Chapter 341: Bending for Food

Seeing Qingcao's salivating expression, Wu Yue smiled and said, "If you want to know whether it's good or not, go get another stone bowl and I'll give you some to try—then you'll know."

Qingcao's eyes lit up and she prepared to get up to fetch the stone bowl.

But thinking of something, she felt a little embarrassed and sat back down: "Hehe, I'll just wait until you have free time another day to make it for me to eat.

You eat your fill and then go get a good sleep; I've already prepared the grass nest for you, and the fire in the cave has been kept burning all along—it's warm."

Wu Yue glanced at her, feeling warm inside.

She took the stone bowl that Changye had just brought over, filled it with some noodles, and handed it to her: "Try it—I can't finish all these noodles by myself."

Qingcao awkwardly took the stone bowl she handed over, eyeing her with a doubtful little gaze: "You usually can finish a whole pot of food by yourself—is giving me some really enough?"

Looking at Qingcao's sincere question, Wu Yue only felt her face flush hot.

Although she usually eats a lot, saying it out loud like that—doesn't she care about saving face?

She glared fiercely at the guy beside her: "If you're not going to eat it, just give it back to me!"

Saying that, she reached out to snatch it back.

Qingcao gave a hehe laugh, quickly jumped up and dodged: "Well then, Yue, you eat slowly—I'm heading home first.

After you finish the noodles, put the stone pot by the fire; I'll bring it back later."

As soon as she finished speaking, her figure vanished.

Wu Yue let out a soft sigh; despite her frail body, she ate more than the average female in the tribe, and even she began to wonder if she had some illness.

On this side Wu Yue was slurping her hot soup noodles, while on the other side the Poison Scorpion Tribe beastfolk stared at the vegetable dumplings in their hands that matched the color of their faces, feeling that something was terribly wrong with the whole beast.

"Is the Snow Tiger Tribe really going to feed us this stuff? Isn't that a bit too much oppression of beasts?"

"What's the point of eating? It'd be better to go out hunting ourselves."

The hot-tempered beastfolk looked at the vegetable dumplings in his hand that were the same color as his fellow tribesmen's faces, and he had no appetite at all.

Although he isn't the top bull in the tribe, when has he ever eaten this kind of slave food that only slaves would eat during the rainy season?

The beastfolk who had previously captured Wu Yue chuckled: "We still have food, so we should eat as much as we can. Earlier that little female even told us to dig caves—if we don't eat, where would we get the strength to work?"

The surrounding tribesmen all looked at him with disdain: "Really didn't expect you to be such a beast—just a little female scared you into this state."

The beastfolk calmly took a vegetable dumpling and stuffed it into his mouth, thinking of the roasted meat flavor from yesterday, and actually felt it had a bit of taste.

After swallowing the vegetable dumpling in his mouth, he decisively reached out to grab another, but as soon as he extended his hand he felt nothing.

Opening his eyes, he saw that the very tribesmen who had just declared they absolutely wouldn't eat were now licking their fingers, wearing a reminiscent expression.

His mouth twitched uncontrollably: "You said you weren't eating, huh?"

You're licking your fingers—this counts as not eating?

After finishing the food, they huddled in a spot as far inside the cave mouth as possible, leaning on each other and fell asleep.

Wu Yue learned from observing the beastfolk's movements, merely smiled and said nothing, only ordering them to be watched before returning to her own cave to rest.

The fire in the cave's hearth burned thick logs, the firelight illuminating the whole cave, which wasn't very large.

Looking at the thick grass mat and the thick animal‑skin blanket on top, Wu Yue hehe‑laughed and flung herself onto it.

She tossed and turned for a while before finally lying down and entering dreamland.

At this moment, in the Snow Tiger Shaman's cave, the tribal chief stared solemnly at the shaman: "Are those beastman warriors really fine? That dye they use on their hair is too dangerous for us."

The shaman leisurely lifted the stone bowl filled with hot water beside him, sipped it with a slurp, exhaled a big puff of hot air, looking very refreshed.

"What's there to worry about? Those beastfolk indeed have poison powder on them, and we don't even know where Yue got that poison powder from; even if I had to detoxify, it wouldn't be easy.

Before Yue unleashes the poison, saving a few of them is already the Beast God's blessing.

As for that hair‑dyeing method..."

Saying this, he lifted the stone bowl again...

The chief only felt as if a claw were scratching at his heart, and he found the stone bowl in the shaman's hand somewhat displeasing to look at.

Is there something that can't be said all at once?

"Ha~"

After exhaling another refreshing puff of air, the shaman continued: "The color of their hair is made from two extremely precious poison insects of the poison‑shaman."

Those beastfolk said, this kind of hair‑dyeing poison insect isn't numerous; otherwise, the ones who came to the tribe to capture Yue wouldn't have been just one or two.

The chief's face still looked somewhat troubled: "If that's the case, then the poison‑shaman still has those hair‑dyeing poison insects, and our tribesmen will still be in danger."

The shaman glanced at him, hehe‑laughed, and proudly patted his hands: "Look, what is this?"

As if hearing his palm slap, a faint footstep sounded outside the cave.

Shortly after, two chubby little Lan Pangzi waddled in; although they looked a bit smaller than Wu Yue's one, they were definitely the same breed.

The chief's eyes lit up instantly: "Is this... the kind of little beast that can catch poison insects?"

The shaman nodded proudly: "Haha, you guessed right—these are the two Yue gave me; the rest you can assign to patrol the various places in the cave."

Seeing the shaman's face full of undisguised smugness, the chief only felt his own shaman was getting more and more childish.

After leaving the shaman's cave, the Snow Tiger Tribe chief headed toward Wu Yue's cave.

Arriving at the mouth of Wu Yue's cave, he saw Qingcao sneaking around there, head poking out, not knowing what she was doing.

He then walked in: "What are you looking at?"

Qingcao, who had been observing whether Wu Yue was satisfied with the cave's arrangement, was startled by her own tribal chief and hurriedly turned to look.

Seeing it was her own clan chief, she relaxed: "Chief, why did you come over? Are you looking for Yue? She just fell asleep!"

Chief: "..."

"I haven't even said anything yet..."

"Then I'll come again tomorrow; you should head back early—there are beastman warriors patrolling at night, so nothing will happen."

Qingcao hehe‑laughed and nodded.

Early the next morning, Wu Yue woke up feeling refreshed and clear‑headed.

Seeing the food in the corner of the cave, she decided to make egg soup today and have some biscuits.

Thinking of her promise yesterday to visit the slaves, after eating Wu Yue headed toward where the slaves lived.

Because many pure humans still had nowhere to live, the slaves' dwelling remained near the cave's entrance; although they wouldn't get drenched by heavy rain, it wasn't very warm either.

But because they had listened to Wu Yue's words and stored plenty of firewood in advance, everyone huddling together to warm themselves by the fire was much better than before.

Seeing Wu Yue approach, the slaves excitedly stood up: "Lady Wu Yue!"

"Lady Wu Yue, you've come!"

"Lady Wu Yue, are you alright?"

Surrounded by the slaves' greetings one after another, her heart softened: "Don't worry, everyone, I'm fine now."

After saying that, she patted the head of a nearby little cub: "You can stay here for now; once the pure humans move into the cave, you can take some of the inner spots."

After chatting with the slaves a while longer, she then walked toward the outer part of the cave.

At that moment, the scorpion beastfolk were gnawing on their second serving of vegetable cakes.

Though they were powerful carnivorous beastman warriors, it was somehow dismal to be gnawing wild vegetables here.

Holding the wild vegetable ball in hand~ tears kept streaming down~

"Oh, you're eating food!"

Hearing that familiar voice, the vegetable cake just brought to his mouth inexplicably became hard to swallow.

The hot-tempered beastfolk stiffly lifted his head to look...

Indeed, the one walking over with a 'fearsome' smile was exactly the little female they had previously captured.

And the one she was greeting... seemed to be them...

The Snow Tiger Tribe beastfolk on patrol also looked over with smiles: "Yue, are you here to bring them in?"

Wu Yue nodded with a smile: "Because space inside the cave is a bit cramped, I thought it would be good to have them help dig the cave."

The half-beast warrior on patrol stared for a moment, then laughed and pointed to a scorpion beastfolk lounging at the cave entrance: "They happen to be idle right now."

Scorpion beastfolk: "..."

They're busy, alright— which of your eyes saw them being idle?

Nowadays beastfolk can talk without taking responsibility, huh?

But no matter how unwilling they felt inside, they eventually trudged along behind Wu Yue into the cave with drooping heads.

Along the way, she saw a group of pure humans wrapped only in grass vines busy at work; several people gathered around a fire pit with a stone pot, containing food they had never seen before, giving off waves of fragrance.

The beastfolk's stomachs rumbled again.

"Lady Wu Yue, are these the bad beastfolk who captured you?"

A pure human child not even as tall as a beastfolk's thigh ran over on short legs, his big eyes full of hostility fixed on the scorpion beastfolk behind Wu Yue.

Wu Yue nodded: "Yes, because they did bad things, I brought them back to have them dig the cave for us."

Upon hearing that, the pure human child's hostility grew: "They look just like bad people."

The hot-tempered beastfolk immediately took offense, pulling out a smile he thought was very 'kind' and looking at the child, he said: "Do I look like a bad person?"

The little child's eyes showed some fear, but seeing Wu Yue standing nearby smiling at him, he straightened his still somewhat thin chest: "You smiling makes you look even more like one."

Upon hearing that, not only Wu Yue but also the other scorpion beastfolk couldn't help laughing out loud.

Seeing Wu Yue smile, the little child also giggled.

The only one present without much amusement was the hot-tempered beastfolk whom the child had called a bad beast.

Watching the little child laughing with innocent joy, the hot-tempered beastfolk's gloom dissipated somewhat, though he still muttered: "I hate little kids the most."

After saying goodbye to the child, Wu Yue continued leading the scorpion beastfolk deeper into the cave.

The hot-tempered beastfolk stepped forward, glanced at Wu Yue, and said: "That child looks very young; why keep him in such an outer spot?"

Wu Yue looked at him with some surprise and replied: "Because he's a slave's child; those living outside are our tribe's slaves."

Hot-tempered beastfolk: "!!!"

Scorpion beastfolk: "!!!"

So... the food that just made them drool was eaten by the slaves?

Can slaves even live in the cave where the tribe shelters from the rainy season?

Turning to look at those slaves whose faces always bore a faint smile, he sniffed the aroma from their stone pot, then recalled how they had just eaten those vegetable cakes with satisfied expressions...

Damn it!

When did the beastfolk's standard of living become worse than the slaves'!

The hot-tempered beastfolk raised his eyebrows, about to fly into a rage, but as soon as he lifted his head he saw the frightened little female looking at him with a deep meaning, and the tiny spark of anger that had just ignited in his heart went 'puff' and was extinguished.

He gave a dry laugh: "I never expected your tribe's slaves to have such good living conditions."

Wu Yue withdrew her meaningful gaze and smiled: "Of course, our tribe's slaves work hard too; as long as they contribute to the tribe, they will always be rewarded."

The hot-tempered beastfolk and the scorpion beastfolk's eyes lit up at once: "If we dig the cave well, will we also get tasty food to eat?"

Wu Yue pondered for a moment: "Your food isn't my responsibility, so I'm not really sure about that."

But if you work well, the grandmother in charge of food seeing you will likely give you extra food.

Upon hearing that, the innocent scorpion tribe beastfolk instantly felt energized all over.

Each puffed out their chest, their green faces full of vigor as they looked at Wu Yue: "Where should we dig the cave? Hurry and take us there!"

Watching them look like they could dig ten caves in one go without breaking a sweat, Wu Yue couldn't help but smirk inwardly.

Bringing them to the unfinished half of another cave wall, she said: "You'll dig here on this cave wall, layer by layer; remember to leave stairs and passageways for climbing up and walking."

The hot-tempered beastfolk, thinking of the delicious food smell he had sensed earlier, felt motivated and casually waved his hand: "Don't worry about this little thing."

Wu Yue smiled: "It doesn't need to be big; just enough for four beastfolk to live in."

Having said that, she turned and left.

Only then did the Poison Scorpion Beastfolk feel wave after wave of unusually hot gazes falling upon them, staring straight at them, raising goosebumps.

Some stiffly turned around, only to see the Pure Humans who had been sitting by the fire, roasting and tidying up food, now looking at them with their eyes bling~bling~.

Seeing them turn around, they still waved their hands enthusiastically: "You go ahead and dig, we'll just watch, hehe..."

Violent Beastfolk: "..."

With your gazes like that, I feel that after I dig out a cave, I'll be trampled to death by you!