Becoming a Leader in a Primitive Otherworld - Chapter 23

Xie Yu occasionally checked the fish pond’s water level. If the flow rates of the crude inlet and outlet differed significantly, the water would overflow, and the plump fish would seize the opportunity to leap out, only to die under the scorching sun.

Stepping onto the slightly elevated earthen platform formed by excavated soil around the pond, she confirmed the water level remained stable, relieving her worries.

Fish, fish, fish. Yun Nai’s image suddenly flashed through her mind, reminding her of how Yun Nai and Ping’s relationship had rapidly warmed up due to their shared love of fish, subtly evolving from Priest and Tribesperson to friends and friends.

It was a remarkably clever approach, and Xie Yu felt genuinely happy for her.

She sat by the river, skipping stones, but her throws grew weaker with each attempt. Eventually, she stood up and began walking back.

“Chief,” Ke called out, waving as she approached the riverbank, her eyes fixed intently on Xie Yu. “When do we start modifying the gate?”

With the fish pond issue resolved, it was time to prioritize the gate modification.

Xie Yu pondered for a moment. “The day after tomorrow,” she replied. “Let’s notify everyone to prepare.”

“Great!” Ke clutched her chest, murmuring, “You know I’ve been stockpiling things lately. My home is overflowing.”

“I need to protect them,” she said delicately, pausing before adding, “Once you gain something, you constantly worry about losing it.”

“You’re absolutely right,” Xie Yu praised sincerely, though she desperately wanted to tell Ke Xin that anyone could open her door—it wasn’t locked.

“Ke, how much are you short?”

“A lot,” Ke replied gloomily. With so little to her name, how could she afford gifts for the little slave?

“Ke,” Xie Yu said, looking at her childhood friend, “if you’re short, I’ll cover the rest.”

Ke waved her hand. “I have almost enough to buy her.”

“Better safe than sorry,” Ke said, repeating a phrase she’d learned from Xie Yu and Yun Nai’s conversations. “I want to prepare extra. I’ll need to buy other things for her later.”

“You said you didn’t like her before,” Xie Yu teased. “You thought you’d just let her live with the Tribe after the exchange. Why are you so set on Contracting with her now? And buying her gifts?”

“You’re right,” Ke nodded after a moment’s thought. “You’re right, Chief. Why do I need to Contract with her? I won’t.”

Xie Yu was stunned. Realizing Ke had been misled, she felt a pang of guilt. They say it’s better to tear down ten temples than ruin one marriage, and she seemed to have inadvertently ruined one.

“If you don’t want to Contract with her, why bring her here at all?” she asked, trying to change Ke’s mind.

“She stole my eyes,” Ke replied. “I want her to give them back.”

Xie Yu wanted to knock Ke on the back of the head, thinking she was as dense as a block of wood.

“Chief, if it weren’t for Apam, would you have contracted with the Priest?” Ke asked curiously, cutting her off. “Would you have ‘insisted’ on contracting with her?”

Unconsciously outmaneuvered by Ke’s question, Xie Yu fell into thought.

In truth, if not for these circumstances, she and Yun Nai might never have developed their current relationship, which resembled that of a married couple.

“It depends on whether the Priest is willing,” she replied evasively.

Ke immediately pointed out her evasion. “Chief, you’re avoiding the question.”

Xie Yu instinctively retorted, “What are you talking about? I’m a thousand times willing, but if the Priest isn’t, there’s nothing I can do.”

Ke recalled Xie Yu’s silly grin during their winter hunting trip and a look of understanding dawned on her face.

Sensing danger, Xie Yu quickly warned, “Whatever you do, don’t ask the Priest that question.”

“Why not?”

“What if the Priest says she’s not willing? My heart would be crushed.”

Xie Yu added, “Actually, our feelings for each other are very strong now.”

“So you’ve already…” Ke trailed off, mindful of the Chief’s modesty.

The tribespeople used to be far more open than they were now. Xie Yu had recently been urging them to exercise restraint and avoid excessive displays of affection, so Ke had already toned down her directness.

“No!” Xie Yu’s excellent reflexes nearly made her jump at the direct question.

She never imagined Ke would ask such a thing right in front of her.

Ke quickly took a step back, ignoring Xie Yu’s flushed face and fearlessly pressing on, “Not yet? Chief, do you not like the Priest, or does the Priest not like you?”

“Ke, stop asking,” Xie Yu said, covering Ke’s mouth with her hand.

“Chief, what about the future heir?” Ke struggled for a moment, suddenly realizing a serious issue. Seeing they were alone, she asked, her words muffled, “The Chief is female, and the Priest is female too. They can’t have cubs. Who will inherit the Tribe?”

Xie Yu froze, realizing this was a matter for the distant future.

From past to present, the Chiefs of the Tribe had always been bl00d relatives. But she and Yun Nai were destined to never have biological children, no matter what.

“Don’t worry,” Xie Yu said, patting Ke’s shoulder reassuringly. “We’ll have cubs.”

Adopted cubs were still cubs, though such cases were rare.

Ke stared at her in shock before nodding. “Right. Apam will grant us the next Chief.”

At the crossroads, they parted ways, each returning to their huts.

Xie Yu pushed open the door of her thatched hut and sighed to Yun Nai, “I think I just demolished ten temples.”

Yun Nai looked up at her. Xie Yu had been so busy lately that they barely saw each other, except when sleeping at night. Even meals were rare occasions.

“What mischief have you been up to?” Yun Nai’s voice was soft and gentle, like the clear mountain spring that always soothed the young Chief’s restless heart.

Xie Yu rubbed her face, trying to erase the awkwardness from her conversation with Ke earlier.

But instead of fading, her cheeks flushed even hotter, as if steamed. Especially when she met Yun Nai’s probing gaze, Ke’s question involuntarily resurfaced in her mind.

“I didn’t do anything bad,” Xie Yu pouted, turning her back to Yun Nai. She didn’t want to talk about it anymore, afraid Yun Nai would side with Ke and tease her.

If we had a child, what would they be like?

I hope they’d be like Yun Nai.

“What’s wrong?” Yun Nai noticed Xie Yu’s strange behavior.

Startled out of her reverie, Xie Yu felt as if her secret thoughts had been exposed. “I’m fine,” she blurted out.

Less than half a minute after entering, she fled back out the door as if escaping. Turning only halfway around, she realized her behavior was too abnormal and hurriedly returned to grab an empty basket before running out again. “I’m going to tell them to change the door tomorrow!” she blurted out in a flustered explanation.

The agreed-upon time with Ke arrived.

The construction team had been prepared, so the materials for the door replacement were gathered quickly.

Xie Yu had promised Ke this long ago, so she gathered the tribespeople in front of Ke’s house to showcase the new door.

Yun Nai was no exception. Someone greeted her, “Priest, are you here to see the Chief too?”

The tribespeople’s voices were as loud as ever, carrying swiftly to Xie Yu’s ears.

“Mm,” Yun Nai replied softly, though she was merely passing by and decided to take a quick look.

Xie Yu’s movements began to slow almost imperceptibly. Ke glanced at her, puzzled, wondering why the Chief had suddenly become so… awkward.

Fortunately, Xie Yu quickly regained her composure and began explaining the necessary steps to the others one by one.

“Those who want to learn how to make the new doors can sign up with the construction teams, or you can learn on your own.”

The tribespeople were delighted by this instruction. One by one, they slowly dispersed, heading toward the construction teams to register. Some preferred to learn independently, as the new door designs were simpler than the old ones.

After the crowd had dispersed, Yun Nai, standing at the edge, overheard Xie Yu teasing Ke: “Ke, your hut is so clean. The adorable new member is sure to love it.”

Yun Nai glanced at Xie Yu without betraying her surprise. How could I not know about this “adorable new member”? Xie Yu had never mentioned it to her.

“Nai Nai,” Xie Yu called out instinctively as she turned and met Yun Nai’s gaze.

Ke, who was fiddling with half a door, poked her head out. “Priest.”

Yun Nai nodded in greeting before leaving.

She’s so cold to me, Xie Yu sighed inwardly. I hope I didn’t give anything away.

But she should have known better. She had fled in haste, not lingered romantically. There would be no sweet, idyllic scenes like “blossoming peach blossoms, a maiden’s return, bringing harmony to her home.”

Instead, she had escaped behind a sour wall, and an invisible rift had grown between them.

The plain was now occupied by a vast expanse of thatched huts, a fish pond, two latrines, three warehouses, and a pharmacy, yet still retained ample open space.

Drawing from their recent experience with the wild boar attack, Xie Yu deemed it necessary to construct a perimeter fence and several watchtowers around the settlement.

As for building a proper city wall, she dared not even dream of it for now. Even if they could manage to erect one, it would likely be a crude mud wall.

Creatures like wild boars, far from being deterred, might even enjoy rolling around in such a wall. Thus, the Tribe had to settle for makeshift wooden fences for the time being.

This was likely akin to animals marking their territory, serving as a warning to outsiders: This land is claimed. Turn back or show proper respect.

Constructing the fences wasn’t particularly difficult, but the settlement’s large size meant they needed a substantial quantity, making the task time-consuming.

After two days of relentless work, the Tribe had encircled the settlement with a protective fence, leaving three entrances on the west, south, and north sides for access.

The eastern boundary, bordered by a small river, remained unfenced.

The upright wooden posts stood about three-quarters the height of an average Tribesperson, roughly 1.4 meters tall.

The completed sections were already entwined with thorny vines to deter climbing.

While adults faced no real danger inside the enclosure, extra caution was needed when the cubs were playing.

The Tribe plunged into a new round of activity.

During this period, Xie Yu called aside several individuals. She planned to construct small wooden bridges simultaneously.

Though the river wasn’t deep—the water only reached mid-thigh at its deepest point, making wading across possible—crossing barefoot every time was inconvenient. Wet animal hide or bark shoes rotted easily, causing considerable trouble.

The opposite bank was also a clearing, designated as the Tribe’s future agricultural and livestock area. This arrangement would prevent overcrowding on the current side, preserving living space.

Half of the group first crossed the river. Following Xie Yu’s instructions, they prepared the bridge foundations on the far bank. Then, using mortise-and-tenon joints, they slotted three thick planks into grooves carved at the bridge ends, creating a sturdy structure.

The bridge wasn’t high, but wooden pegs were driven in to reinforce its stability.

The lighter members of the group took turns testing it. As the weight gradually increased, the wooden bridge showed no signs of collapsing.

“Call Yan over,” Xie Yu instructed one of the tribespeople.

Yan and Li were among the strongest and heaviest members of the tribe. If the bridge could withstand either of them, it could support anyone in the tribe.

Yan approached, looking puzzled. He had been driving fence posts into the ground when he was summoned, and he walked across the small wooden bridge in a daze.

“Excellent. Add another person,” Xie Yu nodded in satisfaction, gradually increasing the number of people on the bridge until they reached its approximate weight limit.

The bridge was wide enough for two people to pass side-by-side without crowding. To ensure efficient transport of goods in the future, Xie Yu instructed them to build several more wooden bridges a dozen meters away.

The tribespeople quickened their pace on the fence construction, pausing only for brief rests.

A group sat around the fire, chatting mostly about recent events in the Tribe.

“Wu… why does he look so sad?”

“You slept too soundly last night. He was singing loudly and terribly all night. I think they call it… disturbing the peace.”

Li seemed to have matured considerably. Though his tone remained the same, his words and actions now carried a hint of thoughtfulness.

His best friend Yan noticed the change and asked curiously, “How did you get so smart?”

“Maybe I’ve… grown up,” Li replied with difficulty. The more they listened to Xie Yu and Yun Nai’s conversations, the more they began to grasp and use some of their words.

Ke passed by, carrying a large piece of meat, and paused. “Li, you’ve been quite… thoughtful lately.”

Thoughtful might be too strong a word; ideas would be more accurate.

It’s often said that quiet people are deep thinkers, and Li seemed to fit that description.

Ke clapped the meat in her hand. “What other interesting thoughts are rattling around in that head of yours? Spill them!”

“That wild boar from a few days ago… it was completely ruthless,” Li said, his voice growing indignant. “I was thinking, how can we make it one of our Tribespeople?”

Xie Yu, who was resting nearby, stifled a laugh.

Ke’s mind usually worked quickly, but she struggled to grasp Li’s abstract words. “What? I don’t want to be a tribesperson of wild boars!”

The mere thought of wild boars made her nauseous. She couldn’t bear to imagine what she would do if she grew up looking like one.

“Me neither,” Yan chimed in. “If we were tribespeople of wild boars, we wouldn’t be able to eat delicious wild boar meat anymore.”

Their totem was Apam, not any other animal, which allowed the tribespeople to eat all kinds of meat.

In contrast, the Snake Tribe and Bear Tribe, protected by their totems, would only eat the earthly manifestations of their guardian deities in dire circumstances or emergencies.

There were exceptions, of course. The Fish Tribe by the sea, for example, relied almost entirely on fish for survival.

“Wild boars belong to the Pig Tribe,” Ke mused. “But I don’t know if such a tribe exists. There are so many tribes on the continent, and I’ve never heard of a Pig Tribe.”

Yan pondered this. “There must be one. We have the Bird Tribe, the Elephant Tribe, and the Fish Tribe by the sea. A Pig Tribe must exist too.”

Seeing their conversation drifting further off track, Li spoke sternly. “Have you forgotten the story Priest Luo used to tell us? Long ago, there was a powerful tribal chief who owned a loyal eagle.”

“An eagle? I remember that story,” Ke Da exclaimed, startled. “You mean you want to make wild boars obey us too?”

On the continent, it was virtually impossible for totem beasts to obey humans; it was merely a legend.

For example, snakes might be more friendly toward members of the Snake Tribe, but they would never obey their commands. The same held true for other animals.

If the Bear Tribe ever learned that the Snake Tribe had a bear that obeyed them, they would be furious.

“That’s incredibly difficult,” Yan said. “If other tribes found out their totems were being… manipulated by another tribe, they would definitely attack to prove their totems remain the tribe’s ultimate choice.”

“Whoa!” Lian suddenly shouted excitedly, startling everyone nearby as he flipped over and leaped to his feet.

“What’s wrong?”

Lian strode mysteriously into the center of the group. “Your conversation just gave me an incredible idea.”

The group leaned in, their bodies angled toward Lian, listening intently.

“If we could tame all the wild beasts and make the totems of other tribes submit to us, we would become the strongest tribe!”

A man stared at her in disbelief. “Lian, you really have a mind for this. Your head’s got more in it than my belly!”

Lian clapped him on the shoulder. “One day, your head will be just as full.”

Xie Yu realized they were talking about domesticating wild animals, which aligned perfectly with her own ideas about animal husbandry.

Yan was right: a tribe’s totem was never to be challenged.

If the Tiger Tribe found out their sacred animal had been tamed into cats, they’d surely wage war. And if the Wolf Tribe learned their wolves had been trained into dogs, they’d unleash a bloody rampage.

But those were concerns for later. Unless they could find tiger cubs or wolf pups, there was a slim chance of domestication. Adult wild animals possessed an untamable ferocity, making them nearly impossible to domesticate.

Sheep and cattle, on the other hand, were much easier. Moreover, the totems of tribes that relied on these animals were naturally weaker in the food chain…

This weakness often forced these tribes into a state of anonymity, rarely revealing themselves to other tribes.

Strong totems chose strong tribes, but the Shadow Tribe hadn’t even been chosen by a totem. Their past was a history best forgotten.

With this thought, she let out a soft hum.

Yun Nai happened to hear it, but chose to ignore it.

If they were alone, the atmosphere between them would only grow more awkward. Perhaps Xie Yu was still harboring resentment over Yun Nai’s recent coldness.

Yun Nai, for her part, couldn’t understand what Xie Yu was being so stubborn about, constantly avoiding her and refusing to speak. In truth, Yun Nai’s feelings toward Xie Yu hadn’t changed at all.

Since Yun Nai, the person closest to her, was ignoring her, and Xie Yu’s voice was barely louder than a mosquito’s buzz, naturally no one else paid her any attention either.

Thinking she hadn’t been heard because she spoke too softly, Xie Yu subtly moved closer, hoping to ease the tension between them.

She coughed twice, waiting for Yun Nai to ask if she was alright.

Still no response. Yun Nai even turned her face away.

Having reached this point, Xie Yu decided to burn her bridges and take the first step. “Priest, I don’t feel well.”

“Where?”

This terse reply made Xie Yu’s heart leap with joy. “I haven’t had your roasted meat in ages. I’m getting sick!”

Hearing this unusual flattery, Yun Nai guessed Xie Yu was trying to imply her roasted meat was some kind of miraculous medicine.

Xie Yu persisted, “The Priest’s roasted meat is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. She’s a master of the grill.”

Yun Nai glanced at her, unwilling to admit that the lingering unease that had inexplicably arisen within her days ago had vanished with these few words.

That single glance felt like a death sentence to Xie Yu. Yun Nai’s eyes held the sharpness of a blade.

After a brief rest, the group began constructing fences and watchtowers.

Though Xie Yu helped with the work, her gaze kept drifting elsewhere. Yun Nai was patiently explaining things to the tribespeople, leaving Xie Yu with mixed emotions. Why is she so cold and distant with me?

The fence was nearly complete, leaving only the watchtowers to finish.

The watchtowers needed to be tall, both to maximize visibility and to make it difficult for invaders to climb.

Beyond height, they also needed to be sturdy to be considered proper watchtowers.

These were the most challenging structures they had built so far. After nearly half a month, they had barely completed six towers, each standing six to seven meters tall. Building them any higher would have been impractical.

The towers were constructed from a combination of wooden frames and stacked stones, but their foundations were far more robust than those of the thatched huts. Access was provided by rope ladders.

To improve the efficiency of transmitting danger signals, each watchtower was equipped with a rawhide drum and a drumstick. Upon detecting danger, the drum would be sounded immediately.

Additionally, near the observation platform of each watchtower, a small stone hearth was built to burn torches, providing illumination.

Xie Yu also planned to create signal fires in the future to further enhance communication.

Over the past few weeks, wood consumption had been extremely high, leaving the grassland littered with wood chips and discarded timber. The tribespeople diligently collected these scraps for future firewood.

Due to the current small population, only three of the six watchtowers were operational. Each night, three people stood guard in the towers while another three patrolled the ground.

The wild boar incident had made the tribe acutely aware of the importance of vigilance.

As Lian put it, he couldn’t bear to imagine the tribe being scattered by a single wild boar. If a dozen or more had attacked, they would surely have been wiped out.

Consequently, bows and arrows gained even greater importance among the tribespeople, who now practiced archery with renewed enthusiasm.

Ke grew increasingly cheerful, while Xie Yu’s mood darkened. She couldn’t believe she had been so easily manipulated by Ke’s few words, despite being someone who could move mountains with a feather.

Although her relationship with Yun Nai had improved somewhat in recent days, their connection had become increasingly delicate. Xie Yu tilted her head back, closed her eyes, and pondered her next move.

She couldn’t continue like this with Yun Nai forever. Their relationship desperately needed to return to normal.

“Chief,” Ke called out again.

This time, Xie Yu took the initiative. “How do you win someone’s favor?”

“Make the Priest happy? That’s easy—give her a gift!”

A gift, a gift… what should I give her?

“Thank you, Ke. I’ll think about it carefully.”

Ke scratched her head and suggested, “If you really don’t know what to give, tree bark shoes or animal hide shoes are always a safe bet.”

Hearing this, Xie Yu’s eyes lit up. She would weave a pair of rattan sandals for Yun Nai.

But she needed to know Yun Nai’s size. A faint smile curved Xie Yu’s lips as she savored this brilliant idea.

That evening, when it was time for their customary goodnight greetings, neither of them spoke.

Xie Yu was anxious. She racked her brain for ages, trying to figure out how to start the conversation without sounding like a lecherous pervert.

“Priest,” she finally decided, using a formal title, “could you please stay still?”

Yun Nai’s eyes asked, What do you want?

“I want to give you a gift, but I need some measurements.”

“Please don’t move,” Xie Yu said, gripping Yun Nai’s ankle. “I need to measure your foot.”

Yun Nai instinctively struggled, kicking her leg toward Xie Yu.

“Ouch!” Xie Yu quickly released her grip, bracing herself on the bed. “I’ve been kicked over!”

Her tone was playful, like she was teasing a child.

Yun Nai saw through her act immediately and ignored her, pulling the animal hide over her leg.

“I’m not playing around. I wasn’t trying to be a pervert,” Xie Yu insisted.

“I want to make you a pair of rattan sandals as a gift,” she explained.

She gestured earnestly with her eyes, but Yun Nai’s gaze remained unreadable. Taking a deep breath, Xie Yu grabbed Yun Nai’s ankle again and quickly measured its width with her hand.

Though she gripped slightly less tightly this time, a pale, reddish mark still appeared on Yun Nai’s ankle.

If you’re going to measure, why grab my ankle? Yun Nai suppressed the urge to kick her again.

“If you’re done measuring, let go already,” she said, feigning composure, her expression unwavering.

Xie Yu slowly lowered Yun Nai’s leg, letting it dangle off the edge of the bed, as if still shaken. “I thought you were going to kick me again.”

Seeing Yun Nai’s feigned shock, which barely concealed her mischievous grin, Xie Yu, still wrapped in her animal hide, decided to teach her a lesson.

The moment Yun Nai tried to kick out, her ankle was instantly seized again. Xie Yu suddenly warned, “You need to be careful when kicking like that. If your opponent uses your momentum against you and pulls in the direction you’re kicking, you’ll lose your balance and fall.”

Yun Nai’s heart skipped a beat. “I know,” she mumbled.

“Can you weave?” Yun Nai asked. Xie Yu had never shown any skill in this area before, so her sudden claim of making rattan sandals was surprising.

Xie Yu rubbed her temples, trying to shake off drowsiness, and squinted. “I’ll give it a try. Maybe I can.”

“Then get to it,” Yun Nai thought, wanting to gently kick Xie Yu off her bed. She rolled over, pulled the animal hide halfway over her face, and drawled, “Who’s the cute new member joining the Tribe?”