I am a Primitive Man
Chapter 890 – The Tearful Grass Tribe Leader
The “law of irresistible sweetness” seemed to apply in every era, whether in later times or in the primitive age.
For example, the remaining members of the Black Stone Tribe, upon learning that their leader had died, that everyone in their tribe had joined the Green Sparrow Tribe, and that life in the Green Sparrow Tribe was exceptionally good, quickly wavered in their earlier resolve.
Not long ago, they had been angry, questioning Song Guo fiercely, and had sworn they would never join the Green Sparrow Tribe.
But now, everything changed.
When Eldest Senior Brother opened a bamboo tube from his backpack and distributed pieces of fruit candy, these men tasted the sweet delights of the Green Sparrow Tribe.
Instantly, all hesitation vanished—they all chose to join the Green Sparrow Tribe.
As for the firm decisions they had made before…
What were those compared to candy?
Inside the Black Stone Tribe’s cave, cleaned under Eldest Senior Brother’s command, a fire burned.
Nearby, a pile of meteorite iron lay.
This included all the meteorite iron they had gathered around the Black Stone Tribe’s cave, plus the pieces already made into weapons by the tribe—forty-six pieces in total.
The amount of meteorite iron now exceeded anything previously collected by the tribe.
The Green Sparrow Tribe members looked at the pile, then at the original Black Stone Tribe members who sat quietly at the cave edges, smiling obsequiously whenever anyone’s gaze fell on them.
Everyone felt this trip had been worthwhile.
They not only acquired more meteorite iron, but also gained people to bring back to their tribe.
Though these people looked weak now, with proper food and salt back in their tribe, they would soon grow strong.
They could contribute significantly to the tribe—more than the food they consumed.
And this was only the beginning. Besides the Black Stone Tribe, fourteen other tribes awaited their attention.
Even one Black Stone Tribe yielded over thirty people. Bringing together all the remaining tribes would greatly strengthen their tribe.
Just thinking about it filled Eldest Senior Brother and the others with excitement.
Yet alongside excitement came a worry.
These remaining tribes were scattered around the Black Stone Tribe; the closest could not be reached in a single day.
Furthermore, most of these people only knew the path from their own tribe to the Black Stone Tribe—not how to return elsewhere.
After escorting members of one tribe, the group would have to return to the Black Stone Tribe before traveling to the next.
With little rest, it would take about four or five days to reach a single tribe.
For fourteen tribes, the time required would be even longer.
The eldest senior brother took a branch and, using methods taught by the Divine Child, sketched a long series of 4+4 equations on the ground.
After some complicated calculations, he arrived at fifty-six days.
They had taken sixteen days to reach the Black Stone Tribe from their tribe, and roughly the same to return.
After more calculations on the ground, Eldest Senior Brother determined a total of eighty-eight days.
Looking at the numbers, he scratched his head in frustration.
Eighty-eight days—almost three months—was unacceptable.
He had already resolved to return before the autumn harvest.
The last fields planted by the tribe had already reached ankle height when they departed; in three months, the crop would be ready for harvest.
Yet he could not immediately see a solution.
The Grass Tribe leader, having already learned over half of the tribe’s common language as a new slave, quickly understood Eldest Senior Brother’s predicament.
Upon realizing the challenge, her heartbeat quickened.
For someone long frustrated by the Green Sparrow Tribe’s constant surveillance, this presented an opportunity to escape.
Her plan: instruct the Green Sparrow Tribe to send multiple groups to different tribes simultaneously.
This would disperse their forces.
Facing the full strength of the Green Sparrow Tribe, she dared not act. But once divided, with fewer people around, the situation would be different.
She calmed herself, planning to share this idea with the old slave paired with her, so that Eldest Senior Brother, the leader, could be informed.
Yet before she could act, Eldest Senior Brother had already made the decision.
He had already considered splitting the Green Sparrow Tribe into groups, sending them simultaneously from the Black Stone Tribe to the remaining fourteen tribes.
He hesitated initially, concerned that smaller groups might face resistance, thereby harming his people.
But when he realized they did not need to go to all fourteen tribes at once—just seven at a time—the worry vanished.
This expedition included forty-five citizens, plus seventeen old slaves paired one-on-one with new slaves, totaling sixty-two.
None were from the Black Stone Coalition, so there was no concern of internal disruption.
Sixty-two people divided into seven groups posed a difficult division problem.
Eldest Senior Brother attempted a “division formula” method taught by the Divine Child but could not solve it.
Frustrated, he threw his branch to the ground.
Finally, a clever Green Sparrow Tribe member devised a solution using physical objects:
He placed seven pieces of meteorite iron to represent the seven tribes, then sixty-two small sticks to represent the people.
By placing a stick in front of each meteorite iron sequentially, they determined that six tribes would each receive nine people, and one tribe would receive eight.
Nine trained tribe members, armed and disciplined, were enough.
Most remaining tribal members were either weak or minors, and in the past, nine people had successfully escorted the Divine Child to the tribe. Nine people could certainly handle this task.
With personnel allocated, Eldest Senior Brother began distributing groups.
Except for his own group, which had eight (citizens plus old slaves), the remaining six groups had nine people each.
“Escort the remaining members here first. Those who arrive wait here until all groups return.
If anyone resists coming, tie them up.
If anyone harms our tribe, kill them all!”
The eldest senior brother’s words, spoken before departure, were full of deadly intent.
This echoed the principle Han Cheng instilled: the lives of their own tribe members were infinitely more valuable than those of outsiders.
Anyone killing a tribe member must be punished—no exceptions, no mercy, no enslavement.
Those who resist would be killed; those who submit would become slaves.
Eldest Senior Brother’s orders reinforced this principle, made stricter to both protect his people and warn new slaves returning to their original tribes.
“Anyone who dares to harm our tribe—kill them all!”
Hearing this, the Green Sparrow Tribe members repeated the command, their resolve strengthened.
After this, the Green Sparrow Tribe members departed the Black Stone Tribe’s cave, each group heading in a different direction under the guidance of local slaves, disappearing from view.
The previously lively Black Stone Tribe cave returned to silence.
Song Guo stood nearby, watching the departing Green Sparrow Tribe members with reluctance.
He still held the bamboo stick used for candy—already eaten, but he could not bear to throw it away.
Eventually, he returned to the tree where he often rested, sat for a while, and lay down, resting his head on an exposed root.
The bamboo stick in his mouth seemed to carry the candy’s lingering sweetness.
Thinking back to the previous night, the strange white-stone-like food, and all the wonders Song Guo had described, he felt as if he were sleeping on clouds.
Joining the Green Sparrow Tribe was wonderful.
There, he could eat this lovely food every day, and the mysterious white-stone-laden food.
Afterward, he could lie on the warm kang, sleep, and wake to eat again—a dreamlike life.
He was not alone in this dream; the remaining Black Stone Tribe members shared the same delight.
Yet they did not know that Song Guo had only told them the good parts of life in the Green Sparrow Tribe—none of the labor, nor the calloused hands behind it.
Meanwhile, the Grass Tribe leader led some Green Sparrow Tribe members back to their original tribe.
Following her plan, the Green Sparrow Tribe had divided into groups to approach multiple tribes simultaneously.
But the Grass Tribe leader was far from happy.
Her plan had envisioned fewer Green Sparrow citizens—just one or two, plus the old slave paired with her—giving her a chance to escape.
Now, she saw six Green Sparrow citizens, three old slaves, and two new slaves like her, leaving her full of despair.
How could someone who did not seem exceptionally clever execute such flawless plans?
Why was she always so oppressed by him?
As night fell, the Grass Tribe leader and her group arrived at a sheltered lowland.
Here were ashes from past rests, left when she had brought food to the evil Black Stone Tribe.
That night, they rested here, taking turns keeping the fire burning and staying vigilant.
The Grass Tribe leader fell asleep only after a long while.
No matter how far the road, as long as they kept walking, they would eventually arrive.
By the third afternoon, under her leadership, the group reached the Grass Tribe.
Like the Black Stone Tribe, the Grass Tribe was quiet after its strong members had left; those remaining lived in fear.
Unlike the lazy Black Stone members, the remaining Grass Tribe members had not yet developed such idleness.
They could not hunt far and stayed near the cave, foraging for wild vegetables and using fish traps.
Though few in number, they fared better than the half-dead Black Stone members.
Still, there was no absolute security.
“#￥5ERT!”
The Grass Tribe leader shouted to her tribe members, who had panicked at the approaching group, and identified herself.
After some hesitation, the tribe cautiously approached.
Upon recognizing their long-absent leader, they ran joyfully, jumping and shouting.
Some minors cried, recounting their fears while she was away.
The Grass Tribe leader knelt, embracing them, soothing them with repeated assurances.
Her presence calmed the children, and their joy returned.
They asked her eagerly about the Green Sparrow Tribe, the food, and the other tribe members who had stayed behind.
They pointed to the accompanying Green Sparrow Tribe members and asked who they were.
The Grass Tribe leader wanted to tell them the truth—that many had died, the rest became Green Sparrow slaves, and she had returned not with treasures but to lead them toward enslavement.
Yet looking into the hopeful eyes of her people, she could not speak.
After a moment, she smiled, nodded energetically, and told her people with joy:
“We found the Green Sparrow Tribe! It is even better than we imagined!
There is abundant, delicious food—we can never finish it all.
Three full meals a day, so much that we can eat until complete.
The dwellings are called houses and are comfortable.
No evil tribes like the Black Stone Tribe will threaten us or steal our food.
The people are kind…
We joined the Green Sparrow Tribe, and now I have returned to bring you to live there with us…”
The children listened with wonder, their excitement growing.
Cao Gen then presented a sealed bamboo tube from his backpack to the Grass Tribe leader, signaling her to open it for distribution.
She hesitated, incredulous.
With his gesture, she took the tube, clumsily unsealed it, and poured out the bright fruit candies.
The minors gasped in amazement.
“What is this?”
“It’s fruit candy! Delicious!”
The Grass Tribe leader, never having tasted candy, smiled proudly, praising its sweetness while handing pieces to the children and weaker tribe members.
“Delicious!”
“So sweet!”
The children were astonished by the novelty of the taste.
One girl, after tasting her candy, insisted on giving the Grass Tribe leader a larger piece.
She ate it, the sweetness filling her mouth.
Other children followed, offering their candies.
The Grass Tribe leader, savoring the candy, could not help but cry tears of joy…