Chapter 3: The Yuan Ji Tribe

Yan Mo received a scoop of water. He resisted swallowing it in one go and drank slowly.

While Yan Mo was drinking the water, the fierce man spoke to fat dog, who was coming over, and took something from the straw rope on his waste before handing it over to the brawny man with a slightly protruding belly.Fat dog nodded and stuffed the item away before he went inside the straw shed and picked up a seriously wounded beast that resembled a dog with a broken limb. He went ahead and cut open the beast's belly.The man looked at Yan Mo who drank the water from the wooden. He took the wooden scoop away and filled it with the blood from the beast's neck and handed it back to Yan Mo. "Drink!"Drink the blood of the beast... Well, this is also a supplement to the body. A way of making up the depleted salt and nutrients in the body.Yan Mo endured the nausea. He silently held the wooden scoop and drank the blood of the beast that was inside.He doesn't know if it was because this body was accustomed to this type of diet. Yan Mo found that although there was a psychological constraint, he did not feel nauseous or queasy.During this time, the man went to pick up the leaves of the Cirsium plant and gave them to Yan Mo.Wiping his lips, Yan Mo expressed his sincere gratitude to the man. It was still the same man who pulled his hair; nonetheless but he thanked him.The man grabbed Yan Mo's arm and rubbed his broken leg before changing the bone shackled into a straw rope.Yan Mo thanked him in his heart. He had been shackled and it was extremely uncomfortable. If the man dared to take him away, he will spit if he is not good. It was uncomfortable being pulled by the armpit, but Yan Mo endured the pain as he watched the surrounding scenery while being tugged along.This is not a harmonious tribe, was Yan Mo's first impression.In the square, the man only spoke two words to Fat dog. The men and women around didn't even bother sparing him a glance; hence, no one greeted him.From the square Yan Mo could see a very large fence. The tribesmen lived in tents made of animal hinds and the fences act like a planned housing. There was dirt in the middle that can accommodate two carriages and tents on either sides of the dirt road.Some people were at the mouth of the tent and on the dirt road, but Yan Mo didn't see anyone who was talking to their neighbors or anyone who attempted to talk to the fierce man. Most of the pedestrians were walking while the residents of the tents were busying themselves with various activities.The square was in the middle of the fence. The tents south of the square are quite simple and small while the tents north of the square were larger and methodically arrange.The man did not walk for long, and Yan Mo was dragged onto another pathYan Mo sneaked a glance at a nearby tent. It was better than the other tents, and it befits a king with warriors in leather skirts guarding the door.That place of residence seems to be a gentle mountain shack. Yan Mo guessed that the foot of the mountain was the residence for the poor and the slaves. The higher along the mountain, the higher the household status.The man headed towards home shortly after passing the square. Obviously, he has a status in the tribe.Yan Mo observed all the way. After he turned from a path, starting from the first row of tents alone the big dirt road, the man's tent was the last one in the fourth row.The spacing of each row of tents was symmetrical much like an army barracks, but the men and women who were engaged in front of the tents are average without any distinction.Most of the people here only used either a leather skirt or a grass skirt to cover their bottom, even the women have bare upper body. The children were running around as bare as the day they were born. Few old people were also naked.The tent area weren't completely quiet. The children's screams and that of the adults could be heard. From time to time, there will be some screams coming from inside the tents."Yuan Zhan, weren't you talking about bringing some meat. What is this?" Finally, someone greeted the man.

The man, who was named Yuan Zhan, took Yan Mo to the door of his tent before he replied: "the meat is not dead, so I had to bring it back."Walking towards them was a man who was slightly shorter than Yuan Zhan. He also has a tattoo on his face.Because of their position, Yan Mo clearly saw the large twin stones hanging under the man's leather skirt as well as the big stick swaying freely!"Bring that back? A slave? Is it useful while it is hurt like that?" The man poked Yan Mo's face with a blatant disappointment. "Even if it's a boy, it cannot do much in terms of work."Yuan Zhan opened his tent. He pushed the curtains aside and casually said: "He does not need to be exchanged, free slave.""Since it is free then it is right. I came looking for something to take with you." The man changed the subject."Wait a minute." Yuan Zhan bypassed Yan Mo. He took the scooper from the big stone tank from outside the tent, dragged Yan Mo to the side of the stone tank, and poured water on his injured leg.Yan Mo was doused back to reality by the cold water and couldn't help but groan.Yuan Zhan didn't even look at him and continued to pour water on the mites and his callous hands went straight to the wound."Ahh!" Yan Mo screamed.Yuan Zhan didn't care if he was in pain. He had a parasite and he stink. He shouldn't enter his tent."I will call my slave to help you clean him up." The man gaze at the other end and shouted at the next door: "Cao Ting, come over!"A female slave with nothing on her body came out from the next tent."Make him clean, do not waste water!""Yes, Da-Ren." The slave of unknown age saw the scooper on the ground next to Yuan Zhan.Yuan Zhan saw the slave took over cleaning Yan Mo and was happy to be lazy. He beckoned to the man. "Come on" the man followed Yuan Zhan to the tent before pulling the curtain down.There were many things in the tent. The innermost place has few large stones that serves as cornerstones, straw and fur made the beds and a big square stone table in the middle. There were no stools so people have to sit cross-legged around the stone table.There were two spears on the wall of the tent and several sharp bones hung around the place along with several leather skirts. There were piles of bones and fur stacked up near the corner of the curtain. Yan Mo wasn't sure if it was these things that caused the strange smell inside the tent."Why?" The man asked as he sat cross-legged.Yuan Zhan understood what the other party was asking. He smiled and said: "Because he is hurt like this that he does not directly kneel but smiles at me. This kid must be a very patient slave in the future.""Is it?" The man thought as he glanced at Yuan Zhan's left.Yuan Zhan's eyes slightly drooped before lifting them up again. "What are you looking for?"The expression on the man's face immediately changed and he looked at him with anger: "The tribe has called for the 3rd Rank warriors to the chiefs and elders. They have asked to expand the hunting ground. The sites they asked for overlaps with other's hunting areas. If the elders agreed, we would have to fight for it. But those people do not have much oil and water on site, and we lack people. The chance of wrestling a high level beast is even harder than becoming a 3rd Rank fighter."Yuan Zhan knocked on his knee. "It is not just the upgrade. It is a problem to get enough food for the winter.""That is not a problem. You are aware that it is better to keep living food. If that one cannot live then you can kill him in winter. As your exclusive slave, you at least do not have to divide his meat into the tribe.""You came looking for me. Do not tell me it is to complain about my slave. Is there something else?""Complain. I came looking for you to ask if you want to..." the man leaned over Yuan Zhan. His voice kept getting lower and lower.At the mouth of the tent. After Yuan Zhan entered the tent, Yan Mo immediately put a smile on Cao Ting. "Sister, what do you think? I learned healing from a priest."Cao Ting was a very gentle female slave. She looked at Yan Mo's face contoured in pain and drenched in cold sweats. She can't help but reach out and wipe the sweats for him. "You are a disciple of a healing priest? Then how come you...were brought back as a slave?""I am a Salt Mountain people. Our family has been robbed by the Zhi people for the salt cave. Then, we were attacked by wild beast during the migration..."Needless to say, Cao Ting has already understood why Yan Mo was here. Her eyes showed sympathy and helplessness to his fate. "What is your name?""My name is Yan Mo.""Yan Mo? Then I will call you Little Mo? You can call me Cao Ting""Sister Cao Ting." Yan Mo completely ignored his previous age and tried his best to take advantage of this body's age."Sister, can you help me burn a pot of boiling water? I want to use it." Yan Mo propped up and sat with the help from Cao Ting.There was a fire pit and there was water placed outside the tent. For fire outbreak prevention, the fire pit for cooking is next to the water tank.The pot was not a wok but a large stone hollowed out with ground stones. It looked heavy, but Yan Mo saw Cao Ting effortlessly place the stone pot on the fire pit."Sister, is there a knife here?""Yes, you wait, I will bring it." The stone knife that has been carefully polished is a valuable item and was not placed outside the tent."Sister, wait, is there..." whatever Yan Mo wanted to say was swallowed back in his mouth. He didn't think they would understand the word needle.Cao Ting, "What else do you need?""Wood. If there are no planks then sticks will do.""How big do you want it? I will go back and look for it. There is less wood here. If I have to use the big chunk of wood then I have to ask for Da-Ren's permission.""Branches are also okay." Yan Mo roughly made a plan. He estimated the length and width of the wooden sticks he needed, and he also asked for a fixed straw from Cao Ting. "Give me some salt...""There is not enough, Da-Ren must permit it." Cao Ting was able to look for the wooden sticks with ease but because Yan Mo also needed salt, she did not dare to do it without permission. She could only whisper outside the tent to call her own master.The man came out with Yuan Zhan and heard what Yan Mo needed. Yuan Zhan took the salt in the tent himself.The man left Cao Ting to Yuan Zhan and went to another tent.Yuan Zhan gave the salt to Cao Ting and took the spear when he went out. The sky was not yet dark. He wanted to go out and see if he could get some extra prey and fruit. In addition, he brought Yan Mo back so he had to hand over 20% of the meat he hunts to the Horde in order to compensate for the extra mouth to feed called Yan Mo.Cao Ting told Yan Mo things as they were waiting for the water to boil. The warrior of this tribe is up to 4th Rank warrior. The 4th Rank warrior can be a Tribal Chief. The 3rd Rank warrior must take turns hunting and acquiring the prey for the tribe according to the weight assigned by the tribe. In their free days, the warriors can go out and search for the prey themselves. If they find something, they will give 20% to the tribe, and the other 80% can be kept by the hunter/fighter for themselves.It may looked good but the beasts around the Horde were very powerful. They could be hunted but never by a single warrior, and there were many beasts in the nearer range. The warriors were divided into hunting grounds according to their level. The lower the level, the fewer the beast in the hunting ground.Sometimes, warriors who do not rotate will join forces to go hunting. In order to ensure the survival of the entire tribe, the places they can go can only be within the hunting range provided by the tribe, or the strange places that aren't assigned.Civilians without combat power were responsible for all others chores. The civilians without power referred here were the old and the weak.Slaves are divided into two categories, one belonging to the tribe. These slaves usually do the hardest and the most tiring work. They are the ones who are kept to be eaten. They are generally responsible for farming, grazing, skin tanning, grinding stone, etc. Sometimes they are used as a reserve food in the winter when food was scarce.The warrior above the 2nd Rank can have their own slaves. A 2nd Tank warrior can only have one slave while a 3rd Rank warrior can have two slaves. The higher the level of the warrior the more slaves and wealth they can have. The slaves belonging to a warrior are treated better than the tribe slaves. If you encounter a benevolent master, you can even live better than a civilian, but if you encounter a bad master, only misery awaits for you.The rations distributed by the tribe do not go to the slaves. If the warriors want to have slaves, they must feed them on their own."My Master is called Yuan Diao. Only the warriors in the tribe can have a tribe's surname. Our tribe is called Yuan Ji tribe. It is said that this tribe has been living in this grasslands and the margin of the desert for hundreds of years. It is one of the larger tribes nearby. You said you are from the Salt Mountain tribe. I know your family is bigger than our original tribe. We have transactions with your tribe. You will probably see them during the trading day in the future."Yan Mo understood Cao Ting's good intention as she reminded him.Yan Mo thought that as long as Zhi people didn't come then he wouldn't care for them."Are you using herbs?" Cao Ting curiously asked."Yes." His Master Yuan Zhan did not have equipment suitable for grinding work. He could only find something to make up for it. He asked for a small stone pot—there is no concept of dish here—and a big bone stick used was used to crush the Cirsium plant into the stone pot.The water was boiling. Yan Mo placed the stone knife inside to sterilize it.The stone knife was sterilized inside the salt water.Yuan Zhan provided coarse salt containing lots of minerals, which was yellowish black. This salt cannot be used directly even when it is cooked. It has to be filtered.He then used the sterilized bone knife to scrape the pus and dead flesh from the wound including the worms that ate the rotting tissues.Yan Mo was in so much pain that his hands were shaking, but no one here could help him. Cao Ting didn't dare help when she couldn't even bring herself to look at the wound. They are desert land people and not everyone can be a healer. Not only should healers be used to seeing blood but they should also know to remain calm. Hand stability is the most important."Why did you boil the stone knife in the water?" Cao Ting watched Yan Mo use the stone knife to scrape and to cut through the wound."Disinfection." Yan Mo scraped off all the dead flesh and dirt attached on the wound. He was about to wash the wound with filtered salt twice boiled when he saw the white light appear again in his right palm.Yan Mo looked up at Cao Ting, and Cao Ting, who was focused on grinding the burrs on the stick, did not noticed his palm changed.From the distance was the sudden sounds of shouting. Yan Mo couldn't wait to see the change in his palm. Cao Ting stood and looked ahead.The shouting got closer and closer. It was actually heading towards them.Someone ran over and shouted loudly at the tent next to Yuan Zhan.A woman rushed out of the tent and ran as she followed by others. There were two children in the tent and they also followed behind their mother.In a short while, the "Da He-!" A hysterical screaming suddenly resounded.