Becoming a Leader in a Primitive Otherworld - Chapter 41

Among the group, only Chuan survived.

Lying on a makeshift wooden bed, she still trembled violently. She was fortunate to have lived, unlike the others who had suffered such agonizing deaths.

Her future tribespeople had told her that as long as she worked diligently and stayed out of trouble, she could live a good life.

Xie Yu couldn’t fathom what Chuan, the little captive masquerading as a future tribeswoman, was thinking. She now sat propped up on the bed with her hands, legs crossed and swinging rhythmically as she pondered recent events.

The past two days had been tense, and time had flown by with unnatural speed. Before the incident, they had planned to formally welcome Yuan into the tribe, but recent events had delayed the process. Tomorrow, they would have to revisit the matter.

It was fortunate that Yuan and Chuan were both available. Yuan had some understanding of the Snake Tribe, while Chuan had grown up in the Tiger Tribe.

This was a battle fought without direct confrontation, yet Xie Yu had already formed a rough idea of what kind of person Hu was.

She had heard of Hu’s reputation and knew some of his exploits.

In the past, Hu had been the sole heir to the Tiger Tribe.

During her long tenure as heir, Hu faced no shortage of secret dissenters. Their opposition likely stemmed from perceiving the Chief as excessively ruthless.

Rumor had it that the day after his Amu’s death, Hu had the heads of his opponents severed.

Though Hu had only led the Tribe for five years, his iron-fisted rule inspired terror.

Those who opposed him were killed. Those who refused him were also killed.

Xie Yu thought the name Sha suited Hu better.

According to Chuan’s account, Hu wasn’t the only cub of the previous Tiger Tribe Chief. His younger siblings had died young, while his elder siblings met with accidents.

Only Hu had survived to adulthood.

Such circumstances could be interpreted in three ways. First, the Tribespeople might see Hu as cursed, believing his siblings had been recalled by the Totem. Second, they might view him as blessed, chosen by the Totem.

The third interpretation, however, painted him as deeply cunning, having harmed his own siblings.

Xie Yu recalled Chuan’s words:

“Chief Hu’s father was a ruthless man. I used to suspect he killed the previous Chief.”

“Why did you think that?”

“While patrolling at night, I smelled bl00d wafting from their cave.”

“Perhaps they were treating a wound.”

“That’s what I thought too, Chief, which is why I grew suspicious. The previous Chief had sustained severe injuries while hunting shortly before her death. That night, someone heard her furious voice, incredibly loud. Immediately afterward, a guard saw Hu’s father emerge from the cave after being scolded, and there was no further commotion. But the next day, we were told she had died, stabbed to death with a machete.”

“Later, Hu captured the killer—one of the guards who had sneaked in while the others were resting and murdered the previous Chief.”

Hu was just like his father, with a penchant for killing. Even before inheriting the Tribe, he had been this way. After becoming Chief, he continued to use the terror of violent suppression against his opponents, ensuring absolute obedience to his commands.

However, Hu treated his trusted subordinates differently, granting them better treatment and greater trust.

This loyalty was reciprocated, as demonstrated by the unwavering devotion of his chosen lieutenants, like the one leading this group.

At the Great Market, Hu hadn’t directly detain Xie Yu and the others. He was forced to outwardly adhere to the so-called unwritten rules of the market.

After all, other major tribes were present at the Great Market. If Hu had acted rashly, the other tribes would have had grounds to unite against them.

On their return journey from the Great Market, likely due to weather considerations, they carried a large quantity of supplies and had to return to the Tiger Tribe first.

Upon returning to the Tiger Tribe, the harsh winter set in. Hu then devised a plan to conquer two tribes using only a small detachment of warriors.

It took Qi approximately two months to travel from the Great Market to the Tiger Tribe, then gather his men and reach this location.

If the men sent here didn’t return to report back by the following spring, Hu would undoubtedly realize they were lost.

When Hu sends another scouting party to investigate, it won’t take more than two months. This means that by the second month of spring at the latest, Hu might launch another attack—or perhaps just send another scouting party.

Neither scenario bodes well.

Therefore, no matter how bitterly cold this winter becomes, the Tribespeople cannot afford to remain huddled in their blankets.

Otherwise, next spring, their corpses will be left to rot in the wilderness, never to awaken again.

Xie Yu’s fists clenched involuntarily, and she lowered her crossed legs.

A hand gently massaged the deep furrow between her brows. Yun Nai had just returned from Chuan and immediately noticed Xie Yu’s troubled expression upon entering the room.

“Is she alright now?” Xie Yu stood up, her defenses melting away as her expression softened.

She poured a glass of water for Yun Nai, who replied, “She’s fine. We gave her a new name. From now on, she must stay within the tribe as much as possible and avoid being seen when people from other tribes visit.”

“What name did you give her?” Xie Yu asked curiously.

“Liu. May she flow endlessly like a river.”

Yun Nai tapped Xie Yu’s forehead. “What about you, Yu? Do you want to change your name too?”

Xie Yu grabbed Yun Nai’s hand and chuckled, “Yu, Yu… it always makes me think of a stubborn elm knot or a blockhead.”

Yun Nai playfully knocked her forehead with her other hand. “Well, that’s still a high-quality blockhead.”

“Of course,” Xie Yu retorted, lifting her chin proudly and wrapping her arm around Yun Nai. “What should we do?”

She muttered to herself, “I plan to send two people to the Deer Tribe to check on their situation. Since we’re being followed, Sha and the others are likely being tracked too. Hu’s people will pass near the Snake Tribe on their way here, so we’ll need to visit them and ask them to intercept them.”

Sha hadn’t been followed, and the Deer Tribe’s camp hadn’t been exposed—that was ideal. If they needed the Deer Tribe’s help, they’d be more willing to send reinforcements.

If they had been followed, either they’d already fallen into a trap or, like us, they’d have dealt with the pursuers. Either way, it’s best to check.

Yun Nai, held in her arms, listened quietly. After a long pause, she said, “Going to both locations is fine.”

But they’d have to be extremely cautious, and she’d likely exhaust herself again.

“Yuan has been staying with me recently. I asked her about the Snake Tribe, and I’ll tell you what I learned now.

As we know, the Snake Tribe has two leaders. Hua is the Chief, but from Yuan’s description, Yao—the one you mentioned—seems to be on equal footing with her.

Though Yao is younger than Hua, her personality is more like an elder sister’s. If we get the chance, we should target Hua first.”

Yun Nai then shared other details about the Snake Tribe before adding, “In a few days, we’ll have Yuan join the Tribe.”

Xie Yu buried her face in Yun Nai’s hair, inhaling its scent as her fingers twirled through the strands. “Okay,” she murmured.

“The snowstorms will gradually intensify over the next few days, making travel dangerous. Let’s stay in the Tribe for now. Once the weather improves and I’ve planned our route, we can set out,” Yun Nai reassured her.

Xie Yu didn’t lift her head, but she hummed in agreement.

Since traveling was risky for the time being, she abandoned her immediate departure plans and instead focused on leading the Tribe in digging traps.

Many of the traps had been destroyed during the recent capture of Qi and his group, requiring urgent repairs.

Xie Yu also ordered the trees where Qi’s group had hidden while trying to threaten Yun Nai to be felled. With these obstacles removed, the outer perimeter of the camp expanded significantly.

The sentries would now have more reaction time and find it easier to spot hidden outsiders.

While the existing fences had served their purpose, Qi and his group had easily scaled them, ignoring the lack of a gate. This proved the fences were too short, and the thorns on top were ineffective against those with thick hides.

The fence was adequate for keeping out small animals, but its effectiveness against humans remained questionable.

For now, they had no choice but to make do. There wasn’t time to rebuild it before winter set in. Fortunately, they had recently cleared a ring of trees around the settlement, so they used the felled timber to reinforce and raise the existing fence.

The remaining wood, particularly the harder pieces, was used to craft complete arrows and arrow shafts.

These shafts were intended for future red copper arrows. Their supply of red copper had already been exhausted. When the messengers she had dispatched reached the Deer Tribe, they would negotiate with Sha to bring back more.

Xie Yu had also selected the planting sites for the tung tree and flax seeds they would sow in the spring. The location remained across the river, where they cleared another patch of forest and removed all the miscellaneous debris to create a new planting area.

Despite the slowed pace due to the harsh winter, the Tribespeople worked with renewed urgency. With no need to organize hunting parties, more hands were available for the tasks. Driven by anxiety and working at a feverish pace, they managed to complete the major tasks by around the fiftieth day of snowfall.

Chuan, now known as Liu, hadn’t yet formally joined the Tribe, but she had already grown accustomed to life here. Only a ritual stood between her and full membership.

She was thriving in this new environment.

Having witnessed Yuan’s initiation into the Tribe firsthand, Liu felt a special connection to her, perhaps because they were the only two non-Tribespeople among them. She paid closer attention to Yuan than to anyone else.

Today, Liu resolved to ask the Priest directly about something that had been troubling her.

Why not ask the Chief? Because the mere thought of speaking to the Chief made her afraid to even breathe properly. The Priest seemed like a much safer option.

Firming her resolve, Liu mustered her courage and approached Yuan’s hut, hoping to ask Yuan to accompany her.

Two people lived in this hut. Should she knock now?

She knew the other resident was named Ke. Yuan had once been Ke’s slave, but Ke had later burned Yuan’s Slave Token. The thought made Liu sigh enviously, yet she also felt relieved for Yuan’s good fortune.

Just as her hand was about to knock, she suddenly heard muffled whimpers and sounds of scuffling from inside.

Could they be fighting? No, Ke would never hurt her.

Liu listened for a moment longer and realized Yuan seemed to be panting. Her heart pounded like thunder. Reacting instinctively, she leaped backward and fled.

Yuan realized Ke didn’t know how to kiss properly. Though neither of them had any experience, Ke was just randomly pecking, kissing here and there until Yuan nearly passed out from the onslaught.

The reason for this was Ke’s sudden request earlier that day: “Can I kiss you?”

As the Priest had warned, crossing boundaries was a reckless act. And Ke, the reckless one, had already kissed her more than once.

Beyond the shyness and helplessness, Yuan also felt a mix of irritation and bitterness. She remembered that this person now holding her and kissing her so haphazardly—this former Master of hers—had never cared about her past.

That night… she remembered it all.

Lost in thought, Yuan pushed Ke away. “No more kissing.”

Ke had learned this technique from Xie Yu.

The previous day, while working together, she had earnestly asked Xie Yu how to kiss someone.

Xie Yu asked, “Is it a very strong desire?”

“A very strong desire.”

“Then ask that person. If they agree, you can kiss them.”

So, ultimately, it was Yuan herself who had given her consent.

Xie Yu’s advice was perfectly proper, because when she kissed Yun Nai, she never asked for permission or whether she wanted it.

A single glance between them was all it took.

When Liu frantically fled to the Priest, she was still flushed with shame for eavesdropping.

Seeing her flustered state, Yun Nai asked, “Liu, what’s wrong? Why don’t you rest for a while?”

Liu calmed herself slightly before anxiously looking at Yun Nai. “Priest, I wanted to ask about joining the Tribe.”

She had finally voiced her question.

Liu’s background is different from Yuan’s, Yun Nai thought. We could ask Yuan directly, but we wouldn’t do the same for Liu.

Now that Liu had taken the initiative, she would always remember that joining the Tribe was her own decision.

“We’re already preparing for it,” Yun Nai said gently to the young captive. “We were worried you might not be used to it yet, so we wanted to give you more time to adjust. Don’t worry, we accept you.”

“Thank you, Priest,” Liu said, her face flushing even deeper. She hadn’t been mistaken—the Priest truly radiated a radiant glow.

“Is there anything else, Liu?”

Liu. She liked her new name. Liu waved her hand. “No, Priest. I’ll be going now.”

Yun Nai watched Liu’s retreating figure. Once Liu joined the tribe, Xie Yu would set out on her journey.

The only consolation was that the distance between the Snake Tribe and their own was relatively short.

Yun Nai held her hand above the bamboo fire cage, the warmth radiating from the charcoal driving away some of the bitter cold.

She sighed inwardly, silently imploring the Totem to protect those about to embark on long journeys, especially her beloved Xie Yu.

Xie Yu was still outside, finalizing arrangements for Yun Nai’s departure from the tribe.

Yun Nai had already selected the members for the Deer Tribe delegation. She planned to send Ping, Lian, and two other tribespeople. Ping was steady and reliable, while Lian had previously interacted with the Deer Tribe’s Chief and her people. The remaining two would help carry supplies.

Since Sha favored pottery jars, they would bring some to trade for red copper. If Sha agreed, Yun Nai could send more tribespeople to deliver the red copper and exchange it for more pottery jars.

However, all these plans hinged on the Deer Tribe’s continued existence and safety. If that proved otherwise, they would need to reconsider their approach.

As for the Snake Tribe, Yun Nai knew she had to go there herself.