Chapter 34: The Eve of Departure

The patriarch was currently discussing herbal reserves with the witch doctor. "It is fortunate that Leng Xiu and the others sensed something amiss early on. We had the hunting party take Nu out to gather plenty of herbs; otherwise, we would truly be in a difficult spot today."

The witch doctor nodded slightly. "That may be so, but if the tremors from last night occur a few more times, the herbs gathered in the past few days will still not be enough."

Hearing this, the patriarch’s expression shifted, and he said with some agitation, "Witch Doctor, the tremors last night must have been an accident. After all, our Black Mountain Tribe has been rooted in the Black Flame Mountain Range for over two hundred years, and we have never encountered such a thing. It happened once yesterday; how could it possibly happen a second time?"

The witch doctor reminded him, "Last night was already the second time. Mang, as the patriarch of the tribe, you should not be careless regarding such natural disasters. The lives of over four hundred beastmen in the Black Mountain Tribe all rest upon your shoulders."

Upon hearing this, the patriarch gave a bitter laugh. "After what happened last night, I truly wish I were not the patriarch."

That way, he would not have to bear such immense pressure. But he could not. Even though his own female had been slightly injured last night, not only could he not stay with her, but he also had to suppress his worries about the river and his anxieties regarding this disaster, maintaining a calm facade to preside over the entire tribe.

The witch doctor patted his shoulder, intending to offer some words of comfort, when his peripheral vision caught sight of Mu Qing’s female approaching them, accompanied by Leng Xiao.

"Mu Qing’s female is here. It was her warning that prompted Mu Qing to come to you about the tremors last night."

The patriarch understood the witch doctor’s implication: he should pay closer attention to Mu Qing’s female, as she was capable of thinking of things that none of them, as beastmen, had considered. If she was coming now, perhaps she had discovered something else.

Thus, the patriarch and the witch doctor watched as Yun Li and the others drew near.

"Patriarch, Witch Doctor, I have some thoughts I would like to share with you regarding the tremors from last night." Yun Li did not waste time, cutting straight to the point.

The patriarch exchanged a look with the witch doctor, then assumed a serious and attentive expression. "Speak. What other thoughts do you have about last night's tremors?"

Yun Li repeated what she had previously told Leng Xiao to the patriarch and the witch doctor, adding a few more points. "I do not believe that moving to the caves on the mountain is the best course of action at this time. If this is not the last tremor, what if rocks start rolling down the mountain? If the tremors intensify and cause a landslide that affects the caves, the females and cubs inside will have no way to escape in time."

"Instead, it would be better to do as we are doing now: avoid areas with many trees or stone houses. In this open space, the tribesmen can spread out. We must be vigilant for cracks appearing in the ground and remain on guard against beasts suddenly intruding into the tribe."

"Wait, what do you mean by cracks appearing in the ground?" The patriarch felt that while it was good for Yun Li to think ahead, the idea of the earth cracking was absurd. "The tremors are likely just some fierce beast turning over underground. So far, we have never heard of such a beast crawling out from the earth to eat beastmen."

Yun Li was equally perplexed. "Patriarch, you say there is some fierce beast underground—has anyone actually seen it?"

"It is merely a guess on our part," the patriarch replied helplessly. "But your talk of the earth cracking..." It sounded even more terrifying than the idea of a beast underground. If the earth could crack, where would they, as land-dwelling beastmen, live in the future?

Yun Li knew such things were hard to believe, but if they could believe in an underground beast, why not believe in the possibility of ground fissures? "It is not the earth splitting apart, but rather the appearance of fissures. After all, according to what you say about the underground beast, what if it gets hungry and wants to come out to forage? A beast that lives underground—it won't descend from the sky, will it?"

The patriarch was left speechless by her words, yet he still wanted to find something to refute her. However, the witch doctor spoke up in support of Yun Li. "Mang, I think you should listen to A-Li’s opinion. Even if we move to the mountain, what about food? Can the food in the ice caves sustain the entire tribe until the tremors end? Besides, A-Li mentioned sending people out to check the situation. It would be better to wait a few more days until the situation is more stable before you decide whether to have the tribesmen move up the mountain."

The witch doctor’s words were effective. Even if the patriarch doubted the validity of Yun Li’s claims, simply dispersing the people as she suggested and observing for a few days before making a decision was not difficult for him, so there would be no major issue in agreeing.

As for whom to send to check the situation at Black Wind Cliff, the patriarch initially designated two avian beastmen, but they returned before they had even gone halfway. The two beastmen claimed the wild beasts outside were acting as if they had gone mad, and even though they could fly in their beast forms, they could not travel very far.

In the end, Mu Qing took the initiative to go himself.

Yun Li could not stop him. Leng Xiu stood by and urged her, "Gong and the others refuse to go out alone now, and since it was our suggestion to check Black Wind Cliff, even if the patriarch calls other beastmen, they might not bring back the information we need. It is better to let Mu Qing go; he is strong and is a snake-beast. At his speed, it will only take four or five days to travel from the tribe to Black Wind Cliff. You mentioned earlier that he should only watch from a distance without getting close, so Mu Qing can likely return in two or three days. It is only a few days—with Leng Xiao and me here, are you afraid we cannot protect you?"

He knew Yun Li relied on Mu Qing, but she could not trust only Mu Qing and not them. Mu Qing would risk his life to protect her, but they would also fight to the death for her sake.

Yun Li hugged Mu Qing tightly, tears streaming down her face. "If only you can go, then let’s just forget about it. If there really is a beast tide, just take me and leave. I am not that kind-hearted; I don't want to worry about them at all."

Mu Qing was the first beastman she had trusted in this world. Now that he had to go out and do something dangerous, how could she not be worried? She was not only worried; she was terrified. She feared that if some accident occurred along the way, she would never see him again.

Seeing his female cry so bitterly, Leng Xiao also felt a pang of heartache. "A-Li, don't cry. If you don't want Mu Qing to go, then I..."

Before he could finish, Yun Li’s gaze turned to him, and her tears fell even faster. "You are not allowed either. None of you are allowed. Anyway, they were never very good to me before. If a beastman must go on a dangerous mission, why must it be you? If the worst happens, then so be it..."

If the tribe was lost, then it was lost. As long as they all survived, they could find a new tribe to settle in sooner or later.