Chapter 34
The little rabbit cubs, each no larger than the palm of a hand, obediently lined up in a row, following closely behind the cub in front of them.
Once they climbed to the top of the slide, they placed all four paws on it and, with a “whoosh,” slid down.
Occasionally, one would go down in the wrong direction or lose balance and tumble off the slide, landing headfirst on the ground. However, the height was so low that it was barely a bump for the rabbit cubs.
Unharmed but a little dazed, the cub would climb back to its feet and, after reorienting itself, head back to the line—only to be bumped into by the next cub sliding down, sending both tumbling to the ground again.
The two cubs flailed at each other, rolling into a small, fluffy ball.
The cubs behind them, finding their way blocked, eagerly joined the fray.
Soon, the sliding game had turned into an all-out wrestling match. The cubs bit and swatted at each other with tiny, harmless teeth and claws, purely for fun.
They were too young to cause any real harm or fight seriously, and their roughhousing was full of playful energy.
Bai Tu watched, utterly envious.
This wasn’t the first time he’d been captivated by the rabbit cubs.
At first, Tu Cai had been wary of his fascination, but by now she had grown completely used to it. Sometimes, she even left the cubs in Bai Tu’s care while she went off to handle other tasks.
In her opinion, Bai Tu cared for the cubs with more dedication than the beastmen who were specifically tasked with looking after them.
Take meals, for example. In the past, the cubs were fed very basic food—mostly whatever the adults were eating, mashed or overcooked, and then spoon-fed to them. There were almost no exceptions. However, after Bai Tu started fishing, the cubs’ diet improved dramatically.
At first, he made rich and fragrant fish soup.
Later, he began making meat purees, followed by fruit purees, scrambled eggs, and other dishes.
Bai Tu always seemed to come up with new and inventive ways of preparing food, many of which no one in the tribe had ever seen before.
Sometimes, when certain foods were in short supply, he wouldn’t eat them himself, instead reserving them entirely for the cubs. Tu Cai swore that not even the cubs’ own parents were as attentive and thoughtful as Bai Tu.
Yet, whenever the subject of Bai Tu having his own cubs came up, he would firmly reject the idea, as if he were absolutely certain it would never happen. Shaking her head, Tu Cai thought to herself, What a strange beastman.
After Tu Cai left, Bai Tu finally had the chance to interact with the cubs himself.
While she was around, he could still play with the cubs, but every time he showed too much affection, Tu Cai would bring up the topic of him finding a mate to have his own children.
Bai Tu had already denied this possibility multiple times and didn’t want to repeat himself.
Reaching out, Bai Tu patted the head of the nearest cub. The soft fur made his heart melt instantly.
Most animal cubs were naturally adorable, and the rabbit cubs were no exception. Thanks to their good care, they now felt even softer and fluffier than before, like freshly made cotton candy.
The cubs, who were used to Bai Tu’s scent and touch, immediately stopped their roughhousing and ran to his side, crowding around and waiting for their turn to be patted.
Bai Tu, determined to be fair, patted each cub three times. Each tiny, fluffy bundle inspired nothing but love and the overwhelming desire to fulfill their every wish.
The cubs, thoroughly enjoying the attention, squinted their eyes in contentment. Having just eaten not long ago and played for a while, they were already starting to get sleepy. Before long, they were drowsily nodding off.
By the time Tu Cai returned, more than half of the twenty cubs in the bamboo basket were already fast asleep.
“You’re amazing,” Tu Cai praised him. “I thought you made that slide just as a toy for the cubs, but it turns out it’s a great tool for putting them to sleep!”
Bai Tu: “???” That’s not what I made it for!
The slide was supposed to be a toy for the cubs to play with, not a sleep aid. However, seeing how peacefully the cubs were sleeping, Bai Tu decided to swallow his explanation. Oh well, as long as they’re happy.
That said, the mention of putting the cubs to sleep reminded Bai Tu of something else: a cradle.
Returning to his cave, Bai Tu began working on a cradle design.
He started by crafting curved wooden pieces, heating the wood over a fire and bending it while it was still warm.
Once he had two identical curved frames, he connected them with wooden slats, using the same mortise-and-tenon technique he had mastered while building the waterwheel.
Though the process was easier now, working with wood still wasn’t entirely effortless. Bai Tu called Bai Qi over to help and decided to make two large rocking chairs while he was at it.
“The cradle is for the cubs; the rocking chairs are for us,” Bai Tu explained.
Currently, most of the tribe used tree stumps as seats, or in some cases, simply sat on the ground. Those who were more particular about their seating would carve a hollow in the tree stump to make it easier to carry, but no one had much in the way of refined furniture.
In Bai Tu’s own cave, the table was made of a single large stone slab, and his stools were originally tree stumps as well.
Later, he replaced them with small wooden stools he made himself. Still, he rarely sat down unless he was sorting herbs. But now, during the rainy season, a rocking chair was the perfect place to relax.
After spending so much time working on the waterwheel, Bai Tu figured it was time to take a break.
Bai Qi, who had never heard of or seen a rocking chair before, threw himself into the project with enthusiasm.
He knew from experience that anything Bai Tu came up with was bound to be good.
When they finally finished making one small cradle and two large rocking chairs, Bai Qi spent the rest of the day lounging in one of the chairs, refusing to get up.
“This is way too comfortable!” Bai Qi exclaimed, thoroughly impressed. He no longer found the rainy season boring—there was so much to do!
Lying back in the rocking chair, gently swaying, he quickly found himself drifting off to sleep. It was almost too comfortable, making him reluctant to leave.
Bai Tu, knowing exactly how cozy a rocking chair could be, delivered the small cradle to Tu Cai for the cubs. “Now this is a real sleep aid!” Bai Tu declared proudly.
Tu Cai sighed when she saw Bai Tu delivering toys again after just two days. He likes children so much—why doesn’t he want to have his own?
Bai Tu could guess what Tu Cai was about to say, so he didn’t give her the chance to bring it up. After calming down the group of cubs, he quickly made his escape, heading off to get back to work.
During the rainy season, most of the time was spent under constant rainfall, with only a few rare breaks. Beastmen had to finish all their tasks within these limited windows of dry weather.
This year, food wasn’t a concern.
For the rabbit tribe, who were used to living with hunger, having enough to eat was already a luxury.
Early in the rainy season, the tribe had been cautious and frugal with their food.
Now, with more than half the season gone, they had only consumed about half of their stored supplies, leaving more than enough to last through the remaining ten or so days.
The plants growing near the caves were also thriving.
Despite being on a slope, the terrain wasn’t steep enough to cause waterlogging, so the plants were safe. The melons were already starting to climb the rocks on the mountainside.
Bai Tu’s main concern, however, was the corn growing in the fields at the foot of the mountain.
Even though they had dug drainage ditches, he was still worried. This was their first large-scale planting effort, and Bai Tu made a habit of inspecting the fields every few days.
Although he had just checked the fields two days ago, the heavy rains in recent days were increasing at a visible rate, making Bai Tu even more anxious. He wasn’t just worried about his tribe’s corn—he was also concerned about the crops in the Blood Wolf Tribe and Leopard Tribe territories.
Bai Tu had already explained the key points of planting to Bao Duo, including how to prevent seedlings from being submerged during the rainy season.
But theory was always easier than practice. It was similar to how Lang Qi had sent Lang Ze to study for a few days just to be extra cautious. Bai Tu couldn’t shake the worry that his advice to Bao Duo might not have been detailed enough. What if they fail?
Taking advantage of a break in the rain, Bai Tu headed to the cornfields again.
The drainage ditches had done their job well—there was almost no standing water in the fields. The corn was turning out to be much more flood-resistant than Bai Tu had expected.
Since planting, it had rained almost continuously except for the first few days, yet the corn had survived.
Thanks to the abundant rain during the season, the corn stalks were growing thick and sturdy. Only a few stalks had been broken by the heavy rain; the majority were standing tall and growing at an impressive pace, visibly taller each day.
Bai Tu estimated that, at this growth rate, the corn might mature in less than the typical 100 days.
For beastmen, an early harvest was undoubtedly a good thing.
However, a shorter growing period often came with challenges. Crops that matured quickly required more water and nutrients.
In times of drought or water shortages, crops would mature early, but the resulting ears of corn would be small, and yields would be low.
Since Bai Tu had gone through all the effort to plant the corn, he was determined to ensure that the quality of the harvest would be excellent.
As he glanced at the nearby river, which had grown turbulent due to the rains, he thought to himself that the river would be their key water source when the time came.
The Blood Wolf Tribe also had a river nearby.
When each tribe was first established, they had chosen locations that were ideal for survival. For example, the Snow Rabbit Tribe’s territory was surrounded by abundant vegetation, which attracted plenty of prey, while also being close to a reliable water source.
The water not only helped draw in prey but also served the beastmen’s needs for drinking and bathing. In the future, this river could also be used for irrigation.
Since the river’s water level had risen significantly, Bai Tu didn’t venture too close.
After a quick glance, he turned his focus back to the cornfields.
He spent some time deepening a few drainage ditches that were partially clogged. No matter how carefully they had been dug, the ditches were still surrounded by loose soil.
When the rain was heavy and the water flowed rapidly, it would carry soil into the lower sections of the ditch, creating blockages. Bai Tu made a point of clearing them out every time he visited.
“Tu, when will this corn fully grow?” Bai Qi asked as he worked alongside Bai Tu, clearing the drainage ditches.
Seeing how well the corn was growing, he couldn’t help but grow curious about the results. He found it hard to imagine how such large plants could produce such small seeds, even after Bai Tu had explained the process to him.
“Probably before the snowy season,” Bai Tu replied.
He couldn’t give an exact date, but he could provide an approximate timeline.
The corn would definitely be ready before winter arrived—whether that was a day before or a month before depended on the corn itself.
“I can’t wait for the snowy season,” Bai Qi said with anticipation.
He was eager to see the reaction of that fraudulent healer from the Leopard Tribe, when he realized that Bai Tu had successfully grown the so-called “divine grain.” Bai Qi was already planning to laugh at him mercilessly.
In fact, he was fantasizing about kicking him off the Eastern Continent entirely.
Bai Tu, unaware of Bai Qi’s scheming thoughts, finished clearing all the drainage ditches.
He measured the growth of the corn and returned to the cave to record its height on a wooden post taller than himself. With limited tools at his disposal, this was the best method he could come up with.
He would measure the corn in the fields against his knee or waist and then mark the corresponding height on the wooden post back in the cave.
The wooden post was intended to be a permanent record.
It stood alongside several others, each tracking the growth of different plants.
Without books or written records, and with most beastmen having no farming experience, Bai Tu planned to create his own documentation. There was a saying: The faintest ink is better than the best memory.
Recording the information was better than keeping it all in his head—what if he got two crops confused? Or, what if he and the original host of his body somehow switched back? He’d need to leave something behind for them to use.
Bai Tu maintained a habit of checking the corn’s growth every one or two days.
Aside from him, other beastmen in the tribe would also venture out periodically to patrol the surrounding territory. Previously, this patrol work also included hunting. Now, with no need to hunt during the rainy season, the patrols were much easier.
For beastmen accustomed to physical labor, staying in the cave for too long was uncomfortable.
Initially, the patrol team only had six or seven members because the muddy ground was hard to traverse, making the task unappealing. Only those assigned to the patrol would go.
But as the days dragged on and the boredom of cave life set in, the number of volunteers grew to over ten.
By the time the rainy season was nearing its end, the team had expanded several times over, with nearly a third of the tribe eager to use any break in the rain to get some fresh air.
Although the rain had stopped, the land was still too slippery for hunting. However, it was the perfect time for another task—assembling the large waterwheel.
Bai Tu gathered the beastmen, and together they carried the waterwheel components to the river.
In addition to the original small waterwheel, the tribe had built two more over the past few weeks out of boredom.
They had even dismantled and reassembled them multiple times to learn how they worked. This prior experience made assembling the large waterwheel relatively smooth, aside from the physical effort required.
The large waterwheel had a diameter of about four meters, with the water trough positioned two meters above the ground. This height difference meant it could easily irrigate all the surrounding fields.
The hardest part was lifting the assembled waterwheel and mounting it onto its supports by the river.
Since they couldn’t risk damaging the structure, they had to avoid applying force to certain areas. It took more than half a day and the combined efforts of a dozen beastmen to get the waterwheel securely in place.
Bai Tu, concerned about the safety of those working in the river, insisted that each beastman tie two vines around their waist before entering the water. Anyone who refused wasn’t allowed to help.
Although some grumbled about the inconvenience, they complied. Once they were in the river, they quickly realized the importance of the vines. The water looked calm on the surface, but the current was strong enough to sweep someone away.
With the waterwheel installed, one of Bai Tu’s biggest concerns was finally resolved.
After the rainy season, it would only take a few days of sunshine for the soil to dry out and return to its pre-rainy-season state. With the waterwheel in place, even drought conditions wouldn’t be an issue.
Bai Tu planned to monitor its durability during the transitional period. If any problems arose, he could address them before the dry season began.
What Bai Tu didn’t expect was that the waterwheel would quickly be repurposed by the tribe for another use—bathing.
After the rainy season, the river was still turbulent.
The children in the tribe weren’t allowed to enter the water; instead, adult beastmen would scoop water with buckets for them to bathe safely by the riverbank or in the caves. While safe, this method was tedious and less than ideal.
The temperature hadn’t dropped much since before the rainy season. Running around outside for half a day left everyone feeling sticky and uncomfortable.
In the past, they might have tolerated it, but after being influenced by Bai Tu, most beastmen had started bathing daily. Once they were used to feeling clean, going back to their previous state felt unbearable.
During the day, most adult beastmen were busy, leaving the children to fend for themselves.
Fetching water from the river was too dangerous for them, even with their strength. The rushing current could easily carry them away.
Bai Tu had repeatedly warned the children not to go near the river. Anyone caught breaking the rule would be punished with extra chores and—more importantly—no snacks for ten days.
The chores weren’t a big deal to the children. Being made to work in the corner of the cave wasn’t much different from sitting and doing other tasks. The real punishment was losing access to snacks.
Bai Tu had been experimenting with new recipes nearly every day, creating treats like jerky, meatballs, and, most recently, several spicy dishes using chili peppers.
Missing out on ten days of Bai Tu’s creations was unbearable for the children. The threat of missing snacks worked like a charm—none of them dared sneak off to the river.
No matter how refreshing bathing in the river might be, it couldn’t compete with the allure of ten days of delicious food.
It was too hot, and the children, being as lively as ever, couldn’t sit still like Bai Tu.
On the very day they saw the waterwheel, they discovered a new way to bathe—by standing directly under the water coming from the waterwheel’s pipe!
While they couldn’t submerge their whole bodies, it kept them away from the river and the danger of being swept away, and it wouldn’t get them punished by Bai Tu for going near the water.
Bai Tu hadn’t anticipated this unintended use, but he saw no harm in it. The water pipe extended six or seven meters away from the riverbank, and the water flowing down was funneled back to the river via a drainage ditch. A group of kids washing up there didn’t interfere with anything, so Bai Tu let them be.
The soil on the Beast God Continent had long adapted to the relentless downpours of the rainy season.
By the third day without rain, much of the soil had already dried to a semi-dry state.
Bai An led the hunting team to inspect several traps near the tribe’s territory. Most of these traps had been filled with water during the rainy season. After a few days of sunshine, some had drained partially, but others still held a significant amount of water.
That evening, Bai An approached Bai Tu to discuss an idea. “What if we scoop all the water out of the traps?” he suggested.
The hunting team had grown accustomed to the convenience and safety of trap hunting and had no desire to return to the old methods, which were both dangerous and prone to failure. However, the water-filled traps needed days to dry out completely. Although the tribe still had food stored, Bai An didn’t want to sit idle.
With two to three months left before winter, time felt abundant but would pass in the blink of an eye. If they planned another trip to the marketplace before winter, it would take at least ten days off their hunting schedule. Every day they could hunt sooner was valuable—later in the season, prey would become scarcer.
Bai Tu considered it for a moment before replying, “Remove the water from the traps with a lot of water, but leave the ones with just a little mud and water as they are. The mud will actually help keep the prey from escaping.”
Trap hunting wasn’t foolproof—animals like antelope, with strong jumping abilities, could still escape if the trap was too shallow. However, traps with a layer of mud acted like quicksand.
Once prey fell in, the wet, slippery mud would prevent them from finding traction to climb out.
This was why Bai Tu had repeatedly warned Lang Qi before he left with Lang Ze: under no circumstances should Lang Ze come to the rabbit tribe during the rainy season or even the first ten days after it ended.
The traps were extremely effective, and many had been dug throughout the rabbit tribe’s territory and along the borders of the two tribes’ lands.
Since Lang Ze wasn’t a member of the rabbit tribe’s hunting team, he didn’t know the exact locations of the traps.
Falling into a trap on a dry day might result in only minor injuries, but during the rainy season or its aftermath, falling into a trap could be extremely dangerous.
The semi-dry, muddy conditions were particularly treacherous—once someone fell in, they would need assistance to climb out.
Bai An agreed. “Several traps still have a lot of water. We’ll scoop them out tomorrow.” Different traps drained at different rates. Some had only a shallow layer of muddy water left, while others were still nearly half-full.
Bai Tu offered some advice. “Tie the bucket to a vine. Have one person stand in the trap to scoop water, and another pull the bucket up. Make sure the person in the trap has multiple vines tied securely around their waist, even if it’s uncomfortable. Safety first.”
Using buckets was the fastest method, but entering the traps without safety precautions was too risky. Whether dealing with wet mud or standing water, there were no stable footholds in the traps.
The same features that worked against prey also posed a danger to the beastmen.
Bai Tu emphasized that it was better to spend an extra day or two removing the water than to risk someone getting stuck or injured;Bai An agreed and went to Tu Cai to gather vines.
Bai Tu taught everyone how to braid three vines together to create a stronger rope. These reinforced ropes were sturdy enough to support two or three beastmen without breaking.
Tying them around the waist provided extra safety, but the beastmen weren’t used to being restrained in this way and constantly wanted to untie themselves. Of course, neither Bai An nor Bai Tu allowed this. Anyone entering the traps had to remain securely tied.
Bai An recalled hearing stories about beastmen being swept away by rivers.
Even the strongest beastman was no match for the water—it reduced them to helpless cubs.
Some beastmen forgot how to swim when panicked, while others simply ran out of strength in the water.
The Snow Rabbit Tribe was fortunate to have a mountain spring behind their territory, which meant they didn’t always need to fetch water from the river. This made their situation slightly safer. Many other tribes, however, had lost members to drowning because they had no choice but to rely on the river for drinking water.
In the past, the tribe’s method of avoiding the dangers of water was simple: stay out of the water.
Even in sweltering heat, everyone tried to stay as far away from the river as possible. Now, with Bai Tu’s advice to tie themselves securely before going near the river, safety had improved significantly.
Additionally, the waterwheel made fetching water much safer and more convenient.
The more Bai An thought about it, the happier he became. He was truly glad he had brought Bai Tu back to the tribe that day—it had to be a reward from the Beast God himself.
Feeling joyful, Bai An distributed the braided vines to the hunting team members. Early the next morning, he led them out to clear the traps. Once all the nearby traps were cleaned and ready, they could begin hunting again.
With both the gathering team and the hunting team gone, the tribe felt noticeably emptier.
After spending the rainy season with the entire tribe together, the absence of half the people left the place feeling a little too quiet.
Bai Tu, feeling slightly unaccustomed to the change, decided to check on the mulberry bushes he had planted.
When he had planted the bushes, Bai Tu hadn’t held out much hope.
From both a seasonal and climatic perspective, the conditions weren’t ideal. The high temperatures before the rainy season were one issue, and the constant downpours during the rainy season left almost no time for the plants to adapt.
Being waterlogged for a month meant the likelihood of the roots rotting was much higher than the chances of them taking root.
For this reason, Bai Tu had only dug a basic drainage ditch for the bushes and hadn’t put much effort into their care—crops like corn were far more critical.
To his surprise, the mulberry branches had proven to be remarkably resilient.
Half of the bushes had survived the rainy season, and the ones that had taken root were thriving. As for the transplanted mulberry trees nearby, they were lush and vibrant, clearly capable of supporting a healthy population of silkworms.
While Bai Tu was still feeling pleased with the progress of the mulberry trees, the hunting team, which had set out early in the morning, suddenly returned earlier than expected.
From a distance, Bai Qi’s excited voice rang out, “Tu! We found a lion!”
Bai Tu: “???”
