Chapter 33

Chapter 33

"Those who didn't get enough sleep last night must rest today, understood?" Feng Yan said pointedly, glancing towards Yuan Tu and his group.

Beastmen aren't made of iron; working intensely every day without rest makes them susceptible to illness. Sickness is a troublesome affair, and every beastman should be well aware of that.

"Understood!" Yuan Tu shouted the loudest. He knew he had coaxed several beastmen into chopping wood with him last night and promised not to do it again today.

The crowd gradually dispersed, leaving the Big Tiger brothers to keep watch. Besides ensuring the kiln didn't collapse or crack, they also had to prevent wild beasts from approaching and trampling it, or all their hard work from the day would be for naught.

In the darkness, San Hu stretched his hands over the fire basin, savoring the persistent warmth. He gently clenched his palm and noticed that the previously swollen, painful areas were almost healed.

"Brother, look," San Hu pointed to the web of his thumb. "Brother Ye Cong said my frostbite is nearly gone."

Big Tiger and Second Tiger leaned in for a closer look, exchanged glances, their eyes filled with gratitude and contentment.

"It really is almost healed."

Their youngest brother was most susceptible to cold; every cold season, he would develop severe frostbite. But in the past, they had no remedies—for a long time, they were in a state where "having food and clothes was good enough." Where could they find sufficiently warm fur clothing?

But now, they had charcoal, fur clothing sewn by the Subbeastmen in the tribe, and even their younger brother’s frostbite was almost healed.

San Hu: "Uncle Shuyi and the others are still sewing new fur clothing. Hehe, it's sure to be very warm."

Second Tiger patted San Hu’s head: "Talk less—do you enjoy swallowing cold air?"

These past few days, the Subbeastmen had been busy making clothes in the cave.

The chief’s family contributed many monster hides, and most of the usable hides from recently hunted beasts were also preserved.

At night, Xue Tuan, with Tao Tu perched on his head, and the little black lion passed through the fence and walked toward the Subbeastmen’s area.

Perhaps due to its nature, while charcoal could dispel the cold, its faint glow couldn't fully illuminate the space. They still relied on torches on the walls for light, but these couldn't be placed too close, as the smoke would sting their eyes.

Shuyi squinted, using the firelight to thread the bone needle in his fingertips. The sinew thread passed through the hide, sometimes pulled taut, knotted, his movements fluid.

However, Shuyi had to rub his eyes from time to time to see more clearly.

Xue Tuan saw Qing Miao and Qing Guo were also there, so he trotted over and affectionately ruffled the little sun bear cub: "Hi~ Little Qing Guo."

Little Qing Guo was still in beast form, but he was no longer shy around strangers and was remarkably good at remembering people and names: "Xue Tuan, brother~"

Xue Tuan was so delighted to be called "brother" that his eyes curved into crescents—such opportunities were rare.

"Let me see if you’ve grown," Xue Tuan said, hugging the sun bear cub and secretly trying to lift him.

Xue Tuan always tried to hug Qing Guo whenever he saw him, testing his own strength, believing that one day he would be able to lift him.

"Not bad, not bad," Xue Tuan let go, smoothing the little sun bear’s fur while comforting himself: It’s okay, it’s normal if I can’t lift him.

After the friendly interaction with the furry cub, Xue Tuan turned to find his father.

Rong Shan was sewing fur clothing by the faint light. Xue Tuan watched for a while before walking over and leaning against Rong Shan, saying softly, "Dad, can we make fur clothing during the day instead?"

Working for long hours at night with insufficient light worried him about the Subbeastmen’s eyes.

Rong Shan picked Xue Tuan up and kissed him: "I'm not tired, son." Xue Tuan had heard the adults say this several times already.

Xue Tuan curled up in his father’s arms, thinking they should hurry up and make oil lamps or candles.

The little black lion glanced at the sluggish Little Dumpling, lying quietly beside him to keep him company.

Xue Tuan lingered in Rong Shan’s arms for a while longer before slipping down and heading out with the little black lion to find Elder Grandpa.

As soon as they left the cave entrance, Qing Miao, who had been helping Shuyi, followed them out.

"Xue Tuan!" Qing Miao called out to the little cub walking ahead.

Qing Miao approached, and Xue Tuan looked up at him: "Brother Qing Miao?" Xue Tuan, being in poor health, was smaller than his peers and his head didn't even reach Qing Miao’s chest.

Qing Miao was slender, but from often carrying his chubby younger brother, he had the strength to lift people.

So he directly picked up Xue Tuan and placed him by the stone fire basin at the cave entrance. Qing Miao didn’t want them talking outside where the little cub might get cold.

Xue Tuan was already used to being lifted into the air from time to time, but being lifted by another cub, not just an adult, made him want to eat two more bowls of rice to grow bigger.

"Earlier, why didn’t you want Uncle Rong to make fur clothing at night?" Qing Miao, who had been near Rong Shan with his father Shuyi, had overheard their conversation.

Before Xue Tuan could answer, Qing Miao continued, "Is it because it’s bad for the eyes at night?"

It wasn’t just today; over many past nights, Qing Miao had often seen his father rub his eyes occasionally while working at night, whereas this happened less during the day.

Xue Tuan was surprised by Qing Miao’s observant nature, realizing Qing Miao had observed this for a long time.

"Yeah," Xue Tuan nodded. Although stronger beastmen had better physical constitutions, he was still worried about his father’s eyes.

Seeing Xue Tuan agree, Qing Miao asked anxiously, "Then what can we do? Does the Beast God have any solution?"

Qing Miao had seen beastmen with injured eyes before and didn’t want his father to lose his sight in the future.

Qing Miao had liked Xue Tuan since their first meeting, and now that Xue Tuan was the Priest’s disciple, he had complete trust in the little cub.

Xue Tuan took Qing Miao’s hand: "Let’s go find Elder Grandpa."

The chief and Priest were already very busy; making oil lamps was a small task they, the cubs, could handle.

The workshop cave.

"Xue Tuan, you’re here!" Seeing their familiar friend at the cave entrance, Sha Hu and Xiao Shu put down their tools and happily came over to greet him.

Recently, Sha Hu and Xiao Shu had been learning crafts from Elder Mushi. Seeing Xue Tuan arrive, Sha Hu quickly seized the chance to join him—he had wanted to rest for a while.

Elder Mushi wasn’t there at the moment, but the other elders and disciples were familiar with these "regular" cubs and paid them no mind.

Seeing Xue Tuan rummaging through a pile of stone materials, Sha Hu offered, "What are you looking for? I’ll help."

Xue Tuan briefly explained his preliminary idea.

Qing Miao was quick-witted too; after hearing Xue Tuan’s explanation and Sha Hu’s question, he immediately suggested the other cubs help make more of these things called "lamps."

The other cubs were somewhat confused at first, but after hearing Qing Miao’s explanation again, they understood that these "lamps" would help their fathers work more comfortably in the cave and immediately exclaimed, "I want to learn! I want to learn!"

Xue Tuan picked out a concave-shaped stone from the materials piled in the corner: "Look for stones like this, bowl-shaped. Short bamboo tubes will work too."

Brother Ye Cong hadn’t returned from his outing today, so no one was there to make small bamboo bowls specially for them. But this was where they made bowls and cups, so there should be some leftovers—they could search for suitable pieces.

Tao Tu jumped from Xue Tuan’s head to his shoulder, then clinging to his fur clothing, climbed down along his arm and leg, returning to the ground and transforming into human form.

"I'll help too." Tao Tu joined them.

So Xue Tuan led the little ones behind him and searched the workshop thoroughly.

If the stones weren't suitable, Xue Tuan had the cubs use the "skills" they'd learned over the past few days to smooth out any excess edges on the stone surfaces and deepen the hollows.

Xue Tuan: "Qing Miao, go get some of the beast fat from today."

The tribe would also render and store excess fat. Before it solidified into paste, it could still be used.

"I'll go right away." Qing Miao immediately ran to the central cave to fetch the rendered fat.

By the time they finished selecting materials and making improvements, Qing Miao had returned.

"That's a lot." Xue Tuan was surprised to see Qing Miao bring back a whole large bowl.

"Tao Tu's father gave me extra when he heard it was for you." Qing Miao replied, out of breath.

He had rushed off without asking how much fat Xue Tuan needed, and Tao Tu's father, without asking, directly filled a big bowl for him.

Xue Tuan used a small spoon to scoop the fat into the hollowed "stone bowls." Then, from his "little pouch of tinder," he pulled out a handful of dried plant fibers.

The cubs imitated Xue Tuan, twisting the flammable fibers into long strands with both hands. These would serve as wicks.

"Watch this." Sha Hu's hands moved back and forth rapidly. Seeing Sha Hu even straining his face with effort, Xue Tuan suspected he was about to generate sparks.

These fibers were easy to shape after twisting. Xue Tuan bent it slightly, dipping one end into the fat at the center of the "stone bowl," leaving the other end standing out, ready to be lit.

Xue Tuan held up the stone bowl lamp: "Just make it like this."

"Okay!" The cubs responded with loud, clear voices.

If they could collect better oil in the future, they could make a more complex lamp.

That kind of lamp had a two-part design, with the key being to leave a hollow interlayer between the two "bowls." The upper layer would hold oil, and the interlayer would be for adding water.

By using water to lower the temperature and reduce oil evaporation, this was the ancient "oil-saving lamp."

After all the cubs finished their "bowl lamps," Xue Tuan took out a fire striker from the little backpack carried by the small black lion.

Xue Tuan opened the lid and handed the fire striker to the small black lion.

The small black lion glanced at the mischievous Xue Tuan, obliged with a strong puff, and sparks leaped out. Xue Tuan immediately used the fire striker to light the oil-soaked wick.

The wick emitted a wisp of white smoke, then a small orange-yellow flame leaped up, gradually growing larger and stabilizing.

If you got close enough and the surroundings were quiet enough, you could even hear the faint sizzling sound of the oil burning.

Xue Tuan went around lighting each little bowl lamp made by the cubs. This small area, under the glow of the "bowl lamps," became warmer and brighter.

Qing Miao watched as this tiny wick could emit such a bright light and could be moved freely. This way, it could be placed closest to his dad, and his eyes wouldn't suffer from the dim light anymore!

"Wonderful!" Qing Miao hugged Xue Tuan and gave him a big kiss. The little cub always brought him surprises.

"Let's make one for Elder Grandpa too." Xue Tuan patted the small black lion. Elder Grandpa also liked working at night; they couldn't leave him out.

"Okay." The small black lion nodded obediently. He knew that no matter what, Little Dumpling would never forget to make one for him too. When would he be able to take human form and join them?

On the other side, Shuyi rubbed his eyes for the umpteenth time. Perhaps from overusing his eyes lately, he was starting to see double vision.

"Take a break." Rong Shan said.

In a daze, Shuyi saw his own cub holding "a ball of fire" appear, and he stood up in fright.

"What's wrong?" Seeing Shuyi stand up, the other Subbeastmen also looked toward the cave entrance.

They saw each cub carefully holding a "bowl lamp," walking toward them.

The firelight reflected in their bright eyes, casting a warm orange glow on each young face.

"This is…?" Shuyi watched the cubs coming against the "sea of light," his eyes suddenly moist.

Without needing much explanation, the Subbeastmen could tell what the "bowl lamps" in the cubs' hands were for.

The Subbeastmen couldn't help but step forward, hugging their cubs tight.

Rong Shan smiled and took the small lamp from Xue Tuan's hand. The flame in the stone bowl flickered gently, like the cubs' joyful mood.

Rong Shan's lips twitched. He looked down at the lamp, his eyes growing slightly moist: "Thank you, Xue Tuan."

He patted the little cub's head, his tone full of obvious happiness and pride: "I love it, son."

"You're amazing!" Shuyi praised the cubs. "You did so well. It lights up the table perfectly!"

The cubs stuck close to their dads, grinning widely as they listened to the praise.

After playing with the cubs for a long time, Rong Shan instructed Xue Tuan: "Father and Dad will be back late tonight. Sweetie, go back and sleep first."

Rong Shan saw his cub starting to get sleepy. Usually, he would already be asleep at this time, but he had stayed up late to make the bowl lamps for them.

"Alright…" Father and Dad had been coming back very late these past few days. Today, his brother, who went with Father, hadn't returned yet, so he had no big furry brother to hug while sleeping.

However, glancing at the small black lion escorting him back to the cave, Xue Tuan had an idea.

So the small black lion, who originally planned to leave after Little Dumpling fell asleep, now didn't move a muscle.

The little cub snuggled up to the small black lion, burying his face in the dense fur. The cub curled up into a ball, tightly gripping the small black lion's fur.

The small black lion didn't move, afraid of waking the little cub, only occasionally flicking his ears slightly.

The small black lion gently adjusted his posture to let Xue Tuan hold him more comfortably. His fur was like a thick blanket, wrapping Xue Tuan securely.

After who knows how long, the small black lion's drowsy eyes suddenly widened. He instinctively looked at the cub in his arms, saw he was still sleeping soundly, and his eyes couldn't stay open any longer, closing again.

In the middle of the night, when Feng Yan and Rong Shan returned with Bing Qiu, they saw the two little cubs snuggled together, sleeping soundly.