Wolf-shaped Light and Shadow

Thirty orcs, only six rudimentary fur tents; besides the chieftain Bata's family and another robust orc family named Batu, who each occupied a tent, the remaining crowded in the other four tents. Balok couldn't sleep tonight, so he volunteered for the night watch, sitting by the campfire lost in thought.

Just three years ago, this place was a tribe of a hundred, and Balok's father was the chieftain back then. The tribe wasn't as destitute as it is now. But during a hunting trip, they encountered the terrifying desert beast, the Sand Python. Almost all the adult orcs of the tribe were killed by the Sand Python, leaving only a group of elders and children. Overnight, the tribe was on the brink of collapse.

Fortunately, at that time, Bata took a few men to the human village to exchange for food, narrowly escaping disaster. Being the strongest, he succeeded as the chieftain. With only seven adult orcs, they had to support dozens of elderly and young ones. Despite his efforts, over the years, half of the elderly orcs and children still died of hunger and cold. It wasn't until Balok and a few other children grew up a bit that the tribe began to prosper again, but the population had dwindled to thirty!

As everyone slept, footsteps approached from behind. Bata suddenly emerged from his tent and sat down beside Balok.

"Balok, I heard from Barwell about what happened today. Though it was too reckless, you did well. You remind me of your father. I think when you come of age, I can pass the responsibility of chieftain to you." When Balok's father was alive, Bata was his most loyal brother, and seeing his children grow up was a joy.

Balok shook his head. "Chieftain Bata, you are the chieftain. I won't take your place. Besides, you're doing well. There's no reason for me, a hotheaded youth, to take on such a heavy burden."

Bata chuckled and patted Balok's shoulder. "Sometimes, I feel like you're as dull as your father. Who would say you're hotheaded? It's settled then. Besides, I won't lie, going to the human villages, we're always bullied by those damned human merchants. Maybe you'll handle it better."

Balok really didn't want to be the chieftain. After all, this tribe of thirty people didn't impress him much. But seeing Bata's insistence, he kept silent.

The night grew colder, the crude fur barely offering warmth. If not for the sturdy orc bodies, they wouldn't endure.

The totem pole beside the wooden fence began emitting a faint light as the silver moon rose. This totem pole was quite ancient. According to Balok's father, even his grandfather knew of it from childhood, suggesting it had a history of hundreds of years.

Balok had been curious about the mysterious totem pole more than once, but tonight, after merging with two souls, this curiosity became uncontrollable. "Chieftain Bata, why does the totem pole emit light? Could it be that the spirit of the totem is protecting us? But who made this totem pole?"

Bata shared the same curiosity, shaking his head. "I don't know. This totem pole is ancient, even older than our tribe. It's said that many years ago, there was even a shaman in our tribe, and it was passed down from his time. Look, we're the only orc tribe within a three hundred-mile radius with a totem pole, except for the Lizardfolk tribe. Those folks outside are all envious like rabbits, but alas, their ancestors didn't leave behind such precious relics."

Unfortunately, though the totem pole emitted light, it didn't reveal any further mysteries. Seeing that Bata wasn't sleepy either, Balok struck up a conversation.

"Chieftain Bata, you've never taken us to other tribes, and we seldom see other orc tribes. We barely even know about the gravel desert. Can you tell me about these?"

"Within our three hundred-mile radius, there are a dozen or so orc tribes, ranging from a few dozen to over three hundred in population. The Lizardfolk tribe is the largest and strongest, with over three hundred members and a shaman. We all follow the guidance of the shaman, who maintains peace in our region." Bata paused, then continued, "As for the outside world, apart from going to the human villages to exchange for food, I rarely venture far. But in human towns, listening to the idle chatter of those human drunks, I've learned a bit. They say the gravel desert is vast, spanning thousands of square miles. We're only on the outskirts, where danger is minimal. Deep within the desert, terrifying beasts roam freely, only accessible to powerful human adventurers. We'd flee at the sight of an ordinary sand snake, yet those human adventurers can effortlessly slay the largest sand snakes. It's fortunate those fellows don't care for our poor lands; otherwise..." Bata shook his head, feeling despondent.

"Are humans really that powerful?" Balok felt ignorant, having never seen a human, let alone other races, only hearing about them in legends.

"In terms of strength, two human men may not match one orc. But they have the blessing and power of the gods, able to cultivate a magical power known as 'Battle Qi.' Even the most ordinary human, if they cultivate Qi, may be stronger than the mightiest orc. If it weren't for the shamans of the lizardfolk tribe restraining humans, do you think they would kindly let us exchange food for copper ore...?"

Bata sternly warned Balok, "Balok, you will eventually interact with humans. Remember, unless absolutely necessary, do not provoke them. They are cunning and ruthless, treating orcs as nothing more than their trained hunting dogs. If they get angry, they will not hesitate to kill you, and we have no means of retaliation."

Balok realized the harsh reality, though it felt distant to him. After all, in the barren desert, what human would bother about a young orc?

"Chief Bata, what is Battle Qi? Have you seen it before? Can we orcs cultivate it?" Balok quickly shifted his focus, intrigued by Battle Qi.

"I don't know. I've never seen it. Perhaps Shaman Norman of the lizardfolk tribe would know; he once visited human cities in his youth."

Bata indeed knew little about it. After a brief conversation, Balok understood what he could do. Yawning, Bata stood up and returned to the tent. "I'll take over your watch. Cheer up. Next time Shaman Norman gathers all the tribes for discussion, I'll take you to see."

As Bata left, Balok stared blankly at the totem pole. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary now.

If it weren't for the persistent feeling of cold, Balok might have thought it was all a dream. Tonight felt strange, perhaps due to the day's events that left him so excited. He didn't explain, turning around to apologize to Bata, "Sorry, Chief Bata, I accidentally fell asleep!"

After all, he was just a child, and he had encountered a sand snake attack during the day, surely causing some fright. Bata thought for a moment and then lost his anger, patting Balok on the shoulder. "Go back to sleep!"

Nodding, Balok returned to the tent, squeezing in with a few children and lying down, closing his eyes. That night, he had a dream—a gigantic and mighty wolf running across the endless wilderness. He seemed to... be by the wolf's side, running wild together, howling! As if he had also turned into a wolf... fur snowy white and icy, like a layer of frost...!