Chapter 375: Gentle Smile

The scorpion beastman captain took the "stone" handed over by the violent beastman, examined it back and forth for a long time, and finally his eyes lit up: "This…"

He turned and walked to the wall, pressed the stone in his hand against the wall; after a moment, his eyes sparkled: "Is this the stone the Snow Tiger Tribe uses to build houses?"

The violent beastman chuckled and nodded: "This is something I stole with great difficulty; the Snow Tiger Tribe keeps this kind of stone they make very well preserved, not letting us touch it."

"Made?"

The scorpion beastman captain looked astonished.

"Aren't stones usually gathered? Isn't this kind of stone supposed to be collected and then polished?"

The violent beastman nodded: "I'm quite sure; the last time I went to gather stones and crouched in the grass, I passed by a few Snow Tiger Tribe members and heard them say that if you want to build a house, you have to go back and make this thing called a brick yourself."

The scorpion beastman captain crept up to the violent beastman and whispered: "Then do you know how to get this kind of stone?"

The violent beastman glanced at him: "What are you thinking? You just entered the Snow Tiger Tribe and got caught, and you still want to steal their stone‑making method? You don't know how fierce that little female is."

"She looks smiling all day, but she's actually the most terrifying."

Finally, the two beasts tossed aside the idea of stealing the brick‑making method and instead spent the whole night studying Wu Yue's terrifying aspects.

The next day, the Snow Tiger Tribe was as lively as ever. After finishing her meal, Wu Yue began to eye the salt brought by the Rock Salt Tribe, her eyes rolling around.

"Host, what nasty scheme are you cooking up again?"

Tongzi's two chubby paws clung to a lump of ore bigger than his head, crunching it loudly; as he chewed, he shifted his fat rear back a few steps, distancing himself from the scheming host.

Seeing him act as if he wanted to stay eight hundred meters away, Wu Yue smirked and walked over: "Dear Tongzi, why are you keeping so far from me? Aren't I your beloved host?"

Tongzi's furry face stiffened: "Your smile like that makes me think you want to do something bad to me."

Wu Yue gave him a disdainful look: "With your current kitten‑like appearance, what else could I possibly think of you? You're overthinking."

Tongzi angrily finished gnawing the ore in his paws, was about to stand up, but felt the flesh on his rear twitch a few times, and his chubby face immediately looked unpleasant.

Dejected, he looked at his host still picking wild vegetables, then hopped listlessly to Wu Yue's feet, stretched out his tiny paw and scratched her beast‑skin boots: "Dear host."

Hearing Tongzi's disgusting call, Wu Yue's goosebumps broke out in a delighted dance; she frowned, lowered her head, and said: "Speak properly."

Tongzi looked sorrowful and said: "Do you think I've gotten fat again lately?"

Wu Yue lowered her head to examine Tongzi for a moment, then said seriously: "Where are you fat? You're all skin and bones."

Hearing her say that, Tongzi's guilt over just eating a huge chunk of ore vanished, and he felt delighted inside: "Really?"

Seeing her nod firmly, he heard: "Mm, it's just that the skin is a bit thick."

Tongzi: "…"

He is really too naïve, actually believing that a dog host's mouth could spit out ivory.

"Wu Yue!" The two were drooling when suddenly Xuehu Wu's voice came from outside the door; because he could lower his voice, it sounded like he wasn't here for anything serious.

Thinking that, Wu Yue's mouth twitched; ever since they built the house, Xuehu Wu has been racing down the lecherous path without stopping.

"I'm inside; please come in."

As soon as her words fell, the door was pushed open; Xuehu Wu entered behind two half‑beast warriors, each carrying a basket, following him inside.

Seeing this, Wu Yue was speechless, so she said: "You look like you're about to come steal chickens from my house, and isn't that two half‑beast warriors behind you?"

Xuehu Wu chuckled, the wrinkles on his old face blooming like a chrysanthemum: "Yue, did you eat the dirt clods you exchanged for last time at which dirt heap?"

Wu Yue blinked, then her face flushed a little embarrassed; could she say she had already forgotten them?

"I forgot them after putting them in the warehouse."

Saying that, she scratched her head a bit embarrassedly.

"I knew you'd forgotten; I've waited a few days, but no tasty food made from those dirt clods has appeared, so I took the chance while those old guys went to the trade spot, shook them off, and sneaked over here."

Saying that, he puffed out his chest proudly, looking very pleased with himself.

Wu Yue could only feel speechless: "You ditch your good brothers to eat alone and still have the nerve to show off?"

Xuehu Wu, naturally unaware of Wu Yue's thoughts, waved his hand, signaling the two half‑beast warriors to set their baskets on the ground: "These are the dirt clods allotted to me; I won't eat them either, so why not you make something tasty and we'll share it?"

The thick‑skinned Xuehu Wu looked at Yue with a grin, presenting the image of "I provide the food, you provide the labor, everyone's fair," as he gazed at her.

Potatoes, after all, aren't hard to turn into tasty food; besides, Yue already had an idea in mind, so she naturally agreed to Xuehu Wu's suggestion.

But she added a condition: this time, the food made from the dirt clods must be prepared in the plaza of the trade area.

Xuehu Wu's old face instantly darkened; he had finally shaken off those sticky‑mud‑like old fogeys, and if Yue went to the trade open space to cook, wouldn't those old fogeys also find out?

"Can't we just make the tasty food at home? Why do we have to do it at the trade place?"

Can Xuehu Wu admit he wants to eat it all himself?

Naturally he won't admit it, but his little eyes clearly reveal that intention.

Wu Yue only found it amusing: "Don't worry; I used to keep some dirt clods back in the past, but before that… hehe…"

Seeing the little female's sly smile, Xuehu Wu felt a bad premonition…

After a while, Xuehu Wu, sitting on a small stool washing the dirt clods, felt doubtful about life.

The esteemed shaman of the Snow Tiger Tribe was actually being arranged by a little female!

But seeing the two half‑beast warriors peeling the dirt clods and Wu Yue cutting them into small cubes, he felt his heart a little steadier; at least his own work was the easiest.

After washing and cutting all the needed dirt clods and side dishes, and slicing the meat into even thin pieces, the few of them then shouldered their pots and bowls and headed to the trade area.

Finding a more spacious spot, the two half‑beast warriors erected a simple stove; beside it they brought over a large wooden table, on which they placed many stone bowls.

The beastfolk warriors from the surrounding tribes, seeing their series of strange actions, all grew curious and gathered around.

"What is the Snow Tiger Tribe up to?"

"I don't know, but it looks like they're preparing food."

When food was mentioned, everyone unconsciously thought of the delicious fare eaten at the trade fair's sacrifice—a taste so good they'd want to swallow their own tongues, which they hadn't had since the sacrifice.

As a result, those who came to participate in the trade fair these past days found their food tasteless.

Now seeing Wu Yue and the others set up a stone pot, a sense of anticipation rose in their hearts.

The large stone pot heated up over the flames; Wu Yue directly dumped the sliced fatty meat in, and the instant the red‑and‑white marbled meat hit the pot, the sizzle of meat meeting the hot surface rang out, and a wave of fried‑meat aroma instantly spread across the open space.

The eyes of the surrounding tribespeople seemed glued to that stone pot, gulping down saliva.

Even though I already ate this morning, now I feel I could still eat the whole pot of food.

The fatty meat rolled in the stone pot, slowly oozing clear fat; Wu Yue pointed to the sliced meat beside her, signaling the beastman warrior to pour it in.

The fat sizzled the meat slices, the hiss growing louder.

After stir-frying a moment, she began pouring the prepared side ingredients into the stone pot; as the meat slices sizzled, a richer aroma drifted out.

Finally, Wu Yue waved again; the beastman warrior, who had already swallowed many mouthfuls of saliva, then dumped a whole half-basket of potato chunks into the pot.

After peeling, the potato chunks turned slightly yellow; dumped into the pot, they mixed with the meat slices and previously seasoned sides, looking quite nice.

After stir-frying a moment, Wu Yue looked at the beastman warrior: "Pour water."

A whole wooden bucket of water was poured into the stone pot, level with the food; the wooden lid set aside was placed on top, Wu Yue wiped sweat from her forehead and smiled at Xuehu Wu: "All done, just waiting to eat."

As the water in the pot boiled, the food inside began to stew, wafts of unusually tempting aroma drifting across the clearing.

The Snow Tiger Tribe's shaman disciple was making tasty food for the shaman; the news spread like a gust across the trading ground.

Everyone at the trading ground crowded over, originally wanting to see the shaman disciple's blunder, but upon smelling those wafts of tempting aroma, their saliva flowed like floodwaters of the rainy season, some unable to control it.

Meanwhile, the Eagle Shaman, Wolf Shaman, and Lion Shaman had already followed the scent over and were now sitting around the wooden table accusing the Tiger Shaman of selfishly eating alone.

Xuehu Wu looked at the three old fellows' wrinkled old faces and snorted inwardly.

Not bothering to argue with them, anyway the three old-timers would soon leave for their tribe; once they were gone, if I wanted to eat, couldn't I just go find Wu Yue to make it?

Thinking that, the little knot on my face vanished, and I felt refreshed and clear-headed.

Judging the time about right, I signaled the beastman warrior to lift the lid; accompanied by a puff of white steam, the escaping aroma instantly captured the hearts of those around.

If it weren't for the current situation being off, I'd just want to snatch that stone pot right away.

After adding an appropriate amount of salt and boiling down over high heat, this pot of potato stew with meat slices was done.

Seeing this, the four shamans couldn't be more self-conscious; before Wu Yue could speak, four stone bowls larger than their own heads were already thrust before them.

Looking at the four wrinkled yet still smiling shamans, Wu Yue could only wave her spoon and serve the steaming food to the four big shots.

The four left, satisfied, carrying their fragrant food; Wu Yue then turned to the tribespeople attending the trading fair: "Today's food turned out a bit more than needed; those who want some can come trade."

The crowd instantly stirred.

"What should we trade for it?"

No sooner had her words fallen than a beastfolk who had long been drooling spoke up.

Wu Yue followed the sound and saw—it was the beastfolk captain of the Poison Scorpion Tribe.

Seeing her look over, for some reason the Poison Scorpion beastfolk captain, who had been brainwashed all night by an irritable beastfolk, actually flashed a very ingratiating smile.

Wu Yue's little face stiffened: "Is this guy sick in the head?"

But since the guest came to our door, we ought to treat them well; Wu Yue smiled: "Anything can be traded, but I need certain things—beast hides and salt would of course be better."

The Poison Scorpion beastfolk captain promptly produced, from behind his tribesmen, a huge beast hide as tall as half a person: "How would we trade this hide?"

Wu Yue bared a little white tooth, laughing heartily: "Two bowls of food."

As her words fell, the surroundings suddenly filled with gasps.

Such a large saber-toothed tiger hide could only be exchanged for two bowls of food, and...

The crowd looked at the stone bowls on the table; unlike the four shamans' bowls, which were larger than a female's head, these bowls were only the size of a beastfolk's palm and not very deep.

Immediately, their gazes at the Poison Scorpion beastfolk captain turned odd; in Wu Yue's view, it was the look of seeing a sucker.

But would the wealthy Poison Scorpion Tribe care?

Of course not; they simply pulled enough hides from the mound behind them, then each beastfolk took a bowl of potato stew and, standing around the wooden table, wolfed it down.

Their manner of eating the dry rice really looked like they hadn't eaten in a year.

How much could a palm-sized, shallow stone bowl hold?

Naturally, not much—but with this food, the Poison Scorpion Tribe traded away over ten hides, though it wasn't even enough to fill a tooth gap, yet they couldn't keep trading.

"I never expected the Snow Tiger Tribe's shaman disciple could make such tasty food, far more useful than our tribe's slaves."

A gentle female voice sounded from outside the crowd; the encircling tribespeople made a small path, and the Rock Salt Tribe's shamaness, escorted by her own people, walked in.

Although I always tease this guy for being like a smooth ape, I have to admit, their muscular build really is the type that males in this world like.

The Rock Salt Tribe female shaman walked to the edge of the stone pot, glanced at the food inside, lightly twitched her nose and said with a smile: "It smells really good; give me a few bowls too."

The way you served it to me looks really unpleasant.

Wu Yue's lips curled into an arc softer than that of the Rock Salt Tribe female shaman; the irritable Beastfolk beside, seeing that smile, trembled, the stone bowl almost got thrown out, appearing...