The Primitive Adventures of a Chipmunk 78

Chapter 78

He tore open the blackened outer skin from the charcoal fire, and the soft, golden, and bright sweet potato flesh came into view. It was still warm, and the hot steam carried a fragrant aroma that lingered in his nostrils. Hua Shi’an’s lips parted slightly, and he took a large bite. His listless eyes instantly lit up.

Sweet and soft, with a charred fragrance, one bite was sweet to the core.

There was no need to chew. It melted with a gentle bite.

He had finally eaten the sweet potatoes he had been longing for, but Hua Shi’an had no time to savor them. Because on his left, Hong Yong was sitting on the ground with a bowl, alternating between bites of beef offal and words, vividly recounting their discovery in the forest that day.

“Just after noon, we found a herd of horned herbivores in the forest. It was a new kind of beast that we had never seen before. We were preparing to hunt as usual, but the beast was timid and extremely alert. It discovered us before we could even make a move and ran away without looking back.”

Chief Mu was extremely curious and interjected at an inappropriate time, “What did it look like?”

He stuffed a large piece of crispy beef tripe into his mouth. Hong Yong chewed and swallowed, then spoke again, “It had yellow fur with white spots, and some of them had horns on their heads. They weren’t like cow or sheep horns. They were messy, like tree branches. Do you recognize them, Lord Priest?”

The characteristics were too obvious. Hua Shi’an nodded. “Sika deer. They are naturally alert and very timid. They run away at the slightest disturbance, and they run very fast.”

“That’s right, that’s right. They run very fast.”

Hong Yong’s eyes widened, and he nodded repeatedly in agreement. As he spoke, he sighed again, his eyes filled with the regret and annoyance of having missed the prey. “It was such a large herd of beasts. Of course, we weren’t willing to let them go, so we chased them. But we couldn’t catch up, we couldn’t catch up at all. That thing runs too fast. We couldn’t even catch up in our beast form!”

“The herd of beasts had disappeared. Just as we were about to give up, we realized that the surrounding environment had become a little different. There were almost no giant redwood trees, and there were many strange trees and many plants we didn’t recognize.”

“We were so focused on chasing the herd of beasts that we accidentally ran into an unexplored area. We didn’t have time to make marks on the way. I was afraid of getting lost, so I wanted to turn back as soon as I realized something was wrong. But just then—”

He suddenly paused at a critical moment. Hong Yong had the potential of a storyteller.

Chief Mu was so anxious he was scratching his head. He elbowed him. “Don’t keep me in suspense. Hurry up.”

Hong Yong grinned and continued, “As I was turning back, I saw the tribe’s mark on the trunk of a nearby tree. At first, I thought a meticulous beastman had just carved it. But upon closer inspection, the mark was not fresh. The bark at the edge had already grown back. It definitely wasn’t just carved.”

“Hiss, are you sure you saw it clearly? Was it really the tribe’s mark?” He stopped eating. Chief Mu was dazed, his expression becoming more and more solemn.

Hong Yong was very certain. “It was crystal clear, Chief. For such an important matter, we wouldn’t just look at it once. We confirmed it again and again. A small water droplet, narrow at the top and wide at the bottom. It was indeed a mark that only the tribe members knew.”

“We really didn’t see it wrong. We also saw it. It was indeed the tribe’s mark,” Yan Qiuyu, who was busy gnawing on a sweet potato, wiped his mouth and added, “And after we saw the mark, we continued to walk forward. There was a mark every certain distance.”

Hong Yong continued his words, “We followed the marks for a long way. The surrounding vegetation became more and more lush, and we never reached the end. Finally, as the sky gradually darkened, we didn’t dare to delay. We left a new mark next to the original one and then returned the way we came.”

“It was already dark when you came out?” The more Chief Mu listened, the angrier he became. He glared at him and snorted coldly. “You’re quite bold, Hong Yong. You dared to run so far without any preparation. What if you couldn’t get out before dark? Have you ever thought about the safety of the hunting team?”

Knowing he was in the wrong, Hong Yong’s eyes drooped, and his lips were pressed into a straight line.

“Oh, Chief. Didn’t they come back safely?” Yan Qiuyu laughed and tried to smooth things over. “Let’s not dwell on this. The most important thing now is that the marks were very likely left by our tribe members. Our relatives, our companions, they are not dead. Perhaps, just like us, they are living well in some corner of the forest!”

The guilt that had just appeared vanished. Hong Yong held his bowl in one hand and clenched his other into a fist, his gaze gradually becoming firm. “That’s right! It was very chaotic that night. Everyone was fleeing for their lives. We just got separated by accident. They must still be alive. They are also in the Giant Tree Forest. Those marks are the best proof.”

“Chief, I want to go and find them. It’s best to go tomorrow.”

He couldn’t find them when he was looking. Just as he had finally decided to give up, he saw a glimmer of hope. Chief Mu also wanted to seize this glimmer of hope, but he was afraid, afraid that it would be a fruitless effort, afraid that his hopes would be dashed, and that he would be happy for nothing.

He didn’t dare to make a hasty conclusion, let alone a rash decision. Chief Mu let out a soft sigh and looked at Hua Shi’an for help. “Lord Priest, what do you think?”

Hua Shi’an, who had been called upon, was taken aback. He reluctantly put down the bowl and chopsticks he had just picked up and, resting his chin on his hand, analyzed unhurriedly, “We have to look, we definitely have to look. The tribe’s mark is not simple, but it’s not complicated either. Qiuyu said there were marks all along the way, like a guide. It’s very likely that they were left by the separated tribe members.”

“But the edges of the marks have already grown back, which means the marks have been there for some time. I’m guessing they were left when they passed by before. They may not be living in that area, and they may even be very, very far away.”

“We have to look, but we can’t be in a hurry. We have to have a plan.”

He seemed to agree with this very much. Hong Yong’s brow furrowed tightly, and his breathing became rapid and heavy. “Those are our companions and relatives. We can’t let go of any possibility. No matter how far, we have to go and find them! Every day we delay is another day of danger. We must set off as soon as possible.”

Concern leads to chaos. Even the most rational and steady captain of the hunting team had lost his composure.

Hua Shi’an picked up another roasted sweet potato from the ground, slowly peeled off the skin, and let out a sneer. “Go, go now. No one is stopping you. The lives of more than a dozen beastmen of the hunting team are in your hands. If you encounter danger, just run. If you can’t outrun it, then so be it. If you’re hungry and can’t find anything to eat, just open your mouth a little wider. The northwest wind is very filling.”

Even the most obtuse person could tell that this was sarcasm. The air froze for a moment. Yan Qiuyu, who was eating meat in large mouthfuls, froze, not daring to chew. Hong Yong bit his lower lip, and his heavy breathing gradually weakened.

“Alright, alright.”

Chief Mu stood up to be a peacemaker. He patted Hua Shi’an’s shoulder and forced a not-so-good-looking smile, comforting him in a hoarse voice, “Don’t be angry, Shi’an. He’s just worried about his relatives and is a little impatient.”

Hong Yong took the opportunity to back down. He coughed lightly and looked up at Hua Shi’an. “Don’t be unhappy, Lord Priest. I was too anxious. Can you help me come up with a plan? How should we look for them? When should we go?”

He wasn’t angry, just a little unhappy.

They cared about their relatives and companions, and Hua Shi’an also cared about this group of companions he had been with for half a year. The deeper the forest, the more dangerous it was. If they rushed in without any preparation, they wouldn’t even know how they died.

His attitude of admitting his mistake was good. Forget it.

Hua Shi’an raised an eyebrow and met Hong Yong’s gaze, his words no longer sarcastic. “You also said just now that that dense forest is different from the area around the tribe. What if there are large, fierce beasts? What if we can’t find food? We have to prepare enough food and some weapons for self-defense. I suggest we set off in a couple of days.”

“We’re going to look for people, not to hunt. We don’t need the entire hunting team to go. The more people, the more we consume, and the more food we have to carry. It’s better for two or three people to travel light. The speed will be even faster.”

After listening to every word, Hong Yong had completely calmed down. He stroked his chin thoughtfully and nodded. “The Lord Priest is more thoughtful than I am. Indeed, we have to prepare in advance. But won’t two or three people be too few? If we really encounter a large, fierce beast, two or three people will be powerless.”

You really want to fight back? Hua Shi’an glanced at him. “Let me say it again. We’re going to look for people, not to hunt. The first reaction when you encounter a large, fierce beast should not be to fight, but to flee. Use our smaller beast form to climb to the treetops, burrow into the bushes, and hide in the forest.”

Tigers, lions, leopards… for this kind of large carnivore, even if more than a dozen beastmen went up against them, it was not certain who would win or lose. Even if they were lucky enough to win, they would inevitably be injured.

Their weak beast form meant they had no capital to fight against fierce beasts. Being cautious was the way to go.

Hong Yong grunted in agreement and looked around.

It was clear that he was considering who to take with him.

Yan Qiuyu shot up and, in three big steps, came to Hong Yong’s front, saying with great urgency, “Take me, take me. I have to go. You know, Brother Yong, my mother is also missing.”

“Brother Yong, I want to go too!”

“Count me in!”

“Brother Yong, take me with you. I want to find my little sister.”

…

It was no exaggeration to say that almost everyone had lost a relative in that disaster. They had seen a glimmer of hope in their despair and were eager to reach out and hold on to it.

It was a difficult choice, but Hong Yong quickly made a decision. “Yan Qiuyu is one. He’s agile and runs fast. Mo Huaishan is another. He’s tall and strong. And finally, me. The rest of you will stay in the tribe and work hard. Wait for our good news!”

“And me. I want to go too.”

Another voice came from beside him. Hong Yong “tsked” impatiently and was about to get angry when he turned to see that the person who had spoken was Hua Shi’an.

Before Hong Yong could speak, Chief Mu slapped his thigh. “No! You said it’s very dangerous. Why are you joining the fun? Stay in the tribe for me. You’re not allowed to go anywhere!”

The beef offal was getting cold. Hua Shi’an picked up his bowl again and smiled at Chief Mu nonchalantly. “Plants. The environment is different, and the plants that grow in the jungle are also different. To expand our diet, I have to go on this trip.”

Hong Yong was anxious and quickly tried to persuade him, “Shi’an, you don’t have to go on this adventure with us. If you want plants, we’ll pick them for you. We’ll pick all the plants we don’t recognize and bring them back for you to identify.”

That would be too much trouble. Hua Shi’an shook his head without even thinking. “Don’t try to persuade me. I’m definitely going on this trip. Don’t worry about me causing trouble or slowing you down. I can stay in my beast form the whole time and stay in the back basket.”

“Shi’an, this—”

“The food is getting cold. Hurry up and eat. Rest early after you’re done.”