Chapter 85 The Dry Season Ends

Chapter 85 The Dry Season Ends

After disposing of Mao Yue's body, Wen Ran, Mao Ke, and others approached Brownchain. Behind them, a group of male beastmen, quivers on their backs and bows in hand, aimed arrows at the captured Snakemen, their eyes filled with disgust and vigilance.

Brownchain was bound tightly with beast tendons. The distinctive scales on the Snakeman's forehead and temples shimmered faintly in the moonlight. Mao Ke stood before him, his sharp gaze piercing through him to the temporary cave den where the Snakemen had taken shelter. He spoke grimly, "Evil Snakemen, what exactly are you plotting? Speak up! If you refuse, you'll face the consequences!"

As Mao Ke finished speaking, Mao Shi's fire-tipped arrow whistled through the air with a sharp whoosh, embedding itself in the sand just before Brownchain's tail. The arrow's shaft quivered menacingly, causing Brownchain's snake tail to tremble in fear.

The howling night winds grew louder, yet Brownchain could only hear the pounding of his own heart, so loud it seemed to ache his ears. He was certain that if he did not speak the truth, these Sand Cat Tribe beastmen would not hesitate to kill him on the spot.

Recalling the humiliation he had suffered in his own tribe and now having defected from the Iridescent Snake Tribe, Brownchain realized he faced death either way. With a pale face, he let out a few hollow laughs and said, "I'll talk if you promise not to kill me! If not, I'd rather die than speak!"

Mao Ke replied, "Fine, we won't kill you! But you must swear to the Beast God that you will never set foot in Sand Cat Tribe territory again. If we catch you breaking this oath, we will hunt you down and finish you off!"

Brownchain nodded eagerly and said, "I agree! I swear to the Beast God that if I, Brownchain, survive this, I will never step into Sand Cat Tribe territory again!" Silently, he added to himself that he would be more than happy to never return to this desolate, godforsaken place.

"Now speak! What is your tribe planning against us?"

"Our chieftain originally planned to destroy the Zebra Tribe and then your Sand Cat Tribe. But that old fool Ban Yan of the Zebra Tribe led his people into hiding in the underground lake caverns. Those caverns have thousands of passages, and Ban Yan is as slippery as a Fish Beast—impossible to catch. After several days of searching the caves, our water and meat supplies were nearly depleted. Then the chieftain heard from Mao Yue that your Sand Cat Tribe had water, food, and even the Beast God's Messenger Wen Ran. So, he decided to come for you."

Hearing this, Wen Ran breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed Ban Yun's tribe had not been completely wiped out; some had survived. He hoped the little zebra would be lucky enough to cross the barren desert and return to the Zebra Tribe's underground lake caverns.

Mao Shi narrowed his eyes, muttering to himself in puzzlement, "That doesn't add up. Judging by the weather, the dry season should be ending soon. The temperature has noticeably dropped these past few days. There's no reason for them to keep fighting us unless we have something they want."

Mao Bu stepped forward and kicked the Snakeman harshly. "What else? Speak now, or we'll shoot you dead!"

Brownchain flinched and begged, "Don't kill me, don't kill me! It's just that my status in the tribe is too low. I don't know the specifics. I only vaguely overheard our chieftain and the shaman's apprentice Bikui mention that our shaman is searching for something related to the Beast God. As for what it is exactly, no one knows—not even the shaman or the chieftain. They only know it's connected to the Beast God!"

"So, according to you, the Iridescent Snake Tribe's attacks on other tribes aren't just due to the dry season's lack of food and water, but also because of this thing related to the Beast God?" Wen Ran asked.

Brownchain glanced at Wen Ran, shaking his head then nodding. "Yes and no. This year's dry season has been exceptionally long. Our snake marshlands are indeed short on food and water. Attacking other tribes is not only about finding the Beast God-related item but also about seizing resources."

"The chieftain and shaman heard that the Zebra Tribe's Shaman Ban Feng and Chieftain Ban Yan are wise, gentle, and kind to beastmen, favored by the Beast God. They thought the Beast God might have placed that item with them, but the Zebra Tribe knew nothing about it."

"Already frustrated by not finding the item and the Zebra Tribe's escape, the chieftain was furious. Then he heard from your tribe's Mao Yue that two powerful foreign beastmen had arrived in your Sand Cat Tribe—a Beast God's Messenger named Wen Ran and a strong black wolf beastman named Lang Zhi. So, the chieftain decided to attack your tribe."

At the mention of Mao Yue, the Sand Cat Tribe beastmen cursed under their breaths once more.

Hu Xiu Shaman remarked curiously, "According to the tribal distribution on the Beast World continent, our tribe is in the northwest, bordering the Zebra Tribe and the Merfolk Tribe. The Zebra Tribe is adjacent to Black Wolf City and Ten Thousand Forms City. For the Iridescent Snake Tribe to reach the Zebra Tribe, they would have to cross Black Wolf Tribe territory. To reach our Sand Cat Tribe, they would need to pass through both Black Wolf City and the Zebra Tribe."

"Given the Black Wolf Tribe's nature, they wouldn't allow the Snakemen to waltz through their territory so boldly—it would be a direct insult. Could something have happened to Black Wolf City, the third-largest city in the Beast World?"

Could Black Wolf City be Big Black Wolf's tribe?

Wen Ran glanced at the quietly standing Big Black Wolf beside him. Lang Zhi's beast form was also a black wolf—it was indeed possible. Lang Zhi had always wanted to uncover why he appeared in the Sand Cat Tribe. When they had time, they would need to investigate Black Wolf City.

Mao Ke waved his hand, and Mao Shi and Mao Bu led Brownchain away. Mao Ke asked, "Wen Ran, are we really letting him go?"

Wen Ran took a bite of a desert date and said, "Let him go. We won't get anything more out of him."

Mao Ke nodded. "Alright then." He summoned Mao Shi and Mao Bu to escort Brownchain to the outskirts of Sand Cat territory. Whether he could escape the Iridescent Snake Tribe was his own problem.

The night passed, and the scorching dry season vanished in an instant. The temperature dropped sharply, and the air grew crisp and cool, reminiscent of an early autumn day in ancient Earth's northeast.

Wen Ran woke up feeling the slight chill in the cave den—it was pleasantly cool, no need for air conditioning. He turned off the AC, opened the iron door, and stepped from the dry season directly into autumn. The change was astonishingly fast. The lush green tree at the cave entrance yesterday now had leaves tinged with yellow, a few scattered on the sandy ground. The sky seemed bluer and higher, bringing a sense of peace and comfort just by looking at it.

The beastmen keenly sensed the change and emerged from their dens, cheering that the dry season had passed. They embraced each other, joy evident on every face.

The cubs from the cub den ran out to play under the sun, while the elderly beastmen sat at their cave entrances, savoring the cool air. They held out their hands, watching the yellow sand drift through their fingers, murmuring about surviving another dry season and reflecting on the passage of time.

Mao Zhi spotted Wen Ran strolling through the tribal plaza and bounded over excitedly, linking arms with him. "Wen Ran, Wen Ran, look! The dry season is over! This is the first time we've made it through a dry season on our own! And it was so safe, comfortable, and abundant with food and water! Wen Ran, you're amazing!"

"Yes, all thanks to Sage Wen Ran!"

"Thank you, Beast God's Messenger Wen Ran! Thank you, Sage Wen Ran!"

"The wolf beastman is also incredible—he can shoot five arrows at once and held off the beast horde, providing our tribe with plenty of meat! Thank you, wolf beastman Lang Zhi!"

"That's right! Thank you, Lang Zhi!"

"Thank you, Wen Ran! Thank you, Lang Zhi!"

......

Thanks poured in from all directions, the beastmen's eyes filled with admiration and gratitude for Wen Ran and Lang Zhi.

Amid the chorus of gratitude, Mao Ke stepped forward. With a solemn expression, he bowed deeply to Wen Ran, who stood at the center of the tribal plaza. His voice was strong and full of faith as he said, "Thank you, Beast God's Messenger Wen Ran, for leading us to dig water cellars and store water during the harsh dry season, for making dried fish and lard-preserved meat. Thank you for guiding us to find the baobab trees when water was scarce, discovering the water source within, and giving the Sand Cat Tribe beastmen hope to survive! During the beast tide, you taught us how to shoot arrows, led us in hunting the horde, and secured ample meat, ensuring we safely endured the entire dry season! All beastmen of the Sand Cat Tribe are grateful to you and to the Beast God for sending you to save our tribe!"

Everyone gazed at Wen Ran standing at the plaza's center, the sunlight casting a holy glow upon him, as if the Beast God had descended. His face was serene and warm, his eyes firm yet gentle, radiating a comforting and empowering presence.

Just seeing Wen Ran, just having him there, made them feel secure and filled with boundless hope for the future. He was their pillar of strength!

The beastmen lowered their heads, kneeling on the ground, crossing their hands over their chests in the most devout gesture of gratitude. In unison, they chanted, "Thank you, Beast God's Messenger Wen Ran!"

Their voices echoed powerfully throughout the tribe, lingering in the air.

Wen Ran accepted their homage and said gently, "This is the result of everyone's hard work. We will face many challenges ahead, but I believe that as long as we hold onto hope, our future will only get better!"

The atmosphere was energized, every beastman brimming with dreams and confidence for the future. Wen Ran announced, "Before the dry season, we proved that farming is feasible. After driving back the Iridescent Snake Tribe, we must focus on planting in early autumn. I will distribute seeds to you in advance, aiming to harvest before the snow season arrives."

The beastmen thought of the sweet, juicy watermelons, the soft potatoes, and the crisp white radishes, swallowing their saliva eagerly. They raised their hands and cheered, "Let's farm! Let's farm!"

Wen Ran recalled the system's ultimate goal for bringing him here: to transform the Beast World's living conditions through farming, with the aim of "ensuring the Beast World's people are well-fed, clothed, and able to survive." He would lead the Beast World's people in agricultural development, ultimately advancing on the path of "building high walls, storing ample grain, and delaying death."

He smiled at the crowd and said, "From now on, our motto will be: Build high walls, store ample grain, delay death! We will work hard at farming to achieve the ultimate goal of being well-fed and clothed as soon as possible!"

"Build high walls, store ample grain, delay death!"

"Build high walls, store ample grain, delay death!"

"Build high walls, store ample grain, delay death!"

......

Listening to the beastmen's cheers, Wen Ran smiled contentedly. Perhaps this was the meaning of his arrival here.