Day 85: Returning Home (Part One) — A Special Update from the Clan Leader in Advance

“What if I told you that it’s not nearly as dangerous inside as you imagine?” I said calmly. I knew they were probably terrified by the initial disaster, yet found it hard to believe that after all this time, they were still cowering here. It was difficult for me to understand.

“What? Brother Luo means to say...?” Qian furrowed his brow but quickly shook his head. Then he continued, “Brother, none of us are cowards; otherwise, we’d have starved to death long ago.”

“We’ve actually been cautiously expanding outward all along, but I instructed them to explore gradually from this place as the center, mainly to look for food. But you know what? Every time the brothers went out, it was a near-death experience. Let alone wild boars, they encountered giant snakes as thick as tree trunks, venomous spiders, insects, and snakes. There was even a small animal, extremely fierce, that chased Xiao Yezi for over an hour. It not only bit his leg but also managed to leap and bite his groin several times—just a hair’s breadth away from causing a fatal injury…”

“That incident scared Xiao Yezi terribly. He didn’t dare go out for ten whole days and could only help build shelters here. So, brother, it’s hard for us to imagine how the outside could be safer.”

“Oh, I’m just speaking casually; Qian, don’t take it to heart. It’s just that, to me, outside might be a bit safer. After all, there aren’t such creatures out there.” I pointed toward the nearby beach.

“Really? There aren’t any over where you live? If not, then the danger is indeed much less. Even if there are snakes or wild boars, compared to those, they’re hardly a threat. But...” As he spoke, he pondered, then looked at me, about to say something but seemed at a loss for words.

I had a good idea of what he wanted to say—most likely, he wished to come with me to see for himself or to verify whether I was truly alone over there. That posed no problem for me. Firstly, I had a decent first impression of them; Qian’s personality was quite good. Besides, if I could return to a human group, I certainly wouldn’t refuse—provided I trusted Qian and didn’t think he was deceitful.

Yet, people’s hearts are unfathomable, so some caution was necessary. If it came to a confrontation, wielding an axe gave me a clear advantage over Qian and Ye Qingchen. After all, I had the upper hand in size and weaponry.

“Do you want to come with Ye Qingchen and me to take a look first?” I asked them directly.

“Yes, Brother Luo is straightforward. Yes, I want to see for myself! After all, as Brother Luo said, if there’s a safer, better place outside, we can consider moving out. Because honestly, this place is far from safe.”

“But Qian...” A burly man nearby spoke urgently. He looked more like the leader—about 1.9 meters tall, his arms muscular and bulging, his bare upper body adorned with a small tattoo, and his abdominal muscles clearly defined.

“Yeah, Qian, why don’t we all go together?” This man seemed a little foolish; his words indeed lacked thought. Would I agree to go with him? What if... bringing him along was like inviting wolves into the fold?

“Enough! I know what to do,” Qian waved them off.

“Brother Luo, if you don’t mind, I can go back with you along with Ye Qingchen. More people means we can face dangers on the road together, which is relatively safer.” Qian looked at me after saying this. The others remained silent.

“All right then, Qian and Ye Qingchen, let’s get ready to set off. It’s getting late.” Indeed, the sun was already setting in the west. If we didn’t hurry, it would be dangerous; we might not make it back to the treehouse before nightfall.

“Qian, looks like we need to move quickly. Are you ready?” I asked, turning back.

“Ready. Let’s go!” They held strange “weapons” in their hands. At first glance, they looked like wooden sticks, but they were more than that—each had a stone embedded near its base.

“What’s that?” I asked Qian, pointing at his weapon as we moved forward.

“Oh, this? It’s a stone axe! Don’t be fooled by how crude it looks; it chops trees pretty fast! Of course, it can’t compare to Brother Luo’s heavy axe, but if you chop three or four small trees, this stone axe can break one.” He handed it over to me.

The stone was remarkably smooth, clearly polished; otherwise, it wouldn’t be so slick. The blade beneath was sharpened. If struck with this stone axe, a skull would surely split open. It wasn’t a joke.

...

The easygoing atmosphere turned tense as we approached the edge of the forest. This was the most dangerous zone. According to Qian, there were at least twenty “killers” lurking here, and if attacked, there would be no chance to escape.

So we carefully scanned every corner, alert to the slightest rustle. We moved extremely slowly—three steps then stop, one step then stop. Advancing here required not only careful observation but also a strong heart.

In such an oppressive and fearful atmosphere, it’s easy to break down. Once that happens, one might dash forward recklessly, trying to flee quickly, but that often leads to tragedy. The hidden “killers” most love to witness such an outcome.

...

I don’t know how much time passed, but after sweat on my back dried and wetted several times, we finally emerged from the thicket. According to Ye Qingchen, once we reached the dense forest ahead, we wouldn’t encounter those creatures anymore. At least, he and his companions had never seen them there.

Of course, one possibility was that the thick vines ahead made it uncomfortable for those creatures to enter, and this area was drier compared to the previous forest. Perhaps that was why they avoided it.

After leaving that area, we encountered no more dangers. Apart from passing by a riverbank where a few wild boars were drinking, nothing else happened.

By then, dusk had fallen, but I clearly saw a faint smile on Qian’s face.

“What is he smiling about?”