The Survival of the Wild Tribe

104

These two soldier ants are diligent, vigilant against any bipeds daring to approach the queen. Though it's unclear why their queen chose a human as her mate, for the soldier ants, having lived among humans since their larval stage, it's natural to be curious and desire interaction with humans. If the queen loses interest in this human in the future, they can still instruct him. They vividly recall the human who stole the larvae, igniting resentment in the ant nest.

One soldier ant raised its head proudly, waving its tentacles majestically at the nearby Lu Zhan.

Luo Zhen glanced at the ant on his shoulder with a hint of concern, then turned to Lu Zhan walking beside him, "Are they truly obedient?" Considering the ant colony's message, many worker ants are out collecting nectar everywhere. The number of ant colonies they just saw represents less than half of the entire colony.

Observing Luo Zhen's concern, Lu Zhan smiled, teasing the soldier ant on his shoulder before retracting his hand swiftly when it attempted to bite. "I can't fathom the flame ants anymore. Their loyalty to the queen surpasses that of any biological group. Now that they regard you as their queen, you can command them as you wish, and they won't disobey."

Lu Zhan shrugged, continuing casually, "Besides, remember how ruthlessly these little creatures attacked me before? If I'm around, they won't easily harm you. Despite their earlier aggression, I've gained confidence after my beast transformation."

Luo Zhen pondered Lu Zhan's words, finding some truth in them, which slightly eased his worries.

As they conversed, they returned to the scene of the campfire. The Cuckoo Bird Soup had finished simmering, and after tasting it, Luo Zhen approved, allowing Axue to feed Acao.

Singing around the bonfire had become a tradition since Ah Shui led a group of children to sing last time. Luo Zhen had taught them new songs during this period, mostly pop tunes sung by the children in their innocent voices.

Luo Zhen skewered a piece of marinated venison on a stick, setting it on the wooden stand just vacated by the soup pot. As the meat sizzled over the fire, familiar melodies played, reminding Luo Zhen of the distant world he once knew.

As the children finished their song, they bowed and thanked the audience, who applauded warmly, expressing love and encouragement. These etiquettes were instilled by Luo Zhen, emphasizing that the warrior ceremony was the highest form of respect. However, not everyone could perform it, as it was reserved for warriors. In the past Panther tribe, distinctions weren't as clear, with half-orcs like Lu Zhan performing warrior salutes to others.

However, unlike the newly joined Shanjia tribe, ordinary people in the Riyao tribe are not allowed to perform warrior salutes. Luo Zhen learned this from his interactions with Ajiao and was determined to eliminate such unequal class divisions within the tribe, a goal he had worked hard to achieve.

Though somewhat idealistic, Luo Zhen hopes that in this tribe, ordinary individuals won't be relegated to mere followers of warriors due to their perceived lack of strength, nor have their fates determined by the whims of fighters. While he hasn't witnessed such extreme practices in the Riyao tribe, he knows that other tribes in this savage land, like the one the original inhabitant belonged to, engage in such traditions, sacrificing living people.

Luo Zhen is grateful that Lu Zhan, with his strength, hasn't imposed himself as a partner on ordinary individuals against their wishes. He recognizes that his own journey to where he is now wasn't without challenges.

He believes that ordinary children should have the opportunity to explore the outside world and develop skills to defend themselves, potentially forming partnerships with the staghorn horses. While they may not be able to defeat fierce beasts like the antlers, they can certainly outrun them.

Of course, those who prefer safety can remain within the confines of a secure tribe. While beastization is crucial in this world, the abilities of ordinary individuals shouldn't be underestimated. These values are what have made Luo Zhen the respected witch queen of the tribe, instilled in them through his teachings.

The tribe now uses wooden utensils, animal skins, wooden bows and arrows, ropes, wild edible plants, seasonings, and tonight's main dish, bighorn deer, most of which are crafted by ordinary tribe members. Even the Shanjia people who joined later have been influenced by the original Sun Yao tribe members.

The teachings of Luo Zhen have been embraced by most tribe members, recognizing that they are here for their own good. Without the Riyao tribe, Lu Zhan, and Luo Zhen, their lives would have been unimaginably harder. They can now enjoy the comforts of sitting around a fire, eating and drinking, without worrying constantly about the dangers outside.

As the aroma of the venison filled the air, Luo Zhen cut a small piece with a bone knife and placed it in a wooden dish, offering it to the two soldier ants on his shoulder. "Would you like some?" he asked, remembering that Lu Zhan mentioned their carnivorous nature. If they show interest, he plans to feed them cooked meat in the future for safety reasons. The two soldier ants' antenna, which had been swinging wildly, stiffened at the unexpected gesture from the queen—a completely novel experience for them.

However, being fed by the queen isn't a privilege every ant enjoys. After a brief moment of stiffness, the two soldier ants quickly became excited, drawn by the enticing aroma of the meat slices in Luo Zhen’s hand. Unable to restrain themselves, they signaled to Luo Zhen their desire to eat, then climbed along the edge of the wooden dish toward the meat.

In a few "Kaka" bites, the two flame ants devoured the meat on the plate in the blink of an eye. Witnessing their eating speed, Luo Zhen was alarmed. The piece of meat he cut was quite large, and the bites they took were several times their size. He couldn't help but caution them: "Take your time. There's plenty for everyone, and stop when you're full. Don’t overeat."

He feared that the two soldier ants, meant to protect him, might overindulge and suffer harm. If that happened, it could spell trouble for the flame ant colony. After all, being treated as a queen by these flame ants was unrealistic for him as a human.

Upon hearing Luo Zhen's words, the soldier ants touched tentacles with each other, then climbed to Luo Zhen's fingers holding the wooden saucer and gently touched his finger pads. This direct skin contact allowed Luo Zhen to better understand the flame ants' intentions.

After expressing gratitude, the soldier ants returned to the meat slices, eating more slowly this time. Knowing the portion wouldn't sustain them, Luo Zhen set the wooden saucer aside and invited Lu Zhan to eat together.

Perhaps due to the encounter with the flame ants, Luo Zhen was not very interested in the discussion that night. After satisfying their hunger, the two went to the Heifu fighters to discuss the flame ant situation.

The soldiers, having spent time in the wilderness, were familiar with flame ants to some extent. Seeing the two soldier ants on Luo Zhen’s shoulders surprised them. After Luo Zhen explained, their expressions changed, and the straightforward A Qing couldn't hide his curiosity.

"Great Witch, are you a beast warrior of the flame ant?" he asked, puzzled by the idea of a small flame ant transforming into a tall human. Lu Zhan intervened, teasing A Qing about his misunderstanding.

Luo Zhen clarified, "I'm 100% human." But A Qing persisted, "Then why do they make you a queen? Couldn't they have many small ants without the witch?"

Luo Zhen, annoyed, retorted, "I can't give birth to ants or baby leopards. Do we really need to discuss this?"

A Qing was about to speak again when Mountain Pine covered his mouth, redirecting the conversation. He suggested using water to deal with the flame ants, sparking further discussion among the group.