Perhaps it was the joy of finally eating the long-missed rice that let Jian Mo sleep particularly well that night. Even in his sleep, the corners of his mouth remained curved upwards.
The next morning, he slept through his usual waking time, clutching his thin beast fur blanket as he snoozed deeply.
That was until a booming voice downstairs shattered the peace: “Chief, it’s bad! The Bai Zhi Tribe has been blocked by the Yu Qi Tribe—”
The shout was like a thunderclap on a clear day, startling Jian Mo awake.
He jolted upright, clutching the blanket in confusion.
The loud voice continued, “The two tribes have started fighting outside our tribe!”
Jian Mo jumped out of bed barefoot, hastily grabbing his clothes and hopping around while putting them on. “What’s going on? I want to see!” he shouted toward Wu Jiong.
Wu Jiong, clearly on his way out the door, doubled back. His voice came from farther away but grew nearer: “Alright.”
Jian Mo hurriedly slipped on his beast hide sandals and bolted outside. Wu Jiong waited for him at the stairs. Instead of taking the stairs, Jian Mo leaped straight down into Wu Jiong’s arms. “Hurry, hurry! Let’s go see!”
Wu Jiong carried him along. In the courtyard, he shifted into his giant wolf form. Led by a giant cat already waiting outside, the two beasts raced toward the outskirts of the tribe.
As they ran, their guides explained the situation. It took Jian Mo a while to piece together what had happened.
Apparently, the Bai Zhi Tribe had flown out of the He’an Tribe after their trade the previous evening but had stopped to rest outdoors, too tired to continue. What they hadn’t known was that their departure wasn’t a secret. The Yu Qi Tribe had been following them since they set out, and by the time the Bai Zhi Tribe stopped, the Yu Qi Tribe had caught up and cornered them.
An argument had quickly escalated into a full-blown fight.
As the dominant tribe of the region, the He’an Tribe couldn’t stand by and allow a brawl right outside their territory. If someone died, it would unfairly implicate them. That’s why the message had been brought to Wu Jiong so urgently.
The giant cat and wolf moved swiftly, and by the time the explanation was done, they had already crossed the river and reached the forest beyond.
Before they even entered the woods, Jian Mo could hear the familiar sound of shouting.
The high-pitched chatter unmistakably belonged to the Bai Zhi Tribe. Another sound—“Meow-ow, meow-ow”—was less familiar and clearly not from the He’an Tribe.
Could the Yu Qi Tribe’s beast forms also be felines?
Jian Mo clung to Wu Jiong’s back, craning his neck for a better look.
Straining his eyes, he finally saw that the Bai Zhi Tribe’s opponents were a group of massive beasts with gray-white fur.
Wait a minute—that was… Pallas’s cats?
Jian Mo squinted harder.
Indeed, across from the plump Bai Zhi birds were a group of oversized Pallas’s cats.
The sight left him dumbfounded.
The Pallas’s cats weren’t much bigger than the Bai Zhi birds. The two sides appeared evenly matched as they screamed insults at each other.
When the giant cat and wolf arrived, the Bai Zhi birds turned as one, shouting in unison, “Chief Wu Jiong! It’s these guys—they’ve been bullying us, stealing our supplies, and insulting our people! Please, give us justice!”
The Pallas’s cats looked bewildered at Wu Jiong and Jian Mo’s arrival. After hearing the accusations, they protested loudly, “They insulted us first! And they’ve been bullying us too!”
The Bai Zhi birds ignored them entirely, focusing on the He’an Tribe members. “We were trying to bring you more supplies, but they stopped us!”
The Pallas’s cats bristled, retorting, “Supplies? Every tribe has supplies! You insulted us first, and now you want to walk away like nothing happened? Not on our watch!”
The Bai Zhi birds shot back, “You started it!”
“No, you did!”
Fed up, one of the Bai Zhi birds flapped its wings angrily. “You raid our nests and even train your little ones to plunder them!”
At that, one of the Pallas’s cats roared from deep in its chest, voice cracking with a cry of anguish: “You poop on our heads!”
Jian Mo and the others fell into stunned silence.
The Pallas’s cats weren’t finished. They turned to the He’an Tribe as if pleading their case. “Do you know how outrageous they are? They don’t just poop once or twice—they do it every time we can’t win an argument! And they’re so precise! They make sure to match the poop to the fur color!”
Jian Mo blinked, hesitating. “So… white fur gets black poop, black fur gets white poop, and gray fur gets multicolored?”
The Pallas’s cats stared, astonished. “How did you know?”
Jian Mo coughed awkwardly, scratching his nose. “Just a guess.”
The Bai Zhi birds, humiliated, shrieked in fury. “What’s wrong with using tactics in a fight? It’s not like your methods are clean! Sneak attacks, nest-raiding, stalking, and even trying to turn our fledglings against us—don’t think we don’t know!”
Their rapid-fire accusations left no room for rebuttal. The Pallas’s cats tried to argue back but were quickly overwhelmed.
Finally, one of the cats lost its temper. With an indignant yowl, it lunged forward, pinning a Bai Zhi bird beneath it and sitting squarely on its back.
“Gah!” The bird squawked, its eyes rolling dramatically.
Jian Mo: “…”
Qing Kuo: “…”
The He’an Tribe’s beastmen and sub-beastmen: “…”
The rest of the Bai Zhi birds immediately took to the air, seemingly preparing for another round of aerial assault.
Jian Mo and the others braced themselves.
But the birds hesitated, flapping down instead to chase the Pallas’s cats, aiming sharp pecks at their fur.
The Pallas’s cats retaliated with quick pounces and extended claws, all the while trying to sit on the birds whenever possible. The scene was bizarrely humiliating for both sides.
The sub-beastmen from both tribes screamed as they joined the fray, though their small stature gave the entire brawl the look of a scuffle between rowdy teens.
Wu Jiong sighed deeply and turned to Ban Ming and the others. “Break them up.”
Ban Ming and his companions had been waiting for this. At Wu Jiong’s command, they eagerly shifted into their beast forms and charged into the chaos.
The giant cats leaped into the fray, grabbing the plump Bai Zhi birds and the large Pallas’s cats alike, showing no favoritism. Feathers and fur flew in all directions before the scene finally settled into uneasy silence.
Wu Jiong looked at the disheveled parties and commanded, “Shift back to human form and discuss this calmly.”
The Pallas’s cats protested, “Let us go first, meow-ow!”
The Bai Zhi birds chimed in, “Exactly, how can we shift when we’re pinned like this?”
Wu Jiong replied calmly, “We’ll let you go, but if you start fighting again, the He’an Tribe will demand an explanation from both of your tribes.”
Both groups froze at that, begrudgingly agreeing to the conditions.
Jian Mo leaned close to Wu Jiong’s ear and whispered, “Are they all teenagers?”
Wu Jiong nodded.
Jian Mo wasn’t surprised. No wonder both groups were acting so childish. If they were all teenagers, this behavior made sense. Ban Ming and the younger ones in the He’an Tribe weren’t all that different, after all.
Once everyone returned to their human forms, Wu Jiong invited them to the He’an Tribe to resolve their issues. Since they weren’t far from the tribe, there was no need to shift back into beast forms for the short journey.
The Bai Zhi and Yu Qi tribes walked on opposite sides of the path, glaring at one another but refraining from any further confrontation. Jian Mo noticed their chins were lifted high, an amusing display of youthful pride.
“These kids,” Jian Mo thought, suppressing a laugh, “what a way to burn their boundless energy—traveling all the way to another tribe just to quarrel.”
He turned to Wu Jiong. “So, what now?”
“We’ll wait a bit,” Wu Jiong replied. “If no adults from their tribes come looking for them, we’ll have them stay for two days and stagger their departures.”
Jian Mo chuckled, eyes gleaming with humor. “And who leaves first? I bet the two tribes will argue over departure times next.”
“Draw lots,” Wu Jiong said matter-of-factly.
But before they had to resort to that, members of both the Bai Zhi and Yu Qi tribes appeared—led by none other than their chiefs. It turned out that the adults from both tribes had indeed come searching for their youth.
The two tribal chiefs were very different from their younger members: elegant, courteous, and exuding an air of authority. At least, that’s how they seemed at first glance.
The chief of the Bai Zhi Tribe, Zhou Zhi, was a tall and striking sub-beastman. The chief of the Yu Qi Tribe, Qi Ming, was equally impressive, though his feline-like features carried a more predatory edge.
The two chiefs met at the He’an Tribe and exchanged polite apologies, their interaction appearing warm and respectful on the surface.
Jian Mo, observing the scene, felt increasingly puzzled by the relationships between the tribes. The adults seemed so polished and civil, yet their youth were at each other’s throats. How did that add up?
After brief pleasantries, Zhou Zhi turned to Wu Jiong and Jian Mo, offering with a gracious smile, “This must have caused you trouble. We’ve brought some rice as an apology. Please accept it.”
Qi Ming nodded and added, “We’ve prepared five baskets of rice as compensation for the disturbance. Please forgive us.”
Zhou Zhi countered, “Along with the five baskets of rice, we’ve brought some specialty nuts and berries from our tribe. Do try them.”
Not to be outdone, Qi Ming smiled warmly. “I’ve heard Jian Mo is particularly fond of spices. We’ve brought some unique spices from our tribe. I hope you’ll enjoy them.”
Jian Mo listened to their exchange, realizing the two chiefs were no more mature than their youth. They were just better at hiding it. Despite their surface-level camaraderie, the rivalry between their tribes was apparent in every word.
What was the saying? “When the snipe and the clam fight, the fisherman profits.”
Jian Mo couldn’t help but feel that if this went on any longer, the two chiefs might start competing to offer the He’an Tribe gifts. Not that the He’an Tribe intended to take advantage; all exchanges would remain fair.
Even so, the squabble between the two tribes had brought unexpected benefits. Items that were usually difficult to trade for, such as specialty goods and premium rice, had suddenly become accessible—and at far more favorable rates than usual.
To Jian Mo’s delight, the year’s rice harvest from this trade alone was enough to last an entire year. Typically, obtaining such a large amount of rice would require him to make significant sacrifices. Now, thanks to the two tribes’ competitive generosity, he’d managed to secure it without any real cost to himself.
After concluding the exchanges, neither the Bai Zhi nor Yu Qi tribes lingered. Zhou Zhi, ever refined, addressed Jian Mo before departing. “We heard you’ve been looking for chili peppers. If we come across any leads, we’ll send someone to inform you.”
Qi Ming, not to be outdone, added with a gentle smile, “We’ll also keep an eye out. You can rely on us to bring you any news.”
Jian Mo quickly expressed his gratitude. “Thank you—it’s much appreciated.”
Both chiefs nodded politely before taking their leave, and peace returned to the He’an Tribe.
Jian Mo sighed in relief and hopped onto Wu Jiong’s back, wrapping his arms around his shoulders. “I didn’t expect the two tribes to have this kind of… style.”
Wu Jiong, calm as ever, said, “Their rivalry isn’t as bad as it seems.”
Jian Mo raised an eyebrow skeptically. “They were literally fighting. How is that not bad?”
Wu Jiong nodded thoughtfully. “For some of them, it’s more like playful bickering. You can tell there’s an… interesting dynamic between Zhou Zhi and Qi Ming.”
Jian Mo stared at him. “You mean… that kind of dynamic?”
Wu Jiong nodded again. “Who knows? Maybe one day, their tribes will merge into one.”
Jian Mo’s jaw dropped. “No way. How can you tell? I didn’t notice anything at all!”
Wu Jiong reached out to ruffle Jian Mo’s hair affectionately. “Back when I liked you, it also took you ages to figure it out.”
Jian Mo opened his mouth to retort but stopped. Now that he thought about it, it really had taken him an embarrassingly long time to realize Wu Jiong’s feelings. He sighed inwardly—he couldn’t win this one.
With the two tribes gone, the He’an Tribe was left with a bounty of rice and seeds. Jian Mo was so excited that he immediately rallied the tribe to begin clearing new farmland. Across the river, they worked together to prepare a large plot of land for planting.
Thanks to the He’an Tribe’s plentiful strength and determination, the work went quickly. The only payment the helpers wanted? To eat at Jian Mo’s house.
Jian Mo, ever accommodating, prepared lavish meals for his helpers. Whether it was braised meat, roasted bird, steamed fish, or fried shrimp, every dish was met with enthusiasm. His baked goods, from buns to flower rolls, received the highest praise of all.
Motivated by the promise of good food, the tribe worked tirelessly, opening up a large stretch of fertile farmland across the river.
Most of the newly cleared land belonged to Jian Mo’s family, while a smaller portion was set aside as communal farmland for the He’an Tribe or private plots cultivated by others.
Jian Mo led the effort in seed selection and planting.
After about half a month of hard work, the land across the river began to sprout lush, green seedlings. Compared to the wild shrubs and grasses that once dominated the area, these orderly, vibrant green rows stood out strikingly.
Every time Jian Mo passed by the river, he felt a deep sense of accomplishment.
This vast stretch of land promised a bountiful harvest in the autumn and winter.
Although farming was physically demanding and the yield wasn’t significantly greater than what they could gather through foraging, the taste and quality of cultivated crops were far superior.
Others might endure less flavorful food, but Jian Mo couldn’t.
He simply loved delicious food, and he was willing to sweat and toil to improve his quality of life.
One day, after inspecting the fields, Jian Mo returned home and said to Wu Jiong, “We might need to build a proper storehouse.”
Currently, their harvested food was stored on the second floor of their home.
As their stockpile grew, the second floor had become increasingly cluttered. Three walls were lined with stacked boxes, while the fourth was crowded with sacks. The stacks of storage containers were reaching the ceiling, making the space chaotic and uncomfortable to live in.
Without a proper storehouse, the upcoming autumn harvest would overwhelm the space entirely.
Not only was the overcrowding unappealing, but it also posed a safety hazard—lighting a brazier in such conditions would be risky.
Wu Jiong, who had heard Jian Mo mention this issue twice before, had already made plans. “Once the weather stays clear for a while, we’ll rebuild the beast pen in the back with stone. The lower level can house the Tou Tou Beasts, and the upper level can serve as a storehouse.”
Jian Mo’s eyes lit up. “That sounds great! We could even build an extra storage space and take the opportunity to set up a proper bathhouse behind the kitchen.”
Currently, they didn’t have a real bathhouse—just a makeshift enclosure of beast hides.
Wu Jiong nodded in agreement. “During this time, we can trade for more stone. Once we’ve gathered enough materials, we’ll start construction.”
Jian Mo’s enthusiasm soared. “I’ll start sketching the designs! Let’s take this chance to plan out the renovations properly this year!”
