Chapter 92
The night was deep, and the silent forest was tightly enveloped in thick darkness. The sky was pure black, with no bright moon and no shining stars. Standing on the grass and looking into the distance, he could only see the shadows of the crops in the fields swaying with the wind.
Twenty days, a full twenty days.
The third batch of pottery was fired, the sweet potatoes buried in the soil had sprouted, and the green rice in the fields had entered its growth period, reaching knee height. Everything in the tribe had improved with the passage of time, except for the tribe members who had gone out—they had yet to return.
With food and weapons, three beastmen and one sub-beastman, Chief Mu was not worried for the first few days. But after ten days, Chief Mu’s heart was immediately suspended. He couldn’t eat or sleep well, and he was anxious and worried every day.
They hadn’t brought much food, only two back baskets. Twenty days, it was probably all gone. What if they couldn’t find water and food on the way? What if they encountered a fierce beast?
Three beastmen with rich jungle experience and one sub-beastman who knew all the plants. They wouldn’t be bitten to death by wild beasts, nor would they starve to death. But all four of them were stubborn. What Chief Mu was most worried about was that the marks would disappear, and they would be unwilling to turn back, stubbornly walking forward, and finally getting lost in the jungle.
Worrying was also futile. He couldn’t help at all. Every day, he could only stand guard at the entrance of the tribe like a widower. Chief Mu walked alone on the grass with his hands behind his back, looking at the forest that had blended into the night, a long sigh escaping his lips.
It was getting late, and it was time to go back to sleep. Chief Mu reluctantly withdrew his gaze and was about to turn and walk back when, suddenly, a blurry black shadow flashed at the end of the field in front of him.
The long, thin black shadow was moving quickly in the night. At first glance, it looked like a human figure, but there was something more to it than a human figure. Chief Mu rubbed his eyes in disbelief and took a closer look. It was indeed a human figure, a human figure with a spear and a back basket.
The distance was too far, and the sky was too dark. At first, it was just a blurry shadow. But as the distance shortened, one, two, three… nearly twenty shadows appeared one after another at the edge of the distant field.
Chief Mu was stunned. He stood there for a few seconds before he realized what he was seeing.
Four people had gone out, and a group of people had returned. He had been a little worried that they were not his own people, but as the distance shortened again and his eyes, which had adjusted to the darkness, saw the tall and sturdy beastman in the lead, Chief Mu’s legs moved uncontrollably, and he ran like a gust of wind.
“Great Chief, Great Chief!”
Although he was usually a bit unreliable, he never messed up on serious matters. The image that Chief Mu had left on his tribe members was more of a steady one. But at this moment, this steady chief had no image to speak of. Like a child begging for food, he ran and shouted eagerly.
A loud shout broke the silence. The Great Chief, who was listening to Hong Yong introduce the crops in the fields, was taken aback and suddenly turned to look ahead. Through the night, he saw Chief Mu running towards him. The Great Chief handed the stone spear to Hong Yong and rushed out with the back strap.
He had thought it was a life-and-death parting, but he had not expected to see him again. The two chiefs were extremely excited. They ran towards each other under the night sky and finally met on the narrow ridge, hugging each other as if no one else were around.
A thousand words could not compare to a hug. The Great Chief put his arm around Chief Mu’s shoulder and patted his back heavily twice with his rough palm. He said nothing, but he had said everything. Everything was understood without words.
After a short hug, the Great Chief let go and looked at Chief Mu’s white hair, a deep sense of guilt in his eyes. “It’s been half a year, and your hair is almost all white. Brother Mu, it was my misjudgment that separated us. You’ve worked hard during this time.”
After a long separation, it was inevitable to be a little moved. Chief Mu rubbed his hot eyes and waved his hand. “It’s not hard. With the Lord Priest here, we’re living very well. I don’t have to worry about anything. It’s you, Wei. It’s only been half a year. How did you get so thin?”
The beastmen with back baskets came over one after another. As Chief Mu spoke, he looked into the crowd. The Great Chief vaguely guessed it, and his throat inexplicably tightened. He lowered his gaze to avoid his eyes.
What had to be faced had to be faced. The Great Chief let out a soft sigh and patted Chief Mu’s shoulder. “Brother Mu, your mate and son are not with us.”
Tears finally fell. Chief Mu’s shoulders trembled slightly. He wiped his face haphazardly and forced himself to stay calm. “It’s okay, it’s okay. I had already guessed it. Lin has a disease in his leg and can’t walk. His mother, his mother, couldn’t have run away with him…”
Half a year was enough to dilute the grief of losing a loved one. But seeing the Great Chief return with his tribe members, Chief Mu had a glimmer of hope again. The feeling of having his hopes dashed again was not good. Chief Mu stood there blankly, his eyes empty, as if his soul had been hollowed out.
The Great Chief also felt very uneasy. He gently patted Chief Mu’s shoulder and comforted him in a low voice, “It’s over, Brother Mu. Don’t be too sad. We are a collective. We are all your relatives.”
At these words, the beastmen who were standing by received the signal and came forward one after another, saying:
“Chief Mu, my father and mother are also gone. I’ll be your son!”
“Do you still remember me, Chief Mu? I’m Dou. You even held me when I was little.”
“And me, and me. We are all relatives. Don’t be sad, Chief Mu.”
“Chief Mu, I knew it. It’s really great that you’re still alive.”
…
It was late at night, but the camp was overcrowded, more lively than ever before.
The back baskets were put down, and the awakened squirrels came out of the back baskets one after another, changing back to their human form. And the tribe members who had gone to bed early in the tribe came out of their tree hollows, like a surging tide, and swarmed over.
They looked around eagerly, searching desperately. When they found their lost relatives and companions in the crowd, in an instant, excited cheers, surprised cries, and joyful sobs echoed in the camp.
The joy of a long-awaited reunion enveloped this land. Those who were lucky enough to find their relatives and companions hugged each other and recounted their experiences. The tribe members who had not found their relatives and companions could not hide their sadness, but they were also infected by this atmosphere, encouraging and cheering each other on.
So good. Hua Shi’an leaned against a large tree and looked at the camp. He took the opportunity to hold Mo Huaishan’s broad hand, his eyes filled with joy.
“Ahem!”
Just as their two hands were held together, a strange dry cough came from beside them. Hua Shi’an turned his head to see Chief Mu and the Great Chief walking towards them side by side.
The former’s brow was furrowed, his eyes fixed on their held hands as he muttered with some dissatisfaction, “What are you doing, what are you doing? There are still so many people here. What does it look like, holding hands?”
The latter’s face showed surprise. He looked at Mo Huaishan in disbelief and then turned his gaze to Hua Shi’an. “You, you are—”
“My heavens, Shi’an, what’s wrong with your arm?”
A cry of alarm interrupted the Great Chief’s words. Seeing the wound on Hua Shi’an’s arm, Chief Mu was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan, rubbing his hands and stomping his feet, spinning in circles.
More than ten days had passed, and the wound had basically healed. But when he had removed the army ant’s mandibles while resting last night, the wound had become a little red and swollen, and there was a row of not-so-big, not-so-small holes on the edge, which looked a bit ferocious.
It didn’t hurt much anymore. Not wanting to worry Chief Mu, Hua Shi’an moved his left hand for him to see and said with a smile, “I got a little injured by accident. It’s almost healed. See how flexible my fingers are? There’s nothing wrong at all.”
“What nonsense are you talking about? You injured your arm, not your fingers. Of course, they’re flexible.” Chief Mu glared at Hua Shi’an, his anger flaring up. He blew on his beard and then looked at Mo Huaishan, scolding him with a stern face, “What on earth are you guys doing? Didn’t I tell you before you left to protect the Lord Priest? You actually let him get so seriously injured. It will leave a scar!”
Mo Huaishan lowered his eyes and obediently admitted his mistake. “It’s my fault.”
“Oh, alright, alright.” Hua Shi’an laughed and tried to smooth things over. “I haven’t seen you in so many days. I miss you so much, Chief. Don’t you miss us? Don’t blame us for now. Let’s sit down and chat for a while.”
Chief Mu snorted. “I don’t miss you? I couldn’t eat or sleep well. I’ve grown a few more white hairs. And who’s it because of!?”
Hua Shi’an chuckled. “Because of us.”
“Chief, sit down and talk. You too, Great Chief.”
It was quite tiring to stand and talk. Chief Mu and the Great Chief sat down against a large tree.
It was clear that he had learned what had happened from the Great Chief. Chief Mu did not ask them how they had returned. As soon as he sat down, he started to ask Hua Shi’an how he had been injured and what had happened on the way.
He certainly couldn’t hide the encounter with the black bear and the anaconda. Hua Shi’an omitted some details and described the experience as calmly as possible, making the thrilling experience sound like a small scare.
They had been together for half a year, and Chief Mu had long known his personality of reporting good news but not bad. Although he spoke nonchalantly, Chief Mu heard the strangeness in his words. He stared at Hua Shi’an’s injured arm, his heart pounding with fear.
The Beast God had protected them. They had returned safely and had even brought back the lost tribe members.
The two chiefs had come over personally, not just for a chat.
The giant redwood tree was right opposite the grass. Chief Mu’s eyes lifted slightly, and he looked at the strangers on the grass through the night, his expression quite serious. “The Great Chief has told me about the Tree Shrew Tribe. They have shown kindness to our tribe. Since they are in trouble, we should help them if we can.”
“But Shi’an, there are only these tree hollows in the tribe. We can still squeeze in, but with more than a hundred of them, not to mention in the future, where will they live tonight?”
Hua Shi’an, who had long had an idea, smiled. “Have you forgotten, Chief? Didn’t we live in it when we first arrived in the Giant Tree Forest? That large tree hollow for several days. Some of them can change back to their beast form, and some can maintain their human form. They can just make do in the large tree hollow for now. We’ll teach them how to chisel tree hollows later.”
“Oh, right,” Chief Mu slapped his thigh. “How could I have forgotten? That tree hollow is not far away. I’ll have the beastmen take them there later.”
“Then what about after that? How do we arrange for them?”
In just a few dozen days, the Great Chief had developed a habit of asking Hua Shi’an for advice when he was undecided.
Hua Shi’an lifted his hand and pointed to the riverbank, which was shrouded in darkness. “You can’t see it at night. The other side of the river is the same as ours. There’s also a patch of grass. How about we let them live there?”
Chief Mu’s face showed hesitation. “Won’t that be too close? Will it be convenient for gathering and hunting? The pine forest is also on that side. When it’s time to pick pine cones…”
He didn’t finish his sentence, but everyone understood.
Before the crops were ripe, food still had to be obtained by gathering and hunting. With two tribes living on the same piece of land, how to distribute the resources was a problem.
Since they were already here, they couldn’t let them starve. Hua Shi’an stroked his chin and thought for a moment, then said unhurriedly, “We’ll divide them. For things that grow in patches like pine trees and chestnut trees, we’ll give them a portion of the trees. Let them make their own marks and pick them themselves when they’re ripe.”
“As for things like kudzu root, sweet potatoes, and wild vegetables that need to be searched for everywhere, it’s first come, first served. We’re familiar with the terrain and have some advantages, but if they find them first, we shouldn’t fight with them.”
Chief Mu: “Will that work? Although there are many plants in the forest and enough for us to eat for now, with more than a hundred people, if they gather day and night and strip the forest bare, I’m afraid we’ll all have nothing to eat in the long run.”
“Don’t worry, Chief. This trip not only brought back the lost tribe members, but also a lot of good things.” Hua Shi’an counted on his fingers for Chief Mu. “Wheat, glutinous rice, soybeans, peanuts… these are all delicious and filling foods. As long as we can hold on for a little longer, we’ll no longer have to run into the forest early in the morning and late at night, and we’ll no longer have to worry about food.”
“The reason why we’re so generous in sharing our territory with them is because all those seeds came from the Tree Shrew Tribe. We’re indebted to them. We should share when we should. We’re neighbors and also partners. We’ll have to face things together in the future. It’s definitely right to have a good relationship.”
“And they’re in an unfamiliar place. If they want to live here for a long time, they have to rely on us. They won’t go too far, they won’t gather day and night, and they certainly won’t fight with us for food.”
Chief Mu was convinced. He nodded and then asked, “What about hunting? There aren’t many prey in this forest to begin with. We see that they also have quite a few beastmen.”
Before Hua Shi’an could speak, the Great Chief spoke first, “I think we can do it like we used to. The two tribes can hunt together, and the final harvest can be distributed according to contribution and the number of participants, to avoid conflict.”
Hua Shi’an grunted in acknowledgment. “I think that’s fine.”
Chief Mu patted his butt and stood up. “Alright then, that’s what we’ll do! You’ve had a hard journey, and it’s getting late. Let’s go, let’s go. Let’s go back to our tree hollows and rest. Oh right, the tribe members have nowhere to sleep when they come back. We’ll have to squeeze in before the tree hollows are chiseled.”
Hearing this, a thought occurred to Hua Shi’an. He turned to Chief Mu and said, “Chief, Huaishan’s tree hollow can accommodate a few people. He can pack his things in a bit and let people live in it.”
“Pack his things?” Chief Mu sensed a bad omen and quickly asked, “Where is he moving his things to? If he gives up his tree hollow, where will he live?”
Hua Shi’an raised an eyebrow and smiled. “Of course, he’ll be living with me.”
“No!”
Before Chief Mu could speak, the Great Chief spoke first. The two powerful words even stunned Chief Mu. His surprise turned to bewilderment, and he looked at him with a puzzled expression.
Hua Shi’an and Mo Huaishan were also very surprised, not understanding why this unfamiliar chief was meddling in their private affairs.
Three pairs of eyes were staring at him. A trace of unnaturalness flashed in the Great Chief’s eyes. He coughed lightly into his fist. “You two shouldn’t have become mates yet, right? It’s not appropriate to live together now.”
It would have been better if he hadn’t explained. With this explanation, Hua Shi’an was even more bewildered.
Was there any special ceremony for beastmen and sub-beastmen to become mates in the tribe? No. They just moved in together if they were willing. It was simple and crude. One night and they were mates.
As if he were afraid the two of them would secretly live together, before Hua Shi’an could figure it out, the Great Chief waved his hand and quickly said to Mo Huaishan, “Let’s go, Shan. I’ll live with you tonight. You lead the way.”
Hua Shi’an: …………
