Chapter 16
Heiyan and Qi had been walking with their warriors for seven days. Yu Sui felt the atmosphere in the tribe was a little tense. After all, considering the speed of the Snow Werewolves, they still hadn't returned yet, so it was normal to be worried.
But Qi is the protagonist, so nothing should happen to him. He recalled the plot, and it seemed that this part only briefly introduced how Qi gained their favorability by rescuing the dwarves, foreshadowing his future travels around the continent with Xu.
The favorability of the dwarves... Yu Sui touched his chin thoughtfully. The dwarves are perfect craftsmen who are proficient in finding mineral veins, mining, smelting, and making weapons and props. It is very important to make friends with them!
He knew that Qi and the others were safe, so he began to busy himself with his own work. The bricks and tiles he had made earlier were also dried in the shade. If they were left in the room to dry in the shade, it would take longer. Although he covered them with straw, the wind would dry them faster.
Put the bricks and tiles into the wood-fired kiln, pile them up to the highest point, and seal the top with yellow mud, leaving a smoke outlet.
He was somewhat thankful that the wood kiln was close to his home. Bricks took three days and three nights to make, and being close made it easier for him to add more firewood. Firewood wouldn't keep the bricks warm for long, but coal would only take a day.
Put firewood in the reserved stove mouth and light it. A large amount of water vapor will soon emerge from the top of the yellow mud seal, and green smoke will slowly emerge from the smoke outlet.
Yu Sui found a wooden board to fan the stove. He remembered seeing a blogger who made a wooden blower to increase the temperature in the kiln and shorten the time.
But that was too complicated and he really couldn't do it.
Rob's injury was better now, and he followed this magical cub curiously to see what he was doing. What he saw didn't look like something used for cooking food, but rather looked like a dwarven iron forging furnace, except it was made of mud and stone.
The snow werewolf cub seemed to have encountered some difficulties and was thinking about something in distress.
Rob was very impressed by this cub who could make many strange and delicious foods. He walked over and asked, "What's wrong? Is there anything I can help with?"
Yu Sui's eyes lit up, and he quickly asked Robert to sit down. "Uncle Robert, can you make me a tool that can blow air into this hole? I want to increase the temperature of the fire so that the bricks made will be stronger."
Robert stroked his beard and said, "This tool is very simple. I can certainly make it for you. It just requires constant pulling, and it's very wasteful. You can use black stone to burn it. Black stone has a high temperature. We use that to smelt ore."
"Actually, the most useful is fire magic. A magic circle, with just a few magic cores, can produce a continuous stream of fire. Unfortunately, we dwarves don't have that talent," Robert said regretfully. When they were in the human world, some customers would ask fire mages to assist them and increase their speed.
"Black stone! Coal!" Yu Sui jumped up happily, his eyes shining. How could he forget that the dwarves needed coal to smelt iron and other ores, as wood could hardly reach such high temperatures.
He squatted down, digging in the dirt with his hands, feeling a bit embarrassed. He couldn't be a wolf anymore. After being in human form for so long, he had developed bad habits. "Can I use some of it? I can trade it for something, candy or anything else!"
Rob couldn't help but laugh. "You Snow Werewolves saved me and helped me save my people. Forget the Black Stone, you can take anything from our tribe!"
Yu Sui was so excited that he couldn't wait to go. He looked at Robert with sparkling eyes, full of anticipation.
Rob said helplessly: "You are still a cub, it is not safe for me to take you."
Thinking about the last experience of being chased by a wild boar, Yu Sui felt a sense of empathy and decided to find Xu to go together.
The patriarch and Qi were not here these days, so Xu was responsible for putting the monster furs, magic cores and other items into the cave used for storage in the tribe. He just happened to return to the tribe at this time.
Yu Sui gave the task of watching the fire to Xiaochu, and went to the square to find Xu.
Xu was cleaning up the blood and other dirt from the monsters with other snow wolves, and was a little confused when he saw Yu Sui.
Xu was so busy, and he still bothered me… After the excitement wore off, Yu Sui felt a bit guilty. He'd really become a child, acting on his whims without even considering anyone else.
He stood there hesitantly, not wanting to move forward.
Xu stopped what he was doing and said with a smile, "What's wrong, Xiao Yu Sui? Why are you like this?"
"I want to go to the Tu tribe to get some black stones..." Yu Sui said in a low voice.
Xu was full of questions. What was a black stone? It was a strange hobby for a cub, but cubs were all playful. "Sure," Xu looked around, "I'll take you there when I'm done. Or should I find an adult orc to accompany you?"
Yu Sui nodded and was about to speak.
"I'll go with him." someone said behind me.
Xu's expression was full of surprise, "Qi, Clan Leader, you're back!"
Yu Sui turned his head hurriedly and saw the dusty Heiyan and his group carrying large and small bags and various wooden boxes. Several tribesmen were carrying many dwarves in the shape of animals. The dwarves looked panicked and looked around anxiously.
The Snow Wolves happily went to greet him. "Why did you come back just now? Aunt Lu was still worried about you this morning." Xu patted Qi's chest.
Heiyan asked his tribesmen to put down their things, and the snow werewolf carrying the dwarf lay down to let the dwarf get down.
"Some of these dwarves were seriously injured. We found the mercenary group's healing potions and gave them to them. We also let them rest for a few days before heading back." Heiyan said to everyone.
Qi looked at Yu Sui who was standing there, "We brought back a lot of things, let's share them with everyone. I'll take you to find the black stone."
Yu Sui quickly refused, "Brother Qi, you just came back, so you should rest in the tribe. I can find someone to take me there."
The Snow Wolf tribe laughed in understanding. Xu said directly, "Qi is the strongest, so it's no problem for him to go with you."
Once again helpless, Yu Sui stopped refutating. Refuting too much would be confusing, and he should have acted ecstatic, but unfortunately, he had zero acting talent.
The Black Rock tribe leader and his people opened the things they brought back, including many rolls of linen, jars of coarse salt, various seized shields, swords and other weapons, as well as some spices and wine.
Qi placed a wooden box of spices in front of Yu Sui. "Even if we give them to you, we won't use them."
The other warriors who had returned with them all nodded. During their ambush, they had seen the mercenaries using these spices to cook food. When they collected them, they smelled the pungent smell and were puzzled as to why the humans were eating them. Yu Sui was the best at cooking, so leaving these to him would be no problem.
Yu Sui happily picked up the big wooden box and saw bay leaves, star anise, and even garlic inside. This gift really suited his taste!
He hugged the wooden box and thanked him. Heiyan waved his hand and divided the remaining linen and coarse salt equally among the tribe members. Yu Sui also received three large rolls of linen and a can of coarse salt.
Black Rock gave the dwarves weapons such as shields and swords, as well as wine. In order to successfully disguise themselves as a merchant caravan, the mercenary group carried a large amount of goods, which now became their spoils.
At this time, Rob, who heard the noise and rushed over, hugged the dwarves excitedly.
A dwarf with a short grey beard looked Robb up and down with tears in his eyes. "I thought you were killed by that damned knight..."
Rob choked up and said, "I climbed out of the river and fainted halfway. Fortunately, the snow wolf cub rescued me and I was not eaten by the monster."
His wife and cub hugged him, crying bitterly after surviving the ordeal. Rob touched the bruised wounds on their bodies and cursed those humans with hatred.
When the dwarves saw their own people, they gradually let down their guard against the snow werewolves and vented their emotions in pain.
"Okay, okay, stop crying, everyone cheer up, that damn mercenary group has disappeared, we are safe!" Bombur, the chief of the Tu tribe, shouted to the dwarves.
The dwarves hugged their loved ones and stopped crying, but the atmosphere was very depressing. They knew that this would not be the last attack. They had finally escaped from the humans and sacrificed countless companions along the way, but now they could not escape this fate.
Yu Sui felt deeply sympathetic. The great man was right; truth lies only within the range of cannons. The dwarves were guilty of possessing a treasure. The once-powerful dwarven warriors were slaughtered upon leaving the human continent. The remaining dwarves fled here, scattered into small tribes, surviving by surrendering weapons and various items to the elves and the Golden Kingdom.
All humans, elves, and the Golden Kingdom who sneaked in were ruthlessly killed. However, in the face of huge profits, these people were like locusts that could not be completely eliminated.
"Alright, Ellie, Hank," Rob wiped the tears from his wife and cub and introduced them to Yu Sui. "This was the snow werewolf cub who saved me. The food he cooks tastes even better than that of the human nobles!"
These words sounded particularly convincing. He had been eating so much these past few days that his face had become rosy. If it weren't for the scar on his chest, he wouldn't look like a seriously injured person at all.
Ellie hugged the timid Hank and thanked Yu Sui repeatedly with gratitude.
Yu Sui was really afraid of such a scene. "Actually, I just happened to run into it. No need to thank me. Everyone must be tired. Let's take a break."
Chief Bangber also said solemnly to Sui: "Thank you, Snow Wolf Cub, and Chief Black Rock, thank you for rescuing us from the mercenaries." He led his tribesmen to bow and thank the Snow Wolf Cub.
Heiyan helped him up and, looking at the dwarves in such a sorry state, announced to the tribe the decision they had discussed on the way. "Let's build some tents for the dwarves first, and let them live with us in our tribe for the time being."
The dwarves were all wounded, some seriously. They were powerless to drive the monsters away. Many small tribes perished every year on this continent, either from lack of food or attacks by monsters. With winter approaching, survival conditions were even more severe.
Now that they had rescued these dwarves, they couldn't just leave them alone. Furthermore, the dwarves often traded farm tools with the minotaurs for food, so they didn't need the snow werewolves to provide them with food, and it wouldn't be too much of a burden.
The simple snow wolves had no objection to this. In their opinion, given the dwarves' physique, even if they had more than twice the number of people in their own tribe, they could not eat many mouthfuls of food in total. Even if they were to supply all the dwarves' food, they would not be able to use much.
Yu Sui thought so too. Although dwarves had larger appetites than humans, they were nothing compared to werewolves. Three dwarves combined couldn't even eat as much as a single werewolf cub.
Xu led his tribe to set up tents for the dwarves. Their Snow Werewolf houses were big enough to accommodate dozens of dwarves. They would set up tents for a few of them first, and then set up tents for others when their injuries were better.
Qi looked at Yu Sui and said, "Don't you want the black stone? I'll take you to get it."
I haven't forgotten this yet! Yu Sui didn't want to go out with Qigang right after he came back from his trip. He felt guilty.
Seeing his embarrassment, Qi continued, "I know the way to Tu's tribe, but the others don't."
Yes, he had originally planned to ask Rob to show him the way. Now that their family is reunited, it would be unethical to disturb them again.
Yu Sui was somewhat convinced. "Then let's go tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. You just got back..." As he was speaking, Qi, who had transformed into a snow wolf, picked him up and threw him onto his back, carrying him out.
"My spices! And Xiaochu!" Yu Sui exclaimed as the wooden box in his hand fell to the ground.
Xu stood below, baring his white teeth and waving at him, "Don't worry, I'll put these things back for you, and I'll keep an eye on Xiaochu too!"
Yu Sui glared at him with a look of frustration. This is your girlfriend! She was seduced away by my love rival, and you're still grinning like that!
The wind whistled across his cheeks, and Yu Sui felt uncomfortable and turned into a little wolf cub, hiding in Qi's fur, carefully holding down his piece of animal skin.
He actually didn't want to go with Qi because he was afraid that the rumors would spread too much, and he asked Qi to do hard labor as soon as he came back. However, he really wanted to get the coal as soon as possible. Since the dwarves can use coal, there must be coal mines nearby.
The Tu tribe wasn't far from his own, so they could mine coal and burn it, saving on firewood and providing a higher heat source. In the winter, he asked Rob and the others to help him build some stoves and chimneys, connected to a kang. Just thinking about it made him feel good.
But why hasn't Xu and Qi's relationship started to deteriorate yet? He pondered in distress. In the original storyline, it seemed that it was the original owner's persistent pestering that prompted Lu to ask Qi to become his partner. Qi, furious, told Lu that if he had to partner with a male, he might as well go with Xu, with whom he had a close relationship. So, if the original owner was the catalyst for their relationship, would he have to keep pestering Qi in the same way?
Yu Sui shuddered. He couldn't do it. He couldn't be the matchmaker. He was so busy all day that he didn't have time to bother Qi. Besides, if he did that, where would his face be?
Qi ran quickly, reaching the Tu tribe before sunset. The dwarves' houses resembled cave dwellings, half above ground and half underground. He peered closer from the window and saw stairs leading down, suggesting there might be more underground space.
The tribe was filled with tall, cylindrical smelting furnaces, large hammers, and other tools. Every dwarf's doorstep was piled high with various ores and half-finished weapons and tools, while their homes held a variety of finished products.
The dwarfs' homes were filled with a variety of longswords, shortswords, two-handed swords, battle axes, and numerous bows and crossbows. It seemed the mercenaries' primary goal was to abduct the dwarves and enslave them. After a swift assault, they fled with the dwarves in a hurry. In order to expedite their escape, they had no time to plunder the tribe, leaving the entire village largely intact, save for some damage to the houses caused by the fighting.
The living conditions of the dwarves are much better than those of the Snow Werewolf tribe. They all have built mud houses, and there are even glass on the windows, but there are some impurities and bubbles in the glass.
What a group of good craftsmen! With this group of dwarves, a lot of the knowledge he learned in modern times can be put to good use. He ran around the Tu tribe, touching various weapons and smelting tools curiously.
If it weren't for the constant pursuit, the dwarven tribe would actually be quite prosperous. Curious, Yu Sui wandered underground into a dwarf's home. Descending the stairs, he saw a vast space filled with all sorts of food and minerals. Among the minerals hidden underground, there were even various raw stones containing gemstones.
Yu Sui was truly impressed. No wonder dwarves were so popular. They could detect mineral veins, mine, and smelt and forge, yet they lacked the strength to protect themselves. They were like a large piece of fat meat, attracting everyone's attention wherever they were.
Qi squatted on the ground and watched Yu Sui finally get tired and stop.
Yu Sui's curiosity was satisfied, but he was a little puzzled. He tilted his head and asked, "The dwarves are so powerful and can make so many things. Since the elves and the Golden Kingdom need them, why don't they put them in their own territories and protect them?"
Qi swept the ground with his thick tail. "The two of them are restraining each other. Neither of them wants the dwarf to fall into the other's hands." He explained to Sui.
"Why not just divide it equally? We ask people to pay tribute and don't protect it properly. This is really too much." Yu Sui muttered.
Qi smiled. He extended his claws and drew a vertical line on the ground. "For the elves and the Golden Kingdom, no matter how they divide it, it's never an even split. Their greed won't yield to the other."
How greedy! Yu Sui thought of a possibility and looked up to ask Qi: "Do the dwarves have to pay twice a year?"
Qi nodded. The elves mostly requested bows and arrows, while the Golden Kingdom offered battle axes and greatswords. He thought disdainfully, the orcs' claws were their most powerful weapon. Those traitors had lost their true purpose.
Yu Sui didn't know what he was thinking. If he knew, he would definitely jump up and refute him. Do you know what evolution is? Being able to use tools and weapons is the first step in evolution. If one day the level of technology here reaches that of his original world, even the most powerful orcs will be reduced to ashes by a bomb.
The dwarves were a real problem. He really wanted to keep them, but he was afraid they would bring disaster to the tribe. He'd just have to take it one step at a time.
Yu Sui regretted not researching weapons more. Dwarves, like orcs, were not drawn to magic. If only they could make gunpowder. He only remembered the formula: saltpeter, sulfur, and charcoal, but he hadn't memorized the proportions. If he had any questions, he'd just leave it to the dwarves to figure out.
Every dwarf household needs coal. He randomly gathered the coal from several houses and placed it on a wooden board, waiting to be hauled away on his return trip. It's unknown where their coal is mined, but it's probably not too far from their tribe. Coal mines are generally large, and the dwarves can't use it all. If they knew the specific location, they could go directly to the mine to dig coal.
After finishing his work, his stomach growled. It was already past dinnertime. Considering how much food every dwarf had in their basements, it wouldn't be too much to eat some, Yu Sui thought shamelessly.
Unfortunately, his tools were all in the tribe. After being influenced by the human world, the dwarves did peel their grains and even grind some of them into powder. However, their rice and flour were not as fine as Yu Sui's. Yu Sui's flour was hulled twice, while the dwarves' flour and rice were a bit coarse, perfectly meeting the standard of coarse grains needed by the weight-loss ladies.
Yu Sui thought regretfully that he missed the sieve basket that Aunt Karan had woven for him.
The dwarves' tableware was also relatively small, so Yu Sui simply made a stone basin to knead the dough.
Qi went to the nearby area and hunted a sheep with crooked horns. According to Yu's custom, he cut the sheep into several pieces.
What surprised Yu Sui was that in addition to clay pots, the Tu tribe actually had quite a few iron pots, and more seasonings than the Snow Wolf Tribe.
The fat is removed from the crooked-horn sheep and boiled into oil in an iron pan.
He cooked a pot of thick white mutton soup in a clay pot, and then mixed a ball of dough with warm water. After the dough had risen for a while, he kneaded it until smooth and divided it into small pieces. He then found a smooth branch and rolled them into thin pancakes.
Mutton soup with leavened bread is even better, but unfortunately he doesn't have yeast powder right now, so the dough won't rise at room temperature for a while, so he can only make unleavened bread. However, the bread baked with warm water is also very soft. Even if there are impurities in the flour, it doesn't affect it. The Snow Wolf's teeth are very good.
He also found some pepper in the dwarf's house and put some into the mutton soup.
Put the pancake into another heated iron pan, and add some mutton fat into the pan. When big bubbles appear on the pancake in the mutton fat, Yu Sui quickly flips it over with a wooden spatula, and takes it out of the pan after baking it for a while. His pancakes are rolled thin and easy to cook, but they will become hard if left for a long time.
Soon all the pancakes were out of the pancake pancakes, and the lamb that Qi was roasting next to them was also cooked. They ate the lamb soup with the pancakes, and then wrapped the roasted meat with the pancakes. The two of them had a hot late dinner.
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