Chapter 10

That night was the first time Zhuo Yan slept soundly since he had arrived. He didn’t have any dreams; the door latch at the cave entrance was securely fastened, and he lay on a stone bed that was covered with a large, soft hide, complemented by an additional fluffy and fragrant layer on top.

He felt safe, warm, clean, and comfortable.

Zhuo Yan had also washed his body, and as he lay there, the fatigue of the day melted away as if he were cradled by soft clouds. His sore and tired limbs felt light, and every inch of his muscles and skin was relaxed.

It felt so good!

With a better quality of sleep, he naturally woke up the next morning, full of energy. His first stop was the river to freshen up. The weather had already turned a bit chilly, and after splashing cold water on his face and brushing his teeth, he felt even more invigorated.

“Fortunately, we’re making wooden tubs today. I’ll be able to heat water for washing up in the future,” Zhuo Yan murmured to himself as he stood by the river, stretching and doing some exercises to warm up. His gaze, however, drifted unconsciously to the empty grasslands in the distance.

Zhuo Yan returned to roast two potatoes. Just as they finished cooking, he heard the voices of Qiao and the others calling from below.

“Zhuo Yan! Are you ready? We’re about to set off!”

It was Aman’s voice, and it was strange not to hear him calling him names like “the disliked beastman.” Zhuo Yan felt a little unaccustomed to this change. With this thought in mind, he quickly grabbed his vine basket, which contained his stone knife and the roasted mud beans, and hurried out.

“Alright, I’m coming down!” he shouted back.

When he reached the bottom, he met up with the others.

“Zhuo Yan, can Ada come to check out your door when we return this afternoon?” Qiao asked.

“Of course! Everyone is welcome to come and take a look,” Zhuo Yan replied cheerfully.

The group took a detour to cross the narrowest part of the waterway. The river was a bit cold, and Xiao Xian remarked, “Wow, it’s so cold!”

“It’s suddenly gotten a lot colder,” another one added.

“It really is cold,” Zhuo Yan agreed.

The group chatted casually as they walked.

Nearby, the beastman Ada said, “It might snow tomorrow.”

“Ah?” Zhuo Yan was surprised. Did it really come this quickly? While it was indeed quite cold, it didn’t seem to have reached the temperature for winter snow just yet.

However, the other companions took Ada’s words seriously.

Once they left the tribe, Ada led the way while Qiao walked beside him. Zhuo Yan and the others trailed behind, and Zhuo Yan quietly asked, “Are beastmen more sensitive to the weather? How does Ada know it’s going to snow?”

Aman replied, “I’m not sure, but every time it snows or when the weather is bad, my father seems to know about it too.”

“Exactly!” Xiao Xian nodded in agreement.

Zhuo Yan pondered, wondering if beastmen had some special method of predicting the weather.

Just then, Ada suddenly added, “Our sense of smell is very sharp, and we hunt a lot. You see, when we came, the grass was covered with some cold water.”

Zhuo Yan was taken aback.

Suddenly, he recalled that his hearing had improved significantly, let alone that of the beastmen. What he thought was “speaking softly” earlier was actually loud enough for Ada to hear! Fortunately, he was simply curious and hadn’t been speaking ill of anyone.

As they continued walking, the group became more observant. It was still early, and at first, Zhuo Yan thought that Ada was referring to dew. However, upon closer inspection, he noticed that the leaves of the wild grass were coated with a thin layer of ice that resembled snowflakes or icy crystals when rubbed between his fingers.

“So that’s what it is,” Zhuo Yan exclaimed.

“It really is icy water, so cool to the touch,” one of the others chimed in.

The group stood up, their fingertips still tinged with the chill of frost. Along the way, Zhuo Yan chatted with his companions about the weather, learning that light snow was expected ahead, which wouldn’t be too difficult to endure. They also discussed the fact that some beastmen had gone out hunting, but they hadn’t been able to catch any large game. However, there would likely be some guinea fowl and some smaller birds, referred to as “feifei.”

“When feifei appear, they usually come in flocks. They make a lot of noise, and those feifei can climb trees and are quite agile, making them hard to catch for just one person,” Ada added.

Zhuo Yan understood now.

He absorbed a lot of information about the habits of various animals, but his mind was particularly focused on the guinea fowl. They should be easy to catch, right? He wondered if they could be domesticated. At the entrance of his cave, there was a platform where he could potentially build a fence to create a chicken coop…

Ada turned to Qiao and said, “The wooden barrel project you suggested is a great idea.”

“That idea wasn’t mine; it was Zhuo Yan’s,” Qiao replied.

Ada looked at Qiao with gentle eyes and said, “Your friend is as smart as you are.”

Zhuo Yan couldn’t help but feel pleased, thinking, Hehe, I just got a compliment!

Aman and Xiao Xian couldn’t contain their laughter at the exchange. Qiao’s cheeks flushed lightly, showing a hint of embarrassment and joy, a lovely indication of romantic feelings.

While they were talking, they finally arrived at a large tree. Qiao asked Zhuo Yan which tree would be the right size. Zhuo Yan took a look and gestured to show the size of the barrel they needed, but he primarily focused on Ada—after all, he was the one putting in the physical effort today.

After hearing their discussion, Ada pointed to a fairly large tree and said, “This one will be just right for what you need, and we can take the leftover wood back for firewood.”

Zhuo Yan tilted his head back to gaze at the towering tree. It was indeed large enough; in addition to the water barrel, they could also make wooden basins and bowls. They could even split the remaining wood to take home as stools or firewood—such a big and tall tree!

He had already envisioned the future of this large tree with his eyes.

Then let’s chop it down.

This tree was quite robust, and even Ada wouldn’t be able to fell it easily in just a few swings. He first took out his stone axe and struck a few blows at the base of the tree. Wearing only a leather shoulder pad, the muscles in his exposed arms bulged with effort, noticeably thicker than the thighs of the several sub-beastmen standing nearby.

Zhuo Yan silently compared his own strength to Ada’s and fell silent.

Ada didn’t need their assistance. After about half an hour of intense chopping, the thick trunk was reduced to the size of a bowl in diameter. “You all need to move away from here and get a bit farther back,” he instructed.

Qiao led the others to step back. They watched as Ada placed one foot on the sturdy trunk and with a powerful shove, the entire tree came crashing down with a thunderous sound, hitting other trees nearby. The other trees shook but remained upright, as they were also quite sturdy.

“It’s done,” Ada announced, dragging the fallen tree to a clearing.

Now the group stepped forward, and all eyes turned to Zhuo Yan—what should they do next?

Zhuo Yan gestured to indicate the height of the tree, leaving some space for safety. “Let’s cut from here.” This tree was over ten meters tall, and the sturdy bottom section would be perfect for making wooden buckets. Each bucket would have handles approximately sixty to seventy centimeters high, which would definitely suffice.

After that, everyone divided the tasks among themselves. Zhuo Yan measured and marked the cutting lines, while Ada was in charge of chopping. Shitou and Aman took care of clearing the branches and leaves, and Qiao and Xiao Xian gathered the branches, setting them aside neatly and bundling them up. They planned to take them later in the afternoon to use as firewood.

Once the first tall stump was chopped down, Zhuo Yan began digging a hole. When he got tired, he switched places with Qiao and Xiao Xian, as Shitou and Aman were too strong; they were afraid their strength might accidentally break the wooden bucket.

“I just remembered something,” Zhuo Yan said, flexing his sore wrist. “I had considered assembling wooden boards together, similar to how I made the door at my home. We could use wooden wedges to secure them, and we could bind them with vines around the outside.”

Qiao asked, “What about the bottom?”

Zhuo Yan chuckled lightly, “I was also worried about how to make the bottom.” He began to gesture, illustrating his thoughts. “The wooden bucket tapers downwards, so the bottom will be narrower. If we piece it together to form a round bottom, we can then create a round wooden board to fit inside, which will hold it in place. But for that to work, the wooden board at the bottom needs to be sanded down very smoothly with no gaps to prevent any leaks.”

Given the tools they have now, making a proper wooden bucket does present some challenges.

Qiao understood and replied, “What you said makes sense. While it’s a lot of work, doing it this way will ensure it doesn’t leak.”

“Exactly, exactly,” Xiao Xian nodded in agreement.

Aman was still a bit confused; he didn’t fully understand, but that was okay. He could grasp the method for making the wooden bucket, so he remarked, “Zhuo Yan, you’re really smart now.”

Shitou nodded in agreement, affirming that Zhuo Yan had indeed come a long way.

Zhuo Yan decided to set aside the detailed plans for a proper wooden bucket for the future. He thought that if he could manage to get a plane tool and have better tools at hand, he could experiment and enjoy the process of crafting it himself later on.

“Can I try the next one?” Aman asked eagerly, seeing everyone else digging. “I promise I’ll be gentle.”

“Sure,” Zhuo Yan replied.

Shitou then looked at Zhuo Yan as well. Zhuo Yan felt a bit pressured but said, “It’s fine; everyone can give it a try. Just take it slow at first, and once you get a feel for the right amount of force, you’ll become skilled at it.”

Shitou’s face broke into a happy smile.

The third wooden stake had already been cut down. Qiao suggested that Ada take a break, as their progress in digging the holes was quite slow, and there was no need to rush.

Zhuo Yan and the others were nearby, giggling. Aman remarked, “Qiao is worried about Ada.”

“That’s only natural; Sister Qiao likes Ada too,” someone chimed in. Couples naturally care for each other.

Ada, who was sitting on a tree trunk across from them, smiled upon hearing this. He looked over at Qiao, who was also smiling. She took out some food from the vine basket and handed it to him. Ada shook his head, saying he wasn’t hungry, and added, “It’s getting cold; I’ll start a fire and take my time.”

“Alright,” Qiao replied, “I’ll help you.”

The young couple went off to start the fire, speaking in hushed tones as they chatted.

Meanwhile, Zhuo Yan and the other beastmen began working on the wooden bucket. Shitou and Aman, being stronger, tackled the initial rough version of the bucket first, digging out the middle part quite haphazardly. Zhuo Yan and Xiao Xian followed behind, refining the details, smoothing out the handles, the inner walls of the bucket, and removing the outer bark as well.

Once the fire was lit, they could place the bucket by the fire to dry it out a bit.

“Why do we need to roast it, Zhuo Yan?” Xiao Xian asked curiously. “We had to roast the wood when making the door, too.”

Aman and Shitou turned to look at him, but their hands didn’t stop working. Zhuo Yan explained, “The wood needs to dry out. Right now, the big tree still has moisture in it. If we often use wet wood for the bucket, it will start to mold and won’t last long. The water inside will also develop a strange odor. If it’s a wooden door, it might warp.”

“This time it was too rushed, so we didn’t handle it properly. Next time, when you make a wooden door, you need to cut the wood into planks and let them dry thoroughly in the sun before using them.”

“Oh, I see now,” Aman said, understanding.

Ada also took note and told Qiao, “After winter, once the snow melts, I’ll go find some trees, and we can make the door.”

“Sounds good,” Qiao replied, delighted that Ada remembered her words.

For the first time, they looked forward to winter with anticipation, hoping it would come quickly and then leave just as fast.

By noon, they had made three rough versions of wooden buckets. Zhuo Yan used a stone knife to carefully smooth out the curved walls and handles of the buckets. He then placed the buckets horizontally next to the fire pit, with Xiao Xian keeping an eye on them. After a while, they rolled the buckets around to help dry the insides.

In the afternoon, with practice comes proficiency. Shitou and Aman quickly mastered the strength and speed required for the task. By evening, they had crafted six wooden buckets from a tall tree over ten meters high. They were left with plenty of leftover scraps and a five-meter-long piece of lumber, which was clearly too large to take back. Everyone decided to bundle up the forked branches and take them home as firewood first.

Their arms were filled to the brim as they returned to the tribe, just as night fell.

“Zhuo Yan, we’ll come back tomorrow to check on your door and bring that piece of lumber with us,” Qiao said, her face beaming with happiness.

“Sure, see you tomorrow,” Zhuo Yan replied. He didn’t want to part with such a large piece of wood either; he had plans for a wooden stool and a table. Bringing this back to the cave would give him something to work on during the winter when there wasn’t much else to do.

That night, he hastily ate a bit of food and then fell into a deep sleep.

The next morning, a thick fog enveloped the area, and the temperature dropped significantly. Zhuo Yan wore a small leather vest and a leather skirt; to be honest, his legs felt quite cold. The group gathered below, rubbing their hands together for warmth, and Ada had joined them as well.

“The weather isn’t good. Let’s not stay outside for too long today,” Ada advised.

Ada was worried about Qiao, which was why he had come along.

The river water was really cold, almost bone-chilling. Zhuo Yan’s teeth chattered as he crossed. Once onshore, he rubbed his feet to warm them up. The group quickened their pace and stopped chatting. They arrived at the spot where they had left the lumber yesterday. Without a word, Ada immediately began chopping down a tree, which was thinner than the one they had used before, making the cutting process much faster. All five sub-beastmen were present, and Zhuo Yan received a piece of lumber about a meter long. This section was relatively thick, so it was naturally heavier.

On the way back, Ada helped Qiao carry her load. The others lent each other a hand as well; Shitou helped Xiao Xian by carrying for a bit, and Aman supported him. Just as they were nearing the tribe, snow began to fall from the sky.

“It’s snowing!”

“Let’s hurry back,” Zhuo Yan urged.

Once they reached the safety of the tribe, the group felt much more relaxed and could engage in casual conversation.

“I brought back a water bucket yesterday. My mother said I shouldn’t go out to play every day, but this morning, she said it was very useful. I told her that Zhuo Yan came up with the idea, which is why I didn’t go out to play,” Aman shared.

Xiao Xian nodded vigorously, her fluffy ears peeking out again. “Exactly! My mother praised Zhuo Yan for being so smart and said the water bucket I brought back was very useful. My brothers didn’t get any praise.”

They had planned to go see Zhuo Yan’s wooden door, but as the snow continued to fall heavier, Shitou, Xiao Xian, and Aman decided to head back first, worried that their parents might be concerned about them. Meanwhile, Qiao and Ada went to Zhuo Yan’s cave.

This was Ada’s first time seeing a wooden door. He had heard Qiao talk about it before, praising how amazing Zhuo Yan was. But to be honest, Ada wasn’t very convinced. He saw Zhuo Yan as just a small, underdeveloped sub-beastman who hadn’t yet reached adulthood. He was only willing to listen to Qiao because he trusted her, and since Zhuo Yan was Qiao’s partner, he decided to come along.

At that moment, Ada stood at the cave entrance, staring at the wooden door that could open and close with ease. His eyes widened in surprise, and his mouth fell open. After a long pause, Ada finally exclaimed, “Qiao, your partner is really smart! This wooden door is amazing!”

“Right? I told you! With this wooden door, my mother and your mother will be much safer inside the cave from now on,” Qiao replied, her joy evident.

Ada nodded earnestly and then turned to Zhuo Yan. “You’re really clever; there will be more beastmen like you in the future.”

Zhuo Yan thought: … I’ll take that as a compliment.

Qiao tugged on Ada’s arm and told Zhuo Yan that they would be leaving first. Zhuo Yan watched them depart, still able to faintly hear Qiao saying, “Zhuo Yan has a favorite beastman…”

Although Qiao didn’t finish her sentence, Zhuo Yan already understood. He realized he had feelings for a beastman; the white-haired fellow didn’t really count, just a beastman… So, when Qiao got stuck mid-sentence, it was clear she didn’t know how to continue.

Snowflakes floated down, and Zhuo Yan shivered as he stood at the entrance of the cave. Quickly, he stepped inside and closed the door behind him. He took a firestone and struck it to create a spark, being careful not to add too much firewood. Just one more stick to keep the fire warm was enough for now.

The bucket was still empty, but Zhuo Yan was exhausted. He planned to rest for a while to warm up before heading out to fetch water.

As the snow fell, night fell especially quickly. Zhuo Yan sat in front of the fire pit, working on a wooden stool. He noticed that the light was fading fast. Getting up, he glanced outside; it was already dark. It was strange because it was usually only around three or four in the afternoon at this time.

Zhuo Yan couldn’t afford to waste any time. He was out of water and couldn’t delay any longer.

Outside, amidst the swirling wind and snow, a scrawny white-haired figure staggered toward the tribe. The figure’s limbs swayed unsteadily as it approached, covered in injuries; one eye was even caked shut with dried blood. Stumbling forward, it was on the brink of death. The figure knew it had been wandering outside in a daze for too long, enduring unbearable pain and fatigue. It was barely able to hold on anymore…

If it were to die, it wanted to return to the tribe, to catch one last glimpse.

One last glimpse… of what? One last glimpse…