Chapter 383: Yuan Lang's butt is too big

Some harsh sunlight struggled to squeeze into the tall canopy, finally leaving only a tiny speck of light on the grass below.

Even a few of those tiny specks of light lingered on the Snow Tiger Tribe beastfolk passing by.

Yuan Lang felt the warmth of the sunlight on his face, exhaled lightly: "Going back now to gather the tribespeople to intercept them would be too late. With our pursuit this time, the Scorpion Tribe and Rock Salt Tribe beastfolk will surely hurry to leave."

Since he couldn't stay, Yuan Lang was no longer gloomy, merely…

He clenched his fist, gaining another reason to grow stronger.

"Return to the tribe."

As the beastfolk's words fell, he took the lead and darted toward the forest ahead; the Snow Tiger Tribe beastman warriors watching his figure felt much of their gloom dissipate.

After a few low growls, they followed behind Yuan Lang and sprinted toward the tribe.

Meanwhile, in the Snow Tiger Tribe, yesterday's peril had long been tossed aside by the tribespeople.

After the bustling trade fair ended, the tribes of the Polar Forest entered the harvest season.

Fruits and wild vegetables in the forest were so abundant they couldn't be eaten up, and even hunting became much easier than ever before.

In such a season of plentiful food, even some small tribes could eat their fill every day.

The Snow Tiger Tribe likewise entered a busy season.

Although autumn in previous years was also the tribespeople's favorite season, that was only because there was an abundance of food.

It was also a rare season for the people to eat meat.

But this year is different, having learned how to sun-dry vegetables and fruits, the tribespeople began gathering their favorite foods to make them into easily storable dried goods.

With the rise of various dried-goods production, the tribe's weaving industry received strong development.

"Oh dear, how many grass bags can we weave from today's gathered long-leaf grass? Will you be able to give me my grass bag tomorrow? At home, the dried vegetables and fruits have nothing to be stored in."

The female holding the long-leaf grass blushed slightly, pursing her lips: "These past few days, aside from eating and sleeping, I've spent all my time weaving; these long-leaf grasses still need two days to dry by roasting."

"But we still have some already roasted long-leaf grass at home; you can come pick up your grass bag tomorrow."

Upon hearing that, the female broke into a happy grin: "Oh dear, thank you for your hard work; if I didn't have grass bags to store them in, my dried goods would have to sit on the grass mats."

Having said that, she took a few fruits from the basket on her back and slipped them into the arms of the female holding the long-leaf grass: "Then I won't keep you; I still need to go home to prepare food, I'll be off now."

Having said that, she hummed a tune she couldn't even remember and walked away.

The female clutching the long-leaf grass held the fruits to her chest and hurried home.

At the courtyard entrance, two little cubs were playing, their gray little paws covered in dirt from the ground.

Seeing their A Mu return, they immediately yelped, scrambled up from the ground, and ran toward their A Mu.

"A Mu, A Mu, fruit!"

"Fruit, A Mu!"

The two little ones tugged at the grass vine around their A Mu's waist, their round eyes fixed on the fruit in her arms, with some unknown liquid at the corners of their mouths.

"A Mu still has long-leaf grass to put inside the house; you need to wash your hands before you can eat the delicious fruit."

The two little cubs looked at the fresh fruit reluctantly, humming and whining as they wanted to enjoy the treat early.

"Shaman Wu Yue said that bugs love dirty little cubs!"

After several insect swarm attacks, if you ask the Snow Tiger Tribe's little cubs what they fear most, insect swarms are definitely number one.

Upon hearing their A Mu mention the hated bugs, the two little ones immediately let go of the wobbly grass vine on their A Mu and pattered into the courtyard to wash their hands.

The female kept that pose with half her buttocks exposed, walked into the courtyard, placed the long-leaf grass she was holding on the kitchen floor, then took out the two fruits the tribespeople had given her earlier.

After washing it clean, she took one fruit and, with a sharp shell knife, cut it into four even pieces.

The other fruit she placed in the basket hanging on the wall; she had no time to go gathering, so she would leave this one to eat tomorrow.

After washing their little paws clean, the two little cubs hurried into the kitchen, extending their now much cleaner paws for A Mu to inspect.

After the female patted the two little cubs' heads and praised them, she then handed the freshly cut fruit to the two little ones.

Watching the two little ones eat until their eyes squinted, the female's heart felt sweeter than eating the fruit itself.

Contrary to the female's happiness, Wu Yue standing in her own courtyard felt somewhat listless.

There was no other reason; having gained a sturdy, warm stone house to live in, the Snow Tiger Tribe's people fully acknowledged Wu Yue as the next shaman, showing her great respect, and so…

Qingcao, carrying a basket, walked in and saw a pile of green fruit giving off a strange smell in the courtyard… no, they should now be called cucumbers.

Yue calls them that; although she doesn't know why the green fruit is called cucumber, she just listens to what Yue says.

This is what A Mu told her.

But upon raising her head and seeing Wu Yue's tearful expression, Qingcao silently hid the basket behind her back.

But at this moment Wu Yue turned her head and looked over: "You wouldn't also be here to deliver cucumbers, would you?"

Qingcao gave a dry, heh-heh laugh and handed over the basket: "Because this period is exactly when the green fruit ripens, so…"

"Just put it on the stone table."

Wu Yue's voice sounded somewhat helpless: "The cucumbers the tribespeople sent over the past few days were all placed in the storehouse; when I returned today I smelled something odd, went to check, and found many of those cucumbers had already spoiled."

Looking at the spoiled food, Wu Yue felt heartbroken, tears welling up.

The tribespeople, fearing she would refuse, had secretly placed them inside the house; unfortunately, this weather truly does not allow storage, and they spoiled in just a few days.

If they had been discovered earlier, they could have been given to other tribespeople or eaten sooner.

"Last time A Mu and the others blanched the cucumbers in water, then laid them out on grass mats to dry together with the wild vegetables."

Saying this, Qingcao's expression twisted: "But when we got up the next day and looked, those cucumbers had grown mold, were sticky and gooey, and tasted strange."

"You didn't dry them whole like that, did you?"

Qingcao nodded earnestly: "Yes."

Wu Yue patted her companion's shoulder: "After blanching and drying them whole, it's already good that the cucumbers didn't jump up and look for you."

Upon hearing that, Qingcao instantly felt awful: "Jump… jump up! Can cucumbers even jump?"

Hehe, kid, your focus seems a bit off…

"Go bury them in the soil, those cucumbers have already gone bad; eating them will make you sick."

Qingcao waved her hand casually: "I already threw them away ages ago; I ate one and my stomach hurt, then I sat in a hole for a whole day."

"I'll go find some herbs for you."

Wu Yue looked worriedly at her little companion; this guy actually ate even the rotten cucumbers—who gave her the guts! The Beast God?

Seeing this, Qingcao grabbed her arm: "It's fine now; a stomachache just needs sitting in a hole for two days and it'll be better."

Sitting in a hole for two days will fix it…

The hole will fix it…

All good…

Seeing Qingcao's healthy, robust appearance—nothing like your sickly little weakling self that gets sick at the drop of a hat—Wu Yue wished she could dig out her newly risen worry and feed it to a dog.

"Since you're so healthy, why not come over and help me work?"

Wu Yue's inner little abacus clacked away.

Qingcao gave a hehe, dry laugh, preparing to slip away: "Ah ha, I just remembered—A Mu told me to head back early."

But before she could take a step, the animal skins around her waist were grabbed, and Wu Yue's laughter rang out: "Really? How about I go with you?"

I giao!

Qingcao's scalp tingled as she recalled A Mu's affection and respect for Yue; if she knew she had sneaked off…

The consequences would be rather… sourly awesome!

"Haha, nothing at home is as important as your little companion; whatever you need to do, just leave it to me with peace of mind!"

Seeing the quick change of expression on her companion's face, Wu Yue gave her a look that said, "You're decent enough."

She then pointed to the spoiled cucumbers emitting a strange smell in the yard: "When you go home, help me take these bad cucumbers out and throw them away."

Qingcao gave the always-black-hearted companion a doubtful look: "Just like that?"

"What? Do you still want to do something else?"

Wu Yue said, then prepared to get up.

Seeing this, Qingcao rushed like a gust of wind to the pile of oddly smelling cucumbers, scooped them all into her back basket, turned and ran outside.

"You go ahead and busy yourself; I'm off to throw away the cucumbers."

The moment her words fell, she had already run past several families' courtyards.

Only a few fading echoes remained for Wu Yue.

"Could it be that I've been exploiting my companion too heavily lately?"

Wu Yue couldn't help but reflect on herself upon discovering her conscience.

But the next second, seeing the cucumbers Qingcao had just brought to the stone table, her little face scrunched up.

Wasting food is shameful, but as a single dog she really can't eat that much, and besides, with the weather this hot, they'll go bad in at most two days.

"How about we dry them into cucumber chips? With such good sun, once dried they can be stored for a long time."

Wu Yue muttered to herself as she walked into the kitchen and took out a wooden bucket.

After washing the cucumbers clean, she sliced them into uniformly thin pieces, tossed them into a nearby wooden tub, and mixed in salt.

"All set; tomorrow we can take them out to dry."

After tidying up the kitchen, she couldn't help but frown toward the tribe's entrance.

Why haven't Yuan Lang and the others returned yet? Not even Tongzi has any news.

"Call the Dog System—if you're there, squeak once!"

"Squeak~"

Wu Yue: "…"

She swore that if the Dog System were here, she'd definitely give it a violent chestnut.

"Why haven't you come back yet?"

Tongzi's listless voice echoed in her mind: "It's not that I don't want to come back; I've been kidnapped!"

Wu Yue's heart jumped: "You were captured by the Beastfolk of the Salt Rock Tribe? Yuan Lang and the others went to chase after the Salt Rock Tribe Beastfolk—if you see them, seize the chance to ask for help."

"Calling for help is useless; the one who kidnapped me is Yuan Lang.

Host, I seriously suspect Yuan Lang wants to use me to threaten you into becoming his mate."

Tongzi said solemnly.

Seeing it still able to spout nonsense here, one knows they're fine.

Wu Yue couldn't help but sneer: "Rest assured, if he makes such a demand, I'll have him killed outright!"

"Host, how can you treat me like this? Aren't I your most beloved Tongzi?"

"Cut the nonsense—did you catch the Salt Rock Tribe Beastfolk?"

Tongzi, hanging from Yuan Lang's animal‑skin skirt and swaying in the wind, said: "We caught up, wounded one Beastfolk, and Yuan Lang nearly killed the Salt Rock Tribe's shaman."

"Nearly?"

"So you're on your way back now, right?"

Tongzi hummed: "They should arrive by tonight. Host, that Salt Rock Tribe shaman seems to have known Yuan Lang for a long time, and speaks in a strange way."

"This time, because the Scorpion Tribe interfered and let them go, there might be some hidden danger."

Wu Yue hummed softly: "A hidden danger? Since it's already been left behind, we should try to deal with it; if we can't handle it now, the only option is to become stronger—strong enough that this hidden danger can never affect us."

Salt Rock Tribe… Scorpion Tribe…

Wu Yue's moist eyes narrowed slightly…

"How's the task I gave you going?"

The host suddenly changed the subject, leaving Tongzi dazed for a moment before realizing what the host had said.

The next second, Tongzi's characteristic cunning laugh sounded in Wu Yue's mind.

"Hehe... Host, don't worry, the medicine packet you gave was enough; I scattered it all over. I estimate that shamaness won't be able to run away."

"Mm, come back and I'll give you the rock ore to eat."

Tongzi, who was crying into the wind at Yuan Lang's waist, heard that and his spirit was shaken; instantly he felt his waist no longer hurt and his legs no longer sore—crying into the wind for several kilometers was no problem at all for him.

The sky slowly darkened, but the open space in the middle of the Snow Tiger Tribe remained lively.

Although they now had their own stone houses, everyone instead grew fond of the feeling of gathering together.

Several large bonfires blazed, and clansmen on good terms sat together, chatting while making their favorite food.

Wu Yue, meanwhile, sat together with Xuehu Wu and the Snow Tiger clan chief.

Xuehu Wu held a steaming roasted sweet potato, huffing and puffing as he blew on it and peeled the skin; as the skin was peeled off, a rich sweetness mixed with the sweet potato's distinctive aroma wafted out.

This caused the Snow Tiger clan chief beside him to involuntarily reach out his hand.

While everyone was eating, a roar of the patrolling beastfolk came from outside the tribe; after a moment of silence in the clearing, someone shouted, "The warriors who went to attack the Salt Rock Tribe's beastfolk have returned!"

Everyone sprang up with a shout, except for a few females who stayed in the clearing watching the fire; the rest of the clansmen all ran toward the tribe's gate.

Yuan Lang and the others' gloomy mood along the way instantly brightened upon seeing the clansmen rushing toward them.

Tongzi, who had been crying into the wind for several kilometers, let out a yell and broke free from Yuan Lang's waist, leaping into his host's embrace.

"Whoooo!"

"Host, I'm telling you, that beastfolk Yuan Lang's butt is too big, leaving me no place to block the wind."