But where did they get their water? Did that foreign tribe give it to them? The sea tribe's orcs didn't say they allowed foreign tribes to use the stream water. Did the fish tribe also start drinking seawater like the foreign tribes? Don't they value their lives?
The sand tribe priest hurriedly got up and headed towards the fish tribe, and the orc who had come to reply quickly caught up with him.
"Fish Water! Fish Water, where are you?" The Sand Tribe was very close to the Fish Tribe, and the two tribes usually had a better relationship than other tribes. The Sand Tribe priest was genuinely worried that the Fish Tribe would recklessly drink seawater to quench their thirst—wasn't that suicidal?
Hearing the familiar voice, Yu Shui poked his head out of the cave. His face, which had been clean, was now covered in ash from being in the charred cave for a while.
"Shamu, what brings you here?" Yu Shui asked in surprise.
Shamu circled Yushui, scrutinizing his old friend. He found that, just as the tribespeople had reported, Yushui looked remarkably well. Shamu even thought Yushui looked better than ever before, which was quite strange.
Returning to the starting point, Shamu caught a glimpse of the green bamboo on the ground. He remembered why he had come here, patted Yushui on the shoulder and sighed, "Yushui, we became priests of the tribe together back then. So many years have passed, you don't know that drinking too much seawater can kill people, do you?"
Yu Shui nodded without hesitation, "Of course I know."
"You know why you still drank it!" Shamu pointed to the bamboo tube on the ground, looking worried. "How much seawater did you drink in the past two days in this foreign tribe?"
Yu Shui knew that Sha Mu was worried about him, and he was very touched. That day, when the Fish Tribe was burned down and he was lifted up by the Feather Tribe orcs, he saw the Sea Tribe orcs holding the Sand Tribe orcs hostage, preventing the Sand Tribe from rescuing them.
Thinking about what the priest of the Wood Tribe had told her, Yu Shui turned around, picked up the bamboo tube, and handed it to Sha Mu, "Try it."
Despite his insistence that he wouldn't drink seawater, Shamu still reached out, took the bamboo tube, and tilted his head back to drink a mouthful. As he brought the water close to the mouth of the tube, Shamu noticed the strange smell, and the taste further confirmed his suspicions.
The bamboo tube didn't contain seawater.
"Which outside tribe gave you this water? Could they have stolen the stream water from the Sea Tribe? You should stop associating with outside tribes. Once the Sea Tribe priest and chieftain find you, go and apologize. If the Sea Tribe finds out that outside tribes stole their water, do you think they'll forgive them?" Shamu was extremely anxious, wishing he could rush to the Wood Tribe right now and drag all the Fish Tribe beastmen back.
"Look how dry your mouth is." Yu Shui lifted the bottom of the bamboo tube, urging Sha Mu to drink some more. Sha Mu wasn't thirsty; this water was so hard to come by, he only needed a sip, he couldn't drink more.
Yu Shui laughed, his aged voice sounding surprisingly energetic. "The Mu tribe didn't steal water from the Hai tribe. They found another kind of drinkable water called groundwater. This water is cleaner than the stream water, and it even tastes sweet. I've been drinking so much water these past two days that I'm full. You drink, and if I get thirsty, I can just go to the Mu tribe to drink."
Shamu knew that Yushui had no reason to lie to him, and regardless of whether it was groundwater or surface water, he tilted his head back and drank the whole bamboo tube of water.
That really quenches my thirst!
The orc who had followed Shamu stared at the bamboo tube, swallowing hard and wide-eyed. Yu Shui also gave the orc a bamboo tube of water, saying, "Drink."
The orc hesitated to accept, but Shamu, looking at the young orc's cracked lips, nodded. "Take it."
"Hey!" The orc excitedly took the water, drank a sip, and then covered it up.
Seeing this, Yu Shui asked curiously, "Weren't you very thirsty? Why did you only take a sip?"
The orc from the Sand Tribe scratched the itchy spot on his scalp with one hand, while holding the bamboo tube tightly to his chest with the other, as if afraid of dropping it. "Take it back for my father, mother, and younger siblings to drink. They haven't had water in a long time."
Upon hearing this, Yu Shui picked up all seven or eight bamboo tubes on the ground and handed them to Sha Mu, saying, "Take these back for your people to drink. Although it's not much, everyone can have a sip and taste the water."
Shamu didn't want to take the job, but the tribe was desperately short of water. These past two days, the Hai tribe had been searching for a priest and chieftain, and all the tribes were helping them search. If they couldn't find them, they wouldn't be allowed to fetch water from the mountains.
Now, apart from the old and immobile or the newborn who can't walk, and those who stayed behind to protect him, all the other orcs in the tribe have gone out to help search for people.
The summer heat was unbearable. People who had been searching outside under the scorching sun all day returned without a drop of water. Many of the lower-level orcs had already collapsed.
The children were crying loudly from thirst, and he, as the priest, could see it but was completely helpless.
Although the water Yu Shui gave was little, it could at least save a few orcs who were dying of thirst. Sha Mu's eyes welled up with tears as he accepted the bamboo tube. Seeing Sha Mu's expression, Yu Shui knew something was wrong and became worried. "What happened to the Sha tribe?"
Shamu sighed. It wasn't a secret, so he told Yushui about it.
After understanding the reason, Yu Shui was speechless for a moment. His mind was filled with the conditions the Wood Tribe had offered them when recruiting workers, and the Sea Tribe's long-standing methods of controlling their various tribes, large and small, through the streams.
During his two days with the Wood Tribe, although Yu Shui didn't get to properly visit the tribe because of Yu Ye and the others' injuries, he and the Fish Tribe people talked a lot on their way back from the Wood Tribe.
I eat meat three times a day, feeling full, and drink as much water as I want. Before going to bed at night, I soak a herbal sachet in water and wash my body. I don't get bitten by mosquitoes all night and sleep soundly until dawn, feeling refreshed.
Moreover, their job was to learn how to store prey caught in the sea for a longer period of time—a secret in any tribe, yet they were able to learn it!
The tribespeople who came along were even happier than Yu Ye and the others when they learned that the Fish Tribe was a subordinate tribe of the Wood Tribe. This was something Yu Shui hadn't expected; he had thought his tribespeople would be worried and afraid, after all, becoming a subordinate tribe of an outsider tribe was tantamount to standing on the opposite side of all the tribes by the sea.
Aside from all that, in Yu Shui's heart, the priest of the Wood Tribe was like a beast god, and he held him in the highest esteem. He knew perfectly well that no one could bring someone who was about to die back to life.
Yu Shui knew that the Fish Tribe would develop well by following the Wood Tribe. He looked at Sha Mu and hoped that the Sand Tribe would also prosper in the future.
“Shamu, our Fish Tribe is now a subordinate tribe of the Wood Tribe.”
Yu Shui's expression was calm, but Sha Mu still detected the hidden joy in Yu Shui's voice. He instinctively stopped himself from asking a question, and just stood there blankly, holding the bamboo tube, his mouth opening and closing several times before finally managing to utter, "Why?"
“Because the Wood Tribe priest saved Fish Leaf and the orc warriors of the hunting party, because the Wood Tribe taught my people how to preserve fish for a long time, because there is meat to eat, water to drink, and a bed to sleep in.” Fish Water said from the bottom of his heart, “This is the best choice I, as a priest, can make for my people.”
Shamu's Adam's apple bobbed, as if he wanted to say something but didn't. He held the water in the bamboo tube, head down, lost in thought.
Chapter 100
Glass
Other small and medium-sized tribes by the sea who were curious about the Wood Tribe but dared not approach because of the Sea Tribe, all their priests came after they learned that Yu Shui had brought his people back.
It's not that they absolutely have to come; it's just that there's no one left in the tribe. Like the Sand Tribe, they've all gone out to find people.
This made it easier for Yu Shui to spread the word that the Wood Tribe had a water source. Telling the priests directly was much more credible than having an orc relay the message.
Yu Shui and his people spent half a day tidying up. As the sun was rising, the priests prepared to go back. But before they even left the Yu tribe, the orcs of the Yu tribe carried in two large wooden barrels on large planks.
The aroma of meat wafted from afar, and everyone could tell what was inside those two large wooden barrels.
The priest of the Coral Tribe turned and returned to the Fish Tribe. "I suddenly remembered that I have something to ask the priest of the Fish Tribe."
The other priests chimed in, "We have some too."
Yu Shui smiled but remained silent as the tribal priests returned. Since their return, the priests' eyes hadn't been on Yu Shui, but rather glued to the large wooden tub of meat and water.
This amount of meat was just enough for a few orcs from the Fish Tribe. Fish Water looked at the priests who were standing motionless like wooden statues and coughed softly.
He took out his share of meat and said to the others, "Want to try some?"
Except for Shamu, the priests from the other tribes practically pounced on the meat. Each of them grabbed a piece and stuffed it into their mouths—wow, this taste! Delicious!
They couldn't describe the exact taste, only that after eating one piece, they wanted more, and their mouths watered at the smell of meat.
Although the meat was rationed, the water was clearly extra. Yu Shui understood the meaning and used the delivered earthenware bowls to give each priest a bowl of water.
The priests took the earthenware bowls, but didn't rush to drink. They examined the water inside; it was clear and pure, and even smelled sweet. After drinking it, the priests felt that this groundwater tasted much better than the stream water.
They were still somewhat skeptical that the groundwater of the Wood Tribe wouldn't be better than the stream water. Although the Sand Tribe priest had shown them the water in the bamboo tubes, they hadn't tasted it, so how would they know?
The fish tribe priest hadn't lied to them; the visiting wood tribe had a water source, even better than the streams of the sea tribe! So what were they afraid of?
After drinking the water, the priests took one last deep breath of the meat's aroma before reluctantly leaving. Yu Shui, who had been observing their expressions, knew they had made up their minds and breathed a sigh of relief. He had successfully completed the task assigned by the Wood Tribe priest.
After watching the priests leave, Yu Shui picked up his earthenware bowl, which was full of meat. The priests shared the meat in his bowl, and the tribespeople took some meat from their own bowls and filled his bowl again.
Halfway through the meal, Yu Shui turned his head to pick up his bowl and drink some water. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed someone sitting under a tree not far away. He looked closely and realized it was Sha Mu, so he took the bowl of meat and walked over. "Are you hungry? You didn't eat when they were eating meat. Here, have some."
Fearing that Shamu wouldn't accept it, Yushui added, "I'm getting old, and eating too much meat makes me feel strange and uncomfortable."
Shamu knew perfectly well that Yushui was saying this on purpose to get him to eat some meat. He took the earthenware bowl, picked up a piece of meat with his hand, and put it in his mouth, his cheeks puffing out. "It tastes just as good as it smells! Yushui, how can this meat be made so delicious?"
Yu Shui shook his head. "I didn't know meat could taste this good before going to the Mu tribe. I'll go get you some water." Yu Shui returned with a large bowl of water and placed it beside Sha Mu. He looked around and asked, "Where's the young orc you brought?"
“I sent him back to the tribe with the bamboo tube.” After finishing the last piece of meat, Shamu picked up his water bottle and drank it all in one gulp. He wiped his mouth and said to Yushui, “You’re right. As a priest, I should make the best choice for my people. I want to become a subordinate tribe of the Wood Tribe. Do you think the Wood Tribe will agree?”
Shamu asked somewhat cautiously. Although he didn't know how the Fish Tribe became a subordinate tribe of a large tribe like the Wood Tribe, it was always good to ask Yu Shui in advance.
Yu Shui knew what Sha Mu was worried about, and he smiled as he repeated what Shen Nong had told him last night: "As long as you work hard and have no bad intentions, you can become a subordinate tribe of the Mu tribe."
"Really?" Shamu's eyes widened. It was that simple?
"Why would I lie to you? Otherwise, what do you think my Fish Tribe could possibly have that the Wood Tribe would want?" Fish Water retorted.
Shamu nodded seriously and joked, "You're right."
The two elderly people sat under the tree, looked at each other and smiled, their laughter revealing their joy.
——
After a few days of fermentation, the news that the Wood Tribe had a water source and that the Fish Tribe and Sand Tribe had become subordinate tribes of the Wood Tribe spread throughout the tribes along the coast.
While the Fish Tribe and Sand Tribe ate and drank well every day, they had to spend all day under the scorching sun searching for people for the Sea Tribe, and even getting beaten and scolded by the Sea Tribe orcs when they wanted to get some water.
The priests of the six small and medium-sized tribes who had previously eaten meat and drunk water at Yushui finally couldn't take it anymore and quit.
Six tribal priests, carrying awakening crystals, rushed to the Wood Tribe overnight, begging Shen Nong to allow them to become affiliated tribes of the Wood Tribe as well. Their only options to work in the Wood Tribe in exchange for meat and water were to become an affiliated tribe or to join the Wood Tribe directly.
Otherwise, the Sea Tribe would definitely not let them go.
Although the Sea Tribe will not let them go even if they become a subordinate tribe of the Wood Tribe, at least the Sea Tribe will be wary of the Wood Tribe and will not dare to easily touch them.
Shen Nong accepted all comers, but he had conditions. Becoming a subordinate tribe of the Wood Tribe was acceptable, but there would be annual assessments, and if one failed, he would terminate the priesthood contract. This was also to prevent unrest due to the large number of people from different tribes, and to establish a constraint.
To date, apart from the three large tribes, including the Sea Tribe, and two medium-sized tribes that are relatively close to the Sea Tribe, all other small and medium-sized tribes have become subordinate tribes of the Wood Tribe.
With the addition of eight small and medium-sized tribes, the Wood Tribe has enough manpower.
Shen Nong began to work on building a glass factory.
Extracting glass raw materials requires a lot of manpower in order to reduce the iron content in the quartz sand, so that the fired glass will be more transparent.
Because quartz sand has a high melting point and requires the production of a fluxing agent, the processing of these concentrated quartz sands was handled by Shen Liu, a chemist. The raw materials were available here, but refining them would take some time.
Shen Nong didn't have time to study the glass-making equipment; he wasn't short of infrastructure points right now, and since the Beast World had no electricity, it couldn't be fully automated. So he directly exchanged for a hand-cranked one. Beastmen were strong, and cranking it was more than enough for them.
The prepared glass-making raw materials are melted into liquid in a furnace and poured into a roller. Shen Nong exchanged for an engraving roller; patterns can be pressed onto the flat glass using this roller, though the transparency is poor, it looks nice. After cooling in a temperature-controlled zone, the glass is ready.
The Wood Tribe is busy making glass, while in the Sea Tribe, the priest and chieftain have been missing for a long time, and the other two large tribes are also starting to stir.
This terrified the last two medium-sized tribes, who were afraid of being captured by the three tribes and used as human shields. They disregarded their proximity to the Hai tribe and the fear of retaliation from the Hai tribe, and led their entire tribe down the mountain to beg the Mu tribe for help.
The last two medium-sized tribes also became subordinate tribes. Shen Nong felt it was a good opportunity, so she released the people and let the three large tribes cause trouble.
With Shen Er around, Shen Nong wasn't afraid of the Sea Tribe retaliating. No one knew what Shen Er had done, but the three members of the Sea Tribe looked at him as if he were some monster, trembling with fear and not daring to look at him.
The three large tribes on the mountain were causing quite a commotion because of the stream, but none of them dared to target the Mu tribe at the foot of the mountain.
Of the thirteen tribes along the coast, ten are subordinate to the Wood Tribe. Not to mention, the Wood Tribe also has an absurdly powerful orc. Even the strongest warrior among the coastal tribes, Shark Sea, the chieftain of the Sea Tribe, and Tiger Water, whom no one dares to provoke, are so afraid of him that they hide in their caves and dare not come out.
After several days of hard work, the first batch of glass was finally produced. With Shen Liu overseeing the process, the final product was much better than Shen Nong had imagined. The glass had no bubbles and was very transparent, although some pieces were not completely transparent and had a slight tint.
Shen Nong didn't think anything of it, but Shen Liu couldn't stand it and started making a decolorizing agent.
However, Shen Nong couldn't wait for the second batch of glass to be shipped; he had to go back. He'd been away for too long, and Shen San had left a message saying the tribe had captured several suspicious orcs.
The next day, Shen Nong had the Feather Tribe beastmen take the first batch of manufactured glass back to the Wood Tribe with him.
When I left, a quarter of the city wall of the Wood Tribe had been built; when I returned, it was nearing completion. The moat was also mostly dug, but water had not yet been drawn in.