Lu Yan suddenly said something Yusu couldn't understand, so Yusu had to consult the All-School Elf.
The All-School Elf was also puzzled: "It should be a language that disappeared during the Primitive Era, with no recorded information. I can't translate it."
Yusu: "..."
After hearing Lu Yan's words, the captive leader struggled and said something vicious. Lu Yan exerted force under his foot, causing the leader to grunt, then said something else.
Yusu observed that Lu Yan spoke the strange bird language fluently, unlike his usual speech. He had misunderstood Lu Yan's communication skills, assuming it was due to isolation in the wilderness.
Raising an eyebrow, Yusu asked Lu Yan to inquire about the origin of the captive. Lu Yan exchanged words with the leader, who initially resisted cooperation. After some apparent threats, the leader finally answered.
Lu Yan, after hearing the response, had a stern expression. Yusu asked, "What did he say?"
Lu Yan replied, "They are slaves from the Eastern Great Tribe, escaped from there."
"What tribe?"
"Lion Tribe."
"Do you know where that tribe is?"
Yusu expected Lu Yan, understanding the language, to know the Lion Tribe's location. Lu Yan nodded and mentioned that it was beyond the eastern mountains, a vast region with several large tribes similar to Salt Village.
Reaching there involved crossing dangerous eastern mountains with toxic mists and man-eating monsters. Yusu, contemplating, gazed towards the east, unfamiliar with that region due to the river barrier.
Curious, Yusu asked how Lu Yan crossed the eastern mountains. Lu Yan explained riding on a savage mammoth, following its group through the mountains' southern swamps, reaching the other side.
Amazed, Yusu remarked on Lu Yan's rich experiences. Yusu inquired if, during his time on the other side, Lu Yan heard about these mutated slaves in the Lion Tribe. Lu Yan shook his head.
He then questioned the leader again, translating the response for Yusu. The slaves mutated after consuming a fruit known as "巫果" from the Lion Tribe. The origin of the fruit was unknown, but eating it turned people into grotesque forms. Lion Tribe called them "巫奴战士," using them to raid villages, capturing and feeding male survivors with the fruit.
The escaped slaves massacred villages, including River East Village before coming to River East Village. Having committed such atrocities, Yusu decided to eliminate them.
Unable to extract useful information, Yusu ordered their disposal. He instructed to burn all the corpses of the "巫奴," and the rescued villagers, led by River East Village's elder brother, expressed gratitude.
River East Village, devastated by the ordeal, had few survivors. Yusu inquired about their plans, and the elder brother, filled with resentment, mentioned their damaged food supplies. Yusu decided to lend them two bags of grain to survive the immediate difficulty.
Overjoyed, the villagers thanked Yusu, acknowledging the preciousness of winter provisions. Aware of the village's struggle, Yusu showed kindness, remarking that they would have to manage on their own in the future.
As they departed, Yusu's companions, particularly Yumeng, expressed sympathy for the villagers' plight. On the journey back to River Village, Yumeng suggested lending more food, but Yusu, aware of the uncertainty ahead, emphasized the need to preserve the village's resources.
Yusu was interrupted by a slap from Yufeng for suggesting sharing more than needed."Ah? I was originally quite clever. It's only after being interrupted by your actions that I appear foolish."
Yu Meng, distracted by Yu Feng, forgot to mention the matter of provisions.
Lu Yan glanced at him, then looked at Yu Feng and Yu Su, deep in thought.
*
At the village entrance, they saw the village chief waiting with a slightly anxious expression.
Seeing Yu Su and others return safely, they all breathed a sigh of relief.
"You're back, everything okay?" the village chief asked.
Yu Su said, "The attackers at Hedong Village have been dealt with. We'll give you the details when we return to the village. It's so cold, don't wait outside."
The village chief, relieved to hear they resolved the issue, relaxed, "Yu Ye and the others suddenly returned with a group of people, which startled us. Later, we heard about the monster attack on Hedong Village. I couldn't sit still."
"Lord Yu Su, are they really monsters?" Yu Shi, who followed, asked.
"Sort of. They were slaves escaping from the eastern mountains. Originally ordinary people, they turned into monsters after eating something called Witch Fruit," Yu Su explained the situation briefly.
The village chief and others were surprised by the bizarre turn of events.
The village chief expressed concern, "They won't reappear, will they?"Yu Su: "It shouldn't happen. They escaped, unless there are more Witch Slave Warriors who fled to our side. But just in case, we need to strengthen the defense in the village during this time. When we go out for training, consider it as patrolling."
The village chief nodded, reassured by Yu Su's words. He said, "You handle these matters. I'll follow your lead."
"Good. I'll organize the strong labor in the village into groups and have them patrol the village interchangeably," Yu Su suggested.
The village chief agreed, saying, "Alright, let's go with that."
The placement of the group of Hedong Village residents brought back by Yu Ye and Yu Shi was a concern. Yu Su had shelters built to shield them from the snow, allowing them to stay overnight. Tomorrow, River Clan members would come to take them back.
"Distribute these pieces of animal skin to the villagers with children. Also, allow them to light bonfires at night for warmth."
"As for food, prioritize the children. Adults can manage, just don't let them starve."
Yu Su delegated these tasks to Yu Feng.
Yu Feng accepted, "Understood. Don't worry, I'll take care of it."
Knowing that Yu Feng was capable, Yu Su confidently returned home, with Lu Yan following him.
If those villagers weren't the ones Yu Su intended to save, Lu Yan didn't bother dealing with them. Winter's food was precious, and supporting an additional group meant wasting more provisions. Unlike Xin Dong's slaves, these people were simply consuming resources.
Why should they feed people on behalf of Hedong Village?
Moreover, during his wanderings, Lu Yan witnessed numerous conflicts over food. People could do anything for a meal. Who knew if Hedong Village residents might resort to such extremes?
In his opinion, they didn't even need to provide food; just ensure they didn't freeze to death.