I have come to understand the meaning of protection, and it has become the Xia tribe's Xia...

The bus was not as fast as the orcs could run, and the orcs sitting inside did not feel the bus shaking much.

Jiang Yunlan glanced at the group of orcs, noted their reactions, and then turned her gaze outside.

When she returned, Maple Syrup had already completed the tracks and built the buses from the blueprints according to her plan. The selected beast drivers were about to finish their training and prepare for trial operation.

This is the fifth trial run, and so far the bus has run without any problems, except that it's slightly slower than the previous runs. Once this trial run concludes without any new issues, the bus can be put into official service.

However, Jiang Yunlan looked at the bus signs flashing past the window and sighed with worry.

The cart-pulling beast was obedient; it would pull the cart diligently once fed, but she still wanted a vehicle that could be powered by energy. Unfortunately, Xia's research into the forces of nature was only just beginning, and she hadn't yet found a way to use them to drive a vehicle. Xia's bus engine remained gathering dust in the warehouse.

Other items, such as explosives, have been researched and developed into new types by the orcs. They have varying damage values ​​and can be used for hunting without turning prey to ash, or for mining without collapsing the mine shafts.

There have also been new developments in weapons, armor, and medical supplies.

Xia received a special weapon crafting method from the Weasel Orc clan. The free-for-all blacksmiths were all pondering how to enchant their weapons and armor. Meanwhile, the orcs in the healing shop were using a special bone artifact to work backwards on how to heal wounds with stacked corrosive effects.

The weasel orc who betrayed the clan had already handed over the clan's most important weapon-making method to the Apocalypse Clan when he left the western end.

Jiang Yunlan remembered Ilovin's wound. The moment she heard Bai Youfeng tell her about it, she recalled the dragon beastman Sangen who died because his wounds failed to heal, and the Zelan beastmen who were rescued from the laboratory by Sangen but did not survive.

She recounted this past to Bai Youfengtuan, who remained silent for a few seconds, as if he understood something, and then readily agreed to exchange methods for making bone artifacts.

"The additional effects of bone weapons come from special materials," Bai Youfengtuan said, carefully describing the environment in which those materials were found, and the techniques for incorporating them into the weapons.

After saying this, he summoned his clansmen, handed Jiang Yunlan some of the clan's materials, and said with eyes full of trust, "You are a wise man, and I believe you can make our clan's weapons play a greater role. You're right, they haven't changed; the orcs of the Apocalypse Tribe have always been evil!"

He finally realized that while they were fleeing from the behemoths, the orcs of Apocalypse had already been plotting how to steal the bone artifact's manufacturing formula. He hadn't noticed the Apocalypse tribe's probing at the time, but his clan's weapon recipe had still been stolen.

"We have arrived at the inn. Passengers, please disembark." The beastman driver fastened the reins he was holding and called out to the beastmen in the carriage.

Upon hearing this, the deer-beastman closest to the car door excitedly opened it and ran out first. Lan had said that Maple Sugar and the others were at the inn.

Jiang Yunlan watched them get out of the car, then slowly got up and walked out of the car herself.

The three orcs, Maple Syrup, Maple Red, and Autumn Fruit, were waiting in front of the inn, surrounded by several of their own kind, and they looked quite relaxed. The weasel orc from the Xia tribe, who had arrived first, smiled and approached Bai Youfeng and his group, took their bags, and pushed them into the inn.

Jiang Yunlan didn't disturb the interaction between the two beastmen and their kin, and directly led the hedgehog beastman to the room to put his things away.

"The hot water is in the hot water room on the first floor. If you want to clean yourselves, you can go downstairs and get some hot water to wash up. I usually handle tribal affairs in the central building, and I usually go to the second canteen for meals." After she finished speaking, she stepped downstairs, leaving space for the hedgehog beastmen to rest.

Xia provided two days of free lodging services for the newly arrived orcs, including Duoci, to rest. From the third day onwards, they would need to pay copper coins if they wished to continue staying in Xia's tribe.

The orcs, including Duoci, heard many things about Xia from the Xia orcs, including Lang'an, and learned how to live in the Xia tribe.

However, before going to collect their tasks and earn money, they went downstairs to get hot water and take a shower. In the Xia tribe, orcs who are not clean are looked down upon.

The hedgehog beastmen ran into the hot water room and happened to meet the weasel beastmen and the deer beastmen. They chatted happily and agreed to go out together to visit the Xia tribe after washing their hair and taking a bath.

A lively and cheerful voice reached the front desk. Jiang Yunlan heard their conversation, and slowly curved her lips into a smile. She turned her gaze to Feng Hong, who was still lingering at the front desk, and asked, "Why did you stay here by yourself? Aren't you going to play with your clansmen with Feng Tang and Qiu Guo?"

The sounds of maple syrup and autumn fruit could be heard from the hot water room; they seemed to be maintaining order in the queue for water.

“We’ve already caught up. Besides, my elder sister and the others are enough for our clan, so of course I can stay and wait for Lan to go back,” Feng Hong said matter-of-factly.

Jiang Yunlan blinked, her eyes sharpening as she said incisively, "You just don't want to go there, do you?"

She froze, then slowly reached out and scratched her head. "Lan really figured it out."

“But you miss them. If you didn’t want to see them, you wouldn’t have come here to wait for them in the first place,” Jiang Yunlan walked to her side and patted her back. “You’ve never been a hesitant orc. Has something upset you?”

"I miss the clan leader."

Her voice was muffled, and her orange eyes were wet. "They said they were relieved to see me healthy. I am very strong, and as long as I don't encounter any giant beasts, I will definitely survive. That's what the chieftain told them."

【Maple Red, you stay here and take care of yourself. Please look after Maple Syrup and the others.】

Although you're still the same as before, your willingness to stay shows that you've learned to be a warrior of "protection" in my heart. You are the strongest orc in our tribe; strive to survive, for perhaps we will meet again in the future.

"I want to see the chieftain. I am now a true warrior and guardian."

The cub who told her that it wanted to be a warrior so it could eat more food has already understood the meaning of protection.

Maple Leaf's tears fell in a steady stream, her eyes and nose turning red from crying, and her voice choked with sobs that she had to stop breathing before she could utter a complete sentence.

Jiang Yunlan raised her hands to hug Feng Hong and gently patted her back.

The sobbing gradually grew louder, and she stood there wailing, trying to cry out all the turmoil in her heart.

In the nearby hot water room, Maple Syrup, who had heard her sobbing, breathed a sigh of relief, turned her head, and wiped away the tears from her eyes. The deer beastmen patted her and Qiuguo on the shoulders, and also breathed a sigh of relief. They tacitly pretended not to hear, and reached out to stop the weasel beastmen who wanted to check on the situation.

The hedgehog beastmen exchanged glances, blocked the doorway, and prevented any beastman from leaving at this time.

The crying gradually subsided. Feng Hong took the handkerchief Lan handed her and wiped her face clean. She said in a muffled voice, "Lan, let's go back. I'll get you a new handkerchief. If we don't go back soon, Hei Tu will worry."

Lan came out to pick up the orcs this time, but didn't bring Heitu and the others. It's obvious that Heitu and the others are probably wandering around the central building.

“Okay. Let’s stop by the canteen later and buy something to eat before we go back to work. There’s still a while before dinner, so let’s grab something to eat first.” Jiang Yunlan said, leading Feng Hong, who was tidying up her handkerchief, out of the hotel.

"What would you like to buy to eat, Lan?"

"I'll buy some biscuits and plant-based candies," Jiang Yunlan said.

Buy some cookies for Qiuguo, and some sugar for Fenghong and Fengsuo.