Gufia grassland, Sheep Horn Tribe.
In the snowy field, the ground was covered with a layer of snow, which looked white. The reflected light was even a little dazzling after looking at it for a long time. A small hill did not appear obvious in the flying snow.
Because it is located in the north, the cold winter is the most difficult time. The grain production on the grassland is not much, mostly just pasture grass. Every winter, when the ground is covered with snow, people can only survive by storing grain.
Since the orcs were driven here long ago, they mostly make a living by raising livestock, but in the eyes of humans this is actually a somewhat strange thing.
For example, the Niutou tribe raises cattle, and the Yangjiao tribe raises sheep. The herders bear a striking resemblance to their livestock. Occasionally, merchants or tourists visiting the area will curiously ask, "Do you herders consider these animals your own kind? Would you have the heart to kill them?"
The answer is that they don't have any special feelings, just like raising chickens and dogs. Some beastmen get tired of being asked and ask in return, "Do you humans think that you and monkeys are the same kind?" The answer is of course no.
Rather than being like animals, Orcs are actually closer to humans. Some scholars even say that humans are a branch of Orcs. However, this view is rejected by many, and historical research also proves that there were indeed no human tribes during the era of the Orc Empire. It seems that humans evolved or degenerated from another direction.
The snow-covered hills look normal from the north, but a different scene emerges when the gaze turns to the south.
The hill's north side shielded it from the relentless cold wind and drafts, while to the south lay a basin roughly the size of ten football fields. A fence surrounded the basin, and at the bottom, close to the hillside, large tents were pitched. Occasionally, smoke rose from the cylinder in the center of the tents. Beyond the tents stretched a large fence, divided into several sections, each filled with tightly packed sheep.
They huddle together for warmth, using their thick fur to resist the cold, and occasionally bleating sounds can be heard, just like a large group of cotton wool. Some of the cashmere is so thick that it even looks a little yellow.
The days are exceptionally short in winter. Although the sun shines, it is difficult to feel the warmth. As it sets below the horizon, the air becomes even colder.
A young girl was walking on a snow-covered wilderness. She was wearing a fur coat and a hood, with her collar and cuffs tied tightly to prevent the cold wind from getting in. Only part of her cheeks and the corners of her eyes were exposed to the air, and the wind cut them like a knife. Her shoes made a slight sound as they stepped on the snow, revealing the black soil and grass underneath.
Sparse stars dot the sky, and on the snow-covered ground, a trail winds its way into the distance.
Thump thump——
In front of the fence gate outside the basin, the girl shook the two copper plates hanging above, and they collided with each other, making bursts of clear sounds. A few dog barks began to come out in the dark night, echoing with each other, making it impossible to tell which direction they were coming from.
"Here I come."
An old voice came from a small wooden house not far inside the fence, and then the wooden door opened. An old man with a lamp walked over. He had a goatee and was a little thin.
"Is Nia back?"
"Yes, Grandpa Ketan, are you alone?"
As the gate opened, the girl walked in and greeted everyone.
"Yes, everyone went out to get some food during the day and is tired. I'll be the only one here tonight."
"Is there still not enough food?" Niya shook off the snow on her body and asked.
"Yes, in previous years there would be caravans from the south coming here, but this year there was civil unrest in Xifeng, and many routes were blocked. If all else fails, we'll just have to kill the sheep."
"But it's a pity to kill those wool-producing sheep, and eating their meat is too luxurious." Niya seemed to sigh as well.
Their Sheep Horn Tribe has a small population of only a few thousand people and is also weak. Their biggest income throughout the year comes from the trade of wool and a small amount of goat milk. Killing sheep and selling meat is actually not cost-effective because human nobles and rich people do not like the smell of mutton, and common people cannot afford a high price, which is very embarrassing.
"Alas, everyone knows it, but there's nothing we can do. We can't let people starve to death." The old man seemed to sigh as well.
"Everyone used to say those human merchants were greedy, but now we can hardly survive without them. It's really helpless."
"By the way, Niya, you went to the Hundred Clan Competition. How was the result there?"
As a result, Niya touched the scar on her body and was still frightened. If the axe light had been stronger, she might not have been able to come back.
Seeing that Niya didn't answer, the old man thought that he had talked about her sad story, so he comforted her.
"It's okay. As long as you can come back alive, no one will blame you. After all, no one in our clan has been elected for nearly a hundred years."
"I was chosen."
"Okay, no need...what, have you chosen?" the old man asked again in surprise.
"Well, yes. Although the process was a bit thrilling, I was still selected." Niya nodded, and a smile appeared on her frozen red face.
"Okay, okay, okay." The old man's voice was trembling with excitement.
"Finally, our clan has a student of Emenas."
"I'll tell everyone tomorrow. No, let's do it tonight. I'll tell everyone the good news tonight."
After saying this, the old man with white hair and beard pulled the girl with goat horns and walked inside, through the open space where hay and sundries were piled, through the corral full of sheep, and approached the groups of tents.
"Everyone is up! Our village, no, our tribe has made great progress~"
A hand as rough as old tree bark tightly grasped Niya's wrist, which was a dark, old purple color. The loud voice was like a gong in the dark night, and it could be heard from far away.
"Niya, Niya, she was chosen, she can go to Emenas~~"
The excited voices even had a tearful tone at the end. For many years, the regrets and long-cherished wishes of many generations have finally been realized today.
"What?"
"Really?"
"Sister Niya is so amazing!"
"Why are you sleeping? Hurry up and make something to eat so we can celebrate for our future hero."
"That's right."
The originally silent tents suddenly became lively, and the tribesmen ran around to tell each other. After hearing the news, some old people burst into tears, crying and laughing. The young children didn't know what it meant, but just followed the adults in being happy because they could eat delicious food again.
In the tall tent, Niya stood in the middle, the hood on her head had been taken off, revealing two small spiral horns. Her childish face was somewhat cute. The elders and the crowd gathered in the tent, one by one to see her, excitedly holding her hands, and saying some blessings and congratulations.
Those eyes were filled with hope and expectation, and those hands were very rough and calloused, but when they held hands, they were extremely strong and heavy.
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