The Survival of the Wild Tribe

109

There seems to be an abundance of snow this winter. It has been falling relentlessly for the past few days, leaving behind only faint trails of footprints as three figures in white animal skin cloaks dash through the snow. The footprints quickly disappear, swallowed by the snow churned up by the cold wind, leaving no trace of their passing.

In a secluded cave, horn bamboo stands guard at the entrance, scanning the surroundings. As the three return, horn bamboo swiftly tends to the fire, adding more wood to make it crackle and burn brighter. Several staghorn horses, originally resting nearby, gravitate towards the warmth of the fire.

Horn bamboo fills several wooden bowls with steaming broth. As the trio enters the cave, the bowls are passed around. Without even removing their cloaks, the other two gulp down the broth, warming them from the inside out. Lu Zhan, sensitive to heat, sets his broth aside to cool, shaking off the snow from his cloak.

"What's the situation?" Kadotake inquires anxiously.

"Indeed, the savages headed towards the big lake, but it seems the tribes there have consolidated. There aren't many of them, and the savages can't gain any advantage," mountain pine reports, stirring his broth with chopsticks and extracting marrow from the bones.

"But it appears there aren't many orc warriors among those tribes," Hei Fu interjects.

"It's likely similar to our previous tribes, which migrated away," Lu Zhan remarks, impatient for his broth to cool. He adds snow to it, waiting for it to melt before drinking.

"They all migrated to the other side of Changfeng Mountain?" Kakuto asks. He recalls discussions between the leader and the great witch. If only the Black Panther tribe had migrated due to circumstances beyond their control, it would be understandable. However, the subsequent Shanjia tribe was also swept away by the same wandering beast. It seems that tribesmen have been left behind in small tribes near the big lake. This doesn't seem like a mere coincidence.

"I don't know," Lu Zhan admits, acknowledging the abnormality. "Our main objective this time is to hunt. Once we secure our prey, we'll return to the tribe."

The others agree and quickly finish their broth. After feeding the staghorn horses and packing their trophies, they set out without delay on the journey back to the tribe.

Sun Yao tribe remains bustling even amidst the snowfall. In addition to regular training, the tribe members, young and old, spend an hour each day learning. Basic knowledge no longer requires Luo Zhen's guidance; now, he focuses on his own learning. A Shui and a young orc warrior named Shan Yan from the Shanjia tribe have taken it upon themselves to teach the tribe members.

Possibly due to his surroundings, Shan Yan was a quiet child. When he first arrived, he appeared hungry, thin, and dark, with a slightly bloated stomach. Luo Zhen noticed something amiss and approached him, learning that while living in a cave surrounded by beasts and dry vegetation, Shan Yan resorted to eating soft soil to fill his stomach when hungry.

However, soil isn't easily digestible and can linger in the body, causing discomfort. Thankfully, Shan Yan only resorted to eating it sparingly when extremely hungry. Luo Zhen had also provided him with herbs with laxative properties to aid his recovery. Although there were some difficult days, with the help of Tai Sui and Zhu Ye supplementing his energy, Shan Yan's health gradually improved.

As Shan Yan showed eagerness to learn, Luo Zhen often invited him to accompany him. Despite his reserved nature, Shan Yan applied himself diligently and progressed faster than A Shui. Luo Zhen assigned them both daily teaching duties for the tribe members.

Shan Yan's reading voice wasn't particularly clear, yet he generously offered his room to serve as a makeshift classroom. Watching from outside with a smile, Luo Zhen left to tend to the vegetables in the greenhouse.

The giant anaconda Lu Zhan hunted had a transparent film on the inner side of its scales, tough yet half the size of a scale. Initially considering using it as window paper to allow daylight into the house without the need for artificial lighting, Luo Zhen ultimately decided to construct a small greenhouse instead. He hoped to experiment with growing plants even in harsh winter conditions.

Though referred to as a greenhouse, it primarily served to shield plants from snowfall. Luo Zhen had incorporated a flue into the surrounding mud walls for minimal warmth, but it proved inefficient and resource-intensive. Consequently, he abandoned the idea and sought out plants with high cold resistance.

Not every giant anaconda yields such a film. According to Yamaichi, it's only present when the anaconda is shedding its skin. Securing this film was a stroke of luck; otherwise, it would harden and become new scales covering the anaconda's body.

Due to this uncertainty, Luo Zhen refrained from sending Lu Zhan on further hunts for giant anacondas. If they could observe molting in the future, they might retrieve more of the film, but this process would take time, and Luo Zhen couldn't afford to wait.

Upon Luo Zhen's arrival, Shan Yi was already waiting at the door. Since joining the Riyao tribe, Shan Yi's spirits had soared. He initially assisted in making mud bricks with the elders and learned paper-making once the bricks dried. However, due to his age and declining eyesight, his carpentry skills were lacking. During the winter months, he joined Luo Zhen to troubleshoot issues with the greenhouse.

Possibly due to the pressing tasks at hand, the tribe had begun implementing a system of task allocation, ensuring everyone, regardless of age or gender, had responsibilities. Those too young to work were assigned to the classroom to learn alongside A Shui or Shan Yan. Apart from basic literacy, they were taught modern life principles through repeated storytelling sessions, which the children found endlessly captivating.

Their favorite storyteller was Luo Zhen, whose animated narratives made the tales feel like personal experiences, allowing the primitive tribe members, unaccustomed to entertainment, to immerse themselves fully.

In reality, even without Luo Zhen's directives, the industrious residents of the Riyao tribe always found tasks to occupy themselves. Their attachment to the tribe, constructed through their own efforts, rivaled that of Luo Zhen. Guided by Luo Zhen's deliberate influence, the Riyao tribe had become their true home, deeply rooted in each individual's heart.

"Why not join the study session today?" Luo Zhen smiled at Shan Yan.

Shan Yan, holding freshly cleaned animal shed waste, covered the wooden barrel with tattered animal skins to contain the foul odor. As Luo Zhen approached, he shifted to avoid the big witch from getting soiled.

"Ayan has briefed me on today's lesson. At my age, grasping such profound knowledge is challenging. I prefer Ayan's nighttime supplementary sessions or I'd be lost in class," Shan Yan explained.

In truth, apart from Luo Zhen's classes, Yamaichi seldom attended collective sessions, always busy with various tasks. Previously, it was mud bricks and paper-making; now it was tending to the greenhouse and vegetable plots. With Shan Yan's assistance, Luo Zhen only needed occasional visits to the greenhouse, sparing him from constant vigilance.

"You're not that old; your energy surpasses mine," Luo Zhen chuckled, pushing open the thick wooden door draped with animal skins. As he entered, Shan Yan swiftly closed the door to prevent the cold wind from entering and chilling the vegetables inside.

Despite the lack of ventilation, the temperature inside was slightly higher than outside, albeit detrimental to vegetable growth. Though the seedlings had sprouted, they appeared feeble, as if on the brink of frostbite.

After several experiments, Luo Zhen opted to plant white radishes, a wild vegetable found in the basin. The first harvest was preserved, with Luo Zhen using a bonfire to prepare boiled radishes for everyone to sample.

Though bitter and astringent, adding a dash of flame ant nectar transformed the radishes into a delectable treat, with the sweetness complementing the radish flavor.

During the summer, the flame ants supplied Luo Zhen with nectar almost daily, allowing him to amass a sizable reserve. Recently, he'd even concocted popsicles by mixing nectar and dried fruits, fashioned into whimsical shapes and dyed with juice.

Wary of overindulgence, Luo Zhen limited distribution, with only Lu Zhan receiving an extra portion, much to the envy of the others.