77: Chapter 77: The Beast Pen and Mounts! The Slaves' Desperate Mission!

"Yes! Patriarch!"

Chen Xiao's body snapped upright, responding loudly in an incredibly excited tone!

The look in her eyes as she stared at those new construction blueprints was full of heat!

Especially that [beast pen]!

As the Tribe's war commander, she understood better than anyone what the word "mount" meant for the earth-shattering improvement of the Tribe's military strength!

Once the Tribe had cavalry!

Then their mobility and impact would reach a brand new, terrifying level!

When that time came, the entire rainforest would become their hunting ground!

The next day, just as dawn was breaking.

The entire Dragon God Tribe fell into an unprecedented feverish atmosphere of construction.

Under the unified coordination of Logistics Manager Lin Waner, the girls of the Tribe were divided into several groups.

Some were responsible for transporting timber, others for cutting stone.

Though the work was hard, everyone's face was brimming with smiles of excitement and anticipation.

Because they knew they were building their own home with their own hands!

On the other side of the valley, Li Mo also obtained the "laboratory" he had dreamed of.

It was a crude cave specially authorized by Qin Yu and temporarily excavated into the mountain wall.

Inside were some of the most primitive tools seized from the Bloodfang Tribe.

A few stone hammers, several whetstones, and a small furnace built from clay.

Although the conditions were appallingly crude, Li Mo treated them like priceless treasures!

He fell into a near-manic state of work!

At times he would mutter to himself at a piece of ore, and at others, he would use charcoal to draw complex blueprints on the ground that no one could understand.

The fanatical light belonging to a scientist flickered in his eyes!

No one went to disturb him.

Everyone knew this was a person the Patriarch had personally ordered to be tested.

His success or failure would determine whether the Tribe could possess its own "technology" in the future.

In stark contrast to this bustling scene were the one hundred and twenty silent, trembling Slaves at the valley entrance.

They were bare-chested, shivering in the cold morning wind.

Numbness and fear were written on every face.

Before them, Qin Yu sat high atop the back of a massive Armored Rhino, looking down at them from a superior height.

His gaze was as cold as ice, without a hint of emotion, as if he were looking at a group of livestock that could be sacrificed at any moment.

"You should have seen it by now."

Qin Yu spoke slowly, his voice like a wintry north wind scraping across every Slave's heart.

"The Tribe is constructing a new building."

"A [beast pen] that can house and domesticate wild beasts."

His gaze swept over the numb faces of the Slaves one by one.

"But the beast pen is still empty right now."

"I need some... 'residents' to fill it."

A cruel arc curled at the corner of Qin Yu's mouth.

He extended a finger, pointing toward the vast, peril-filled prehistoric rainforest in the distance.

"So, your mission has arrived."

"From today on, you will be divided into twenty squads, with six people in each squad."

"You will enter the rainforest and find the young of two types of creatures for me."

Qin Yu's voice became increasingly cold.

"The first type is the 'Horned Sheep'."

"They are docile, live in herds, and eat plants. Adult Horned Sheep can produce energy-rich milk, making them an excellent food source."

"Their characteristics are a pair of spiral horns on their heads and long white fur covering their bodies."

"The second type..."

Qin Yu's voice paused, and a flame named 'ambition' flashed in his eyes!

"'Swift Dragon'!"

Swift Dragon!

As soon as those two words were uttered, not only the Slaves, but even the Valkyries responsible for supervising couldn't help but gasp!

Swift Dragons were the most notorious opportunistic predators in this rainforest!

They weren't large, about the size of a wolf.

But their speed was as fast as lightning! Their claws and teeth as sharp as knives!

Even more terrifying was that they hunted in packs!

A pack of Swift Dragons would even dare to challenge a lone Triceratops!

To provoke such terrifying predators and steal their young?

What was the difference between that and seeking death?!

A deathly pallor appeared on the faces of all the Slaves!

Their bodies trembled violently due to extreme fear!

"No... please no..."

One Slave finally couldn't withstand the mental pressure and collapsed to his knees.

"Master! I beg you! Spare us!"

"To steal Swift Dragon hatchlings, we... we will all die!!"

"I beg of you!"

Where there was a first, there was a second!

Thud! Thud!

In the blink of an eye, over a hundred Slaves were all kneeling, crying and pleading!

However, what met them was not Qin Yu's mercy, but a cold, disdainful sneer.

"Die?"

Qin Yu acted as if he had heard some great joke.

"Your lives already belong to me."

"If I let you live, you live."

"If I tell you to die, you must die!"

His voice suddenly turned sharp!

"Furthermore..."

A demonic playfulness flashed in Qin Yu's eyes.

"I didn't tell you to go and die."

"I have given you the opportunity to choose."

Qin Yu gave a look to Chen Xiao beside him.

Understanding his meaning, Chen Xiao immediately directed several Valkyries to carry out two large baskets of items.

One basket contained tough vine nets and anesthetic blow darts.

The other basket was filled with steaming, sizzling roasted beast meat!

That alluring aroma made all the starving Slaves unable to stop themselves from swallowing their saliva.

"Do you see?"

Qin Yu pointed at the two baskets, speaking in a tone full of temptation yet incredibly cruel:

"The choice is simple."

"You can take nothing and go into the rainforest empty-handed to try your luck."

"Of course, you can also choose to receive these tools."

"One vine net and ten anesthetic blow darts."

"They can greatly increase your success rate in capturing the young and your... survival rate."

"But..."

Qin Yu's tone shifted.

"These tools are not free."

"To get them, your squad must give up all food rations for today and the next three days!"

Boom!

As soon as this condition was stated, all the Slaves were stunned!

Give up four days of food for a set of ethereal beast-catching tools?

This... how was this possible?!

Without eating for four days, even if they weren't bitten to death by wild beasts, they would starve to death in the rainforest!

This devil!

He never intended to let them survive!

"Of course, you have an even better choice."

Qin Yu's gaze fell on the basket of fragrant roasted meat.

"And that is to inform."

"Inform on which of your companions has thoughts of slacking off, who has thoughts of escaping, or who is criticizing me behind my back."

"As long as it is verified, the informant can immediately receive a piece of roasted meat as a reward!"

"And as for the one reported..."

Killing intent was laid bare in Qin Yu's eyes!

"I will personally twist off his head in front of all of you!"

Silence.

A deathly silence.

All the Slaves were frozen.

They looked at Qin Yu, looking at that cold, inhuman smile on his face.

A chill that penetrated to the bone enveloped them.

Divide.

Suspicion.

Using the desire for survival to incite them to monitor and betray each other!

This man was a devil!

A true devil who toyed with human hearts!

"Alright."

Qin Yu seemed to have lost all patience.

"I've finished speaking."

"I'll give you ten minutes to make a choice."

"Will you take the tools and go with an empty stomach to gamble on a slim future?"

"Or will you eat your fill for this one meal, and then go empty-handed into the rainforest to offer up your lowly lives for me?"

"Or perhaps..."

Qin Yu's gaze was like a venomous snake, slowly sweeping over each Slave's face.

"Betray the companion beside you in exchange for a piece of roasted meat?"

"The clock starts now."

The cold ultimatum was delivered.

The one hundred and twenty Slaves fell into unprecedented despair and struggle.

...

At the same time.

On the other side of the Tribe, in the temporarily built camp for the wounded.

Lin Waner was drenched in sweat as she treated the wound of a female warrior whose arm had been slashed by a savage in the previous battle.

The female warrior's wound had already begun to turn black and ooze pus, emitting an ominous stench.

It was infected.

In this primitive rainforest, once a wound became infected, it meant death was not far away.

Lin Waner had already exhausted all her [Life Priest] skills.

But her healing arts could only accelerate the closure of the wound; they could not clear this infection and toxin that had already penetrated deep into the bone.

"Sister Waner... am I... am I going to die?"

The young female warrior's lips were pale as she asked feebly.

"Don't talk nonsense!"

Lin Waner's eyes reddened, and she suppressed her tears to comfort her.

"You'll be fine! The Patriarch will definitely find a way to save you!"

Though she said this, Lin Waner's heart sank bit by bit.

She knew she was powerless.

Her gaze subconsciously drifted toward the entrance of the valley.

That was where Qin Yu was.

An unprecedented sense of helplessness welled up in her heart.

Her healing ability was too weak!

It simply couldn't keep up with the pace of the Tribe's expansion!

Battle would bring casualties.

Now that the Patriarch had sent Slaves to perform such a dangerous mission, she feared there would be even more casualties!

If only her power could be a little stronger...

If only she could possess the ability to purify these infections and toxins...

Just as Lin Waner was anxious and bordering on despair.

A tall figure, like a god or demon, appeared at the entrance of the wounded camp.

It was Qin Yu!

Having finished dealing with the Slave matters, he had actually come over personally!

Lin Waner felt as if she had seen a savior and hurriedly went to meet him.

"Patriarch!"

With a sob in her voice, she pointed at the dying female warrior.

"Please, save her! Her wound is infected, and my healing arts are useless..."

Qin Yu did not speak.

He simply walked to the female warrior's bedside, glanced at her black, oozing wound, and frowned slightly.

Then he turned to look at Lin Waner.

In those deep eyes, a complex light that Lin Waner couldn't understand flickered.

He spoke slowly:

"Lin Waner."

"I have always kept your contributions in my heart."

"As the Tribe's logistics manager and only healer, your value is irreplaceable."

"But..."

His tone shifted.

"Your current power is indeed too weak."

Qin Yu's words were like a knife, stabbing deep into Lin Waner's heart.

It made her already self-reproachful heart feel even worse.

"I'm sorry, Patriarch... it's me... I'm useless..."

Lin Waner's tears flowed uncontrollably.

"No."

Qin Yu shook his head.

"This is not your fault."

"It was I who previously neglected your development."

He reached out and gently wiped away the tears from Lin Waner's face.

"A powerful Tribe needs more than just a sharp spear."

"It needs a sturdy shield even more."

"And you are the Tribe's most important shield."

Qin Yu looked at Lin Waner's beautiful eyes, which were wide with excitement and confusion, and a meaningful smile curled at his lips.

"Therefore, I have decided..."

"From today on, the Tribe's most precious resources will be tilted toward you."

"I will personally hold an advancement ceremony for you!"

"To make you a true... Messenger of God!"