Chapter 216
After discussing matters with his brother, Bai Tu turned around and saw the little wolf cub scratching its ears in frustration over something unknown. He was instantly captivated by the adorable sight and scooped up the cub for a round of affectionate squeezing.
Bai Tu felt a little regretful—if only the cub could transform into human form, he would be able to understand what it was thinking.
The little wolf cub tried to escape, but with its tiny, powerless limbs, it was no match for an adult. Bai Tu easily held it down with both hands and planted a loud kiss on its head. “What’s troubling our little treasure?”
The cub froze. It… it got kissed again.
Bai Tu had always envied others who had pets, and now that he was raising a cub, it felt quite similar. The cub couldn’t transform yet, but it could understand words—wasn’t that just like having a pet?
What kind of worries could a cub possibly have? If it was troubled about something, it must be because the adults weren’t doing a good enough job.
Bai Tu started reflecting on whether he had neglected the cub in any way.
The cub remained still at first, but when Bai Tu fell silent, it reached out its paw, hugged his hand, and rubbed against it.
It didn’t know why it did that, but something inside told it—this is what it should do.
“So obedient.” Bai Tu liked it even more.
How could there be such an adorable cub?
“Tu, don’t spoil the cub too much,” Hei Xiao reminded him. Experience had taught him that while it was fine to dote on young ones, excessive pampering could lead to trouble.
“It’s fine, cubs this young don’t remember things!” Bai Tu reassured Hei Jian while also convincing himself. A cub this little wouldn’t form habits yet—he could start disciplining it when it turned three.
This cub was just too well-behaved, making it impossible for Bai Tu to be strict with it.
Hei Xiao wanted to say that once habits formed, it didn’t matter whether it was before or after three years old—they were equally hard to change. However, seeing his brother’s determined expression, he sighed silently.
At least the cub didn’t seem to be learning any bad habits for now. He would keep an eye on it—there shouldn’t be a problem. Besides, if he pushed too hard, his brother might get upset.
Since they were leaving for the tribe early the next morning, the group decided to rest before nightfall.
The weather was hot, and they had to wake up before dawn to prepare. Resting now would help them avoid exhaustion in the morning.
During this time, right before the rainy season, heavy rain could come down at any moment. The sooner they returned to the tribe, the sooner they could be at ease. They were carrying salt, which couldn’t get wet.
In previous years, there had been times when groups returned too late, only to be caught in sudden downpours. Even though they covered the salt well, water still managed to seep in, ruining part of their supply.
And this year, they had more than just one concern—the wolf tribe was desperate to return as soon as possible.
They still needed to find their missing chief.
Originally, they had two major tasks to complete, but now that the salt trade was done, finding their lost leader had become their top priority.
However, searching for someone was never an easy task.
When the group returned to the place where they had separated from Lang Qi, the wolves who had stayed behind had been searching for days—without any success.
“We’ve searched everywhere except the tribe.”
At first, they thought Lang Qi had simply moved too fast and gotten separated, walking too far to hear their calls. But after thoroughly searching in all directions for days, they found no trace of him.
This was clearly not just a case of getting lost.
If Lang Qi had merely wandered off, they would at least be able to pick up his scent. But there was nothing—no tracks, no lingering presence, as if he had never been here at all.
If they hadn’t all remembered clearly that their leader had come along, they might have even started doubting their own memories.
“Ze, what should we do?” one of the wolf tribe members asked Lang Ze.
The rainy season was approaching, and even if they wanted to continue searching, they couldn’t stay here any longer. The torrential downpours would soak everything left exposed, and if they didn’t leave, they wouldn’t just have trouble eating—they wouldn’t even be able to start a fire.
Everyone wanted to find the chief, but staying here aimlessly was the worst possible plan. The chief was important, but so were the hundreds of beastmen back at the tribe.
After thinking for a moment, Lang Ze made a decision. “We’re going back to the tribe.”
After speaking, he rummaged through their supplies and pulled out a large back basket. He covered it with animal hide and left some meat inside. Though Lang Ze didn’t say anything, everyone could tell—it was meant for Lang Qi.
Bai Tu noticed as well. While leaving food out like this was a bit of a waste, if the wolf tribe’s chief returned and couldn’t catch any prey right away, this food could help him hold on for a few more days.
Beside Bai Tu, the little wolf cub stared at the basket of food, its paws twitching.
For some reason, it wanted to take it.
Seeing the cub fixated on the basket, Bai Tu assumed it was hungry and went to Hei Xiao to get some food.
Hei Xiao was in charge of their rations, and he always picked ingredients Bai Tu liked. After a bit of preparation, their meals tasted far better than the food they’d eaten on the road to the market.
Soon enough, the cub was distracted by the new food and shifted its gaze away from the basket.
Meanwhile, Lang Ze sighed. “Where on earth did my brother go?”
He could sense that his brother wasn’t in danger, but he had no idea where he was or why he couldn’t be reached. Frustrated by the lack of answers, Lang Ze turned his sorrow into appetite, grabbing a piece of meat from the basket and biting into it.
It wasn’t until he finished chewing that he realized—this was the food he’d left for his brother.
“Well, it’s not like he can eat it anyway, so I might as well,” Lang Ze muttered.
Bai Tu, who had just walked over: “…”
One moment ago, he had been moved by Lang Ze’s brotherly love.
The little wolf cub, perched on the edge of a basket, peeked outside and frowned. Its paws itched. It really wanted to hit someone.
The cub scraped its claws against the ground twice in frustration.
Lang Ze, hearing the sound, forgot to chew. He looked at the cub—and the more he looked, the more unsettled he felt. Panicking, he grabbed a piece of animal hide and covered the cub.
Too scary.
That look in its eyes—it was exactly the same as his brother’s when staring at him. Even its small mannerisms were eerily similar.
Wait… could this cub be his brother’s child?
Maybe his brother had a child outside, and after the birth, the mother abandoned it before leaving.
The more Lang Ze thought about it, the more convinced he became. If that were the case, then this cub was his nephew!
No wonder he felt so close to the cub—well, at least when looking at its back.
As for making eye contact… it was just too much like his brother. Better to avoid that.
Having accepted his new theory, Lang Ze quickly grabbed a bundle of food. “Tu, give all of this to the cub!”
He really wanted to take his brother’s child and raise it himself, but he had no idea how to care for young ones. It was better to let Bai Tu continue looking after it—maybe he’d actually manage to raise it properly.
Bai Tu, suddenly gifted with a pile of food: “?”
What was going on?
First, Lang Ze covered the cub up. Now, he was handing over food. Did that mean he wasn’t planning to leave anything for the wolf tribe’s chief anymore?
The little wolf cub, now hidden under the hide: “…”
Its paws itched even more. It really wanted to scratch someone right now.
Lang Ze suddenly shivered. He glanced around, confused.
That was weird. His brother wasn’t here, so why did he feel like he was about to get beaten up?
Unable to figure it out, he decided not to think about it. He quickly convinced himself and turned to Bai Tu. “It’s all for the cub! I’m leaving now!”
Better to hurry back. Smelling the food all the way home without being able to eat it would be pure torture.
“Wait a moment,” Bai Tu called after him, handing over a piece of freshly roasted meat. Then, he asked, “Can you catch cows or sheep that are nursing young?”
Right now, the cub was eating food meant for adult beastmen. It could digest it just fine, but Bai Tu felt that such a small cub still needed extra nutrition.
Given their environment, cow’s milk or sheep’s milk would probably be the best option—easy to digest and nourishing.
Bai Tu knew the cub had already passed its one-month mark, but he wasn’t sure exactly how long ago that had been.
Either way, it was still so little. Drinking some milk wouldn’t be excessive, right?
The rabbit tribe’s hunting was limited—they mostly caught whatever they happened to come across. But the wolf tribe had more people and stronger individual combat ability, so they could afford to be more selective.
That’s why Bai Tu wanted to ask Lang Ze if he could catch a nursing animal. That way, during the rainy season, he could provide more variety in the cub’s diet.
“Of course, we can catch one!” Lang Ze, now fully convinced that the cub was his brother’s child, became even more determined. As an uncle, he had to make sure the cub was well-fed!
Patting his chest in reassurance, he promised, “Leave it to me.”
As soon as he got back to the tribe, he would hunt down a suitable animal for Bai Tu.
He was only doing it for the cub’s sake, of course.
It had nothing to do with the food Bai Tu had just given him.
Lang Ze tossed a piece of roasted meat into his mouth.
So delicious!
Baitu was satisfied after receiving the promise. “I’ll consider the prey as a loan from you. I will definitely repay you before winter, along with some other food,” he said.
Over the past few days, Baitu had been gathering information about various tribes. Combining this with his experience from staying in the tribe, he noticed a problem—beastmen mainly relied on hunting for survival. They ate whatever they caught, and if they caught nothing, they simply went hungry.
Of course, this method was highly efficient; whatever they caught was pure profit, with no other costs besides physical effort. It was essentially a zero-investment business.
However, living solely through hunting had its downside—lack of stability. Most tribes faced this issue, and since there were several months in the Beast God Continent when hunting was impossible, many tribes struggled to survive.
Right now, their tribe had food because it was the bountiful summer season. But once the rainy season ended, their food supplies would soon be depleted. Everyone would have to ration their meals and then find new prey.
Baitu felt that this system needed some changes. While the existing hunting teams would remain unchanged, the beastmen in the tribe could try gathering grass and raising small prey within the settlement.
Larger animals like pigs and cows were difficult to feed and required separate areas, but smaller creatures like chickens, ducks, and geese wouldn’t be as troublesome. If he remembered correctly, the tribe had actually caught a few chickens before, but they were immediately slaughtered and eaten, which was a waste.
Back then, Baitu had just regained consciousness and was focused on finding medicinal herbs to speed up his recovery, so he hadn’t communicated much with the other beastmen. Now that he was returning to the tribe, he could try bringing it up.
For now, he needed Langze to catch a prey animal, but he couldn’t ask for it for free. Baitu did some calculations—there were still about four months before winter. That was just enough time to raise a batch of small animals. When the time came, he could return the prey Langze caught and even add some extra small livestock as interest.
Langze, who had already convinced himself that the little wolf cub was his nephew, would never accept anything from Baitu. He quickly shook his head. “No, no, the prey I catch is a gift for you.”
That was his brother’s child! His unreliable brother wouldn’t take responsibility, but Langze had to step up.
At this thought, Langze suddenly felt a heavy burden on his shoulders—not only did he have to take care of himself, but now he also had to take care of his brother’s child.
Sigh, was there anyone else in the world suffering as much as him?
Such a good younger brother—why didn’t his big brother appreciate him? He only ever thought about beating him up.
Langze got lost in his emotions for a while before looking at Baitu again. But then, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the little wolf cub silently staring at him. He suppressed his inner fear and forced himself to speak calmly. “Just take good care of the cub.”
Baitu looked at Langze. He had a strange feeling that the other seemed to be trembling. But upon closer inspection, he wasn’t. Maybe it was just Baitu’s imagination.
After interacting with Langze several times, even though they hadn’t talked much directly, Baitu could tell that Langze was a very fearless beastman.
What could possibly make Langze so scared?
Baitu shook his head. He was probably seeing things. After all, he had been traveling non-stop for days and was exhausted. He probably needed some rest.
The good news was that they would be back in the tribe in just a few days. According to Hei Xiao, there wasn’t much work to do during the rainy season, so Baitu would have plenty of time to rest.
Thinking about how he could take a whole month off once he returned, Baitu suddenly felt like all the hardships of the journey were worth it.
Langze, on the other hand, was making a great effort to look at the other side of Baitu. Only by avoiding the cub from his peripheral vision could he speak normally. Otherwise, he kept wanting to run away.
Now that he couldn’t see the little wolf cub, Langze felt much braver and continued, “I can catch plenty of prey. Just tell me what you need!” There was no way he’d let his nephew go hungry. He was still waiting for the little cub to call him “uncle”!
Just imagining his nephew, who looked exactly like his older brother, calling him “uncle” sent a shiver down Langze’s spine. Why did it suddenly feel so cold?
Baitu must continue raising the cub!
With this thought, Langze became even more determined. “However many animals you need, I’ll get them for you!”
Langze used to think nothing could make him willingly give up food. But now? That had changed. He was more than willing to part with some food—as long as Baitu kept raising the cub! He absolutely could not let the cub return to the tribe, or he would never sleep well again.
Raising an orphaned cub should be the responsibility of its remaining relatives… but Langze couldn’t even imagine himself raising a cub. Wouldn’t that mean nightmares every night, dreaming about getting beaten by his brother?
Baitu was a little confused by Langze’s sudden enthusiasm but still expressed his gratitude. “Thank you. For now, I only need a mother cow or a mother sheep.”
As for other food, Baitu could portion out some of the rations he received from the tribe. But milk was something the tribe didn’t have, so he had to find a way to obtain it himself.
When Baitu returned to his resting place with the little wolf cub, he found Hei Xiao there. Just as he was about to speak, Hei Xiao spoke first.
“Baitu, do you like the Wolf Tribe?” Hei Xiao sighed slightly. Could what their father said be true?
Baitu thought his brother was referring to the little wolf cub and nodded. “Yes, I like them.”
Before taking in the little cub, Baitu didn’t particularly favor one species over another—he liked all furry creatures equally.
But people’s hearts are biased. When he saw rabbit cubs in the tribe, he thought they were especially cute. Now that he had picked up a little wolf cub, he found wolf cubs just as adorable.
If he had to choose the cutest between the two, Baitu would need to think about it. But one thing was certain—he really liked this little wolf cub he had found.
However, Hei Xiao completely misunderstood his words. He thought his brother was admitting that he liked Langze.
Hei Xiao sighed to himself.
His younger brother—his recently awakened younger brother—was already being taken away by a wolf?
However, despite this, some things still needed to be said. Hei Jian said, “Don’t go out during this year’s rainy season.” Even if his brother liked someone, he was still too young. So Hei Xiao decided to play the bad guy this time and keep his brother in the tribe for another two years.
It just so happened that by the time they returned to the tribe, the rainy season would begin. This meant there wouldn’t be much time for the two of them to interact. Hei Jian sighed in relief—his brother was still too young. He should at least wait two more years before finding a mate.
Bai Tu was already thinking about resting well in the tribe during the rainy season, so there was no reason for him to refuse. He nodded and said, “Alright.” He hadn’t planned on going anywhere anyway—there was nowhere else to go besides the tribe. He didn’t expect his brother to be so concerned about him, even emphasizing the rules for the rainy season again.
Hei Jian breathed a sigh of relief. It was good that Bai Tu agreed. As expected of his little brother—far more obedient than the other beastmen. Some beastmen, once they grew up, disliked being disciplined by their family members. But his little brother had always been well-behaved since childhood.
While Hei Jian was feeling pleased with how obedient Bai Tu was, Bai Tu was also feeling happy that his brother cared so much about him.
However… thinking about the unexpected guests in their return party this time, Bai Tu asked, “Brother, you’ll be staying in the tribe during the rainy season, right?”
“I’ll be here. I’ll stay in the tribe with you the whole time,” Hei Xiao replied. Of course, he needed to stay and keep an eye on his little brother.
Bai Tu felt reassured—this meant he didn’t have to worry about his brother leaving with Hei Yan.
He didn’t remember much about Hei Yan, but from the way his brother treated him, it was clear Hei Xiao liked him quite a bit. However, Bai Tu thought Hei Yan was still too young and unreliable. Besides, they weren’t even from the same species—one was from the Beast Tribe, and the other was from the Feathered Tribe. The difference was too big. What if Hei Yan bullied his brother in the future? The distance between their tribes was so far that Bai Tu wouldn’t even be able to stand up for him.
Even though he couldn’t interfere in his brother’s choice of mate, he could at least try to keep him in the tribe longer. This way, he could observe Hei Yan closely to see if he was truly dependable and qualified as a mate. Another thing Bai Tu planned to discuss with his brother over time was that if the two of them were to become mates, it must be Hei Yan who moved to the Snow Rabbit Tribe, not his brother leaving with Hei Yan.
Neither of the brothers realized they were talking about completely different things. After their conversation, both felt relieved.
Bai Tu was happy because he could rest well during the rainy season. Since Hei Xiao said he would stay in the tribe, Bai Tu wouldn’t even need to leave the house. That was great news. Even better was that Hei Xiao wouldn’t be leaving with Hei Yan. Two pieces of good news—definitely worth celebrating.
Hei Jian, on the other hand, was relieved because his persuasion had worked. At least for the time being, his brother had no plans to find a mate—at least not until after the rainy season ended. Since Bai Tu had promised not to go out during the rainy season, Hei Jian no longer had to worry about something like his brother suddenly giving birth to a cub next year.
With their concerns resolved, the two brothers worked together to clean up the cooking tools before finding a place to rest.
Beastmen generally didn’t pay much attention to where they slept—any open space would do. After dinner, many had already fallen asleep. When Bai Tu had gone to find Lang Ze earlier, he had to carefully avoid the beastmen sleeping on the ground.
Bai Tu and Hei Jian’s resting place was slightly more secluded than the others. They found an area where several trees grew together, laid down two large animal skins, and lay down on either side to sleep.
They left a two or three-step distance between them—not so close that they would disturb each other when turning over but close enough that if something happened, the other would hear. It was both safe and comfortable.
Beside Bai Tu was a basket holding the cub. After a few days of getting used to it, the cub had grown accustomed to sleeping in the basket. Bai Tu felt that keeping the cub in there was safer—he didn’t have to worry about it running off or accidentally crushing it in his sleep. So he had woven a bigger basket specifically for the cub to rest in.
Meanwhile, next to Hei Xiao, there was still a small empty space on the animal skin. After a while, Hei Yan walked by, glanced around as if he were looking for a place to sleep, and then—acting as if it was purely by chance—chose to lie down right next to Hei Xiao.
The little wolf cub, who wasn’t fully asleep yet, opened its eyes and glanced in that direction. Then it looked at Bai Tu, who was already fast asleep, before closing its eyes again and going back to rest.
The next morning, when Bai Tu woke up, Hei Xiao had already been up for a while and had even prepared breakfast.
“Tu, I made some cooked meat for you. Try it,” Hei Jian said. He knew his little brother’s cooking was better, but he couldn’t let Bai Tu do all the work. So today, he deliberately woke up earlier than usual to prepare breakfast before everyone else got up. This way, Bai Tu wouldn’t have to bother.
“Thanks, brother,” Bai Tu replied. Hei Jian’s cooking was a bit more refined than the tribe’s communal meals. Bai Tu quickly washed up and then divided a third of his portion for the cub before eating the rest himself.
“You’re only eating that little?” Hei Xiao frowned in concern. If Bai Tu usually ate so little, then if he really became mates with someone from the Wolf Tribe in the future, wouldn’t he just get bullied?
“I’m full,” Bai Tu replied, letting out a small burp. The bowls here were too big—each one was as large as two of the ones he used in his past life. Even after giving some to the cub, there was still plenty left for him to eat his fill.
But… Bai Tu glanced at the cub, who was eating with its head down. Was its appetite getting a little too big?
“Brother, how much did the cub eat when we first found it?” Bai Tu asked. Before picking up the little wolf cub, he had never fed any young ones before, so he had no reference. He usually just set aside some of his own food for the cub and didn’t strictly control the portion. If the cub finished everything and still seemed hungry, he would give it more.
When they were at the market, Bai Tu had been eating the food Hei Jian made. Back then, he also separated some food for the cub before eating, but he was sure that the portions he gave at that time were much smaller than now, since he had to share with Hei Xiao as well. Despite that, he still felt full after eating. Today, Hei Xiao had filled an entire bowl, and Bai Tu hadn’t paid much attention while portioning the food. Now, he realized he had given the cub a little more than usual, yet the cub had eaten everything.
Even though it had only been a few days, Bai Tu had already figured out the cub’s habits—it would stop eating once it was full and wouldn’t overeat even if there was more food. That meant its appetite had really increased.
A bigger appetite was a good thing, but was it normal for the change to happen so quickly?
Bai Tu thought for a moment. The Wolf Tribe should know more about this since the cub was a wolf. There must be wolves in the tribe who had taken care of young cubs before. Thinking of this, Bai Tu said, “I’ll go ask the Wolf Tribe.”
Hei Jian hadn’t paid much attention to the cub eating more than usual. He had been lost in thought about the events of the morning. But when he heard his brother’s words, he snapped back to reality and quickly said, “It’s fine. The rainy season is coming soon, and the cub can sense it. Its appetite will naturally increase.”
Only a few species, such as the Snake Tribe, hibernated. For other beastmen, winter was just another season, though they had fewer activities. Even so, most beastmen ate more before winter because their bodies instinctively knew that a difficult period was approaching.
The same applied to the rainy season. Before it arrived, beastmen tended to eat more than usual. However, since they were busy stockpiling food, they usually didn’t dare to eat too freely. Cubs, like adult beastmen, could sense the approaching harsh season. To survive the rainy or winter season, they instinctively ate more during this time.
So, the little wolf cub’s increased appetite was completely normal. In addition, as it grew older, its food intake would naturally increase, allowing it to accumulate more energy to transform into human form around the age of three.
Bai Tu nodded in understanding. It wasn’t just the little wolf cub—all young ones were the same. Knowing that the cub’s increased appetite was normal, he felt relieved.
…
Although they had set out for the market a bit late this time, they hadn’t encountered any major delays along the way. As a result, the Rabbit Tribe returned to their settlement earlier than expected.
That afternoon, the weather felt more humid and stifling than usual. The older beastmen looked up at the sky and reminded everyone to bring their belongings inside. “It’s going to rain in the next couple of days. Don’t leave anything outside, or it’ll get soaked.”
Most of the tools in the tribe were made of wood, and many were particularly vulnerable to water. If they got soaked, they could warp at best or break entirely at worst. Even though the tribe made a lot of tools, they couldn’t afford to waste them like that.
As for animal hides, those were even more valuable. They were painstakingly accumulated and traded with other tribes for tools. Losing even one would be a significant loss.
So, before the rainy season arrived, everything had to be properly stored away.
Bai Tu didn’t have tools or animal hides outside his cave, but he had left some herbs out to dry at noon. Hearing the warning, he quickly brought them inside.
Previously, when Bai Tu was injured, he hadn’t gone out hunting or foraging with the teams. During the day, he had often gone outside to gather herbs, but since he didn’t interact with many people, only a few in the tribe knew that he frequently brought plants back.
On the way to the market, everyone noticed Bai Tu picking a lot of plants, but compared to the materials used for weaving straw sandals, the amount he gathered was much smaller, so no one paid much attention.
On the way back, they didn’t collect any of the materials for making straw sandals, only gathering many plants and flowers that others usually ignored. Although the group found it a bit strange, they didn’t say anything.
It was only when they saw Bai Tu drying such a large amount of plants after returning that they were surprised by how much he had accumulated. The beastmen who saw this were confused—what was Bai Tu doing with all these plants?
Hei Xiao happened to pass by and overheard the question. Thinking about his brother’s recent enthusiasm for plants, a flicker of worry flashed through his eyes. He explained, “They’re seasonings for food. Didn’t you see them before? The ones he used on the road were these.”
The beastmen who had gone to the market thought back and realized that Bai Tu had indeed placed something on the meat during the journey, making the food taste much better than what they usually ate.
“Bai Tu said that once he grows enough seasonings, he’ll share some with everyone,” Hei Xiao added. “Then, everyone will be able to eat food with these seasonings.”
Hearing this, the beastmen who had been discussing the plants were overjoyed. Did this mean Bai Tu would help them pick these in the future? They had just been wondering if they could find these plants themselves.
“Yes, Bai Tu will handle it for everyone. So if you come across them, don’t touch them randomly,” Hei Xiao warned. “We don’t know the best time to harvest them for the best taste, and if you pick the wrong ones, you might feel unwell after eating them.”
“Got it, got it,” the beastmen nodded quickly, understanding that Hei Xiao was reminding them not to gather plants just because they looked similar. If they picked them too early, it would be a waste, not to mention the risk of accidentally picking something toxic.
After the group left, Hei Xiao let out a slow breath. Luckily, Bai Tu had recently talked to him about seasonings; otherwise, he might not have come up with such a good excuse.
Looking at all these plants, Hei Xiao shook his head helplessly and helped carry them into the cave.
Bai Tu had just finished sorting the herbs he had brought into the cave and was about to go back out for more when he saw Hei Xiao had already carried them in. He immediately reached out to take them. “Brother, I thought you’d rest in the cave for a while.”
Although they hadn’t encountered any major troubles on the journey, traveling nonstop for so many days was exhausting. Many beastmen had eaten dinner and gone straight to sleep upon returning.
Bai Tu hadn’t rested because he needed to dry the herbs he had gathered along the way. However, just as he laid them out, it looked like it was about to rain, so he had no choice but to dry them inside the cave.
He hadn’t expected Hei Xiao to come looking for him so soon.
“I just came to check,” Hei Xiao explained. He glanced at the herbs in the cave and reminded, “If someone asks about them next time, just say they’re for cooking.”
“Huh? Cooking?” Bai Tu didn’t quite follow his brother’s train of thought.
“These herbs,” Hei Xiao pointed at the neatly arranged plants. “Don’t tell anyone you recognize medicinal herbs for now.”
“Oh, this… alright.” Bai Tu nodded. He didn’t really understand why, but he knew Hei Xiao would never harm him. Some things didn’t need to be questioned too deeply—he just had to listen.
Seeing Bai Tu agree so readily without even asking, Hei Xiao felt both relieved and a little heartbroken. His obedient little brother was going to be taken advantage of by the Wolf Tribe—just thinking about it made him feel worse.
The reason he didn’t want Bai Tu to reveal his knowledge of herbs was that he didn’t want others to start paying attention to him too soon. Once word spread, it would quickly reach other tribes.
If Bai Tu was the only one here who knew medicinal herbs and could treat injuries, that would quickly earn him respect and make his life more comfortable. But since Hei Xiao was here, Bai Tu didn’t need to rely on that for survival. Hei Xiao wanted to ensure his brother had the most comfortable life possible in their tribe.
Besides, their tribe was too small. If word got out that Bai Tu had an innate talent for medicinal herbs, shamans from larger tribes might take him away to train him as the next healer. Hei Xiao didn’t want his brother to be taken to an unfamiliar tribe all alone. He was already wary of the Wolf Tribe next door—let alone the more distant ones.
Yet, despite all his precautions—carefully avoiding even mentioning the Wolf Tribe after returning—he hadn’t expected the wolves to show up so openly that very night.
Not only did they come, but they also brought game with them.
Hei Xiao was not far from the two of them that day and overheard a few words about “prey.” He knew Bai Tu was doing this for the cub, but looking at the prey at the foot of the mountain, he couldn’t help but find it displeasing no matter how he looked at it.
Bai An and the others, on the other hand, were thoroughly startled by Lang Ze’s actions. They had promised on the way back to offer the Wolf Tribe a prey, but the group had only just returned, hadn’t even rested properly, and the hunting team hadn’t set out yet. They hadn’t even had time to act, yet Lang Ze had arrived first. Bai An grew uneasy—was this a reminder that they should deliver the prey now?
The members of the tribe who had stayed behind didn’t know about the agreement between their tribe and the Blood Wolf Tribe. Seeing the Wolf Tribe bring a whole prey over, they were surprised and quickly gathered around to take a look.
When they hunted, they usually killed their prey immediately—if left alive, the prey could struggle and injure them. Their hunting team had caught plenty of prey before, but they had rarely captured one alive. What amazed them the most was that this prey wasn’t panicked or trying to escape!
Lang Ze was extremely proud. “At first, it wasn’t quiet at all—it kept ramming into people. I beat it into submission!” Most prey would never be calm when captured, but Lang Ze and his group were strong. If the prey didn’t listen, they would beat it. If it still didn’t listen, they would beat it again. And if it continued to resist, they would beat it a few more times. After a few rounds, the prey inevitably became obedient.
Listening to the surrounding beastmen’s praises, Lang Ze was pleased. Once he had basked in their admiration, he started looking around. “Where’s Bai Tu? Why hasn’t he come out to see the prey?” He had deliberately picked the biggest one from the herd—Bai Tu should be satisfied, right?
The beastmen who had been marveling at the prey suddenly snapped out of their thoughts. So Lang Ze wasn’t here to show off—he was here to gift it to Bai Tu?
At this realization, not only Hei Xiao but also the other beastmen in the tribe started whispering among themselves.
Could it be that the Wolf Tribe wanted Bai Tu as a mate? After all, beastmen only gifted prey to their mates—and this was a whole, massive prey.
As that possibility dawned on them, the group quickly shifted their attention away from the prey.
They weren’t about to let anyone take away a beastman from their tribe, no matter how big the offering was!
Among all the beastmen present, the only one genuinely happy—aside from the bragging Lang Ze—was Bai Tu, who had heard the news and was making his way down the mountain.
He hadn’t expected Lang Ze to act so quickly. After all, they had only just returned to the tribe at noon. The Wolf Tribe had arrived a little earlier, but even they had only reached their own tribe that morning. Now, night had barely fallen, which meant that the wolves had likely gone hunting immediately, without even stopping to rest.
Seeing how delighted Bai Tu was, Hei Xiao sighed softly. This was bad.
Being pleased with the prey meant being impressed by the beastman’s strength.
And Lang Ze did appear very strong.
But… Hei Xiao still felt it wasn’t enough. His little brother was the best in the world—no one could take him away.
Bai Tu’s excitement lasted only until he reached the foot of the mountain. Seeing the unbelievably large and robust bull, he fell silent.
