Wang Jun watched the dilapidated remains of the tribe, the sight of scattered corpses and limbs, and the overwhelming stench of blood assaulted his senses. He staggered backward, overcome by nausea, before collapsing to the ground and vomiting.
Honestly, he felt a deep sense of sadness, but more than anything, he felt gross and disgusted by the gruesome scene before him. Someone placed a comforting hand on his back as he struggled with his emotions.
After wiping away the remnants from his mouth, he gathered himself and entered what remained of the tribe.
"Where are the survivors?" he asked, his voice carrying a mix of urgency and concern.
Draven led him to the center where Wang Jun's house was located. There, he saw the survivors huddled together, fear etched on their faces, and various emotions swirling in their eyes. Children cried uncontrollably, while their mothers did their best to comfort them. When the survivors caught sight of Wang Jun, a glimmer of hope sparked in their eyes.
No one seemed to have the courage to approach him. Perhaps they understood the weight of leadership on Wang Jun's shoulders, or maybe they simply didn't want to disturb him in his current state. Maybe Wang Jun's somber mood made them hesitant to engage with him. Regardless of the reason, they watched the chieftain with a flicker of fire in their eyes, silently hoping for guidance and reassurance amid their despair.
"They didn't leave a single man?" Wang Jun muttered, his voice tinged with disbelief and anger at the ruthless nature of the attack.
It seemed the enemy understood the value of men, as they had mercilessly massacred all the men remaining in the village, leaving only children and women behind. In this era, men were considered more valuable than gold; they were the backbone of society, the builders, and the protectors. Killing the men effectively crippled the tribe, leaving it vulnerable and weakened.
"What about Grom?" Wang Jun turned to Draven. Though he already knew the answer deep down, a part of him couldn't accept it.
"The elder is dead," Draven replied, shaking his head solemnly.
Wang Jun sighed heavily before turning his attention to the destroyed houses and scattered corpses. Frowning as the stench of blood lingered in the air, he spoke with a sense of urgency, "We might attract some monsters if we don't clean up right now."
"I've already got the able ones on it," Draven replied, "First thing first, lay our fallen to rest proper, then we'll tidy up the mess,"
Wang Jun nodded in agreement and decided to pitch in and help with the cleanup. However, there were only a few who could assist. Grimlock remained unconscious, and some hunters were injured. If they couldn't clean up the mess quickly, they risked attracting beasts drawn to the scent of blood.
Wang Jun joined the hunters in burying all the bodies, working tirelessly until the task was done. Then, they poured water over the blood-soaked earth to wash away the stains and gathered the scattered limbs to be burned together. Though the smell of blood still lingered faintly in the air, it was less noticeable, and they hoped it would fade away in time.
After the cleaning was done, Wang Jun ordered some survivors who had recovered to cook food for everyone. However, he didn't like their response.
"Chieftain... we have no more food or firewood. All our supplies have been robbed or burned in the fire," a woman with blond hair stuttered, her child clinging to her waist. She looked at Wang Jun with a mix of worry and helplessness, gently caressing her child's head before whispering something to him. The child then ran off somewhere.
"What should we do, chieftain?" The woman continued.
Wang Jun rubbed his temple, feeling the weight of their situation pressing down on him. "We're going to have to hunt. It's the only way we'll get food now. I want you to gather all the women and build a fence around our camp. It won't provide much, but at least it'll offer some security. And make sure the children don't leave the safety of the fence."
With only 10 hunters remaining, including himself, Draven, and Grimlock, and only five of them able to move, Wang Jun realized their options were limited. The only solution was for Draven and himself to go on the hunt, while the remaining hunters would stay behind to protect the tribe in case of any threats.
The stakes were high; if anything went wrong and the women and children were harmed, the tribe would be on the brink of extinction. It would mean starting over from scratch for Wang Jun and rebuilding everything from the ground up.
After leaving the tribe, Wang Jun checked his status.
---
Name: Wang Jun
Age: 21
Status: Chieftain of the Barbarian Tribe
Level: 3 (130/150)
HP: 100/100
Strength: 8
Dexterity: 8
Constitution: 6
Perception: 6
Intelligence: 20
Skills: (none)
Attribute Points: 0
---
He noted that he only needed 20 more experience points before he could level up. His willpower had increased, but the other attributes remained the same. Curious, he then looked at Draven's status.
---
Name: Draven
Age: 29
Status: Hunter of Barbarian Tribe
HP: 100/100 (Healthy)
Strength: 16
Dexterity: 16
Constitution: 13
Perception: 13
Will: 13
Intelligence: 13
Charisma: 11
Skills:
Dual Sword Familiarity (Level 7): Have basic proficiency with Dual Swords
Evolve Hunter Sense (Level 5): Enhances detection of movement and a sense of danger from a distance. Improves sensory abilities to detect not only movement and immediate threats but also illusions or hidden dangers within the surroundings.
---
Wang Jun pondered over the evolution of the Hunter Sense and its sudden advancement to Level 5. He speculated that perhaps during its passive state, it had accumulated enough experience to reach Level 2 but couldn't level up further because it was passive. Alternatively, during their recent fight, Draven might have triggered some of its effects, causing it to evolve. These were just guesses, but Wang Jun couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to it than met the eye.
Recognizing that he couldn't find an immediate answer to his questions, Wang Jun decided to temporarily set aside his inquiries about the skills evolution. He knew that his gift held many mysteries that needed to be uncovered, but his current situation demanded his full attention if he was to survive.
Wang Jun and Draven came to a halt as they spotted a wild boar resting nearby. This boar was unlike any they had seen on Earth; it was larger and tougher, with wild horns protruding from its mouth and muscular bulges on its feet.
Silently, Wang Jun and Draven approached the wild boar from its side. The boar immediately sensed the danger and opened its eyes, but before it could fully react, Draven swiftly stabbed it in the stomach with his sword. The boar let out a wail of pain before succumbing to its injuries and dying.
'Your subordinate, Draven, killed a Wild Boar. You gained 10 EXP.'
They continued their hunt, knowing they needed more meat to sustain themselves for a few days, as well as to gather as much EXP as possible to gain more attribute points.
Along the way, they encountered various formidable beasts, including wolves, bears, gnomes, mutants, four-armed gorillas, and even a troll. Sensing the danger posed by these creatures, they wisely chose to retreat rather than engage in combat.
After their hunt, they managed to gather enough edible meat to sustain themselves, including the meat of a wild boar, a Hogzilla, and a monster named Pounce. However, as they were about to return to their tribe, they heard screams and cries of children in the distance. Without hesitation, they exchanged a glance before throwing their hunt to the ground and rushing inside to investigate.