Chapter 336: I'll Just Barely Accept You

The giant python's whole body was not good: 'Hiss!!!'

After throwing a piece of meat to the Shun Yuan Leader, Yuan Lang sat between the two beasts, holding up the fragrant roasted meat, and ate it with oil dripping from his mouth.

During this, he even changed his position, mainly because the beasts' saliva was spreading quickly.

He tossed aside the wooden stick that had just been used to skewer the meat, clapped his hands, stood up, and looked at the two ferocious beasts: 'Which of you should I start with?'

The giant python and the Shun Yuan Leader shuddered, inexplicably feeling a bit cold.

Seeing the blue-black tip of the wooden stick Yuan Lang pulled from behind him, the Shun Yuan Leader had a vague bad feeling: 'Roar!'

As the giant python itself possessed snake venom, it was naturally very familiar with the smell of poison on the tip of the wooden spear, and its snake eyes widened.

Have these beastfolk become so despicable now?

In the distant Snow Tiger Tribe, the despicable Wuyue:...

Yuan Lang raised the wooden spear in his hand and walked straight toward the Shun Yuan Leader, his eyes flashing with icy killing intent.

Seeing this, the Shun Yuan Leader slowly revealed a ferocious expression, baring his teeth and beginning to howl at him, with strands of meat still hanging from his sharp, pointed teeth.

Yuan Lang walked up to it, raised the wooden spear with his left hand, then his dark, deep eyes turned to stare at the giant python, his arm muscles bulging as he fiercely thrust the spear into the Shun Yuan Leader's neck.

The already heavily wounded Shun Yuan Leader could not withstand this blow, letting out a few intermittent low growls before breathing his last.

The giant python felt that its whole body was not good: 'You damn thing, just kill the beast if you're going to kill it—why do you have to stare at me?'

Yuan Lang pulled out the wooden spear, still dripping blood, and walked slowly toward the giant python.

The giant python's body shuddered; somehow it managed to make its huge, thick body gradually begin to shrink.

Yet while its body was shrinking, it emitted waves of painful hissing sounds.

After it stopped again, it was actually less than the length of Yuan Lang's forearm, and its gaze toward him was pitiful.

Yuan Lang:...

Is this treating him as some beloved cute female creature?

He walked up to the giant python and squatted down; the beastfolk's deep eyes now showed a hint of disdain: 'You're injured to this state—what use are you? You might as well be killed for your crystal core.'

Hearing this, the giant python panicked and hissed: 'Hiss hiss hiss!'

You're too useful; once I heal, I'll take you to show off and fly.

Yuan Lang glanced at it with disdain, raised the wooden spear in his hand, and was about to thrust it down.

The giant python's snake heart instantly turned cold: 'How harmless and cute I am—how could this beastfolk bear to kill me?'

Just as it closed its small, black-bean-like eyes, preparing to await death, a familiar roar suddenly came from not far away.

Yuan Lang glanced at the small snake at his feet, walked to the side, and let out a deep tiger's roar.

It must be the tribesmen, worried about his danger, coming to find him.

The giant python's injuries were quite severe, making even slight movement difficult in the short term; Yuan Lang simply picked it up and threw it into the bamboo container at his waist, leaving only a small hole for breathing.

Afterward, he began searching the corpses of the slain beasts around him for crystal cores.

By the time Teng Qian and Teng Kun arrived with the Black Wolf Tribe and Mad Lion Tribe beastman warriors in the valley, Yuan Lang had already finished collecting the crystal cores from all the slain beasts' corpses.

At least a hundred beasts had died in the valley, but only twenty-something of them possessed crystal cores.

The moment the beastfolk entered the valley, they were shocked by the strong smell of blood.

Teng Qian, Teng Kun, and the Snow Tiger Tribe beastman warriors immediately came to Yuan Lang's side: 'Boss, are you alright?'

Yuan Lang shook his head: 'I'm fine.'

Having said that, he looked at them: 'Hurry up and gather the beasts' pelts and fangs; we need to leave this place as soon as possible.'

Seeing that he was unharmed, the Black Wolf Tribe and Mad Lion Tribe beastfolk also breathed a sigh of relief.

Especially the Mad Lion Tribe beastman warriors who had previously been attacked by the Shun Yuan Leader; they knew best how formidable that leader was.

After thanking Yuan Lang, they eagerly helped gather the Shun Yuan Leader's pelt, fangs, and claws.

Seeing the large wound at the Shun Yuan Leader's neck, still trickling blood even now, they were stunned.

They couldn't help but glance furtively at the beastfolk counting crystal cores in the open space, then quickly turned back, their movements becoming even more diligent.

It's too brutal—this is the Shun Yuan Leader, killed just like that, using...

Thinking of the wooden spear in the beastfolk's hand, stained red with blood, a feeling of admiration for the strong rose in his heart.

They are all skilled hunters; when processing game, their speed is naturally not to be underestimated.

The beastman warriors had just finished gathering all the pelts when a chorus of beast roars came from afar.

"Go!"

Everyone's expression tightened; they shouldered the pelts and claws and dashed out of the valley, disappearing into the dense forest in the blink of an eye.

Meanwhile, the beasts drawn by the smell of blood were instantly attracted to the corpses in the valley, making for another hearty feast.

At this moment in the Snow Tiger Tribe, the formerly open plaza is now bustling with activity.

The males, bare-chested, were pounding their wooden pestles with he-he-he sounds, while before them lay a stone trough as high as a thigh.

The females, while chatting, tossed the dull yellow, dung-like horned beast eggs from their back baskets into the stone trough; the males were responsible for pounding those eggs into powder, then packing them into the rough pottery jars fired by the half-beast warriors for storage.

The half-grown youngsters each carefully held the pottery jars and stored them in the food storage cave behind the mountain.

Because they had found such a tasty, filling, and easy-to-store food as the horned beast eggs, Wu Yue actually obtained a solitary small cave to live in during the rainy season.

Only when Flower Tree Grandmother took her there did Wu Yue learn that, in the rainy season, all the tribespeople must move in advance to a large cave behind the mountain.

The great cave has only one entrance, but inside the beastman warriors have dug out numerous small caves.

Except for the shaman, anyone who wants a small cave must pay some food to ask the half-beast or beastman warriors to help dig it, but...

During the rainy season, when even filling one's own stomach is difficult for the tribespeople, where would they get extra food to dig caves?

Therefore, ordinary tribespeople simply lay thick dry grass in the inner part of the great cave to block dampness, and families with better conditions can also take out a few animal pelts to keep warm.

Naturally, families with stronger combat ability can occupy deeper positions.

As for those slaves, if there is still space in the cave, they can naturally squeeze into the edge of the entrance; if the great cave has no space left, they can only search the back mountain for any natural cavern to take shelter from the rain.

Natural caves are very small; they need to search in the rain for a long time before they can find them, and even many slaves have no way to hide inside, ultimately freezing to death.

Even slaves who hide in small mountain caves do not have their lives guaranteed, because during the rainy season, those who starve to death often outnumber those who freeze to death.

Wu Yue followed behind Flower Tree Grandma into the large mountain cave, and the cave entrance could fit two Beastman Warriors walking side by side.

But what surprised her was that, despite such a narrow entrance, the inside was actually a huge mountain cave, like an overturned large belly bottle.

The cave is very high; looking up from the bottom, there is actually another opening at the top of the cave, and the ground beneath that upper opening has been dug out into a small pool.

Perhaps because it had rained the past few days, the pool still had some moisture.

"This is a pool dug out by the males, because the opening above lets rainwater fall down.

Before this pool existed, the rainwater that fell would flow everywhere, soaking our dry grass, animal hides, and even food.

Now that we have this pool, the rainwater that falls not only won't soak our belongings, but can even be drunk, so we no longer need to go out in the rain to fetch water."

Going out in the rain to fetch water?

Wu Yue looked up at the opening above her head: "Standing here and opening one's mouth could also get a drink of water."

But Flower Tree Grandma gave her an annoyed glare: "During the rainy season it's very cold; animal hides and dry grass are precious items—what do we do if they get wet?"

Wu Yue really wanted to say, "Running around naked here isn't really strange, is it?"

Flower Tree Grandma then said: "If you don't wear animal hides or dry grass, getting wet in the rain makes it easy to fall ill, and medicinal herbs are precious."

Wuyue:...

So who goes out to fetch water are the strong and healthy beasts?

Alright, these days, if you lack something, it's food; if you have something, you don't have illness.

"Look, your mountain cave is beside our mountain cave, at the position near the middle of the second level."

Upon hearing about the second level, Wu Yue's scalp tightened.

Then, following Flower Tree Grandma's finger, she suddenly relaxed.

One can only say the Beastman Warriors are really thoughtful, having even carved steps into the cave wall.

"Most of the second-level caves are for Beastfolk families with females or Half-Beast families, because the first-level caves are relatively damp, and females residing there are prone to illness."

Wu Yue nodded to show understanding, but thinking of how many pure-human females are physically weaker than Beastfolk females, she could only sigh helplessly.

In such a world, without equal strength and contribution, one is not qualified to enjoy better treatment.

Compared to the female Beastfolk who can run and hunt outside like male Beastman Warriors, constantly facing life-threatening danger, the pure-human females who can only gather contribute much less; at least when they go out to gather, someone protects them, and staying in the tribe involves little danger.

Naturally, their treatment is therefore much lower.

"Come in and take a look."

Flower Tree Grandma greeted her, and even her gaze held a hint of envy.

Wu Yue followed her inside; the cave that came into view wasn't very large, but for one person it was still quite spacious.

Thinking of Flower Tree Grandma's envious gaze just now, she couldn't help but ask: "Are all the caves here this size?"

Flower Tree Grandma nodded: "Yes, the only ones who can have a cave to themselves here are the shaman and you."

So does that mean even Beastman Warrior families are crammed into a single cave?

"Let's go back and start gathering the supplies needed for the rainy season; in a few days, have the males help transport them over."

"If we prepare enough food, we should be able to move into the caves ahead of time."

Wuyue nodded: "Mm, I know."

In fact, there are still many places in the cave that haven't been utilized; Wu Yue looked at Flower Tree Grandma and asked: "Grandma, did Half-Beasts and Beastman Warriors also have to go out hunting during the rainy season before?"

Flower Tree Grandma nodded: "Yes, we can store only little food, so to survive we need Beastman Warriors and Half-Beasts to go out and find food."

Wu Yue nodded, so when they need to go out hunting for food every day, asking them to dig caves necessarily requires paying a certain amount of food.

After thinking it over, she secretly made a decision.

After returning to the tribe, Wu Yue and Qingcao each went to find the pure-human members of the tribe, gathering everyone in her own small courtyard.

"Today I've called everyone over because there's something I want to discuss with you all."

"This rainy season, we have found storable food, so the Half-Beasts and Beastman Warriors no longer need to go out hunting frequently."

"Does anyone have the idea of asking them to help us dig caves?"

Some tribe members, upon hearing this, had their eyes light up instantly.

Yeah, before, it was because the Half-Beasts and Beastman Warriors were busy looking for food that they had no time.

They also didn't have enough food to ask them to give up hunting and come help dig caves, but this rainy season the food is plentiful—isn't this a great opportunity?

At that moment, many tribe members echoed in agreement.

But some pure-humans showed a troubled expression, and Wu Yue did not press them.

"Each family's situation is different, so I will later go find the Half-Beast warrior to discuss the matter of digging caves during the rainy season."

"Those who want a cave should prepare their food in advance, and then come family by family."

After the crowd dispersed, Qingcao hehe-laughed and squeezed up beside Wu Yue: "Yue, do you want to let the slaves also live in the big mountain cave?"

Wuyue raised an eyebrow: "I went to look in the cave yesterday; the caves of the Beastfolk and Half-Beast warriors are only concentrated on one side of the cave wall, while the other side only has a few scattered ones higher up."

If we could dig out the cave, then more people could live inside, and we wouldn't have so many slaves dying each rainy season.

Qingcao patted her shoulder: "These slaves are really fortunate to have a boss like you."

Wuyue gave her a sideways glance: "Who did you learn the term 'boss' from?"

You, a female of this primitive beast world, aren't you being too trendy?

Qingcao awkwardly poked her fingers, but that little expression clearly showed some pride: "It was Teng Kun who told me; he and Teng Qian call Yuan Lang 'boss'."

Wu Yue was speechless; thus her earlier vague guess was indeed correct—this guy was indeed influenced by Teng Kun.

"Boom—boom! Boom—boom!"

As the two were speaking, the sky above them instantly darkened, followed by a series of dull rumbling sounds.

Such deafening thunderclap sound is vastly different from the previous few times of rain.

Meanwhile, Qingcao beside her had already turned deathly pale, her trembling lips clutching Wu Yue's arm: "Yue, hurry home, the rainy season has come early!"