Chapter 180: Chapter 180: The Mad Wanderers

“The Wanderers dared to ambush the Sheyue Tribe? Are they insane?” Nan Feng exclaimed in shock.

The Sheyue Tribe was one of the most renowned beast tribes in the Twilight Forest. Did the Wanderers really think they could just attack them head-on?

Nuan Chun was also surprised. “Where did the Wanderers get that kind of confidence?”

Clearly, none of them could believe what they were hearing.

In previous years, the Wanderers at most would raid some small tribes and kidnap a few females. They rarely ever resorted to outright slaughter, since they knew the beast tribes of the Twilight Forest had their limits.

If they went too far, the beast tribes would surely unite to hunt them down.

But this year, the Wanderers must have lost their minds—daring to enter the Wangyue Mountains and ambush the Sheyue Tribe. Just hearing about it sounded impossible, more like a wild rumor.

“The shaman confirmed with the snake tribe: the Wanderers really are in the Wangyue Mountains and haven’t left yet. The snake tribe has invited Maple and the others into the Sheyue Tribe to help hunt down the Wanderers. I heard the Wanderers are holding beast cubs hostage…”

This time, the lion and bear tribes also sent people.

They too were invited by the snake tribe and will be staying at the Sheyue Tribe for now, helping to track down the Wanderers in the Wangyue Mountains and rescue the kidnapped cubs.

Damn—

The moment they heard the Wanderers had kidnapped snake tribe cubs, everyone’s anger flared.

The Wanderers must be truly insane—kidnapping cubs is crossing the ultimate line for beast tribes. Things were heading toward the worst possible outcome. The shaman hall at Mount Kana hadn’t spread the news, so Su Ye was probably contacting other beast tribes, determined to wipe out the Wanderers who had ventured deep into the Twilight Forest.

“Does our tribe need to send reinforcements?” Chang Xia asked.

She didn’t know much about the Wanderers, but the situation sounded dire and she couldn’t help but worry.

Ya Dong shook his head. “It’s just the Wanderers—no need for extra reinforcements. Not to mention the Sheyue Tribe’s own strength, just Elder Senda, Maple, and the others, plus the totem warriors from the lion and bear tribes, are more than enough to sweep through several small tribes.”

The shaman hall at Mount Kana was only being cautious because the Wanderers were holding snake tribe cubs hostage, making the Sheyue Tribe and Elder Senda’s group hesitant to act rashly.

Once the Wanderers’ whereabouts are confirmed, it’ll be resolved quickly.

Hearing Ya Dong’s calm analysis, Chang Xia and the others breathed a sigh of relief. No wonder the tribe hadn’t mentioned what happened in the Wangyue Mountains—if word got out, it would probably cause panic. Shan Que and the others likely wouldn’t even be allowed to leave the tribe. Beast cubs are the hope of a tribe’s future—if the Wanderers dared kidnap snake tribe cubs, that’s a blood feud.

The Sheyue Tribe was worried the Wanderers, if cornered, might do something desperate and harm the cubs.

Because of what happened to the Sheyue Tribe, even the hotpot at lunch didn’t taste as good.

Everyone dispersed in low spirits and went home.

Chang Xia ladled a bowl of mutton soup for Elder Dalai and had Chen Rong deliver it to the White Lake wall. Then, feeling listless, she sat at the square table in the corridor with her little tools.

“Still worried about the snake tribe cubs?” Chen Rong asked gently when he returned.

“A little,” Chang Xia admitted, rubbing her forehead. “The cubs are so young—if the Wanderers get desperate, it could be really dangerous.”

“Don’t worry, Elder Senda will handle it. Besides, the Sheyue Tribe won’t let the Wanderers harm their cubs. You’ve finished your basic training—are you planning to visit Qingshan tomorrow?” Chen Rong asked.

He was a bit annoyed at Ya Dong—this topic never should have come up in the first place.

The Wangyue Mountains are too far from the tribe. Forget reinforcements—even getting news is difficult. Knowing about this just makes people anxious for no reason.

“Qingshan is going well—they don’t need me there. I’ll wait until pinecone season before heading over,” Chang Xia shook her head. Gen had come to her several times, and she was well aware of Qingshan’s progress. Harvesting green oil is a long process, unlike collecting red maple sap—it could take months.

Gen had arranged everything at Qingshan well enough that Chang Xia wasn’t needed.

“Tomorrow, let’s go to the grasslands upstream of the Little River.”

The Little River is close to the tribe, so everyone feels safe, and there’s plenty of game—perfect for novice hunters. Plus, that python from before came from the Wei River and ended up in the Heluo Tribe’s territory by accident. Chang Xia had a feeling that if the Wanderers got desperate, the Wei River might be their last escape route…

Of course, she kept this suspicion to herself.

With the wisdom of the tribe’s elders, they’d surely thought of it too.

Otherwise, the tribe wouldn’t have sent people to dig grass roots by the Little River lately, or allowed Ya Dong and the others to hunt upstream.

It might look like the tribe wasn’t doing anything, but in reality, they were already watching the Wei River.

If Wei Mountain weren’t so mysterious, the tribe would probably want to follow the river into the Wangyue Mountains.

Unfortunately, the depths of Wei Mountain remain a mystery.

How that python got from the Wei River to the Little River is also still a mystery.

“You want to go to the grasslands upstream of the Little River for your trial?” Chen Rong was a little surprised.

He really hadn’t expected Chang Xia to choose the Little River.

After all, it wasn’t the best option right now.

Chang Xia narrowed her eyes, staring at Chen Rong. She whispered, “Chen Rong, what are you hiding from me?”

Sure enough, the tribe had talked to Chen Rong.

She’d just casually mentioned wanting to try something new, but Chen Rong had taken Ya Dong and Shan Kun straight toward Wei Mountain.

There was definitely something fishy going on.

“You little rascal,” Chen Rong laughed, reaching out to pinch Chang Xia’s cheek. Her once sallow, skinny face had, after two months of good meals, finally grown a bit chubby.

Pinched in her hand, it felt wonderful.

Chang Xia slapped away Chen Rong’s mischievous hand and covered her face.

“Is the tribe worried that wanderers might come over from the Wei River?” Chang Xia asked.

Chen Rong rubbed his forehead, regretting not shutting Yadong up earlier.

“What makes you think that?” Chen Rong dodged the question, glancing left and right. The elders had repeatedly warned them not to let this slip, to avoid causing panic or worry among the tribe.

“So, I was right after all.” Chang Xia’s expression darkened.

Lunch was a somber affair over the hotpot lamb. Nan Feng and Nuan Chun probably guessed the truth as well. Only the twin cubs were carefree and oblivious; anyone with a bit of awareness could piece things together. After all, while the tribe seemed relaxed, everyone was actually keeping a close eye on Mount Wei.

Realizing he couldn’t hide it any longer, Chen Rong shrugged and slumped into a wooden chair.

“Don’t worry. Elder Pukang has been staying near the Xiaohechuan wilderness lately. If anything happens at the Wei River, Elder Pukang will know right away. Besides, while an anaconda can slip from the Wei River into Xiaohechuan, that doesn’t mean wanderers could do the same.”

Anacondas could swim underwater, crossing from the Wei River through Mount Wei to Xiaohechuan.

For wanderers, just surviving the journey would be a challenge. The dangers of the Wei River were no less than those of Mount Wei. The river beasts lurking beneath the surface were just as ferocious.

The tribe was watching the Wei River mainly to bolster their defenses.

“In that case, my novice trial should be on the grasslands upstream of Xiaohechuan. With Elder Pukang and the others keeping watch, it’ll be safer,” Chang Xia insisted.

If she chose to go elsewhere, the tribe would have to send people to accompany her.

Rather than making everyone worry, it was better to do her trial right under their noses.