The Bear Tribe, known for their exceptional speed, put their talent to full use.
One by one, they sprinted with everything they had. Despite carrying a bear cub in his arms, their chief still managed to pull ahead, widening the gap between himself and the others.
Since the long weapons they had used to scare away snakes would hinder their escape, the tribe members had decisively abandoned them, keeping only their digging tools.
Fortunately, they were already nearing the edge of the bamboo forest. The outer areas had sparser growth, making it easier to traverse despite the rough terrain.
The chief glanced over his shoulder as they burst out of the bamboo grove. Seeing no sign of the large black-and-white bear, he let out a slight sigh of relief—but he didn’t slow down. He continued sprinting forward, determined to put as much distance as possible between them and the forest.
After running at full speed, he finally judged they were far enough from the bamboo thicket. Gasping for breath, he handed the clueless, wide-eyed bear cub, clinging tightly to his arm, to another tribe member.
Barely catching his breath, the chief urged everyone to keep running.
He slowed down only when they had covered a safe distance, still panting. This time, he finally smiled as he looked at the foolish little bear cub in their hands.
After a brief rest, the chief gave new orders.
At his command, the group quickly got back on their feet and resumed their rapid march.
However, two members of the group broke away from the main party. Instead of continuing with the chief, they headed in a different direction—toward the area where the rest of the tribe had been digging for bamboo shoots.
Their mission was simple: inform the others that the chief had successfully captured a black-and-white bear cub and lead them away from the bamboo forest, back toward the tribe’s settlement.
Returning to the tribe was not an option for the chief and the remaining few who carried the cub.
The Bear Tribe’s settlement was not too far from the bamboo forest but wasn’t too close either. It would be a disaster if the large black-and-white bear managed to track them by scent to their home.
Life was cheap in the wilderness, but no tribe wanted to lose its people needlessly.
Just as wild beasts preferred to avoid large groups of humans, primitive people also avoided direct conflict with dangerous predators whenever possible.
Carrying the bear cub, the chief pressed on, occasionally pausing to confirm his direction.
He had no intention of returning to his tribe just yet. Instead, he planned to lead his men toward the powerful and mysterious Green Sparrow Tribe.
For primitive tribes like theirs, the Green Sparrow Tribe’s trading caravans—rich in salt, pottery, and other valuable goods—were an irresistible attraction.
However, despite the temptation, food shortages usually prevented most tribes from traveling to the Green Sparrow Tribe’s lands.
The Bear Tribe, however, was an exception.
Being one of the few tribes known for their endurance and speed, they had previously followed the trade caravans to the Green Sparrow Tribe’s settlement.
Even though they weren’t departing directly from their home, the chief, who frequently hunted around their territory, was confident in his ability to find the right path toward that wealthy and powerful land.
Deep within the bamboo forest, a giant panda wandered unsteadily, searching for its missing cub. For a while, it casually snapped off a bamboo shoot here and there, munching as it searched. However, after some time without finding any trace of its little one, it finally abandoned its snack, stopped eating, and let out a few calls.
When there was still no response, it sniffed the air and slowly began leaving the bamboo forest...
Meanwhile, at the Green Sparrow Tribe, everything was proceeding as usual—work progressing in an orderly fashion.
The only real change was the addition of a hundred-meter-long wall, gradually rising thanks to the tribe’s relentless efforts.
As the one who had proposed and advocated for the tribe’s expansion, Han Cheng wasn’t participating in the heavy labor.
Instead, he sat in the shade, helping Little Pea, his nine-month-old son, learn to walk.
Perhaps due to inheriting Bai Xue’s strong primitive genes or simply because of their harsh survival environment, Little Pea had already begun taking steps at just eight months old. He could stumble forward for seven or eight steps before losing balance.
Squatting on the ground, Han Cheng caught his giggling son as he toppled into his arms, feeling utterly delighted.
Suddenly, a series of barking broke the peaceful scene.
The dogs that usually roamed near the farmlands had begun barking loudly, their scattered movements becoming increasingly frantic.
Hearing this, Han Cheng instinctively picked up Little Pea and turned toward the noise source.
Judging by the dogs’ alert barks, something unusual had entered their territory.
He wasn’t the only one who heard it. Without his command, Eldest Senior Brother and the others working on the wall grabbed their tools and rushed toward the commotion...
At the same time, the Bear Tribe’s chief and his men were surrounded by a pack of wolves.
They clutched their short weapons tightly, their faces filled with terror.
They didn’t dare move a muscle, fearing that the wolves might attack at any moment.
Then, spotting Shang and Mao among the approaching Green Sparrow Tribe members, the Bear Tribe’s chief nearly burst into tears.
Being trapped , with giant, well-fed wolves surrounding them, was terrifying!
Shang and Mao were equally shocked to recognize the Bear Tribe’s chief.
Even though Han Cheng had seen plenty of wild and terrifying creatures since coming to this primitive world, he still couldn’t help but curse when he saw what Eldest Senior Brother was dragging along.
His gaze swept over the exhausted but alert Bear Tribe members, then landed on the struggling black-and-white cub being carried by Eldest SeniorBrother.
A look of pure awe appeared on his face.
These guys were insane! They caught Chiyou’s mount!
(Chiyou, the legendary warrior, was said to have ridden a fierce panda-like beast in ancient myths.)
Han Cheng still vividly remembered his encounter with these creatures—not only had he avoided messing with them, he hadn’t even dared to try!
Compared to these true primitives, he suddenly felt... not nearly as savage.
The poor little bear cub had suffered on the journey. Its once-round body now looked disheveled and a bit scrawny.
Even as Eldest Senior Brother carried it by the scruff of its neck, the cub kicked and squirmed furiously, baring its tiny teeth in a fierce attempt to bite anything nearby.
Handing Little Pea to Bai Xue, Han Cheng smiled and approached Eldest Senior Brother.
Eldest Senior Brother hesitated, worried that this seemingly adorable but fierce creature might harm the Divine child.
“It’s fine, just give it to me.”
Han Cheng reassured him, but he didn’t immediately hug the cub. Instead, he did the same as Eldest Senior Brother, grabbing it by the scruff of its neck.
After watching it struggle momentarily, Han Cheng finally put it on the ground.
The cub, however, still refused to calm down. It continued baring its teeth and flailing its paws, trying to intimidate the humans surrounding it.
Unfortunately for the little one, its adorable appearance undermined its aggressive act.
No matter how hard it tried to act scary, to the humans, it just looked adorable.
"Quit pretending. I know exactly what you are."
Han Cheng chuckled as he reached out to ruffle the cub’s messy fur, ignoring its feeble threats.
Seeing how skinny and tired the cub looked, he immediately ordered someone to fetch the freshest bamboo shoots from the forest.
Until the bamboo shoots arrived, the little cub kept up its defiant act, struggling even after being playfully bullied by Han Cheng a few times.
But the moment fresh bamboo shoots were placed in front of it...
It completely forgot about being "tough".
Plopping down on the ground, the cub grabbed a bamboo shoot and happily started munching, all thoughts of rebellion gone instantly.