Becoming a Leader in a Primitive Otherworld - Chapter 22

When construction of the fish pond began, the weather was cool and breezy, the wind sweeping away the sweat of the Tribespeople as they worked.

If it had been just six Tribespeople digging a hole, the task wouldn’t have taken long. Digging wasn’t particularly skilled work; the real challenge lay in the many other steps required beyond excavation.

After digging a pit roughly three times the length and width of a person and half a person deep, Xie Yu instructed them to compact the soil at the bottom of the pond, demonstrating the technique herself. This was to prevent excessive water seepage later.

“Compact it, compact it,” Ge Bian chanted as he worked.

Other Tribespeople passing by overheard his muttering and asked, “Li, what are you compacting?”

“I’m compacting it.”

They loved mimicking Xie Yu’s speech. Whenever she used a word they found interesting, they would memorize it and later use it creatively.

So, when Xie Yu occasionally passed through the group, she would hear them misusing words. But she didn’t mind. Perhaps the words had taken on new meanings in their mouths. The important thing was that they were willing to learn—that was a good thing.

Occasionally, particularly curious students—especially the cubs—would ask Xie Yu questions: “Chief, what kind of egg is ‘完蛋’ (wándàn, ‘finished’)?” Or, “What is ‘十鵝不蛇’ (shí’é bù shé, ‘ten geese, no snakes’)?”

To these questions, Xie Yu patiently smiled and explained that “完蛋” (wándàn) was not an egg and “十惡不赦” (shí’è bùshè) was not something to eat. So when Li mentioned he was “夯實” (hāngshí), Xie Yu reminded him that he was compacting mud.

The Tribespeople worked diligently, their spirits high. After the compacted mud at the bottom of the fish pond had been thoroughly dried by the sun for several days, Xie Yu finally instructed them to proceed to the next step.

This step aimed to further reinforce the pond’s base. They spread a thick layer of stones, pebbles, and similar materials across the bottom.

The fish pond was estimated to be over thirty square meters, a considerable area that made the task physically demanding for the small group.

Lian, who had been bending over for a long time, straightened up and massaged his aching back. Noticing that Xie Yu had left and was no longer watching them, he had an idea. He waved to the cubs playing in the distance. “Come over and play!”

The other Tribespeople, well-acquainted with Lian’s mischievous nature, grumbled, “Lian, you’re going to trick them again.”

Lin and the other four cubs stared at her, puzzled. They found Lian’s behavior silly—she was supposed to be working, yet she was inviting them to play. Wasn’t she afraid of getting scolded?

Lin reluctantly approached, not out of respect, but to avoid the potential roughhousing Lian might subject them to after finishing her work. “What is it, Lian?”

“You’re being disrespectful! You should call me ‘Elder Sister’,” Lian said, glaring at the precocious Lin. She seemed to have no authority over these cubs.

“You don’t call Ping ‘Elder Sister’ either,” Lin retorted, refusing to budge. “I’m old enough now; calling me ‘Elder Sister’ makes me sound like a baby.”

“What should we play?”

Lian, wanting to stay on their good side, chuckled and let it slide. “How about a stone-paving game?”

The cubs nodded eagerly. “Yes!”

Lin remained silent, but she kept winking at Lian. Lian shifted awkwardly, feeling the cub’s gaze like an accusation of bullying. I may be a bit lazy, but Lin doesn’t need to stare at me like that!

Lin was used to such coaxing. “Sure, let’s play.”

When Xie Yu returned with the others, carrying baskets of sour fruit, they found the bottom of the fish pond completely paved with stones.

Eating the sour fruit stimulated saliva production, much like the “plum-watching quenches thirst” proverb. Xie Yu had long forbidden the Tribespeople from drinking raw water, so these fruits were a refreshing way to stay hydrated and stave off hunger during long workdays.

With only thirty-odd members in the Tribe, a single fish pond was sufficient. Once the fish bred, it would provide enough food for the Tribe to survive the long winter without needing to hunt.

As for the problem of the fish pond freezing over in winter, there were two solutions: either break through the thick ice layer or harvest all the fish at once and let the freezing snow preserve them.

Two small channels were dug on opposite sides of the fish pond. One channel brought water into the pond, while the other allowed water to flow out, ensuring the pond wouldn’t become stagnant.

“Chief, shouldn’t we put something to block the fish?” Lian asked, leaning on his shovel and pointing to the connection between the channel and the pond. “Otherwise, they’ll just swim in and out, laughing at us for not being able to catch them.”

Xie Yu nodded. “We need something to block them. We found plenty of suitable stones a few days ago. I’ll have someone bring them over shortly.”

The stones had been carefully selected, mostly long enough to be easily inserted into the protruding mud on both sides of the channel, forming a row of stone barriers.

However, the irregular shapes of the stones left gaps that were too large, allowing fish to escape.

After several tribespeople had pushed the long stones into place, Xie Yu arrived with a group carrying wooden poles and fishing nets.

“Drive these vertically into the mud,” Xie Yu instructed the workers, “to fill in the larger gaps.”

After the combined stone and wooden barrier was in place, the fishing nets were hung over it, ensuring the fish couldn’t escape.

Two days later, the fish pond was complete. At the junction of the channels, the Tribespeople pierced through the remaining thick layer of mud on both sides, allowing a steady stream of clear water to gush through the gap and gradually fill the pond.

The water was remarkably clear. Looking down from above, the stones at the bottom were clearly visible, along with clumps of floating aquatic plants.

Adding the aquatic plants had been the Tribespeople’s own idea. The empty fish pond, aside from the swimming fish, seemed to be missing something—namely, vegetation.

Though the arrangement wasn’t particularly beautiful, it was far from ugly, and the plants helped purify the water.

If only they had some waterfowl, it would be perfect.

The plump, non-toxic fish swam in the pond with limited freedom. They had all been carefully selected under the personal supervision of Yun Nai and Ping, the two members of the Tribe with the most expertise in fish consumption.

Naturally, the two women found themselves communicating more frequently.

Having finally completed a major task, Xie Yu granted herself a few minutes of rest, lazily leaning against a tree to enjoy the shade. As she watched the scattered Tribespeople, including a few squawking cubs mixed among them, she felt a mix of satisfaction and resentment.

The satisfaction stemmed from the fact that, despite the Tribe’s small size, they were steadily progressing. The resentment, however, arose precisely from the Tribe’s limited numbers.

This was a perilous situation. Even if their thirty-odd members eventually acquired more powerful bows and curved swords, it seemed unlikely they could withstand a Tribe of a hundred warriors, let alone one with thousands or even tens of thousands.

Their weakness sometimes served as a protective shield. To larger Tribes, they were like ants scurrying past—too insignificant to bother eating, and crushing them would be a waste of effort.

Until their numbers grew, it was best to avoid drawing attention. As the saying goes: “Caution is the key to lasting success.”