Becoming a Leader in a Primitive Otherworld - Chapter 14

The tribal gathering proceeded at a leisurely pace. Even as the crescent moon began to be obscured by the approaching clouds, the Tribespeople showed no signs of dispersing to their huts.

Xie Yu stood up, brushed the dust from her clothes, and naturally extended her hand toward Yun Nai. Instead of taking her palm, Yun Nai grasped Xie Yu’s forearm.

“The Priest and I will head back first,” Xie Yu said with a smile.

The remaining Tribespeople cheered merrily as they watched the pair depart.

Without any lamps, the only light in the camp came from the bonfire, but its glow was sufficient to illuminate their path.

Yun Nai released Xie Yu’s arm and rubbed her temples, feeling drowsy.

After all the tribespeople moved out of the large thatched hut, Xie Bianyu had the construction team renovate and expand it into the Clan Hall, a place for tribal meetings and discussions.

The Tribe had been in a period of recovery, but now it finally seemed to be taking shape, which pleased Xie Yu greatly.

The words “Clan Hall” were written above the entrance, but none of the tribespeople could read them. In fact, they couldn’t even recognize the names marked on the plaques in front of their own huts.

Xie Yu had no immediate plans to teach them literacy. For now, she simply wanted to clearly label each hut with its owner’s name for administrative purposes.

Trees continued to fall along the forest’s edge, their trunks hauled back to the settlement. This time, Xie Yu intended to craft furniture: stools, tables, chairs, and two wooden racks.

Their huts had been sparsely furnished, containing only two beds, a few miscellaneous items, and a bathing tub. Adding these pieces would make the living spaces feel much more complete.

“Chief, what’s this called?” Gan asked curiously, mimicking Xie Yu’s posture as she sat on a four-legged chair with a backrest.

“The one you’re sitting on is a chair,” Xie Yu explained, pointing to each item. “The shorter ones are stools, and this flat surface is a table.”

The others swarmed around, circling the newly crafted items.

“The table and chairs are a set,” Xie Yu explained. “Those who’ve learned how can make their own. If you want one but don’t know how, ask Gan or Zhi to make it for you, but you’ll need to trade something for it.”

After giving these instructions, Xie Yu took her own set home.

As for the two wooden frames, she planned to use them as screens. By hanging Lotus Reed Beast Hide over them, she could completely conceal the bathing tub, ensuring privacy while bathing.

Once the furniture was arranged and tidied, Xie Yu admired her handiwork. At last, it felt like a proper home.

Yun Nai had left early that morning. These days, Yun Nai was rarely seen. Both women were out from dawn till dusk, only catching glimpses of each other during meals and before bed.

Xie Yu wasn’t curious, respecting Yun Nai’s privacy. Besides, Yun Nai always returned with unfamiliar plants, suggesting she was occupied with important matters.

In a corner of the thatched hut, several woven baskets lay piled, filled with Yun Nai’s gathered herbs and plants. Xie Yu glanced at them and suddenly remembered Yun Nai pointing out a direction where chili pepper-like ingredients grew. Her heart racing with excitement, she slung the small basket Yun Nai had made for her over her shoulder, grabbed her spear, and sprinted toward that direction.

The tribespeople had risen early, and it was now around eight in the morning, the coolest part of the day.

After running forward for a while, she stepped into knee-high grass and shrubs, using her spear to clear obstacles as she walked, her eyes searching for the plant Yun Nai had described.

Still finding nothing deeper in, Xie Yu decided to give up for now. She swung her stone spear, intending to hunt some small animals first.

Towering trees formed a green barrier, allowing only dappled sunlight to filter through their dense canopy. Bird calls echoed through the forest, and when Xie Yu looked up, she spotted a nest, her eyes lighting up.

The tree stood about ten meters tall, its trunk thick enough for two people to encircle. Xie Yu tossed her stone spear aside and swiftly climbed to the nest.

Inside were three eggs, each about the size of her palm. She tossed them into her basket and was about to survey the surroundings when she spotted a familiar figure.

Yun Nai was kneeling behind a clump of bushes, her back to Xie Yu, pulling something from the ground. A piece of Lotus Reed Beast Hide lay nearby, likely for shade later in the day. Her priest really is meticulous, Xie Yu thought.

Xie Yu breathed a sigh of relief, inwardly grateful that Yun Nai hadn’t seen her climbing the tree. She had no desire to leave Yun Nai with the impression of her being an “agile monkey.”

She quickly descended the tree, picked up her small basket, and circled around to approach Yun Nai from the front.

“Priest, what are you looking for?” Xie Yu asked cheerfully.

Yun Nai, still searching for something, didn’t even look up as she replied, “I’m gathering some medicinal herbs. Are you here to hunt?”

“Yes,” Xie Yu replied, glancing around. She had actually come to find chili peppers. “What would you like for dinner tonight? I’ll hunt it for you.”

Yun Nai raised an eyebrow. “Anything?”

“Except lions and tigers,” Xie Yu said quickly, her heart tightening with anxiety, fearing Yun Nai might ask for tiger meat.

Yun Nai rolled her eyes at her in exasperation.

Even her eye-rolls are beautiful, Xie Yu thought, unfazed by the gesture. Her mood only brightened further. “But there will be other options.”

“Actually, I was also hoping to find chili peppers,” Xie Yu admitted, sounding dejected. “I’ve been searching for ages, but I haven’t seen any like the ones you described.” Was she destined to never find chili peppers?

Yun Nai pointed to the basket on Xie Yu’s right.

Following her gaze, Xie Yu looked inside and saw it was filled with the very chili peppers Yun Nai had described.

“They’re not common,” Yun Nai explained. “I left the rest to grow bigger.” With that, she turned back to her tasks.

Suppressing a strange, subtle feeling, Xie Yu thanked her. Then, remembering something, she quickly added, “Oh, right, look!”

She presented the small basket like a treasure. “I just found these! We can have roasted bird eggs tonight!”

“Climbed a tree?” Yun Nai asked with a gentle smile.

Xie Yu didn’t answer directly, instead trying to hum and haw her way out of it.

Yun Nai teased, “As nimble as a little monkey.”

“Priest, monkeys swing around! I don’t swing!” Xie Yu insisted, defending herself. “I don’t swing around like a monkey!”

Yun Nai pretended to ponder this.

In truth, Yun Nai had heard the commotion nearby even before Xie Yu started climbing the tree. She had watched the entire ascent, and she had to admit that Xie Yu’s agility gave even tree-climbing an indescribable grace.

Knowing how embarrassed Xie Yu would be if she knew she’d been seen, Yun Nai had turned her back before being noticed.

But now, seeing Xie Yu’s expression, she couldn’t resist teasing her, so she asked the question aloud.

“Tonight, I just want roasted bird eggs,” Yun Nai said, brushing aside Xie Yu’s teasing about the swinging monkeys. After giving Xie Yu a break, she immediately put her to work again. “Come help me pull these out.”

Xie Yu quickly got to work. “Have you been looking for these lately?”

“Mm-hmm. I want to take some back to study their medicinal and toxic properties. It’ll be easier to treat the tribespeople when they get sick.”

The roots of these medicinal herbs ran deep, and Yun Nai had been digging for a long time without success.

She turned to Xie Yu, who was digging with gusto. “I want to build a pharmacy.”

Without hesitation, Xie Yu replied, “Okay.”

“The pharmacy should have two rooms: one for storing herbs and another for treating patients,” Yun Nai explained, detailing her requirements. “And let’s build a warehouse too. We need a proper place to store food.”

Xie Yu nodded in agreement. Yun Nai was right; the settlement’s facilities were still inadequate.

As the sun climbed higher, the temperature rose slightly.

A bead of sweat trickled down Xie Yu’s forehead. Even with her good stamina, she was starting to tire. “Why didn’t you bring anyone else?”

“They wouldn’t recognize these herbs. Bringing them would be inefficient. Teaching them one by one would take too long,” Yun Nai explained. “It’s better for me to gather everything first, then dedicate a block of time to teaching them all at once.”

“Take me with you next time,” the worker boasted. “I’m quick to learn—I’ll pick it up in no time. Besides, I occasionally hunt in this area anyway, so it’d be convenient.”

Xie Yu wondered why no one ever came to this part of the forest. The tribespeople usually hunted in the opposite direction. She had only come here today because she was craving chili peppers.

Yun Nai casually agreed.

As they searched and gathered herbs deeper into the forest, Yun Nai noticed the Golden Crow sinking lower in the sky. Seeing her basket nearly full, she suggested, “Let’s head back.”

There’s a surprise waiting for her, Xie Yu thought. Yun Nai knows I’ve been having furniture made, but she’ll never expect it to be finished so soon.

She handed Yun Nai the smaller basket. “You carry this one.” Xie Yu slung the larger basket of medicinal herbs over her shoulder, tapped the ground with her stone spear, and propped up the Lotus Reed Beast Hide. “Let’s go.”

Yun Nai reached for the Lotus Reed Beast Hide, but Xie Yu dodged her hand, her eyes twinkling. “Priestess, I’m taller than you. It’ll be uncomfortable for you to hold it.”

As they emerged from the forest, the tribal settlement came into view.

No sooner had they returned than a group of people rushed toward them.

“Priestess, we’ve finally found you!”

“What’s wrong?”

The newcomers wore anxious expressions. “Someone’s dying.”

Xie Yu’s heart sank. She and Yun Nai hurried in the direction they were led, soon arriving near their thatched hut.

A commotion erupted as someone cried out, “It hurts so much!”

The man sat on the ground, weeping bitterly. “My hand is broken! I’ll never hunt again! My heart is broken too!”

Ping maintained order while Yan and the others comforted him.

Ke visibly gritted her teeth at his wailing, but seeing her companion’s distress, she restrained herself and offered, “Stop crying. You’re not going to die.”

“Stop.” Xie Yu frowned and approached him.

The man’s arm was already swollen. Yun Nai knelt down to examine it. “Dislocated.”

Yun Nai glanced at Xie Yu. “Can you do it?”

Understanding immediately, Xie Yu crouched down and gripped the man’s arm. “I’ll try.”

Crack, crack-crack—

The man howled in pain. “Apam, bless us all! My bones are breaking!”

He instinctively moved his hand, then exclaimed in surprise, “It doesn’t hurt as much anymore!”

Ignoring the still-wailing man, Xie Yu turned to his companion. “What happened?”

The man scratched his head, looking embarrassed. “He was climbing a tree, and the branch snapped under his weight.”

The man beamed gratefully at them. Xie Yu waved dismissively. “Be more careful climbing trees in the future.”

Yun Nai’s mind flashed to Xie Yu’s agile movements as she climbed trees.

The crowd dispersed like receding tide. The tree climber sighed. “Looks like we definitely need a medicine hut.”

This was also Yun Nai’s intention. She wanted her tribespeople to be able to treat common injuries. Although she had previously taught them about medicinal herbs at their original settlement, the tribespeople hadn’t learned very well.

“Chief, be careful when you climb trees,” Yun Nai said with a smile, taking off her small basket.

Xie Yu pouted, then watched as Yun Nai moved the door aside and entered the hut.

Yun Nai smiled at the neatly arranged interior. She tested the newly made chair and found that while its design wasn’t particularly elegant, it was remarkably sturdy.

The edges had been carefully smoothed, making it comfortable to the touch, and even without animal hide padding, it wouldn’t be uncomfortable to sit on.

Xie Yu eagerly smeared mud on two bird eggs and buried them in the firewood beneath the stone stove before lighting a fire.

The roasted eggs released a rich aroma, and fresh fish simmered on the stove.

“Do you like spicy food?” Xie Yu waved her hand in front of Yun Nai. “If you do, I’ll add some chili peppers.”

Since they only had one stove and couldn’t cook separately like they could with grilled meat, she wanted to ask Yun Nai’s preference.

Yun Nai caught the longing in Xie Yu’s eyes, so bright it almost dazzled her.

“Alright,” Xie Yu replied.

She sprinkled the rinsed spicy condiments into the simmering broth, where the savory aroma of fish mingled with the rich scent of eggs, making her mouth water. Soon, her stomach began to rumble.

Yun Nai retrieved wild berries from a corner basket and washed them, arranging them neatly on the new wooden table.

Xie Yu cracked open the roasted eggs, revealing the tender, springy cooked whites and creamy yolks. “Here, try one,” she offered.

The two women savored their first meal seated at a proper table.