Chapter 349: The Pitiful Tribe Seeking Help

It licked its fluffy little paws, then flopped into the corner of the grass nest.

After not hearing little Tongzi's voice for a long time, Wu Yue got up puzzled to look for him.

Yet she saw this little guy actually lying in the grass nest, snorting, and couldn't help shaking her head with a smile.

When the Snow Tiger Tribe's people all thought tonight would be just another peaceful night, danger silently descended.

In the dead of night, a tremendous roar shook the cavern, waking all those still dreaming of eating meat.

Wu Yue was also startled awake by the huge noise, sitting up from the grass nest, her heart pounding rapidly.

By then, Tongzi had already pricked up his ears, vigilantly squatting at the cavern entrance, his little furry face solemn.

Wu Yue rose to head out, but Tongzi stopped her: "Take the medicine powder; outside there's a bloody smell—someone must be injured."

Hearing that, her face instantly grew grave; she turned, picked up the basket from the cavern corner, and headed out.

This time Tongzi didn't run off wildly, but followed behind her.

When they reached the cavern mouth, the bloody scene once made Wu Yue unable to believe it; pure humans and beastman warriors couldn't advance at all, only able to protect the tribespeople inside the cavern.

Meanwhile, deeper inside, the shaman and two half-beast warriors were already treating the wounded tribespeople's injuries there.

Seeing this, Wu Yue hurried over: "Shaman, I'm here."

The shaman nodded, his shamanic power surging forth as he treated a half-beast warrior whose arm had almost been cut off.

Wu Yue didn't disturb him, instead going straight to another heavily injured male, her shamanic power surging as she began treatment.

For the lightly wounded, she took the medicine powder from the basket and gave it to the arriving Qingcao to help apply ointment; those needing shamanic power were treated by her and the shaman taking turns.

The seriously wounded went to the shaman, the lighter ones to her.

Only then did Wu Yue recall Tongzi's words from last night again.

He was right; I really have been lazy and negligent lately—not only not thinking about how to finish the mission, but even neglecting important cultivation.

Injured tribespeople kept being brought in, while half-beast and pure-human males began using the wooden sticks previously used to catch iron pincer worms to deal with the swarming little pincer worms outside.

After treating all the wounded tribespeople, Wu Yue also came to the forefront of the crowd.

Here, she finally saw what the beastfolk were fighting.

It was a giant iron pincer worm leading an army of iron pincer worms, as large as a cavern, even larger.

Wu Yue had seen beastfolk fight ferocious beasts before, but never had she felt such trembling fear as now.

The giant iron pincer worm moved extremely fast, and its black pincers even flashed with metallic light.

The beastman warriors fought while dodging its massive pincers, for anyone grazed by those pincers would surely suffer a shocking wound.

"Such giant iron pincer worms haven't appeared in a long time."

The shaman's voice sounded beside her.

Wu Yue's voice a little dry: "Is this iron pincer worm a ferocious beast?"

Hearing her, the shaman glanced at her, then lightly laughed and shook his head: "They can't really be called ferocious beasts; they're just larger in body, with very hard shells."

"The iron pincer worm looks fearsome, but if gold-rank beastfolk act, using Beast God's Power, they can still break its hard shell."

"The reason we let low-rank beastfolk go is just to train them; after all, the tribe's future is theirs, we old-timers can't always be protecting you."

Wu Yue's face flushed a little; from the shaman's words she sensed his expectations and urging.

She said somewhat ashamedly: "I will strive to cultivate."

Hearing her say that, the shaman nodded satisfactorily; Wu Yue has always been a clever youngster.

With sudden understanding, Wu Yue's mood lightened considerably.

Looking around, sure enough, the chief and a few middle-aged uncles were merely handling the small iron pincer worms outside, while those fighting the giant iron pincer worm were some young beastman warriors.

Indeed, the seniors' nurturing of the juniors is ongoing every moment.

What amused Wu Yue was that the middle-aged uncles were catching iron pincer worms with the very wooden sticks she had made, spearing the worms while even chatting a few sentences, looking quite relaxed.

Only the chief occasionally glanced at the battle; as long as the young beastfolk faced no deadly danger, they would not intervene.

Although most iron pincer worms were killed, some were still snatched up by quick-handed tribespeople, after all the taste of iron pincer worm meat from last time was truly unforgettable.

The hot-tempered beastfolk also got some injuries, but for beastman warriors such minor wounds had no effect whatsoever.

And what excited him was that the tasty iron pincer worms had arrived.

He promptly organized the tribespeople into groups, spearing and binding, the harvest practically overflowing.

Seeing this, the surrounding Snow Tiger Tribe members also joined in, using long wooden sticks to pin the two large pincers and drag them over; nearby tribespeople tied them up and threw them back, preparing a dinner ingredient.

Meanwhile, other young beastman warriors, perhaps seeing this giant iron pincer worm for the first time, but for those who had followed Yuan Lang out to hunt ferocious beasts, this was their second encounter with this big fellow.

Naturally, they were much more familiar with it than their tribemates.

Therefore, in the eyes of the middle-aged beastfolk, Yuan Lang and the beastman warriors who went hunting with him performed notably better, showing no panic at the sight of such a giant iron pincer worm.

As Teng Qian kept harassing the giant iron pincer worm by circling it, he suddenly felt a chill behind him and instinctively dodged.

The next moment, a familiar figure banged into the giant iron pincer worm's body with a clack; the familiar sound of its pincers opening and closing made his face turn pale.

He recalled that the last time he heard such a sound was when his buttocks suffered.

Damn, why does it always aim for his butt— is his butt easy to hit?

Yuan Lang looked at the giant iron pincer worm before him, clearly realizing that even with their numbers they could only temporarily hold it at bay, but killing it was impossible.

Because their claws couldn't breach its defense, even using Beast God's Power fell far short.

He also understood the chief and the uncles' intention: naturally, to force the giant iron pincer worm to reveal as many tactics as possible, quickly familiarize themselves with this giant beast, and accumulate experience for future battles.

In the end, the giant iron pincer worm still fell under the claws of the chief and several beastfolk uncles.

The giant pincer that the young beastfolk could not even scratch with Beast God's Power was directly snapped off by the chief's violent force, while the head was smashed to pieces by the other two uncles.

Finally, the giant iron pincer worm's corpse was mercilessly dismembered and carried into the cavern by the tribespeople.

Around, the tribespeople either handed over bamboo cans filled with warm water or a piece of roasted meat, and Wu Yue once again grasped the importance of beastman warriors to a tribe.

At the very least, when danger arises, these warriors who usually receive the tribe's best treatment always rush to the front.

The expressions on the faces of the surrounding tribespeople were also full of admiration and gratitude.

She couldn't help feeling fortunate to have come to such a tribe that knows gratitude and is full of harmony.

"Screech!"

Suddenly, a cry of an eagle broke the bustle in the cave; Wu Yue also felt puzzled—what kind of eagle would have the courage to come out foraging in such heavy rain?

But just as that eagle cry sounded, the shaman and beastman warriors ahead stopped their steps, then turned and walked back toward the cave entrance.

Wu Yue came to Yuan Lang's side: "What's happening?"

Yuan Lang whispered: "They are beastmen from the Flying Eagle Tribe."

Wu Yue then suddenly understood, but she also felt another doubt rising: in the rainy season, all tribes dwell in their own caves, so why would these Flying Eagle Tribe beastmen come to the Snow Tiger Tribe?

Before the crowd had even reached the cave mouth, several tall Flying Eagle Tribe beastman warriors entered under the guidance of a scouting beastman.

The leader was actually a very familiar figure—the Black Wolf Tribe chieftain who had dealt with them many times when they went to help rescue the Black Wolf Tribe.

Upon seeing the shaman, the Black Wolf Tribe chieftain and the few Flying Eagle Tribe beastman warriors behind him hurried forward to pay respects: "Greetings, Xuehu Wu."

The shaman raised a hand: "Rise. Why have you come at this time? Could it be that the tribes outside the forest have made some move?"

Saying that, he gave a hostile glance to a group of Poison Scorpion Tribe members not far away who were pricking up their ears to eavesdrop.

Locked in the shaman's gaze, even a hot-headed beastman couldn't help but feel a chill run down his spine.

He immediately gave up the idea of eavesdropping, taking his fellow tribespeople with him and carrying the previously captured pincer worms toward the cave entrance.

If they weren't going to listen, they went off to eat the delicious pincer worm meat.

The Black Wolf Tribe chieftain gave a wry smile: "This year's flood has submerged our Black Wolf Tribe's settlement; since such a thing has never happened before, our stored food was swept away by the flood, and many tribespeople were injured.

"Now the forest game has also hidden itself, making hunting difficult, so I have come to seek help."

Hearing that, the Xuehu Wu's face grew solemn: "What about that old fellow of the Black Wolf Tribe?"

The Black Wolf Tribe chieftain gave a wry smile: "The shaman is stabilizing the tribespeople in the settlement, and his constitution isn't suited to coming out in such weather."

The Xuehu Wu nodded upon hearing that: "Indeed, although the shaman holds high status and has shamanic power for protection, we cannot overlook that they are still pure humans."

The recuperative ability and physical strength of pure humans compared to beastmen differ by far more than a little.

The Xuehu Wu nodded: "Come in."

Having said that, he turned and walked into the cave.

The Black Wolf Tribe chieftain and several Flying Eagle Tribe beastmen hurried to follow.

Wu Yue was also summoned by the chieftain into the shaman's cave.

Traveling in such weather is arduous; even a mighty Golden Rank beastman warrior like the Black Wolf Tribe chieftain cannot avoid showing a trace of fatigue on his face.

"For us now, herbs and food are what we lack most; the Flying Eagle Tribe has already sent some food and herbs, but the rainy season still has a long way to go..."

"If we have neither caves nor food, our tribespeople will hardly survive this rainy season safely, so we beseech the Snow Tiger Tribe to help us."

The shaman looked at the Black Wolf Tribe chieftain: "How do you want us to help your tribe?"

The Black Wolf Tribe chieftain moved his lips a few times, then finally said: "We hope the Snow Tiger Tribe will accept some of our Black Wolf Tribe's people to come live here."

"The Black Wolf Tribe's settlement has been flooded, making it impossible to dig another cave; moreover, living in another tribe's cave allows sharing some of that tribe's food, at the very least ensuring more of our people survive until the rainy season ends."

After the Black Wolf Tribe chieftain finished speaking, his earnest gaze locked onto the shaman, awaiting his reply.

The Xuehu Wu pondered for a moment, just as the Black Wolf Tribe chieftain's heart sank a little, thinking he would be refused; the Xuehu Wu let out a light sigh, picked up the stone bowl beside him, took a sip of water, and said: "If that's the case, then send some of your people over."

Upon hearing that, the Black Wolf Tribe chieftain was overjoyed to the point of losing composure, jumping up from the ground; realizing his behavior was improper, he grinned widely with a big smile: "Thank you, thank you for the Snow Tiger Tribe's help."

The Xuehu Wu waved his hand, turned his head to the few Flying Eagle Tribe beastmen beside him, and asked: "How is the matter of your tribe's poisonous insects resolved?"

Upon hearing the Xuehu Wu mention this, the few Flying Eagle Tribe beastman warriors' faces involuntarily broke into happy smiles: "Thank you for your concern; our tribe has already successfully hatched some young."

The Xuehu Wu's face also involuntarily showed a hint of a smile as he continued: "Afterward, will the Black Wolf Tribe's people still be sent over by you?"

The few Flying Eagle Tribe beastman warriors nodded: "Most of the Polar Forest is now flooded; trying to come over is basically impossible."

"The shaman has already sent some beastman warriors to the Black Wolf Tribe; as long as you agree here, we will return and bring the Black Wolf Tribe's people over."

"Your tribe probably can't accommodate the Black Wolf Tribe's people this time," the Xuehu Wu stated bluntly.

The Flying Eagle Tribe beastman warriors gave a bitter smile: "Yes, because we were busy dealing with the poisonous insects earlier, we didn't prepare extra food, so we can't."

The Xuehu Wu sighed: "Looking at it this way, the only ones who can help the Black Wolf Tribe are probably our Snow Tiger Tribe and the Mad Lion Tribe."

As his words fell, the Black Wolf Tribe chieftain beside him and a few Flying Eagle Tribe beastman warriors' faces turned somewhat strange.

The shaman naturally noticed this as well, and an inexplicable bad premonition rose in his heart: "What's happening?"

The Black Wolf Tribe chieftain gave a dry laugh: "At present, the only tribe agreeing to help us is the Snow Tiger Tribe; the Mad Lion Tribe also can't get through right now."

The Xuehu Wu and the other Snow Tiger Tribe members in the cave instantly turned green-faced: "So you say you're only bringing part of your people, but actually you intend to bring them all over?"

The Xuehu Wu glared at the Black Wolf Tribe chieftain with a dark face: "What's wrong with that stinking lion? They should be fine—why can't they help you?"

The Black Wolf Tribe chieftain gave a wry smile: "The Mad Lion Tribe is currently surrounded by floodwaters; most importantly, the Flying Eagle Tribe's people have discovered many giant pincer worms around their territory, and judging by their size, they are likely even more formidable than the ones we have encountered before."

"So even if the Mad Lion Tribe were willing to take in our people, we still couldn't get through."

Hearing their description, the Snow Tiger Tribe's beastmen inexplicably felt quite happy.

The Xuehu Wu looked at him with a twitching mouth corner: "Then just bring your tribe's people over; I've already said beforehand that whether you are beastmen or pure humans, you can only stay in the empty spaces of the cave."

"I can have the tribespeople give you some animal hides to use."

"It's always been taken for granted that beastmen receive better treatment, but this applies only to the beastman warriors of one's own tribe; there's no reason for beastman warriors from other tribes to come seeking refuge in someone else's tribe and then occupy the caves of that tribe's tribespeople."

The Black Wolf Tribe tribespeople nodded: "Rest assured, I will definitely tell the tribespeople about this."