We made you the chief, and now you've become the world's chief?

Chapter 34 Wu Tribe

"Mommy! Will we get to eat meat tomorrow?! Meat that won't rot?"

Usa had just returned to the cave after seeing off the men from the Li tribe.

A girl skipped over and shook Usa's hand.

After that question was asked, the other women who were working in the cave also came over.

Feeling his daughter Una waving his hand and seeing the expectant looks on the faces of his people, Usa nodded and then spoke.

“Those men gave us wild boar meat, as long as we went with them to other tribes.”

Immediately, inside the cave, the women of the Wu tribe began to talk, and one woman stepped forward.

Her eyes were filled with anticipation as she asked Usa.

"Great Mother, will the men among them become our men?"

These words seemed to strike a chord with everyone, and they all fell silent, waiting for Usa's reply.

Usa could only shake his head.

The women instantly fell silent, losing all interest in talking, and went back to their work.

At this moment, all the men of the Wu tribe finally returned to the cave.

There were five men in total, their backs hunched, their wrinkled faces showing no sign of joy.

Each person held a few bones in their hands; that was all they had "hunted" for the day.

Several women took the pile of bones, and upon smelling the stench, they couldn't help but frown.

He then threw the bones into the fire pit, where the maggots on them crackled and popped as they were roasted over the fire.

The moment the bones are thrown into the fire, it's time for the U tribe's dinner.

Everyone gathered together what they had collected that day: tubers, seeds, berries...

Those that needed to be roasted before eating were thrown near the fire pit, while those that didn't need to be roasted were simply shared.

After estimating that the marrow inside the bones had been mostly burned, the women pulled them out of the fire pit.

Several women picked up stones and began to knock.

Bones roasted over a fire are easily crushed.

Once they saw the bone marrow inside, brought their noses close to confirm that it didn't smell like the flesh outside the bones, a faint smile finally appeared on the women's faces.

"Mom, wild boar meat tastes different."

Savoring the taste of the bone marrow flowing into her mouth, Una was full of enjoyment, but when she thought of the taste of wild boar meat she had eaten a long time ago, this contrast made her feel a little disappointed.

"Eat, child."

Upon hearing Una's words, Usa handed over the half bone he was holding.

"Mommy, eat! Una won't eat."

Una licked her lips when she saw the half bone.

Usa did not retract the bone, but instead freed one hand to stroke Una's head.

In the end, Una picked up the bone her mother had given her.

The bone marrow entered her mouth again, and as she savored the taste on her tongue, Una closed her eyes and carefully tasted it.

Besides wild boar meat, she couldn't think of anything that tasted better than the white marrow inside the bones.

After finishing their meal, the women did not rest or do any more work.

Instead, he knelt in the cave, closed his eyes, and muttered incantations.

This has been a habit for several years.

Since settling here, the tribe seems to be cursed, with all newborns being girls.

This habit gradually formed and is now deeply ingrained.

They are asking for forgiveness.

The object of their prayers is a "god" that exists only in the hearts of the people.

When people are poor, they turn to their roots. Therefore, when they are exhausted from hard work, they will always call upon Heaven; when they are in pain and suffering, they will always call upon their parents.

The women of the Wu tribe cried out to heaven and to their ancestors, but to no avail.

Every baby born was a girl; there wasn't a single boy.

Because of the lack of manpower to replenish the population, the number of men in the tribe who can hunt has become fewer and fewer, to the point that now only five elderly men remain, relying on observing the flight of vultures to find animal carcasses.

And so, this inexplicable "god" appeared.

After their devout prayers, the women began to smear each other's bodies with the collected tree sap.

After discovering that the sap flowing from the large grove of trees outside the cave could prevent bone and wooden tools from decaying, the Wu tribe decided, after some thought, to apply the sap to their bodies.

Surprisingly, after applying tree sap to their bodies, insects stopped biting them, even during the rainy season when various insects proliferate rapidly.

This was a great treasure to the people of Ubuluo, who even decided to stop migrating because of the forest outside the cave.

Applying raw lacquer to each other became a tradition even older than praying for "God's" forgiveness after meals.

While applying the tree sap, Usa suddenly remembered something and immediately stood up and spoke to the women.

"Tomorrow, young woman, come with me; the tree's water will be good to apply to your body."

Seeing the puzzled looks on everyone's faces, Usa explained again, "We're going to another tribe tomorrow. There are men in that tribe. Get your makeup done."

After Usa said that, the women of the U tribe finally understood.

Those men who came to them today and are now sleeping in the trees don't want to join, but tomorrow they will go to other tribes where there are men too!
The women, who had been listless, suddenly had a gleam in their eyes.

Every few years, the U tribe discovers newly migrating tribes.

They also found ways to get those men to join them willingly.

That is to adorn oneself by applying tree sap.

Although the men who joined the tribe may have died or later returned to their own tribes, the U tribe has gained a wealth of experience in the process.

Under the glow of the campfire, more than twenty young women carefully applied tree sap to their bodies, knowing exactly how and where to apply it based on their experience.

"Mother, the tree's water is on me."

After finishing applying the ointment, Una happily said to Usa.

Usa examined it carefully, then applied some more.

Just a little extra touch made Una's chest more three-dimensional and full.

Una couldn't tell; she just smiled happily.

But it wasn't because of the freshly applied tree sap; rather, it was because he was thinking of the wild boar meat he had been longing for...

……

……

……

"Tsk, this wild boar jerky smells so rancid. Forget it, let's feed it to Wangcai."

After sleeping in late, Xia Minghao first checked the dried meat and fish on the drying rack after getting up.

They discovered that some of the wild boar meat was about to spoil, so they simply threw it to Wangcai.

Upon hearing this, Wangcai rushed over, but instead of eating, he sat obediently.

"Eat."

Xia Minghao glanced at it before giving the order.

Wangcai then eagerly began to wolf down his food.

These are all older batches of dried meat; the new ones have all been preserved using entirely new methods.

Oil + dried meat + earthenware pot.

The meat is roasted until dry, placed in an earthenware jar, and filled with wild boar oil.

This is the best storage method that Xia Minghao came up with. It's hard to say how long it can be stored in the high humidity environment of the forest, but it's definitely much better than putting the dried meat directly in a ceramic jar.

After inspecting all the older batches of dried meat, I figured they would probably spoil in another day or two.

It wouldn't do if it broke, these were all generous gifts prepared for the "Power Tribe"!

Li Tribe, if you don't come soon, all this jerky will end up being sold to Wangcai!

"Woof!"

Suddenly, Wangcai, who was eating dried meat, shouted loudly, and Xia Minghao looked over in confusion.

But Wangcai stopped eating the meat and ran straight out of the cave. After standing outside the cave for a while, it barked wildly in one direction.

Is someone here?
Xia Minghao immediately shouted, summoning all the women out of the cave, who also brought wooden spears and spear throwers.

After they left the cave, a while later, several figures appeared in the distant woods, one of whom, a large bald man, was particularly conspicuous.

The people of the Li tribe have arrived!
"They've finally arrived," Xia Minghao said, glancing at Wamu beside him and exchanging a glance.

"Don't forget what I told you."

Wamu nodded firmly.

When Xia Minghao turned around, he was stunned.

Because behind Bald Liba were not just a few men from the Li tribe, but also more than twenty women!

These women had various patterns drawn on their chests, and these patterns, which contrasted sharply with their skin tone, actually possessed a kind of allure...

It gave him the feeling that these primitive people were wearing sexy lingerie.

But the surprise was only momentary. Xia Minghao immediately raised his wooden spear, as did the women behind him.

Why are so many people from this Li tribe here? If they are allowed to get close, they will pose a great threat.

"Don't go, stop!"

Upon seeing this, Bald Liba immediately stopped in his tracks.

"Don't leave, don't throw spears!"

Originally, it was a huge undertaking, even costing wild boar meat, to have Lipa lead him to the women of the Wu tribe, all in order to get the women of their tribe back without anyone dying.

Naturally, I don't want to provoke any conflict right now.

Usa, standing behind Liba, looked completely bewildered.

This tribe has only one man, and the rest are all women. Why is Liba so afraid?
There were more than a dozen men among them...

(End of this chapter)