Chapter 314

The early morning sky was gray and hazy. In the snow, a group of beast men had shifted into their beast forms and huddled together.

Most of them had animal skins or dry grass under them, but the two thin serval cats lying at the very edge had only the frozen ground, pressed against each other for warmth.

Suddenly, the earth trembled lightly twice, followed by the rumble of wheels.

Sou Yu’s eyes snapped open. He nudged the serval next to him. The little serval rolled over in fright, arched its body, and its large round ears flicked rapidly.

A long time of wandering had made the two of them more alert than anyone else in the group.

They did the hardest labor, slept at the dangerous outer edge, and constantly lived with the fear that the tribe would abandon them. No one cared whether two sub-beast man slaves lived or died—they had only themselves.

The towering city walls before them reminded them this wasn’t the wilderness where they usually slept. And the sound approaching now didn’t sound like beasts.

Within moments, the rest of the beast men also woke—only to be stunned at what they saw, nearly forgetting to breathe.

What was this? Tools from the city?

Ten wagons stopped neatly in front of their temporary camp. Large wooden barrels were unloaded, lids lifted—steam and the smell of food rose into the air.

Hu Xue said to Lang Ji: “These two carts carry breakfast for your warriors. We brought bamboo bowls too. Quickly, let your men come collect their meals.”

Each warrior got a big bowl of stewed root with meat and two large steamed buns. All piping hot, freshly cooked. The cooks had risen before dawn, sleeves rolled up, sweating even in winter.

Lang Ji had been notified the previous night and knew this was the arrangement. He glanced at the busy workers and told Hu Xue: “Don’t worry about us. I’ll have the warriors come for food. You go handle the others.”

“Then I won’t be polite.” Hu Xue wiped sweat with the back of his hand and waved the helpers to unload more.

Meanwhile, Tu Ya was already directing tables to be set up beside the wagons. Bao Xing and ten clerks sat down in a row, opening ledgers lined with neat tables.

Without permission, the Dongyi and Huai Yi five tribes didn’t dare set up proper camps outside the walls.

Now they sat huddled in rags of fur, not daring to speak.

When the insects had forced them into flight, they had already lost much. To avoid conflict with other tribes, they had survived on scraps of poor land. For over a year they had only managed to stave off starvation.

But in the last ten days, not a single hunt had yielded food. They had survived by digging roots from beneath the snow. Now, smelling food, everyone’s stomachs growled.

“I want meat,” a four- or five-year-old cub whispered, biting his finger, eyes fixed on the Hei Yao warriors feasting.

His sub-beast man parent quickly covered his mouth, hiding him in furs, fearful.

Because just then, the overseeing commander arrived with a squad of armored warriors.

“Priests and chiefs of the five tribes, step out.”

They quickly stood.

Lang Ji said: “Separate your people. One by one, come to the tables by the wagons for registration. After you register, you can collect a bowl of porridge.”

Priest Xu Hu gaped. “We… we get food too?”

Weren’t they to become slaves? He’d never heard of slaves being given food—certainly not food distributed by the masters themselves.

Priest Zhong Lü didn’t waste words. Food was food. He spun and shouted to his hungry clansmen: “Hurry up! What are you standing for?!”

Soon, the Zhong Lü tribe crowded at the nearest cart.

Hu Meng and Niu Yong frowned, yanking them apart. “Line up. In order.”

When Zhong Lü people actually received bowls, the other tribes rushed over too—though, having seen the example, they queued rather than fought.

The food for the five tribes wasn’t as fine as for Hei Yao warriors, but each person got a thick bowl of porridge that could hold chopsticks upright. Made with old beans and coarse grains, but still solid food.

It wasn’t favoritism; Hei Yao simply had too much. The husks and bean stalks they fed their cattle had been sun-dried and stored.

Yet even this porridge almost caused bloodshed.

Sou Yu and Sou Jian, at the very end of the line, finally received a bowl—already cooled. Just a few steps away, Sou Yu was blocked.

“Hand it over!” A fifteen-year-old beast youth raised a club, snarling. “You filthy slave! How dare you steal food! Give it here!”

Everyone knew the bowl was Sou Yu’s. But no one stepped forward. A slave’s food belonged to the tribe. And since this was Fox Bin, the chieftain’s son, they were quick to look away.

Sou Yu curled up, clutching the stone bowl to his chest, his back exposed. He was used to beatings. Better to endure and quickly eat.

But the blow never fell. Silence dropped.

Seizing the chance, Sou Yu licked the bowl, gulping down every drop—astonished he’d finished the whole thing.

Only when he raised his head did his pupils widen in shock.

Fox Bin’s arm was caught, his club fallen. Standing before him was a towering figure he knew well.

“T-that’s… Fire…” a beast man stammered.

Sou Yu whispered: “Lord Hu Huo…”

At the sight of the sub-beast man’s face, Hu Huo’s heart nearly stopped.

“Fire, that’s Bin!” Chief Xu Hu panted, grabbing Hu Huo’s arm. “That’s Fox Bin, don’t you remember him? Let go, quickly!”

Fox Bin had lost all swagger, sobbing when he saw his father. “It hurts! My arm is breaking!”

“Let go, quickly!” the chief begged.

Hu Huo’s face was stone. He threw Fox Bin aside. The boy skidded meters before stopping.

The priest arrived too, his heart pounding at Hu Huo’s robust figure. He forced sternness into his voice: “Hu Huo! What are you doing? How could you harm your own tribesman over a slave?”

Hu Huo’s gaze was cold. This was the same priest who had declared him cursed when his leg broke, leaving him to starve.

“I am a beast man of Hei Yao City now,” Hu Huo said icily. “I am no member of Xu Hu tribe.”

He could accept that Xu Hu’s healing arts were weak, but he would never again acknowledge the tribe that abandoned him.

The priest’s eyes gleamed—Hu Huo truly had joined the city. His personal denial didn’t matter; his bloodline couldn’t be erased. With Hu Huo, Xu Hu tribe could enter Hei Yao.

Hu Huo pulled Sou Yu up, then nervously released his hand.

Sou Yu smiled faintly through dirt and snow. “Lord Hu Huo… I never thought we’d meet again.”

Hu Huo stiffly nodded, words choking in his chest.

“Hei Yao has no slaves. All are equal here. If anyone bullies them again—” his gaze fell on Fox Bin—“don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

Hu Bu ran up. “Teacher, what happened? Should I call the patrol?”

At the word patrol, everyone flinched back.

Hu Huo swept his gaze and shook his head. “No need. It’s handled.”

Hu Bu simply said: “Then let’s hurry. The Great Priest and City Lord are waiting.”

“Which of you are chiefs and priests?”

Priest Xu Hu stepped forward, raising his chin. Hu Bu eyed him oddly. “You two, come. The Great Priest and City Lord summon you.”

Hu Huo clenched his fists and quickly told Sou Yu: “The Great Priest and City Lord have plans for everyone. Stay here without worry.”

Qi Bai and Lang Ze arrived outside once Tu Ya’s registration neared completion. With them came Hu Huo’s Engineering Division.

This time, the division was split into five teams. Each had a captain and fifty horned beast men. Once the five tribes were assigned land, each team would lead one tribe to build homes—serving as both guides and garrisons.

The Xu Hu priest, once smug, shrank under a single look from Lang Ze, no longer daring to raise his head.

Though they had summoned both priests and chiefs, only eight came—two tribes had only their chiefs.

The Dongyi’s Sheep clan had no priest, and the Huaiyi’s Horse clan priest had died on the migration.

“City Lord.”
“Great Priest.”

They bowed low to Qi Bai and Lang Ze.

Qi Bai nodded at Hu Xiao, who laid five slips of paper on the table.

“These slips represent five locations. Each tribe draws one. Wherever you draw, that is where you will live.”

“From today onward, you are vassals of Hei Yao. You will obey Hei Yao’s commands.”

And as for those unwilling—sorry, there was no such choice.