The leader of the Huangguo Tribe, after nodding in agreement to Mao's proposal and deciding to join the Green Sparrow Tribe, felt a great sense of relief but also some sadness.
He felt guilty towards his people, thinking he couldn’t lead them to a better life. Instead, he would take them away from their homeland and move them to an unfamiliar place.
This feeling became even more apparent when he raised his head and saw the confused faces of his people, especially the young ones. His sense of guilt grew stronger.
It made sense. After living for so long in their caves, how could they bear to leave?
But if they didn’t leave, they would starve...
The more he thought about it, the more the leader of the Huangguo Tribe felt heartbroken and apologetic. His eyes reddened as he prepared to speak to his people about the difficulties and helplessness of making this decision. He wanted to reassure them, urging them not to overthink it or stubbornly refuse to go to the Green Sparrow Tribe.
His mouth opened, and the words got stuck just as he started to say something.
That’s because the people staring at him were suddenly all shouting, jumping, and celebrating.
The children from the tribe eagerly clung to the legs of the adults, laughing and giggling.
Now, it was the leader’s turn to be dumbfounded. The sadness and guilt that had filled his heart were replaced by confusion.
He stared blankly at his people, who hadn’t been this happy in a long time, listening to their excited cheers. He was completely dazed.
What… what was going on here?
The leader of the Huangguo Tribe was utterly confused.
Wasn’t this the moment to cry or feel reluctant to leave the caves? How could everyone be so happy now?
Shang, Mao, and the members of the Green Sparrow Tribe’s trade team were also very pleased. This trip had been incredibly worthwhile!
Not only had they exchanged many goods for the tribe, but they were also bringing back an entire tribe!
With so many people joining, their tribe would become stronger, able to cultivate more land and grow more food...
Of course, the Divine child’s praise and smile excited them even more.
The leader of the Huangguo Tribe was still a bit dazed, but after a while, he seemed to remember something. With some panic on his face, he started speaking again, gesturing toward the outside of the cave and occasionally touching his face and hands.
His hands and face were darkened, covered in minor cuts caused by the cold wind.
These cuts were like tiny mouths with black scabs around the edges, making them look painful.
This sight was not unique to the leader of the Huangguo Tribe. Many of those who had gone with him to search for food had similar cuts on their exposed skin.
Many had more severe frostbite on their faces and hands, and some even had swollen red ears.
All of this was caused by the harsh cold weather over the past few days.
The leader’s point was that it was far too cold outside, with deep snow.
They had only gone out to gather some prey and had ended up in such a state. How could they endure the cold and snow on a journey to the Green Sparrow Tribe with Shang and Mao?
The leader of the Huangguo Tribe continued, "If we stay out there too long, many of us might freeze to death on the road. If that's the case, we might as well stay in the caves... not venture out."
His words slowly quieted the Huangguo Tribe, who had been laughing and celebrating moments before.
Those like Huangguo, who wore only minimal animal hides and exposed a lot of flesh, looked down at their skin, which had turned a bluish tint from the cold. They then glanced at their leader and the others, who were similarly frozen despite wearing whole animal hides, and it was like a bucket of cold water had been splashed on them. The excitement and joy quickly faded into silence.
Just moments ago, they had been stirred by hunger, the food they had prepared, and the vision of what was to come, completely ignoring the biting cold. But now, the leader's words made them realize the gravity of the situation.
Yes, at this rate, if they left the cave and the warmth of the fire and walked through the snow and ice, they would freeze before they even reached the wealthy tribe.
Fear and helplessness spread among them. The adults grew anxious, and the hope and excitement they had just felt disappeared once again.
The younger tribe members didn’t quite understand what was happening, but they sensed something was wrong. They, too, fell silent, their dirty little faces tense, eyes filled with unease and fear, glancing around at the adults in the cave.
Shang, Mao, and the other members of the Green Sparrow Tribe’s trade team exchanged confused looks. They didn’t understand what the leader of the Huangguo Tribe was so worried about. Wasn’t it possible to travel in this weather without freezing?
"It’s fine, you won’t freeze to death..." Mao said, gesturing and speaking to reassure them.
The people of the Huangguo Tribe stared at him, skeptical. They listened for a while, but some began to doubt. After all, they had experienced the cold firsthand.
It was nearly impossible to walk outside without being frozen to the bone.
And yet, this man was saying it wasn’t dangerous, that they wouldn’t freeze to death...
After a while, seeing that they were still doubtful, Mao, skilled in persuasion from his years of trading, found himself at a loss for words. Everything seemed obvious, but he couldn’t find the right way to explain it.
"Look at us. We've been walking through the snow and wind and haven’t frozen to death..." Shang spoke up, slapping his chest with his hand.
With his words, Mao and the other trade team members, struggling to convince the Huangguo Tribe, were suddenly enlightened. They all raised their hands and leaned forward, mimicking Shang's gesture and slapping their chests.
This was to show the people of Huangguo Tribe that it could be done.
The Huangguo Tribe looked at Shang and the others, their eyes lit with hope.
Yes! These people had been carrying their belongings through the snow and wind, and they were all alive and well!
Moreover, their hands and faces were okay, not cracked by the cold winds. They looked even better than some who had never left the caves!
This... this was incredible!