Chapter 93
Lang Qi stared at Bai Tu for a long time before finally confirming that his memory wasn’t wrong—something about Bai Tu today was indeed different from before.
It wasn’t just the hair. Other subtle changes were there too, though he couldn’t quite put his finger on them. He reached out, intending to wipe whatever was on Bai Tu’s face.
“Don’t move,” Bai Tu stopped his hand. “We’re heading to the Red Eagle Tribe in a bit.”
He had spent a lot of effort on his disguise. Though a single touch wouldn’t ruin it, now wasn’t the time to mess with it.
Lang Qi frowned deeply. “You’re going too?”
“Of course.” Bai Tu nodded.
He had personally devised the plan. Even though he had already explained it to everyone, he still felt uneasy leaving it entirely in their hands.
The battlefield was unpredictable, and they couldn’t fully anticipate how the Red Eagle Tribe would react. If he wasn’t there to oversee things, he simply wouldn’t feel at ease.
“No.” Lang Qi shook his head. “It’s too dangerous.”
“It’s fine. I just won’t show my face too much when the time comes,” Bai Tu reassured him.
He had already made thorough preparations.
Changing his hair color and appearance was just one part of it—once inside the Red Eagle Tribe, he could keep a low profile.
The tribe had captured so many cubs before, and even if they had paid particular attention to him, his disguise made recognition difficult.
Bai An had mentioned before that Bai Tu looked quite different from when he had first been taken in. Now, with an extra layer of disguise on top of those natural changes, the chances of being recognized were even lower.
Bai Tu had only decided to go personally after ensuring his plan was foolproof. His instinct for self-preservation had never wavered.
As they spoke, Lang Ze came looking for Bai Tu.
After a previous mishap, Lang Ze had learned that a closed tent—with no visible openings—was the equivalent of a shut cave door and should not be touched. Only when the entrance flap was open did it mean he could enter. Since Bai Tu hadn’t closed the tent flap after entering, Lang Ze walked right in—only to be startled by the sight of a stranger!
Immediately on guard, Lang Ze tensed up. “Brother, where’s Tu? Who is this guy?” Wasn’t his brother living with Bai Tu? Why was there someone else here?!
Bai Tu raised a hand and waved it in front of him. “Who am I?”
The voice was familiar. Lang Ze locked eyes with him, disbelief flashing across his face. “Tu?”
The night before, many had assumed Bai Tu had failed and had silently chosen not to mention it, fearing he’d be upset. No one expected that after just one night’s sleep, Bai Tu would look like a completely different person.
To the beastmen, Bai Tu’s transformation was practically the same as him becoming an entirely different person!
Hei Xiao, who had closely observed the dyed water Bai Tu had prepared the night before, quickly connected the dots when he saw the similarity between the dye’s color and Bai Tu’s new hair.
But the most excited person was Lang Ze. First, because Bai Tu was currently in human form—when he was in beast form, Lang Qi would cling to him so tightly that it was impossible to even get a good look. Second, the idea of changing hair color was simply too fascinating! He had never seen anything like it before!
“Tu, can my hair change color too?” Lang Ze, emboldened, reached out to touch Bai Tu’s hair. Even when Lang Qi shot him a warning glare, he didn’t withdraw his hand.
Bai Tu glanced at Lang Ze’s hair, then ruffled it lightly before ruthlessly crushing his hopes. “No.”
Dyeing black hair? Not a chance.
The invisible tail behind Lang Ze drooped in disappointment.
Bai Tu explained, “Black hair can’t be dyed.” It wasn’t that he was unwilling to do it—black hair was simply too difficult to color. The only dye he had was plant-based, which wouldn’t work.
“Then once my hair turns white, it’ll work?” Like a sudden twist in fortune, Lang Ze’s eyes lit up.
Seeing the look on his face, Bai Tu had a bad feeling. Just to be safe, he turned to another member of the Wolf Tribe and asked, “Can the hair color of your tribe change on its own?”
“No,” Lang Qi answered before the other wolf could even open his mouth. “It only fades with age.”
Bai Tu: “…”
So Lang Ze was already making plans for decades down the line?!
Lang Ze proved through his actions that he was serious about this. “Once my fur turns white, I’ll dye it!”
Bai Tu couldn’t help but respect his dedication. “Alright, if I’m still alive by then, I’ll dye it for you.”
Since eating casually inside the Red Eagle Tribe would be too risky, everyone had a full meal beforehand. The team preparing to enter carried salt and specially prepared food, while the rest of the beastmen stayed behind and waited.
A chief’s injury was a major event for any tribe, so the ones accompanying them were almost exclusively from the Wolf Tribe. The Rabbit, Leopard, and Lion Tribes remained outside to avoid suspicion. Hei Xiao and Hei Yan were also part of the group, acting as “introducers.”
Only some beastmen from the Black Hawk Tribe and Iron Elephant Tribe knew about Hei Xiao’s inquiry regarding Hong Guo.
The Red Eagle Tribe hadn’t received any news yet, so if the two suddenly showed up without a clear reason, it would be suspicious. However, if their reason was convincing, it would be much easier to explain: the Blood Wolf Tribe’s chief had been poisoned, and they had heard at the market that only the Red Eagle Tribe’s shaman could heal him. So, they had come specifically with salt and food as an offering in exchange for medicine.
The Red Eagle Tribe’s territory was vast, but since they were a winged race, their dwellings were built much higher than those of the Wolf and Rabbit Tribes.
They preferred living near cliffs. Aside from their numerical advantage, their location also made them difficult to attack.
Choosing diplomacy over violence was the wiser approach—after all, among the gathered tribes, only the Black Hawk Tribe had wings.
Before they even reached the tribe’s main settlement, they were stopped by a group of beastmen.
Since Hei Xiao and Hei Yan had interacted with many tribes before, they took the initiative to answer the guards’ questions. While they kept the Red Eagle beastmen distracted, Bai Tu subtly observed their surroundings.
There were six guards in total, all relatively young. They fit the common stereotype of their tribe—completely bald. Hei Xiao had already warned everyone before their arrival that the Red Eagle Tribe was sensitive about people staring at their heads, so Bai Tu quickly averted his gaze.
The Wolf Tribe wasn’t the first to seek the Red Eagle Tribe’s shaman for help.
When Hei Xiao explained their purpose, the Red Eagle Tribe guards didn’t seem suspicious at all. One of them glanced at the wolves’ numbers and said, “The shaman has stated that no more than ten beastmen may enter to seek medicine.”
Hei Xiao glanced back at the group and explained, “These beastmen are carrying food and salt.”
At the mention of salt and food, the Red Eagle beastmens’ eyes lit up. “Hand it over to us.”
“No,” Bai Tu refused outright. “This is a gift for when our chief recovers. If he isn’t healed, you don’t get the food.”
Even though he had confidence in his medicine, Bai Tu wasn’t about to walk into another tribe’s territory with only ten people, especially in a place where wolves wouldn’t have the upper hand in combat. The selected warriors were the elite of the elite—he couldn’t afford to lose a single one.
In this land, the Red Eagle Tribe was used to making demands, not being refused. The Red Eagle Tribe guard who had spoken was just about to lose his temper when Bai Tu casually gestured to Lang Yang, who immediately set down half a pack of food in front of them.
Bai Tu unwrapped a leaf-covered bundle and explained, “This is a portion of the food we brought. Feel free to try it. Our chief’s injuries are severe, and we’re all extremely anxious. If he isn’t healed, we truly cannot give you the food.”
The contents were untouched—this was exactly like the trial sample they had given Tagu before, except this time, it wasn’t just a single portion but dozens of pounds of food.
The moment the leaves were peeled back, those standing close caught a whiff of the rich aroma.
Bai Tu had deliberately chosen dried meat, which released an even stronger scent when torn apart.
Without giving the Red Eagle Tribe members a chance to react, he quickly unwrapped several more packages of different food types and handed them over one by one.
The vulture who had been about to lose his temper was suddenly handed a pile of food, and his mind was instantly overwhelmed by the delicious aroma. There was still more than half a basket full in front of them. Seeing so much food, the guards exchanged glances.
Their daily duty was simple: stand guard outside the tribe, escort any visiting beastmen to either the shaman or the chief, and receive a single piece of meat as their daily ration.
They would roast it, eat, then continue their watch until the next shift arrived. The job was easy, but their benefits were far inferior to those of the hunting team, let alone those close to the shaman.
The amount of food in front of them was enough for each of them to eat for two days—and it smelled incredible.
One of the winged tribe members stepped forward. “I’ll go find the chief.”
It was true that the chief and the shaman had set a rule that only ten beastmen per tribe could enter, but given the amount of supplies this group had brought, there might be room for negotiation.
Even if the vultures didn’t fully understand the phrase ‘don’t bite the hand that feeds you,’ their attitude noticeably improved after Bai Tu had given them the food.
Bai Tu, ever curious, took the opportunity to ask the vulture a few questions—how far they were from the main settlement, whether the shaman was busy, and so on.
Lang Qi lowered his head and looked at Bai Tu, playing the part of a sickly patient who had lost his memory and could only rely on his mate to find the shaman. He portrayed it flawlessly.
Bai Tu’s questions were all ordinary, so the vulture beastmen weren’t suspicious.
They assumed he was simply concerned about whether his mate could be healed. One of them puffed up with pride and declared, “There’s no illness that our great Shaman Wu Lai cannot cure. Every beastmen who comes to him for help leaves in perfect health.”
Bai Tu listened attentively, making it seem as though he had complete faith in the shaman.
By the time the vultures had eaten about a third of the food in the basket, the one who had gone to find the chief returned, flying back and landing in front of Bai Tu and Hei Yan. “The great Shaman Wu Lai has agreed—you may go up.”
Bai Tu let out a nearly imperceptible sigh of relief.
Wu Lai’s original beast form was neither a vulture nor any other winged species. Even the Red Eagle Tribe orcs didn’t know what kind of beast he was—only that he had come from a very distant place.
The reason it was certain he wasn’t a member of the winged tribes was simple: his habits were completely different from theirs.
Winged tribes preferred living at high altitudes. If they could live on a cliffside, they would. If not, they would seek out mountaintops. Only when there was no space left would they reluctantly settle for mid-mountain or treetop dwellings.
But Wu Lai was an anomaly among shamans. He preferred living at the base of the mountain, even behind it—completely different from other shamans who liked to reside high above to display their power.
However, the Red Eagle Tribe had its own explanation for this.
“The great Shaman Wu Lai is too kind-hearted to make sick or injured visitors waste their strength climbing the mountain,” the leading vulture beastmen said, his voice filled with reverence.
Bai Tu nodded in agreement. “The shaman is truly a kind man,” he replied while silently pondering what kind of animals preferred living at the base of mountains.
As they reached the foot of the mountain, a middle-aged, bald-headed vulture beastman with a reddish neck was already waiting for them.
“This is our chief,” the lead vulture said.
“Chief Hong Tian.” Bai Tu had already asked about his name beforehand.
Hong Tian didn’t seem particularly interested in their arrival. He simply nodded, glanced at their numbers, and a trace of greed flickered in his eyes. He was just about to speak but hesitated, then waved them along.
The lead vulture immediately led Bai Tu and the others toward the back of the mountain.
As they walked away, Bai Tu caught a dissatisfied mutter from behind.
“Next time, don’t wake me up for such a small group—it’s a hassle. And they’re not even giving us food. How much can one person possibly eat…”
Another vulture hastily apologized in a low voice.
Bai Tu glanced back briefly before quickly looking forward again.
Walking at the foot of the mountain wasn’t difficult, and they soon arrived at Wu Lai’s dwelling.
The moment they stepped inside, Bai Tu was met with a chilly gust of wind.
The environment here was much colder than the front side of the mountain. Even though it was nearly midday, it felt as cold as night.
The lead vulture, who had been friendly throughout, remarked, “It’s a bit cold, isn’t it? It’ll get better in a few days. The great Shaman Wu Lai will be moving to the front side of the mountain soon.”
Bai Tu made a mental note of that statement.
A sharp, aged voice echoed from within the cave. “Who is speaking outside?”
The vulture beastman who had been speaking with Bai Tu immediately turned around and respectfully addressed the closed cave entrance. “Great Shaman, the beastmen from the Wolf Tribe have arrived.”
After a brief pause, the voice sounded again. “Enter.”
As soon as the words fell, the stone slab at the entrance slowly slid aside.
Two similar-looking beastmen stood respectfully by the stone, but judging from their heads, they weren’t from the Vulture Tribe. Bai Tu tightened his grip on Lang Qi’s hand and followed the vultures inside.
The cave was dimly lit.
After stepping in, Bai Tu took a moment to adjust his vision and observed the layout.
On both sides of the cave, several stone blocks were left empty.
Directly ahead, behind a stone table, sat a man in his fifties or sixties—none other than the infamous Wu Lai.
His hair was streaked with gray, and deep wrinkles creased his face. Beside him, a trembling fourteen- or fifteen-year-old girl was peeling grapes with shaking hands. Behind Wu Lai, dozens of bald-headed beastmen stood motionless, their eyes locked on the newcomers.
Wu Lai lifted his eyelids slightly at the sight of them and slowly bit into a grape, chewing lazily. With his mouth still full, he mumbled, “So, you’re the ones from the Wolf Tribe?”
“Yes. We hope the great Shaman will help us. These are our offerings,” Bai Tu gestured toward the supplies strapped to the wolves’ backs. “If you can cure Qi, we will return with another offering of food after the snow season.”
At the mention of future tributes, Wu Lai finally showed a bit more interest. His gaze swept over the baskets behind them, and seemingly satisfied with the amount, he nodded. “At least you know how to show sincerity. Tell me, how was he injured?”
Bai Tu recounted the events of that night. “There was a misunderstanding between the Wolf Tribe and the Lion Tribe. During the fight, Qi was inexplicably stabbed. When he woke up, he had lost all his memories.”
Wu Lai’s eyes flashed with intrigue, suddenly looking much more energetic. “Oh? The Lion Tribe? The Mad Lion Tribe?”
At those words, Bai Tu let out a sigh, his tone filled with regret. “We didn’t know Hu Bu was one of your disciples. We unintentionally harmed the Mad Lion Tribe.”
Wu Lai waved his hand dismissively. “Hu Bu doesn’t count as my disciple.” As he spoke, his gaze flickered between Hei Xiao and Bai Tu. “But he was once under my wing. I wonder how sincere you really are…”
His eyes turned cold, and Bai Tu suddenly felt as though he were being watched by a venomous snake.
Instinctively, he tightened his grip on Lang Qi’s arm, afraid that he might lose his temper and start a fight. Bai Tu’s tone became even more earnest. “Please rest assured, great Shaman. As long as you can heal our chief, we will make sure to repay you properly.”
Wu Lai’s expression immediately softened into a pleased smile. “As long as you understand.”
Bai Tu followed up, “Great Shaman, why not begin the treatment? I have heard that your methods show results within half a day…”
Flattered by the praise, Wu Lai was clearly pleased. He nodded. “Very well, I’ll show you my skills.” With a wave of his hand, he signaled for the others to leave.
“When I treat patients, only the patient—” Wu Lai’s gaze swept around the room, “—and their mate may stay.”
After finishing, his eyes landed on Hei Xiao, and he added, “The Red Eagle Tribe is not like your small tribes where you can come and go as you please. Wait for me outside.”
The group of vulture beastmen behind Wu Lai left along with the wolves.
Before leaving, Hei Xiao exchanged a brief glance with Bai Tu, then cast a quick, subtle look at the supplies on the wolves’ backs before shifting his gaze away.
The stone door slowly closed, leaving only Wu Lai and the girl crouched beside him inside.
Wu Lai glanced at the girl, then at Lang Qi, who had remained dazed since entering, and finally at Bai Tu, who looked weak and frail. He swallowed.
Even though Bai Tu had suspected that this man wasn’t a good person from the very start, seeing his expression now still made him inwardly roll his eyes.
Feeling uneasy, he instinctively hugged Lang Qi tighter, his hand quietly slipping into Lang Qi’s clothing.
Whether it was medicine or weapons, Bai Tu had prepared two sets—one for himself and one for Lang Qi.
The medicine was well-hidden, originally in case they were searched upon entry. However, perhaps due to the Red Eagle Tribe’s confidence or simply because they had never suffered a real loss, no one had conducted a body search from the moment they entered.
“The patient goes in there.” Wu Lai pointed to one of the partitioned rooms and began stripping off his animal hide robe.
The girl beside him trembled violently, as if she were about to endure something terrible. Her fear was so intense that she was shaking even more than before.
Wu Lai’s face darkened in displeasure, and he kicked her.
She was sent crashing into a stone pillar, hitting her head against it, yet she didn’t dare make a sound.
Bai Tu patted Lang Qi’s arm, signaling for him to move forward. At the same time, the hand Lang Qi had been blocking discreetly grasped both a dagger and the medicine.
Seeing that Lang Qi was hesitating, Wu Lai scoffed. “All this fuss over a little poison, and you call him a chief? The Wolf Tribe has grown weaker than ever. Even that useless Pei Jiu lost both his legs.” His tone was full of contempt.
As arrogant as the rumors say. Bai Tu lowered his gaze, not wanting to look at him. “Please, great Shaman, we rely on your help.”
Wu Lai waved a hand dismissively. “Watch closely—I’ll show you what a real shaman is.”
Bai Tu had expected some kind of ritual. However, in the next instant, the fat figure in front of him vanished, replaced by a thick-banded silver-and-black snake—a many-banded krait.
Bai Tu instinctively clenched Lang Qi’s arm. Earlier, he had grabbed him to prevent him from losing his temper; now, it was because he was the one feeling uneasy.
No matter how brave someone was, the sight of a cold-blooded reptile like this could still make their skin crawl—especially a venomous one.
So his earlier feeling of being watched by a snake hadn’t been an illusion after all. Wu Lai’s beast form was a snake.
Lang Qi’s expression darkened. The moment Wu Lai revealed his true form, he shifted into a massive wolf and lunged at the snake, which was slithering toward them.
Lang Qi had always been a man of few words, preferring to act rather than talk. Without hesitation, he clamped his jaws around the snake’s head—just below the skull, the most fatal spot for a serpent.
The many-banded snake, still unaware of what was happening, instantly lost consciousness.
Bai Tu pulled out his dagger. Forcing himself to suppress his instinctive fear of reptiles, he stepped forward and plunged the blade into the spot where Lang Qi had bitten.
The unconscious snake convulsed.
Lang Qi shifted back into human form, took the dagger, and repeatedly stabbed the snake’s heart until it stopped moving completely.
In the corner, the shivering girl suddenly seemed to realize what had happened. Her eyes flickered between shock and delight, her breath slowing as if afraid to disrupt the moment.
Bai Tu buttoned up Lang Qi’s clothes. The modified animal hide was designed to withstand multiple transformations without tearing, but adjusting it was still a hassle—especially since the weather had gotten colder, and Bai Tu had layered Lang Qi’s clothing. It took him a while to fasten everything properly.
Once Lang Qi was dressed, Bai Tu finally approached the girl, who was still trying to steady herself.
“How did he usually treat patients?” he asked.
The girl looked at Bai Tu, tears welling in her eyes. The memories seemed to terrify her, but she still answered truthfully. “He would transform into his beast form and bite the patient. Those who were delirious would suddenly quiet down.”
Wu Lai was infamous across the Southern Continent for treating all sorts of rare illnesses—ones that other shamans couldn’t cure. Many of his patients recovered within half a day.
Bai Tu turned and glanced at the snake’s corpse.
A many-banded snake. A highly venomous snake.
So his so-called “treatment” was nothing more than using venom to paralyze his patients. No wonder they calmed down—the poison had just numbed them. If anything, they were probably left in even worse condition.
Bai Tu continued questioning the girl. “Which tribe are you from? Do you want us to take you back? Do you know where the cubs are kept?”
The girl appeared to be about fourteen or fifteen, with red hair—a clear sign she wasn’t from the Vulture Tribe.
The difference between vultures and other beastmen was obvious: vultures had no hair.
If she wasn’t from the Red Eagle Tribe, then she had likely been captured. The only question was whether she had been taken recently or years ago. If she had been here too long, finding the cubs might prove difficult.
“I’m from the Red Fox Tribe,” she replied.
At Bai Tu’s offer to take her home, she hesitated for a moment, still somewhat afraid of the two men who had just killed Wu Lai. But in the end, she spoke honestly. “My name is Hu Lian.”
“The Red Fox Tribe?” Bai Tu was surprised—it was a tribe he was familiar with.
“Well, that’s convenient. If you come with us, you’ll be able to return home.”
Bai Tu hadn’t expected her to be from a familiar tribe. More than that, he hadn’t expected Hu Bu to even betray his own people. But considering what had happened to Hu Bu’s other siblings, it was clear this man had no loyalty to anyone.
“Do you know where the captured cubs are being kept?” Bai Tu asked. They couldn’t leave just yet—moving too soon would risk exposure.
“I do.” Hu Lian nodded. “They’re in the same room where Wu Lai treated patients.”
Wu Lai trusted no one. Just as he wouldn’t reveal his beast form to outsiders, he wouldn’t let anyone near the cubs either. If not for the fact that he needed to rest after biting his patients, he wouldn’t have even kept Hu Lian around.
Before Hu Lian, many other beastmen had suffered the same fate. At fourteen or fifteen years old, they would be taken under Wu Lai’s wing. To outsiders, it looked like they were being favored, but in reality, their lives were filled with fear and helplessness.
Every one or two years, Wu Lai would kill the beastmen serving him and replace them with someone new—someone who knew nothing.
That way, his beast form would always remain terrifying to them. The moment a beastman grew accustomed to his beast form and no longer feared him as they once did, their time was up.
Hu Lian had been brought to the Red Eagle Tribe last year. Back then, Wu Lai and Hu Bu’s relationship hadn’t deteriorated as much as it later would. Hu Bu had outright said he didn’t like Hu Lian, which led the Red Eagle Tribe to treat her terribly.
Things changed when Hu Bu secretly took a cub away while Wu Lai was unaware. This infuriated Wu Lai, and those who had once been close to Hu Bu suffered the consequences.
As one of the initial targets of this retaliation, Hu Lian’s situation slightly improved—but only in comparison to before. She was still being bled regularly, just not as frequently.
Fox Tribe members only grew more beautiful with age.
Last month, during one of these bloodletting sessions, Wu Lai brought Hu Lian outside.
The first time she saw his beast form, she was so terrified that she fainted on the spot. However, Wu Lai seemed quite pleased with her reaction.
From that moment on, he kept her by his side, no longer hiding his transformations from her.
But no matter how many times she saw it, Hu Lian remained terrified of that massive snake. Every time Wu Lai revealed his beast form, she truly believed she was about to be eaten.
Her fear of Wu Lai extended to this entire cave.
She shakily stood up and walked toward the chamber Wu Lai had mentioned. However, upon reaching it, she found herself at a loss, staring at the massive stone blocking the entrance.
Hu Lian hesitated before saying, “I can’t move this rock.” It wasn’t that she didn’t want to show them the cubs—she simply wasn’t strong enough.
Wu Lai trusted only himself.
Nearly all of his possessions were stored inside this chamber, including the captured cubs and his collection of herbs and medicines.
Each partition in the cave was sealed off by an enormous stone slab, requiring at least three people to push open. Wu Lai never allowed anyone near this place unless it was time to bleed the cubs, feed them, or clean the room.
Hu Lian knew all this in such detail for two reasons. First, she was terrified of Wu Lai’s beast form, which made him confident she would never dare reveal what she had seen. Second, she had once been kept inside this very chamber herself—so she remembered everything clearly.
Bai Tu examined the thickness and weight of the stone. It didn’t seem like much of a challenge for Lang Qi. He glanced back at the silent wolf beside him.
“Qi?”
Lang Qi responded with a nod, walked up to the massive stone, and firmly grasped its sides. With a slight lift, he hoisted the slab and carried it out of the way.
Since he had lifted it rather than dragged it, the entire process produced only two faint sounds—loud enough for them to hear, but nearly inaudible to anyone outside.
The moment the entrance was opened, a foul stench rushed out. Bai Tu couldn’t immediately pinpoint its exact source—it was a nauseating mix of rotting food, the metallic tang of blood, and something even worse. The air inside the cave was suffocatingly unpleasant.
Bai Tu could hardly believe it. “The cubs have been locked in here all this time?”
The same cubs who were cherished and protected in their tribes, held in the palms of their people’s hands—yet here, they were treated like this?
“Yes.”
After speaking with Bai Tu for a while, Hu Lian had calmed down considerably. She nodded at his question. “Wu Lai comes in every three days to draw their blood and leaves some food behind.” That was all the food they would have to survive on for the next three days.
Bai Tu frowned. He couldn’t imagine how the cubs had managed to endure this.
Perhaps they had heard the noise at the entrance, because faint, barely audible sounds came from inside the cave.
Bai Tu stepped in. The first thing he saw was a few cubs lying on a wooden board that had been haphazardly placed against the wall.
They appeared to be from the feline tribes, but their frail bodies and bloodstained fur made it impossible to tell whether they were from the Lion Tribe or the Leopard Tribe.
Each cub had a vine wrapped tightly around them. If they were healthy, even the weakest rabbit cubs would have been able to gnaw through the bindings. Back in the tribes, the cubs’ toys and food containers had to be replaced every few days due to their constant chewing.
But these cubs had no strength to resist.
The one at the far end lay motionless on the wooden board, its small belly showing no visible movement—its life or death uncertain.
Bai Tu crouched down and gently pressed a hand against the cub’s abdomen. The tiny body shuddered in fear, even in its unconscious state.
Hu Lian explained, “These are the ones on the verge of death. The next time Wu Lai comes, he’ll drain them completely. Every time someone enters this room, it’s to take blood from them, so they’ve learned to fear people.”
Even though she had known this all along, seeing the cubs now—reduced to nothing more than skin and bones—Hu Lian still found it difficult to look at them directly.
“These cubs haven’t eaten in days,” she added.
Feeding the cubs meant they would eventually need to relieve themselves. Since all of them were confined to this cave, keeping the space clean was difficult. Wu Lai detested the stench that built up when he entered, so he would frequently withhold food and water from them.
The cubs that had outlived their usefulness—the ones whose only remaining value was their final bloodletting—hadn’t been fed at all since they were brought here.
Although Hu Lian hadn’t been imprisoned for as long as some of them, she had been twelve or thirteen years old when she arrived—much older than the newborns or those taken away at only a year or two.
She understood exactly what was happening here.
Seeing how much Bai Tu cared about the cubs, Hu Lian told him everything she knew.
Wu Lai had gathered all the cubs captured by the Red Eagle Tribe and imprisoned them in this cave, categorizing them into different groups.
The first group consisted of newly captured cubs. These cubs were still relatively healthy, and their blood was drawn every few days.
The second group included cubs who had been there for some time. Since they had already undergone multiple bloodletting sessions, their bodies had weakened significantly.
Wu Lai kept them tied to the wooden boards in the center, extending the intervals between their blood extractions.
The third group was the one Bai Tu had just seen—cubs so weak that they could die at any moment.
To minimize “waste,” Wu Lai gathered these cubs in one place and, during his next visit, would drain them completely before handing their corpses over to the Vulture Tribe members who obeyed his orders.
Most beastmen wouldn’t eat cubs, whether they were alive or had died from illness. Even if two tribes were mortal enemies, they would at most kill a rival cub and leave the body untouched. But the Red Eagle Tribe was different. They consumed the dead—regardless of age. Some vultures even preferred the taste of cubs and eagerly anticipated Wu Lai’s “gifts.”
This was one of Wu Lai’s ways of controlling his followers. Few of those who remained by his side could be considered normal.
The more Bai Tu listened, the more he felt that killing Wu Lai just now had been far too lenient.
However, he currently had no food on hand. Looking at the frail, starving cubs, he suddenly remembered the table in front of Wu Lai earlier.
“Quick, bring that food over,” Bai Tu ordered.
Not all of these cubs were under three years old—some were older. However, due to their long-term captivity, they had become incredibly weak.
Cubs over three years old had a stronger instinct to survive, and as long as they were still breathing, proper care could bring them back.
Wu Lai had always lived in luxury. Even when it wasn’t mealtime, he had an abundance of food before him. Hu Lian quickly brought over the fruit and meat from the table.
Bai Tu took a clean knife and cut the meat into small pieces, carefully feeding the cubs closest to the entrance.
At the scent of food, one cub—eyes still closed—twitched its nose and struggled to move toward the source.
Bai Tu sliced off a piece of animal hide and placed it beneath the cub, then held a small handful of minced meat in his palm, slowly feeding it bit by bit.
To prevent the cub’s weakened stomach from becoming overwhelmed, Bai Tu withdrew his hand after every few bites, waiting a moment before offering more. Once the cub had finished a small portion of meat, it curled up and fell into a satisfied sleep.
“He’s about the same age as the Lang siblings,” Bai Tu observed.
The cub seemed to be from the Lion Tribe. Its body was slightly larger than the two wolf cubs Lang Qi had brought to him, but it was all due to its skeletal frame—its ribs were clearly visible beneath its thin skin.
“Hm.” Lang Qi responded when Bai Tu mentioned the wolf cubs but didn’t say anything else.
In his heart, Bai Tu was the most important. He didn’t particularly like those two cubs—after all, they belonged to Bai Tu, not him. But even so, they still mattered more than other cubs.
Bai Tu let out a soft sigh. He carefully fed the starving cubs whatever food was suitable for them, then moved deeper into the cave to check on the others.
The cubs further inside were in slightly better condition than those near the entrance—but only relatively speaking. Even the ones who had been captured recently had lost their once plump and lively appearance, reduced to nothing more than frail, malnourished figures.
After walking a few steps, Bai Tu realized something was off. They had been inside for quite a while now, yet not a single cub had cried or made a fuss. Only a few had made faint sounds when they first entered, but even those were barely audible.
These were all young cubs, and a significant portion of them were under three years old. Cub growth happened in stages—those under three were similar to newborns, spending most of their time eating and sleeping. If they were uncomfortable, they would cry frequently.
With so many cubs at this stage, not a single one making noise? That didn’t seem right.
“Why aren’t they crying?” Bai Tu frowned, picking up the nearest cub—a frail little black bear—to check on it.
The bear cub, startled awake, tensed up immediately. Its fur bristled in fear, but it didn’t dare struggle.
“Wu Lai thinks crying cubs are too noisy. Every three days, he gives them water mixed with medicine.”
The medicine contained snake venom and other drugs.
Once consumed, the cubs would lose their ability to speak for four to five days. But Wu Lai never gave them time to recover—before the effects could wear off, he would force-feed them another dose.
Hu Lian had drunk that medicine before, so she knew just how agonizing it was.
Bai Tu clenched his fists, wanting nothing more than to skin Wu Lai alive.
Feeling the cub trembling in his arms, he quickly set it down, but his heart ached at the sight of so many helpless young ones.
“I wonder how my brother’s side is doing…”
Their group had split responsibilities.
Once they had learned about Wu Lai’s treatment methods, they had come up with a strategy—he and Lang Qi would handle Wu Lai, while Hei Xiao and the Wolf Tribe dealt with the Red Eagle beastmen outside.
As long as Hei Xiao managed to distribute the food to the Red Eagle Tribe and trick enough people into eating it, they would be safe once the drug took effect.
Even though Hei Xiao had assured him that he had a plan, Bai Tu couldn’t help but worry. The Red Eagle Tribe had a large population—what if too many of them refused to eat the food?
Just as he was lost in thought, a sound came from outside the cave. Someone was knocking—a distinct pattern that matched the signal they had agreed upon.
Thank you for the chapter ??