The Survival of the Wild Tribe

180

After cleaning the mud and grass off his body with a wet towel and bandaging the wound, Luo Zhen changed into clean clothes and emerged from behind the animal skin partition.

The black panther cub's hair had been partially dried and fluffed up from the fire. Unable to move, it resembled a plush doll, at the mercy of Ah Chun.

Footsteps approached the cave entrance. Luo Zhen looked up to see Lu Zhan and the others returning.

Ah Qing shouted excitedly, "Da Wu, Da Wu, come see if Black Hunter's legs can be healed."

As the three wet men approached, their hair plastered to their faces, they looked pale and bedraggled from the rain.

Though Ah Qing and Shanqi arrived before Lu Zhan, they had waited for him as planned. Their purpose in Yanshan was to bring back a trusted person, knowing they lacked time to infiltrate the Klushi tribe for information.

Seeing the half-dead Black Hunter, they hurriedly rushed back to the cave, fearing his condition might worsen.

Knowing that immobile orc warriors would prefer death to living in such agony, Lu Zhan understood the urgency and didn't hesitate.

Ah Chun set the black panther cub aside and quickly spread a clean animal skin on the ground.

Despite wearing two layers of clothing, Black Hunter's body was soaked from the rain. After spending most of the day in the wet weather, his body temperature had dropped dangerously low, and he was unconscious.

Luo Zhen rushed over, and Lu Zhan had already removed the clothes covering Black Hunter's legs, revealing severely injured limbs.

"Why is it so bad?" Ah Chun gasped, covering her mouth.

Lu Zhan noticed a faint herbal scent under the bandage on Luo Zhen's arm. "Are you hurt?" he asked, brow furrowed.

"I was bitten by that little cub, but it's not serious," Luo Zhen replied, explaining about the black panther cub.

Ah Qing noticed an immobile black panther cub lying beside the animal skin. He approached and turned it over, meeting its red beast eyes. "Ancestral Orcs? From the Panthers?"

Ah Qing's surprise was understandable. Growing up in the Black Panther tribe, he'd heard of returning ancestors from older orc warriors but had never seen one. He always thought their tribe couldn't have an Ancestral Orc. Yet, here was a young cub before them.

The black panther cub glared at Ah Qing fiercely, then felt a chilling gaze from Lu Zhan, who still held Luo Zhen's wrist.

"Boil some hot water; Black Hunter's wound needs cleaning," Luo Zhen ordered the others, focusing on the immediate task at hand.

Lu Zhan and the others quickly got to work, prioritizing Black Hunter's treatment. Although the leg injury looked severe, it didn't affect the bones. With a limited supply of Tai Sui, Luo Zhen used a special crystal fruit he had cultivated.

While Jingguo repaired Black Hunter's body, there wasn't much more they could do to help him recover. Lu Zhan changed into dry clothes, and Luo Zhen forced himself to drink a large bowl of **** soup to fend off the cold.

Outside the cave, the wind weakened slightly, but the rain persisted. Small animals sought refuge inside, and the flame ants captured them, ensuring a steady supply of prey without the need for hunting.

Lu Zhan checked on Lu Yi first. Though they could barely communicate, Lu Zhan reached out and touched Lu Yi's head, eliciting a slight response.

"Thank you for protecting Zhenzhen," Lu Zhan praised, placing a small piece of nectared barbecue beside Lu Yi.

As Ah Chun served food, they exchanged information. However, not much was learned in just one night. The sudden attack by the black panther cub left them more concerned.

"He probably attacked you while seeking shelter from the rain," Lu Zhan remarked, casting a disapproving glance at the cub.

Possibly due to Lu Zhan's icy gaze, the black panther cub's tail shot up. A Si, who had been watching, saw the tail move and darted forward, biting it. The tail immediately drooped and fell, motionless.

Unable to see A Si behind him, the black panther cub could only stare with its bright red eyes. However, it couldn't even growl now, just maintaining the stare.

Luo Zhen nodded, "Could he be a returning orc from the Panther Clan?"

"When Black Hunter wakes up, we'll find out," Lu Zhan replied, "but it's rare to see a first-generation return to ancestors at such a young age..."

"Unless it's born that way, without undergoing transformation," Shan Qi added.

"Could they have failed in transformation? Maybe due to lack of food?" Ah Qing questioned. "But from what I've seen in the past two days, even if the tribe lacks food, the cubs don't seem malnourished enough to prevent transformation."

"Can you understand what it's saying?" Lu Zhan turned to Luo Zhen.

Luo Zhen shook his head. While he could understand the language of flame ants and staghorn horses due to prolonged exposure, he couldn't comprehend the speech of returning orcs.

Unable to glean any more information from the black panther cub, the exhausted group rested. The three orc warriors took turns keeping watch, while the others slept.

Before retiring, Lu Zhan tied the black panther cub's limbs with a rope and instructed A Si to keep watch. If the anesthesia wore off, A Si would bite it. Covered with animal skin to keep warm, the cub lay still.

Animal skins blocked the cave entrance, preventing cold wind from entering. Luo Zhen covered the lamps with skins, dimming their brightness.

The next morning, only Ah Chun was tending to the fire. She fed the black panther cub broth; it seemed hungry. The cub made no attempt to attack Ah Chun. With the anesthesia wearing off, A Si didn't use all its stored saliva, allowing the cub to regain some movement, like swallowing food.

However, when the black panther cub saw Luo Zhen approaching, it likely recalled the fight from last night. Still feeling the effects of the anesthesia, it winced as Luo Zhen neared, unable to even enjoy the delicious broth. Instead, it bared its teeth and growled at Luo Zhen, only to be bitten by A Si. Stiff and unable to swallow, it lay on the ground waiting for the anesthesia to wear off a bit before eating again.

"Where are A Zhan and the others?" Luo Zhen asked, unfazed by the black panther cub's behavior. A Chun smiled at Luo Zhen, slightly embarrassed, as she watched A Si move the cub aside. She then picked up a clean wooden bowl and offered it to Luo Zhen to eat.

"The leader is concerned about other returning orcs nearby, so he went to check," A Chun replied.

Nodding, Luo Zhen quickly washed up in a sunken pit nearby, gesturing for A Chun to set the breakfast aside while he checked on Black Hunter. Despite the bandage on his legs, Black Hunter's complexion looked much better than the previous night, suggesting he would wake up soon.

Feeling relieved, Luo Zhen stepped out of the cave. The flame ants still lined the cave walls, vigilant as ever.

The animal skins that once blocked the cave entrance had been removed, and the tall grass that might have concealed it lay flattened by the strong wind. Even standing inside, one could see outside. Though the wind and rain had ceased, the water in the grass remained, making it resemble a lake at first glance, with nearby weeds and trees.