Building a Civilization and Raising Cubs in the Beast World – Chapter 149

The young wolves had no idea anyone was worried about their future mates; they were too busy enjoying life.

It was their turn on day patrol—patrol during the day, freedom at night. With nothing else to do, they suddenly felt the itch to go somewhere.

“Boss, should we head north?” one of the wolves asked. North lay the former territory of the Snow Rabbit Tribe and several wolf clans, and further north still, yet another tribe.

Langze looked back thoughtfully, then nodded. “Let’s go.”

“Boss, what were you staring at?” Langzuo leaned over, puzzled by the brief, oddly leader-like expression on Langze’s face.

“We’re going to miss breakfast if we go,” Langze sighed.

Their settlement lay between the Snow Rabbit and Blood Wolf tribes, and they were planning to check the former site of the Mad Lion Tribe. Although that territory now belonged to them—having defeated both the Mad Lion and Black Mane tribes—it was far, and the domain was narrow, so they only patrolled it every few days.

If they went tonight, they wouldn’t return until around noon tomorrow.

At the mention of missing a meal, the little wolves howled in despair.

“Boss! Let’s grab sweet potatoes! We can roast them when we get hungry!”

Langze’s eyes lit up instantly. Other foods needed careful packaging—meat especially, wrapped in layer after layer—but sweet potatoes were easy. You could just grab them and go. No washing, no fuss—just peel and roast.

With that, Langze immediately led the wolves toward the food warehouse.

The orcs guarding the warehouse were fast asleep and were jolted awake by the noisy wolves. Glancing at the time, they knew instantly who had come.

Who else came looking for food at this hour besides Langze’s pack of wolf cubs?

Only the wolves would show up in the middle of the night.

The guards were so used to it they didn’t even ask. They simply led the cubs toward the food area.
“What do you want today?”

The wolf pups were nearly out of points, and everyone knew it. They feared lice infesting the wolves. They feared debts more—but they feared not feeding wolf cubs even more. No tribe would risk starving wolves who might grow aggressive. Even for something as basic as salt, the tribe wouldn’t cheat them.

The wolf cubs, oblivious to their empty point balances, poured into the warehouse and started hauling sweet potatoes.

For convenience, part of the cellar’s food was brought up daily and stored in the warehouse. The cellar was sealed and stuffy enough that entering required a wait.

Sweet potatoes were plentiful and occupied an entire corner. Each wolf grabbed a backpack and stuffed it full, not caring about size.

“Wait, wait! Tu said these don’t roast well. Take these instead.”
The warehouse guard quickly grabbed the big, round sweet potatoes out of their hands. Those took too long to cook, and wolves had zero patience. The long, thin ones roasted much faster.

Hearing “Tu said,” the wolves immediately dumped everything and began again, carefully picking out thinner ones. They rejected those that were too thin—they’d turn to mush before cooking through.

After filling five or six backpacks, the wolves were finally satisfied.

The guard yawned as he escorted them out. Most orcs were half-dead by this hour, but the wolves seemed capable of staying awake forever.

Langze led the group north, spirits high, ready to trek through the night and into the next day.

With their stomachs full, they felt like they could take on an entire tribe.

Meanwhile, Bai Tu and Lang Qi remained blissfully unaware that the wolf pups had slipped north again. The wolves liked to wander, but usually they stayed near the residential area. They assumed tonight was no different.

Lang Qi was still wrangling the household cubs. Since the rainy season began, the cubs had constantly disrupted their time together. The moment Bai Tu was home, the cubs would wedge between them—even refusing to sleep.

They were too small to scold or spank. They could only be guided slowly.

Tonight again, the cubs clung to Bai Tu, refusing to sleep without him. Lang Qi quietly scooped up those who drifted off, tossing them into their cribs. The cubs slept so soundly near Bai Tu that they never realized they’d been moved—by the time they woke, it was too late to complain.

While soothing the cubs, Bai Tu found himself puzzled.
He remembered a time when the cubs didn’t reject Lang Qi the way they did now.

It wasn’t just Lang Qi. Even the other young wolves acted strange. Tonight Langze couldn’t even touch him.

“Did you scare them?” Bai Tu asked. The cubs weren’t the type to misbehave without reason. When it was just Lang Sui and Lang Ying, they’d been obedient. Even now, they behaved perfectly with Bai Tu. And they never acted out when Bai Tu was away. The problems only began when Lang Qi, Langze, or other adult wolves spent too much time at home.

Lang Qi looked at the cubs, then at Bai Tu. Slowly, he said, “There are a lot of adult wolves around lately…”

“Huh?” Bai Tu looked confused. Wasn’t this what they talked about last night?

Lang Qi studied Bai Tu’s blank expression and realized he didn’t understand. After a pause, he explained:
“They don’t want new cubs.”

When a litter reaches a certain size, older cubs instinctively reject the appearance of new ones. Resources are limited; more cubs mean fewer chances of survival. Older cubs cry or cling to their parents to draw attention away from mating.

The cubs in the room were no different—they frantically chased away every adult near Bai Tu, ensuring no “new cubs” would appear to compete with them.

“Eh?” Bai Tu froze. He looked down at the half-asleep pups in his arms. The explanation was surprising… but logical. With limited resources, this instinct made sense.

Gently stroking the cubs, feeling the warmth under his palm, Bai Tu murmured, “Then what should we do?”
Even if the cubs didn’t object, he didn’t want more anyway—five were enough. But letting them resist Lang Qi every day wasn’t an option. Lang Qi cared for them half the time.

Lang Qi shook his head. Cub trouble was a universal wolf-clan headache. Usually, entire families had to work together. This was new to him, too. He hadn’t connected the behavior with mating instincts until today—if he hadn’t asked why they were suddenly eating so much, he might never have realized.

Bai Tu pondered it. The cubs weren’t just instinctual—they were bored.

They ate, slept, and had nothing else to do. All that pent-up energy had nowhere to go, so of course they were restless.

They needed something to burn energy.

The next morning, after breakfast, Bai Tu brought cloth and cotton to Ying Mian.

Ying Mian was still contemplating cub clothes—five cubs meant five outfits. With Xiong Liao gone, he had more free time. No one helped him with the eggs, but at least he wasn’t being pestered every hour.

Bai Tu felt relieved without Xiong Liao around; communicating with him had been exhausting.

“Mian, make me a toy.” Bai Tu showed the sketch he’d drawn first thing that morning. “This shape—wide at the ends, thin in the middle, like a bone. Stuffed with soybeans and cotton.”

Ying Mian immediately put down his sewing. “When do you need it?”

“The sooner the better,” Bai Tu said. The cubs weren’t bothering him, but they tormented Lang Qi every day. That wouldn’t do. He couldn’t stay home all day either; they split childcare evenly, meaning Lang Qi would continue being chased away for half the day.

Ying Mian estimated the workload. “I can finish this afternoon.”

“Perfect.” Bai Tu helped cut fabric—scraps from previous clothes, some needing to be pieced together.

“Five?” Ying Mian asked.

Bai Tu nodded. “Mm.”

Ying Mian assumed one for each cub, as usual. But when Bai Tu returned home, he dyed each bone toy a different color using plant juices.

The dye was natural, infused with a light scent and insect-repellent properties.

After drying, he placed the toys beside the cubs’ beds.

When the cubs woke, they found a new toy waiting.

Still groggy, they instantly brightened and reached for their own.

The gray cub was the quickest—but upon grabbing his toy, he noticed everyone else had one too. He scanned the colors, deciding the one on his left was the prettiest.

Lang Ying, who’d been staring lovingly at his own toy, lunged forward, snatching it before the gray cub could.

A fight broke out immediately.

Lang Sui, more sensible, approached his toy at a calm pace. In the blink of an eye, a cub materialized, snatched it, and fled.

Lang Sui stared at the empty spot where his toy had been. Lang Ying and the gray cub were still fighting—one of them already biting his own toy.

Lang Sui glanced at the remaining toys nearby. They looked nice… but weren’t his. So he leapt into the fight.

Elsewhere, a black cub sat beside a white cub, watching quietly. Suddenly, the three fighting cubs paused, seemingly confident they were winning. Two gray cubs emerged from behind, each snatching a cub before rejoining the chaos.

The black cub stared at his empty bedding, then at the white cub—then silently dove into the pile.

The white cub followed, biting everyone’s tails when he couldn’t win.

By the time Bai Tu returned with breakfast, the cubs were exhausted—especially the three younger ones who were slightly disadvantaged by size. After the brawl, they collapsed on the bed in a heap.

Bai Tu handed the food to Lang Qi. As Lang Qi began feeding the cubs, they glanced at him, hesitating.

They didn’t want to eat from their father… but they were starving.

They looked at the food again. In the end, hunger won.

Just one bite, each cub told themselves. Just one bite, then stop.
But after that first bite, they devoured the rest faster than ever.

“Give them toys next time,” Bai Tu whispered to Lang Qi. Once the two older cubs entered kindergarten, he planned to do the same with the younger three. When the cubs tired themselves out fighting and playing, they’d eat properly—whether the food was from Lang Qi or even Langze.

Once Bai Tu found a solution, he left toys for the cubs every day before going out. It wasn’t always five—sometimes three or four, sometimes more—but no matter how many he left, the cubs always fought over them.

At first, Bai Tu tried coloring them—Ying Mian made bone-shaped toys, a carpenter fashioned teething sticks. Later, he discovered that even uncolored toys worked. A toy sitting idly all day meant nothing… until a cub picked it up. Then, instantly, all the others wanted it too.

Bai Tu watched their tussles, reassured that their fights were harmless, and mentally selected several toys.

“We’ll send these to kindergarten later.” This was how wolf cubs learned to fight—play disguised as practice, where they developed hunting instincts, dominance, and technique from a young age.

Lang Qi nodded. He still didn’t understand how the cubs could fight so fiercely over the same toy, but the method clearly worked.

“They think the toy in someone else’s paw is more fun,” Bai Tu explained. Almost all cubs were like this—the food in someone else’s bowl tasted better, the toy in someone else’s hand was more interesting.

Lang Qi stared at the toys—identical except for color—silent for a moment.
Was this litter… like Langze?

Bai Tu noticed his mind drifting. “What are you thinking about?” He usually could guess Lang Qi’s thoughts, but that sudden silence was too vague.

“A bit like Ze,” Lang Qi sighed.

Bai Tu: “…”

Then something struck him. “Ze hasn’t shown up in days!?”

Lang Qi thought for a moment. “Five days.”
Five days since Langze last visited.

Bai Tu had already finished all his ledgers. He was just waiting to choose a new tribe name so he could announce the unification date. Ever since moving into the residential area, everyone knew this day was coming. The orcs hadn’t said it aloud, but they were anxiously urging them every few days.

Lang Qi had been busy as well. The wolf tribe was huge—even with Bai Tu’s organization, someone still needed to check in regularly.

They’d both been busy since the rainy season ended. After learning the young wolves’ increased appetite was due to their nearing adulthood—and not illness—they’d relaxed. They hadn’t assigned the cubs any extra work lately; once the wolves became adults, carefree days like this would be rare.

With everything going on, and with Langze often disappearing for a day or two in the past, five or six days slipped by before either of them noticed.

“The patrol team didn’t report anything,” Bai Tu said. “So the work hasn’t been neglected.”
No one had come to ask for help, meaning the patrols were completing their tasks.

But it had been long enough. They couldn’t possibly stay out all night every night.

Bai Tu found the orc responsible for recording patrol entries and exits. He checked their logs. The young wolves returned every morning and went out again at night. Sometimes they brought food from the cafeteria, but more often they brought sweet potatoes.

“What are they doing?” Bai Tu muttered. At least they were returning safely. The tribe was large—there was plenty of room to roam. He just had no idea why they kept going out.

“Ze said…” the recorder began, “they want to dig an underground tribe.”

“…What?” Bai Tu froze.

“An underground tribe,” the orc repeated. “So everyone can move underground. It stays warm that way, even in winter.”

Bai Tu stared. “…Where did he get that idea?”

Yes, underground was warm. But digging large tunnels with no support? Living in them long-term? That wasn’t “warm”—that was dangerous.

Even rabbits—who were built for digging—risked collapses. And wolves were much larger. One cave-in could bury them all.

When Bai Tu designed the settlement, he only approved underground warehouses and cellars—never living quarters. Even in the mines, he insisted on open pits whenever possible. If tunnels were unavoidable, they dug several short ones, like in the salt mines, so they could escape quickly during a collapse.

But an underground tribe? One collapse and everyone was doomed. And with the rainy season or late winter meltwater, the place would flood too.

No one could answer Bai Tu’s questions except the cubs themselves. After checking this morning’s return time, Bai Tu calculated their likely patrol area and went with Lang Qi to find them.

When they found the cubs, Bai Tu noticed how listless they were.
“What happened?”

Before Langze could answer, the wolves on either side spoke up immediately:

“Our tribe is gone.”

“It’s buried.”

Last night, they’d continued digging like usual… until everything suddenly went dark. The entrance collapsed. The cubs outside had dug frantically until midnight to free the ones trapped inside. They returned home filthy and exhausted—but this was normal for them. No one had questioned it.

Bai Tu: “…”
As expected. A collapse.

“Who told you to build a tribe underground? Aren’t there enough rooms aboveground?” Bai Tu asked, counting heads to make sure no one was missing.

If the cubs were harmed because they weren’t supervised properly, he’d never forgive himself.

“But the tribe’s rooms are almost full,” one young wolf replied. They had built additional houses, but almost all were occupied.

Bai Tu smiled. “If it’s not enough, we’ll build more.” The tribe had plenty of resources. A few houses would take only one or two months.

“The construction team went to another tribe,” another cub said.

“They’ll be back soon,” Bai Tu assured them. “They’re earning points. Once the breeding area and cafeteria there are finished, they’ll return.”

He told the wolves not to worry about housing—and not to dig underground tunnels again. They could dig small holes if they wanted to play, but no more multi-exit underground mazes.

Thankfully, their maze had saved them this time. After the collapse, they’d dug their way out through another exit. It just took longer, since they hadn’t memorized the route.

Bai Tu felt both relieved and helpless. Relieved that the wolves had taken initiative… but helpless that their methods were still so unreliable.

But safety was the most important thing. Fortunately, no one was hurt.

After calming them and repeating—yet again—that they must not do dangerous things, Bai Tu sighed inwardly. He’d said these words countless times. Every time they learned a lesson, they improved… until the next unexpected stunt. The moment he told them to stay off the mountain, they would head to the river. Always surprising him.

But the cubs truly were lucky, Bai Tu thought. So many dangers, and they always came out unscathed.

“Are you heading out again today?” Bai Tu asked. “Where to?”

“North again,” Langze said. They hadn’t finished exploring. Patrols were nothing like playing. Patrols required only checking for intruders—sometimes only listening and sniffing. But playing meant investigating every corner and finding interesting things.

“All right.” Bai Tu nodded. He didn’t stop them. The cubs wouldn’t repeat the same mistake, and as Lang Qi said, they wouldn’t have much free time once grown.

With Bai Tu’s approval, Lang Qi didn’t object either. He simply gave Langze a warning look before leaving.

Langze instantly understood the look: Don’t dig again.
He muttered under his breath, but when Bai Tu glanced back, he immediately nodded. The moment Bai Tu turned away, the cubs silently cheered and dashed off to the warehouse for sweet potatoes.

Sweet potatoes were their favorite lately.

“They’re quite obedient,” Bai Tu commented. He had been worried about a rebellious phase, but apparently, good food prevented it. For the young wolves, throwing a tantrum was worse than missing a delicious meal.

The cubs had been right to worry. “Have all the orcs from the White Cat Tribe settled in?” Bai Tu asked.

After the White Bear Tribe left, several rooms became vacant. The White Cat Tribe had filled them, but even then, there weren’t quite enough rooms—they had more members than the White Bears. They’d used up half the remaining empty houses.

“They’re all settled,” Lang Qi replied. He glanced at the cubs in Bai Tu’s arms. When the two of them went out together, they usually brought the cubs. Lang Qi was supposed to carry the two older ones, Bai Tu the three younger ones. But once on Lang Qi’s back, the cubs would fight to switch to Bai Tu. So Bai Tu ended up carrying them all.

Seeing how much the cubs had grown, Lang Qi asked, “Are they heavy?”

“I can manage,” Bai Tu said, stroking the cubs. “Go make your arrangements. I won’t be visiting the White Cat Tribe for now.”

He’d noticed something else in the past few days: whenever they spent too much time around orcs from other tribes, the cubs would come home unhappy. Bai Tu knew it wasn’t just the cubs’ fault—it was the season.

Different tribes chose different times to conceive. Some prepared in spring, some before the rainy season, others in autumn. Even with the rainy season barely past, some orcs were already considering having cubs.

During this period, older cubs across all tribes became insecure. It wasn’t just his own litter. When adult orcs prepared for new babies, older cubs feared abandonment.

The tribe had only enjoyed abundant food for the last two years; resources had been scarce before that. So this worry wasn’t unreasonable—it was instinct, passed down through generations. Adult orcs easily forgot the fears they once had as cubs.

Their behavior was nothing more than an instinct for survival.

And so, Bai Tu didn’t need to personally visit the White Cat Tribe. Lang Qi could handle the arrangements just fine. Mao Chuan and the others had already begun working, and if they needed further explanation, someone familiar could explain better than he could.

Whenever possible, Bai Tu prioritized the cubs first.

He lifted the cubs and kissed them, smiling. “Home!” He’d been busy for days; now he could finally rest a little.

But the moment they arrived home, someone knocked on the door.

Although Bai Tu had an office in the center of the tribe, everyone knew he was almost always home.

Lang Qi opened the door and brought someone in—it was Bai Chen.

“Huh? Did something happen?” Bai Tu asked. Bai Chen was responsible for the hunting area and the breeding grounds. Those tasks were routine; he wouldn’t come unless something urgent had occurred.

“The Black Forest Tribe’s prisoners escaped!”

“Escaped? Which tribe? How many?” Bai Tu immediately handed the half-asleep cub to Lang Qi. “Take him inside.” Then he stepped out to inspect the holding area.

“One. From the Snake Tribe. A Lion Tribe guard was distracted and didn’t notice them slipping out. Bai Qi returned, sensed something was wrong, and found it.”

Bai Tu stopped walking. “…Did he miss it, or did he let them go on purpose?”

Bai Chen blinked. “Let them go on purpose?”

“How could he not notice a Snake Tribe orc crawling out?” Bai Tu frowned. These weren’t little bamboo vipers—they were huge, heavy-bodied snakes. Even if he wasn’t watching the exit, something that size didn’t move silently.

The Snake Tribe prisoners were few and kept in small rooms. Because the rooms were small, missing one prisoner was easy—unless someone specifically counted them. Bai Qi had only discovered it because he returned unexpectedly; otherwise all the snakes might have escaped.

Bai Chen thought about it and felt uneasy. They had focused too much on the escaped Snake Tribe and not enough on the Lion Tribe guard.

“Who went after them?” Bai Tu asked.

“Qi, Zhou, Xun, Zhen…” Bai Chen listed several names. He had rushed over right after hunting—otherwise he would have joined the chase himself.

“It’s fine if the numbers are balanced,” Bai Tu said. “First, tell the tribe to search every corner of every house—don’t let anyone hide. And arrange guards for the cubs.”

Bai Chen nodded quickly and memorized every instruction.

On their way, the two of them passed several patrol teams. Everyone had been on break, but now they were regrouping to join the search.

When Bai Tu and Bai Chen reached the Snake Tribe’s holding area, the remaining snakes were curled up in a corner, looking pitiful and innocent.

Bai Tu didn’t believe it for a second.

Bai Meng—the snake who had tried to trick the Bear Tribe at the market—was from this tribe. They were experts at deception. Bai Tu had locked the remaining snakes in a remote corner of the tribe precisely to limit their contact with other orcs, but something had still happened.

“Where’s the Lion Tribe guard?” Bai Tu asked after confirming which snake had escaped.

“Over there.” Bai Chen pointed to a separate room—originally a rest room for guards. Now a lion orc was tied up inside. Lang Yang, who had tied him, had already heard the situation. There had originally been two guards, but one felt unwell and went to rest. During that break, everything went wrong.

The escaped snake—and another one—had both claimed to feel unwell and asked to sunbathe. The lion had believed them. The second snake made a sound to draw his attention, and in that moment, the first snake slipped away.

Bai Tu sighed.

Many lions in the tribe had already been freed. They weren’t as resourceful as rabbits or wolves, but their lives were far better than when they served under the Mad Lion or Black Mane tribes.

Their strength made them suitable for physical labor. Guard duty didn’t require much skill—just vigilance. A strong patrol was enough to intimidate most would-be escapees.

That was why the Lion Tribe had been chosen. Bai Tu remembered Bai An explaining that they were honest and harmless.

Honest—and gullible. Perfect prey for the Snake Tribe.

Bai Tu rubbed his temples. This was the worst timing. He’d spent the last two days spreading news about the tribe’s upcoming unification, and now this.

“Start searching.” The lion guards had no idea which direction the snake had gone, so they could only search gradually.

The only good news was that this Snake Tribe orc wasn’t venomous. As long as no one traveled alone, it would be difficult for them to injure anyone.

While Bai Tu assigned patrols, Lang Qi gathered the off-duty wolves. Rest no longer mattered—someone dangerous was loose.

That night, the entire tribe went on high alert. Normally, patrols rotated every three days. Tonight, all of them were stationed around the residential area, guarding every entry point.

When Bai Tu returned home, he realized he hadn’t informed Lang Ze. After a moment of thought, he asked Lang Qi to contact them.

Whether Lang Ze returned or not was up to him. After all, he had already completed a patrol that day and was far from the settlement. Rushing back would exhaust him; it was safer for him to remain where he was and keep watch.

Lang Qi agreed, shifted into beast form, and howled. Soon, a faint response echoed back.

“Return at dawn,” Lang Qi ordered.

Bai Tu nodded.

Then Lang Qi asked, confused, “Why keep the Snake Tribe alive?”
In his mind, the solution was simple—they should all be killed.

Bai Tu sighed. “I don’t want other tribes to see us as cruel.”

Their tribe’s reputation mattered. They knew the Black Forest and Snake Tribes were guilty of terrible acts, but outsiders didn’t. If they killed all prisoners immediately, over time, wouldn’t other tribes consider them barbaric?

And there was another reason.

“I plan to use them as bait.”

“…Bait?” Lang Qi stared.

“Yes,” Bai Tu said. “I don’t think the Black Forest Tribe is the only one with problems.”

Rumors about sub-beasts bringing disaster had spread simultaneously across multiple continents. The Black Forest Tribe had stirred trouble only in the Eastern Continent—nowhere else. Bai Tu suspected similar agitators elsewhere.

Months earlier, he had asked the Black Eagle Tribe to investigate the decrease in prey. They had found two tribes hoarding food desperately. Later, none of those tribes showed up at the market—and neither did the Black Forest Tribe.

Something was wrong.

Wu Jiu was incapable of speaking, and Bao Ren refused to reveal anything, no matter how hard they tried. So the Snake Tribe became Bai Tu’s breakthrough point.

“That missing snake isn’t in the residential area anymore,” Bai Tu murmured. “I added a medicine to their food. They don’t have the strength to attack anyone. I suspect they’re desperate to escape because their allies have arrived.”

All the loud searching, all the patrols—were partly for show. The true goal was defense.

Lang Qi tensed. “Are there enough orcs guarding the tribe?” He hadn’t expected Bai Tu to take such a risk.

“There are enough,” Bai Tu reassured him. “Don’t forget—we’re surrounded by many tribes. Their rescuers can’t send too many people. They can only sneak in.”

At that moment, far to the north—

The little wolves encountered a group of unusually beautiful boys and girls.

Lang Ze narrowed his eyes. “You said you were looking for Tu?”

“Yes,” the leading boy said, holding his injured arm. “We encountered stray orcs and want to ask Lord Bai Tu for medicine.”

The young wolves looked them over carefully.

Finally, Lang Ze said, “Follow me.”

“Thank you.” The boy exhaled in relief. His gaze drifted to the food roasting over the wolves’ fire. Hesitantly, he asked, “We haven’t eaten in three days… Could we have a little food?”

Lang Ze immediately tensed. “What did you say?”

Another youth spoke pitifully. “Just a little… please share?”

Lang Ze instantly exploded.
“Get lost! Hurry up and get lost!”