I am a Primitive Man
Chapter 68 – Cold and sinister snake!
“Next time we encounter them, we must teach them a harsh lesson.”
Elder Senior Brother pounded his chest forcefully.
Han Cheng restrained Elder Senior Brother’s frustration and anger.
From Elder Senior Brother’s account and their previous encounter, it was evident that this tribe was not composed of benevolent individuals. After realizing they were no match for Elder Senior Brother and the others, they abandoned a confrontation, instead sending people to follow and locate their tribe secretly. This cunning strategy was unsettling, akin to a sudden cold attack by a hidden snake. The tribe, which Elder Senior Brother had not seen until the previous year, might have recently moved nearby, or a distant tribe could have ventured here for hunting.
Regardless, having such a tribe in the vicinity, especially one showing interest in them, was not pleasant for the Green Sparrow Tribe.
Han Cheng, the Shaman, and Elder Senior Brother, the three leaders of the Azure Sparrow Tribe, gathered after dinner to discuss and plan a strategy for dealing with this situation.
They eventually came up with the following measures:
During sleep at night, securely fasten the outer gate and seal the cave entrance with stone slabs.
Keep weapons within easy reach to ensure immediate defense in an emergency.
At least three people should go together when going out for any reason.
The night watchmen should consider the surroundings while tending to the fire.
Although there were rare cases of people venturing out at night during this era, let alone attacking tribes, precautions should still be taken.
When Elder Senior Brother and the others go out hunting during the day, they should carry enough weapons to guard against possible ambushes from this hostile tribe.
Six people should remain in the tribe to strengthen its defense during the day when Elder Senior Brother and the others are away, preventing any hostile tribe from taking advantage of their absence.
Designate at least one person to guard each of the three walls facing east, west, and south, paying attention to any potential intruders.
When going outside the walls for any other activities, be cautious. Run back inside the walls immediately in an emergency and seal the gate once everyone returns.
These strategies were discussed and practiced over the next few days. Simulated scenarios were enacted to prepare for potential attacks. The exercise covered various situations, such as attacks from one side, attacks from three sides, dealing with many enemies, and handling fewer enemies.
By the end of the day, everyone had better understood how to respond in case of an enemy attack. On the third day, Elder Senior Brother, accompanied by the tribal members armed with plenty of weapons, left the tribe to explore the direction where they encountered the Flying Snake Tribe before. The primary objective was to hunt and, more importantly, to see if they could find and confront the tribe that dared to spy on their settlement.
Of course, Elder Senior Brother did not encounter the Flying Snake Tribe’s second leader and the others, as they had returned to the west after receiving the reports from the four tracking individuals the day before. Given the vast distance between their tribes in an era with limited navigational aids, finding each other without specific directions was nearly impossible.
The key takeaway was that Elder Senior Brother adhered to avoiding staying outside overnight, which proved crucial for their safety.
With this condition in place, the distance he could search to the west was unlikely to extend too far.
The second leader of the Flying Snake Tribe and his people rested in a cave the following day. They roasted food, and the cave was stocked with plenty of fruits and some meat they had hunted.
On the second day, he led his group to hide the cave entrance with branches and stones, carrying the prey they had captured earlier and continued heading west.
This cave was not the fundamental location of their Flying Snake Tribe; it served as a temporary base when expanding to the east. They had discovered and utilized this cave for only two years.
Due to the large and aggressive nature of the Flying Snake Tribe, gathering enough food was challenging if everyone stayed together. After all, the land’s capacity to sustain people was limited. Another crucial reason for separating the tribe members was to discover new tribes.
Finding new tribes was significant for the Flying Snake Tribe because it ensured they always had enough food. Consequently, nearby tribes near the Flying Snake Tribe had diminished. No tribe wanted a neighbor known for raiding. Some tribes moved voluntarily, while others were eradicated.
To maintain their tribe’s normal life, the shaman of the Flying Snake Tribe dispatched three teams from their main tribe, each going in different directions: east, south, and north. One team collected food while the other explored other tribes. If the food collected within the tribe was insufficient, they would resort to attacking the tribes they had discovered in times of scarcity.
Last year, the reason the second leader of the Flying Snake Tribe did not send people to track Elder Senior Brother and his group was because of the exceptionally dense forest with abundant fruit they found. However, this year, he suffered two defeats at the hands of this troublesome tribe, fueling his anger.
After several days of travel, the second leader of the Flying Snake Tribe returned to the main camp with his followers. The tribe’s shaman and the chief were somewhat dissatisfied with the early return, but the second leader explained.
He certainly wouldn’t mention the fact that they had taken two beatings and been discovered while tracking other tribes, putting their lives at risk. The Flying Snake Tribe valued strength, and admitting such encounters would not only garner any sympathy from the shaman and chief but might also lead to disdain. Revealing such vulnerability could even cost him his position as the second leader.
In his explanation, he changed the reason for his return to discovering two tribes, one particularly abundant in resources. With these two tribes, they wouldn’t have to worry about food this year. After stating this, he deliberately incited the chief to lead a raid on the prosperous tribe.
His persuasive skills were effective, and the chief was tempted. However, the plan was not executed because the shaman disagreed. He believed autumn was the time to store food, and raiding other tribes should be the last resort to preserve their lives.
This left the Flying Snake Tribe’s second leader, eager for revenge, disappointed. However, even the chief had to comply when the shaman spoke, and the second leader dared not say more. Simultaneously, he feared appearing too eager, worrying that the clever shaman might discern the truth behind the situation.