The Survival of the Wild Tribe

113

The next morning, Luo Zhen returned to the greenhouse. Likely due to being covered in Tai Sui juice the previous day, overnight, the white radish leaves transformed from their drooping state, now vibrant green as if summer had returned, despite the ongoing snowfall.

"Da Wu," Shan Yi exclaimed excitedly. He had been tending to the batch of white radishes diligently since they were planted. With a deep understanding of their condition, he was amazed at how they seemed to come back to life after Da Wu applied something to them the previous day.

Luo Zhen was equally delighted. After inspecting the radishes and confirming their healthy growth, he advised, "Just make sure to fertilize and water them regularly."

"Yes," Shanichi responded respectfully, his face breaking into a smile. However, he politely asked Luo Zhen to leave first when mentioning the bucket of animal dung, not wanting him to deal with the unpleasant smell.

Initially, Shan Yi couldn't comprehend why Da Wu used such materials for fertilization. Even after explanation, it remained a challenge for the primitive people without such concepts. To illustrate, Luo Zhen set up two contrasting plots—one following his method of thinning, weeding, and fertilizing, while the other was left to grow naturally. When it came time for harvest, the difference was stark, particularly evident in the white radish roots, with the fertilized ones noticeably larger.

Following this demonstration, the Riyao tribe began collecting animal dung, though its odor was overwhelming. To address this, Luo Zhen dug a deep hole outside the city to create compost. With winter making travel difficult, the animal dung from the shed was directly scattered across the vegetable field.

After entrusting the greenhouse tasks to Shan Yi, Luo Zhen encountered Lu Zhan rushing towards him as soon as he exited the house.

"What's happening?" Luo Zhen inquired.

"I spotted some traces while Horn Bamboo was on patrol," Lu Zhan hurriedly explained, leading Luo Zhen back home.

Upon arrival, numerous orc warriors had gathered in the house. Seeing Luo Zhen enter, they promptly stood up and greeted him.

Luo Zhen gestured for everyone to settle down, then seated himself on the futon beside Lu Zhan, eyeing Jiaozhu suspiciously.

Now that everyone was present, Kakuto no longer held back the information he possessed. But before delving into details, he retrieved a piece of cloth from his belongings and handed it to Luo Zhen.

Receiving it with suspicion, Luo Zhen inspected the cloth closely, his expression shifting. "This is... silk?"

While others might not be familiar with silk and satin, they recognized fabric. In the Riyao tribe, they could only produce two types of cloth: the relatively soft sheep cloth, which required ample wool and was favored by leaders like Da Wu, and the coarser linen cloth, used mainly for practical items like backpacks and sacks. However, the cloth brought back by horn bamboo was markedly different—exceptionally soft, smooth, and adorned with intricate golden patterns. It was evident that this fabric surpassed the capabilities of their tribe.

"Where did you find this?" Lu Zhan inquired.

"In the west pass," Kokaku replied. It wasn't the direction of the staghorn horse forest, where any suspicious activity would have been reported to Lu Ming.

Luo Zhen and Lu Ming had previously discussed simple ways to convey information, even to non-speaking staghorn horses.

"Is there a tribe nearby with walls like ours?" Luo Zhen traced the embroidery on the silk and satin. Despite its rough craftsmanship, it was a remarkable find in such a remote area.

Several warriors exchanged glances, then shook their heads. None of them had seen anything like the city wall of the Riyao tribe before. If such structures existed, they would have encountered them in other tribes like the Panther Tribe or the Hill Armor Tribe.

"Could it be the people of Changfeng Mountain?" Soldier A Qing speculated, his curiosity piqued by tales he'd heard from older soldiers about the world beyond Changfeng Mountain.

Heifu disagreed. "While I've seen something resembling a city wall near the Tiger Lion tribe, theirs is much simpler and may not produce cloth as fine as this."

Though Heifu had only glimpsed it from a distance and hadn't dwelled on it, he deferred to Gan Po and Shan Yi, who had traversed numerous tribes and possessed greater knowledge.

The mother-in-law and Shan nodded in unison. They were certain they would remember encountering fabrics like silk and satin, yet in all the tribes they visited, they only encountered animal skins. Even the linen cloths they used were introduced by Luo Zhen, something they hadn't seen before.

"The people who brought this cloth must not belong to the tribes here," Lu Zhan asserted, emphasizing the crux of the matter. "But since they appeared within our sight, what could be their motive? Are they planning to attack us?"

His words left the others in silence. They pondered how long they might have been under observation. Though the Riyao tribe was fortified by a wall, they knew its limitations. The wall could only deter those incapable of climbing—ordinary people and wingless beasts were mere nuisances to the orc warriors.

"Do you think they might attack us?" Luo Zhen asked anxiously.

"If they're from larger tribes, they might overlook us. But smaller tribes, upon realizing our vulnerability, would likely see us as easy prey. They'd slaughter our warriors, capture our civilians, and claim our safe haven as their own," Lu Zhan explained with clarity.

Luo Zhen felt a cold sweat break out at the thought, and the others grew solemn. The comfort of their recent peaceful life almost made them forget the dangers lurking in their world—sometimes their enemies weren't just predatory beasts, but fellow humans.

"What's the plan?" Sensing Luo Zhen's unease, Lu Zhan reassured him, gently grasping his wrist and whispering, "Don't worry, I'm here."

His words steadied Luo Zhen's nerves. Taking a deep breath, as if reaching a resolution, he declared, "We don't know their numbers or their approach. We won't rush out to meet them. Our wall is our stronghold. We'll defend it. No matter how many come, we'll repel them."

Luo Zhen's conviction inspired the others, who listened intently to his plan.

Although Luo Zhen lacked experience in military strategy and combat, his exposure to countless dramas and historical books equipped him with some tactics. After the meeting, everyone began to follow Luo Zhen's instructions. He even fed a bit of Tai Sui to the flame ants, sending a small group out to gather intel.

With most of the Riyao River's surface already freezing, Luo Zhen tasked Lu Zhan with creating a passage for the flame ants across the river, minimizing their detour time.

The flame ants, fueled by their queen's orders, were eager to venture out. In a close contest among soldier ants to determine who would go, Lu Yi intervened, using his powerful hind legs to clear the way. Although reluctant to leave Luo Zhen, Lu Yi felt content aiding him. Accompanied by Ying, he joined the scouting mission.

Initially anxious, Luo Zhen repeatedly urged Lu Yi to avoid confrontation and return with information. Assured by Lu Yi's commitment, Luo Zhen reluctantly let him go.

The sudden shift in dynamics heightened tension in the Riyao tribe. Warriors were stationed on the city walls around the clock. The younger children gathered at the house of the godmother, with a designated hiding cellar for emergencies. Even older children like Ah Shui and Shan Yan armed themselves, ready to confront potential threats.

Seated atop the icy city wall, Luo Zhen pondered, examining a small piece of silk. It seemed accidental rather than deliberately left at the breach point. Yet, his attention was drawn to its golden pattern.

Initially resembling an abstract animal totem, Luo Zhen couldn't shake the suspicion that the pattern resembled hieroglyphs, reminiscent of ancient writing systems.

Considering his knowledge of the Black Panther tribe's culture, it seemed improbable for a tribe like theirs, still steeped in primal traditions, to develop a writing system. If indeed hieroglyphs, did it suggest a more advanced civilization across Changfeng Mountain? And were they unaware of it?