Building a Civilization and Raising Cubs in the Beast World – Chapter 131

After the orcs who had been cooking left, a young man walked over to the youngest medicine boy and said,

“Don’t waste your energy being upset at them. Once you’ve finished eating, get some rest. Tomorrow morning, we’ll be handing out medicine again.”

“Ming, why is Master giving medicine to those useless orcs?” the little medicine boy complained. “We worked so hard to gather those herbs!”

The young man, Wu Ming, tried to reassure him.
“Master must have his reasons. Food is scarce this year, and he’s probably praying for the Beast God’s blessing. Shi, don’t say such things in front of others.”

As he finished speaking, Wu Ming’s expression turned especially serious.

Wu Shi curled his lip in dissatisfaction.
“So what if I say it? Those people can’t even fill their own bellies. What else can they be but useless orcs? There are already plenty of them in the tribe, wasting food and medicine every day—and yet Master is still saving those worthless orcs from outside.”

He had wanted to drive away the injured orcs. To him, beating back the Black Forest Tribe’s orcs was far too lenient—he would rather kill every last troublemaker. And to think they even dared transform into beasts in front of him… Damn useless orcs.

Wu Ming frowned at his unreasonableness. Though annoyed, he swallowed his temper and continued gently,
“Just do as I say, or Master will be angry.”

The moment he mentioned the witch doctor, Wu Shi’s resentment only deepened.
“You’re just bossing us around because you spend more time with Master!”

They were all witch doctor’s apprentices—equal in status. Wu Ming was only three years older and had arrived a year earlier, yet everyone listened to him instead of Wu Shi. Even the orc who had been cooking earlier—when Wu Shi said the food wasn’t good, they ignored him until Wu Ming told them to remake it.

Wu Ming looked at the younger boy, angry over something so trivial, and could only shake his head helplessly.

The other medicine boys nearby finally lost their patience. Though they were called “boys,” they weren’t actually that young. They had served the witch doctor the longest. Wu Shi was the youngest at seventeen, Wu Ming the oldest at twenty, and the others fell between those ages. Having spent longer with Wu Ming, they naturally resented Wu Shi’s attitude toward him.

“Shi, Ming is just trying to protect you. If you keep talking like that, the adults will be furious.”

“Ming has good intentions. How can you talk to him that way?”

“He’s doing this for your sake…”

“Besides, food can still be eaten when it’s cold. It’s not even winter—why do we need to wait?”

Their voices overlapped one after another, which only fueled Wu Shi’s temper. His anger boiled over until, finally, he hurled a plate of fruit to the ground and stormed off.

After Wu Shi left, Wu Ming chided the others.
“Shi is still young. Don’t speak to him like that.”

“Ming, you’re just too patient. It’s clearly Shi’s fault, yet he gets angry instead.”

“You’re looking out for him, but he doesn’t even thank you.”

“People only think you let him off because the adults like him most, so you don’t care about the rest of us…”

Wu Shi, who hadn’t gone far, quickened his steps after overhearing this.

When the grumbling ended, Wu Ming said,
“Cong, go check if the food is ready. I’ll go find Shi.”

“Don’t bother with him,” replied Wu Cong. “He’ll come back once he’s hungry. I’ll go check on the food. Honestly, he could’ve eaten right away…”

The cooking fires were some distance from where the medicine boys rested. In the summer, no one liked being near fire, and as the witch doctor’s apprentices—second only to him and the chief—they naturally deserved a comfortable spot away from the smoke and heat.

When Wu Cong arrived, the orcs in charge of cooking were plating the food. The one whose dish Wu Shi had overturned earlier froze in panic at the sight of him.
“Master Wu Cong, the food will be ready in just a moment!”

This group had been assigned to prepare meals especially for the medicine boys. Among the apprentices, everyone knew Wu Shi had the worst temper, while Wu Ming was the kindest. The others weren’t as gentle as Wu Ming, but at least they weren’t violent. Though they apologized, the cooks no longer looked quite so nervous.

As expected, Wu Cong didn’t scold them for being late. He simply urged,
“Hurry up, we’re starving.”

He picked up a plate and speared a piece of meat. Just as he raised it to his mouth, he thought he saw a dark shadow flicker past the trees. But when he looked again, nothing was there.

A trick of the night, Wu Cong decided. He gathered up the food and brought it back. Normally, there wasn’t so much work, but after running errands all afternoon—and being delayed by Wu Shi tonight—everyone was famished.

After eating, they each found a place to lie down, none of them bothering to check where Wu Shi had gone.

But in the middle of the night, a scream split the silence.

Several medicine boys who had bullied Wu Shi earlier woke instantly, exchanging glances. They recognized his voice.

But Wu Shi had always been cold toward them, sometimes even mocking them because he was favored by the witch doctor. They disliked him, and none of them were eager to venture out so late.

Wu Cong glanced at Wu Ming—who slept on as though he hadn’t heard a thing—then rolled over and pretended to sleep even more soundly.

One boy, who hadn’t spoken all night and didn’t dislike Wu Shi as much as the others, asked hesitantly,
“Shouldn’t we go take a look?”

Wu Shi’s cries were heart-wrenching, and Wu Cong felt a flicker of unease.

“You’d really go out this late?” Wu Cong scoffed. Seeing that Wu Ming didn’t wake, his worry faded. “There are so many guards outside. What could possibly happen? He probably wants to come back but doesn’t have the nerve, so he’s hoping we’ll go fetch him. If we do, he’ll just throw another tantrum. I’m not going. Go if you want.”

He lay back down and pulled the blanket tighter. Several of his close companions echoed,
“Exactly. We’ve got to distribute medicine tomorrow. Go on your own if you want.”

Though equal in rank, these medicine boys had been with the witch doctor for years. Aside from him, their word carried the most weight in the tribe. Wu Shi’s bad temper had already alienated them—naturally, they weren’t about to trouble themselves now.

Better to enjoy a rare, full night’s sleep.

The boy who had spoken hesitated a moment longer, glancing out the door.

Meanwhile, Wu Shi was being surrounded by several orcs.

The Black Forest Tribe’s orcs came in all sizes. This time, when they handed out food and medicine, they had deliberately placed the strongest ones at the front to show off their power.

These higher-ranked orcs, accustomed to commanding others, had no interest in doing grunt work like hauling supplies. So they brought along weaker orcs for that.

To keep them hidden from the other tribes, the weaker orcs had been driven off during the day to a spot some distance from the market, kept under guard. Now, they were being ordered to transport food and medicine for the next day.

A group of frail orcs, staggering as if half-asleep, carried supplies forward. The moment they spotted Wu Shi, they rushed him like men possessed.

His scream had been a cry of panic. In the dim moonlight, the group shambled toward him, their bodies reeking of rot, like corpses crawling out of the dark.

Wu Shi, fastidious by nature, had never liked distributing medicine. He certainly never interacted with these labor orcs. Normally, he would’ve waved them off the moment he saw them. But tonight, when they suddenly lunged so close, he was startled, frightened, and furious. He shouted for them to be taken away.

But the orcs already surrounding him ignored his order. Catching sight of his fine robes, they grabbed at him and begged desperately for medicine.

In the Black Forest Tribe, rank was clear in everything—including clothing. The witch doctor dressed most lavishly, the medicine boys second only to him. Even the chief couldn’t compare.

So long as it was a medicine boy, these desperate orcs didn’t care which one—it was enough to cling to him, not letting him leave.

One weeping orc blocked his path, sobbing,
“Sir, please, give us medicine! Please, sir, just a little medicine…”

Wu Shi struck at them in disgust, but his strength was nothing compared to men hardened by labor. Their grips held fast, their blank eyes unblinking, their voices droning the same plea over and over—

“Give us medicine, give us medicine…”

Bai Tu repeated the words slowly after hearing the report from the orcs who had stirred up the incident.

If earlier he had only suspected something, now he was nearly certain: there was a serious problem with the medicine.

Several Black Eagles nodded. As night-flying birds with pitch-black plumage, they were nearly invisible in the dark. It was the perfect cover, letting them perch in the trees without being noticed. That was why Bai Tu had sent them.

If another tribe’s orcs had tried the same thing, the Black Forest Tribe would’ve noticed instantly. Orcs were heavy—no matter how careful, their steps always made noise.

The Eagle Tribe, though, was different. Even though the Black Forest Tribe used Feathered Tribe guards, the eastern continent had more orcs than feathered folk. Most had never even seen eagle-kin before. The guards soon relaxed, drowsing off. That gave the Black Eagles their chance to slip inside unnoticed.

Bai Tu hadn’t expected the Black Forest Tribe’s witch doctors to poison not only orcs from other tribes—but even their own.

It seemed Lang Qi’s warning had been right. The Black Forest Tribe’s strong orcs didn’t care about the weak who joined later. If they died, another batch would simply take their place.

Those injured or starving orcs who had been “rescued” by the Black Forest Tribe were in fact just the next wave of expendable recruits.

The Black Eagles had also observed something chilling.
“Those people are unbelievably obedient. They’ll do anything you tell them.”

Among orcs, obedience wasn’t unusual. Every tribe had leaders whose orders were respected. Sub-chiefs and squad leaders also commanded their groups. But that obedience wasn’t absolute. Orcs trusted leaders they believed capable of bringing prosperity—but if one faltered, they’d turn to another.

Respect didn’t mean blind submission. Tasks from leaders were completed diligently, but never recklessly. Likewise, leaders wouldn’t push their own people into unnecessary danger. For example, in a hunt, the number of participants would be adjusted to match the size of the prey.

The orcs of the Black Forest Tribe were nothing like the others. They truly didn’t care about their own lives. Each one carried a pack taller than themselves, their shoulders buckling under the weight—yet they stayed meek and obedient. Even if only a handful of orcs gave the orders, none dared resist.

The captured orcs from the Snow Rabbit Tribe and Blood Wolf Tribe were still shackled, their restraints meant to keep them from transforming and turning on their guards. The bindings were as loose as possible while still limiting them, minimizing the risk of violence.

The Black Forest Tribe, however, was the complete opposite. Their orcs endured workloads harsher than even the Vulture Tribe or Lion Tribe, yet none of them resisted or even seemed to think anything was wrong.

This astonished the Black Eagles. These were all strong-bodied orcs. Even if they didn’t dare attack the Black Forest orcs outright, it would’ve been better to at least try to escape together than to stay shackled like this.

The irony was staggering. The Snow Rabbit and Blood Wolf tribes still supported their wrongdoers, letting them do tasks within their ability—yet those same orcs still dreamed of retaking the Red Eagle Tribe, Mad Lion Tribe, and Black Mane Tribe. Meanwhile, the Black Forest orcs, who couldn’t even guarantee themselves food and bore the heaviest burdens, made no attempt to escape.

Bai Tu had already guessed the answer:
“Because the Black Forest Tribe has what they need.”

Those orcs might once have thought about running away. But so long as the witch doctors and medicine boys held the medicine, even if they escaped, the suffering would drive them back. And with the Black Forest Tribe’s ruthlessness, any escape would almost certainly end in disaster.

Bai Tu’s reasoning proved correct. The orcs who clung to Wu Shi, begging for medicine, had every chance to flee, yet didn’t dare. Earlier that day, two orcs had tried. They were caught, dragged back, and forced to watch as the others turned on them.

Those without medicine could only writhe in pain. And when their suffering ended, they were beaten to death in full view of everyone.

It wasn’t the first death since joining the Black Forest Tribe. Orcs died almost daily—some from exhaustion, others from mistakes. But this was the first time they had seen orcs beaten to death deliberately, and right in front of their eyes.

Before they could even process the agony of being without medicine, they watched their fellows die.

That night, many had nightmares. But when dawn came, they got up and worked again. With two fewer laborers, their workload only grew heavier.

They knew they were exhausted. Carrying such loads every day was unbearable; even after countless attempts, their bodies weren’t used to it. The long hours gnawed at their bones. Yet none dared stop.

The punishment for slacking was at best going hungry. Sometimes they were even denied medicine. And without it, they suffered a torment like ants crawling under their skin, a pain that was impossible to endure.

Perhaps to prevent delays in work, the Black Forest orcs usually allowed the medicine boys to distribute a dose once the pain grew too intense. Only the two who had attempted escape were left without.

The onlookers understood only later: from the very beginning, the two escapees had never been meant to live. Giving them medicine would’ve been a waste.

Witnessing such misery firsthand, the others grew terrified of being denied medicine themselves. They hadn’t seen a medicine boy since morning. Now, having finally run into Wu Shi, they clung to him desperately, refusing to let go.

Wu Shi fumed at the group, but he truly had no medicine on him. Only the witch doctor kept the supply, and it was always Wu Ming who fetched it. This was one reason Wu Shi resented him so deeply. He was clearly smarter, clearly the witch doctor’s favorite, yet until now only Wu Ming had been trusted with the medicine.

The orcs didn’t care. They only knew that whenever they were unwell, a medicine boy dressed just like Wu Shi would hand medicine to the guards, who then distributed it.

Tonight, it should have been time for their dose. But Wu Shi hadn’t given them anything. Their pleading turned into fury, and they became convinced he was withholding it on purpose to make them suffer.

In their rage, they tightened their grip on him.

At first Wu Shi only tried to push them away in disgust. But when he felt their grip tightening, pain spreading from his arm into his leg, his anger turned to panic. He cursed them viciously, and even berated the nearby orcs who hadn’t pulled the beggars off him:

“Useless trash! Garbage! Get out of my sight!!!”

But the ones who had lost their senses weren’t about to release him just because he shouted. And the orc who had tried to help hesitated—stung by Wu Shi’s insults and his threat to report him to the witch doctor. In the end, he loosened his grip.

These orcs had seen it many times: once the sickness advanced, the stricken became completely irrational, sometimes even mauling their own companions to death. Since Wu Shi had threatened to complain, why bother helping him? If he got outside, they would be punished. Better to just let him be.

Back at the apprentices’ resting place, one boy stared at the empty spot beside him, torn. The others were already sleeping soundly.

He wrestled with it for a long time before finally deciding to go out and look for Wu Shi.

All medicine boys had been brought into the tribe at a young age. He couldn’t even remember when he’d first arrived, only that he had grown up at the witch doctor’s side. It was his first time outside alone at night, and he had no idea where Wu Shi might have gone.

The summer darkness echoed with the cries of small animals. Even knowing guards were posted nearby, keeping outsiders from entering their fenced area, the boy still felt a prickling fear. He was the most timid of the apprentices, usually following others’ lead and rarely making decisions of his own.

He should have given up once the others refused. Yet he couldn’t shake his worry for Wu Shi. Summoning what little courage he had, he stepped outside. But once he did, he wasn’t just afraid—he was lost. He didn’t even know which direction to take.

Paths stretched out in every direction. At night, his vision faltered. His race wasn’t suited for nocturnal travel; he wasn’t blind, but his sight was far poorer than in the day. The orcs who had been nearby earlier had all gone back to rest, leaving the area deserted.

He wandered uncertainly until he finally came across two patrolling orcs. Just then, the moon slipped behind a cloud. He couldn’t make out their faces clearly, but he could tell they were strong—and he caught a familiar scent on them, the tang of herbs. That meant they were of high status within the tribe.

Relieved, he hurried over and asked if they had seen Wu Shi.

“It seems the witch doctor called him away,” they said.

“Called away?” The boy hadn’t expected that answer. He didn’t know why the witch doctor would summon Wu Shi so late, but if he was with Master, he must be safe.

The boy let out a sigh of relief and was about to head back when one of the men spoke again.

“Master Medicine Boy, do you know where the witch doctor keeps the medicine? The chief sent us with this.” He patted the pack on his back.

Afraid the boy wouldn’t believe him, the other added, “The chief gave us this to deliver quickly, but we got lost and arrived late. We didn’t dare ask anyone else, or the chief would punish us if he found out.”

So that was it. No wonder they smelled of herbs. Still, something felt off. They had brought plenty of supplies this time, yet the witch doctor had predicted less usage on the first day. If anything, they had spares. Why would the chief send more medicine?

Though puzzled, the boy didn’t doubt them. His night vision was poor, but he wasn’t blind. The two orcs wore Black Forest Tribe clothing, and only those constantly around medicine carried such a scent. No other tribe had medicine in such quantity.

He pointed toward the witch doctor’s quarters.
“Over there. But if Master is already resting, wait until morning before going in.”

Otherwise, he thought, Master would punish him too—but he swallowed the thought. He was timid, never daring to speak up, always afraid someone might overhear.

The two orcs thanked him hurriedly and headed for the witch doctor’s tent.

Only after they left did the boy realize—
Hadn’t they just said Wu Shi was called away by the witch doctor? Then why ask where the medicine was kept?

Panic rose in him. He turned to look around, but the night was murky. He couldn’t see clearly. No one was nearby.

His weak eyes couldn’t tell if anyone lurked farther off. And even if he did see a figure, how could he know whether they belonged to his tribe or were intruders?

By the tribe’s rules, he didn’t dare shout. Even if he himself wasn’t punished, the guards on duty would be flogged for failing in their watch.

Frightened, he spun on his heel and ran back to the sleeping area, calling out urgently as he returned:

“Ming! Ming! Someone’s intruding!”

“What?” Wu Ming opened his eyes, looking startled but clear-headed.

“I ran into two orcs—they were asking where we stayed…” The boy babbled through the whole story.

“Xi, what are you doing? We finally fell asleep, and you come making a racket,” Wu Cong grumbled irritably. Wu Shi had already woken them once tonight. With him gone, there was no one to complain to. And now this fuss?

Wu Xi muttered an apology.
“I’m sorry, but someone really has come in.”

Wu Cong scoffed, “Do you think the guards outside are dead? We’re with the witch doctor. Our master may not be the only witch doctor in the tribe, but he’s the eldest and most powerful. With him here, half the tribe’s guards have been assigned to protect us. How could anyone possibly get in?”

Wu Xi wanted to argue but couldn’t. Hearing this, even he began to doubt himself. Maybe he had been wrong. If those two were from their tribe, why hadn’t they known where the witch doctor was? Wasn’t it a lie that Wu Shi had been summoned?

“Cong’s right,” another chimed in. “There are guards everywhere. And you said they smelled of herbs—they must’ve been orcs from our tribe, or apprentices sent by other tribes to help.”

“That’s right. Don’t go running around at night when you can’t see and scaring people. Stop acting like Wu Shi,” Wu Cong scolded. “Everyone’s exhausted.”

“I…” Wu Xi wanted to explain that he’d gone out of worry for Wu Shi, but before he could finish, Wu Cong had already covered his ears and turned away. The others’ faces all showed annoyance.

Only Wu Ming spoke kindly.
“It’s fine. I know you meant well. Wu Shi’s probably fine. He must have just cried out because of a nightmare at Master’s place. Look—no one has come for us. There are guards everywhere. If he were in danger, someone would’ve told us long ago.”

Wu Xi was finally reassured. He nodded and decided he would check on Wu Shi the next morning.

But before dawn came, trouble broke out.

The first sign was a fire in the food stores. By the time anyone noticed, the guards and laborers were gone, and the blaze had already spread.

The place chosen by the Black Forest Tribe was far from the other tribes. Whether they were witch doctors or ordinary orcs, all of them felt their tribe was unlike the rest, so naturally, they took the most spacious area. But there was one fatal drawback—no water source nearby.

This, however, wasn’t a problem for them. Some clansmen already lived farther from water and managed fine, as long as others did the labor.

Later arrivals to the Black Forest Tribe naturally held less authority. They were assigned the same grueling, thankless tasks. If it could be done inside the tribe, then it could be done here too.

That evening, after moving supplies, it should have been their turn to fetch water. But the nightly medicine they always received never came. Some orcs fell ill on the spot.

The guards had seen this plenty of times. Normally, they would simply fetch medicine. But before they could act, Wu Shi happened to come out—and the sick orcs immediately latched onto him.

The safety of a medicine boy outweighed anything else. Yet they had underestimated how desperate the sick were for medicine. Not only did they refuse to let go, they actually tightened their grip.

Wu Shi, wrenched in pain, lashed out with curses. The guards, afraid the witch doctor would discover the commotion, hesitated and fell back. Several orcs deliberately made noise to cover up the scuffle, while another yanked Wu Shi down and clamped a hand over his mouth. No one beyond that circle noticed a thing.

Because they were so distracted, the guards forgot their other task—watching over the food. By the time they realized the stores were on fire, the blaze was already raging.

At first, none dared to tell the witch doctor. They scrambled to put it out, only to discover the water they’d set aside earlier was gone—both the buckets and the water. While they ran around searching for tools, the flames grew taller than the trees.

Finally, one said darkly, “Let’s blame Wu Shi. Say he set the fire. As long as we insist it was him, and we plead with the leader for mercy, we won’t be punished like lowly orcs.”

The others understood instantly, nodding. They turned toward Wu Shi, who was still pinned beneath the sick orcs. “Kill him,” the first one ordered. Only by silencing him could they save themselves.

Wu Shi was battered, bitten, and utterly overwhelmed. Just before losing consciousness, he caught sight of figures arriving to “rescue” him. Rage flared—why had they come so late? He swore inwardly that he’d have the adults throw them to the wild beasts, not just kill them.

He knew the tribe kept a den of savage beasts. Unlike orcs, they were mindless and fought constantly. Wrongdoers were beaten, then cast into that pit—eaten alive. Far more terrifying than a simple death.

The thought of his tormentors’ fate almost dulled his own pain. But the cold hand that suddenly gripped his neck filled him with fear.

A sharp crack—then Wu Shi’s eyes shut forever.

The killers assumed the matter settled. They quickly sent someone to report to the witch doctor.

But the witch doctor’s fury only burned hotter. When he saw the inferno consuming their supplies, he didn’t bother listening to excuses or even glance at Wu Shi’s corpse. He ordered all the sick orcs—and those who had neglected the food—thrown into the flames.

“Where is Wu Ming?!” the old witch doctor roared. “Didn’t he hear the commotion outside?”

Just then, Wu Ming, wrapped in an animal skin, came running. “Master, I—”

Slap! The witch doctor’s hand cracked across his face. “Useless!”

Wu Ming clutched his cheek and stayed silent.

Wu Cong, hurrying behind him, saw Wu Ming’s pallor and quickly explained: “Sir, Wu Shi was throwing a tantrum and refused to eat. Ming went looking for him everywhere and came back exhausted, so he fell asleep. That’s why he didn’t hear anything.”

But Wu Ming shouldered the blame himself: “Sir, it’s my fault. Shi was young. I didn’t manage him properly. I lost track of time and forgot to fetch the medicine.”

Wu Cong immediately cut in: “It was Shi who delayed Ming! Everyone knows the workers need medicine daily or they’ll collapse. Ming forgot only because he wasted time searching for Shi.”

The witch doctor’s anger eased. Hearing Wu Ming’s hoarse, self-reproachful words, he sighed at last. “It’s not your fault. Shi was too willful.” He glanced at Wu Shi’s body, eyes flashing with something almost like regret.

Wu Ming bowed. “Thank you, sir.” Lifting his head, he saw the orcs preparing to cast the guilty into the fire and quickly spoke up: “Sir, they made mistakes, yes. But if we punish them like this, how will we explain it to the chief?”

The witch doctor’s status outweighed the chief’s in medicine, but not in command. The chief led the hunts, expanded the tribe, and held the orcs’ loyalty. To burn these workers alive over lost food and a fire blamed on a medicine boy—it would be difficult to justify.

At the mention of the chief, the witch doctor sneered but relented with a wave of his hand. “Let them go. Even the sick ones. They’ll work tomorrow.”

Wu Ming was granted leave to fetch medicine. But before he even reached the storeroom, a scream tore from his throat. He staggered back, wailing: “Sir! Sir—the medicine, it’s ruined!”

“What?!” The witch doctor rushed over, only to be carried back by a swift orc. On the ground lay a foul mess—every last pouch of carefully prepared medicine dumped out, trampled, and mixed with mud, excrement, rotted food. The stench hit long before the eye. Not even the most desperate orc would touch it.

The witch doctor went white. This wasn’t mere wasted labor. Tomorrow, when the workers realized there was no medicine, chaos would erupt.

He snapped decisively: “Pack up! We return to the tribe at once!”

The orcs were stunned. The market hadn’t even begun, yet they were retreating already? But the witch doctor’s orders could not be defied.

Those who had barely escaped being burned sighed in relief. If Wu Ming’s intercession spared them once, then returning to the tribe meant safety.

Unlike the chief, who had grown up with the clansmen and tempered punishment with kinship, the witch doctor treated all orcs as tools for his service. But in his current haste, he wouldn’t waste time punishing them further. They were safe for now. If they informed the leader in advance, their eventual sentence would surely be lighter.

Just then, Wu Ming passed by. He stopped, pulled a small bamboo tube from his chest, and handed it over. “This is my own salve. Apply it to your wounds. In this heat, infections worsen quickly.”

The leading orc accepted gratefully. “Thank you, Lord Wu Ming.”

“It’s only my duty,” Wu Ming murmured. “If I hadn’t been careless…”

“How could this be your fault? We all know Shi’s nature,” the orc cut him off. His tone hardened at the mention of Wu Shi. “He always lorded over us, beating and cursing us. That was bearable. But yesterday, he even started a fire! You’ve suffered enough watching over him.”

Wu Ming shook his head. “He was just a child. He didn’t know any better.”

His words only stoked their indignation. “Lord Wu Ming, you’re barely older than him! By seventeen, you were already learning medicine with the witch doctor!”

Their admiration grew with each word. Most medicine boys never advanced beyond gathering herbs, yet Wu Ming had long been refining remedies. Though still nominally a medicine boy, he was already more like a witch doctor.

If only he were our tribe’s medicine man, they thought. Wu Ming was kind, offering salves where the witch doctor offered nothing but scorn. He even risked the witch doctor’s wrath to intercede for them. With Wu Ming, punishments would never be so cruel.

The orcs exchanged meaningful glances, a silent agreement passing between them.

After tending to them, Wu Ming left.

From the shadows, the Black Eagles who had witnessed it all slipped away to report back to Bai Tu and the others.

Leaders like Lang Qi and Bai An were present. Xiong He, drained, had sent Xiong Tuan in his place. Once the report was delivered, Bai Qi immediately responded.

Bao Duo sighed. “This Wu Ming… he’s a good one.”

The others all looked at him in silence.