The Survival of the Wild Tribe

Chapter 6

Heishan led Luo Zhen and Lu Zhan to a clearing outside where they were preparing to distribute their prey. Many people were present, and the smell of blood permeated the air. In the clearing, piles of wild beast corpses towered like hills. The beasts had peculiar shapes that Zhen couldn't recognize.

Several sturdy men were dividing the meat with stone knives, which weren't very sharp. Some bones and fur couldn't be cut with just stone knives. One of them transformed into a black panther, over two meters tall, and tore apart a beast with his jaws before sharing it with his companions and the waiting crowd.

A few hairy, bare-bottomed children ran happily on the blood-stained ground. They fell and rolled in the mud, casually wiping themselves on the nearby grass before continuing to play. Nearby, a woman breastfed her child, unfazed by the onlookers. The baby, wrapped in animal skins, looked frail. Embarrassed, Luo Zhen glanced away.

Seeing the leader approach with a stranger, the people in the clearing slowed their movements, especially the single soldiers who had scattered to rest. They stood up, intentionally or unintentionally revealing their muscular bodies, eyeing Luo Zhen with intense interest. They knew a foreigner's arrival signaled a potential partnership.

"Boss." The man who transformed into a black panther to assist with the prey approached Heishan and saluted, casting curious glances at Luo Zhen, who stood two steps behind.

Black Mountain nodded at him but didn't introduce him. Instead, he turned to Luo Zhen. "These are our finest warriors. You can choose one to be your partner. They will protect you, be loyal to you, and form a partnership contract with you."

After Montenegro finished speaking, interested single fighters stepped forward. Some transformed into beasts directly, while others hesitated before shifting, like a giant black panther. Wanting to display their strength, they approached Luo Zhen with fervor.

However, surrounded by wild animals, Luo Zhen felt an urge to escape. He involuntarily stepped back, bumping into Lu Zhan, who was holding a bundle of fruits.

Awkwardly laughing, Luo Zhen glanced at Black Mountain. "Do I have to choose a partner now?"

"Of course, the warriors are eager for you. Choosing any one of them will make you an immediate member of our tribe." Heishan lowered his head slightly, meeting Luo Zhen's gaze, "Are you unwilling to join our Black Panther tribe?"

Luo Zhen shook his head quickly. "I just arrived at your tribe. I don't think I need to rush."

"We don't have tents for foreigners to live in. Your partner will take you to your shared home."

"Only the soldiers in our tribe can build houses." Lu Zhan explained quietly from behind. "After all, animal skins belong to the warriors who successfully hunt."

A black panther beside Black Mountain seemed to sense Luo Zhen's hesitation. It gently rubbed against Luo Zhen's calf.

Uncomfortable, Luo Zhen avoided the black panther's gestures. Surveying the twenty or so tall black panthers surrounding him, Luo Zhen felt overwhelmed. He didn't want to bond with a beast when they were vastly different in strength.

"Are you also a fighter?" Luo Zhen asked Lu Zhan. Having spent days together, he preferred to choose someone familiar.

Lu Zhan didn't anticipate the question. Before he could respond, Black Mountain interjected, "Of course, A Zhan is also a single warrior in our tribe. Choosing him will also grant you membership."

Luo Zhen was delighted, but Lu Zhan appeared hesitant. "I'm not a fighter. I'm just a half-orc. I can't transform into a beast, nor can I take a partner."

"Half-orcs?"

"Half-orcs are also warriors in our tribe. Since you brought Luo Zhen back, you have the opportunity to choose." Heishan didn't elaborate on what half-orcs were. He gave Lu Zhan an expectant look, urging him on.

Other black panthers, hearing Heishan's words, backed away. Some shifted into human forms and stood aside. Although they didn't understand what was happening, the leader's introduction of a stranger indicated the newcomer's potential assimilation into the tribe.

Lu Zhan reluctantly acquiesced, explaining to Luo Zhen, "I am very poor, the poorest person in the tribe. I can't afford meat for ten and a half months. If you choose me, you may have to go hungry."

However, Luo Zhen didn't perceive Lu Zhan's poverty the same way. To him, the entire Black Panther tribe seemed impoverished. He wasn't worried about going hungry, having spotted edible wild vegetables during their journey back.

"It's okay, I'll find food for both of us," Luo Zhen reassured him.