Becoming a Leader in a Primitive Otherworld - Chapter 21

The sticky yellow mud quickly washed away. Xie Yu changed the water two or three times, maintaining her cleanliness even in this primitive setting. Yun Nai and a few others were likely the only ones who truly understood her.

Xie Yu approached the wild boar, and the surrounding tribespeople automatically parted to make way.

With such good fortune in securing this large animal, few were inclined to hunt further. Even though the boar was somewhat lean, the portions for each person would still be substantial.

The wild boar lay motionless on the ground, the stone spear having been removed. The mud beneath it was stained crimson, dark red bl00d seeping along the ground’s fissures in all directions.

Though the scene appeared gruesome, to the tribespeople, it already represented a feast.

It was time to butcher the boar. Xie Yu initially planned to have someone supervise the process and was about to call for Ke. However, after looking around, she realized Ke had already left to hunt, clearly prioritizing the Snake Tribe’s young slaves.

“Butcher it,” Xie Yu instructed. “A few of you stay behind to handle the work. The rest of you, get back to your duties.”

The tribespeople responded in unison, their eyes lingering on the boar with longing as they reluctantly turned to leave.

Xie Yu waved them off with a sigh. If they all remained, how could the cleanup even begin?

For the Tribe, this was undoubtedly a stroke of good fortune. The finest cuts of meat were given to Xie Yu and Yun Nai, while another portion went to Li, whose contribution to killing the wild boar had been significant.

The minor incident was thus resolved.

The sun finally shone brightly the next day. After the scorching heat evaporated the moisture, the campfires were rekindled, for only fire could provide them with a strong sense of security.

As dusk approached, Ke and Lian walked arm in arm, Ke consoling her. “That’s enough for now. We’ve caught plenty these past two days. We can hunt more with bows and arrows later. You’re still young—why rush to hoard so many animal hides? It’s not like me; I need to buy that adorable slave from the Snake Tribe.”

“Besides, getting high-quality hides isn’t easy,” Lian muttered under her breath.

“How am I young? I’m only two years younger than you!”

“Alright, alright, you’re not young.”

Lin, who was playing near the campfire, spotted them and cupped her hands into a megaphone shape. “The Chief wants everyone in the Clan Hall!”

Upon hearing this, Lian stumbled, and the two of them collapsed to the ground with a thud.

Ignoring their disheveled state, Ke and Lian scrambled to their feet. Ke feared missing something important, while Lian dreaded being late and getting another head-flick from Ping.

They entered the Clan Hall and took their seats as the other tribespeople gradually filed in.

The Clan Hall had changed dramatically since its construction. In addition to the tables and chairs used for meetings in the center, a large square table now stood covered in damp soil, which Xie Yu had ordered dug up from the riverbank.

This was a sand table, crudely sculpted to represent the approximate layout of their settlement.

The sand table lacked elaborate details. Rivers were merely indicated by two shallow lines, and small squares represented structures.

Once everyone had gathered, Xie Yu tapped the long wooden stick in her hand.

“Many things have happened in the Tribe these past few days. I believe we need to reaffirm our rules and announce an important matter for tomorrow.”

The moment the words “reaffirm our rules” were spoken, the tribespeople’s expressions turned anxious.

Most of them had committed minor transgressions and now feared being exposed.

The Tribe held internal discussions periodically, partly to identify and correct existing problems, and partly to allow Tribespeople to voice their opinions on the Tribe’s future decisions.

From the moment Xie Yu arrived, she sensed that the Tribespeople were reluctant to think critically, or perhaps she had always been too rigid in her approach, leading them to simply follow her directives.

Yun Nai sat beside Xie Yu, her expression calm.

She hadn’t needed to attend, but Xie Yu had pleaded with her, insisting she couldn’t speak well alone and needed Yun Nai’s presence.

Recalling Xie Yu’s pitiful act, her eyes glistening with feigned tears, Yun Nai felt a secret amusement, fully aware of Xie Yu’s ulterior motives.

Xie Yu indeed had her own reasons for this.

As the Priest, Yun Nai rarely involved herself in the Tribe’s affairs. However, Xie Yu anticipated times when she might need to temporarily leave the Tribe—for instance, when traveling to the Great Market at the end of summer for trade.

Recognizing Yun Nai’s potential difficulties in managing the Tribe during such absences, Xie Yu decided to gradually integrate her into the community.

“Now, let’s discuss those who will be punished,” Xie Yu said, using simple language for clarity.

Ping stood up, her excellent memory allowing her to scan the crowd and recount the misdeeds discovered by the patrols in recent days, listing them in order.

After she finished speaking in a crisp, steady voice, Xie Yu called out three names. The three individuals stood up, trembling.

“Why didn’t you use the latrine?” Xie Yu sneered. How many times had she told them? Yet some people still sneaked off to relieve themselves in unauthorized areas.

The three individuals’ excuses were predictable: they weren’t used to the latrine and preferred the open-air feeling.

“Denied,” Xie Yu declared, extending their latrine cleaning duties.

“You two,” she called out two more names. “I heard you requested a public resolution to your conflict. What happened?”

One of them raised his hand. “I wanted to go home and sleep, but I found him lying in my bed.”

Xie Yu glanced at the other man in surprise.

His face flushed crimson. “Our huts are right next to each other, and they were both empty with the doors open. It was dark, so I just walked in.”

“I don’t believe him,” the accuser said firmly. “I request punishment for him.”

Xie Yu pondered for a moment. The Tribespeople’s wooden hut doors needed to be reinforced quickly; otherwise, leaving their homes wide open like this was unsafe.

After settling the affairs of the tribespeople one by one, Xie Yu cleared her throat and announced, “The Priest and I have discussed it. Tomorrow, the Tribe needs six people to dig a fish pond. Are there any volunteers?”

“Why do we need a fish pond? We already have a river, Chief,” someone said, scratching their head.

“Some fish in the river aren’t safe to eat,” Xie Yu explained, drawing a circle in the sand with a wooden stick. “With a fish pond, we can raise enough non-poisonous fish with few bones.”

Under the table, Ke quietly raised two fingers. She had already volunteered, but the Chief hadn’t called on her yet, so she was still eager to contribute to the Tribe.

Xie Yu deliberately ignored Ke’s fingers peeking above the table, suppressing a smile.

Few would object to such a beneficial project. As soon as Xie Yu finished speaking, hands shot up immediately.

The fish pond would be built south of the settlement, far enough from the tribespeople’s dwellings to prevent accidental falls or secret fishing attempts.

After all, they would need to wait for the fish to grow first.