Chapter 126: Doing One’s Best
Chapter 126: Doing One’s Best
Before returning to Shan Yue Village, Gao Jing immediately sensed something was wrong.
The main gate, usually open wide during the day, was tightly shut at noon.
There were many more warriors on the village wall.
They gripped their Black Iron Spears tightly, their faces full of wariness.
This gave Gao Jing a feeling that things were on the edge of war!
What had happened while he was gone these past few days?
Gao Jing couldn’t help but tense up.
He quickly activated the ability of the Weaver’s Wrist and used the spider silk to swiftly climb up to the top of the village wall.
“Brother Shan Bao!”
He shouted loudly towards a Giant.
Shan Bao was the warrior who had carried Gao Jing on his back when the Shan Yue Giants went to collect protection from the monkey troop last time.
Shan Bao’s younger brother often followed Shan Guoer around, begging for sweets.
Because of this, the Junior Totem Warrior was very friendly towards Gao Jing, and also grateful.
“Gao Jing.”
Shan Bao, hearing the voice, spotted Gao Jing appearing on the wall. His face immediately relaxed: “You’re finally back!”
“What happened in the village?”
Gao Jing asked urgently: “Are the Shaman Chief and Shan Guoer alright?”
“The village is fine.”
Shan Bao answered: “The Shaman Chief and Shan Guoer are both fine. It’s another village that has had trouble.”
Another village?
Relief washed over Gao Jing like a falling stone, but a new question arose: “Which village?”
His knowledge of the Great Wilderness was still very limited, and the area he moved about in was confined to Shan Yue Village and its surrounding regions.
He didn’t even know there were other villages nearby.
He only knew of Qinghe City.
“I’ll take you to see the Shaman Chief.”
Shan Bao scratched his head: “Then you’ll know.”
Gao Jing didn’t hesitate: “Alright!”
Lifted by Shan Bao to sit on his shoulder, the Totem Warrior carried Gao Jing as they hurried into the village.
It was now that Gao Jing noticed, behind the wall on the Training Ground, many Giants were sitting or lying down.
These Giants’ faces were unfamiliar, including men, women, the old, and the young. Some Giants were bloodstained, some were still bleeding, and others looked blackened as if they’d come through smoke and fire, seeming like refugees who had just escaped.
And many Shan Yue Tribe Giants were helping these apparent refugees bandage wounds and provide care!
Refugees?
Gao Jing’s heart gave a jolt of surprise.
Thanks to Shan Bao’s escort, Gao Jing quickly reached the shaman’s wooden house.
Shan Yan and Shan Guoer were both inside.
Seeing the little girl sitting in the corner of the room hugging a teddy bear and playing with Ah Huang, he breathed a huge sigh of relief.
When he realized the village had a problem earlier, she was his biggest worry.
It was good everyone was alright!
“Gao Jing is back.”
As Shan Bao brought Gao Jing in, the Elder Shaman was talking with Shan Tai and two other Totem Warriors.
Gao Jing jumped down onto the table: “Shaman Chief.”
“It’s good you’re back.”
The Elder Shaman looked pleased: “I was just about to send someone to find you!”
“Gao Jing!”
Shan Guoer ran over, leaning on the table and calling to him: “Are you okay?”
Gao Jing smiled at her: “I’m fine.”
He could completely feel the little girl’s concern for him.
It warmed his heart.
“Now that Gao Jing is back,”
The Elder Shaman patted Shan Guoer’s head: “Can you feel at ease now?”
“Mm-hmm.”
The little girl obediently left the room on her own.
She wouldn’t disturb the adults talking.
Gao Jing asked: “Shaman Chief, why are there so many outsiders in the village?”
The Elder Shaman sighed: “They are from the Muteng Tribe.”
The Muteng Tribe, like the Shan Yue Tribe, migrated down from the north the year before last and settled here.
Their Village Fort was a little over half a day’s journey from Shan Yue Village.
They were quite close neighbors.
However, the relationship between the two tribes was usually not very good.
They had clashed before over hunting territory issues, so there was basically no interaction.
The Muteng Tribe had more members than the Shan Yue Tribe, reaching over a thousand people.
But just last night, they suffered a sudden attack from a band of Outcasts!
Their Shaman Chief was killed in the assault, the tribal warriors suffered heavy losses, and the entire village fort was seized by the bandits.
Most of the tribe’s members became captives, with only a small number lucky enough to escape.
These Muteng Giants fled to Shan Yue Village, seeking help and shelter!
Learning the whole story,
Gao Jing suddenly realized: “Then the people Shan Guoer and I encountered last time must have been from this band!”
“Very likely.”
Shan Tai nodded and said: “No wonder we couldn’t find them; they went to attack Mu Teng Village instead.”
Even as a surprise attack, taking a village of a thousand people wouldn’t be easy.
This band of Outcasts must have planned it for a long time.
They succeeded just before winter set in!
“The people of Mu Teng Village were such fools!”
One of the Totem Warriors present said angrily: “We even sent people to warn them.”
Although the two tribes didn’t get along well, after discovering Outcasts near the village fort, the Old Shaman Shan Yan still sent someone to notify the Muteng Tribe to prevent them from suffering losses due to lack of preparation.
The Muteng Tribe clearly didn’t take it seriously, or perhaps they were alarmed at first but later let their guard down.
This led to the tragedy!
Shan Tai said, “I’ve found out the details: those Outcasts disguised themselves as traveling merchants to sneak into Mu Teng Village, then ambushed Shaman Chief Mu Tu during the feast.”
The two Totem Warriors beside him wore expressions of exasperated disappointment.
Normally, outsiders weren’t allowed inside the village fort.
And if they did enter, strict precautions were taken.
Because similar incidents had happened many times before.
For example, when the Qinghe Merchant Caravan came to the Shan Yue Tribe for trade, even though both sides knew each other well, they still set up camp outside the village fort.
This way, everyone felt safer.
The Muteng Tribe not only let traveling merchants into their village fort, but they even had their Shaman Chief assassinated in an ambush!
It was truly unbelievable!
“If Shaman Chief Mu Su were still alive, such a thing would never have happened.”
Old Shaman Shan Yan sighed, “Mu Tu was too young. He didn’t understand the evil in people’s hearts. Such a waste.”
Mu Tu was Mu Su’s grandson and also his successor.
A very young Shaman.
“Shaman Chief.”
Shan Tai asked, “So what should we do now?”
An old person in the house was like a treasure.
This saying fit Shan Yan perfectly.
Without this Old Shaman guiding the Shan Yue Tribe, it would have vanished into the vast Wilderness long ago.
His strength and wisdom were the most important support for the entire tribe!
In comparison.
Young leaders in training like Shan Tai were still far too inexperienced.
“First, settle the people from Mu Teng Village properly. Organize a crew to quickly build several houses.”
The Old Shaman thought for a moment and added, “Stop all hunting and gathering. No one is allowed to stray far from the village fort.”
Shan Tai nodded.
Then he showed a worried look. “Shaman Chief, if we do that, I fear our winter supplies won’t be enough.”
Originally, Shan Yue Village had stored enough food for over seven hundred people to last the winter.
But now, about two hundred Giants from the Muteng Tribe had been added.
That changed everything.
Winter required not only food but also salt, firewood, and animal hides.
And the herds of Savage Ox and Horned Sheep, which provided food and hides, had long since migrated to the warm south.
Even wild rabbits were becoming scarce in the Wilderness!
Worse still, Shan Yue Village now faced the constant threat of the Outcasts.
No one could guarantee the Outcast gang occupying Muteng Village wouldn’t launch a sudden attack!
These Outcasts were quite strong.
“Use everything carefully for now.”
The Old Shaman said, “We’ll figure something out later. We’ll do everything we possibly can.”
“Yes.”
Shan Tai stood up. “Shaman Chief, I’ll take my leave for now.”
He left with the two Totem Warriors.
“Gao Jing.”
The Old Shaman then spoke to Gao Jing. “You shouldn’t go out anymore either. Winter is almost here anyway.”
Gao Jing nodded silently.
His path of hunting trial really had been rocky, constantly interrupted by unexpected events.
He had even thought about exploring the secrets of the goblins further.
Now that plan was ruined.
Adding these events to past troubles, he now felt an especially deep hatred for the Outcasts!
“Shaman Chief.”
Hesitating slightly, Gao Jing asked, “Are all those people who came from the Muteng Tribe going to live in our village fort permanently now?”
The Old Shaman nodded. “Yes.”
According to the rules of the Great Wilderness, these Muteng Giants sought shelter at Shan Yue Village.
Once accepted, they automatically became part of the Shan Yue Tribe.
Their family names would change as a result.
Many tribes in the Great Wilderness had grown stronger this very way!
“Don’t you worry.”
Shan Yan finally told Gao Jing, “The Shan Yue Tribe will be just fine.”
Gao Jing believed the old Shaman’s words.
Yet, a lingering sense of unease remained in his heart.
Because now, Gao Jing considered Shan Yue Village his home.
His friends were here.
And the little girl he cared for even more than family!
Gao Jing was weak.
But as the village faced this serious threat, he too wanted to contribute his share!
After much thought, Gao Jing quietly returned to the wooden house by the waterfall.
Then he exited the Great World.