Chapter 45
Hei Yan was annoyed that Lang Ze had snagged the best spot in line, but after yesterday’s fight over meat that nearly injured Bai Tu, he had been scolded by Hei Xiao for half the night.
He didn’t dare make a move this time, fearing he might accidentally hurt the fragile rabbit tribe members again. Instead, he chose to wait patiently off to the side.
Although Bai Tu could handle chaotic scenes just fine, the current orderly setup was clearly more convenient.
Like an unfeeling food server, Bai Tu alternated between the two lines, scooping half a bowl of steamed eggs with minced meat for each person.
The remaining half of the large dish was reserved for him and the juveniles. Once he finished serving, Bai Tu glanced around and noticed someone was missing. He asked Lang Ze, “Where’s your brother? Didn’t he come?”
Lang Ze, too focused on eating, replied in a muffled voice without lifting his head, “Something came up at the tribe—he’ll come later.”
Having breakfast was his top priority, so Lang Ze had no problem ditching his older brother to arrive early.
In truth, even if he’d come late, Bai Tu would have saved him a portion. But for Lang Ze, the joy of eating wasn’t just about the food—it was also about the anticipation beforehand. That was an essential part of the experience for him, and skipping it would leave him feeling unsettled for the rest of the day.
Bai Tu set aside a bowl for Lang Qi and scooped himself a third of what remained, leaving the rest for Tu Cai and the juveniles.
While most of the caves had been reassigned, a few key locations had stayed the same, such as Bai Tu’s own cave. His cave stored various medicines and herbs, and even if Bai Tu were willing to give it up, Bai An wouldn’t allow anyone else to move in.
Another unchanged location was Tu Cai’s living quarters.
Besides Tu Cai, several other beastmen lived there, and the space was already occupied with items.
Tu Cai, as one of the most hardworking members of the tribe, was responsible for both distributing supplies and taking care of the juveniles. Her workload was immense, so it made sense that her housing arrangement remained untouched.
This cave, like Bai Tu’s, was practically wrapped in layers of rabbit tribe protection. It was surrounded on all sides by strong, young rabbit warriors, with an additional layer of wolf tribe guards stationed further out.
The reassignment of caves had been carefully planned, prioritizing both safety and convenience. With the current setup, the tribe’s defenses and the protection of juveniles and resources were more efficient than ever.
The juveniles, on the other hand, were the most carefree members of the tribe.
Before Bai Tu woke up, they sometimes went hungry, but now that he was around, even that last concern was gone. They were thriving, and their only daily worries were wondering when Bai Tu would visit and what he would cook that day.
After renovating his own cave, Bai Tu had also made modifications to the large cave for the juveniles. Tools and weaving materials were now neatly organized, and the space for the juveniles to play had been expanded.
Tu Cai and a few other beastmen had worked together to weave a giant bamboo basket—large enough for an adult beastman to lie down in.
The basket was now filled with toys Bai Tu had brought for the juveniles. No sooner had they grown bored of the old toys after two days than Bai Tu delivered new ones, and now the toys occupied half the cave.
There were enough for each juvenile to have their own, but beastmen cubs being what they were, they weren’t content to play alone.
Instead, the juveniles preferred to see what the others were playing with, often wandering over to peek at someone else’s toy. Inevitably, this led to squabbles, and before long, the cave would devolve into a scene of playful wrestling and mock battles.
When Bai Tu arrived, two juveniles were in the middle of a fight over a toy roly-poly.
Bai Tu had made the toy himself using wood and lime, crafting it into the shape of a small standing rabbit roughly the size of his original form—slightly smaller than the juveniles.
It was designed to help train their pouncing and biting skills. Whether it was effective or not remained unclear, but every day, it became the source of juvenile squabbles, and almost every time Bai Tu came by, someone was fighting over it.
At first, Bai Tu had worried they might hurt each other, but by now, he was used to the scene. He simply picked up the two most aggressive fighters and silenced them by stuffing a small spoonful of steamed eggs into each of their mouths.
The aroma of the food worked wonders.
The two juveniles immediately quieted down, lying obediently across Bai Tu’s lap and softly calling out for another bite.
When the other juveniles heard the commotion, whether they were digging holes, playing on makeshift slides, or wrestling, they all stopped what they were doing and hopped over to the edge of the bamboo basket. Clinging to the sides, they eagerly called for Bai Tu’s attention.
“Take it easy—there’s enough for everyone,” Bai Tu reassured them as he went down the line, giving each juvenile a spoonful.
Once they tasted the food, they quieted down, though their eyes remained fixed on Bai Tu, full of expectation.
Bai Tu scooped a generous portion into the juveniles’ communal eating bowl and placed it on the table. Then he began lifting each juvenile out of the bamboo basket, setting them down next to the bowl. The little ones, already unable to wait any longer, immediately buried their heads in the food, their tiny bellies swaying as they ate.
The juveniles were so small that their bowls were too light. They’d often tip them over while eating.
Initially, Bai Tu had solved this by pouring all the food into a single large dish for the juveniles to share. But now he had come up with a better solution.
Using the wood meant for making utensils, Bai Tu crafted a long wooden plank. At intervals about the width of a fist, he carved shallow, bowl-sized depressions into the plank, designed to hold the small bowls.
The plank could then be clipped onto the table, keeping it secure. This setup allowed all the juveniles to line up neatly in a row for their meals. Cleanup afterward was also much easier, as the bowls were no longer scattered all over the place.
Each bowl was filled with an equal portion, ensuring fairness.
Bai Tu kept a close eye on the juveniles as they ate. If he noticed one starting to use their paws to swipe at another’s food, he would lift them up and move them to the back of the line. If another seemed distracted and wandered over to steal from a neighbor’s bowl, Bai Tu would promptly bring them back to their spot.
As time passed, the neat row of eating juveniles gradually became a chaotic scene.
Just as Bai Tu was about to lose control of the situation, Tu Cai arrived, having just finished weaving another bamboo basket. She stepped in at the perfect moment, rescuing Bai Tu from the swarm of juveniles.
Taking care of a few juveniles was manageable for Bai Tu, but looking after more than ten at once was an entirely different story.
The last one to finish eating was a particularly frail juvenile.
It wasn’t that she was a picky eater—she was simply the runt of her litter, born last among her siblings last year.
She was still visibly smaller than the other juveniles, lagging behind in growth. This tiny juvenile always ate with great effort. Back when all the juveniles shared one dish, she was often at a disadvantage and would end up getting less food.
Bai Tu had taken to preparing an extra serving just for her after everyone else had eaten.
Now that each juvenile had their own bowl, food was no longer an issue. However, even after finishing her portion, the little one would cling to Bai Tu for a while.
Bai Tu picked her up and gently rubbed her small, round belly. “You’re full now—you can’t eat any more,” he told her softly.
Many animal juveniles didn’t know when to stop eating.
They would keep gorging themselves as long as there was food, a survival instinct that was beneficial in times of scarcity. But now, with the tribe’s food stores sufficient, there was no need for such behavior.
The little one let out a soft cry. Because of her small size, her voice was quieter than the others. She wrapped her tiny front paws around Bai Tu’s hand, which still carried the scent of food.
“Good girl. No more,” Bai Tu said gently, rubbing her belly again to comfort her.
Seeing how much attention Bai Tu was giving the juvenile, Tu Cai stepped in and reminded him, “Tu, the little ones have eaten. You should go take care of other things now.” She then took the frail juvenile from Bai Tu and placed her back in the bamboo basket.
The runt was a quiet and solitary little thing. She wasn’t bullied by the other juveniles but found it difficult to integrate with them. Once back in the basket, she seemed momentarily confused about why she had been moved and sat alone in a corner.
Tu Cai hesitated for a moment, her heart aching for the little one, but she steeled herself and looked away. Instead, she urged Bai Tu, “We’re going to visit the cat tribe today. Don’t be late.”
This morning, Bai Tu indeed needed to set off.
He stretched his arms and glanced reluctantly at the smallest juvenile, who was the most attached to him, before looking at the others. “Alright, I’m off. Thanks for your hard work, Cai.”
“Go on,” Tu Cai replied, shaking her head. After Bai Tu left, her gaze lingered on the frail little juvenile for a moment before she sighed.
Newborn juveniles gradually grow larger, but after their first month, their size stabilizes and remains unchanged until they reach three years old.
All the juveniles in the bamboo basket were between one month and three years old, and while most of them appeared similar in size, the one Bai Tu had just held was noticeably smaller than the rest.
Bai Tu didn’t fully understand what this meant, but Tu Cai did.
She knew that this frail juvenile likely wouldn’t survive the next snowy season. This juvenile had been born at the end of winter, during the mildest time of year, and had only survived because of that favorable timing. However, her frailty compared to the other juveniles was a clear sign of poor health—she wouldn’t make it through the harsh winter.
The rabbit tribe never abandoned their juveniles, no matter how weak.
As long as resources allowed, they would try their best to raise them.
Providing food was one thing, but Tu Cai couldn’t bear to see Bai Tu spend too much time with this juvenile. The more time he spent with her, the harder it would be when the inevitable happened.
It wasn’t just this juvenile—many of the healthy ones might not survive the winter either.
In every tribe, the cold season claimed the lives of juveniles, and not even their parents could prevent it.
Juveniles under the age of three weren’t given names, and the caretakers didn’t focus on individual characteristics. They would simply count the juveniles each day. During the warmer months, this routine felt normal, but when the cold came, the daily headcount became a heartbreaking task.
Tu Cai thought back to the last few winters.
From the start of the cold season to its end, the number of juveniles would dwindle, one by one, until a new batch of newborns arrived. By then, no one remembered which juveniles were gone or how many fewer there were compared to the previous year. They were buried at the foot of the mountain.
The frail juvenile finally realized where she was—this was the play area she visited before meals.
She cautiously shuffled forward a few steps, her unsteady gait revealing her lack of strength. She made her way to her favorite roly-poly toy and raised her front paws to touch it, only to be tackled by another juvenile who pounced on her from the side.
When juveniles of similar size played, it was harmless fun. But for a juvenile that was much smaller and weaker, playing like this could be dangerous.
Snapping out of her thoughts, Tu Cai quickly rescued the frail juvenile from beneath the stronger one, scooping her up along with the roly-poly and placing them both into a separate small bamboo basket. Her tone was calm as she said, “Play here.”
Whether or not the frail juvenile could survive the winter was uncertain, but at the very least, Tu Cai wouldn’t let her die from being bullied by the others.
The juvenile who had just pounced on her blinked in confusion, sensing that something was missing.
The small playmate and the toy had both disappeared. After looking around and finding nothing, the juvenile scratched its head, then wandered off to find another toy.
Tu Cai turned her attention back to the frail juvenile, placing the basket at her feet. Bai Tu cared deeply for this little one, so Tu Cai decided to keep a close watch on her to ensure nothing happened.
By the time Bai Tu returned to eat, the others had already finished their meals.
The wolf tribe was cleaning up the stone pot and steamers, while Hei Xiao was the only eagle tribe member left behind; the others had gone out to catch juvenile prey.
Reportedly, before leaving, Hei Yan had thrown down a challenge to Lang Ze, declaring that the number of juveniles he caught would surpass that of the wolf tribe.
Lang Ze had responded with a smug “Bleh!” and confidently mentioned that he had an older brother. However, the moment Lang Qi returned and caught his eye, Lang Ze instantly fell silent.
Even though Bai Tu hadn’t witnessed this exchange, he could easily imagine the scene based on Bai Qi’s description.
Hei Xiao, who had also overheard, sighed helplessly and apologized to Bai Tu. “He’s a bit immature, but his hunting skills are pretty good,” Hei Xiao said, hoping Bai Tu wouldn’t form too negative an impression of the hawk tribe because of Hei Yan’s antics.
“It’s fine. It’s good to be lively,” Bai Tu replied, waving it off.
None of this was a problem for him. After all, he’d seen far more childish behavior before—entire groups of people behaving foolishly. Compared to the shock he’d experienced during his journey to the market, Hei Yan’s antics didn’t even come close.
As for the ongoing argument between Lang Ze and Hei Yan, Bai Tu simply watched the commotion from the sidelines, treating it as entertainment. After all, the rabbit tribe was almost always preoccupied with worries about food and safety. It was a rare sight to witness such a lighthearted spat, and it was surprisingly relaxing to watch.
Lang Qi, who was eating, glanced at Lang Ze, hesitating as if he wanted to say something but then stopped himself.
Bai Tu picked up on the unspoken thought and nodded. “It’s fine, I get it.” Lang Ze might be immature, but there was no denying his abilities.
And those abilities were no joke. Today, Lang Ze’s team brought back just as much prey as they did the day before.
The dozen chickens were only a small part of the haul—seven juvenile animals had also been caught, and the main course for today was a fully grown water buffalo, which would last several days. Even if Lang Ze and his group were more childish than they already were, Bai Tu wouldn’t mind as long as they kept delivering prey like this.
As for the issue Lang Qi had mentioned about the young wolves being too energetic, it wasn’t a problem at all for Bai Tu.
Hadn’t those same wolves practically fallen asleep in the middle of the market last time?
The solution was simple: focus on food. If they were given meals that required more complex preparation and attention, they’d have no energy left to run wild. The allure of food was a powerful motivator.
And if they still had energy after eating? That could be dealt with too—digging holes, cutting grass, or patrolling the borders of the territory were all great ways to burn off energy. What was considered a headache for the wolf tribe wasn’t really an issue for the rabbit tribe.
Lang Qi didn’t allow Lang Ze and the young wolves to run freely within the wolf tribe’s territory because the scent they left behind during hunts was enough to put prey on high alert.
Letting them run wild would scare off any remaining prey and make hunting even harder. However, having the young wolves occasionally roam the rabbit tribe’s territory wouldn’t frighten the prey there as much, and it also served as a warning to neighboring tribes, like the lions and bears, that the territory was occupied. It was more beneficial than harmful.
In short, sending Lang Ze and his group to the rabbit tribe was mutually beneficial for both tribes.
Bai Tu even considered that if this arrangement went well, they could establish a system where a group of wolves came to stay every few years. This kind of cooperation was too valuable to pass up.
Even though Bai An hadn’t slept all night, he was still brimming with energy. Shortly after Lang Qi arrived, Bai An came out with the cat tribe member they had captured the previous day, planning to help them find a place to settle.
The captured cat tribe member was named Mao Kang. The moment he stepped outside and saw the sheer number of wolf tribe members, he was so terrified that his soul nearly left his body. “W-What are you all planning to do?!”
With so many wolves—enough to wipe out the entire cat tribe—Mao Kang stared at Bai An in disbelief. “No! I won’t take you to them!”
He had agreed to guide the rabbit tribe only because they had promised to take in his people, not because they planned to bring in a pack of wolves to slaughter them.
Some of the cat tribe members still hadn’t recovered from injuries sustained during previous attacks by other tribes. Against this many wolves, they stood no chance. Gritting his teeth, Mao Kang resolved that even if the rabbit tribe killed him, he wouldn’t reveal his people’s location.
Lang Ze seemed to guess what Mao Kang was thinking but didn’t answer his question directly. Instead, he said casually, “You’ve moved to the valley behind Little White Mountain today, haven’t you?”
Mao Kang’s eyes widened in shock. He looked around, hoping to find another cat tribe member who might have leaked their location, but there was no one. He began replaying everything he had said yesterday, wondering if he had slipped up.
Lang Ze sneered, “You change locations every day and think we’d believe a fake one you gave us?”
“Then why…” Mao Kang was utterly confused. If they didn’t believe him, why hadn’t they reacted to everything he had said the day before?
“West of here, a cat tribe was attacked—it’s your tribe,” Lang Qi said coldly, revealing the truth. “You didn’t lie about what happened to your tribe, but the location you gave us was fake. Even if you refuse to lead the way, we’ll still find where you stayed that day.”
Lang Qi’s calm and emotionless tone exposed the cat tribe’s plan entirely, leaving Mao Kang in a daze.
Mao Kang froze on the spot. Lang Qi’s words, though spoken in a seemingly casual manner, had laid bare the entirety of their tribe’s plan. His voice trembled slightly as he stammered, “You… I…”
Lang Qi wasn’t wrong—this was indeed the strategy of the cat tribe.
Even after arriving in an unfamiliar land, even though it was the relatively mild-mannered rabbit tribe, the cat tribe hadn’t let their guard down. To protect their people, they had adopted a dual approach: hiding and a backup plan.
Every day, a few members of the cat tribe would hide in areas the rabbit tribe frequently visited, observing the rabbits’ true behavior.
They would then find an opportunity to reveal their presence and deliberately flee, only to be “caught” by the rabbits. Once captured, they would share the story of their tribe’s plight, hoping to secure a chance to join the rabbit tribe.
Gentler tribes like the rabbit tribe weren’t known for exterminating intruders outright.
At most, the intruding beastmen might suffer minor injuries. If the plan succeeded and they were accepted into the rabbit tribe, the rest of the cat tribe would be safe. It was a risky plan, but one that seemed worth the gamble.
Mao Kang being caught by the wolves wasn’t entirely outside the plan. However, there was one unexpected factor they hadn’t accounted for—the presence of hawk tribe members among the rabbits.
The hawk tribe’s sharp eyes and ability to scout from above added a layer of unpredictability. Even if prey had been plentiful in the area before, the absence of animals now wouldn’t have deterred Bai An.
The rabbit tribe would naturally prioritize working with the hawks to hunt down larger groups of prey when the hawks were around, as their help wasn’t guaranteed every day.
Because of this, Mao Kang and his group never encountered the rabbits as expected. Instead, they stumbled upon the passing wolf tribe. In a calculated move, Mao Kang made enough noise to attract the wolves’ attention.
No matter how timid the cat tribe was rumored to be, they knew that staying silent would give them a better chance of survival.
Mao Kang, as an adult beastman, certainly had the self-control to remain quiet. His decision to make noise wasn’t due to fear or carelessness—it was a deliberate test.
If the wolves could lead them into the rabbit tribe, it would still fulfill their goal, even if the circumstances had shifted slightly.
The cat tribe was genuinely sincere about joining the rabbit tribe; otherwise, they wouldn’t have shared the full story of their struggles. However, the inherently cautious nature of the cat tribe meant they didn’t fully trust the rabbits, so they added a layer of deception.
While in the rabbit tribe’s territory, they identified five potential hiding spots, each at a distance from the others.
If the rabbits truly intended to accept them, Mao Kang would guide them to the cat tribe’s real location. But if the rabbits showed signs of hostility or intent to drive them away, Mao Kang would lead them to the false location he had initially provided. Meanwhile, the hidden cat tribe members, alerted to the danger, would quietly relocate, ensuring their safety.
The cat tribe had accounted for two possible outcomes, but they hadn’t considered a third: the wolf tribe joining forces with the rabbits.
The sight of so many wolves—thirty or more—was beyond anything Mao Kang had imagined. Even against the rabbit tribe alone, the cat tribe wouldn’t have stood much of a chance. With this many wolves added to the mix, it wouldn’t be surprising if his entire tribe were wiped out.
Though Mao Kang had followed his chief’s instructions and kept his resolve until now, the sight of over thirty wolves left him in shock. And when Lang Qi effortlessly revealed the location of his tribe for that day, Mao Kang fell into despair.
“If we hadn’t exposed your lie, we could have found your real hiding place ourselves,” Lang Ze said casually. “We’re not interested in killing anyone. We’re just warning you not to get any ideas about taking over the rabbit tribe.”
Bai Tu spoke gently, his tone full of reassurance: “Don’t worry, we won’t harm you. Your tribe probably has a lot of injured members, right? Let’s treat their wounds first.”
Seeing that Mao Kang remained silent, Lang Ze snorted. Then, realizing that the snort was too reminiscent of Hei Yan’s behavior, he added irritably, “If you won’t lead the way, we’ll find it ourselves. But if we accidentally step on one of your hidden juveniles, don’t come crying to us.”
This situation was almost exactly what Bai Tu had worried about the night before.
Small tribes didn’t dare take in too many outsiders because the more people there were, the greater the potential for danger.
Having another species with a large number of members could also cause the beastmen within the tribe to grow divided. Right now, the cat tribe was at a disadvantage, so their attitude was cooperative. But once they gained a foothold in the rabbit tribe’s territory, it was inevitable that other ideas would surface.
Even among their own kind, the rabbit tribe had dealt with treachery before.
Tu Cheng had once tried to eliminate Bai An, Bai Tu, and Bai Chen just to consolidate his position.
There was no need to mention the cat tribe, who were beastmen from another tribe entirely.
They had already gone through disaster together, making their unity as strong as or stronger than the rabbit tribe’s.
Once settled within the rabbit tribe, they would inevitably attempt to seize power. How much power they tried to take would depend on the capabilities of both sides, but ultimately, the rabbit tribe would be the one to suffer losses.
Lang Qi, after hearing Mao Kang’s initial refusal, had deliberately made no promises.
This was to send a clear message: the wolf tribe would unconditionally support the rabbit tribe.
Whether Mao Kang cooperated or not, they would still find the cat tribe’s location. It was simply a matter of whether Mao Kang made it easier or harder.
The wolf tribe took on the role of intimidating the cat tribe, while Bai Tu offered reassurance.
Caught between the two, Mao Kang broke into a cold sweat, unsure of what to do.
He knew very well that refusing to lead the rabbit and wolf tribes to their location would be the best choice right now. But the wolves had already accurately revealed where the cat tribe was hiding.
If he refused to cooperate, they would just spend a bit more time searching. And by then, the wolves might grow even more aggressive. Lang Ze’s threats weren’t baseless—if the search ended up injuring the already fragile juveniles in their tribe…
Thinking of how few juveniles the cat tribe already had, Mao Kang clenched his teeth and said, “I’ll take you there.”
Lang Qi already knew the general location, so they didn’t need Mao Kang to guide them for the first part of the journey.
It wasn’t until they reached the so-called Little White Mountain that Mao Kang finally stepped forward, walking to the front of the group. Stopping at the outermost tree, he knocked on it a few times.
Bai Tu looked around, scanning his surroundings. The cat tribe’s ability to hide was truly impressive. The area wasn’t very large, but no matter how hard he looked, Bai Tu couldn’t spot a single member of the cat tribe.
This was exactly why Mao Kang’s cooperation was necessary.
Without his help, even if they managed to find the general area, they wouldn’t be able to locate all the cat tribe members.
Some might escape, while others might get injured in the process. Either outcome would make any future cooperation between the two tribes impossible. Mao Kang leading them willingly was the best way to avoid these issues.
As for the initial aggressive attitude, that was a deliberate tactic to intimidate the cat tribe. Once they began interacting, the two tribes could better understand each other’s true character. If the cat tribe ultimately chose not to join, the rabbit tribe wouldn’t force them.
About two minutes later, there was a faint sound of leaves being trampled in the woods. Bai Tu looked closely and was stunned.
In the originally empty bushes, one, two, three… a whole group of black-footed cats appeared!
