Chapter 222

Yang Luo finally managed to climb up from the ground and stumbled down the enclosure wall. His hands were still trembling as he rummaged for medicinal herbs in the warehouse.

Fortunately, Diao Lan was perceptive. Wherever Yang Luo glanced, she could immediately fetch the required herb.

Actually, Diao Lan already knew which herbs were needed for treating wounds, but knowing was one thing; only Yang Luo had the authority to take items out of the warehouse.

Ever since nearly messing up the accounts last year, Yang Luo had been very strict about all goods in the tribal warehouse.

He had a separate small booklet recording the name and quantity of every type of goods in the tribe. Every few days, Yang Luo would take his booklet and inspect each warehouse.

Qi Bai had seen Yang Luo's booklet and gave very high marks for its confidentiality because, apart from Yang Luo himself, there probably wasn't a second person in the world who could understand the scribbles in that booklet.

Winter days darkened in the blink of an eye.

When Yang Luo and Diao Lan entered the warehouse, there was still some light in the sky. But after just a few trips loading herbs onto the cart, it was completely dark, pitch black to the point where you couldn't see your hand in front of your face.

So when the group arrived at the threshing ground, Yang Luo, sitting on the cart, kept feeling like something was watching them in the darkness.

Yang Luo swept his torch to the side, and pairs of green lights, larger than fists, lit up.

This scared Yang Luo so much he nearly dropped his torch.

Summoning his courage for a better look, Yang Luo realized those green lights weren't floating mid-air for no reason. They weren't green lights either, but the eyes of beastman workers.

The beastmen were all in their beast forms,蜷缩 (curling) themselves into balls, using their large tongues to舔舐 (lick) their wounds.

Yang Luo didn't know what to say.

In the middle of the night, these beastmen weren't returning to their dormitories. Instead, they were lying around the threshing ground putting on this pitiful scene. Anyone who didn't know better would think he was bullying these workers.

It was Diao Lan, who had also returned from the battlefield, who explained: "Many of them are badly injured. They probably didn't return to the dormitories because they're worried the tribe will blame them."

Blame them for what?

The workers spontaneously participated in the fight when the Black Mountain Tribe was in danger. The tribe definitely wouldn't punish them for that.

The reason they didn't dare enter the dormitories was simply that they felt their injuries were too severe, perhaps a curse. They needed to stay away from others to avoid spreading the curse.

Yang Luo sighed.

Perhaps the Yang Luo of the past would have firmly believed that injuries like broken legs or arms were because these beastmen were forsaken by the Beast God, as his old teacher had taught him.

But after seeing Qi Bai use just wooden splints to heal the fractures of Xiong Feng and others, Yang Luo gradually understood that often, the so-called legends in tribes were just excuses priests made for their own incompetence.

After some thought, Yang Luo didn't suggest these beastmen return to the dormitories directly.

The dormitories were small and poorly lit, not good places for treating wounds. It was better to handle the injuries right on the threshing ground first.

Yang Luo issued orders one after another, and everyone moved into action at top speed.

The few beastmen pulling the carts transformed into human form, making torches and building bonfires. Soon the entire threshing ground was bright as day.

The sub-beastmen who had remained on the threshing ground were divided into two groups.

The first group, led by Lu Guo, went next to the water-fetching room to wash their hands with hot water and plant ash.

The workers were somewhat confused. They weren't assigned to prepare food, so why were they being made to wash their hands? Besides, even those who prepared food didn't need to wash this thoroughly.

Lu Guo inspected everyone with a torch. Only those confirmed to be thoroughly clean were selected.

Those with rough knuckles and dirt ingrained in their palms, impossible to clean properly, were rejected. They were to follow Lu Guo to clear out two sickrooms.

The selected fifty-plus sub-beastmen were led to the threshing ground and handed over to Diao Lan. Diao Lan gave them a clean animal hide to dry their hands and told them to hurry over and help.

However, upon entering the crowd, these sub-beastmen froze on the spot.

From the moment they arrived at the threshing ground, they had guessed the work ahead might be related to the wounded. Some even speculated they were assigned to move beastman corpses.

No matter how many times they imagined it, they could never have predicted the scene before them.

Because Yang Luo, Priest Yang Luo of the Black Mountain Tribe, was personally applying splints to a beastman.

The beastman's leg was twisted at an angle. Such an injury, in their original tribes, would have gotten him直接扔到野外 (directly thrown into the wilderness). But now, the Priest not only wasn't abandoning this beastman, but was treating him first precisely because his injuries were the most severe.

Diao Lan clapped her hands. Now wasn't the time for these sub-beastmen to stand around dazed: "Take the cotton balls I give you. Use clean water to wash all the wounded's injuries clean."

The cotton balls were made from cleaned and dried wood flowers. The vast majority of wood flowers harvested by the tribe this year had been made into cotton balls for healing.

Although Diao Lan didn't understand why Qi Bai called the white balls made from wood flowers "cotton balls," it didn't stop her from using the name. After all, after using it for a while, it grew on her.

"If you see wounds bleeding heavily, or ones with exposed bone like that, call me over immediately. Do you all understand?"

Without waiting for a response, Diao Lan immediately added: "If you understand, hurry up! Don't dawdle!"

"Yes!" "Yes!"

The sub-beastmen immediately took basins of water and ran to the beastmen's sides. Diao Lan wasn't worried they wouldn't know what to do; Ma Mu, Ta Yun, and others were already treating wounds among the crowd and could keep an eye on things.

After giving her instructions, Diao Lan hurried back to the cart. She was responsible for pounding medicinal paste. Different wounds required slightly different medicines. Messing it up would waste herbs, so she had to do it herself.

The workers carefully used cotton balls dipped in clean water to wipe the wounds clean of mixed-in sand and soil.

However, everyone's hands were trembling. They had understood Diao Lan's words. The Priest wasn't just treating that one injured person; the tribe intended to treat all wounded beastmen.

This wasn't just talk. Just the medicinal herbs alone filled an entire cart.

They had all heard that the Black Mountain Tribe's beastman warriors had hardly any serious injuries this time. So these herbs were all prepared for their kin, for their partners.

The beastmen who had transformed back into human form couldn't even describe their激动 (excitement).

They finally understood the meaning of the word "worker." They weren't slaves of the Black Mountain Tribe, but workers who would be treated sincerely.

Apart from this group tending to the wounded, the other group of sub-beastman workers, led by Zhu Zhu, began preparing the evening meal.

The kitchen, as the most important place in the tribe, never allowed anyone near except those cooking. So this was the first time these sub-beastmen had entered the kitchen.

The worktable where over twenty people could work together, the many large ovens taller than a person—everything felt amazing to the sub-beastmen. Many甚至不敢使劲碰 (didn't even dare touch the kitchen tools firmly), afraid they might accidentally break something.

Zhu Zhu stood at one end of the large table, speaking严肃地 (sternly): "Today, everyone can eat their fill. So keep your hands clean. If I discover anyone stealing or pocketing food, even on this day of great victory, I will have the Priest expel you."

After saying this, Zhu Zhu特意瞪了一眼 (specifically glared at) Hu Xiao.

This guy was already a celebrity in the tribe. She had been careful when recruiting people earlier; how did he still sneak in?

For the first time, everyone wasn't frightened by Zhu Zhu's scowling face. Instead, they felt her voice was the most beautiful sound in the world.

They could eat their fill! They could eat meat!

There was actually a small incident here.

With Qi Bai, Lang Ze, and Hou Yan all absent, Yang Luo had to make all decisions in the tribe alone.

There were so many wounded on the threshing ground. Once Yang Luo started working, who knew how long it would take.

The tribe had won a great victory. They couldn't let the returning warriors go hungry. But Hu Xue, the main person in charge of the kitchen, was still outside. The other sub-beastmen responsible for cooking were nowhere to be seen. The older beastmen remaining in the tribe had to step up.

So during the break when the beastmen were making torches, Yang Luo called for Zhu Zhu and told her to quickly prepare dinner.

Hearing Yang Luo's arrangement, Zhu Zhu didn't move immediately but said: "Priest Yang Luo, we can't prepare food according to the usual amount today, right?"

Yang Luo didn't know about the several cartloads of meat Qi Bai had acquired at the front line, but he also knew this wasn't the time to be frugal. He said心痛地 (heartachely): "Prepare enough for all the tribespeople."

Diao Lan reminded him from the side: "Priest, the Jufeng Tribe also sent at least two hundred beastman warriors."

Yang Luo slapped the cart's board使劲地 (hard): "Prepare it all! For the workers, the Jufeng tribespeople, everyone's food. Prepare it all!"

Having said that, as if afraid he might regret it, he turned without a moment's pause and entered the wooden shelter below the threshing ground.

Zhu Zhu扯了扯嘴角 (twitched the corners of her mouth). She didn't smile often, and it looked a bit unnatural when she did, but the warmth in her eyes was unmistakable.

Zhu Zhu nodded to Diao Lan, then ran off to find other helpers. They had their work cut out for them preparing food for so many people.

Meanwhile, Qi Bai's group in the valley had just finished rolling up all the hides used for tents.

As for the other bone and stone tools in the tents, honestly, the Black Mountain Tribe really didn't care for them. But since they were free, some small items might be useful. Everyone tried to take what they could.

The main force浩浩荡荡地 (marched grandly) towards the tribe. Behind them, corpses piled up like small mountains were slowly disappearing in roaring flames.

By the time everyone returned to the threshing ground, it was nearly midnight.

The Jufeng Tribe warriors didn't follow them back. With so many enemies appearing within their territory, the Jufeng beastmen needed to return to the Stone Forest quickly. They wouldn't venture out for the next few days, staying to protect the sub-beastmen and young ones.

However, before leaving with her tribespeople, Wei sought out Qi Bai specifically, asking him to notify them once Lang Ze's group returned.

Qi Bai, of course, wouldn't refuse. He also discussed the distribution of spoils with Wei before the Jufeng people left.

Wei wasn't coy. They weren't interested in animal hides, taking only over a thousand jin of meat.

Wei understood that although they had helped in this battle, the Black Mountain Tribe was the main force. The Sanghuo people were already terrified by the time they fled to the plain's border, making the Jufeng people's killing power seem greater. They were very satisfied with getting this much meat.

So, the kitchen had actually prepared a lot of extra food. But no amount of food was ever enough for beastmen. Everyone rushed into the canteen jubilantly. Wasted food was unheard of.

As soon as Qi Bai returned to the tribe and heard from the tribespeople that Yang Luo was treating the wounded on the threshing ground, he immediately ran to the center of the threshing ground.

Qi Bai found Yang Luo, busy and sweating, in the crowd. He squatted down beside Yang Luo, grinning like a flower: "Priest Grandpa, I knew you were the most generous priest in the beast world. Only a priest like you would treat the tribespeople so well."

Qi Bai wasn't entirely flattering. Aside from herbs obtained through trade, the vast majority of herbs in the tribe were collected by Yang Luo. Using up more than half now was a significant loss for Yang Luo; he was really making a huge sacrifice.

Yang Luo's real thought was: *I know if I didn't treat these workers, you'd definitely nag me when you got back. Rather than listen to you lecture, I might as well do the work beforehand and get a few nice words from you.*

But of course, Yang Luo wouldn't say that. He哼了两声 (grunted twice) and said: "Enough of that useless talk. Go eat quickly. Come help me treat the wounded after you finish."

However, the workers nearby didn't see it that way. They genuinely believed Qi Bai was right.

Even though so much time had passed, those in the tribe who knew medicine, including Qi Bai the半吊子 (dabbler), could only muster three people at most. So even now, many wounded were still waiting their turn on the threshing ground.

But they weren't anxious. Everyone's stomach was full, and there was hot meat broth delivered from the canteen. Their injuries were light; waiting here wasn't cold at all.

The longer time passed, the more moved they felt watching the busy Yang Luo.

Looking closely, many gazed at Yang Luo with something akin to affection.

By the time the wounded were simply settled, it was already the next morning. Yang Luo looked at the animal hides and meat filling the tribe's central street and jumped for joy,不顾形象地 (disregarding his dignity).

"Beast God above! You brought back this much food!"

Qi Bai and Hu Xue exchanged a smile. He had said so, right? Never unload the supplies beforehand. Letting Priest Grandpa see these things was definitely more refreshing than sleeping for two nights.