Chapter 480: Seeking Refuge

A few days later, a group of strangers appeared in the forest of the new settlement's territory; the patrolling males saw this group and instantly became vigilant.

This is the Snow Moon Tribe's territory; which tribe are you from? Leave quickly!

Hearing the males' shout, the group coming from the forest stopped; just as the guarding males were relaxing, the half-beast in that group walked over alone.

Under the wary eyes of the few guarding males, the beastman warrior stopped beside a large tree in the distance and asked: "May I ask if your tribe has four powerful beastman warriors and one female?"

The few males who were supposed to be on guard, upon hearing this, couldn't help but be slightly startled; the male who had just spoken said: "Do you know the honored shaman and beastman sirs?"

The half-beast opposite, his gaunt, weary face instantly showing excitement, said: "Yes, they previously lived in our tribe before leaving; please inform the few beastman sirs that we are the Laso Tribe's people."

The Laso Tribe…

The few males glanced at the half-beast in surprise; they also knew this tribe.

Just wait there; someone has already gone to the tribe to report.

This Laso Tribe half-beast warrior seemed to have no ill intent, and the few males felt somewhat relieved.

Where is there any tribe coming to attack? There's not a sound of battle.

The familiar sound reached the ears of the few guarding males, and also attracted Laman, who was anxiously waiting not far away.

Although they hadn't been together long, as the most talkative among them, Teng Qian was still well known in the Laso Tribe; Laman guessed his identity just from his voice.

As Teng Qian strode over, his sharp gaze instantly turned to the invaders the males had mentioned: "Huh?"

The half-beast warrior standing not far away, though looking somewhat older and weary, still had that familiar scent…

"Laman?"

Upon seeing the beastman, he recognized himself; Laman's nose soured, his eye sockets reddened, feeling as if he had found his organization.

"Teng Qian Sir, I have finally found you."

Laman choked up, recalling this period's miserable life, truly feeling heartbroken.

Teng Qian frowned at the bundles of skeletons behind him, furrowed his brow: "Come with me to the tribe first."

Seeing that the beastman sirs of our own tribe actually knew the Laso Tribe's people, the guarding males made way.

After arranging the Laso Tribe's people to sit in an open space with Da Man, Teng Qian then ordered Da Man and a few others to fetch some food, and only then led Laman toward the cave.

Hearing the footsteps, Wu Yue turned back; upon seeing Laman, she was slightly stunned, then a faint smile appeared on her face: "Laman Chief."

Everyone sat down in the cave; Wu Yue reached over and took the roasted meat from the stone pot, handing it to him.

This Laso Tribe chief, who had always been aloof toward them, now seemed as if he hadn't eaten in ages, wolfing down the already cold piece of meat.

Even when choking and straining his neck, his right-hand fingers clenched the meat tightly; even his nails caked with dirt sank into the flesh, yet he did not relax at all.

Watching Laman's starving-ghost appearance, Teng Qian's mouth corner twitched sharply; he took a stone bowl filled with water from the side and handed it to him: "Eat slowly, no one will take it from you."

Laman gratefully took the stone bowl and gulped down a 'ton-ton-ton' of water, then exhaled long, stuffed the remaining meat into his mouth, chewed and swallowed it, then sighed deeply with a wry smile: "I haven't eaten in a long time."

Wu Yue's small face expressionless, she nodded slightly: "Mm, I can tell."

Teng Qian: "…"

Yue, do you think we should give this Laman chief some face?

Laman: "…"

Although I'm the one who said this, your earnest agreement makes me feel kinda…

Our tribe's territory was seized by the Wuke Tribe; after you left, the Wuke Tribe absorbed several small and medium tribes, gathering all those subdued tribes around themselves.

Our tribe, being too close to the Wuke Tribe, was driven away.

Wu Yue eyed Laman doubtfully: "Why didn't you join the Wuke Tribe?"

Laman scratched his head, somewhat embarrassed: "The Wuke Tribe… only let me alone join them, they didn't want the rest of our people."

Wu Yue understood; the Wuke Tribe isn't stupid either—they need strong combat power, but they don't want those weak pure humans.

Having said this, Wu Yue also roughly guessed some of Laman's purpose in coming to find them this time.

She nodded: "Then what are your plans next?"

Laman opened his mouth, but he found it hard to speak.

Originally, when he brought his people here, he hoped to ask a few powerful beastman warriors for help in finding a new territory to establish a tribe.

But now, upon learning that those few powerful beastman warriors had already established a new tribe, and that the tribe also possessed a mysterious and honored shaman, his thoughts changed as well.

Rather than continuing to build a weak tribe, it would be better to join a strong one, as long as the tribe founded by those few powerful beastman warriors is willing to accept them.

These thoughts were merely a fleeting moment; he anxiously glanced at Wu Yue and Teng Qian, clenched the hands resting on his legs, and said: "I… I hope you will accept us as part of this tribe."

Having said that, seemingly afraid of rejection, he hurriedly knelt on the ground: "Our tribe's people are all diligent, capable of any task; we will also strive to find food—please take us in."

After saying this, Laman felt an unprecedented ease.

If they could receive the protection of this powerful tribe, their lives would become much easier; at the very least, they would no longer have to worry about their people being killed for no reason, nor be driven away at any moment by stronger tribes, forcing them to migrate with their people.

As for the Laso Tribe, Wu Yue and the others still felt favorable toward them; although the tribe's life is difficult, its people harbor no ill intent.

I can accept your people, after all you previously helped us, but in this tribe all members must obey our orders—understand?

Laman nodded eagerly; as for having to obey orders later, for a small tribe like theirs that constantly faces danger and threats from large tribes, it's nothing at all.

He can't wait to go out and tell his people this good news; they now have a new tribe and no longer need to wander.

"Go tell your people this news," we said; our current encampment lacks enough caves, so pick a spot yourselves and stay on the open ground—we'll arrange the rest later.

Laman respectfully rose to his feet, looking with awe at the female before him whom he previously hadn't valued much…

No… she should be a mysterious and honored shaman.

"Shaman, Little Emma has been asking about you; may I bring her over?"

Wu Yue heard this and nodded: "Bring her over."

If Wu Yue previously had reservations about teaching Emma, now that Little Emma has become a member of this tribe, she naturally wishes for another shaman to appear in the tribe.

Meanwhile, in a forest far from the Snow Moon Tribe, the half-beast captain of the Dongsang Tribe finally led his squad's people back to the tribe.

The Dongsang Tribe looked down at the half-beast warrior, brows furrowed: "Four powerful beastman warriors—do you know where they came from?"

Half-Beast Warrior shook his head: "Chief, those Beastman Warriors didn't really speak much; instead, that Shaman asked me many questions, and indeed he doesn't seem to understand our forest."

Besides, they took in the people of that small tribe, probably also wanting to join the competition in our forest.

The Dong Sang clan chief laughed while leaning against the woman beside him: "Let the competition be; anyway, I still need quite some time to become a Gold-rank Beastman Warrior, among these few tribes of ours."

The ones who truly need that spot are precisely that annoying guy from the Wuke tribe and another detestable old fellow.

As the right-hand man of the Dong Sang clan chief, the Half-Beast naturally knows who the old fellow the chief mentioned is, but he was smart enough not to respond.

Silence began to spread in the cave; after a moment, the Dong Sang clan chief slowly sat up, his eyes expectant as he looked down at the Half-Beast Warrior: "The first tribal trade gathering is about to begin; go ahead and represent our Dong Sang tribe in inviting the Xue Yue tribe to participate."

The Half-Beast nodded respectfully: "Yes, Chief."

His mind isn't sharp, so he just needs to carry out the chief's orders without asking further.

After the Half-Beast left, a female beside the Dong Sang clan chief finally spoke: "Chief, are we just going to ignore that small tribe?"

The Dong Sang clan chief, eyes closed, opened them and glanced at the female upon hearing her: "You're smart, you've contributed to our tribe, and I'm willing to meet some of your demands, but this time you must give up—I won't offend four powerful Beastman Warriors, and even a honored Shaman, for you."

His gentle eyes turned indifferent in an instant: "Do you understand?"

The female lowered her head respectfully: "I understand, Chief."

Many loose hairs fell from her lowered forehead, covering those scarlet, fierce eyes.

···

"With all these dirt blocks, I don't know what the Shaman and Beastman Sirs want to do with them."

"How could we possibly guess the thoughts of the Shaman and Beastman Sirs?"

Since the slave incident last time, the tribe's people no longer dare to complain about the Shaman's and Beastman Sirs' decisions; they simply focus on carrying out their orders.

A few days later, all the tribe's members were gathered on an open space in the village, not far from the small hill of mud bricks they had made.

"Earlier I had you make dirt blocks; many of you wondered what they were for, but today you'll find out."

Seeing everyone looking at him with anticipation, Wu Yue gave a light smile and looked toward the few Beastman Warriors and Da Man and his four companions.

Da Man and his companions vigorously stirred soil and dry grass in a nearby open space, and they sent two people to deliver the mixed soil to the sides of several Beastman Sirs.

Next, they saw several Beastman Warriors begin to build dirt blocks on a raised patch of ground, and they also needed to spread a layer of the mixed soil in between.

After all, dirt blocks aren't the fired bricks made in the tribe; although it took some time, when a house built of dirt blocks appeared on the village clearing, Wu Yue still marveled, walking around it several times.

"What… what is this?"

"It's just dirt piled up—surely a kick would knock it down?"

Nobody had seen anything like this before; they were very curious and also puzzled about what the dirt-block structure was for.

Even Da Man and his four helpers, who had been assisting nearby, were doubtful.

Only after the roof and windows were fully installed was this simple dirt house considered completely finished.

Even so, the four Beastman Warriors toiled from morning until afternoon to finish completely, and this was with materials prepared in advance.

Teng Qian shook dirt off his hands, looked at Da Man nearby, and said, "Come over and slam into it hard to test it."

Da Man contemptuously thought of the dirt wall as merely a pile of dirt clods; he figured slamming into it would topple it in no time.

"Strike it with full force."

Wu Yue's voice sounded from the side.

Upon hearing that, Da Man nodded, thinking he still had to obey the Shaman's words—worst case, he'd just fall in.

He gathered his strength and, with a shout, charged at the dirt wall.

But…

With a dull thud, Da Man felt as if countless birds were swirling above his head as he fell backward onto the ground, unable to believe that not even a speck of dirt had fallen from the "wall".

Who could tell him why this dirt-built "wall" was so solid—he had just felt as if he were striking a mountain cliff.

"Anyone else want to test the wall's sturdiness?"

Although everyone was still curious, after Da Man's attempt, the pure folk also gave up.

Fu Er, sitting in the back, felt his arm as if poked, turned his head, and saw it was A Yun's older sister.

Looking at Fu Er's clueless expression, A Yun helplessly rubbed his forehead, then leaned close to this silly younger brother's ear and whispered, "The pure folk won't go up anymore; you're a Half-Beast Warrior, you can give it a try."

Fu Er furtively glanced at the Shaman standing in the middle: "If I go up, will the Shaman get angry? If it makes us slaves, that would be bad."

A Yun shook his head: "I think you should go up and try; I have a feeling the Shaman won't be angry this time."

Now the tribe already has three Half-Beast Warriors; plus, earlier the Beastman Warriors actually handed over their future companion—the Half-Beast Warrior who had been thrown into the forest by the small tribe's chief—to them. Only then did she realize that her future companion, after being cast out, had actually received aid from the Shaman and several Beastman Sirs.

As long as they keep resting for a while, they can go out hunting.

Seeing the number of Half-Beast Warriors in the tribe growing, Fu Er couldn't just keep working silently; he needed the Shaman and several Beastman Sirs to remember him.

Fu Er thought it over, silently made up his mind, stood up straight, and said: "Shaman, I'll give it a try."

Wu Yue gave a light smile and nodded: "Go ahead."