Ze lowered his head, not daring to look at Shen Nong, "afraid that the priest will think I'm cruel."
“Look at me.”
This time, Shen Nong did not use the vines to lift Ze's head, but quietly waited for Ze to make his own choice.
When Ze looked up, Shen Nong saw his panicked and helpless expression clearly.
Where is the same unwavering confidence he displayed when telling Hu Xiao, "Don't pursue a desperate enemy," that he had no doubt about Hu Xiao's intentions?
Shen Nong never considered himself a kind person. He was the kind of person who always sought revenge and couldn't stand being taken advantage of.
He didn't know why Ze would think that way, but he still comforted him, "You're avenging your mother, it's not cruel. If it were me, he wouldn't have died so easily."
Tuanzi just woke up, stretched her arms and legs, and started whimpering.
Shen Nong's gaze was drawn to Tuanzi. He walked to the stone table, picked up the bamboo tube containing the sugar water, and handed it to Tuanzi.
While Tuanzi was drinking the sweet soup, Shen Nong began to pet the cat.
Choose your tightly clenched hands and loosen them slightly.
He gazed into Shen Nong's eyes, which were filled with joy, and thought they were incredibly beautiful.
The priest was wrong; Ya Huang's death was not easy.
Before killing Ya Huang, he smeared his own blood on the dagger.
Blood kept Ya Huang conscious, and he endured the agony until he finally breathed his last.
He still remembers the slight joy he felt after killing Ya Huang in that way.
The longer Ze spent with the priests, the more he felt that they were completely different from them.
Priests had to wash their hands before meals and bathe daily to keep themselves clean.
They never eat raw meat and always kill their prey with a single, fatal blow, so as not to cause their prey any pain.
In his heart, the priest was like moonlight—pure, flawless, and kind.
He dared not expose the darkness in his heart, for fear that the priest would find it offensive.
Watching the priest stroke the dumpling, Ze felt uneasy and couldn't help but interrupt, "Priest, I want to eat candy."
It's said that a half-grown boy can bankrupt his father.
Looking at the limited number of infrastructure points, Shen Nong gritted her teeth and bought Ze a milk-flavored candy.
"Open your mouth."
Ze took the candy Shen Nong offered and looked at Tuanzi meaningfully.
The dumpling hugged its sweet soup tightly. What kind of look is that two-legged creature giving?
Are you craving its sweet soup?
Sensing the unease and fear in Tuanzi's heart, Ze withdrew his gaze with satisfaction.
Hmph, what's so special about sugar water? The priest personally fed me candy.
Shen Nong was unaware of the series of attempts by Ze to win favor; he was going to find Da Hei.
Tuanzi has been with him lately and hasn't been able to see Dahei.
It's a good opportunity to bring them along so that the father and son can reunite.
"Tuanzi, come here."
Shen Nong called Tuanzi over, and couldn't help but put her hands on Tuanzi's body, rubbing it incessantly.
“Let’s go visit your father.”
Ze Gang's joyful mood instantly plummeted back to its lowest point.
He followed behind the priest, his eyes glued to the priest's hand that was touching the dumpling.
He secretly prayed that his beast form would have lots of fur during this autumn awakening.
Chapter 21
Protection
Ze tribe.
The chieftain's cave was packed with people. The old priest's gaze swept over the goosewood. "That blood, you didn't use it?"
"The blood wasn't used."
The goose-wood log hung very low, and recalling what he had encountered in the Wood Tribe, he still felt a little afraid.
He said in a trembling voice, "Priest, the Wood Tribe has giant beasts."
The old priest frowned deeply. "What do you mean?"
"The giant beasts obeyed them and helped the Wood Tribe attack us."
Upon hearing this, Crocodile smashed the stone bowl beside him onto the goosewood, angrily saying, "How could a giant beast possibly listen to a human?"
With a clatter, the old priest's cane fell to the ground.
Command giant beasts!
Crocodile noticed that the old priest's expression was off. "Priest?"
The old priest snapped out of his daze, glanced at Goosewood's bleeding head, and said in a deep voice, "All of you, get out. Crocodile Swamp, I have something to say to you."
After everyone had left, Crocodile asked, "Does the priest have something to say?"
"Do you remember when Ya Jiu and the others returned from the beast tide, they said that the Wood Tribe suddenly had many orc warriors of level three or higher?"
Crocodile said nonchalantly, "I remember they also said that the Wood Tribe hunted a lot of prey during this beast tide."
"The Wood Tribe also didn't have enough manpower, so they didn't bring back a lot of game. The Salt Tribe wanted to divide up the remaining meat, but in the end, all of it disappeared."
Crocodile asked doubtfully, "Are these related to the giant beasts of the Wood Tribe?"
The old priest nodded and said, "The previous priest of the tribe came from Beast City. He once told me that the high priest of Beast City could help orc warriors level up in a short time."
"And they can control giant beasts and make them work for them."
Crocodile immediately retorted, "Impossible! Giant beasts can only be hunted; they will never obey humans."
The old priest did not answer; he picked up his cane and gently stroked it.
Looking through his cane, he recalled what the former priest had said to him about the High Priest of the Beast City.
He can't be mistaken.
He asked the previous priest the exact same question, and the priest only replied, "The High Priest is the one who is closest to the Beast God."
The Beast God is omnipotent.
The old priest muttered to himself, "The closest being to the Beast God..."
Who exactly is the priest who suddenly appeared in the Wood Tribe?
The old priest picked up his cane, preparing to leave. "If the Wood Tribe goes fishing in the river again, tell the patrol team to stay far away."
Crocodile snorted coldly, "Priest, since the divine blood was lost, why have you become more and more timid?"
The old priest glared at Crocodile Swamp, knowing he didn't want to listen to him. He said in an unfriendly tone, "You know the divine blood is lost? Why don't you send more people to help Snake One and the others find it?"
Crocodile said unhappily, "Duck Nine has already been sent out, and there are only patrol teams left in the tribe. Where are there any extra people?"
The old priest banged his cane on the ground, "Then send them all out!"
"After autumn comes winter. Without divine blood, do you think the tribe can safely get through the winter?"
Eze wanted to say yes, but he swallowed the words back.
Before the tribe had access to divine blood, many people froze and starved to death.
After receiving divine blood, anyone who still has a breath left can be saved.
"I will personally lead a team to look for it."
The old priest sighed, "Whether we find it or not, it must be back before winter."
...
"Big Black! Dumpling's here to see you!"
When Dahei heard that Tuanzi had arrived, it quickly got up and turned around. It saw Shen Nong leaning against Tuanzi, looking at it with a half-smile.
Big Black gripped the giant tree in his hand, his bear heart pounding wildly.
She even gave Tuanzi a meaningful look, hoping her little one could save her.
Tuanzi received its father's hint, put its paw in its mouth, and looked at Shen Nong with a blank and cute expression.
To everyone's surprise, Shen Nong didn't even look at Tuanzi. "Dahei, why are you blinking so much? Did the Ze tribe people hurt you?"
Big Black roared twice, hugging the giant tree, looking extremely guilty, its small eyes darting around.
Shen Nong knew that this silly bear was afraid because she had let the Ze tribe people escape while she was playing, and he was worried that he would be angry.
Although he didn't take it to heart, Shen Nong never thought he could wipe out the Ze tribe in one fell swoop.
It would be enough to give them a warning and drive them away so they wouldn't dare to look at the Qingmu tribe again.
However, this bear is too playful and should be punished, otherwise it won't learn its lesson.
Shen Nong asked jokingly, "Do you know where you went wrong?"
Big Black whimpered twice, wishing it could bury its head in its belly.
"You let the Ze tribe escape because you were playing around. As punishment, you're not allowed to eat meat today and tomorrow, understand?"
Big Black rubbed its belly pitifully, nodding its head in utter grievance.
At first it didn't feel it, but after the priest finished speaking, it suddenly felt incredibly hungry.
Big Black: Waaaaah.
Tuanzi continued eating the claws, unaware that the meat the priest had given him was enough to fill his father's teeth.