The two from the Water Tribe, dressed in warm animal skin clothing, bid farewell to the Wood Tribe.
Shen Nong watched their departing figures, lost in thought.
From their conversation, it's easy to see that these two people from the Water Tribe are loyal and affectionate.
But loyalty can't put food on the table, and the current Mu tribe is not ready to take over a new tribe.
It would be better if they came in the spring.
[Host, are you really not planning to take the rest of the Water Tribe? Having more people in the tribe would be beneficial for completing the mission.]
"If I don't want it, why did I waste so much time talking and even give away two sets of winter clothes?"
The system asked, "Didn't you say you only wanted the child?"
Shen Nong was also helpless, "The tribe only has enough supplies for the current number of people."
"When those children came, there was nowhere for them to stay. We had to squeeze them into Baoqiu's and the others' mud houses."
"If their entire tribe came, they would still have nothing to eat or drink here."
He sighed, "Let's see if they can make it through this winter."
After the people from the Water Tribe left, Shen Nong asked, "You had dealings with the Water Tribe before. What's their tribe like?"
After thinking for a moment, Hu Xiao said, "The people of the Water Tribe are actually quite nice."
“Priest, do you remember what I said before? We used to catch fish when we didn’t have meat to eat.”
Shen Nong replied, "Yes, the Water Tribe will not expel you, but the Ze Tribe will."
Tu Feng continued, "It's not just that. When their old priest was still alive, if someone in our tribe was seriously injured, we would go to their priest for treatment."
As soon as he finished speaking, he couldn't help but sigh, "However, not long after they were driven away by the Ze tribe, the old priest went to see the Beast God."
“Yes.” Hu Xiao patted his chest. “When I was scratched by prey before, I went to ask their old priest for help.”
"Priest, let me take off my clothes and show you."
As Hu Xiao was about to make a move, Shen Nong waved her hands repeatedly, "No, no, no, I won't look. It's so cold, aren't you afraid of getting cold?"
"I'm not afraid!"
Tiger Roar still wanted to try; every scar on an orc warrior's body was a symbol of honor.
He wants to show the priest his glory! What's a little cold! It's not like he's never been cold before.
Ze walked up to Hu Xiao without anyone noticing, raised his hand and pressed down on Hu Xiao's hand, making him unable to move at all.
Tiger Roar tried to twitch twice but couldn't, so he gave up, but he still kept shouting, "Priest! My scar is really handsome! Rabbit Wind and the others like to see it, why don't you look at it?"
Shen Nong rubbed her temples and shook her head helplessly, making up an excuse to send Hu Xiao away, "Because I like to see Ze like that, so don't take your clothes off."
Tiger Roar was completely unmoved now, having given up. He muttered to himself, "No wonder the priest always stares at Ze. Ze's body is completely smooth, without a single scar. I don't know what's so interesting about him, humph..."
Shen Nong's face flushed red instantly. He covered his face with his hands and said with exasperation, "Tiger Roar, I can hear it."
Tiger Roar blinked, grinning like a fool with his big white teeth. "Then, Priest, am I what you always call being observant?"
Shen Nong took a deep breath, "Shut up!"
Then Hu Xiao shouted, "Ah! If you squeeze any harder, you'll crush the bones in my hand!"
Ze hurriedly withdrew his hand and lowered his head.
Shen Nong looked at Ze, her gaze falling on his reddened ears.
He silently thought to himself, "What's there to be shy about, you orc, being looked at a couple of times?!"
Wait, when did you, an orc, learn to be shy?
...
Salt section.
Firelight flickered inside the chieftain's cave. Wuming, wrapped in animal hide, lay sprawled out, occupying half of the hide on the ground.
"Chieftain and High Priest, why did you send me here in this freezing weather? Is there something you need?"
Manglin used his bone knife to cut off a piece of dry, hard animal meat and stuffed it into his mouth. "The old priest heard that the Wood Tribe attacked the cannibals and is worried that you won't have anywhere to sleep in the winter and will freeze to death."
Wuming scoffed, "The old priest is quite quick to hear; even the heavy winter snow couldn't stop the news."
The old priest said calmly, "It was you who agreed to allow the Salt Tribe to live near the cannibals."
Wuming was already in a bad mood, and upon hearing this, he said directly, "I only said that I was allowed to report to you whether the cannibals were secretly recruiting orc warriors. I didn't say that I should report everything else as well."
"I didn't call you here to talk about these things." Knowing he was in the wrong, the old priest didn't want to say anything more. "In the spring, I want the cannibals and the salt tribe to join forces and attack the wood tribe."
Wuming scoffed, then laughed louder and louder, "Hahaha, old priest, do you still think the Wood Tribe is the same Wood Tribe as before?"
The Salt Tribe priest didn't understand, but Wuming did. The Wood Tribe priest was the son of the Beast City High Priest.
Even if all the tribes here joined forces, let alone the cannibals and the salt tribe, they would still be no match for him.
Moreover, even if we do win...
Even if the people in Beast City know that the High Priest's child died at their hands, they won't escape either.
Wuming didn't even need to think about it and refused outright, "You know, the cannibals were defeated by the Wood Tribe. We are no match for them at all. You should look for other tribes."
Before the old priest could speak, Mang Lin said urgently, "You alone are no match for them, but with the Salt Tribe joining forces, how could you possibly lose to their little Wood Tribe?"
Wuming shook his head, "I won't fight."
The old priest and the python looked at each other in dismay. They had thought the cannibals would agree immediately, but they hadn't expected the cannibals to be so resolute and refuse to fight no matter what.
In the silence, Wuming realized that the Wood Tribe had attacked his cannibals in order to save the Salt Tribe.
He was genuinely curious, so he asked, "What happened between the Salt Tribe and the Wood Tribe? Why would they attack my tribe to save your flesh people?"
When Manglin and the old priest first heard that the Wood Tribe was attacking the cannibals for the sake of Wolf Rain, they were also very surprised.
They were certain that Wolf Rain and his companions were loyal to the Salt Department before they were sent away to be used as human sacrifices.
He always considered the salt department's interests in everything he did, and always put the salt department first.
Previously, for the sake of the Salt Department's interests, they had repeatedly caused trouble for the Wood Tribe.
After much thought, the two realized that the problem lay in the orc level of Wolf Rain and his companions.
Wolf Rain and his companions are all of high level; in other small tribes, a level three orc would be considered the strongest fighting force.
However, no tribe has ever dared to snatch people from the mouths of cannibals.
This wooden tribe is truly baffling.
The old priest told Wuming about his and the python's conjecture.
Wuming found the answer reasonable and, knowing the reasoning behind it, feared the old priest would bring up the matter of attacking the Wood Tribe again. So Wuming sat up and prepared to leave.
The old priest stopped Wuming, saying, "Don't go yet. I'll show you something before you leave."
With no other option, he had no choice but to return to his original state.
The old priest picked up a round, plump object from some corner, from which white steam was rising.
He handed the earthenware pot filled with hot water to Wuming, saying, "Try it."
Wuming had never seen this object before. He quickly sat up, took the pottery jar, weighed it in his hand, and then made up his mind.
This is a good thing.
He tilted his head back, took a sip of hot water, and his eyes shone.
What is this?
“A clay pot.” The old priest could tell from Wuming’s expression that Wuming understood what was going on without him having to say anything more. He added, “It was sent by the Wood Tribe.”
Mang Lin took the pottery jar from Wu Ming's hand, cut the animal meat beside him into pieces, and threw it directly into the jar.
“A few days ago, the water in the earthenware pot froze, so the priest tried to warm it with fire. He accidentally discovered that the pot heated up very easily, and the water inside also heated up.”
"In winter, hot water warms you up, and once you've drunk hot water, you won't be able to drink cold water anymore."
Mang Lin picked up the earthenware pot and shook it. "If you put the meat in hot water, it will soften and you won't have to worry about breaking your teeth when you eat it."
After watching the python sway, Wuming cut the meat and put it into the earthenware jar.
He glanced at the fire not far away and said uncertainly, "If you put the earthenware pot directly on the fire, the water will get hotter, and the meat will soften faster, right?"
Mang Lin paused in his actions, glanced at Wu Ming, and then looked at the old priest.
After a moment's thought, the old priest said, "Put it up."
Wuming sniffed. "So, you're attacking the Wood Tribe because you want to get the recipe for this pottery jar?"
Mang Lin leveled the fire and placed the earthenware pots on it. "We have the recipe, and we've already made several usable ones."
Wu Ming asked, puzzled, "Then why did you destroy the Wood Tribe?"
The firelight reflected on the old priest's face. "Because they know the method, the method for making the earthenware pots, only the Salt Department knows."
He didn't want to do anything more, but the salt department had suffered heavy losses.
He had to consider the interests of the Salt Ministry and ensure the production of the pottery jars, as only the Salt Ministry would do so, "only the dead can completely keep the secret."
Wuming looked at the priest and chieftain of the Salt Tribe by the firelight.
He thought to himself that if he hadn't agreed to their condition that the cannibals wouldn't have any orc warriors.
Perhaps the Salt Department will spare no effort to wipe out the cannibals.
In the past, the priests of their cannibal tribe would form blood pacts with orc warriors.
These orcs are unaffected by the suppression of their bloodline.
While the cannibal priests released their bloodline to suppress the orcs' ability to transform, these orcs who had formed blood pacts could still transform.
Cannibalistic priests who possess blood-bonded orc warriors are extremely difficult to defeat.
However, orcs who form a blood pact with cannibal priests have one more condition than those who form other blood pacts: they cannot be orcs who have drunk the blood of cannibal priests.
Otherwise, Wuming really wouldn't have been willing to eat those two level-six orc warriors.
but..
Wuming's thoughts raced, and he realized that the Salt Department could persuade him to attack the Wood Tribe.