The Survival of the Wild Tribe

153

The four of them spent two days resting in the tree cave before setting off again. During this time, they didn't need to hunt because the short-faced bear provided enough food. Even after they resumed their journey, they still had plenty of smoked hind legs to eat.

During the two days of rest, Luo Zhen organized all the plants he had collected along the way, drying and storing the seeds. He boiled the bag of chestnuts in water and distributed them as snacks, although wild chestnuts tasted slightly bitter. Even the staghorn horses enjoyed them, but peeling the husks was a tedious task.

As they passed by the site of the short-faced bear's battle again, the signs of the fight were still evident, with several pine trees bearing the scars of the bear's rampage. The force behind those blows could easily tear them apart.

Moving on, they encountered a narrow animal trail marked by remaining short-faced bear hair on the surrounding grass blades, indicating it was the usual route of these bears. Despite the bear they encountered being slain by Lu Zhan, they remained cautious as they traversed the trail.

Having set off early in the morning, they arrived at the next rest point while it was still early. Unlike the first cave they stayed in, this one had a tall tree beside it, offering little shelter apart from the cedar. Such caves were prone to attracting wild beasts, but the area was relatively tranquil, surrounded by pine trees.

Lu Zhan ventured into the cave first to assess the situation while the other three waited patiently on the antlers. It was his routine to ensure the safety of their resting places, sometimes scouting the area for signs of large-scale beast activity before signaling for Luo Zhen to join them.

However, this time Lu Zhan returned quickly with a troubled expression. "There are signs of people living in the cave."

"Human or beast?" Luo Zhen inquired.

"It seems to be the same group we encountered at the last rest point. The fire pit still has residual warmth, indicating they left today."

Luo Zhen was taken aback. He hadn't expected to encounter these strangers so soon. As they spoke, a few sharp human-faced bird calls echoed from deep within the jungle. The calls sounded panicked, as if the birds were under attack.

The group exchanged worried glances. Lu Zhan spoke up, "We can't stay here tonight. Let's find a safer spot to rest."

Lu Zhan preferred not to travel through the mountains at night unless absolutely necessary. The terrain was treacherous, and danger could lurk in the shadows. Even he couldn't always fend off ambushes, as evidenced by the wound he sustained from the short-faced bear.

The others nodded in agreement. Following Lu Zhan's lead, they quietly made their way through the forest, with the Antlers deftly mimicking his steps.

The distant cries of the human-faced birds persisted, causing other creatures in the forest to stir anxiously. Some birds, disoriented by the commotion, flew blindly into their path. Shan Qi swiftly silenced them, offering them as an extra meal for the night with a grin, much to Luo Zhen's chagrin.

Straying slightly from their original route, Lu Zhan found a secluded spot among dense trees—a small alcove formed by several sturdy pines. It was snug enough for them to spend the night, with flame ants nearby to keep watch against smaller predators.

After instructing Luo Zhen, Lu Zhan discreetly investigated the source of the bird calls, wary of potential threats.

Aware of the need for a quick exit, Luo Zhen and the others unloaded only essential belongings from the staghorn horses and refrained from foraging nearby. Instead, Ah Qing gathered fresh grass for the horses.

Under the shelter of the trees, Luo Zhen and Shan Qi constructed a makeshift tent using branches and animal skins, camouflaging it with leaves for added concealment. They also prepared a thick layer of branches and leaves on the ground to serve as mattresses, protecting them from the damp forest floor and any sudden downpours.

In the evening, they relied on a small oil lamp inside the tent for illumination. With no firewood, they could only snack on dried meat and wild fruits to stave off hunger. After eating, Luo Zhen sent Shan Qi and Ah Qing to rest, but Lu Zhan had yet to return, leaving Luo Zhen anxious about his safety.

Despite knowing that Lu Zhan had grown significantly stronger, Luo Zhen couldn't shake the memory of Lu Zhan's injury from a human-faced bird attack. Initially indifferent to Lu Zhan, the mere thought of witnessing him injured again was enough to keep Luo Zhen from sleeping.

"Mother, should I check on father?" Sensing Luo Zhen's concern, Lu Yi perched on Luo Zhen's finger and inquired, his head tilted. Beside him, A Si made a few chirps, indicating his willingness to assist.

"No, he'll be back soon." Luo Zhen gently caressed the two little creatures, their emotions always evident to him.

However, while these companions couldn't leave his side, their innocence made them unable to discern danger. When Lu Yi had accompanied Lu Zhan on hunts before, he inadvertently endangered the tribe by remaining motionless when encountering threats. Since then, Luo Zhen had refrained from allowing Lu Yi to venture out with others.

Despite Luo Zhen's reassurances, Lu Zhan's prolonged absence left him restless, even after nightfall.

"Great Witch, shall I go check on him?" Shan Qi, armed with bone knives and bows, offered. His knives were longer and thicker than Luo Zhen's, made from carefully selected bone and reinforced with heavy wood for added weight.

If metal ores were readily available, Luo Zhen would have armed their tribe with metal weapons, thereby boosting their overall strength. Shan Qi, whose archery skills lagged behind the others, preferred wielding his special bone knife over a wooden bow.

"I'll join you." Ah Qing, freshly awake and armed, volunteered to accompany Shan Qi.

Luo Zhen pondered for a moment before addressing Ah Qing, "You stay here. I'll go check with Shan Qi." With a team of soldiers and evolved companions like Lu Yi and Ah Si, they could handle any potential threats.

But Ah Qing wouldn't let Luo Zhen take the risk alone. Just as he was about to object, Shan Qi intervened, patting Ah Qing on the shoulder. "You stay here. Da Wu and I will go." In uncertain situations, the flame ants' abilities were more advantageous than Ah Qing's.

Ah Qing glanced between them, then sighed and nodded. "You two protect the Great Witch."

"Of course," Shan Qi assured solemnly. "I am the Great Witch's guardian."

Luo Zhen unloaded the luggage from Chasing Wind, who had overheard their conversation and was ready to help Luo Zhen escape quickly if needed.

Shan Qi didn't ride a staghorn horse; he needed to fully transform to fight formidable enemies. Having staghorn horses around would only hinder him. Half of the flame ants hid in Luo Zhen's clothes like Lu Yi and Ah Si, while the rest nestled in Chasing Wind's mane. To avoid detection, they moved cautiously under the faint moonlight filtering through the leaves.

Guided by Shan Qi's keen sense of direction, they arrived at the spot where the human-faced bird had made noise before.

"Is this it?" Luo Zhen whispered.

The surroundings were eerily quiet, devoid even of the usual sounds of insects and animals. Yet, there lingered a faint scent of blood in the air, leaving Luo Zhen on edge, unable to discern if it was the scent of beasts or humans.

"It should be," Shan Qi replied, drawing his bone knife and motioning for Chasing Wind to halt. He kept a vigilant watch over their surroundings.

Having reached their destination, Luo Zhen signaled the flame ants. Those hiding in Chasing Wind's mane crawled to the ground and dispersed among the surrounding grass.