Becoming a Leader in a Primitive Otherworld - Chapter 32

“Oh, these ropes are from the Deer Tribe. They traded them for our baskets and pottery jars.”

Before leaving, Xie Yu had instructed them to bring out the smaller baskets and slightly flawed pottery jars for trading. They had used these to exchange for the ropes with the Deer Tribe.

“These ropes are really tough,” Yan remarked. “They said they loved our other beautiful pottery jars. If Chief Yu returns, they’d like to invite her to visit their tribe. The Deer Tribe’s chief also said she’s very happy to have become friends with you.”

Friends?

Xie Yu hadn’t realized the Deer Tribe possessed not only red copper but also flax.

It seems we need to strengthen our ties with them in the future. But when she recalled Xing and her chief deceiving her about forgetting the Deer Tribe’s location, Xie Yu couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Oh, right! Other tribes also wanted to trade. We exchanged for these,” a tribesperson said, pointing to a small pile of items nearby. “But nothing as special as these ropes.”

Resting his chin in his hand, he recalled the chaotic scene of the crowd clamoring for their tribe’s pottery jars. “They all wanted the beautiful pottery jars too, but we refused.”

Xie Yu nodded slightly, dismissing them to their tasks.

She and Lian shouldered newly selected pottery jars and baskets, planning to take her along to the Deer Tribe’s stall.

The others remained behind to guard the supplies while Xie Yu and Lian packed. Just then, Yuan returned from a distance. Xie Yu and Lian exchanged subtle glances, their expressions neutral as they observed Ke’s reaction.

As expected, the clouds of gloom immediately dissipated.

“Chief,” Yuan and Xie Yu greeted her with a bow.

“By the way, Yuan,” Xie Yu asked, “which tribe did you belong to before?”

Yuan’s mind went blank for a moment. “Chief, I was from the Tong Tribe.”

“Tong Tribe?”

“Tung tree, Chief.”

A tribe with a plant totem? Xie Yu thought. No wonder the Snake Tribe conquered them so easily.

A flash of insight struck Xie Yu. “Do you know where we can find tung trees?”

“I do,” Yuan replied, lowering her gaze. Her former master in the Snake Tribe had “kindly” allowed her to retain a faint connection to her original totem, enabling her to sense the locations of some tung trees.

“Excellent. Go on,” Xie Yu said, tilting her head toward Ke to signal Yuan to go and comfort her master.

If Yuan knew the locations of tung trees, it meant they could obtain tung tree seeds and potentially Tung Oil.

Tung Oil had multiple uses, including enhancing wood’s durability and water resistance, which could significantly extend the lifespan of wooden materials. This would allow the tribe to improve their wooden buckets and eliminate the need for Lotus Reed.

Yuan bowed and retreated, heading toward Ke.

The Slave Token was now in Ke’s possession, and how she chose to handle it would determine the slave’s fate.

Xie Yu was curious to hear how Yuan would coax Ke. Would she use the same methods as Yun Nai?

Had Yun Nai ever coaxed her? Memories flooded back like a tidal wave.

“Master, I have returned,” the young slave reported, head bowed in submissive obedience. “I will follow you forever.”

Lian shuddered at those words, secretly touching the goosebumps that had risen on his skin.

Noticing his reaction, Xie Yu tugged him along. “Let’s go. It’s time to leave.”

“Yes, Chief. Right away,” Lian replied hastily, stuffing his belongings into his bag and hurrying to catch up with her.

He chattered beside Xie Yu, “What’s going on with Ke?”

“I’m not entirely sure myself,” Xie Yu replied, glancing sideways at Lian, waiting to see what else he might say.

Lian sighed. “No matter how you look at it, Ke’s getting the short end of the stick. She wouldn’t actually want to be with that slave, would she? I don’t think a slave is worth this much.”

“She doesn’t seem foolish. She’ll make herself worth it,” Xie Yu said, quickening her pace toward the Deer Tribe.

If Yuan weren’t clever, she wouldn’t have survived so unscathed as a slave in the Snake Tribe.

As they walked, Lian imagined himself in the slave’s place and shuddered again. While it was normal for slaves to pledge loyalty to their masters, the atmosphere felt strangely unsettling.

The Deer Tribe’s territory was neither crowded nor deserted. When Xie Yu and Lian arrived, only a few people were negotiating. From a distance, Xie Yu spotted Xing promoting her tribe’s flax ropes.

“You can use these to bind large beasts and drag them back, saving you the trouble of carrying them and conserving your strength,” Xing explained.

The middle-aged man haggling with her wore tattered animal skins. He spoke gruffly, counting on his fingers. “We’ll give you four bird eggs for one rope, at most. Do you know how rare bird eggs are?”

“Don’t resort to robbery,” Xing retorted. “How are you any different from those monkeys? A rope lasts a long time, but bird eggs are gone in a single bite.”

Xing rejected his offer and waved at the man as she noticed Xie Yu approaching. “Our honored guests have arrived. If you’re not willing to offer more, please leave.”

All eyes immediately turned to Xie Yu and Lian. The middle-aged man, initially angered by Xing’s comparison to highway-robbing monkeys, opened his mouth to shout, but the moment he turned and sensed Xie Yu’s imposing aura, his fury subsided.

This must be the chief of some tribe, he thought. I can’t risk causing trouble for my tribe by insulting her. Besides, Xing’s words clearly imply that our tribes are allies.

“Xing,” Xie Yu replied with a polite, official smile.

For a simple exchange, Xing and Xie Yu could have negotiated the terms themselves and then reported to the Chief. However, the implications behind Xie Yu and Lian’s presence clearly exceeded the authority of an ordinary tribesperson.

Xing led Xie Yu toward the Chief, offering them a freshly roasted piece of meat. Xie Yu declined with thanks, “No need.”

Xing then turned to Lian, who struck a righteous pose, refusing the gift with a wave of his hand. “I haven’t earned it.”

The Chief had warned them against accepting gifts from strangers while traveling, saying, “A full mouth is a short leash, and a taken hand is a bound one.”

Xing relented, tearing off a piece of roasted meat and popping it into her mouth.

“This is our Tribe’s Chief,” Xing said, standing beside a gentle-looking woman.

“Greetings, I am Sha,” the woman said, extending her hand.

Xie Yu was surprised. This was the first time anyone had offered her a handshake. Even the Chief of the small tribe they’d encountered on their journey and Feng had only exchanged polite words.

But her name hardly sounds gentle, Xie Yu thought. Sha?

Xie Yu returned the handshake formally and introduced herself.

Sha smiled warmly, understanding Xie Yu’s confusion. “Our Priest said my original name wasn’t suitable for a Chief, so he changed it.”

The two immediately got down to business. Sha said, “This is my first time seeing these things called Pottery Jars. I like them very much. What would you like to trade for them?”

“Flax rope. I saw the ones you traded earlier. Do you have any more?”

“We do, but most of it was promised to other tribes last year. Perhaps you’d like to look at something else?” Sha led them to a quieter spot to talk.

Xie Yu sighed. “That’s a pity. I only want your flax.”

“Is that so?” Sha smiled faintly. “Yu doesn’t want those pretty red stones?”

“The stones are optional. Our tribe doesn’t particularly need them.” Xie Yu gestured to Lian behind her. “But you’ll need these Pottery Jars. Do you still have flax seeds? Or, to put it bluntly, will you trade?”

Sha’s smile faded slightly. “This is very important to us. The Priestess worked tirelessly for thirty fu to find these. Besides, if you get viable flax, won’t you always be able to get more in the future?”

Xie Yu studied Sha’s expression. “There’s no need to rush to reject me. As you said, you’re happy to be friends with us. Then let’s be frank with each other. You can just tell me what you want.”

Sha paused, then pointed at the pottery jar. “We need to know how this is made.”

“That’s impossible,” Xie Yu said in a low voice. “It’s far more valuable than flax. From your words, it sounds like you’ve already brought out the flax seeds. If you brought them out, wouldn’t you want to trade them?”

“That’s why we’ve been waiting for a suitable trade,” Sha said softly. “Could it be you?”

Xie Yu took a step back. “The pottery jar is out of the question, but I can teach you how to weave the carrying basket.”

“Good,” Sha agreed immediately.

“It seems you were waiting for me to say that.”

In truth, given enough time, other tribes could eventually figure out the basket-weaving techniques, and the Deer Tribe’s flax fields would inevitably be discovered. Both sides understood this, making the trade mutually beneficial. They could still profit from the time advantage.

Sha’s expression remained gentle as he ignored Xie Yu’s remark and changed the subject. “I noticed you seemed quite fond of those red stones earlier. Xing told me their exact location. If you want them, we can continue cooperating.”

When Xing brought the red stones back, she startled the Priest, who initially believed it was a sign of the Totem’s wrath manifesting as an unnatural phenomenon.

Since the red stones were of no practical use to them, offering them as a favor seemed like a good idea.

“That’s wonderful,” Xie Yu said. “Would you be willing to share your tribe’s exact location? Besides the annual Great Market, we often have needs for trade throughout the year.”

After considering the proposal, Sha agreed. They exchanged addresses and discovered that traveling directly to each other’s tribes would be closer than going to the Great Market. Xie Yu brought the Deer Tribe members back to her tribe’s stall and asked two skilled basket weavers to teach them the technique.

News of the Pottery Jars spread quickly, but by the time it reached the major tribes, all the jars had already been traded away.

As always, envoys from several major tribes were assertive, issuing unified threats. The Elephant Tribe was particularly insistent: “We expect you to trade exclusively with our tribe next year.”

Lei’s account of the Ape Tribe’s destruction still echoed in Xie Yu’s mind, leaving her no choice but to offer polite but noncommittal responses.

Some even offered to accept them as trading partners: “The Tiger Tribe is willing to share the glory of our Totem with you.”

Xie Yu refused outright. “We are not worthy of sharing in your tribes’ glory. We come to the Great Market every year to trade Pottery Jars, and that is all we wish to do. If your tribes have anything we need, we will trade for it.”

She didn’t want to deal with these major tribes so early. Firstly, their overwhelming strength and uncompromising attitudes meant the Shadow Tribe would never gain the upper hand. Secondly, getting involved in their power struggles would drastically shorten the time they had to bide their time and build their strength.

For now, maintaining a purely transactional relationship was the only viable option.

The envoys from the major tribes wore expressions as cold as still water. Once you possessed sufficient power, there was no need to feign cordiality like Sha.

Yet they were powerless to change the situation. No other tribe could produce Pottery Jars, and moreover, the Fish Tribe and the Deer Tribe had, intentionally or otherwise, voiced their support for the Shadow Tribe. Though not particularly powerful themselves, these tribes, like the Shadow Tribe, possessed unique resources that others coveted.

Especially the Fish Tribe led by Feng, with whom the Shadow Tribe maintained outwardly good relations. Disrupting the delicate balance that had long been preserved among the various factions was not an option.

“Very well,” the envoys said, their veiled threat clear. “We hope that when we meet again next year, Chief Yu will find something of ours to her liking.” With that, they returned to their respective tribes, abandoning their attempts to pressure her.

With the remaining time, Xie Yu focused on finding something special to bring back to Yun Nai, selecting a few interesting trinkets.

As the other tribes departed in waves, Xie Yu’s group packed their belongings, preparing for their journey home.

Lian, standing beside the chief, waited until the last of the other tribes had left before complaining, “Chief, I think the Deer Tribe’s chief is too humble, always addressing the other chiefs with such deference.”

Sha’s disguise and caution were as impeccable as any high-ranking member of a major tribe.

Xie Yu placed a hand on Lian’s shoulder. “Lian, when you’re unsure of someone’s true nature, treat them as intelligent and avoid revealing too much. Understand?”

Lian nodded thoughtfully. “Understood.”

“Good. Let’s get going.”

“Please wait,” a male voice called from behind, slowly approaching.

Xie Yu turned to see the man who had brought Yuan here last time, now following a woman dressed in exquisitely crafted animal hides.

The woman instructed her companions to remain still as she approached Xie Yu’s group. “I am the Snake Tribe chief’s sister. I’ve been following your tribe’s Pottery Jar closely these past few days.”

Xie Yu showed no surprise. “You’re here to persuade me to cooperate?”

“Even with the support of the Fish Tribe and the Deer Tribe, you’d be helpless if the other tribes decided to crush you. Though, finding your exact location might take them some time.”

A playful smile flickered across her face, her demeanor nonchalant. “What do you need from us for this cooperation? If I return home this year, I might be able to prepare. You could even gain our protection in the process.”

Lian couldn’t help but scoff coldly. “Your protection?”

The woman tilted her chin, meeting the gaze of the person standing behind Ke. “Isn’t that right, Yuan? Protecting them would be as simple as protecting you.”

Everyone’s heads snapped toward Yuan, who stood with his head bowed, offering no response to the woman’s words.

“The Snake Tribe Chief’s sister,” Xie Yu said, her voice cool as she deliberately emphasized the words “Chief’s sister,” “we are two tribes negotiating, not master and slave. We have no need for your protection.”

In this era, wars were rare. What difference did it make whether the enemy gained an advantage or we suffered a loss?

Moreover, some small tribes had formed alliances.

As a result, the major tribes kept a close watch on each other, making it difficult to initiate war.

Undeterred by the rejection, the woman instead gave Xie Yu a provocative look. “Really? You—you might regret this, you know.”

The goods available at the Great Market were already sufficient for their needs. Xie Yu wouldn’t be foolish enough to reveal their requirements to the Snake Tribe. If the Snake Tribe turned around and leaked this information to other tribes, how would the Shadow Tribe defend itself?

Besides, the woman had spoken of collaborating with her, not with them. There was likely a hidden agenda at play. After all, internal conflicts within the major tribes were as numerous as clouds in the sky. Getting entangled in such disputes would only lead to more trouble.

While tung trees might grow near the Tong Tribe, which had been occupied by the Snake Tribe, Yuan had assured them she could locate other tung tree groves, eliminating the need to rely on the Snake Tribe.

“No need. If there’s nothing else, we’ll be leaving now.”

The woman feigned helplessness, twisted her waist, and turned to leave.

Yan scratched the back of his head. “She never even told us her name.”

“We need to learn their names ourselves,” one of the tribespeople said. “She’s called Yao, the most seductive woman in the Snake Tribe.”

Lian remarked, “She seems rather ordinary. Why didn’t she seduce us?”

“Ah, I’m not sure. Perhaps it’s the Totem’s protection?”

Xie Yu thought to herself, It’s indeed the Totem’s protection. Yun Nai had mentioned that their tribe’s mental strength was slightly stronger than that of other tribes, which might explain it.

As the Snake Tribe members departed, Xie Yu oriented herself and signaled for her group to follow. She led the way, with Ke and Yuan trailing behind.

Ever since Yao’s arrival, Ke’s mood had plummeted. She was particularly unsettled by the woman’s casual remark about “protecting them as easily as I protect you,” leaving her feeling restless and yearning to go hunting.

“I can protect you too,” Ke blurted out, feigning indifference. Since Lian’s conversation with her, she had been slightly swayed by his words.

Lian was right: regardless of the circumstances, she was the master. She needed to assert her authority as Yuan’s new master.

Yuan’s heart felt like it had been pricked by countless thorns. She stared at Ke, who had already taken several steps forward, unable to snap out of her daze for a long moment.

It wasn’t until Ke turned back and urged her to hurry up that Yuan finally reacted and scurried after her.

Xie Yu had been watching the situation from behind. Seeing Ke’s behavior, she sighed inwardly, realizing this must be… first love blossoming.

Perhaps it was. During the half-month journey home, Ke had Yuan by her side, while the others remained untroubled by such matters. Xie Yu could only trudge along in silence.

To alleviate her boredom, Xie Yu pulled out her bamboo flute and began to play. Though her playing remained haphazard, the flute’s melodious, crisp, and gentle tones were undeniably captivating.

At least, they captivated Xie Yu.

Perhaps the birds would hear it and sing along as they passed the camp.

What was Yun Nai doing right now?

Xie Yu had missed her terribly throughout the journey, almost to the point of madness.

Occasionally, a soft, lingering rain would fall, mingling with the warm breeze that brushed her face like Yun Nai’s whispers around her ear, her face vivid in her mind’s eye.

When she finally saw Yun Nai again, she vowed to be bolder, to tell her how much she had missed her, how it had almost driven her mad.