With the official end of winter, some rafts and boats gradually began to move on the river, but most of them were tourists and slaves living here, and the expedition team had not yet come out.
Shao Xuan didn't see the slave owner this time. Yan Shuo said that the slave owner named Shi Shu left before winter arrived. He didn't know where he was going or when he would come back. However, the slave owner has left several high-level slaves under his command to be responsible here. With them, the slaves do not dare to be lazy at all. The slaves can be seen everywhere these days.
Shao Xuan and Yan Zhi made up for the boat that was docked on the shore.
The boat stayed here, and there were no slaves to guard it, but it was not stolen. When it snowed, no one wanted to go out, and when the snow stopped, those who were thinking about it, saw Shao Xuan, and they lost their minds.
"Left tomorrow." Shao Xuan said after repairing the boat.
"Okay, I'm ready over there." Yan Shuo said excitedly.
Yan Shuo's family will leave with Shao Xuan, and their house will be reserved for friends here. Since Shao Xuan came here last year to shock a group of people, coupled with the strength of promotion, Yan Shuo has gathered a group of tourists to form a group of tourists. A small group, some of these people are better than Yan Shuo, but it is impossible for these people to leave together.
Therefore, Yan Shuo left his house to the brother who was suffering together, and then told them at Shao Xuan's instruction that the Yanjiao tribe would move to the central part, and they could go there together and live around the Yanjiao tribe.
Everyone who was originally depressed because of Yan Shuo's departure was very happy after hearing Yan Shuo's words. This is very good news for them. With hope, they have more motivation to live.
Isn't it just a few more years, maybe in a year or two, you will receive news
After taking care of everything, Shao Xuan handed the prey thrown down by Chacha to Yan Shuo, "Everyone have a good rest tonight and leave tomorrow."
When night falls, some nocturnal animals that come out to be active because of the end of winter make tourists afraid to go out and stay at home.
"Shao Xuan, what are you looking at?" Jiao Wu asked while eating a piece of barbecue.
Shao Xuan retracted his gaze from the window, closed the window, and said, "If I guessed correctly, tonight should be the time of the tribe's annual sacrifice."
Hearing Shao Xuan's words, people who were roasting meat or drinking soup stopped their movements and looked at Shao Xuan.
"Sacrificial... sacrifice, what does it look like?" Yan Zhi suppressed the excitement in his heart and asked.
"Sacrificial sacrifice, on this day, everyone in the tribe will go to the fire pit to participate in the sacrificial ceremony. The totem warriors will wear clothes and accessories made of the most proud prey they have hunted, and they will wear them on their faces. Draw the totem pattern of the tribe…”
Shao Xuan told a few people what the annual sacrifice looked like.
Everyone beside the fire listened carefully, and the fire was reflected in their eyes, bright and bright, even the little boy who was held by Yan Shuo listened carefully, and he didn't know how much he understood. .
As he was talking, Shao Xuan suddenly felt the change in the totem in his mind.
"Three flames in the fire pond, the first flame has begun." Shao Xuan pointed to his face, and then pulled up the sleeves of the animal skin coat, revealing the totem patterns that appeared.
Not only Shao Xuan, but the people here, except for Yan Shuo's wife and children, the other five people all have totem lines on their faces. They are not as clear as Shao Xuan, but they do appear. This has never happened before.
"Every year today is the day when the children in the tribe who meet the conditions awaken. When I go back, Xiao Yannian will also experience it." Shao Xuan said.
Yan Nian is Yan Shuo's daughter, but none of the tribe's children grow up well, but it doesn't matter, when they go back, they will gradually be raised.
They were talking about having a good rest tonight, but no one could go to bed early. Yan Shuo and Yan Zhi even recalled all night because of Shao Xuan's words. I wonder if it was because they were too excited and excited. After closing my eyes for a long time, I couldn't fall asleep, and when I woke up the next day, I was still in good spirits.
Yan Shuo was about to leave, and friends he met in the tourist area came to see him off.
Carrying the child onto the boat, Yan Shuo turned to look at the people standing on the shore, "Go back, everyone will wait for the good news."
Taking the wooden oar that Yan Zhi handed over, Yan Shuo rowed as he looked at the place where he had lived for many years.
Over the years, there have been more and more houses on the slave owner's land, and this year, many tourists have defected to it, imagining that one day, they will be able to go from the lowest slave to an important position with a title; The tourist area is still the same. Some people leave and some people join in. Some houses collapse and some are newly built.
And in the river next to the tourist area and the slave site, I don't know how many corpses of tourists and slaves were buried, and the number of those who died of illness and those who were killed could not be counted.
Yan Zhi suddenly remembered what the tourist who lived next door, who often sat outside the door in a daze, said when he first came to this place.
At that time, the tourist held a bone knife that he had polished, pointed at the river surface, and said to Yan Shuo: "Every day people die, then they are thrown into the river and eaten by fish, and then tourists catch the fish and eat them. Fish. There are other people, even more unfortunate, he wanted to be thrown into the river, but unfortunately, he was eaten, and his bones were turned into bone knives and taken to various places to hunt the prey... "
Yan Shuo couldn't remember what the tourist looked like. He only remembered that the man was seriously injured when he went hunting in the mountains. After returning, he tied a stone to himself and jumped into the river.
The hardships of survival and the hardships of life can only be understood by those who stand in them.
Yan Shuo looked back at the people who were still standing on the shore. They were still looking at the boat. They were envious of Yan Shuo, and at the same time, they were looking forward to the day when they heard the news of the Yanjiao Tribe. Maybe until that day, it will be their new life.
After vigorously rowing the wooden oar, Yan Shuo looked at the people standing on the shore and shouted loudly, "Live!"
"Alive!" Their voices came from the shore.
Jiao Wu planned to roar with feeling, but Yan Zhi stared at him, and he just choked back the roar that was about to blurt out.
On the green river water, a boat carrying nine people moved forward with the sound of paddles.
On the boat, there are also some shields made of wood. If someone on both sides of the strait attacks here, they can resist it.
Yan Shuo's wife and children were protected in the middle.
In the sky, Chacha stared at the movement below, and if any abnormality was found, Shao Xuan would be informed.
Shao Xuan still has memories of this waterway. He also remembers what the experienced far-travelers said and the experiences they shared when they came over from this waterway last time, such as which river section is more urgent and more dangerous. , where are the small tribes living in the river, these Shao Xuan have also told Yan Zhi and the others, so that they have a preparation in their hearts, and don't panic too much.
The first time they left the tourist area where they had lived since childhood, the two children looked at the scenery on both sides curiously, but the adults were not so relaxed, because of Shao Xuan's reminder, they had to be vigilant.
On the third day after leaving Hechakou, Shao Xuan saw the sign of the Pu tribe.
"The Pu tribe has arrived." Shao Xuan said, pointing to the totem carved on a raised rock on the mountain by the river.
There are also totem warriors patrolling the area along the edge of the Pu tribe. They don't remember Shao Xuan, but when Shao Xuan mentioned some things from last year, the guards thought back and seemed to have a little impression.
Seeing that the few people on Shao Xuan's side didn't seem to be a threat, one of the soldiers on patrol said, "Come with me, and I'll take you to see Fanning."
The winter is over and the temperature has picked up. The expedition team has also begun to prepare for the first expedition this year. Among the several groups of expeditions, Fanning is asking people to inform the people in their team of their excursion plans this year. , As soon as he turned around, he saw Shao Xuan.
Fanning remembered Shao Xuan, but he didn't have a good face and looked like he didn't care.
Shao Xuan didn't care about Fanning's attitude, which was always the attitude of Fanning anyway.
After chatting casually with a few familiar people around, Shao Xuan went to Zha under the guidance of a few people from the Pu tribe.
It was the first time for Yanzhi to enter the tribe, and it was not their own tribe. There were many totem warriors around, which made them very nervous.
When the people of the surrounding Pu tribe saw the Yanzhis, some showed contempt in their eyes, while others ignored them. At first glance, they knew that the Yanzhis would not have many good things and could not make deals. Naturally, they did not. good attitude. However, those who knew Shao Xuan knew in their hearts that this kid had a lot of good stuff on hand, and he still came back from the middle.
When there were few people around, Jiao Wu couldn't help but leaned into his brother's ear and whispered, "They have big eyes."
He was about to say something, but Yan Zhi shut his mouth.
As soon as they warmed up, the Pu tribe began to have some frog activities, because Shao Xuan had warned them before they came, and Yan Zhi and others were also careful not to touch those frogs, although many of them looked fat and delicious.
"We're going to start trading in the next two days?" Shao Xuan looked at the surrounding room and asked the person next to him.
Many people around have started to show things, this is the situation where the people of the Pu tribe are going to start trading.
"Yeah, by the way, Shao Xuan, people from the Luo tribe will come to trade today, you can see what can be exchanged," the man said.
When he saw his house, Shao Xuan thanked the man and stuffed a piece of jerky for him, "Thank you."
As soon as he smelled the meat, the man was stunned for a while. He didn't expect to lead the way, but he could still receive something. He grinned and looked around, no one noticed, and quickly stuffed the things in his hand into the animal skin bag. , he didn't want people to know that he could still get things in exchange for leading the way. What if someone robbed this job next time
Zha didn't plan to leave with the expedition team this time. When Shao Xuan passed by, Zha was still sleeping in the small room.
The arrival of Shao Xuan made Zha very happy. Knowing that Shao Xuan wanted to change the frog poison, Zha, under the curious eyes of Yan Zhi, made several frog poisons and stingers on the spot. It was dug out of the ground.
"The things that the old man hid were all from last year. If the time is too long, the efficacy of the medicine will decrease. It would be a waste to keep it, so I'll give it to you." Zha said without any guilt, not at all worried that the old man will be furious when he finds out.
"Thanks."
At this time, a commotion started not far away.
"It should be someone from the Luo tribe. You can exchange some fishing nets from them. Their fishing nets are doing very well. I haven't seen what they use to make nets." Zha suggested.
"Okay, I'll go take a look first."
When Shao Xuan and the others left, Zha yawned and planned to continue sleeping.
"Who was there just now? Hey? Where's my frog poison? I'm going to exchange something with the Luo tribe." The old man came back.
"Grandpa, do you know the Yanjiao tribe?" Zha asked.
"I don't know, it sounds familiar. Where's my frog poison?"
"Shao Xuan belongs to the Yanjiao tribe."
"Well, where's my frog poison?"
"Last year, when I was with the expedition team, Shao Xuan fought with a thousand-faced tribe, and he never fell behind."
"Oh, I seem to have heard you say, where is my frog poison?"
The grandfather and grandson started a once-a-day "chicken and duck talk" type of dialogue.
Shao Xuan still has some impressions of the Luo tribe. The Luo tribe's nets are indeed very special. The weaving materials they use are very thin, much thinner than ordinary grass and rattan, and they are strong enough. They should be made by some kind of plant.
Shao Xuan exchanged a fishing net and a few pieces of fish skin clothing.
Fish skin clothing is very common for Luo tribes. Different from animal skin clothing of other tribes, their tribe faces three rivers, and two of them can catch fish. They use the most primitive tools and the most common materials to make clothing, shelter from the wind and rain, and keep the body warm.
Whether it is the Luo tribe, the Pu tribe, or others, they have experienced countless ups and downs, and each tribe is looking for more skills in survival and practice in their unique development history, even if they do not contact the higher Civilized culture, they can also step into the threshold of the civilization era, but it will take longer time.
Civilization and skills are forced out by life.
Compared with the "price" in the middle, the transaction here is really quite affordable. No wonder the people of the Pu tribe always like to travel far away.
Yan Zhi followed Shao Xuan and gained a lot of knowledge.
After spending one night in the Pu tribe, Shao Xuan took Yanzhi and the others early the next morning and went to the Pu tribe by boat.
The closer they got to the Empress Tribe, the more nervous they became. Although Shao Xuan told them that the Empress Tribe's crocodiles were special, they couldn't help but be nervous. The brutal scene in their memory kept coming back and forth.
"The front is the scope of the Enriched Tribe." Shao Xuan said, looking at the river section ahead.
Yan Zhi's heart became even more nervous, and their eyes glanced at the water from time to time.
wow—
A figure jumped out of the water, and when he fell, it floated on the river.
Soon, Yan Zhi and a few others saw that the man's slightly hideous head covered with hard textures gradually emerged from the water surface, and his eyes that looked unusually indifferent.
Surrounded by heads that surfaced, a pair of tawny eyes with vertical pupils, huge jaws... densely packed, surrounding the boat in the middle.
Except for Shao Xuan, everyone else turned pale.
The opponent was a patrolling soldier of the Eng tribe. Compared with the people of the Pu tribe, the soldiers of the Eng tribe had a much deeper impression on Shao Xuan.
"Hey, it's you." The other party's tone sounded warm and familiar, but the expression on that face made Yan Zhi and the others nervous for a while, and they always felt very cruel.
After hearing about Shao Xuan's intention, the other party enthusiastically took Shao Xuan into the tribe, but when he was just laughing, the expression on his face looked more and more hideous.
As he was walking, Shao Xuan heard a cry that no one else could hear.
It was that little guy. When I saw it last year, it was just a fragile little crocodile.
A figure appeared in a pool in front, and there were those dark brown eyes. Although he was much bigger, Shao Xuan could recognize it at a glance.
"Xiao Yannian, come here, my brother will show you the crocodile."