Chapter 139

The pine trees were thick and lush with foliage. With a few knocks from Wolf Ze on the branches, pinecones with needles came rustling down. After harvesting most pinecones from one treetop, Wolf Ze didn't need to descend—just leaped directly to the next tree with ease.

Brown pinecones stood out strikingly against pure white snow. Qi Bai followed Wolf Ze's direction, happily collecting pinecones while walking with a hide bag.

But Qi Bai suddenly felt a gaze. Looking up, he saw a squirrel behind a pine tree ahead, clutching its paws while staring at him in shock.

Qi Bai had already noticed the pinecones in this pine forest were large—the smallest over twenty centimeters. Never expected the squirrels here were so big too—just this one reached adult beastman's calf height. Definitely giant squirrel status on Blue Star, though forest trees were all very thick, making it seem somewhat petite.

Qi Bai quickly stuffed the pinecone in hand into the bag, then pointed at the tree: "So many nuts here! You alone can't eat them all—share some with us!"

Seeing Qi Bai didn't mean to attack, the squirrel grew slightly bolder, leaning forward to reveal its entire pointed little face, throat emitting threatening sounds: "Squeak squeak!"

Qi Bai glanced at it, collecting more vigorously: "Cursing won't help—I'll come back in few days!"

Hearing Qi Bai muttering alone under the tree, Wolf Ze secured himself with both feet, leaning upper body downward: "Catch it?"

Qi Bai waved hand: "Forget it. We already stole its food—eating it too would be too shameless."

Wolf Ze assessed the supervising squirrel, waist flexing to return to the branch.

This little thing had little meat and ran very fast—indeed less cost-effective than gathering more nuts.

Finally sensing these beastmen's可怕, the meat-scorned squirrel pushed with hind legs, nimbly climbing up tree, soon disappearing.

Qi Bai and Wolf Ze cooperated默契. Soon Qi Bai filled both large rattan baskets on Wolf Ze's鞍具.

Of course, along their harvesting route, that squirrel's relatives and friends frequently emerged to spectate.

Qi Bai poured the last pinecones from hide bag into baskets, telling Wolf Ze who just jumped down: "These squirrels are so interesting." Qi Bai rarely saw wild beasts interested in beastmen.

Wolf Ze looked up at sky-blocking tall pine trees: "These trees near Beast God's dwelling place. Living here, they might never have seen beastmen."

When they returned to tribe, time hadn't reached noon yet.

Wolf Ze continued hammering his stone jar with stone mallet. Qi Bai moved a small stool to sit beside him, starting to shell pine nuts.

Using bone knife to split pinecone open slightly, hands following opening to break pinecone apart, revealing pine nuts hidden at base. Knocking pine nuts into pottery basin, Qi Bai didn't waste remaining pinecone scales—piling them aside.

Pinecones were excellent fire fuel, though these freshly picked ones still had some moisture. Qi Bai planned to sun-dry them outdoors few days before burning.

While shelling pine nuts, Qi Bai's mouth kept busy—cracking raw pine nuts crunchingly.

Raw pine nut shells were very hard, without processed openings. Fortunately beastmen had good teeth—Qi Bai found shelling pine nuts easier than sunflower seeds.

Watching Qi Bai's鼓鼓 cheeks, spitting out two shell pieces一会儿, Wolf Ze found him increasingly resembling the little squirrel hiding in woods earlier.

Seeing Wolf Ze staring, Qi Bai thought he wanted some too, pushing the pottery basin forward: "Help yourself—my hands are dirty."

Fresh pinecone skins had much oil. Qi Bai felt his fingers sticking together—better let Wolf Ze serve himself.

Wolf Ze took two from basin, tossing into mouth.

He didn't find pine nut taste particularly special—more troublesome than chestnuts. Wolf Ze disliked spitting chestnut shells—these finger-joint-sized nuts made him even more impatient.

Qi Bai shook head inwardly—such large fresh pine nuts were expensive on Blue Star! Wolf Ze actually disliked them.

Shelling pine nuts proved much more troublesome than harvesting. When school ended, everyone passing Qi Bai's doorway unconsciously stopped to watch the nuts in his hands.

After tasting pine nuts, Mouse Lin's eyes widened: "These are delicious!"

Considering Mouse Lin's beast form was exactly a red squirrel, Qi Bai好奇 asked: "You've never eaten these before?"

Qi Bai thought with Mouse Lin's beast form, their original tribe might live in forests—or at least store similar foods. Never expected Mouse Lin seemed completely unfamiliar.

Mouse Lin shook head: "No! We're beastmen—of course eat meat! But these little things are quite tasty. Where did you get them?"

Qi Bai pointed toward pine forest direction: "Pine trees are very tall—be extremely careful when harvesting."

"Speaking of climbing trees, I dare say absolutely no one in tribe surpasses me!" Mouse Lin smiled confidently, then pulling Bear Feng's hand said, "Let's go harvest some too."

"Let's go together!" Several nearby beastmen agreed.

Soon a gathering team assembled.

Not all tribespeople liked pine nuts. But winter mountains offered scarce food. Suddenly seeing gatherable food, first reaction regardless of taste—hoarding urgently was proper.

Thus, that afternoon, training grounds第一次缺少了一大半 people.

But tribe training lacked anyone yet never lacked Chuan Chuan.

Chuan Chuan's opponent today was an adult horned beastman with sheep beast form. The horned beastman's size vastly exceeded Chuan Chuan's. With experience against four-eared sheep leader, facing larger-sized horned beastman, Chuan Chuan remained completely undaunted, already possessing considerable independent气势.

Qi Bai moved pinecone-filled baskets under the large tree at plaza center, working while watching Chuan Chuan train.

Sheep Luo sat beside Qi Bai, taking out a small bamboo scroll from his wolf hide cloak, reading items aloud: "Collecting firewood, molding pottery blanks, making carts, plus daily patrols—tribe's current tasks don't need hundred people to complete. Winter just started. We stored so much food not for everyone to only eat without working."

Although beastmen didn't hibernate, living habits resembled hibernating animals somewhat—both reducing activity and eating to ensure surviving winter smoothly.

After last year's busy life, plus tribe's current warm environment, Sheep Luo clearly didn't want to return to former winter-secluding days.

Qi Bai patted the pinecone in hand: "Remember the stones I retrieved from the mountain that crushed the mighty ox? These days I'll research them first. If they're the stones I think,整个冬天 we needn't fear having nothing to do."

Sheep Luo recalled that basket of stones' appearance: "Just some stones—what use could they have?"

"Great uses!" Qi Bai said, "My homeland had a stone type—burning with fire produced metal hard as bird bone. They were more obtainable than bird bones—good materials for making tools."

Tribe's current life suited Qi Bai perfectly—mornings had school for learning, afternoons had training grounds for practice, remaining time pondering making delicious foods. Daily life felt leisurely yet fulfilling.

But Sheep Luo's words reminded Qi Bai.

When next spring arrived, tribespeople needed points to qualify joining Black Mountain Tribe. With winter offering too few tasks, indeed many might lack sufficient points.

And he truly needed to advance metal smelting schedule—after all, he wanted to use these metals for farming tools, serving next year's land reclamation.

Saying done, done indeed. Next day early morning, Qi Bai carried a basket of vermilion stones to kiln site.

The kiln site's wooden shed had long been cleared. Now a large brick house stood at kiln site's center, though only the left room had heated kang and walls. The right larger room served as simple storage for finished products and materials.

Several pottery kilns damaged by stones had been repaired. When Qi Bai arrived, Deer Guo and Cow Xi just sealed a pottery kiln. Both welcomed Qi Bai inside.

Inside was very warm. The stove boiled water. Besides a small empty section, most kang surface displayed various pottery blanks—apparently drying on kang.

Qi Bai took out a large handful of roasted pine nuts from cloak inner pocket, noisily pouring全部 into a dried pottery blank: "These I roasted last night—brought for you to taste."

Cow Xi didn't falsely decline, grabbing a small handful, crunchingly starting to chew.

Deer Guo didn't forget proper business. Picking up the vermilion stone blocks Qi Bai brought, she asked: "Clay hardens after firing. Will stones become harder after firing too?"

Qi Bai said: "No. Stones become more brittle after firing."

Qi Bai knew Deer Guo always excelled at learning by analogy. His smelting knowledge remained theoretical currently. Discussing with pottery-experienced Deer Guo might yield better ideas.

Deer Guo said: "Then why fire them?"

"We don't want the stones—we need other things within stones. What exactly stones contain I can't say yet. But judging by this color, I think it should be iron."

Cow Xi also approached: "Iron? I've never seen your mentioned iron in stones."

Qi Bai smiled: "Iron changes. They don't appear alone—we must find them."