Chapter 2

After spending some time in the rabbit tribe, Ye Chuan’s health improved slightly—he was able to move around, but his fifth-tier strength was completely gone. It was as if his power had vanished all at once.

Ye Baizhi pondered this, her expression growing somber. Instinctively, she felt there was something suspicious about the situation.

“Big Brother, is Mother at home?”

Ye Chuan shook his head. “No, she went hunting with Uncle and the others.”

Ye Baizhi lowered her voice. “But Mother wasn’t feeling well these past few days—how could she still go hunting? Even the shaman said she should rest.”

Ye Chuan didn’t respond. He simply lowered his head. He understood all too well. Their mother just wanted to hunt more wild meat for his younger sister. His sister was too thin and had suffered too much. They all felt guilty about it.

Looking at her brother’s expression, Ye Baizhi could more or less guess what was going on. She was reminded of the apocalypse—of how her brother had sacrificed himself to protect her. Even though this world was primitive, filled with vast forests and untouched wilderness, it was far better than the post-apocalyptic wasteland.

In that world, finding fresh, natural food had been nearly impossible—most of the time, people had to rely on nutrient solutions.

The air here was pure, and the environment far exceeded that of the ruined future she had known.

This place wasn’t so bad after all. She could feel the love of her family surrounding her. Unlike in the apocalypse, where she and her brother had been each other’s only support.

After freshening up inside the house, Ye Baizhi changed into a new outfit.

Of course, the clothes here were still made of beast hides—very primitive. But she didn’t mind.

Since she had come to this world, she would adapt. And here, she had a chance to bring her brother back to life.

At that thought, Ye Baizhi’s mood lightened considerably. “Big Brother, don’t handle the beast meat like that—let me do it instead!”

In the household, whatever Ye Baizhi said, everyone listened.

Ye Chuan handed the wild meat in his hands to Ye Baizhi without hesitation. “Sister, just tell me what you need me to do.”

Ye Baizhi instructed, “Big Brother, help me prepare some clean wooden sticks—about this thickness and this length.”

Without hesitation, Ye Chuan nodded. “Alright.”

While he worked on that, Ye Baizhi used a stone knife to cut the wild meat. Although the tribe’s knives and other tools were made of stone, they were sharp and effective. She cut the meat into chunks, similar in size to grilled meat, though larger than what was common in the technological era. She had grown up in that advanced world, experiencing a wide range of cuisines and studying various cooking techniques. But as she grew older, the world had shifted from a technological age into an apocalypse, where resources became scarce. Getting ingredients or decent food had become difficult.

However, Ye Baizhi possessed wood-based abilities, allowing her to accelerate plant growth and food production. She also had a spatial farm, so even in the apocalypse, she had access to a variety of meals. Now, though, her abilities had reverted to their most primitive state. She needed to strengthen her power quickly, as a higher ability level would allow her to accelerate food production at a faster pace.

Still, in this beast world, resources were abundant, and food should be plentiful. She would need to explore the mountains and forests soon. She also had a storage space, though its current size was limited due to her weakened abilities. Fortunately, her farmhouse remained intact. Inside, she had preserved some supplies from the apocalypse. She retrieved some seasoning from it.

Ye Chuan worked swiftly, skillfully carving the wooden sticks to an even thickness and length, precisely as Ye Baizhi had instructed.

She skewered the cut meat onto the sticks and began grilling. As it cooked, she sprinkled seasoning over it. A rich, mouthwatering aroma soon filled the air.

A gentle breeze blew through the courtyard as the morning sunlight bathed everything in warmth.

Ye Baizhi looked up at the vast blue sky, breathing in the fresh air and soaking in the bright sunshine. She felt her mood lifting. Though this was a primitive beast world, she found herself quite fond of it. Thinking about all the ingredients and delicious foods she could prepare, she couldn’t help but smile.

Ye Chuan noticed the rare smile on his sister’s face and was momentarily stunned. Since she had returned, she had never smiled. Though he was puzzled, he dared not ask questions or speak carelessly. He knew that if he said something wrong, his sister would be unhappy. So he remained silent and continued whittling wooden skewers—working quickly and efficiently.

Meanwhile, Ye Baizhi tended the fire and grilled the skewered meat, sprinkling seasonings over them as she turned them.

The flames crackled, and the meat sizzled, slowly changing from red to a golden-brown hue, releasing an enticing aroma—crispy on the outside, tender inside. The smoky scent from the primitive firewood added a unique depth to the flavor.

Once the meat was thoroughly cooked, Ye Baizhi handed a skewer to Ye Chuan. “Big Brother, stop working for a moment. There are more than enough skewers—we won’t need all of them. Have some grilled meat first.”

The aroma alone was enough to make anyone’s mouth water.

Ye Chuan swallowed hard, his empty stomach growling. Yet, he lowered his head and kept working, not daring to look or ask for a bite. He never expected his sister to personally hand him food.

Caught off guard, he felt a surge of emotion but quickly shook his head and waved his hands. “No, no, it’s fine, Sister. I’m not hungry. You should eat—you need it more.”

Food was scarce, and as the eldest brother, he felt his priority was ensuring his sister ate well. Unfortunately, his rumbling stomach betrayed him, and Ye Baizhi immediately noticed.

“Big Brother, just eat. If you don’t, I’ll be unhappy.” She knew that was the only way to convince him.

Finally, Ye Chuan accepted the skewer. “Alright, Sister, don’t be mad.”

“I’ll find a way to go hunting soon.” Although he had lost his strength, Ye Chuan could still hunt smaller beasts.

Ye Baizhi suggested, “Big Brother, we can also gather some food.”

Ye Chuan lowered his voice. “Sister, the forest only has a few small wild fruits—not many. The tribe relies on hunting beast meat for food.”

Hearing this, Ye Baizhi suddenly realized that the beasts in the tribe seemed unaware that certain plants could be gathered and harvested for food.

Hunting was their sole means of survival.

That wouldn’t do—she couldn’t let her family go hungry. Her body was still weak, and she needed more nourishment. Recovering her powers quickly would also require proper sustenance.

Heading into the nearby forest to forage wasn’t practical right now—if they ran into the Snow Wolf King, they could end up torn apart.

After some thought, Ye Baizhi said, “Big Brother, eat some meat first to regain your strength. Then we can go to the river and catch some fish—oh, no, thorn beasts.”

Here, people called the fish in the river “thorn beasts” because most of them had sharp spines. The beasts of this world avoided eating them—not only were they difficult to eat, but they were covered in spikes. Yet, thorn beasts were actually a great food source—delicious and nutritious.

Besides, the river was close to the tribe, making it convenient to catch them. Not to mention, the fish here tended to be quite large.

Thinking of fish, Ye Baizhi’s mind filled with possibilities—fish meatballs, fish dumplings, grilled fish, pickled fish stew, braised fish… So many dishes she could make.

…

Meanwhile, in a distant cave, the Snow Wolf King awoke. After enduring a lightning tribulation, his strength had fully recovered, and a powerful aura radiated from him.

The surrounding beasts sensed danger and fled in haste.

By the time the Snow Wolf King’s subordinates arrived, they found the area completely frozen—every trace of life wiped out.

Their expressions shifted dramatically, realizing their king was furious.