout the journey.
With frequent stops and starts, the sky was beginning to darken by the time Bai Tu finally caught sight of the infamous Blackstone Mountain.
Blackstone Mountain sat at the heart of a mountain range stretching dozens of miles from south to north, directly on the route to the marketplace. Climbing it took two days and one night, whereas taking a detour would add three or four extra days to the journey.
The road leading to Blackstone Mountain became increasingly difficult to traverse as they approached, littered with stones of varying sizes. It was no wonder the monkey tribe lived on the outskirts of this area rather than the mountain itself, taking advantage of the difficult terrain to ambush passing tribes.
That evening, the group stopped to rest about ten miles from the base of Blackstone Mountain. The area had little natural cover but offered a wide, open view of the surroundings, allowing them to detect any threats early. Even the wolves refrained from hunting that night, prioritizing rest to conserve their strength.
Taking advantage of the abundance of stones in the area, the wolves discarded their less suitable stone slabs and pots, replacing them with better ones. Lang Ze proudly found a massive slab over a meter long, large enough for two or three people to grill meat on at the same time.
Without anyone teaching him, he even modified it—creating a shallow groove in the center while leaving the edges slightly raised to prevent oil from spilling everywhere during cooking.
Watching the wolves meticulously selecting cooking tools, the rabbit tribe couldn’t help but feel reassured.
If the wolves still had the leisure to focus on things like this, perhaps Blackstone Mountain wasn’t as terrifying as they had imagined. Comforted by this thought, the rabbits drifted off to sleep, while the wolves dreamed of defeating the monkey tribe and feasting on roasted meat.
*
On the third morning of their journey, the group woke up earlier than usual, starting their climb at dawn. Everyone was more tense than before, aware that the upcoming leg of the journey was far more dangerous.
Although no monkeys had been spotted yet, the group was on high alert. The wolves in their beast forms surrounded the party, ready to strike at any ambushing foe.
Even the usually cheerful Lang Ze and the twin brothers Lang Zuo and Lang You were uncharacteristically serious, scanning their surroundings with caution.
Bai Tu fully understood this tension. Ambushing trading routes to steal supplies was akin to highway robbery—without salt, beastfolk would grow weak and struggle to hunt, threatening the survival of their tribes.
These young wolves might seem unreliable during peaceful times, but they proved dependable when it came to serious matters.
Compared to the wolves, the rabbit tribe was even more vigilant. The wolves, with their numbers and strength, were used to traversing such areas, while the rabbits often avoided Blackstone Mountain entirely.
If they were forced to take this route, it was usually under the cover of night when the monkey tribe was resting. Walking openly through Blackstone Mountain in broad daylight was a first for them.
As the group ascended the mountain, Bai Qi walked beside Bai Tu, recounting which tribes had been robbed by the monkeys in recent years.
Beastfolk might live in isolated territories, but their ability to gather information was remarkable.
While limited during normal times, the marketplace was an entirely different matter. In addition to trading goods, sharing news and experiences was a key function of the marketplace.
The events that happened on the trading routes were always hot topics.
Many tribes had suffered at the hands of the monkey tribe.
The more alert tribes lost only a small portion of their supplies and could scrape by until the next marketplace, but the less fortunate ones had much of their provisions stolen, leaving them struggling to survive. Some tribes even had everything taken, reducing them to near starvation.
While many tribes along this route were known for looting, the monkey tribe had earned a reputation as the most notorious bandits of the area.
Unfortunately, there was no way to avoid their territory—no matter which route you took, you would always end up crossing their turf. Bai Qi harbored deep resentment toward them for this.
The journey from the campsite to the mountain base was surprisingly uneventful. Not a single monkey was spotted along the way, and even the trees on the mountainside were bare, free of any signs of activity.
The group began to wonder if they had overestimated the threat. After all, the monkeys didn’t always steal; perhaps today they had decided to leave them alone?
This sense of ease was strongest when the group reached the halfway point of the mountain. The beastfolk paused for a break, drinking water and snacking on jerky as they prepared for the afternoon climb. The plan was to reach the summit by nightfall and spend the night on the clearing at the top, descending the next day at sunrise.
But as they say, trouble often strikes when you least expect it.
The moment one of the guards watching over the supply baskets turned their back, a monkey suddenly leapt out from a nearby tree. Moving with lightning speed, it grabbed a basket and hurled it toward another tree.
On the tree behind, another monkey caught the bag effortlessly without even looking and immediately tossed it further back. It seemed that the monkeys had been waiting in the trees for quite some time, forming a well-organized chain. One after another, they passed the bag along with seamless coordination. Within moments, the bag had moved through the hands of four or five monkeys.
“Jerky!” Bai Qi, who had been helping Bai Tu organize the food supplies, immediately recognized the bag full of jerky.
In an instant, every wolf—whether eating or resting—sprang to their feet. Except for those guarding the other supply bags, all of them transformed into their beast forms.
Sixty or seventy black or white wolves, sleek and imposing, turned their sharp, glowing eyes toward the monkey still holding the bag, poised to throw it again.
Even the monkey, used to the audacity and banditry of its kind, froze in terror under the gaze of dozens of wolves.
But what really made its fur stand on end was the presence of that wolf at the back of the pack—the massive black wolf who had split open the monkey king’s head last time.
If the monkey king hadn’t escaped up a tree, he’d have been dead. Even now, the monkey king still had a bald patch where fur hadn’t grown back.
Terrified by the intimidating sight, the monkey holding the bag lost its grip, and the bag fell to the ground with a thud, instantly drawing everyone’s attention.
Realizing its mistake, the monkey hesitated for a moment before glancing toward the wolves. But it didn’t dare climb down to retrieve the bag.
The monkey tribe, strategically perched along a key trading route for western tribes heading to the marketplace, had encountered countless groups over the years.
They had long mastered the art of bullying the weak and avoiding the strong. They knew exactly which tribes they could afford to provoke and which ones they couldn’t.
Today, the two tribes crossing the mountain consisted of rabbits—completely defenseless—and wolves—an absolute force to be reckoned with.
The plan was simple: wait until the wolves were distracted and then steal the rabbits’ supplies.
Rabbits, known as the weakest among beastfolk, wouldn’t dare retaliate and would only hurry down the mountain in shame.
As for the wolves? They rarely meddled in other tribes’ affairs, even if they were traveling together. The monkeys were confident that the wolves wouldn’t intervene.
Everything had been meticulously calculated, and their plan was nearly flawless. What they hadn’t anticipated was the wolves suddenly transforming into their beast forms as a unified pack.
The combat prowess of wolves in their beast forms was legendary across the Beast God Continent.
No one in their right mind would dare challenge those sharp fangs. Shocked and panicked, the monkey tribe didn’t even attempt a counterattack.
They scattered immediately, leaping from tree to tree with incredible agility. The monkey tribe’s dominance on Blackstone Mountain was entirely reliant on their tree-climbing skills. Once they were in the trees, other tribes couldn’t touch them.
The wolves, fully aware of this, didn’t give chase.
Wasting energy was unnecessary, especially since their supplies were still intact. More importantly, if the wolves split up, they’d risk losing supplies to a counterattack from the monkeys.
The monkeys might fear a group of over a hundred beastfolk, but they wouldn’t hesitate to ambush smaller, isolated teams.
Lang Qi’s gaze lingered in the direction the monkeys had fled, his sharp eyes eventually resting on the distant silhouette of the monkey tribe’s territory, separated from Blackstone Mountain by a single ridge.
*
Having successfully driven off the monkeys, a black wolf with a tuft of white fur near its right ear bounded forward to inspect the fallen bag.
After circling it carefully to ensure both the bag and the jerky were unharmed, the wolf gently picked it up by the strap with its teeth.
Though the incident had turned out to be a false alarm, it had delayed the group’s progress. After discussing with Bai An, Bai Tu decided to take out another bag of jerky.
The 35 or so kilos of jerky were divided among the group as a gesture of thanks.
The rabbits didn’t mind giving away two bags of jerky. Thanks to the wolves’ protection, their supplies remained intact. Without their help, it was unlikely the rabbits could have kept all their food safe.
The wolves accepted the gesture of gratitude with visible satisfaction. As they munched on the distributed jerky, many of them turned their eyes back toward the direction the monkeys had disappeared, secretly hoping for another opportunity to teach them a lesson.
The monkey tribe, however, seemed thoroughly frightened. They remained as quiet as mice, leaving the wolves and rabbits to spend a peaceful night on Blackstone Mountain.
Even by the time they descended the next day, Bai Tu never caught sight of the supposedly fearsome monkey king.
*
The descent was much faster than the climb.
By the time the group reached the base of the mountain, the sun hadn’t yet set.
Taking advantage of the remaining daylight, they continued onward until they had put significant distance between themselves and both Blackstone Mountain and the monkey tribe’s territory.
Looking back, only the mountain’s peak remained visible in the distance. Bai Qi dropped his pack and collapsed onto the ground with a dramatic sigh of relief. “Finally!” he exclaimed. “Climbing the mountain is bad enough, but having to guard against thieves the whole way up? That was exhausting!”
The others were equally tired, though they hid it better than Bai Qi.
Still, no matter how tired they were, dinner had to be prepared.
The wolves had finished the last of their raw meat the day before, leaving only pre-cooked or dried meat to eat tonight.
While this was perfectly fine in the past, when they were accustomed to such fare, things were different now.
After experiencing the delights of braised meat, stone-grilled pork, and two days of seasoned jerky, the sight of charred, tough slabs of meat no longer held the same appeal.
The fatty cuts of pork were still somewhat tolerable, but the roasted beef and venison chunks were so tough they could double as weapons.
Faced with this dilemma, the wolves weighed their options.
Now that they were off the mountain and surrounded by flatlands, they had a choice: Should they endure the chewy, unappetizing meat for dinner? Or should they hunt something fresh and feast properly?
The wolves, who had developed a refined palate over the last few days, chose a third option: first trade roasted meat chunks with Bai An for jerky to eat until half-full, and then go hunting.
This time, the hunting group was twice as large as on the first night, leaving only one-third of their number behind to stand guard.
The hunt this time was clearly not as easy as before. Bai Tu had already been asleep for some time when the returning wolves stirred him awake with their noise.
At first, the noise was rather loud, but it quickly quieted after Lang Qi said something to the group, and the slightly groggy Bai Tu soon drifted back to sleep.
*
The next morning, Bai Tu woke to the sound of cheering. For a moment, he thought he was back on the first day of his transmigration.
“He’s awake! He’s awake!”
“Bai Tu is up!”
The voices clearly didn’t belong to Bai An or Bai Qi—they came from a couple of overly energetic wolf adolescents. Bai Tu opened his eyes to find Lang Ze and Lang Zuo squatting beside him.
“Bai Tu, are you hungry?” Lang Ze asked.
Although the question was directed at Bai Tu, it was obvious that the real meaning behind it was that he was hungry. Bai Tu stretched lazily, his body feeling much lighter after a good rest.
He glanced toward the wolves’ rest area.
Aside from the sentinels keeping watch, only Lang Qi and a few others were up and about, preparing things. The rest were either still asleep or eating to replenish their strength.
Bai Tu realized something: not everyone had the energy reserves of the two youngsters in front of him, who were already up bright and early despite having been out hunting until midnight.
Lang Ze, completely unbothered by Bai Tu’s scrutiny, practically wagged an imaginary tail. If he had a tail, it probably would have been wagging in circles by now.
Bai Tu couldn’t resist the eager looks of the young wolves, just as he couldn’t refuse the hopeful gazes of the kids back in the tribe. He got up to wash up. “What did you catch last night?”
Lang Ze pointed to a pile of full baskets not far away. “Two cows! They’re over there.” The wolves had to chase a small herd of cattle for a long time before finally catching two, as there were no suitable prey nearby.
The hunt had taken them far away, and it had taken the rest of the night to clean and carry the catch back to camp.
Ordinarily, no tribe would let an outsider see their provisions, even if they were traveling together.
However, after being fed by Bai Tu for three days, Lang Ze had already asked Lang Qi for permission. Even the guards watching over the supplies knew they didn’t need to stop Bai Tu from approaching.
After washing up, Bai Tu walked over to take a look.
The beef, bones, and organs had all been sorted neatly into separate piles. Next to these were a basin of eggs and two cleaned chickens.
These were the wolves’ food for the next couple of days, as well as some supplies they could trade.
Since the group hadn’t taken any detours, the road ahead would be easier, and they wouldn’t need to set out until the afternoon. This gave Bai Tu the entire morning to prepare.
Noticing the bright-eyed, eager young wolves around him, Bai Tu decided to assign them an important task: tenderizing the beef.
Finding stones in the wild was no problem, and Bai Tu picked out a few of the right size. He then asked the wolves to transform into their beast forms and dig out large stone mortars. He handed each of them a chunk of beef and instructed them to pound it into minced meat.
With that task assigned, Bai Tu set about marinating beef ribs and steaks using scallions, ginger, garlic, and salt. He tossed the beef bones into a pot to make broth.
The minced meat was mixed with scallions, ginger, salt, and eggs until it was evenly combined. Bai Tu then directed Lang Ze to bring it to the pot of boiling water and, after washing his hands, began the next step—making beef meatballs.
The hand-pounded minced beef resulted in incredibly springy meatballs. Made entirely by hand, without any additives, the large meatballs—almost the size of a fist—were perfect for the wolves’ hearty appetites.
It took some time for the first batch of meatballs to cook. Bai Tu busied himself between the two large stone pots, adding more meatballs to one while removing cooked ones from the other.
The first pot of meatballs was just enough for the group, served with a bit of greens in a fragrant broth. The wolves devoured it all in no time.
Lang Ze’s oversized stone slab came in handy for pan-searing steaks. Each steak was the size of a palm, and the slab could cook seven or eight at a time. The marinated steaks sizzled and released a juicy aroma, their flavor enhanced by the seasoning. Even the wolves who were still resting couldn’t resist the smell and woke up one by one.
In addition to the beef broth and steaks, Bai Tu tried a new method for the beef ribs: wrapping them in clean leaves, coating the outside with mud, and baking them slowly over the fire.
The beef broth with wild vegetables was a familiar dish for the rabbits but new to the wolves. After tasting it, many of them joined in, finding the greens a good way to balance the richness of the steaks.
The ribs took the longest to cook, as they were encased in mud. However, when the mud casing was cracked open, the aroma was extraordinary.
The tightly sealed cooking method ensured that none of the juices escaped, leaving the meat moist and flavorful. The marinade removed any gamy odor, leaving behind only the rich, savory taste of the beef. Each bite was tender and satisfying.
The young wolves, Lang Zuo and Lang You, were so delighted that their wolf ears and tails made an appearance again.
The young wolves worked while sneaking bites of food. By the time the meal was over, they were so full they could barely move, hiccupping as they rested.
While Bai Tu and his group’s cooking was limited by the available ingredients, the meal still left a lasting impression on everyone. Even Lang Qi, usually the picture of composure, occasionally glanced toward Bai Tu and his team.
After the feast, Bai Tu led the group in processing the remaining beef to extend its shelf life. The high temperatures made it easy for raw meat to spoil, so this step was crucial.
*
That lunch became a meal to remember for everyone involved.
Even the reserved Lang Qi couldn’t help but be impressed. However, the next few days’ meals were far simpler.
It wasn’t that Bai Tu didn’t want to cook—there simply wasn’t any fresh game nearby.
As the group drew closer to the marketplace, the surrounding wildlife grew scarce. Many distant tribes hunted near the marketplace, leaving little for travelers.
To catch fresh games required a full day of tracking, which would consume extra provisions—an impractical option, even with their current stock.
The wolves appreciated good food, but they understood the importance of prioritizing resources.
Thankfully, Bai Tu taught them how to rehydrate dried meat by steaming it, then mixing it with wild vegetables or fruits. This method made even the toughest dried meat more palatable.
At worst, they could trade surplus game with the rabbits for jerky or smoked meat.
By the time the group finally arrived at the marketplace, both the wolves and the rabbits breathed a collective sigh of relief.
For the wolves, it was a matter of replenishing their dwindling salt supplies after days of indulgence. For the rabbits, it was a race against time—if they had arrived any later, all their jerky might have been traded away!
Thanks for the chapter!