Chapter 199 - The Longboat tribe
Translated by Lesyt Team
Edited by Ilesyt
When the winter came, everyone in the Flaming Horns tribe had already prepared for the winter because the Shaman had told them to do so in advance.
This winter, many of the Flaming Horns tribe were active and energetic, not as quiet as previous years. Even at the mountainfoot, many people were active. This was extremely rare.
The warriors were in the training, and they even tried hunting at the edge of the tribe. In the past, such a try would have undoubtedly been considered ridiculous. The hunting song told them it was very dangerous to hunt in winter, so everyone avoided going outside in winter.
But now it was different, and everyone seemed to be so energetic that they had to do something to consume their energy. Some people trained in the training field when it was snowing. They might get someone to spar with. Some felt training was boring, so for the first time they came up with an idea of hunting at the edge. As long as they avoided entering the distant places of the mountain, they should be safe if they stayed at the edge.
At first, some people were worried that they would be scolded. But when they found that many people living on the mountain also came outside, they felt reassured.
“Can we go back to the old haunt after traveling across this river?” A warrior asked his comrade next to him.
“Of course. You doubt whether what the Shaman said was right?”
“No! Absolutely not... Did the Shaman say something like that?”
“Hey, what do you think, what do the people of the other tribes look like? Do they have two pairs of hands, or only one eye?” A warrior came over and cut in.
“I heard that there are eight hands on the totem of the Eight Limbs tribe, they must have eight hands! Of course!”
“Really? That sounds funny. Let’s catch one.”
Those of the Flaming Horns tribe were like “barbarians”, many of whom knew nothing about the people of the other tribes and had old ways of thinking. Therefore, at present, they subconsciously classified those from other tribes as ferocious beasts. Even when they came together to discuss them, it sounded like they were talking about the beasts.
Since the event at the fire pit happened, the Shaman decided to reveal more information. He painted the totems of the other tribes and gave them a very simple descriptions. Even the Shaman didn’t know the details. The information revealed was copied from the animal skin volumes left by the ancestors. The Shaman wasn’t sure whether the people of the other tribes had eight hands, for the ancestors left too little information about them.
Not only the warriors of the tribe, but also the elderly, children, and women had winter activities different from previous ones. Even those children living in the cave had more winter courses.
However, wherever they talked about the people of the other tribes, their discussions sounded a little terrifying.
The Shaman had even paid a visit to the mountainfoot secretly. After hearing their talks, he felt worried. While going up the mountain, he kept sighing, and bent his back. But he had no choice but to wait for the return of Shao Xuan to figure out a solution.
And Shao Xuan, who was missed by his tribe, moved forwards with Chacha and Yang Sui. Following the direction of the fleets of the Longboat tribe, they arrived at the place where the Longboat tribe lived as expected.
When Shao Xuan arrived there, it had snowed for half a day. It didn’t snow heavily, so some places were not covered by snow, which never happened in the Flaming Horns tribe. If it snowed for less than half an hour in the Flaming Horns tribe, a lot of snow would pile up.
The Longboat tribe had a land domain and water domain. Not far from the river bank, they usually left some space for the travelers. But when the boats unloaded or loaded, they blocked the road. In some special period, they also did so. If the road was blocked, the travelers had to make a detour when they went past this place.
Fortunately, at this time, the road along the river bank was not blocked. Before Shao Xuan arrived here, a large team of travelers had went been past this place.
“Shao Xuan, did you come here for a boat?” Yang Sui asked.
“No, I’m looking for someone.”
“Looking for someone? You know someone from the Longboat tribe?”
“I know none of them.”
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“Who are you looking for?” Yang Sui asked and felt puzzled.
“Some of our tribe.” Shao Xuan paused, and said: “If they’re here, they should be regarded as wanderers.”
“Wanderers? You came here to find wanderers ?!” Yang Sui was surprised.
The so-called wanderers, those who had not been caught as captives when their tribes had been exterminated and were unwilling to become slaves?
Shao Xuan was a totem warrior, which showed that the fire seed of the Flaming Horns tribe still existed. If so, why did those people become wanderers? Were they expelled?
Shao Xuan didn’t say anything more. Yang Sui didn’t understand, but he didn’t intend to ask him. Now he just wanted to find a boat which was specially rented to the travelers to rent a room to have a sound sleep. He wanted to eat hot food, and it would be better if some hot soup was served.
Like some large tribes, the Longboat tribe also provided accommodation for the travelers and passers-by. But they had to give something in exchange for the luxurious accommodation.
Yang Sui chose a boat which the traveling team had also stayed at. He gave the Longboat tribe some shell coins, and then he went into the room, unwilling to go outside.
Shao Xuan drank a little hot water, and decided to go out to find the people he was looking for.
“Hey, Shao Xuan, don’t go out for too long. If you leave the Longboat tribe, tell me, and I will go with you. Otherwise, I will be killed if I stay here alone. Leave with me and I can be your guide.” Yang Sui said.
Shao Xuan made a response and left soon. He didn’t believe that Yang Sui would be killed if he was left alone for he had been travelling around for such a long time.
Chacha was seeking food in the surrounding forest, and Shao Xuan didn’t worry about him. He knew Chacha would feel uncomfortable if he stayed in the Longboat tribe, so it was better to let him stay outside to hunt animals.
After leaving the boat, Shao Xuan looked back at the big boat on the bank. He had carefully analyzed and found that although the boat wasn’t exquisite, it was strong enough to house many people.
Shao Xuan looked away and continued to move in one direction. He had asked about that place, and knew the wanderers lived over there.
The patrol team of the Longboat tribe eyed every strange travelers alertly in the surrounding area. As long as the traveler crossed the border, they would kill him or her mercilessly. Crossing the border meant entering the habitat of the Longboat tribe or arbitrarily boarding their boats.
When Shao Xuan walked past, they stared at him. But they probably thought he posed no threat and didn’t dress well so they paid no more attention to him. As long as he didn’t cross the line they drew, they would no longer look at him.
Snow was falling more quickly than just now but not heavily.
Shao Xuan was walking on the land without any cover, so the snow was falling on his body.
Many of the Longboat tribe spent most of the time on board. Even when they came back to the tribe, they still lived on the boat. They were accustomed to the life on board, so they felt uncomfortable if they lived on the land. So on his way, Shao Xuan found almost no one far away from the river bank, which was close to the forest. Many people stayed on the boats moored near the banks. There were endless sounds of eating and drinking. Their laughter was heard.
Near the bank it was almost full of moored boats. Most of the tea,s returned, and the boats squeezed on the wide river. The mooring boats formed a big group. Shao Xuan had walked for more than ten minutes and didn’t see the end of the group. That was really a boat river.
After passing by some big boats, Shao Xuan came to an empty area.
Here was the border between the Longboat tribe and the living area of the wanderers.
Shao Xuan went over to look. Compared with the lively atmosphere in the boats of the Longboat tribe, the wanderers living area was more deserted. Although some were talking, laughing and roaring loudly, the atmosphere was different. It was like a slum in a dark corner of a bustling city.
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There were also houses on the land. The wanderers had limited space because they were not allowed to enter the area of the Longboat tribe. They couldn’t enter the forest and there wasn’t a small number of wanderers, so their living area expanded not horizontally, but vertically. As a result, a narrow area for the visitors to live took shape.
Near the river bank, there were also many boats moored. But compared to the boats of the Longboat tribe, the boats here were very small, and much simpler.
In some small boats with the length of four to five meters, a simple shed was built where some people lived. They also spent winter in the boats.
Sometimes, if there was strong wind, those boats would shake badly. If the boats had not been tied firmly to the stakes on the bank, they probably would have been blown away.
People here worked for the Longboat tribe. They carried wood, chopped trees, and delivered other things. They did all the dirty work, and they worked in exchange for the permission of living here and also for little money if the employers were pleased. Otherwise, they got nothing.
Yang Sui had told Shao Xuan about this but perhaps the reality was much harsher.
Shao Xuan just came here to try looking for some wanderers from the Flaming Horns tribe, but he was not sure whether he could find any.
How to find them? Should he write a sign here, or shout all over the place?
Thinking about how to find those people, as Shao Xuan walked, he paid attention to the situation on his sides.
In a place, Shao Xuan heard some arguing in a wooden house as well as the sound of wood breaking.
“Jiao Wu, stop!” Somebody shouted.
Jiao?
Yan Shuo had told Shao Xuan that some wanderers of the Flaming Horns tribe added “Yan” or “Jiao” to their names and the names of their descendants. Many of those with “Yan” or “Jiao” in their names might not be members of his tribe, but Shao Xuan would still ask them if he met any of them. He was disappointed for most of the time and now he planned to ask someone else. [Yan Jiao meaning Flaming Horns.]
Just going there, Shao Xuan saw a man taller and stronger than the average striding out of a wooden house. His animal skin coat was not thick and was ragged, and the fur on the coat was torn. This coat was worn out. The man had a beard, but if you looked at him carefully, you could find he was still very young, not much older than Shao Xuan.
The man was angry, his face was flushed because of anger or the cold wind. A man chased after him and shouted “Jiao Wu”. But the man in front didn’t look back, but sped up to get away.
“Oh, why so angry?” A man said.
“Don’t ask. Oh, that guy became even more powerful.” Someone in the house said.
Hearing their dialogue, Shao Xuan looked at the men going further away, and sped up to chase after them.
“Hey, you guys.” Shao Xuan shouted.
The men in the front did not stop, but left faster.
“Jiao Wu!”
The man in front just kept running away.