Chapter 071: Spare Your Sympathy

Luo Chong directed his attention to a dimly lit, inconspicuous corner where a millstone-sized rock lay on the ground, blending almost seamlessly with the surrounding cave walls. "Yes, Chief, the entrance is under that stone," one of the tribe members confirmed.

"So, this is it. It was well hidden; no wonder we missed it last time. What are you waiting for? Move that stone," Luo Chong commanded, his voice laced with irritation that they hadn't mentioned this salt mine during his previous visit.

The men quickly set to work, the scraping sound of stone against stone filling the air as they revealed a sloping, narrow opening in the ground. True to their word, the entrance was only large enough for a child under five to fit through. Luo Chong frowned at the realization that they couldn't rely on children for large-scale salt mining.

Inspecting the rock quality around the entrance with a torch, he muttered to himself, "Quartz and granite matrix… this is tough stuff." As he spoke, a flash of light caught his eye from the ceiling of the cave. Raising the torch for a better look, he noticed several cone-shaped mineral formations hanging from above. They weren't stalactites; their color was off. These yellow-white, semi-translucent formations that reflected light… could it be salt?

Realizing that natural salt wouldn't just form on the cave ceiling, he grew curious about the true nature of these deposits. Attempting to dislodge a piece with an arrow proved futile, prompting him to call for Da Li, a tribesman known for his strength. "Da Li, try using a large stone to knock down some of those formations."

With enthusiasm, Da Li succeeded in breaking off a piece of the mineral, which shattered upon hitting the ground, revealing its crystalline nature. "Chief, is this the salt stone? It looks like we won't have to worry about running out of salt ever again!"

However, Luo Chong was skeptical. Tasting a piece of the crystal, he immediately spat it out, the bitter taste confirming his suspicions. "No, this isn't salt; it's not salty at all." It turned out to be natural alkali, commonly found alongside salt deposits but distinctly different in chemical composition.

With the mystery of the ceiling deposits solved, attention turned back to the salt mine. Da Li, now disinterested, returned to his duties, while Luo Chong questioned the three men from the original Xie Ding tribe about the presence of water in the cave, hinting at a potential method of salt extraction.

The men described how the cave occasionally filled with water, which they collected for salt extraction. Intrigued by their primitive yet effective method, Luo Chong contemplated ways to improve access to the salt, his thoughts momentarily interrupted by Mu Tong, who came to report on the cleanup of the wolf carcasses.

"Chief, all the adult wolves are dead; we found 78 in total. There are also eight pups still alive. Should we kill them too?"

Upon hearing about the pups, Luo Chong's interest piqued. "Show me these pups." The sight of the week-old wolf pups, still blind and nestled against their deceased mothers, stirred a brief moment of sympathy from a tribeswoman, which Luo Chong swiftly rebuked.

"There's no room for pity. This is a world where the strong prey on the weak. If we hadn't killed their mothers, your children might be the ones lying dead. Imagine if we had lost; these wolves wouldn't hesitate to devour your children. They wouldn't find your children pitiful."

His words chilled the air in the cave, reminding everyone of the harsh realities of their world.

Deciding to spare the pups, Luo Chong instructed, "Wrap them up in animal skins; we'll raise them. They can start on meat broth. Wolves are resilient; they adapt quickly and can eat raw meat after just seven days."

The tribe members nodded, understanding the necessity of Luo Chong's decision, even if they didn't fully grasp his knowledge of animal husbandry. They quickly prepared the pups for transport back to the village, Luo Chong's mind already racing with plans for both the young wolves and the salt mine, pondering what had been overlooked in the cave's potential.