The Survival of the Wild Tribe

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The cat, having finished the broth, left abruptly, finding a clean patch of grass nearby to spend the night. They kept watch over Luo Zhen and the others in exchange for the delicious broth, remaining vigilant against predators that occasionally roamed the area.

The next morning, Luo Zhen and Lu Zhan had a simple breakfast of wild fruits before joining the cat. Shan Qi and A Qing stayed behind to guard their belongings, arranging the tent walls and setting up a wooden shelf to display the bones and furs they had hunted. They hoped to attract interest from other tribes for potential exchanges.

With many formidable orc warriors present, the staghorn horses were kept close to the tent for safety. Luo Zhen and Lu Zhan, not intending to trade, followed the cat into the settlement. Luo Zhen left his usual wooden bow behind, with Lu Yi and Ah Si concealed in his collar.

Dressed in python skin, which offered cooling relief in the summer heat, Luo Zhen and Lu Zhan attracted curious gazes from the locals, who wondered if they felt too hot in such attire. However, the snake skin served a practical purpose, protecting against blood-sucking mosquitoes encountered in the wild.

Although the Serval tribe was small and located in a remote corner of the settlement, Maoyou stumbled upon Luo Zhen and the others upon returning from a river bath, intrigued by their unfamiliar faces.

Although Maoyou had been living in the area for a long time, his tent was much simpler than Luo Zhen and the others' tent set up the day before. Piles of wood were stacked beside the tent, and various animal skins were scattered inside. A small patch of crushed and withered weeds lay near the firewood, probably from the recent rain. Despite the decay, the area around the small tent was cleaner than other spots, making it easier for Luo Zhen to walk.

"This is our tent. Take a look and see if there's anything you want," the cat said, pulling aside the messy hides to reveal a collection of random objects underneath.

Feeling embarrassed by his modest belongings, Maoyou awkwardly scratched his head. Last night, Luo Zhen had noticed Maoyou's fondness for the wooden bowl and had given it to him without expecting anything in return. This act of generosity surprised Maoyou, as tribal exchanges were typically conducted face to face to avoid any potential deception.

In primitive society, disputes were often settled through physical confrontation, and small tribes like Maoyou's couldn't afford to take risks by giving away items without proper exchange.

Luo Zhen, seeing Maoyou present a variety of miscellaneous items, didn't hesitate to accept them. The wooden bowl was something easily replaceable, so whatever he received from Maoyou was a gain.

Before Luo Zhen could inspect the items further, a gentle voice interrupted, "Maoyou, where did you disappear to last night?"

Luo Zhen looked up to see a man carrying a few hares approaching. The man bore a striking resemblance to Maoyou but had a softer demeanor.

"This is my brother, Mao Zuo," Maoyou introduced. He then expressed his concern about his brother's solo hunting trip, fearing their tent might have been raided during his absence.

Performing a standard warrior ritual, Mao Zuo greeted Luo Zhen and the others, his curiosity piqued by their origins from Changfeng Mountain.

Unlike Mao You, who is indifferent to things, Mao Zuo is much more cautious in gathering information. He is aware of the dangers in Changfeng Mountain and knows that even the powerful Tiger-Lion Tribe avoids sending warriors there. Tribes from the other side of Changfeng Mountain occasionally come to exchange stone salt, but they rarely interact with other tribes, leaving Mao Zuo with limited knowledge about them.

"If I waited for you to come back to feed me every time I didn't hunt, I'd have starved to death countless times," Mao Zuo quipped, shooting Mao You a playful glance before turning to Luo Zhen with a more measured tone. "You're here to exchange stone salt, right?"

Luo Zhen smiled gently, his gaze shifting between the identical twins. They were the first pair of twins he had encountered since arriving in this world, a rarity among primitive societies where conception and childbirth were precarious, often resulting in the death of the mother and child during delivery. Twins were especially feared, as they were seen as a harbinger of death.

"This year, the Tiger-Lion Tribe doesn't have much stone salt available for exchange," Mao Zuo revealed, sensing Luo Zhen's sincerity and deciding to share what he knew. Such news quickly circulated within the settlement.

"If you're looking to exchange stone salt, you'd better do it now. Many tribes have come to the settlement area in the past few days, all vying for stone salt. Once this wave of exchange is over, the Tiger-Lion Tribe won't offer new stone salt," he added, explaining the urgency.

"Why? I saw the Tiger-Lion Tribe's orc warriors bringing plenty of rock salt yesterday," Maoyou interjected, unaware of the recent developments.

"I heard that a large tribe came to purchase it. Since you've prepared all our animal skins, we should exchange for stone salt in advance," Mao Zuo clarified.

Given the proximity of the Serval tribe, they typically began preparing for winter earlier than others, prompting neighboring tribes to withdraw from the settlements and exchange stone salt with the Tiger-Lion Tribe. During this period, stone salt prices tended to be lower than usual as the Tiger-Lion Tribe sought to avoid transporting excess salt back to their own territory.

The Serval Tribe doesn't have many commodities to offer besides stone bones, which are useless. Animal skins are highly valued as they serve as essential currency between tribes, especially given the harsh winters.

When there's nothing else to exchange for stone salt, the Tiger and Lion Tribe accepts animal skins, but there's a limit to how much stone salt they'll exchange for them. The accumulated animal skins in their tents are only enough for the brothers to get through the winter. If they wanted to exchange stone salt for the whole tribe, it wouldn't be sufficient, but that's not an option now.

"What big tribe? Do they intend to exchange all of the Tiger and Lion Tribe's stone salt?" Mao's eyes widened in disbelief. The Tiger and Lion Tribe supplies stone salt to numerous tribes, so if a large unknown tribe sought to exchange such a vast quantity of rock salt, it raises questions about the size of their population.

Stone salt isn't food; it merely accumulates if exchanged excessively. In primitive societies where resources are scarce, no significant tribe would exchange stone salt for mere amusement. Exchanges are made out of genuine necessity.