Chapter 20

Zhuo Yan carried a woven basket on his back and held a wooden bucket in his hand, firmly refusing to let A-Yin carry it. “It’s not just heavy,” he explained; “A-Yin isn’t tall enough, so the bucket would end up dragging along the ground if he tried to carry it.”

“We’re in no rush,” he continued, “when you’re older, you’ll have plenty of chances to help your brother.”

With that, A-Yin reluctantly gave up on carrying anything but decided to forge ahead, clearing the path by pawing at the ground to push away any hailstones in their way. He even came back now and then to nudge his brother’s waist with his head, doing his best to help.

Zhuo Yan could only respond with a wry sigh. He knew A-Yin meant well, but the whole situation was a little awkward.

Because they’d left in such a hurry, he was only wearing a vest over a short leather skirt, which kept riding up at the waist as A-Yin’s fluffy head bumped into his hip. To make matters worse, A-Yin’s fur kept brushing against his bare thigh, sending shivers up his spine.

Ah, stop it, stop thinking that way! he told himself, exasperated by his own thoughts, which were starting to make him feel like a bit of a creep.

Finally, they reached the cave. Zhuo Yan set down his load, his mind still distracted. With this haul—a full bucket and basket of fish—they’d have enough to last a month. “I refuse to believe we’ll still be in the dead of winter in thirty days!”

Zhuo Yan wiped the sweat off his brow, the warmth of his work making him overheat. He took a long gulp of cold water and then wiped the droplets from the corners of his mouth. “A-Yin, you stay here and keep an eye on things. I’ll go talk to Sister Qiao and the others about the situation.”

“Awuu, awuu!” A-Yin circled around him excitedly.

Zhuo Yan smiled, relenting. “Alright, fine. Let’s go together.”

He remembered the general location of the others’ homes from when they last shared some white-horned beef, so he headed in that direction. Worst case, he figured he could call out to find them once they got close. The path toward the tribe showed signs of recent travel by beastfolk, with compacted snow crunching underfoot and scattered hailstones making the footing tricky. As an Arisu, Zhuo Yan found the terrain a bit challenging.

A-Yin trotted faithfully behind him, sometimes darting ahead to pack down the snow and make the path easier, or coming up behind him to give a gentle push with his head, urging him onward.

Finally, they reached what looked like the spot—he hoped.

Here, the narrow pass between two cliff faces housed a few caves. Zhuo Yan couldn’t quite recall which one was theirs, so he called out, “Sister Qiao, Aman, Shitou, Xiao Xian! It’s Zhuo Yan!”

Almost immediately, an Arisu wearing a leather skirt appeared in the entrance of a nearby cave, her voice ringing out, “Zhuo Yan! I heard you and the white-furred one are pairing up?”

Her eyes fell directly on A-Yin, standing beside him.

So it really was true!

“The oldest Arisu in the entire tribe wouldn’t like that white-furred one, yet you actually like a beast that can’t even take human form—”

Zhuo Yan covered A-Yin’s ears, cutting off the other’s taunting tirade. “Not listening, not listening. Pig-snout humming,” he said, throwing the insult right back.

After a few seconds, the young Arisu across from him caught on and bristled, hands on his hips. “Zhuo Yan, are you calling me a pig-snout?!”

Good, glad he understood. Zhuo Yan flashed a smile.

“Just don’t insult A-Yin,” he replied smoothly. “That’s his name now—A-Yin. He’s my little brother.”

“Then I won’t call you a pig-snout,” he added with a shrug.

A-Yin squatted next to him, watching the young Arisu. The other seemed about to retort, when a loud voice called out, “Zhuo Yan, I’m here!” It was Shitou. Then came Qiao’s voice, followed by a glimpse of Ada’s figure.

Seeing all the new arrivals, the young Arisu shot a glare at Zhuo Yan and spat, “None of the beastfolk in the tribe like you!”

“Yes, yes, all the beastfolk like you,” Zhuo Yan replied, nodding with exaggerated agreement.

The young sub-beastman blinked, caught off guard. It sounded almost like a compliment, but something about it felt off. Being the tribe’s least-liked wasn’t exactly praise, after all.

Zhuo Yan, not wanting to argue further, patted A-Yin’s ear and turned to speak with Shitou and Sister Qiao. He gestured excitedly. “The hail cracked the river ice, and now there are tons of fish. If anyone is running low on food, they can go and catch some.”

“Really?” Shitou asked eagerly.

Qiao nodded, “Zhuo Yan wouldn’t lie to us.”

“Right, right,” Shitou agreed, lighting up with relief. Lately, his parents had been rationing their meat, saving as much as possible for him and his little sister. The fish Zhuo Yan shared last time had helped his family a lot, making things easier and even bringing a nice flavor to their meals.

Zhuo Yan quickly gave them directions to the spot and encouraged them to go soon. He even offered to teach everyone how to remove the fish’s bitter gallbladder, as last time, he had only shown Xiao Xian.

“…A-Yin and I will head back now. Could you let Xiao Xian and Aman know about the fish?”

“I’ll go!” Shitou volunteered immediately.

Qiao added, “I’ll take care of it. With Ada carrying me, we’ll get there quickly. You head home and bring a basket for the fish.”

“Will do.”

They split up to handle the tasks.

“Thank you, Zhuo Yan,” they called as they headed off.

“Glad to help,” he replied with a warm smile, giving A-Yin an affectionate scratch.

Zhuo Yan smiled warmly. “No need to thank me. I caught a lot—enough to last until winter ends.” He noticed that Shitou had grown thinner over the season, though Sister Qiao seemed to be holding up better; she was a bit leaner but not noticeably so.

It was clear Shitou’s family hadn’t had an easy winter.

Waving goodbye, Zhuo Yan headed home with A-Yin. As they walked, A-Yin trotted ahead to lead the way, but when Zhuo Yan called his name, he immediately ran back to his side.

It wasn’t just today’s snide remarks from that young sub-beastman. There were also the stares and comments from beastfolk who passed them by in recent days, sometimes carrying sub-beastmen on their backs and whispering as they went. Zhuo Yan didn’t need to guess what they were saying.

He could shrug it off, but A-Yin was still young, and he had already faced rejection so many times.

Walking slowly, Zhuo Yan gently patted A-Yin’s head and said, “People in the tribe don’t understand us, and we don’t need to care about their looks or words. If someone speaks cruelly, that’s on them; it’s not because you or I are wrong.”

He smiled, leaning down to meet A-Yin’s gaze. “The truth is, A-Yin is wonderful. I’m really fond of you, A-Yin.”

A-Yin’s blue eyes grew a bit misty, and he let out a soft whimper, rubbing his head against Zhuo Yan’s hand with an affectionate “awoo, awoo.” Zhuo Yan chuckled at the urgency in A-Yin’s voice and replied, “I know, I know. I’m pretty great, too. I understand.”

How confident he was!

His heart was strong, too. In the past, when he was a popular blogger, he had faced his share of unfriendly comments, but Zhuo Yan truly didn’t care. He held his own opinions and stood firm in his sense of justice.

As they made their way home, the two of them—Zhuo Yan and A-Yin—enjoyed a leisurely stroll, stopping occasionally to lean against one another, relishing the quiet companionship.

After a morning of running around without eating, they finally arrived at the cave. Zhuo Yan lit a fire and roasted some potatoes. He took a casual bite while preparing the fish. A little while later, A-Yin nudged him with a soft “awoo,” playfully biting his leather clothing before glancing toward the cave entrance.

“Have Sister Qiao and the others arrived yet?”

“Awoo!” A-Yin nodded eagerly.

Zhuo Yan set down what he was doing and walked to the entrance of their cave. Peering down, he spotted several tiny black figures far away on the river, confirming that Qiao and the others had indeed come.

“Let’s go down then. We can pour the fish bait out as well.”

Unbeknownst to him, Zhuo Yan had already processed most of the fish in the large bucket.

By the time he and A-Yin made their way to the riverbank, Shitou and the others had their baskets brimming with fish. They greeted each other warmly; Xiao Xian’s two older brothers were also there, along with Ada. Zhuo Yan swiftly set to work, demonstrating how to gut a fish. His hands moved with steady precision as he explained, “The gallbladder is located here—be very careful! If you cut it, the fish will taste bitter.”

The others gathered around, trying their hand at fish cleaning. Shitou was a bit too forceful and accidentally punctured the gallbladder. He looked regretfully at the fish in his hands but didn’t discard it; instead, he carefully cleaned out the entrails and placed them in his basket.

In winter, even bitter fish meat was too precious to waste.

When Aman saw that Shitou had cut the gallbladder, he approached with extra caution, holding his breath as he worked—but he, too, ended up making the same mistake.

“Hahaha, no worries! You two just relax and take your time,” Zhuo Yan laughed. “After all, with a whole basket of fish, there’s bound to be some good ones!”

Shitou and Aman, initially tense and anxious, couldn’t help but smile at Zhuo Yan’s laughter. His words eased their worries; even if they had to eat some bitter ones, there would surely be plenty of good fish among them.

Xiao Xian, who had a knack for handling fish, leaned in closer to Aman, chattering excitedly about where to make the cuts. He then gestured to Shitou, giving him pointers. Ever since meeting Zhuo Yan, he felt smarter and more capable, realizing that he could contribute just as much as Shitou and Aman, who were usually the strongest and most skilled.

Now he could help Shitou and Aman too.

The orcs present focused their attention on the fish entrails, and the air was a chilling mix of icy snow, fishy odors, and the metallic scent of blood.

“Let’s head back,” Ada spoke up first. “It’s getting late. And please toss the processed entrails a bit farther away.”

“Let’s go then,” Xiao Xian’s older brother added.

Although Xiao Xian’s second brother was somewhat reluctant to make the extra trip to dispose of the entrails, he reminded himself that these fish were generously provided by his brother’s friends, who had even taught him how to clean them without the meat tasting bitter. So, he transformed into his beast form, clamping down on the bucket filled with entrails.

As the group packed up their baskets, Xiao Xian waited patiently, clutching onto his older and second brother’s pelts. Daylight had noticeably lengthened compared to before; Zhuo Yan estimated it was around two or three in the afternoon. Given the past month’s experience, it should have been dark by now, but the sky was still overcast and gray. They knew they couldn’t afford to delay any longer.

It had been a while since they had all been together, and as they waited for Xiao Xian’s brothers to return, they engaged in lighthearted conversation.

None of them noticed the impending danger approaching. It was A-Yin who first sensed something was off. With a low growl, he leaped in front of Zhuo Yan like a frail flash of lightning, anxiously letting out a couple of warning growls.

The lighthearted conversation was abruptly interrupted.

Zhuo Yan hadn’t fully processed what was happening when Ada began to scan the surroundings. His gaze fell on the forest several dozen meters away, and he exclaimed, “It’s a bear! A black bear is coming!”

“Run!”

The riverbank was dangerously close to the forest, and nearby was a patch of berry bushes. Just as Ada shouted for them to flee, the ground trembled as a massive black shape, resembling a mountain, loomed closer under the overcast sky.

The black bear stood four to five meters tall, moving with incredible speed and roaring in a furious rage.

Without hesitation, Ada transformed into his beast form, positioning himself protectively in front of Qiao and letting out a deep growl.

Xiao Xian, still frozen in shock, wore a dazed smile from their earlier banter, but his eyes were wide with fear. Zhuo Yan grabbed Xiao Xian and shouted, “We need to move back! Leave everything behind!”

“A-Yin!”

A-Yin dashed forward, lowering his body into an aggressive stance as he growled. Despite his small size compared to the black bear, he showed no sign of fear. However, upon hearing Zhuo Yan’s voice, A-Yin turned away from the threat and sprinted back towards his brother instead.

“Let’s go! Qiao, we need to move! Ada will be affected!” Zhuo Yan urged.

Though Qiao was reluctant and worried, she understood that Zhuo Yan was right; they sub-beastmen wouldn’t be able to help much in this situation. Zhuo Yan sprinted towards their cave, each breath painful in his lungs, shouting, “A-Yin—A-Yin—notify the clan leader!”

A-Yin let out a worried howl, clearly anxious for his brother.

“Just go! Be careful!” Zhuo Yan insisted.

Thanks to Ada’s interference, the black bear hadn’t charged at them yet. From their vantage point on the hillside, they could see Xiao Xian and his brothers rushing towards the scene. Zhuo Yan pointed, saying, “Xiao Xian’s older brothers are heading over there, Qiao, look!”

Qiao spotted them, and her tension eased slightly; at least Ada wasn’t facing the black bear alone.

“A-Yin—”

Hearing his brother’s voice, A-Yin took off running towards the tribe, moving with incredible speed. He was determined to inform everyone quickly so he could return to protect Zhuo Yan.

“There’s another one!” Stone shouted suddenly.

This one was even larger.

What should they do now?

Qiao’s gaze was fixed intently on Ada, who had just been thrown aside by the black bear. Her heart raced as she watched another black bear charge forward.

“Ah—” Qiao couldn’t help but gasp. Her breath hitched until she saw Ada evade the attack, and Xiao Xian’s brother lunged at the bear in retaliation. Although Ada had managed to dodge, Xiao Xian’s brother took the brunt of the assault.

Tears streaming down his face, Xiao Xian called out for his older brothers.

The atmosphere was heavy with tension, punctuated by the sound of approaching footsteps.

“Help is coming,” Aman shouted, cradling Xiao Xian. “So many are coming!”

It’s going to be okay; they’re definitely going to be fine.

Five or six leopards charged in, their furious roars echoing in the air. Leading the charge was Ada’s mother, a fierce spotted leopard, followed closely by Xiao Xian’s father, as well as the fathers and mothers of Stone, Qiao, and Aman. They all sprinted towards the black bear, while amidst them, a flash of pure white dashed forward like lightning, showing no hesitation at all as it rushed toward Zhuo Yan.

A-Yin didn’t care about the battlefield; he only focused on his brother.

With the experienced adults joining the fray, the situation quickly became clear. The two enraged black bears found themselves at a disadvantage, now attempting to flee, but it was too late.

The massive shadows, each as imposing as a mountain, crashed to the ground with a thunderous sound.

Qiao sprinted forward, her heart racing as she noticed Ada appeared to be injured. She wasn’t sure, but she needed to see—

“Please don’t let it be true. Please don’t.”

Xiao Xian, moving with equal speed, rushed forward alongside her.

When Zhuo Yan and the others arrived, the other beastmen in the tribe, including the chieftain, had come out to assess the situation. The two black bears lay dead on the ground, and both Ada and Xiao Xian were injured. Some had wounds on their abdomens, while others had hurt arms. The adults had examined them and confirmed that none of the injuries were life-threatening; they would survive.

Next came the task of dividing the two black bears.

According to the tribe’s rules, if a patrol team discovered prey and killed it, the hunter who found the prey would claim it as theirs. They only needed to surrender a small portion to the tribe. This meant that the contributions of several adults, along with those of Xiao Xian and Ada, would be pooled together for division among their families.

However, after the elders listened to the accounts provided by Xiao Xian and Ada regarding what had transpired, one of the elders said, “In addition to what must be given to the tribe, Zhuo Yan and A-Yin will also receive their share.” Ada’s mother added, emphasizing the importance of acknowledging the contributions of the younger beastmen.

In the icy, snowy expanse, Ada’s mother wrapped herself in a single hide, her gaze solemn. After the fierce battle, there were still traces of blood on her cheeks and body, and her words carried significant weight.

Xiao Xian’s father nodded in agreement, and families from Shitou’s and Aman’s households chimed in as well.

“Yes.”

“That works.”

Zhuo Yan found it difficult to interject; the presence of the elder beastmen still radiated the chilling aura from the earlier conflict. Their formidable energy was so intense that he couldn’t even muster polite or humble words. Ultimately, he received a substantial portion of meat—around thirty to forty pounds.

Along with that, he also received half a bear skin, personally given to him by Xiao Xian’s father. The hide had been skillfully removed with sharp claws, and it was still dripping with blood; he had cut him off a large piece with a quick swipe.

Zhuo Yan was taken aback: “What?!“

“Everyone should head back now,” the chieftain instructed. “The patrol team will keep an eye near the river for the next few days. The ice chunks may have disturbed hibernating bears, so there might be more to deal with.”

The beastmen behind him observed the distribution of meat without fear of a beast tide; the cold and the icy landscape no longer seemed daunting. At this point, even the bravest beastmen had nearly exhausted the meat stored in their caves.

The meat submitted to the tribe would be distributed by the chieftain.

As the others began to clean the battlefield and eliminate the lingering scent of blood, they hurried back to their caves.

Zhuo Yan shouldered nearly forty pounds of meat while A-Yin carried a stack of hides. The two of them trudged home, their steps heavy. Upon arriving, they didn’t dare to rest; they needed to clear away the bloody smell they had tracked along the way.

The two bears, aside from being awakened by the hail, were likely drawn here by the scent of fish entrails left near the river.

Just to be safe.

“In our home, the weak and young are all we have. If we were truly ambushed, it would be disastrous,” Zhuo Yan remarked as he emptied a basket of ash, scattering it across the ground. A-Yin followed his brother, clearing away the snow in front of him to bury the scent.

A-Yin thought for a moment, then decided to assist his brother by relieving himself.

Hearing the sound, Zhuo Yan looked over and realized: What a clever idea!

“Wait for me, I’ll do the same,” he said.

A-Yin sneaked a glance at his brother.