Chapter 211
Black Hawk Tribe, Summer.
At dusk, the hunting party returned with their prey. With the rainy season approaching, securing food should have been a cause for celebration. However, no one in the tribe looked happy—because something had happened.
Years ago, the few sub-beastmen in the tribe mysteriously disappeared. No matter how hard they searched, there was no trace left behind. As time passed, people gradually forgot about it.
But just a few days ago, the tribe’s leader, Ying Yong, was found dead in his cave.
The Black Hawk Tribe had no shaman, so the real cause of his death remained unknown. However, the very next day, a rumor spread among the tribe—
Ying Yong had secretly harbored sub-beastmen and was punished by the Beast God. That’s why the sub-beastmen disappeared years ago, and now, Ying Yong was dead.
Many years ago, the shamans of the Beast God Continent preached that sub-beastmen were a forsaken race, abandoned by the Beast God. That was why they lacked powerful beast forms. All sub-beastmen were supposed to atone by going to the great tribes.
There were also sub-beastmen in the Black Hawk Tribe, but Ying Yong couldn’t bear to send these defenseless individuals to an unfamiliar, dangerous tribe. So, when no one was looking, he secretly hid them among the cliffs.
The eagle race preferred to live in cliffs and high places. What outsiders didn’t know was that these cliffs had a few hidden spots where people could be concealed—known only to the tribe members.
Only a handful of the tribe knew about Ying Yong’s actions. Every day, he arranged for food to be sent to the sub-beastmen in hiding.
Since sub-beastmen’s beast forms were small—about the size of young cubs—they didn’t eat much. Ying Yong and the sub-beastmen’s partners would save a little food each day, which was enough to sustain them.
A few days later, beastmen from the great tribe arrived, intending to take away all the sub-beastmen.
Ying Yong looked troubled and claimed that the sub-beastmen had already escaped upon hearing the news. Even as the leader, he had no idea where they had gone.
Of course, the great tribe’s men didn’t believe him—this kind of excuse had been used countless times to hide sub-beastmen.
But Ying Yong remained calm and unafraid, even offering to let them search.
The beastmen turned the entire eagle tribe upside down, interrogated the people, and received the same answer—The sub-beastmen had vanished days ago.
Frustrated, the beastmen cursed and left—after all, there was a reward for capturing sub-beastmen, but after all their effort, they had gained nothing.
Only after the search party had been gone for several days did the sub-beastmen slowly emerge from their hiding places.
But peace didn’t last long.
A few years later, the sub-beastmen disappeared without a trace. No one knew why, and now, years later, the Beast God’s supposed punishment had fallen upon Ying Yong.
Under Ying Yong’s leadership, the Black Hawk Tribe had become much stronger. The feathered warriors of the tribe deeply respected him, and when they heard of his death, they were all in shock.
When rumors spread that Ying Yong had died due to the Beast God’s punishment, some of the hot-tempered eagles outright refused to believe it and started arguing, “The chief definitely didn’t die because of some so-called divine punishment!”
While the tribe was in heated debate over the cause of Ying Yong’s death, the new chief took swift action.
He harshly punished a few of the most vocal members, citing the reason, “The tribe doesn’t have enough food. Your pointless arguing is interfering with the hunting!”
From that moment on, no one dared to openly discuss Ying Yong’s death, though the rumors still circulated in whispers.
As the gossip spread, some tribe members became fearful.
Was the tribe truly cursed for sheltering sub-beastmen?
Those connected to sub-beastmen began facing subtle yet deliberate exclusion.
Even those associated with Ying Yong were being avoided.
Although the new chief led successful hunts, many in the tribe still worried—Would the Beast God punish them again?
At the base of the cliff, a seven or eight-year-old cub stood protectively in front of a five or six-year-old cub.
Before them stood a group of similarly aged children.
One of them stepped forward and shouted loudly, “Yan’s father saved the sub-beastmen—
They’re the ones who brought disaster upon us!”
Another cub chimed in, “Ying Yong was a bad person! He harbored sub-beastmen and was punished by the Beast God! They will bring disaster to the tribe!”
As soon as the two cubs finished speaking, the rest of the group began berating the two of them, as if they were terrible criminals.
An older cub, listening to their words, covered the younger cub’s ears.
Although the younger cub was small, his expression was fierce. He wanted to charge forward and fight, but the older cub beside him held him back.
The seven- or eight-year-old cub remained unnaturally calm for his age and asked, “Who told you that?”
Cubs didn’t have the same level of cunning as adults and didn’t realize they were being tricked into revealing their source of information.
Once interrupted, the aggressive cubs paused mid-accusation. They quickly answered the question, but before they could continue their scolding, the two cubs turned and walked away.
The group of cubs, frustrated at not getting a full argument, angrily tried to follow them. However, before they could, a voice called out from nearby, announcing that it was time to eat.
At that, the cubs stopped chasing.
After all, they could gossip anytime, but if they were late to eat, they’d go hungry.
The tribe didn’t save extra food for cubs who ran around aimlessly.
Or rather, it was because the new chief didn’t allow it.
The previous chief, Ying Yong, had always cared for the weak and young in the tribe. Even when food was scarce, he would set aside a portion of his own food for those who didn’t receive enough.
But the new chief, Ying Yong’s younger brother, was completely different.
Under his rule, food was only given to the strongest members of the tribe. Those who weren’t part of the hunting party had to trade for food.
Even the gatherers and the feathered warriors who crafted tools for the tribe received little to no food.
This decision pleased some of the hunters, but others saw trouble ahead.
After all, ten years ago, when they were just cubs, they had eaten food caught by the previous generation of hunters.
Now that those older hunters had grown old and could no longer hunt, should they really be abandoned?
Regardless of what some tribe members thought, the new chief and his loyal followers were extremely pleased with the new distribution system.
They enjoyed receiving extra food and basked in the admiration or flattery of those who had less.
Some kind-hearted feathered warriors secretly shared food with the elderly and cubs, but it was far less than before.
Now, cubs had to rush back quickly during food distribution.
If they were lucky, they might get something to fill their stomachs; If they were unlucky, and no one gave them food… they would go hungry.
Once the other cubs had left, the older cub finally let go of the younger one.
The younger cub, still fuming, demanded, “Xiao, why didn’t you let me fight them?”
Hei Xiao replied calmly with just one sentence before turning to leave, “We have no medicine. If you get hurt, it’ll be hard to recover.”
Without a father to protect him, he had been bullied many times before.
At first, he had reacted just like Hei Yan, wanting to fight back.
But over time, he realized—fighting back only left him covered in wounds.
Even if he won the fight, it didn’t mean he could walk away unharmed.
Because those cubs would just go and tattle.
He could defeat cubs his age, but he was no match for the stronger adult beastmen.
Eventually, he learned a different approach—quietly setting up situations where other cubs suffered losses without them realizing it was his doing. And it worked much better.
These were lessons he had learned from surviving on his own.
Hei Yan, however, had just lost his father and hadn’t yet understood these things. Seeing those cubs taunting him, his first instinct was to fight back immediately.
He might have won in the moment, but with their numbers, they were just as likely to get hurt.
Now that the rainy season was approaching, it was the hottest time of the year. Heat made wounds heal more slowly, and without medicine, recovering would be even harder.
Even though his father had been a sub-beastman, Hei Xiao had never learned about herbs.
The sub-beastmen in the tribe had been so terrified by years of persecution that none of them dared to teach cubs about medicinal plants.
In fact, they wouldn’t even admit they had such knowledge.
Hei Xiao lowered his gaze. His father hadn’t been scared—he just didn’t want anyone to suspect their real identity.
But even so, his father and younger brother had still been taken away.
Hei Yan, unaware of why Hei Xiao suddenly went quiet, noticed him digging up two plants and decided to help.
Even though the new chief was his uncle, and had even left food for him to show generosity, Hei Yan had no interest in eating it.
He hated his uncle.
Even before his father died, his uncle had constantly fought with him.
Hei Xiao found a few edible plants, washed them by the river, and split them with Hei Yan.
Hei Yan didn’t like eating plants, but it was better than starving.
Gritting his teeth, he took a bite, determined to find himself better food in the future.
As Hei Xiao finished eating, he suddenly said, “We have to leave this place.”
Hei Yan was stunned, “Why?”
This was the land his father had protected.
Even though his father was gone and the new chief was someone he hated, he had never considered leaving.
“I don’t know. We just need to go.”
Hei Xiao couldn’t explain why he had this sudden feeling, but his instincts told him they would be safer away from the tribe.
The Black Hawk Tribe’s territory was vast.
Even if they left the crowded areas, they could still find a place to stay.
Hei Xiao wanted to find a more secluded spot.
Even if there was less food, it was better as long as there were fewer people.
Right now, they couldn’t even defeat a single thin adult beastman.
Fighting cubs wasn’t difficult, but there were too many of them in the tribe.
Hei Xiao didn’t mention these concerns out loud.
If he did, Hei Yan’s personality would definitely make him run off looking for a fight.
Instead, he used logic that would convince him—saying that he didn’t want to see the tribe or deal with other cubs.
That night, under the cover of darkness, the two cubs slipped away from the cliffside and headed toward the tribe’s outskirts.
Not long after they left, an uninvited guest arrived at their former dwelling.
A beastman carrying a stone knife searched the area where the cubs had been, but found nothing.
Cursing under his breath, he stormed off to report to the chief.
Inside the chief’s dwelling, the new chief sat playing with the fangs of prey left behind by his older brother.
His face was dark with frustration.
He had planned to kill Hei Yan immediately after Ying Yong’s death and blame it on the Beast God’s punishment.
But somehow, the cub had escaped.
A fellow eagle warrior, who bore some resemblance to the chief, hesitated before saying:
“Chief… He even changed his name to Hei Yan now.”
He had never liked Ying Yong either, but… Hei Yan was just a cub.
“He’s only five. He won’t even remember any of this when he grows up.”
Cubs rarely remembered things for more than a couple of years.
Before long, Hei Yan would forget what had happened and respect the new chief.
The chief’s expression darkened, “But what if he grows up wanting revenge—”
The eagle warrior cut him off immediately, “Revenge? What revenge? Ying Yong died because the Beast God punished him!”
His words were both a reminder and a warning to the incompetent subordinate standing before them.
The scolded beastman nodded submissively and quickly left the cave.
Now, only the chief and the eagle warrior remained.
The chief watched the departing figure and muttered coldly, “Kill him.”
The eagle warrior hesitated, as if he hadn’t expected this order.
After a brief pause, he nodded, “Understood.”
He left in a hurry and quickly silenced the incompetent subordinate.
But instead of reporting back, he sat alone in the darkness for a long time.
The next morning, a shocking discovery was made.
A well-known warrior was found dead under strange circumstances.
His body bore two mysterious slash wounds of unknown origin.
Before the tribe could recover from their shock, another chilling revelation surfaced—
The chief’s younger brother was dead as well.
Three brothers once ruled the tribe. The eldest, Ying Yong, had died less than two weeks ago. Now, the youngest had also perished mysteriously.
All eyes turned toward the remaining chief.
Whispers of fear and uncertainty spread through the tribe.
Would he be the next to die?
For a time, the tribe was in a state of panic.
The newly appointed chief, who had only been in power for a few days and was already rumored to be on the brink of death, looked extremely grim. He had indeed considered slowly eliminating everyone who knew his secrets, but he hadn’t expected things to escalate so quickly.
Yesterday, the only person he had intended to get rid of was the incompetent subordinate. That person was from the Feather Clan but not the Eagle Clan—he had joined the tribe later and was ostracized due to his background. The chief had taken advantage of this, pretending to be friendly to gain the man’s trust. Sure enough, the fool not only believed him but even helped him handle many affairs.
Of course, it wasn’t just because the man had failed in one task that he was killed—it was to ensure that no one could expose what had been done.
As for his own younger brother, they had plotted together, but now that he had taken the position of chief, it was only natural to eliminate him as well. The timing, however, had come too suddenly, catching him off guard. Yet, he quickly regained his composure: “It must be because he and Eagle Yong were hiding a sub-beast and were discovered by the Beast God. Any tribespeople still hiding sub-beasts must send them away immediately.”
With these words, he not only explained why the brothers had died one after another, clearing himself of suspicion, but also successfully diverted everyone’s attention. Among the crowd, a few members of the Eagle Clan hesitated, uncertainty flickering in their eyes.
Unaware of what was happening behind them, Hei Xiao and Hei Yan had already left the crowd and found a place to hide.
The rainy season was approaching, so they had to find a shelter that would keep them dry. If they got drenched for too long, not only would it be difficult to find food, but they could also fall ill. The Black Eagle Tribe’s territory was vast, with no shortage of mountains. The place they found was quite far from where the rest of the tribe lived, and hunters rarely ventured there.
Their new cave was large but messy. Hei Xiao led Hei Yan inside to clean it up. Once they confirmed there was no danger, they decided to settle there.
They had been walking for two days and nights, and after spending another day tidying up the cave, Hei Yan collapsed from exhaustion.
He was too tired—he had never done so much in his life.
After sleeping for a night, Hei Yan was woken up early the next morning.
Hei Xiao: “Go collect firewood.”
They didn’t know the exact day the rainy season would arrive, only a rough estimate. But regardless of when it came, they had to stockpile food and firewood in advance.
Firewood was essential—not only for cooking but also for warmth during cold spells.
Hei Yan had only one piece of animal hide to wear. Over the past two years, he had gathered some supplies, but not enough. Without proper preparation, surviving the unpredictable cold and heat of the rainy season would be impossible.
While Hei Yan searched for firewood, Hei Xiao looked for edible plants and wild eggs left behind by jungle fowls.
The territory had an abundance of wild chickens. In the past, they were a rare treat for younglings, but now they had become a crucial means of survival for the two.
And so, the two young ones struggled to survive, relying on each other to make it through the rainy season.
The rest of the tribe assumed they were dead. Even fully grown warriors could struggle to survive the rainy season in the wild—how could two children, whose combined age was not even twelve, possibly make it?
During this period, many Eagle Clan parents would warn their young: “Don’t end up like Hei Xiao and Hei Yan.”
Whenever Hei Yan’s name was mentioned, some in the tribe would shake their heads in silence.
…
Hei Xiao had learned limited survival skills from his father. His father had only taught him about a few edible plants but had never mentioned anything about medicinal herbs. Hei Xiao could only experiment on his own, trying to determine what was safe to eat.
When Eagle Yong was the chief, even orphans like Hei Xiao could receive a small portion of food. And after meeting Hei Yan, he often received food from him as well.
But things were different now.
Not only was there no food to spare, but Hei Xiao even feared that someone might come to harm them.
Still, his past experiences weren’t entirely useless. With the few edible plants he knew and the occasional lucky find of wild eggs, he and Hei Yan managed to survive on their own.
A few years later, orphaned younglings in the tribe who had lost their parents were cast out, along with some elderly members who had been abandoned and had nowhere to go. These outcasts left their former homes, searching for food and shelter elsewhere within the tribe’s territory.
It was then that people realized—Hei Xiao and Hei Yan, who had long since left the tribe, were still alive.
Yet, no one spoke of this discovery.
The reason was simple: over time, the tribe had come to see the true nature of their current chief. Though he was the previous chief’s blood brother, he was nothing like him. At first, the only changes he made were to the food distribution, but as time passed, he became increasingly ruthless—even going so far as to seize the mates of his own tribespeople.
For unmated members of the Feather Clan, it was common for rivals to compete—whether through scheming or direct combat—to win a partner. However, once someone had chosen a mate, others generally refrained from interfering. Only the youngest, newly matured members might still try to court someone they admired, but those already bonded typically ignored them.
The new chief, however, did things differently. His most trusted hunters would fabricate excuses to attack and injure the mates of those he desired, then forcibly take the chosen Eagle Clan member away. This kind of mate-snatching was unheard of—even the oldest tribe members had never seen such behavior.
Perhaps intoxicated by the power he wielded, he soon found these petty acts unsatisfying. He began taking revenge on those who had wronged him in the past. His personality was the complete opposite of the previous chief’s, and discontent within the tribe grew. However, the chief and his loyal followers were well-fed and strong, making it difficult for anyone to overthrow him.
…
Though more people had settled near Hei Xiao and Hei Yan’s dwelling, the two paid little attention to them.
Over the years, they were no longer the helpless children who had to avoid everyone. Moreover, these newcomers were outcasts, just like they had once been. Seeing their own past reflected in them, Hei Xiao and Hei Yan had no intention of driving them away. Their daily routines remained unchanged.
At fourteen years old, Hei Yan had grown to the size of an adult Eagle Clan member. While he still couldn’t hunt large prey, capturing smaller animals was no longer an issue.
The Feather Clan had an easier time hunting compared to the Beast Clan. Now that Hei Yan had grown, their quality of life had significantly improved.
The wild fowl near their home could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
With Hei Yan now capable of hunting, he no longer needed to scavenge for food every day like before. Instead, he turned his attention to something else—gathering information about his father and younger brother.
Hei Xiao had always felt that the disappearance of his father, brother, and the other sub-beasts had been highly suspicious.
He wanted to investigate, and naturally, Hei Yan followed.
Though he had grown taller, Hei Yan was still not yet a fully matured Eagle Clan member. Because of this, Hei Xiao didn’t dare venture too far—he didn’t want the chief to discover Hei Yan too soon, nor did he want to be mistaken for an intruder and attacked by other tribes.
From the time Hei Yan first learned to hunt until he reached adulthood, Hei Xiao had scoured the surrounding tribes, but his search yielded nothing. Hei Xiao wanted to continue looking for their father and brother, but an unexpected event halted his plans—
The Black Eagle Tribe’s chief had discovered that Hei Yan was still alive.
After reaching adulthood, Hei Yan had become far less cautious, even showing off at times. He loved to spread his wings in open display, frequently shifting into his true form in front of Hei Xiao, carrying him into the sky, and taking him along on hunts.
His boldness finally drew the chief’s attention.
The chief decided to eliminate Hei Yan, using the excuse that the Beast God was displeased with him—blaming Hei Yan for the tribe’s dwindling food supply.
Of course, the food shortage had nothing to do with Hei Yan. The real issue was the tribe’s rampant wastefulness. But the chief and his followers didn’t care about the truth—they just wanted an excuse to get rid of Hei Yan.
Hei Yan, now an adult, had no intention of sitting idly by and waiting for death. More importantly, he wasn’t alone.
Over the years, more and more Eagles had moved out of the main tribal settlement, seeking refuge elsewhere. Leaving behind the home they had lived in for years was not easy. Even though they were still within the tribe’s territory, adjusting to a new place was difficult.
But they had no choice.
If they stayed in the main settlement, they would continue to suffer from exclusion, oppression, and the risk of being beaten by the chief’s temperamental lackeys.
When Hei Xiao saw these people arriving, not only did he not turn them away, but he also helped them find useful supplies and even occasionally lent them food.
On one side was a chief who had grown increasingly muddled over the years, bullying his own tribesmen in various ways. On the other was a young, clear-minded man—the son of the former chief—who had occasionally helped his people, along with his trusted friends.
Choosing whom to support required no deliberation.
The mass departure of tribesmen had long been noticed by the chief, but from the beginning, he had viewed it as a good thing—it meant fewer mouths to feed. He had assumed that the Eagle Clan members who left wouldn’t survive, allowing the tribe to conserve food while also ridding him of dissenters. What he never expected was that those who had left were not only still alive but thriving.
Seeing them in good health filled the chief with rage—and a deep sense of unease.
If these people could live well after leaving the tribe, it proved that he, as chief, was unnecessary.
His fears were soon confirmed. Among those who had come to witness this situation were not just his loyal followers but also other Eagle Clan members who had never received fair treatment in the tribe. By the time the chief realized the danger, it was already too late to bring them back.
Everyone had already seen Hei Xiao, Hei Yan, and the others who had left. More importantly, they saw that those who had abandoned their homes and defied the chief were now living far better than before.
Aside from the chief’s loyalists, the rest of the tribe was in shock.
Why had they followed the chief’s orders all this time? Wasn’t it to secure a better life for themselves?
But now, they realized that those who had obeyed the chief had barely survived, while those who had taken the risk to leave were not only alive but thriving.
At the moment the chief arrived, Hei Yan had been about to lead a hunting party. Those by his side were the strongest among them. When the two groups came face to face, the difference was obvious.
At this point, it wasn’t just a question of winning or losing a fight—if a battle broke out, some might even switch sides and join Hei Yan.
The chief would never allow that to happen. Upon seeing Hei Yan and the Eagles behind him, he quickly ordered his people to retreat.
The chief had stormed in with great momentum, hoping to suppress Hei Yan. But instead of diminishing Hei Yan’s influence, the confrontation had shattered the chief’s own authority.
From that day forward, the Eagles of the tribe began to lose faith in their leader.
After all, under this chief’s rule, their lives had not improved. They worked harder and harder but received less and less food.
The chief blamed their suffering on Hei Yan, claiming he was the reason they didn’t have enough to eat. But the truth was, Hei Yan’s group had more than enough food—those going hungry were the ones still following the chief.
Seeing Hei Yan, many Eagles began to entertain a new idea:
Could Hei Yan become their chief?
Aside from the youngest members, most still remembered how life had been under the previous chief. Compared to the near-starvation they faced now, the difference was like night and day.
Under the current chief, most of the tribe’s food went to him and his trusted followers. Those who worked hard to hunt or gather food received even less than the strong, idle men who did nothing.
Even when these elites had more than they could eat, they would rather waste food than share it. As a result, despite the tribe’s steady supply of food, many still went hungry.
The thought of replacing the chief had already formed in people’s minds. No one spoke of it at first, but once one person voiced it, the others began to see the possibility.
It wasn’t uncommon for tribes to replace a chief who failed to improve their lives. The Eagles of the Black Eagle Tribe had simply never considered it before. But after seeing Hei Yan, they suddenly realized—there was another way.
Unaware that the tribe was already planning to help him seize power, Hei Yan was still busy showing off his true form to Hei Xiao.
He could now lift a person into the air with ease, even carrying Hei Xiao while flying and hunting at the same time.
But Hei Xiao had no interest in experiencing that again. Hunting required speed, agility, and sudden changes in direction. The last time Hei Xiao rode on Hei Yan’s back during a hunt, he had gotten firsthand experience of what it was like.
Frankly, there was no excitement, no awe—only dizziness.
Real dizziness.
When he landed, he nearly collapsed and had to rest for a long time to recover.
Hei Yan in hunting mode was nothing like his usual self.
So when Hei Yan suggested another flight, Hei Xiao refused outright. At most, he was willing to watch from the ground.
Hei Yan transformed into his human form and casually draped a layer of animal hide over himself. “Now that I’ve shifted to human form, you have to come hunting with me!”
Although Hei Xiao would now be watching from the ground instead of riding on his back, as long as he was following Hei Yan, that was enough—it didn’t matter where he watched from.
“Alright.” Hei Xiao agreed to this small request.
Recently, the weather had been getting colder, and they needed to store food for the winter. The prey they were hunting at this time of year were all large animals, so every hunt was a group effort. This time was no different. After confirming multiple times that Hei Xiao would come with him, Hei Yan went to call for the others.
Standing at the base of the mountain where they lived, Hei Yan shouted, “Time to hunt!”
“We’re coming!”
“Wait a second!”
“Where’s my coat?”
After a brief commotion, dozens of Eagle Clan members gathered at the foot of the mountain. These people had once been skin and bones when they first arrived, but after years of rest and recovery, their health had greatly improved. Though they still didn’t look as robust as the chief’s trusted followers, they were now strong enough to hold their own in a fight.
And unexpectedly, a fight really did break out.
After returning to the tribe, the chief grew increasingly uneasy. The more he thought about it, the more he realized that as long as Hei Yan was alive, it was only a matter of time before he reclaimed the position of chief.
Since that was the case, the only option was to eliminate him.
However, this time, the chief didn’t dare to bring just anyone. He carefully selected his most loyal followers before setting out.
Hei Yan had been in a good mood, excited that Hei Xiao had agreed to watch him hunt. But before he could even show off his impressive hunting skills, trouble came knocking.
This time, Hei Yan didn’t hold back. These people hadn’t come to talk—they had come for a fight.
Hei Yan had initially planned to simply beat them up, but then the reinforcements from his side arrived with shocking news.
One of the Eagle Clan members pointed at the chief and accused him, “Eagle Yong wasn’t cursed by the Beast God—he was murdered by him!”
Over a decade ago, the chief’s own younger brother had found him one night and revealed the truth about what had happened that year.
For years, he had kept this secret to himself. Speaking out wouldn’t have affected the chief, but it could have cost him his life—after all, he wasn’t the first person to be silenced.
In an instant, the events of those past years finally made sense.
Eagle Yong had suddenly died, and soon after, rumors spread that he had been punished by the Beast God. Then, the man who was supposedly Eagle Yong’s incompetent younger brother took the position of chief.
That day marked a turning point. The Black Eagle Tribe’s leadership changed hands, and Hei Yan became the new chief.
As for the former chief—Hei Yan’s uncle—he died in the ensuing conflict. No one mourned him, as his downfall was his own doing.
Returning to the tribe he had once lived in, Hei Yan felt a strange sense of unfamiliarity. He had spent too little time here, and with almost no memories from before the age of three, he could recall very little.
On the other hand, the mountain cave where he had lived afterward held memories in every corner—each spot was precious to him.
Unlike the previous two chiefs, Hei Yan granted his people much more freedom and didn’t keep a tight grip on everything they did.
He reorganized the hunting teams, mixing everyone up before forming new groups. Hei Yan himself joined a team composed of familiar Eagle Clan members, occasionally bringing Hei Xiao along just to show off.
Hei Yan didn’t quite understand why he felt the need to do this. He only knew that he loved having Hei Xiao watching him from nearby. With Hei Xiao there, he always performed better, catching more prey than usual.
As winter drew closer, more and more tribe members found partners, preparing to conceive children before the season arrived.
And in that moment, Hei Yan suddenly realized what he wanted—He wanted to become mates with Hei Xiao!
Hei Yan was the type to act as soon as he made up his mind. Since he wanted to become mates with Hei Xiao, he brought it up directly.
Hei Xiao was still preparing food for the two of them when he heard those words. He was so startled that he nearly dropped his bowl and chopsticks.
But Hei Yan continued without hesitation. “Xiao, I like you! Let’s become mates!”
It seemed like several new couples had formed in the tribe today. He couldn’t fall behind, so he had to announce it to everyone tomorrow!
Although shocked, Hei Xiao quickly regained his composure and shook his head. “No, you’re still young. You can’t tell the difference between love and dependence.”
They had grown up together, and Hei Yan had likely mistaken their deep bond of relying on each other for romantic love. But the two were completely different.
Hei Yan was not happy with this response. He wasn’t stupid—of course he could tell the difference!
“I can tell!” Hei Yan pointed at the food in front of Hei Xiao. “Wanting to eat your cooking is dependence.”
Then, looking straight at Hei Xiao, he said, “Wanting to sleep with you—that’s love!”
Hei Xiao quickly covered Hei Yan’s mouth. Did he have to say such things so loudly? Was he afraid the whole tribe wouldn’t hear?!
If Hei Yan had expressed himself in a more subtle way, Hei Xiao could have rejected him gently. But Hei Yan had chosen the most direct and blunt approach, forcing Hei Xiao to reconsider their relationship.
He had always thought of Hei Yan as a younger brother. But when he heard those words just now, he wasn’t angry at all.
He imagined if someone else had said the same thing—he would have immediately kicked them out. But with Hei Yan, instead of rejecting him outright, he was actually thinking about it.
Hei Xiao glanced at Hei Yan.
Maybe… he liked him too.
Hei Yan was getting impatient. “Haven’t decided yet?”
Hei Xiao: “…”
…
Hei Xiao and Hei Yan became mates, but life remained the same as before.
Whenever the tribe had enough food stored, Hei Yan would take Hei Xiao away from the village for a while. When they were younger, they could only watch from a distance as other tribes lived their lives. But now, they could travel far and wide.
For closer trips, it was just the two of them. But for longer journeys, like visiting the marketplace, Hei Yan would bring a few more tribe members along. While searching for Hei Xiao’s missing brother, they could also trade for essential supplies.
Hei Xiao asked about his brother again and again, but each time, the news was bad. His hopes were slowly wearing down, and his mood grew heavier. Only when he was by Hei Yan’s side did he feel a little better.
Just when Hei Xiao was starting to believe he would never find his brother, he suddenly heard news that was completely different from what he had heard before.
His brother, who had been captured by the Red Eagle Tribe, was still alive! He had been taken to another tribe and was no longer with the Red Eagles.
The joy came too suddenly. His brother was alive—someone had even seen him!
The two of them rushed back to the tribe. As soon as they landed, before Hei Xiao could even speak, Hei Yan was already making arrangements for their journey.
Hei Xiao watched Hei Yan’s back as he busily prepared.
His mate had grown up.
Just as Hei Xiao was lost in thought, Hei Yan suddenly turned back and ran toward him.
Hei Yan shouted, “We agreed! Even if you find your brother, I’m still your most favorite person!”
Then, he stood right in front of Hei Xiao, completely blocking his way, as if he wouldn’t let him leave until he got a confirmation.
Hei Xiao: “…”
