Chapter 129: The Terrifying Famine

The man was terrified, tears fell from his thin black face one by one, and he trembled as he spoke, "I… I'm called Xiaohei".

"Xiaohei?"

Rongdi gave the whirlwind a signal, and this time the whirlwind tossed him—not into the tiger's mouth beneath the tree, but right before Rongdi.

"Chief, don't kill me, don't kill me, I still have little ones at home to raise."

Xiaohei knelt, repeatedly kowtowing, while Rongdi looked down from his height, thoughtful, and said, "Given how pitiful you are, I can give you a chance to live."

Rongdi actually showed kindness? Xiaohei knew he must have a plot, yet kept kowtowing, "Thank you, thank you, Chief."

"But, you must do something for me."

Rongdi's words made Xiaohei feel he was the most terrifying male in the world, even scarier than the Wolf Girl who had long disappeared from their tribe.

Xiaohei's complexion turned deathly pale, his body trembled, he could not keep steady even while kneeling, Rongdi's face grew larger before his eyes, his frightened breath could not be drawn, and he was utterly stunned.

"Chief, give orders; I will do anything Xiaohei can do."

Rongdi, knowing the Wolf Tribe people were cowards, sneered, "Stand up."

Soon, Xiaohei, after obeying his order, was led away, and near the vines a fair-skinned woman came forward, wearing a hat woven from green grass for shade, its green peacock feathers swaying as she moved.

She was delicate and refined, her brows and eyes somewhat resembled Nan Qinghuan's, though she was not as beautiful as Nan Qinghuan.

"Chief, isn't that a Wolf Tribe person? Why not kill them?"

Duo Luo, puzzled by his releasing the Wolf Tribe person, looked at him, and Rongdi glanced at her, "Didn't you tell me the Wolf Tribe people were under a Curse?"

Duo Luo, not expecting him to ask about this, bowed slightly, "According to the Turtle Back Divination, the Plague God is in the west; that place is the Wolf Tribe, their wolves will die slowly. This is the Curse's prophecy, Chief, Duo Luo's Divination was not wrong."

"Silence, what Curse? My people have already returned; that's not a Curse, it's a plague. Heaven's Daughter has already saved the Wolf Tribe; do you know what was used?"

Duo Luo fully understood upon hearing Heaven's Daughter, realizing it was because of that female.

She couldn't help but sneer, meeting Rongdi's gaze; she was the tribe's High Priest, a messenger of the gods, and Rongdi dared not be disrespectful to her.

"It's the Herbal Medicine. Chief, don't be so angry; my messenger has already returned. Rest assured, Heaven's Daughter can't save them."

Rongdi snorted coldly, "At this point you still don't believe it's an illness? The Wolf Tribe people are already fine."

Rongdi's angry demeanor was terrifying, but Duo Luo was not afraid; her face flushed red as she coldly stared at him, "The Heavenly God's decree is correct. Even if they survive this time, other disasters await. Have you forgotten? The Wolf Tribe's lands are all desert, nothing remains."

Even the remaining forest will be burned by them; such a people, even without the Heavenly God's punishment, will starve to death. Snakes, insects, rats, ants? Where could there be enough food for them?

Duo Luo had already clarified the Wolf Tribe's situation; the Divination this time was somewhat vague, but she lied to Rongdi, hoping he would swiftly subdue the Wolf Tribe, using the Heavenly God's Curse to act faster, thereby making Rongdi believe that annihilating the Wolf Tribe was the Heavenly God's will.

But… he had taken so many people there and yet returned, and even got injured.

Rongdi narrowed his eyes slightly at these words, "You mean they will perish on their own?"

Duo Luo, however, changed tack, "Actually, last night you had a chance to seize the Wolf Tribe. I heard it was for Heaven's Daughter; Heaven's Daughter injured you, so you handed the Wolf Tribe over to her?"

Only Duo Luo dared to say such things; others would not, for speaking would cause Rongdi to turn them into slaves.

Rongdi glanced at the Ji Nü behind Duo Luo; the Ji Nü lowered her head, saying nothing. He sneered, "Who said I handed the Wolf Tribe to Nan Qinghuan?"

"Last night was the best opportunity; you didn't seize it. Do you have another plan?"

Rongdi coldly replied, "Even if she saved those people, what then? You said there would be further disasters; those people will starve, and the Wolf Tribe's lands will eventually belong to me, Rongdi."

Rongdi was adept at deflecting responsibility; Duo Luo lifted her head and met his gaze, "May the Chief succeed, otherwise…"

Duo Luo paused, "All the Na Shan Tribe's people will never forgive you; the old chief, you won't be able to account to him either."

Hearing this, a murderous glint flashed in Rongdi's eyes; he sneered and leaned his face toward Duo Luo, "What, you're accusing this Chief of being ineffective?"

Duo Luo only shook her head slightly, "I dare not, but I hope you don't forget how you promised the old chief—to lead the Na Shan Tribe to conquer all tribes. If the Wolf Tribe cannot be seized, Ying will later reap the benefit, and the old chief will not be content."

Rongdi was not in a hurry; even if Nan Qinghuan saved those people, he was unhurried. Duo Luo was right—the Wolf Tribe would face an even greater crisis.

He only needed to wait.

He couldn't help but reach to touch his chin, where a small tuft of beard was, "What's the hurry? In five days I will definitely capture the Wolf Tribe to show my father."

"Five days?"

Duo Luo lifted her gaze, suspiciously, "What exactly is the Chief planning, and do you need my help?"

In the drizzle, the Wolf Tribe, just having endured the plague, had not yet recovered, and a new crisis indeed emerged.

It was a famine raging within the Wolf Tribe.

Inside the Forest, the tribe members gathered here for a funeral.

A group of tribe members stood in the rain and mist, only Nan Qinghuan had a lotus leaf atop her head, which Ying had picked from a far place for her, not wanting her to get sick in the rain.

The atmosphere of the fire ceremony was oppressive; High Priest Duo Luo beat the Bronze Drum repeatedly, murmuring the Soul-Sending Song, while the tribe stood by the Bonfire, their expressions wooden as they watched the fiercely burning fire.

Several withered corpses were engulfed by the raging flames; Yao stood there, his face full of sorrow, having never seen such a scene.

The tribe would turn on each other and kill one another for lack of food, they would die!

The Soul-Sending Song rang endlessly, mingling with the wind in a somewhat mournful tone.

When the corpses burned, Yao finally ordered people to step back; the tribe began to leave. An old woman, as thin as firewood, cradled a child in her arms; the child was only a few years old, also emaciated and crying from hunger.

"Yao, many people haven't eaten in a day; now even ants can't be found. My child is going to starve to death, huh?"

"Yes, Yao, Xiaohei went out to find food and hasn't returned; could something have happened?"

A pregnant woman, holding a child of about three, came looking for her husband; Yao, seeing this, felt uneasy. He hadn't expected that just as his father— the tribe had been struck by the plague; the plague barely ended, and now they lacked food again.

He clenched his fist and looked at Asu, "Asu, have you searched all the snake nests on the cliff?"