Chapter 124: Council Deliberation

The Esteemed Tribe has a central area.

Here a flat piece of land was cleared, fenced off, and used as the place where the tribal leader and elders discuss matters on ordinary days.

Da Yu, as the son of tribal leader Gun, has been invited to every council since he was able to hunt a wild boar on his own, either as a listener or to be asked for his opinion.

At this moment.

Several tribal elders and other learned individuals are already seated here.

When Da Yu arrives, they all turn to look at him, as if this council were held especially for him.

Among them, an elder who looks over fifty with graying hair waves at him:

"Wen Ming, come over here."

He is the highest‑ranking elder of the Esteemed Tribe, second only to leader Gun, and is named Si Ping.

He is also the grandfather of Si Linghua.

"Very well." Da Yu steps forward to his side.

As soon as he steadies himself, he feels various meaningful gazes directed at him.

Especially the elder standing on the left, whose half‑drooping eyelids and wrinkles at the corners of his eyes pile up like dried gullies.

His gaze leaks out from there, cold and blunt.

His mouth corners are tight, slightly downturned—not anger, but a withered hatred, like embers buried in ash, dark‑red, burning silently.

Da Yu knows he hates him; more precisely, he hates Gun.

Because his only two sons died in floods when they went with Gun to control the waters.

Although Da Yu has no sons, he can understand the feeling of losing his two most important relatives, so he pretends not to know.

"Ahem." Si Ping clears his throat lightly, draws everyone's gaze from Da Yu back onto himself, and says:

"Gun was executed by the Emperor."

"But the Emperor still intends to control the waters; not only the Emperor, we also must control the waters, to wash away the disgrace of our failure in water control!"

"Therefore."

He looks at Da Yu: "Wen Ming, I summoned you today because we need to ask you."

"Do you wish to inherit your father's task and continue the water control?"

"If you are willing, from today onward, within our tribe—and not only within our tribe—we will invite water‑control experts from all tribes to come and teach you the knowledge of water control."

"If you refuse, we............"

"I am willing." Da Yu says so without waiting for him to finish describing the consequences of refusal.

That had been his thought all along; now that Si Ping and the others say it, it matches his desire.

But Si Ping still does not get a chance to continue speaking.

Because the elder—Si Tang—speaks up, his tone seemingly mildly gentle yet laced with a hint of sarcasm:

"Wen Ming, water control is not child's play."

"Your father led so many capable and unusual talents, spent so many years, and what was the result?"

He deliberately elongates the ending, his gaze sweeping the assembled crowd: "The Emperor's wrath, the ridicule of the tribes, and those tribe members who perished in floods... can you bear all these?"

"Is your heart truly strong enough?"

"Are you sure you are truly prepared?"

A series of questions reverberates here.

They sink into Da Yu's mind.

"Elder Si Tang is right!" A man wrapped in beast‑skin at his waist, bare‑torso, his face covered with horizontal flesh, slams his palm on the table and rises:

"If we fail again, wouldn't we be implicated once more? In my opinion, we should discard this task early!"

A few voices from the corner echo: "Exactly, it's hard work with no reward........"

"Elder Si Ping, you must also consider us; you can't favor him just because your grandson gets along with him......." someone mutters softly.

Bang!

"Silence!" Si Ping snatches the wooden cup before him and smashes it onto the ground, shards scattering.

The old man's hunched back suddenly straightens, his murky eyes flashing with a terrifying gleam.

"Thinking of failure before even starting?" His voice rasps like sandpaper:

"You cowardly lot!"

"If, back when Huang Di and Chi You were about to clash, he had you lot under his command.......... haha."

He grabs Da Yu's wrist, pulls the young man before the crowd: "Look at this kid! How young is he, yet he dares to take on this heavy burden!"

"Knowing that failure means death, yet he still accepted!"

"And you? Besides hiding behind idle talk, what else can you do?"

"This is why you cannot become leaders!"

Da Yu feels the force from the old man's withered palm, an unmistakable support.

He takes a deep breath, about to speak, but Si Ping raises his hand to stop him.

"Everyone, listen up!" Si Ping's voice booms like a muffled thunder here:

"From today onward, since Wen Ming is willing to control the waters and take up Gun's burden, he shall become the new leader of the Esteemed Tribe! Anyone who dares to speak otherwise........"

The elder suddenly draws a bone‑made dagger from his waist and forcefully thrusts it into the wooden table, the blade embedding deep into the grain.

"Just ask whether I agree or not!"

The moment those words were spoken, silence fell like a dead forest.

Only Da Yu looks around the crowd, then slowly says: "Uncles and elders."

His voice is not loud, yet unusually clear: "I know my father's failure shamed our people, but precisely because of that, I must take on this heavy responsibility."

The flood will not retreat because of our fear, nor will it disappear because we flee.

Either we defeat it, or it devours us!

Please, uncles and elders, trust me!

"Heh," Si Tang chuckled lightly, not knowing whether Si Tang was laughing at the overconfidence or the delusional fantasies, and turned away on their own, leaving a few words:

"Then I'll give you a chance; I want to see how much stronger you are than your useless father."

"I am old and frail, so I'll go back to rest first."

"I'll go ahead a step."

Watching the figure's back.

No one knew what to say, but Da Yu shouted, "Elder Tang, thank you!"

"From now on I'll be your grandson, supporting you in old age!"

The words reached Si Tang's ears, causing Si Tang's steps to falter, but the steps quickly resumed normal pace until Si Tang walked out of here.

It was as if the previous movement were merely a normal elderly person's leg trouble.

Si Ping, seeing Si Tang, this hard-to-chew old Bone, nodded and immediately said:

"Since that's the case, today's meeting ends here!"

"Everyone, disperse!"

"Hmm, Wen Ming, you and I will go."

He turned toward a Wooden House.

Da Yu followed.

The others, after exchanging a glance, either left together or departed alone.