Chapter 036: The Inventor of the Han Tribe

No sooner had the fearful elephants scrambled onto the shore than they trotted over to Luo Chong, dousing him with a trunkful of water, leaving him drenched and bemused. With a resigned swipe across his face, Luo Chong patted their trunks, "Since you're on my turf now and want to eat my food, you'll have to work for it. I won't keep you for free—understood?" Whether they truly comprehended or not was unclear, but the elephants responded by patting Luo Chong's head with their trunks, leaving his question hanging in the air.

The women of the fishing team, witnessing the two massive beasts approach their leader, initially flinched. However, seeing that the creatures harbored no aggression—rather, they seemed quite familiar with him—left the women in awe of their leader's prowess.

Xiao Qubing was the first to rush over, fearlessly hugging Luo Chong's legs despite the proximity of the giant beasts.

Luo Chong introduced the newcomers as new members of the tribe before leading everyone back to the cave. He even had Xiao Qubing ride on Ximen's back, while the juvenile elephants frolicked across the clearing.

The former Tree Tribe members and the fishing team eyed each other curiously. The fishermen were particularly intrigued by the 18 Blue Antelopes, while the Tree Tribe members surveyed the Han Tribe women, noting their hairstyles, leather boots, the fish in their baskets, and their uniformly equipped white spears.

At the cave entrance, the scene was lively. It was dusk, and the whole tribe had gathered, buzzing with excitement over Luo Chong's return and the playful antics of the two large creatures.

"Leader!"

Everyone stood straight and called out in unison as Luo Chong approached.

"I'm back, and I've brought quite a bit with us, including these new members of our tribe. Treat them as one of our own from now on, and those quadrupeds are not for eating," Luo Chong announced amidst the crowd.

Everyone acknowledged his instructions, and Luo Chong then directed them to prepare an extra generous dinner.

Xiao Qubing, ever eager, took it upon himself to explain the various sights and tools to the newcomers, leaving them bewildered with his chatter.

The camp boasted dozens of large cooking pots and beautifully crafted clay bowls, jars, and jugs, making the newcomers almost embarrassed to bring out their wooden bowls.

The Han Tribe's members each wore leather boots and tied-up hair, though only Luo Chong adorned his hair with a pin.

The cave's entrance was also a showcase of the day's hunt: countless fish and a giant, hole-riddled wart hog, weighing over a thousand pounds. Luo Chong was pleased to see the hunting team had mastered spear use.

The Tree Tribe members gained a new respect for the Han Tribe's capabilities, realizing the stored food would be sufficient to sustain them through the winter.

The children, diligent as ever, stood by a 'mountain of grass' they had collected for the Blue Antelopes and the elephants, ensuring there was enough to last through winter.

Before leaving, Luo Chong had tasked them with clearing the area outside the cave. They did well, earning themselves two rabbit skins each from Luo Chong, which they joyously took to their mothers to make clothes.

The baby elephants finally embraced the 'grass mountain,' and the Blue Antelopes were unloaded to join them in grazing.

Nearby, a large stack of red bricks had accumulated, and Cripple reported his daily progress to Luo Chong, proudly showing off a wooden rake he had invented to gather grass.

"Damn, that's how you made a mountain of grass? Not bad, Cripple, you've got the makings of an inventor!" Luo Chong exclaimed, both surprised and pleased by the ingenuity.

After praising Cripple, Luo Chong instructed him to switch from brick-making to producing pottery for the new tribe members the next day.

The elder had news too—he mentioned a recent trade with a neighboring tribe, which had offered people in exchange for pottery but settled on salt when the offer was declined. The deal provided the tribe with a water tank and two clay pots in exchange for a substantial amount of salt, enough to last a long time.

The elder also noted that the other tribe had learned to make baskets, which they used to carry salt, but Luo Chong dismissed any concern, recognizing the practicality and simplicity of basket-weaving.

After inspecting all the preparations, Luo Chong made arrangements for the animals brought back. The rabbits were settled into a corner of the cave with a stone and mud enclosure filled with dry grass for the winter.

The elephants, no longer needing attention, seemed content with their mountain of grass. The Blue Antelopes were tied to a nearby tree for the night, with plans to build them a shelter the next day.

Following the day's work, a lavish dinner brought the old and new members closer together, with laughter and chatter filling the air.

Luo Chong concluded the day by having the 'elders' help the newcomers make leather boots, encouraging everyone to learn and interact more, quickly turning them into one united family.

While others made clothes or shoes, Luo Chong occupied himself by writing and drawing on the cave walls with a charred piece of wood, his diagrams, numbers, and text drawing awe and curiosity from the elder, Xiao Qubing, and an increasingly admiring Big Tree.

"This blue man is something else…"