"‘Up north, down south, left west, right east.’
During howling cold winds, Shi Tou held a large piece of tree bark, carefully etched with a map. He muttered the mnemonic taught by the Divine Child as he scrutinized the map in his hand, then slowly turned in place. After a while, he finally found the right direction, facing north with the tree bark aligned in the same direction. After some time, he confirmed the route.
He pointed with his hand, then carefully tucked away the map and set off in the direction he had just identified, followed by his senior brothers and the rest.
The group struggled through the snow, eager to see the trade team and familiar faces.
In the distance, another group was trudging through the snow, not like the strong young men with the senior brothers, but including many women and the weaker among them.
This group was the trade team from the Green Sparrow Tribe, along with the Huangguo Tribe following them.
Their progress was slow, partly due to the deep snow and partly because the Huangguo Tribe members were dragging them down. Many of the Yellow Fruit people, weakened by hunger throughout winter, were struggling to keep up.
Despite having enough furs and ‘Big Treasures’ for their faces, which the Divine Child called them, they were still too weak.
Moreover, the prolonged journey dwindled the strength of the Huangguo Tribe members, making them slower. At this rate, it would take at least another five days to reach the tribe.
What was more concerning was that their food supplies were running out due to the increased number of people in the group and the extended journey. If this situation continued, they would run out of food within two days.
Yet, Shuang and Mao did not dare to reduce their food intake.
With the group members growing weaker, reducing their food at this point would likely lead to many being frozen and starving to death.
Now, both Shuang and Mao regretted bringing the Huangguo Tribe along.
If it weren’t for the drag of the Huangguo Tribe, they could have been sleeping warmly indoors now, free from the food crisis threatening them.
If they could leave these people behind, considering their physical endurance and the strength they had built through long journeys of commerce, they could easily make a hasty departure and reach the tribe before running out of food.
Turning back to look at those struggling to move forward, tired faces filled with pleading and hope, neither Shuang nor Mao could abandon them.
These were their people. They had brought them out and were now to join their tribe; though they had not yet drunk the Green Sparrow wine, they were no different from the people of one tribe.
Abandoning their kin was not something Shuang and Mao could do.
“You take some people back first, tell the Divine Child, then bring others back to pick us up and take us home.”
At this rate, they might end up with casualties. Even if no one died, they might need to kill deer or butcher dogs for food.
Shuang caught up to Mao and proposed a plan he had been considering.
Mao hesitated, then firmly refused.
When he remembered his earlier encounter with the Flying Snake Tribe, when he had led others in abandoning their remaining tribespeople to save themselves, he felt incredibly guilty.
Now, facing a similar situation, he would not repeat that decision to leave his people behind for survival.
“You go back to find the Divine Child. I’ll take the others and follow behind…”
At this point, the people left behind were the most vulnerable.
Shang nodded in response, “No, you know the way. Sometimes, I forget the route. You go first. I’ll take people along the path you leave behind; that way, we won’t go wrong.”
His words about being directionally challenged were a powerful reason, and Mao could not refute them.
If Shang led a few people back and got lost in the snowstorm, the loss would be significant for everyone. Not only might those who went back die, but those left behind could also starve or freeze.
“You all be safe! Wait for us to come back!”
After a brief argument, Mao selected four faster-legged people from the Green Sparrow Tribe, tethered two deer to carry supplies, and brought food and fodder. He spoke earnestly to Shang and the others.
Shang and the others nodded gravely in response.
With no further words, Mao and the other four trade team members quickly turned back toward the Green Sparrow Tribe, distancing themselves from Shang and the Huangguo Tribe members. Gradually, they became small black dots and disappeared into the distance.
Mao and his group moved quickly, not daring to waste a moment. The earlier they returned to the tribe, the safer Shang and the others would be. Their food was running low, and though Shang had mentioned killing deer if food ran out, Mo knew he wouldn’t do it unless necessary.
Moreover, he didn’t want the deer, which had traveled with them for so long and helped them immensely, to be killed for food.
If they move quickly and reach the tribe, Shang and his group will be fine; the people from the Huangguo Tribe they brought back will survive.
Mao continued to urge himself as he walked despite exhaustion and aching feet. He dared not slow down a bit…
The sky darkened gradually, and the wind picked up, making the already cold weather even colder.
In normal circumstances, if they were traveling across the snow, Mao would have already had someone stop and build a snow shelter.
But now, he didn’t stop, gasping heavily, trudging forward through the thick snow.
Someone couldn’t take it anymore and spoke up about needing a break.
“Just… walk a little more, to that big dead tree up ahead…”
Mao was so tired he wanted to lie down right there, but after thinking it over, he decided to move a little further forward.
“There… there’s a firelight!”
As they approached the big dead tree, one of the group members idly glanced around and noticed tiny flickers of firelight in the night, a shelter up ahead and to the left.