The hunting team members were initially feeling guilty about their meager harvest for the day, but they were deeply moved when they received a gift from the Deity. Although they wanted to save this precious gift, they started eating it when they saw the expectant look in the deity’s eyes.
However, for some reason, the high priest looked at them with a somewhat resentful gaze. Maybe it was because they brought back too little prey.
After eating the deity’s gift, the hunting team, exhausted from a day’s work, felt rejuvenated. They believed it was the power of the divine fruit!
Of course, Shu Bao didn’t know what the hunting team was thinking. Otherwise, he would have explained that it was a combination of psychology and glucose. The mouse was certain that those were just ordinary fruits. Although the mouse had been looking for spiritual plants, even the plants growing next to the black stone showed no abnormalities.
After replenishing some energy, the hunting team took their prey to the river to process it. As they passed by the tree stumps again, they couldn’t help but ask what had happened.
The women, who had been busy in the tribe for a long time, happily took out their axes and proudly demonstrated the wonders of the stone axes. The men were stunned. They even stopped processing the prey to watch for a while and couldn’t resist trying the tools themselves.
Shu Bao, who was obediently waiting with paws folded for the roasted rabbit legs and roasted beef, watched as the cute and delicious rabbit and the marbled beef were neglected by the people. Shu Bao pattered over to the rabbit and the beef, gently extending a paw to pat and comfort them, saying, “Don’t worry, they’ll remember you soon.”
The high priest who witnessed everything from the side: “…” It’s…quite cute.
When the hunting team reluctantly put down their tools and remembered to process the prey half an hour later, they turned around and saw the deity squatting beside the prey, looking at them obediently with paws supporting its face.
For a moment, the hunting team felt a pang of guilt. Had they let the deity go hungry? Was this blasphemy? They were a bit panicked.
Noticing the crowd’s gaze, Shu Bao happily patted the beef beside him, “See, I told you they wouldn’t forget you.”
After saying this, to avoid causing trouble for the hunting team, Shu Bao got up and moved to a place where he wouldn’t be in the way, then folded his paws and looked up expectantly at the hunting team.
The hunting team felt an instant cuteness overload and immediately threw all their tools aside, realizing that cooking for the deity was the right thing to do.
As the hunting team walked away, Shu Bao couldn’t help but tiptoe and peek. The stream where they processed the prey wasn’t far from the tribe. Shu Bao saw from a distance that the hunting team had started processing the prey. Only then did his little feet touch the ground. When he turned around, he saw the high priest watching him intently.
Shu Bao rubbed his paws together, suddenly having a flash of inspiration. He mysteriously approached the high priest and said, “I have a big secret to discuss with you, so we can’t talk about food for now.”
The high priest was puzzled. He hadn’t intended to discuss food; he just wanted to tell the deity that the deity’s little belly hadn’t been sucked back in, so it looked a bit round.
Unaware of this minor issue with his appearance, Shu Bao led the high priest back to the tent. He then knocked down a piece of black stone and showed it to the high priest. “This kind of stone is a… magic stone. It is extremely beneficial for the development of the tribe. Besides that valley, are there other places around here with this kind of stone?”
Since Shu Bao was new here, consulting the high priest was more reliable for some matters. As expected, the high priest carefully examined the black stone after hearing this. “There are many such stones on the northern plains. According to the ancestors, these stones suddenly fell from the sky one day, bringing heavenly fire and earthquakes. Later, many strange things happened. Gradually, people moved away from those plains.”
The high priest found it hard to understand why these stones, which were said to bring disaster, were called magic stones by the deity. However, he wouldn’t easily question the deity and answered the deity’s question truthfully.
Shu Bao was very excited after hearing this. It sounded like a meteorite had fallen, causing explosions and earthquakes. There must be many large pieces of black stone, which was great news. Shu Bao also noticed the high priest’s confusion and thought for a moment before explaining the black stone in simple terms. “This is a stone that connects to the divine realm and has the power to make people’s dreams come true. However, most people fear the unknown. When the magic stone reads their fears, it makes those fears come true. As the fear spreads, the magic stone becomes a source of fear.”
Shu Bao hadn’t fully understood the essence of the black stone yet, but it indeed had the ability to materialize imagined things. This was likely a product of some higher dimension. However, explaining dimensions to the high priest was a difficult task, so he simply said it was something from the divine realm.
As expected, the high priest immediately understood and looked at the black stone with a much softer gaze. “The far northern plains are very far from here. According to the ancestors, they traveled from one summer to the next, losing many people along the way before they arrived here. So, dear deity, please make a careful decision. However, no matter what your final decision is, the Xia Wang tribe will follow you.”
Faced with the high priest’s honesty, Shu Bao finally asked his question, “Why do you trust me so much? We had never met before.”
“Because you are our deity, the hope and meaning of our tribe’s existence!” The high priest looked at Shu Bao with eyes that seemed to hold a thousand stars.
Confronted with such pure and persistent faith from the natives, Shu Bao puffed out his little chest and patted it with his paw. “Don’t worry. I will lead you to a new world! From now on, you will have no worries about food and clothing, and you will live happily and healthily, no longer fearing the intrusion of cats and snakes!”
The high priest: “…”
Learning that the far northern plains were too far away, Shu Bao temporarily gave up the idea of exploring there. However, since the meteorite had fallen in the north, he might explore a bit to the north first, solve the tribe’s basic problems, and then think about more distant matters.
Afterward, Shu Bao discussed with the high priest the situation of the Xia Wang tribe and other surrounding tribes to determine the future development layout. After all, some buildings couldn’t be easily changed once constructed, and they also had to consider the cost of resource development and transportation.
The two discussed for a long time until Shu Bao smelled the tempting aroma of roasted meat. His little belly immediately cooperated by growling. The mouse instantly clasped his paws in front of his chest, his paw tips tapping each other continuously.
The high priest pretended not to hear anything and naturally invited Shu Bao to dinner. Shu Bao stood up, sucked in his little belly, and then began to walk.
The high priest watched as the deity’s little belly shrank significantly but said nothing. The two arrived at the edge of the altar, where many people were already seated, waiting for the high priest and the deity to arrive before starting the meal.
Seeing the two of them approaching, the Xia Wang tribe members immediately brought over the prepared food on leaves. Shu Bao looked down and saw a rabbit leg and a piece of beef. The mouse was very happy and called everyone to start eating, “It’s so late, the high priest must be quite hungry. Let’s all eat.”
The high priest once again took the blame: “…” Don’t think that this will make everyone believe that the growling sound came from me.
But as soon as the deity finished speaking, everyone’s gaze naturally turned to the high priest. At the same time, the mouse’s small belly cooperated with a rumbling sound. The Xia Wang tribe members immediately showed a knowing expression, all expressing that the high priest had worked hard.
The pleasant tribal dinner continued in this way. But as the dinner was nearing its end, someone suddenly fainted on the spot. After a brief exclamation, everyone seemed to take it in stride, moving the person back to the tent, and then the high priest went to perform treatment and blessings.
Outside the tent, the Xia Wang tribe members all had serious expressions because such fainting usually meant something very dangerous. Everyone gathered outside the tent, sighing and then starting to discuss in low voices.
“The Sishe tribe went too far this time! Not only did they steal our prey, but they also injured Vidor!”
“Their tribe’s deity is too powerful.”
“What are we afraid of? Our tribe now has a deity too!”
“Keep your voice down. Be careful that the high priest and the deity inside hear you.”
…
Inside the tent, Shu Bao, who was helping to carry herbs, kept twitching his small ears, capturing the low discussions outside. Seeing that the high priest had almost finished, Shu Bao curiously asked, “What kind of tribe is the Sishe tribe?” Just hearing the name sounds like a big villain!
“That is a tribe living to our east. Their deity is a very large black python. Their tribe has had a deity for a long time and is the most powerful among the surrounding tribes. Therefore, they often plunder other tribes’ prey and resources, and sometimes even actively attack other tribes.”
As the high priest narrated, Shu Bao gradually understood that in this world, not all tribes have deities. Those tribes without deities are considered forsaken by the gods, making survival very difficult, and oppression is a common occurrence.
Tribes with deities also vary in strength depending on the abilities of their deities. The deities worshipped by tribes are mostly various animals. Before Shu Bao’s arrival, the Xia Wang tribe was considered a forsaken tribe. This is why, not long ago, the high priest looked at Shu Bao with such determined eyes. As he said, Shu Bao is their deity, their hope, and the meaning of their future existence.
Looking at the unconscious Vidor, Shu Bao couldn’t help but clench his small paws. He would protect this tribe and the lovely people within it. Of course, he would also protect the cute and delicious rabbits, as well as the plump and lean cattle from being stolen! Snakes, indeed, are very annoying.
Not long ago, Lan Qing, who had just crash-landed in the wild, sneezed heavily and rubbed his nose with the tip of his tail, thinking that his furry friend must be missing him! He must get to his friend as soon as possible!
Moonlit: I wonder how long will it take till Lan Qing finds Shu Bao.
