Chapter 42

Four days later, the tribe leader and the hunting team returned.

This time, they had traveled far—four or five days, in fact—and instead of bringing back their prey on their shoulders, they had used vines to drag the animals back.

When the tribe signaled their return with rhythmic ‘bang-bang-bang’ sounds from the drums, excitement buzzed through the air.

The beasts took turns picking up their share of meat. Zhuo Yan was in the first group, along with Shi Tou and Xiao Xian. Qiao Jie and Aman stayed behind at the kiln factory, keeping watch. Although the first pottery firing had been successful, the beastmen there worked meticulously. If there were any uncertainties, they’d come ask Zhuo Yan for guidance.

Zhuo Yan delegated tasks to his companions. Molding pottery was Qiao and Xiao Xian’s job, while firing and charcoal making were Shi Tou and Aman’s responsibilities. If they couldn’t figure something out, they’d come to him. So, when it came to collecting meat, they also took turns.

Leading the first group to the tribe’s square, Zhuo Yan was met with a sight that left him speechless.

“!!!” What on earth was that?!

Zhuo Yan’s jaw dropped. “Is… Is that a dinosaur?”

“No, no, Brother Zhuo Yan,” Xiao Xian said with a grin, eyes gleaming with excitement as he pointed at the strange creature. “That’s a short-legged beast. It’s delicious!”

“And the bones are really useful too,” Shi Tou added, “These bone knives are harder than stone.”

Zhuo Yan was still in shock, unable to close his mouth.

This enormous creature looked like a dinosaur—able to stand and walk, but also capable of running on all fours. Its front legs were short and could lift up—though it had wings on its back, they were too small to allow it to fly.

Overall, its appearance was something Zhuo Yan hadn’t seen before, despite his extensive knowledge of dinosaurs from watching movies and studying fossils. In size, it seemed somewhat similar to a mammoth… maybe?

The mammoth from before had been too dark to fully appreciate, and by the time they’d killed it, Zhuo Yan hadn’t realized how big it actually was. He just remembered that he and A-Yin had shared more than fifty pounds of meat from it.

“The salt exchange team is about to leave. The tribe leader worked hard to catch this short-legged beast. Its bones and teeth are incredibly tough, perfect for making small bone knives,” Shi Tou explained. “The feathered people are small and weak. Their claws and beaks aren’t very strong, so they love using bone knives for cooking and cutting.”

Xiao Xian huffed in annoyance. “Our four tribes from the grassland and forest send them our best treasures every year just to get more salt in return. They’re so picky! All we ever get are skins, and we can only trade for a little salt.”

Trading for salt was the most important thing in the tribe. Personal salt exchanges were small, but the collective salt distribution—along with the salt given by the tribe leader—made sure their cave was well-stocked. If they relied only on collective trading, they needed something substantial to offer in exchange.

Last year, the tribe had not been well-prepared and had not received much salt.

“My dad told me, those feathered people just care about looking good. They dress up in fancy clothes and wear accessories, and they love dancing. Every year they fly to the coast, and then it’s all about trading salt. They live off what we give them,” Xiao Xian said angrily.

He felt like they were getting ripped off.

Zhuo Yan raised an eyebrow. “But those feathered people still have to fly over the plains and forests to reach the coast, carrying the salt back with them. They also have to prepare things in exchange when trading with the sea people.”

Xiao Xian pouted, clearly unhappy. He thought Zhuo Yan was defending the feathered people. After all, last year, despite the great skins his mother had prepared, they were still rejected.

“Still, we four tribes are all dependent on those feathered people for salt. The whole trade is one-sided. They get to choose what they want, and we’re forced to provide it. It’s such a scam,” Zhuo Yan said, not denying that the feathered people worked hard, but pointing out the imbalance in the trade relationship. If things continued this way, the four tribes wouldn’t be able to grow and prosper.

Markets should be free, with everyone happy to exchange goods.

Hearing Zhuo Yan’s point, even though Xiao Xian didn’t understand every word, he grasped the meaning and nodded in agreement. “It wasn’t like this before.”

“Uncle said it used to be a lot better,” Shi Tou added. “The eagle people were fierce. In the past, other tribes would go to the coast and trade a single skin for a bag of salt. Now, the eagle people control most of the market, and it takes three skins for just one bag of salt.”

Zhuo Yan: It sounds like those eagle people aren’t just taking advantage of the four tribes; they’re also bullying the feathered people internally, slowly monopolizing everything.

“Truly despicable.”

Xiao Xian and Shi Tou nodded in agreement. It was indeed infuriating.

The beastmen were preparing to slaughter the short-legged beasts, and Zhuo Yan couldn’t bear to watch. Just then, the tribe leader spotted him and approached to ask about the pottery.

“The first batch of sixty pieces is done, and the second batch of pottery bowls should be ready to come out of the kiln by tonight,” Zhuo Yan reported. “As for the pottery bowls and water jugs, each cave has two bowls and one jug, but they haven’t been distributed yet. We’ll wait for your instructions, Tribe Leader.”

The tribe leader nodded, his eyes meeting Zhuo Yan’s. “You’ve kept a good count.”

Zhuo Yan was momentarily flustered, unsure how to respond. The tribe leader’s gaze was penetrating, as if seeing right through him, or perhaps like he knew nothing at all. He spoke again, “The salt exchange team will be leaving soon. I’ve heard that pottery is easily broken and hard to transport, but I still want to bring some.”

“We could weave grass mats to cushion them,” Zhuo Yan suggested, eager to discuss the topic. “I could try and see how best to pack them.”

Since Zhuo Yan couldn’t carry them himself—there was no one at home to help—he was planning on having Qiao Jie carry them instead. But for heavier items like these, it wasn’t ideal. If they worked together as a tribe, however, things could be handled better.

“The feathered people don’t need such large pottery. They prefer smaller items,” the tribe leader added.

Zhuo Yan made a note of that. Smaller items would be easier to carry and trade.

Once the business was done, the short-legged beasts were butchered—skinned, and their bones and teeth removed. The wings, as the tribe leader explained, could be dried and ground into powder.

“A Lei’s beast father has bad legs. He can drink this,” the tribe leader explained.

Zhuo Yan immediately understood. The tribe leader had taken the hunting team on such a long journey to catch the short-legged beasts, not just to trade for salt but also to help A Lei’s father. The beastmen, especially those skilled in hunting, were precious resources for the tribe. If they fell ill or died, it wouldn’t be long before the tribe weakened and began to decline.

After all, orcs and sub-beastmen didn’t reproduce very quickly.

Naturally, Zhuo Yan didn’t think the tribe leader was acting purely out of self-interest. Although the leader was often quiet and stern—sometimes harsh, as A Hui had once mentioned, especially when it came to hunting or overseeing pottery making—he cared about all the tribe’s affairs. Even last winter, when he helped divide the meat, the tribe leader had told him, “If it’s not enough, go to the big cave. Your uncle will bring you some more bones for meat.” That was his way of looking out for him.

Behind the tribe’s development, there was warmth as well.

Once Zhuo Yan and the others returned with the meat—at least sixty pounds, which was far too much to finish—Zhuo Yan marveled at the size of the short-legged beast. It was even larger than the mammoth calf. Yet, as Shi Tou explained, this was still a short-legged beast calf.

“…It’s huge,” Zhuo Yan could only say.

“There’s so much meat. If we can’t finish it, it’ll go to waste. I wish we had some salt,” Xiao Xian lamented.

Zhuo Yan thought for a moment. “What if we dried it, or roasted it like jerky?” he suggested. “We can dry out the meat, like dried vegetables—just without the salt or seasonings. Once it’s dried, we can make soup next time.”

“Zhuo Yan, what do you mean?”

“Just like firing pottery, we can take the soft meat and make it tough—like the dried wild vegetables I’ve been drying out. If we leave the vegetables fresh, they spoil quickly. But if we dry them out, they last much longer.”

“Let’s give it a try when we get back.”

With that, Zhuo Yan and Shi Tou quickened their pace. The other sub-beastmen, walking behind, whispered in awe: “Did you see that? Zhuo Yan was talking to the tribe leader.” “Yeah, I saw. Zhuo Yan isn’t scared of the tribe leader at all!” “I’d be too scared,” one of them murmured.

“Zhuo Yan is amazing.”

That was the gist of their conversations.

Today, they were preparing the first batch of pottery bowls. Zhuo Yan figured that all the caves now had enough basic items—two large bowls, one water jug, and one pot. Moving forward, they’d focus on making smaller items for trading at the feathered people’s market. From what Zhuo Yan had heard, they liked beautiful, delicate things, so he planned to add some patterns to the pottery.

He also considered weaving soft grass into the pottery to make it easier to carry.

Back at the cave, Zhuo Yan placed the meat in a cool spot and discussed the size of the pottery with Qiao and the others. “The tribe leader said the feathered people don’t need such large items. The journey is long, so I’m thinking of making a smaller version of the pot. It will be practical for cooking and boiling water.”

He could also make some smaller bowls.

Before long, the first batch of sub-beastmen returned to their caves to store the meat. They naturally brought back some meat and immediately got to work, while the second group went to collect more.

While working, Zhuo Yan cut a piece of meat and placed it by the kiln, hoping that A-Yin wouldn’t return with more prey. Otherwise, he would really have to deal with too much meat that day. But it could be pan-fried in oil for preservation, though that would make it greasy.

Thankfully, A-Yin and Ah Tou returned, their fur fluffed up and covered in dirt. A-Yin had no injuries and hadn’t brought anything in his mouth.

Zhuo Yan let out a sigh of relief.

“I’ll check and see what’s going on.”

A-Yin raced over to his brother, wagging his tail, then rolled on his back, exposing his belly for inspection. Ah Tou, from a distance, stared in shock, then hesitated, circling before walking away.

This A-Yin was very different from the one who fought outside, Ah Tou thought.

“Good, no injuries. Go eat. I’ve already divided up the meat. The tribe got a lot today. Eat your fill, but don’t overeat. I’ll find a way to dry some of it,” Zhuo Yan said.

A-Yin didn’t go to eat right away. Instead, he nudged his brother’s leg with his nose. Had he eaten yet?

“You see, I’ve left some by the kiln to dry,” Zhuo Yan explained.

Only then did A-Yin run off to eat.

Zhuo Yan asked, “This meat is from the short-legged beast. Xiao Xian said it’s delicious. How does it taste?”

A-Yin hadn’t noticed the difference before, but after his brother’s question, he slowed down, tasting carefully. After a moment, he gave a satisfied yowl—delicious!

Before Zhuo Yan could take a bite, he was curious. As he watched the meat crackling on the grill, the surface slightly crispy and golden, he couldn’t resist. He grabbed a piece and brought it to his mouth, his eyes lighting up.

“It’s really delicious.”

The meat wasn’t greasy or tough; the outside had a slight char, and when bitten into, it carried a hint of creaminess with a touch of saltiness—

“Saltiness,” Zhuo Yan looked at A-Yin. “Can you taste the salt?”

A-Yin lowered his head and chewed another big piece. Frowning, he tasted it carefully. “Yes, brother, I can definitely taste it.”

“This short-legged beast must be a herbivore. The texture is a bit like a mammoth, though the mammoth is drier and lacks the creaminess.”

Zhuo Yan wasn’t planning to roast more now. He’d hold off until the next batch of pottery was done, and then he’d roast the meat with everyone. After all, he wasn’t hungry yet.

As the night fell, the tribe leader arrived, and the elder uncle reminded Zhuo Yan that it was time. It seemed the tribe leader had timed his return just right.

Zhuo Yan eased the fire and let it cool.

Some of the young beastmen took a piece of burning charcoal aside. Zhuo Yan said, “Once the kiln is done, if you’re not tired or hungry, we can have roasted meat.”

Everyone nodded eagerly; there was so much meat today.

Opening the kiln and retrieving pottery.

One after another, the large-bellied pots were neatly arranged.

Despite it being their second time using the kiln, the hardworking young beastmen were still thrilled. This time, the tribe leader directly said: “Tonight, each household will get two bowls, one pot, and one kettle.”

“If it’s not enough, we’ll fire more after the salt team leaves.”

“You’re in charge of distributing, Zhuo Yan. You don’t need to wait for me to come back.”

The tribe fell silent in acknowledgment as the sounds of approval rang out: “Okay,” “Got it, Chief,” “We understand,” “We’ll listen to Zhuo Yan.”

Before the tribe leader left on his hunt, the area where Zhuo Yan jokingly called the “kiln factory” was divided into two big sections: one for the charcoal kiln and the other for the three pottery kilns. Now there was a wooden shelter built under the shade of a tree, where Ada, Rain, Gray, and Ah Tou had worked.

The shelter was organized like a tiered staircase, with wooden boards stacked and pottery arranged neatly.

The tribe leader glanced at the shelter, trusting that the pottery task could be left in Zhuo Yan’s capable hands.

“Take the pottery home first. The salt team leaves in ten days,” the tribe leader said.

Everyone understood and agreed.

The tribe leader was in charge of distributing the meat, while this time, he left the pottery distribution to Zhuo Yan. The message was clear—he was giving Zhuo Yan support, reinforcing his confidence.

Zhuo Yan assigned Qiao to handle the kettles, Aman the bowls, and Shi Tou the pots. As for Xiao Xian—

“You’re the overseer, so just keep an eye on everything, remember who’s getting what, and make sure there are no mistakes.”

Xiao Xian was thrilled and nodded eagerly, feeling that his role was important. And indeed, it was—he had a great memory for names, though no one was getting two sets of pottery for their cave.

Before long, everything was distributed.

The group scattered to head home, the young beastmen carefully cradling their pottery. Some were accompanied by their parents, and the playful cubs wanted to hold their pottery too. The adults warned them with a stern voice, “If you break this, I’ll smack your butt,” or “Don’t touch it, stay away from it. You can play with the stone pot when we get home.”

The stone pots, once forbidden to touch, were now allowed to play with.

The tribe leader also took his pottery and left with his mate. It was only then that Zhuo Yan realized that the elder uncle was the tribe leader’s partner.

“… Why didn’t you tell me?” Zhuo Yan turned to the others.

Shi Tou looked confused. “Everyone in the tribe knows.”

“Yeah, come on, Zhuo Yan, what are you even saying?” Aman added.

Zhuo Yan scratched his head. “Haha, I was just messing around.” Then he quickly changed the subject. “Hey Xiao Xian, what was up with your eyes just now? You kept blinking and staring at me. I forgot to ask earlier.”

Before Xiao Xian could respond, Aman jumped in. “You ask him? Chunye and Ah Shu came to get the pottery just now. Chunye was right in front of you. Didn’t you notice?”

“Yeah, yeah! He probably didn’t expect you to be so amazing now.”

Zhuo Yan: He really didn’t notice.

“I can’t remember faces in the dark,” he shrugged it off, but seeing the others’ doubtful expressions, he sighed. “Me and Chunye, we didn’t get along before—”

“Don’t tell me you’re planning to make up with him,” Aman interrupted with disdain.

Xiao Xian jumped up in anger. “No! Don’t make up!”

Zhuo Yan frowned. “Who said that? I meant, me and Chunye, we didn’t get along, and we didn’t play together or talk much. But making pottery is a task the tribe leader assigned to me. I can’t just let personal grudges affect the distribution of pottery or make things difficult for him—that wouldn’t be right.”

“Business is business.”

“If others want to be friends with Chunye, we shouldn’t interfere. Otherwise, it feels like we’re isolating him. I used to be that person, all alone, with no one to talk to. It was really boring.”

Now, in a way, it could be said the tribe leader valued him, and the young beastmen respected him. If he showed contempt for Chunye, it would feel like bullying him as a group.

“Zhuo Yan is right,” Qiao stepped in to support him. “Honestly, it wasn’t all Chunye’s fault back then. Zhuo Yan also made mistakes. He did ask Ah Shu if he wanted to be his mate, but he was still too young, not even an adult. And when he apologized, Chunye still wanted to hit him. That wasn’t right. Ah Shu shouldn’t be bullying a younger beastman.”

Qiao was angry, remembering how Chunye and Ah Shu had been too harsh.

Zhuo Yan had been knocked out, bleeding from a fall, while Chunye and Ah Shu laughed at him, even threatening to hit him. It was meant to scare him, but it wasn’t right.

Qiao had been the one to help him up and bring him back.

“Whatever is right should be said,” Qiao added.

Shi Tou nodded. Aman and Xiao Xian thought about it and decided to back Zhuo Yan. Xiao Xian said, “I’m not going to be Chunye’s friend,” and Aman agreed, “Me neither.”

Zhuo Yan laughed as he put his arms around their shoulders. “Good friends, I wouldn’t force you to be friends with anyone.”

A-Yin had been eavesdropping the entire time. It turns out that there was a beastman who had bullied his brother and even knocked him out. His brother didn’t play with that beastman, but A-Yin could go and beat him up! Really beat him up!

The beastman’s name was Ah Shu.

Zhuo Yan had no idea that A-Yin had added Ah Shu to his fight list. The group finished chatting, and soon, more beastmen and sub-beastmen arrived. They started roasting meat, eating and drinking, all the way until they were too tired to keep going.

“Let’s head back. Tomorrow, we’ll rest for half a day. Let’s go back around noon when it’s hottest,” Zhuo Yan said. “For those who haven’t come, make sure to notify them.”

They had plenty of charcoal, so there was no need to burn more. Instead, they could just fire some clay shards, which didn’t take as long.

All the pottery from the kiln had been taken out today, so there was no need for any beastmen to stay behind as guards. After everyone had their fill, they were all happy and eager to head home, walking in small groups.

Zhuo Yan felt the same. Once the items were distributed, he felt much lighter walking back. With a basket full of meat on his back, the feast today had felt like a grand giveaway. A-Yin carried a water bucket in his mouth, with Zhuo Yan and his leopard returning home.

“…In the beginning, I just wanted to make things easier for myself and Qiao, but I never imagined it would get this big.” The whole tribe was involved now, and the responsibility had grown much larger.

Zhuo Yan sighed and laughed. “Tomorrow, we can sleep in, A-Yin!”

“Aw~~” A-Yin responded happily. Tomorrow, he could go patrol later, as he wanted to accompany his brother while he slept in.

For the past ten days or so, they had been waking up and heading straight to the kiln factory, returning home late at night. Zhuo Yan felt like his home had become unfamiliar, the stove hadn’t been used in a while, and thankfully, the chickens and rabbits were still well-behaved. As for the baby tooth piglet A-Yin had brought home four days ago, the little piglet was quite wild, and A-Yin had been training it himself.

Zhuo Yan planned to dig a pigsty next to the chicken coop when things calmed down a bit. If they got more pigs in the future, they wouldn’t be able to dig right next to the door anymore. They’d have to expand outward. There was some empty space near the kiln factory going uphill, though it wasn’t flat, with a bit of a slope.

Zhuo Yan thought that would be fine.

Once they got home, Zhuo Yan put the meat away, closed the cave door, and called for A-Yin. A-Yin quickly dashed to the bed and lay down. Zhuo Yan smiled, “Good boy, now sleep.”

It was hot these days, and A-Yin didn’t cling to his brother anymore. He waited for Zhuo Yan to fall asleep, then sneakily licked him before closing his eyes and sleeping.

The next morning, Zhuo Yan woke up late, the sunlight streaming halfway into the cave. He stretched, feeling like he had finally caught up on the exhaustion from the past several days.

After brushing their teeth and washing up, Zhuo Yan did a set of stretches—just moving his arms and legs, gazing down the slope, then froze for a moment. “A-Yin, I’m not seeing things, are those… baby chickens following our hen?”

Indeed, there were baby chickens—four of them!

Zhuo Yan turned to A-Yin. “Did you know about this?”

A-Yin shook his head, clueless.

“The past few days, we’ve been out so much, the chickens were almost free-range. I guess we didn’t notice.” Zhuo Yan ran over to the chicken coop. Every day when he passed by, he had only seen the two hens sitting quietly, so he hadn’t thought much of it.

Now, in broad daylight, inside their cave, there was hay strewn about—messy and scattered, probably brought in by the chickens. On top of the soft hay, there were three eggs.

！！！

Zhuo Yan’s eyes lit up. “A-Yin, our chicken farm is really taking off!”

From two chickens to seven, and now to countless ones.

At this rate, the chicken coop wouldn’t last long, but that was fine. There was a whole slope area just waiting to be used as a ‘chicken coop’!

Zhuo Yan laughed. “A-Yin, keep an eye on the piglet. Don’t let it eat the chickens.”

The pig was an omnivore. Besides roots and pig grass, it would eat meat too.

“Aw!” A-Yin responded, understanding.

So, the piglet that hadn’t done anything the day before was soon captured and sent back to the leopard’s mouth, trembling as it was dropped back down.

Yesterday, the tribe had caught a short-legged beast, and now, except for the regular patrols, no beastmen had left the tribe. They hadn’t been idle, though. They had started breaking down the short-legged beast’s bones, cutting the long bones and grinding them into tools.

The beastmen, with their strength, were responsible for making the bone knives for the salt exchange team.

The sub-beastmen hadn’t been idle either. Under Zhuo Yan’s guidance, they began firing small clay pots and bowls, while also collecting grass to soak in water before drying in the sun. This would prevent it from breaking and make it more durable.

Zhuo Yan’s grass mat, which had been woven early on, had become worn-out and falling apart. He hadn’t had time to make a new one, so he had been using it in its current state. However, after soaking and drying it, he found it lasted longer.

For seven busy days, young hunting teams had gone out and returned the same day without much danger.

The tribe leader said, “I heard that A-Yin and Ah Hui fought before.”

Ah Hui, embarrassed, stepped forward and admitted, “I was the one who asked A-Yin to fight. I lost, and I accept that.”

“That day, A-Yin should also join the hunting trip,” the tribe leader said.

Some sub-beastmen looked down on it, some were skeptical, while others were excited and happy—especially Ah Tou, who was thrilled for his brother, as now A-Yin could go hunting! Of course, Ada and Ah Hui also approved, especially Ah Hui.

A-Yin had defeated him, and A-Yin was stronger. So, why shouldn’t he go?

There was no objection from anyone present. The tribe leader looked at A-Yin, who let out a loud “Aw!” to express his willingness. Zhuo Yan felt a mixture of emotions, though happiness prevailed, despite his worries.

But in the tribe, it was an old belief, passed down through many years, deeply ingrained in their bones.

A beastman who couldn’t hunt was no different from a useless person—worse, even, than a sub-beastman. Being part of the hunting team was a symbol of strength and maturity not just in the tribe, but in the entire grassland forest, across the four major tribes.

Once they grew up, they could hunt. They could provide food for the tribe. They were brave warriors—hunting also required wisdom.

Joining the hunting team was just the basics. Once in, it was all about who could catch the most prey, and who could grab the biggest kills—like mammoths or gray elephants—without getting hurt. No words were needed; that person was the one the tribe’s beastmen would admire and gather around.

It was like this: before, Ah Hui had looked down on A-Yin, but after getting beaten by him, he had no choice but to respect him.

Most beastmen were like that—they only cared about power.

That’s why Zhuo Yan was so happy for A-Yin. The hunting team was different from the patrol team. For patrols, he could ask Xiao Xian to have his second brother help A-Yin, to accompany him while on duty or occasionally go out hunting for practice. But in the hunting team, A-Yin would have to rely on himself.

It was like preschool versus high school—no amount of parental help could change that.

On a short hunting trip, there were eight members—young beastmen who had just come of age or had been adults for about a year. Naturally, there was an experienced elder to guide them.

“A-Yin, you can do it. Go for it!” Zhuo Yan encouraged, raising his fist in the air. He stopped the habit of patting A-Yin’s ears. He felt that, with so many beastmen around, patting A-Yin like a little kid would only embarrass him.

To his surprise, A-Yin ran over and bumped his fist with his head, then started shaking his head, asking his brother to pat his ears.

Zhuo Yan whispered, “Everyone’s watching you.”

Pat pat pat, “Brother, pat.”

Zhuo Yan muttered under his breath, “If I don’t pat him now, A-Yin will really be embarrassed.” With that, he quickly gave A-Yin a quick ear rub and hurried him along. The hunting team was already moving ahead.

A-Yin gave a loud shout and sprinted to catch up, falling to the back of the group. But not long after, Ah Hui, who had been in the middle of the pack, slowed down and fell in step beside A-Yin.

A-Yin didn’t even glance at Ah Hui, only speeding up as he reached Ah Tou’s side.

“What’s up with that dumb beastman? Why’s he sticking to you now? Did he eat your spit or something?” Ah Tou snickered, amused by the sight.

“You’re the one who ate the spit,” Ah Hui shot back, walking alongside A-Yin.

So, at the back of the team, two tall beastmen walked side by side with a silver leopard in the middle. A-Yin thought to himself: …So noisy.