After dinner, the beastmen went to sleep.

Lin Qiu spread out the hides and began using a stone knife to scrape away the remaining flesh and fat. This was quite laborious. After scraping two hides clean, Lin Qiu was yawning constantly from exhaustion, and his palms were burning with heat.

Since tanning hides takes a long time and he didn’t have any animal brains or livers to work with, Lin Qiu decided to use vegetable tanning. Oak bark, chestnut bark, and fruits would all work—it all depended on what he could find.

Lin Qiu had developed the habit of going to bed early and rising early here; he felt sleepy as soon as it got dark, and by this hour, he could barely keep his eyes open. He lay down in the grassy nest, wrapped himself in the hides, and was fast asleep in no time.

In the middle of the night, he felt a warm spot on his shoulder. Half-asleep, Lin Qiu pressed his head against it and slept even more soundly.

Lang Yan, who had been reaching out to lift the cub out, paused. He glanced at the sleeping face of the cub, pressed tightly against the sub-beastman. He furrowed his brow but still pulled the cub out.

Until he figured out what secrets the sub-beastman was hiding, he couldn’t let the cub spend too much time alone with him. The next day, after finishing his morning chores, Lin Qiu planned to go into the woods in the afternoon to look for suitable plants.

But Lang Shi still wouldn’t let him enter the woods.

Lin Qiu could only describe what he was looking for, and Lang Shi helped him search.

It was clear Lang Yan had instructed him to do so; in the past, the beastmen wouldn’t have given him the time of day. Chestnut trees were easy to find, and Lang Shi brought back a large roll of bark.

Lin Qiu thanked him and immediately pounded the bark into a paste, smearing it onto the hide. He then wrapped the hide up and set it aside for a day or two. While waiting, Lin Qiu took every opportunity to wander around Wolf Mountain.

There weren’t many fish in the small streams, though the great river in the distance likely held large fish. However, they wouldn’t let him leave the vicinity of Wolf Mountain. The spring grass grew quickly, allowing Lin Qiu to find some wild vegetables.

However, no matter how many he dug up, within a day, the others would be completely picked clean by the wolf-beastmen. In fact, the beastmen were so hungry they couldn’t stand it anymore; seeing his stone cooking pot and stove, they even made a replica of it.

So, now that they could have some boiled greens for lunch, the beastmen didn’t just lie around on the ground all the time; they’d occasionally go for a stroll in the woods. Two days later, Lin Qiu checked on the fermenting animal hides.

The hair came off easily—that was good.

Lin Qiu didn’t have a tanning knife, and the stone blade wasn’t very handy, so he went to the priest to borrow a stone knife.

After removing impurities and dirt, he washed them, stretched them out to dry, and then began the process of repeatedly kneading them.

Lin Qiu had to use a section of log stripped of its bark; he grabbed the hide, spread it out, and pulled and kneaded it vigorously to soften it. The longer he kneaded it, the softer the hide became.

This was an extremely laborious process.

In the afternoon, Lang Mo and Lang Shi ventured into the woods. When they emerged, they were carrying Lin Qiu’s basket, which was filled with earth ear mushrooms. A few eggs were nestled in the center.

The beastmen guarding the cave were delighted. They reached for the eggs to stuff them into their mouths, but Lang Shi grabbed their hands. He glanced at Lin Qiu.

Lang Mo understood instantly. Gripping the basket, he scurried over to the sub-beastman who was tearing the hide. As he drew near, he immediately felt he was being too obsequious.

Although Lin Qiu had lent them the basket, taught them how to pick earth ear mushrooms, and helped them build a stove, he had stolen the food. Lang Mo composed his expression and set the basket down beside him.

“How do you make this taste good?”

Lin Qiu glanced at it—there were eggs.

There were only three eggs. Lang Mo took one out and placed it beside him.

He looked at Lang Mo. “You can stir-fry the earth ear mushroom with meat—preferably with some fatty meat. Just like wild garlic and earth ear mushroom stir-fried with meat.” 

“Heat a stone cooking pot until the water bubbles, pour the eggs in, and give it a stir. That way, it’ll feed a few more people.”

To make steamed eggs… There are no bowls.

Lin Qiu frowned; they were short on everything.

Lang Mo traded an egg for the recipe for earth ear mushroom, then went back to explain it to the beastmen using hand gestures. Lin Qiu watched as two of the slimmer-built beastmen stepped forward—one to tend the fire, the other to cook.

Judging by their appearance, they also look a bit more delicate.

In their beast forms, they were also a size smaller than most wolves.

Compared to the clumsy, rough-hewn Lang Mo and Lang Shi from the beginning, these two beastmen were clearly more refined. Lin Qiu’s forehead was beaded with sweat; he let go of the animal hide, his hand cramping slightly.

This is too exhausting.

But he still hadn’t finished a single hide.

━━ 🐈‍⬛ ━━

It was getting hot outside, and the large leaves Lin Qiu had just picked were already wilting.

Lin Qiu was still weak; with all the sweating, his vision kept going dark in waves.

In the distance, he thought he saw the hunting party returning. The beastmen all looked jubilant, and he wondered if it was just a trick of the eye.

But when he saw Lang Mo open his mouth and howl, Lin Qiu slowly wiped the sweat from his eyelids and confirmed that they had indeed returned. They had brought back prey; today had gone fairly smoothly.

The beastmen gathered at the foot of Wolf Mountain, but instead of rushing to kill their prey, they all sought out shady spots to lie down, panting to cool off.

Leaning against a log with a pelt draped over his legs, Lin Qiu watched as Lang Yan approached. He had gone down to the stream.

The sun had left Lin Qiu dazed; his mind wasn’t sharp. It wasn’t until he’d watched for a long time and their eyes met that Lin Qiu realized he’d lost his composure. His hand, resting on his leg, trembled uncontrollably.

He had been hauling the animal hide for half the afternoon straight; the meager meal he’d eaten at noon had been completely burned off, and he felt a faint pang of hunger in his stomach.

When Lang Yan passed by him once more, Lin Qiu looked up. “Could you give me a hand?”

Beads of sweat clung to his pale chin, and his cheeks were flushed a faint red from the sun. His eyes were half-closed, and his gaze was no longer as cold as before; it held a glistening moisture, like a cub seeking affection.

Lang Yan looked at the animal hide draped over his legs.

Lang Yan was incredibly strong. Lin Qiu sat on the log to steady it as he tensed his muscles and tugged on both ends of the animal hide, pulling it against the wood. It looked effortless.

Lin Qiu pressed his lips together, yet he felt as though the log beneath him was beginning to slip.

He couldn’t help but press his feet firmly into the ground and clamp his hands tightly against the log.

Lang Yan watched as the hide unfolded in his hands—it was completely different from the ones they’d tanned earlier, even softer. He’d done something else they didn’t know about.

The two looked quite harmonious, though the Wolf King was exerting himself for Lin Qiu’s sake, causing the beastmen lying haphazardly nearby to all turn their gaze toward them.

“Is the King helping him?”

“Does the King want him as a mate?” 

“He—he’s not worthy!”

Lang Mo listened to his companions’ murmurs, rolled over, and turned to watch the two beastmen at the foot of the mountain.

Their King was the strongest beastman in the tribe, and having been an adult for seven or eight years, he should have found a mate long ago. As for Qiu…

Looking at them like this, his face glowed white in the sunlight.

He was the most handsome among the sub-beastmen, could cook delicious meals, and was good at foraging—they seemed like a perfect match. Lang Mo shook his head.

No, I can’t just judge by appearances!

Qiu is in trouble—he stole the tribe’s food.

At that thought, Lang Mo’s eyes narrowed.

No, no!

He rolled over, kicking up a cloud of grass. Why does this feel so off?

It’s as if… as if this were something two beastmen would do. Lang Mo stopped abruptly and stared intently at Lin Qiu’s face.

“Something’s very wrong.”

“Huh?” His companion’s head was resting on his back. 

Lang Shi: “What’s wrong?”

Lang Mo: “Isn’t Lang Qiu a real jerk? He used to curse at us and at the King. Why isn’t he cursing anymore?” 

Lang Shi: “He was tricked by beastmen from another tribe.”

Hearing him defend the beastman like that, Lang Mo was so shocked he scrambled to his feet and kicked his companion in the face. Lang Xi: “Woof?”

Lang Mo pressed a paw against Lang Xi’s forehead, his gaze intense. “Aren’t you the one who hates beastmen who betray the tribe the most?” Why is he siding with the outsiders now?

Lang Shi’s face remained resolute. “He was tricked.” He trusted his own eyes.

Lang Mo: “Hmph!” He didn’t believe a word of it.

Lang Qiu didn’t seem stupid; he was smarter than all of them.

Lang Xi thrust his head forward, knocking Lang Mo over. “That pelt in Lang Qiu’s hands looks so soft.” The beastmen stopped their gossip and turned their eyes in unison to the pelt in their Wolf King’s hands. It was the pelt of a Horned Beast.

Horned beasts weren’t particularly large, and their fur was light-colored, so the hides weren’t very useful. That’s why they’d always just singed off the fur and ate them.

In the past, when the game was plentiful, they would have simply thrown it away.

But those two sharp-horned beast hides were personally delivered to Qiu by the King. Although he didn’t say what they were for, when the beastmen saw the hides—which weren’t hard at all and were actually getting softer by the minute—they immediately reached down to feel their own.

Hard!

Sometimes they even dig into their butts!

It’s inconvenient when you’re a beast, too—it tends to spring back into place while you’re running, turning into a single piece. The beastmen were envious.

The beastmen wanted it.

After Lin Qiu gave the go-ahead, Lang Yan stopped, twirling the supple hide between his fingers, his eyes deep and mysterious.

The branch tribe had split off from their own, and since they’d been together for so many years, Lin Qiu’s skill in tanning hides couldn’t have come out of nowhere.

But back when they were still one tribe, not a single beastman knew this method.

Even if they had soaked them in running water or buried them in the ground, repeating the process over and over again, they still wouldn’t have achieved the same level of softness as this.

And the offshoot tribe had only split off fifteen years ago; it was impossible that they had discovered a new tanning method in that time and not told them. The two tribes essentially share the same lineage, and besides, there has been no shortage of contact between them over the years.

Lang Yan’s emotions churned, but he gave nothing away. He reached out and handed over the hide.

The once-heavy, fur-covered hide was now light as a feather, almost as if the wind could lift it.

Lin Qiu glanced at the bulging veins on Lang Yan’s arm—though lean, his body was all muscle, and his hand didn’t tremble at all. He’d make a good workhand.

Lin Qiu unfolded the hide to examine it closely. It was a single, unbroken piece, just the right size for a tunic.

He was still feeling a bit under the weather and was about to set aside the other piece for tomorrow when he saw Lang Yan pick it up and begin stretching the hide again.

Lin Qiu wasn’t paying attention and lost his balance as he sat on the log. He hurriedly gripped the wood and looked at Lang Yan. Lang Yan said, “Sit tight.”

Lin Qiu gripped the animal hide, pressing both hands against the log. Lang Yan went back to work with his head down.

The two exchanged no words; one secured the log, the other focused solely on the task at hand. Lin Qiu clenched the animal hide tightly, sensing that Lang Yan had gotten the hang of it—his speed and strength had both improved.

He couldn’t hold it steady; his legs were cramping.

Lang Yan gave a sudden jerk, and Lin Qiu’s leg really did cramp up. He lost his grip, and his body lurched sideways. Lang Yan acted with lightning speed, catching his arm.

Lin Qiu slid right down onto the grass, biting his lip and clutching his calf tightly. Lang Yan frowned and pried his hand away.

“Hurt?”

“Just a cramp.” Lin Qiu quickly adjusted his position, kneading and stretching until he finally recovered. Lin Qiu stood up and saw that Lang Yan was still holding the animal hide.

He didn’t want to be a makeshift support anymore. “I’ll come back tomorrow on my own. You’ve been busy all day.” 

Lang Yan: “Mm.”

He agreed, but didn’t leave.

Lin Qiu: “Maybe you could find a tree in the woods. It’d be easier and faster than me holding it in place.”   

“Why don’t you find one?”

Lin Qiu: “Because I can’t leave Wolf Mountain when I’m alone.” 

Lang Yan stood up.

Before long, Lang Shi and Lang Mo arrived, and he handed the animal hides to them. The moment the beastmen touched the hides, they were instantly energized.

Their own hides were due for a change—they wanted some too!

Lin Qiu watched Lang Yan walk away; sure enough, he still wouldn’t let him go into the woods. As the sun set, the beastmen lit a campfire and prepared to butcher their prey.

Lang Yan sat by the fire, turning the leg of meat he’d been given, his gaze fixed ahead. Beside him, Lang Guo, who was in charge of watching the cubs, carried a bowl of meat porridge and stopped next to Lang Yan.

Lang Guo is a white wolf sub-beastman. Over the past few days, he’s watched the cub run over to Lin Qiu every night. Now that the King is helping him too, he doesn’t understand. So he asked him directly.

“Why is Wang helping him?”

Lang Yan: “He just happened to be passing by and was called over by him.” 

Lang Guo: “Does the King believe he’s reformed?”

Lang Guo hasn’t let down his guard against Lin Qiu.

A beastman capable of stealing the tribe’s food can’t possibly be a good one.

The tribe sent him here because they couldn’t control him. How could a sub-beastman who usually just sits in a cave waiting for food to be brought to him possibly change for the better so easily?

He must have an ulterior motive.

Lang Yan: “I know what you’re thinking. The Old Priest and I have this sorted out. You just need to look after the cub.” Lang Guo lowered his head, his neck stiff with a touch of stubbornness.

Realizing he had only just come of age—the same age as Lang Qiu—Lang Yan spoke a few more words to reassure his kin. Only then did Lang Guo leave, clutching the clay pot.

Passing by Lin Qiu, he didn’t slow his pace, ignoring him as if it were second nature. This was the attitude most of the tribe’s beastmen held toward Lin Qiu.

Finally, just before dinner, the hides were ready.

Lang Mo and Lang Shi ran their hands over the hides, reluctant to let go. When they felt the hides on their own bodies again, they could only feel disgust. If even the hides of the Horned Beasts were this soft, wouldn’t the hides of other animals be even better?

If all hides were made like this, would the winter still be cold? Seeing how reluctant they were to part with it, Lin Qiu didn’t rush them to return it.

He took another hide and went to the priest’s cave to return the stone knife first.

The stone knife was sharp, and the curve of the blade was just right. It was clearly no match for the stone sliver he’d chipped out himself. The old priest was frying meat, using Lin Qiu’s method.

Seeing someone arrive didn’t faze him; he gave a beckoning gesture, asking him to return the knife. This one was still the most comfortable to use.

“Is the hide ready?”

“Mm-hmm.” Lin Qiu showed him the hide.

The old priest’s gaze sharpened as he cradled the hide in his palm and examined it closely. It was very soft—even more comfortable to look at than the hides he wore himself. Seeing his interest, Lin Qiu explained the process in detail.

He explained it in detail. He had originally told Lang Yan that he could trade goods for the hides, but since they couldn’t leave Wolf Mountain and there was no food to be found, he could only teach the tribe the method for tanning hides.

After listening, the old priest asked, “What do you want in return?”

Lin Qiu replied casually, “Consider it payment for the hides.”

“What if I allowed you to make a request?” The old priest looked up, meeting the eyes of the sub-beastman before him. Lin Qiu’s gaze was clear and piercing, his expression cold.

He didn’t trust him.

“Fine. I’d like to be able to travel farther.”

━━ 🐈‍⬛ ━━

On the platform outside the old priest’s cave, Lin Qiu stood like a solitary crane.

He stood motionless, gazing down at the lively scene by the bonfire below. The beastmen were close-knit and boisterous. He was not a member of this tribe; he was not trusted, and he could not fit in.

It was just a matter of exchanging favors.

That was his original intention, after all.

Lang Yan sensed Lin Qiu’s gaze, looked up, and watched the sub-beastman standing in the wind.

The sky was pitch black; not a single star was visible tonight. The beastman stood at the very edge of the platform; one false step and he would tumble down. Lang Yan frowned, stood up, and stepped into the darkness.

The sub-beastman had made a mistake, but he had already served his punishment. As long as the probationary period had passed, he was still a beastman of the tribe. That was what Lang Yan believed in his heart.

He also knew that the other beastmen in the tribe, just like Lang Guo, harbored their own grievances.

Naturally, he didn’t want discord within the tribe, but if Lin Qiu remained steadfast and wasn’t plotting anything, he believed it was only a matter of time before he could reintegrate into the tribe.

Beastmen are actually simple-hearted and reasonable.

And Lin Qiu, too, needed a chance to make amends—a chance he had already been given. Lang Yan stood at the base of the platform, looking up.

He didn’t want his people to give up on him—or on life itself—so easily over a single incident. They were already struggling desperately just to survive.

Lin Qiu stood on the platform for a very, very long time—so long that his legs went numb. The bonfire at the foot of the mountain died out, and the beastmen departed. He sat down, hands braced behind him, gazing at the pitch-black sky.

His legs dangled in the air, swaying gently.

A small pebble clattered down the slope. Lin Qiu followed its path with his eyes and faintly made out a beastman standing at the foot of the mountain. It was Lang Yan.

Lin Qiu stood up and began walking down the mountain, just as he saw Lang Yan turn and walk away. Had he been guarding this place the whole time?