Section 4, with heavy casualties

... ...

For some unknown reason, Fusong suddenly recalled the crude house built of thick round logs in the center of the village. It served as a storage warehouse for the tribe's hunted game. The space inside the house was vast, and if arranged properly, it could hold several hundred wild buffalo. However, on the crude wooden racks meant for the game, only a few dried snow frogs, dozens of large loaches that had turned black on the surface, and two frozen wild roe deer were haphazardly hanging.

The meat soup in the pot has already come to a boil. Tian Shuang jogged over and ladled out a bowl with a wooden spoon. Although the meat was not yet tender, the soup was ready to drink. She felt that her injured elder brother Tian Feng needed a warm bowl of meat soup more than the medicine sent by the high priest

Although Panshizhai is not far from the ocean, it is difficult to obtain salt due to the climate and the surrounding terrain. Every household in the village uses the same seasoning, and regardless of the ingredients being stewed, a little seawater is always added.

The aged shaman hesitated, remaining silent for a long time.

Although Fusong is the leader, he has not received the grant from the clan leader and cannot possess a surname

... ... Ah Di. ... ... We encountered the violent bear. Those guys are quite large, and there are several of them. Ah Sheng and the others were killed on the spot, their heads even smashed. I was slapped, and if it weren't for Uncle Yonggang fighting to protect me ... ... I probably wouldn't have made it back.

The roar was loud, startling the tearful Tianshuang and awakening the unconscious Tianfeng, who let out a painful moan

He shook his head helplessly and sighed: "... Tomorrow, let's take a few women and head south for a trip..."

Leader ... ... what should we do

A feeling of surprise arose in his mind. Filled with doubt, Tianhao stood up and walked over. When he opened the door, he saw the old priest Wu Xing and his eldest son Wu Qie standing outside.

Alternatively, they may share food with each other by drawing lots until the weather warms and the snow melts next year

The loss is significant

As he watched Tian Shuang push the door open, the cold air that rushed in made Tian Kuang draw even closer to the fire pit. He glanced at his younger brother Tian Hao, who was sitting in front of the stretcher, frowned, and asked in a low voice, "Is there anything to eat at home?"

Both parents are dead. Their skulls are impaled on wooden stakes outside the door. The hunting team has just returned, and the eldest brother Tianfeng, who is also a "Ten-Man Leader," has been severely injured again. With so many eyes watching in the stockade, Tianshuang is very safe. Even if Pingjun wanted to harm her, he would not foolishly choose this moment to do so

The meat of a cow is more than that of a person. It is indeed a worthwhile trade just to satisfy hunger

"It's very warm... ... Once we get home, it will be much better." The twenty-year-old Tianfeng comforted his younger brother, possessing a maturity far beyond his actual age

If this pot of meat soup can bring my elder brother back to life and heal his injuries, then even if I starve to death, it would still be worth it, as strong as the giant Tian Kuang may be.

Tianfeng found it very difficult to speak and could only weakly nod slightly

Fusong's eyes were filled with bitterness and helplessness. He approached the stretcher surrounded by the crowd and shouted orders: "Quick, make way, carry Tianfeng and Xuping into the room, they need to rest"

The hunting team did not bring back much, and there is only a small amount of provisions in the warehouse. Mixed with some grass roots and tree bark, it can barely sustain them for a while. If there are no further gains in the next few days, the entire clan will be left to starve to death.

When the sentinel issued the first shout from the entrance of the village, Tian Hao left the wooden house at the fastest speed. He did not attract anyone's attention and silently witnessed everything, clearly hearing every word of the conversation between the hunting team leader Yong Gang, the chief Fu Song, and the priest Wu Xing.

This winter has arrived particularly early. The sudden heavy snowfall has transformed the entire world into a pristine white, while also completely extinguishing people's hopes for survival

Tian Hao walked over to Tian Shuang's side; rather than being calm, it was more accurate to say he was devoid of emotion: "Go, find Ping Jun and get back our share of the meat for today"

Looking at Tian Hao, the old priest's expression darkened, and he did not conceal the disdain evident in his eyes. He remained silent and walked directly past Tian Hao, heading straight to the stretcher.

According to the standards of civilization, the towering figure of Tian Kuang, standing at 2.3 meters, is indeed a giant. Unlike other hunters who donned thick leather robes, he wore only a thin short-sleeved leather vest. His sun-kissed skin was taut, and his arms were adorned with muscles as hard as steel. Although his physical condition was formidable, it could not withstand the cold. Upon entering the room and setting down the stretcher, he immediately rushed to sit by the fire pit, stretching out his trembling arms, his face gradually relaxing into a comfortable expression as he savored the long-awaited warmth.

Only those who have truly experienced hunger can understand the torment of such suffering Even the strong Tian Kuang has a pale face, as he keeps sniffing hard, as if the aromas in the air are substantial enough to fill his empty stomach Watching his younger sister carefully bring the meat soup to their elder brother, feeding him with a wooden spoon, Tian Kuang feels his stomach growling yet must resist the temptation, continuously swallowing his saliva

What should be done with the books next year

"Just wait! It will come." Tian Hao lowered his head to gaze at his host, the elder brother Tian Feng, whom he had parasitized.

Winter has just begun, and one must rely on cannibalism to survive. This is certainly not a good omen

Not only in the Rock Fortress, but throughout all the tribes of the northern barbarians, all the shamans bear the surname "Wu," and their status is comparable to that of nobility, significantly higher than that of ordinary tribesmen who do not have a surname

The burly Tian Kuang knelt on the ground, his eyes filled with reverence, and bowed deeply, his face a mixture of excitement and indescribable hope: "High Priest, please help my elder brother, I implore you to save him."

There was a knock at the door from outside

Following his guidance, the leader of the Panshi Zhai, Fu Song, focused his gaze on the spot where the hunting team had laid down their prey—several frozen corpses piled haphazardly. The lifeless faces, frozen solid and covered in frost, were all familiar to him. Next to the bodies, there were also a dozen or so snow chickens and wild rabbits strung together with ropes.

This is the only food remaining for the entire family of more than 200 people

He was constantly moaning, his dislocated arm completely twisted, the skin and muscle at the wound site a dark purple, having long lost their natural softness. This pain was unbearable, especially the tearing and twisting. However, when he saw Tianhao, a hint of an extremely forced smile appeared in Tianfeng's pained eyes.

Behind the mountain ridge to the south, there is a large village with a population of nearly 1,000, most of whom are men. They are robust and strong, and their demand for women is somewhat greater. During ordinary times, a woman there can be exchanged for a wild buffalo or several wild goats

A voice, clearly subdued and tinged with a sense of loss and pessimism, slowly emerged from behind him

Thinking of this, the nearly seventy-year-old Wu Xing couldn't help but shiver. On his withered and shriveled cheeks, the atrophied muscles were also twitching slightly. If they truly had to survive the winter in this manner, by next spring, the number of people who could survive in the clan would probably be less than one-tenth or one-twelfth.

Just as he had relaxed, the loud cries disturbed his peace of mind. He suddenly turned away from the fire pit and let out a deafening roar: "Do not cry! If you cry again, I will throw you out!"

Without looking back, Fusong also knew that it was the elder Wuxing, who was in charge of the shamanic rituals in the clan

It was originally thought that, with the roads closed by snow, the hunting party would be able to bring back enough game from the mountains. Now, however, it has cost the lives of as many as twelve hunters.

The shaman held a bowl of dark liquid in his hand, which looked like medicinal soup. He placed the bowl on the floor near the head of Tianfeng, with a hint of pity and helplessness, and sighed: "Drink this, it will make you feel a bit better"

He walked over and, together with Second Brother Tiankuang, lifted the stretcher from the ground, bringing the injured Elder Brother Tianfeng back to the wooden cabin

The drowsy Tian Shuang stood up from the pile of animal skins, stumbling as he walked over. Upon seeing Tian Feng, who was in a state of unconsciousness, a hint of fear flashed in his eyes. He bent his knees and knelt beside the stretcher, crying out, "Big brother, what happened to you?"

He is not unaware of the meaning behind Chief Fusong's words. However, this winter, the prey is scarce, and even though the southern clans are numerous and powerful, in the severe cold, it is likely that they will not have much in reserve. At that time, he fears that trading people for goods will not succeed, and they may even lose their own women to the other side.

The aged shaman gazed at the barely breathing Tianfeng for a moment, then stood up and silently turned to walk towards the door.

Tian Hao stood still in that position without moving. When Wu Xing and his son left, he once again saw the eyes of the old priest. In addition to disgust, those eyes also held deep disappointment

Tian Shuang brought back a small piece of meat. She washed it with melted snow water, then placed it over the fire to lightly roast, burning off the surface hair, and put it into a wide-mouthed pot that had been blackened by smoke, adding water to simmer it.

Tian Kuang heard someone speaking and quickly turned around from in front of the fire pit, kneeling beside Tian Feng with great concern: "Elder brother, do you feel any better?"

Tian Hao sat down in front of the stretcher, quietly gazing at Tian Feng's face, which was contorted in pain. A glimmer of contemplation flickered faintly in the depths of his pupils, his lips pressed tightly together, remaining silent

The act of "knocking on the door" ... Searching the host's memory, in the entire Rock Fortress, probably only the priest adheres to such rituals.

His fur robe was draped over Tianfeng. If it were not for this, the severely injured and immobile Tianfeng would have long since frozen to death.

However, what else can be done if we do not change it

The hunting captain Yonggang is already over forty years old, with a face covered in coarse stubble, his skin a dull gray and quite rough. He pushed through the noisy crowd and strode up to the leader Fusong, exhaling a long breath that was clouded with white mist, his voice filled with fatigue and gloom: "This trip did not go well; we encountered a ferocious bear and lost twelve men, with Tianfeng and Xuping severely injured. We did not manage to bring back any prey... The ferocious bears this season are simply too strong; we were unable to bring back all the bodies." His voice was filled with fatigue and gloom: "This trip did not go well; we encountered a ferocious bear and lost twelve men, with Tianfeng and Xuping severely injured. We did not manage to bring back any prey... The ferocious bears this season are simply too strong; we were unable to bring back all the bodies."

Tian Kuang and Tian Shuang knelt respectfully in greeting. The priest is the most esteemed person in the village, even surpassing the leader Fu Song. Those who can communicate with the divine are shrouded in mystery and must be revered