Chapter 3, The Carpenter

In the north, there are no city-states where people gather as in the south; instead, they are usually scattered tribes distributed throughout the jungle or on the grasslands. To make a living in such places, one must adhere to the laws of the jungle—survival of the fittest and natural selection

Chang'an whispered: "Ayan, here you go."

On the other side of the forest is the training ground for young hunters and warriors. Chang'an always enjoys sneaking into the bushes to watch secretly. The adults there are all aware of it, but they do not mind, as he never causes any trouble, so they let him be.

Chang'an quickly shook his head and softly spoke: "Zheyan is not a worthless person; he treats me very well"

Listening to the woman who was weaving a basket with the vines she had gathered that day, it was said that Zheyan was shouting at that little fellow

Chang'an turned away as if it were a common occurrence, carrying her small backpack to the riverbank, where she sat down and dipped her bare little feet into the water.

However, rough work cannot be done now, and he has not learned any skills— even if it were possible, those intricate tasks cannot be accomplished by one hand alone

But the woman did not hear the boy's cries, not a single sound.

Upon hearing the aphorism, one's eyes lit up

"Chang'an, Chang'an, come here quickly!" A passing woman saw him and waved her hand with a look of joy.

Ayan took the flowers, somewhat surprised: "Are they for me?"

Only occasionally, when someone takes pity on him and secretly brings him food from home, does the little boy look deeply at the person with his uniquely clear and bright black eyes, as if he wants to remember them in his heart, and then bows to express his gratitude

Chang'an neither nodded nor shook its head, remaining silent.

Chang'an silently watched Lu Ke

Chang'an took it and opened it, revealing three pieces of sugar cubes the size of fingernails, smooth and semi-transparent

Ayan looked at his smiling face—this child's eyes are beautiful, but the way he looks at people always seems a bit cold. Only when he smiles does a hint of pink appear at the corners of his eyes, like the peach blossom petals flying in spring. Ayan sighed as she touched his hair: "Chang'an is more handsome than the children depicted in the books of the tribe; if only he were my child..."

Moreover, after two or three years, the patriarch gradually lost interest in Zheyan, and from that time on, the "guests" at home became irregular

"What do you call me? If I hear it again, I will smash your mouth! Who is your father? Only the bravest warrior in the tribe is your father! The great elder personally gave you your name with his bone tablet before he passed away. Look at what you are doing!" The one-armed man shouted at that moment, "How can you... how can you call someone like me your father? You are degrading yourself; do you still have any shame?"

The room was filled with heavy gasps and sticky moans, and Chang'an did not quite understand what Zheyan was doing; he only vaguely sensed from others' disdainful attitudes that this was something undesirable

Perhaps the wise words, under the pressure of a tumultuous and difficult life, have become somewhat hysterical; perhaps he simply feels unworthy of having such a child call him father. Yet, how could such a complex matter be understood by such a small being?

Since he became aware of his surroundings, every time there were "guests" at home, Chang'an would be driven out by Zheyan. Gradually, the child also understood that this seemed to be their only source of livelihood

The man furrowed his brow and scrutinized the little fellow: "Are you crazy? This is way too small... Is he even four years old?"

Ayan gently grasped his alarmingly thin little hand and said softly: "Chang'an eats, I have already eaten"

Chang'an nodded slightly

The saying captures the moment when Lu Ke's sleeve is grasped: "I cannot teach him anything, please take him in, this child can do anything, he doesn't eat much... please."

After a man has released his desires, his heart tends to soften a bit. Lu Ke hesitated for a moment, but ultimately agreed: "He can come and give it a try tomorrow, it's not impossible. However, if he cannot endure hardship, I will still return him to you."

At first, when others saw Chang'an, they would always say a few words like, "Will this child survive?" As Chang'an grew a little more aware, hearing such remarks frequently made even him start to doubt himself. However, later on, no one said such things anymore, because one time, Zheyan heard it and, like a mad wild dog, fought for his life with others.

He truly does not seem like the kind of child who can live healthily. Not to mention the orcs, even the half-orc children are larger than him, and even the girls appear to be considerably sturdier. It is unclear what illness he has, but the small wooden cabin he resides in is filled with a strong herbal scent every day, and he coughs much more than he speaks.

The philosopher is missing an arm, yet he remains a handsome man with clear features

Ayan whispered to him: "Take it and eat, but don't let others see."

Lu Ke rudely touched the top of Chang'an, then reached into his bosom: "Today's ... ... "

Luo Ke scrutinized Chang'an and said, "Is he really six years old? But he looks too small—there are so many herbs in the room, does he have some kind of illness?"

He always explains to others that Chang'an is not his biological child, as if he fears that others might forget this point

"How did this happen?" Her expression darkened as she suddenly stood up, looking angrily at the wooden house not far away. "That scoundrel... he actually hit you?"

Ayan excels at extracting sugar from sprouted wheat used for making steamed buns, and no one possesses her skill. The sugar she refines is both crystal clear and sweet. If she lived in the south, her life might be a bit better. In the desolate and war-torn north, sprouted wheat is an important staple, and only a very few families can afford to spare some to make sugar for children and women.

She had no choice but to do heavy and laborious work for others in addition to sugar production

When Chang'an was three or four years old, he often heard other children call the adult man in their home "father," which made him very envious, so he also learned to call him that.

He picked up his small basket, opened the lid, and took out a bunch of flowers. The flowers grew in clusters, resembling little bells. Even when picked, they could remain fresh for ten days to half a month, exuding a subtle and tranquil fragrance, known as "Cai Ling Hua". Women loved to hang them in their homes as decoration, but they were quite rare, only found deep in the forest, a place accessible only to hunters.

Don't you like it? The child seems a bit nervous

However, this tribe called "Vulture" is truly inferior to the original one of Zheyan. The resources are not very abundant, and the chieftain already has three wives, leaving no capacity to bring home another sub-beast that cannot reproduce.

No, no," Zheyan pushed his hand back, revealing a smile full of meaning, "I don't need anything, I like you, and I am willing.

Certainly, if one lacks both skills and combat abilities, a beastman can usually exchange labor for food, even if the income is meager, it can at least sustain a life of poverty

Chang'an watched as Zheyan enthusiastically sent Lu Ke off, then returned to him, chattering on: "The best path for a beastman is to become a craftsman; one can live in any tribe for a lifetime. Do you understand what I mean? You must learn well from Lu Ke; it's not easy to get close to him..."

She seemed to have more to say, but at that moment, the wooden door of the philosopher opened, and a man walked out from inside. The philosopher, draped in his robe, followed him out. They whispered something to each other, and suddenly, the philosopher's face lit up with joy as he called out from a distance: "Chang'an, come here quickly!"

Rather than endure such undignified days, she would prefer to struggle through life on her own.

Chang'an cherished the candy as he placed it in his mouth, after all, he was a child, and having tasted something sweet, he couldn't help but reveal a smile

The woman spoke out about this matter, expressing great sympathy for the child

Chang'an ran over with a small backpack, and Zheyan pulled him over, warmly pushing him towards the man beside them: "This is Chang'an, the child I told you about."

Yet he managed to survive like this, and it seems he has grown into a grateful and dutiful child

He was brought to the tribe by a beastman named Zheyan when he was just over one year old. The two of them, one large and one small, had been wandering for more than a year before they finally found a tribe willing to accept them

Ayan was momentarily stunned, sighed, and reached out to gently rub the child's tender little face: "Did we not say that you cannot go into the woods alone? What if you encounter a wild beast?"

Chang'an whispered, "I want to learn the sword."

He is over six years old. Zheyan smiled and bent down to Chang'an, saying, "This is Lu Ke, a renowned carpenter. He will be your master from now on, and you will become a respected craftsman like him in the future"

Chang'an picked up her straw sandals and ran over with a patter. Ayan carefully glanced around and, finding no one, crouched down halfway, placing a heavy basket of raw hides behind her—winter was approaching, and she needed to help the matriarchs take care of these hides—then she reached into her bosom, took out a small paper package, and handed it to Chang'an: "Take this."

A person who is of no use cannot gain the recognition of others

No one has ever seen him cry, nor does he play with other children. He wanders off all day long, not knowing where he goes, and returns mysteriously at mealtime. He is not fond of speaking; when others kindly pat his head to tease him, he stands there silently, not smiling, quietly enduring the other's touch, waiting for them to finish speaking, then either nodding or shaking his head before leaving

Young children generally have abundant blood and their cheeks and lips are usually much redder than those of adults, but this child is truly unhealthy, as it is always difficult to discern any color in his complexion. The color of his lips is also pale, and on his entire face, there is only a line where the lips meet and a slight precious flush at the corners of his eyes.

A wise saying goes that if one's health is poor, it matters not if one loses an arm; even if one were to grow an additional arm, it would still be difficult to venture out and hunt like others' fathers. Sub-beast men are inherently lacking in combat prowess, which is why many sub-beasts, upon reaching adulthood, typically become artisans of some sort. Sometimes, these skills can earn them the respect of others

"It is very beautiful," Ayan said, "I like it very much."

Her gaze unintentionally fell upon Chang'an's neck, and suddenly her expression changed. She pulled aside the child's coarse cloth garment, revealing a mark beneath the fabric that resembled a bloodstain, as if something had been drawn out.

The woman named Ayan lives nearby. Her husband died during a hunting trip, and she has no children, living alone as a widow. Generally speaking, it is difficult for women in northern tribes to survive after their husbands die; they often remarry. However, there are exceptions—like Ayan, for whom no one is willing to marry. This is not because she is unattractive, but because everyone knows she cannot bear children. Generally speaking, it is difficult for women in northern tribes to survive after their husbands die; they often remarry. However, there are exceptions—like Ayan, for whom no one is willing to marry. This is not because she is unattractive, but because everyone knows she cannot bear children

These are the remnants from when she helped others make sugar; she did not dare to take more, fearing that others would notice. Chang'an pinched a piece, stood on tiptoe, and held the sugar cube to her mouth

On his way home, he saw several long blades of grass stuck in the door of the wooden house. Chang'an paused for a moment and stopped—he knew this was Zheyan's way of telling him to leave.

The answer to a philosophical question is a slap.

Even after he went out later, he had to endure a swollen face for more than ten days

No, no, he is very healthy, he just developed a bit later than other children!" Zheyan quickly denied, "The herbs in the room are what I drank, really! You have to believe me, if you find him troublesome, just let him come back by himself every night, I will take care of him. Chang'an is very smart, he won't forget a path he has walked once, right? Speak up quickly!

When Chang'an stumbled and grew to over six years old, everyone felt that it was a miracle

Certainly, if one wishes to survive, there is another method, which is to attach oneself to a powerful individual, such as by selling one's body

Zheyan has truly become a complete failure

A woman who cannot bear children cannot rightfully be a man's wife. If she is willing, she may perhaps exchange herself for the compassion of others, much like a proverb; of course, when she will be discarded is uncertain.

However, the wise words immersed in his own joy did not hear at all, as he was busy envisioning the future—this child is his treasure, once the entire support for his survival, so he must have a bright future, and he must be stronger than anyone else

Chang'an is indeed a very peculiar child

"Go watch the training," Chang'an replied

The reason why Zheyan and Chang'an can remain in this small tribe is simply due to the words of the chieftain... and just one night