Translator: CinderTL
With the death of their leader, the Snake Clan members lost all morale and courage to resist. In an instant, some were killed, others fled, and many were captured.
Xu Sanyan emerged from the shadows, gazing down at the Snake Clan Leader's lifeless eyes. He shook his head slightly, a hint of regret in his expression.
What a waste.
"Clean up and prepare to return," the clan chief ordered, gesturing to the mountain of meat piled nearby.
This was prime-quality food, not to be wasted. In this primitive world, food was paramount.
The tribe's small population was largely due to food scarcity. Their limited food sources consisted mainly of hunting and gathering wild fruits.
Xu Sanyan didn't join the cleanup. Instead, he strolled over to the Snake Clan Leader's corpse, knelt down, and pried open her lips with two fingers. He frowned slightly at the sight of her dense, sharp teeth.
Such a beautiful face... why such a grotesque set of teeth?
How could anyone use this?
What a waste of such a face.
The tiny, pointed teeth nearly reached her upper palate, and her throat was so wide it looked like a fist could fit inside.
Xu Sanyan had examined Xun Ancai's mouth because her canine teeth were unusually long, making it particularly easy for her to tear meat when eating.
"Are you alright?" Xun Ancai asked, leaning closer with concern.
"I'm fine," Xu Sanyan replied, shaking his head. He surveyed the battlefield, littered with corpses—mostly Snake Clan members, with a smaller number of Dog Clan warriors and a few fallen three-headed dogs.
A sudden thought struck him. He looked up and asked, "What happens if your dogs die?"
Xun Ancai glanced at her four-headed dogs. "They're gone. Each Companion Dog has only one life."
Xu Sanyan nodded slowly. No wonder some people in the tribe never leash their dogs, he thought. That must be why.
At that moment, the clan chief spoke up. "Gather the bodies of our fallen comrades. Let's move out."
"Yes, Clan Chief," the warriors replied in unison.
Xu Sanyan counted. They had started with over a hundred warriors, but now only ninety remained. About ten had died, but they had also captured over a dozen prisoners.
Gazing at the beautiful Snake Clan women, Xu Sanyan licked his lips. These women are far more attractive than the Bear Clan women, he thought.
"Let's go," Xun Ancai said, hoisting two pack beast carcasses onto her shoulders. She retrieved two jars of fresh milk from a wooden hut and cradled them in her arms. "This milk is delicious. You should try it."
Xun Ancai had promised to bring him some pack beast milk to try, but a series of events had prevented her from fulfilling her promise. Now, she had finally kept her word.
Xu Sanyan lifted the jar and took a small sip. The milk was fragrant and slightly sweet, but its overwhelming fishy taste made it less appealing than he had imagined.
This wasn't Xun Ancai's fault; she had never tasted anything truly exceptional. In her limited experience, pack beast milk was the most delicious thing she knew.
"How is it? Do you like it?" Xun Ancai asked, her eyes shining with anticipation.
"Mm," Xu Sanyan nodded, not wanting to disappoint her. "It's good."
"Hehe, I told you! I'll give you all of it when we get back," Xun Ancai said generously, never harboring any selfish intentions toward Xu Sanyan.
"Mm."
Xu Sanyan didn't engage in further conversation, falling into step with the returning group.
As they journeyed back, the clan chief divided the group into three concentric layers. The outermost layer consisted of a large pack of dogs patrolling and guarding the perimeter. The middle layer comprised the Dog Clan members, who carried no food but remained vigilant, their eyes scanning the dense forest.
The innermost layer held the Snake Clan prisoners and a contingent of Dog Clan people tasked with transporting the pack beast corpses.
Xu Sanyan was at the very center of the group, but he didn't need to carry anything; he just had to keep up with the others.
With nothing else to do, he watched the Snake Clan women's swaying hips and the tattered remains of their clothing, revealing large patches of bare skin.
Their slender waists, strong thighs, plump buttocks, and full breasts...
Truly magnificent, Xu Sanyan thought admiringly. Such figures, such looks, and that wildness—it's utterly thrilling.
The Snake Clan also had men, but Xu Sanyan glanced at them once and quickly looked away.
Why didn't they just kill all the male prisoners?
The return journey was different from the way in. With the pack beast corpses now a burden, they had to be extra cautious. The bloody stench emanating from the carcasses would easily attract scavenging beasts.
After walking for a long time, the sky gradually brightened, and the hazy dawn illuminated the mountain forest. The clan chief up ahead stopped.
The six-headed dog crouched low, its fierce gaze fixed on the forest ahead. Xu Sanyan's heart leaped with alarm—something was wrong!
Rustling sounds came from the woods, followed by an angry male voice: "Dog Clan people! You've broken your oath!"
Xu Sanyan instinctively narrowed his eyes. Had they encountered Snake Clan reinforcements?
How could they have arrived so quickly?
Even though many Snake Clan members had escaped last night, the journey back and forth was far from short. It was impossible for them to have brought reinforcements so quickly.
Beside him, Xun Ancai whispered, "Be careful. It's likely a Snake Clan support team. After each annual pack beast hunt, they send people to help transport the prey."
Xu Sanyan understood. What terrible timing.
As he pondered, his gaze shifted to Xun Yang ahead. It seemed another opportunity had arisen.
"Hmph, enough talk. What do you intend to do?"
Though the clan chief knew he was in the wrong, he showed no remorse.
For years, the three clans had maintained a fragile balance through covert struggles and open conflicts. But since the Bear Clan's annihilation, that balance had shattered.
The Dog Clan had absorbed the Bear Clan's territory and resources, growing significantly stronger. If they didn't seize this chance to crush the Snake Clan, the enemy would inevitably exploit any advantage to destroy the Dog Clan.
The Dog Clan Chieftain's greatest fear had been a Snake Clan ambush after the Old Clan Chief's death. Yet for some reason, they hadn't attacked, giving the Dog Clan ample time to consolidate their power.
The two clans were now locked in a mortal feud, and a major battle was inevitable.
Strike first and gain the advantage; hesitate and suffer the consequences.
She didn't know the proverb, but she understood the principle.
A faint rustling came from the forest ahead. Xu Sanyan glanced up, but the dense foliage obscured any clear view of the number of enemies.
The male voice called out, "Leave my Snake Clan people and the food, and I'll let you go."
Xu Sanyan lowered his head slightly. It seemed the enemy force was small; otherwise, they wouldn't bother with words and would have attacked directly.
The clan chief hesitated, torn between options. The Snake Clan people were agile and swift, and this forest was their domain. Pursuing them would be futile, yet abandoning the hard-won prey was equally unappealing.
The situation was different from yesterday. The Snake Clan Leader had resisted then because she couldn't bear to lose the prey they had worked so hard to capture. Now, the tables had turned, and the Dog Clan Chieftain felt the same reluctance to relinquish his prize.
"We'll release them, but we're keeping the prey," the chieftain conceded, taking a step back.
The male voice from the shadows grew angrier. "No! That's Snake Clan prey!"
(End of the Chapter)
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