Now less than 100 people remained in the valley with the Kasa tribe. Many had perished resisting the Duan tribe's attack, including the old shaman.
The old man was considered one of the Kasa tribe's few remaining assets, and his death here was truly a lamentable affair.
I sat on a stone platform, leisurely smoking a cigarette, and watched the Kasa tribe pack their belongings.
In truth, if one were to disregard the strange phenomena on this deserted island, this land was a veritable treasure trove.
I suddenly recalled a wondrous place I visited during my travels in Singapore and Malaysia.
It was called Johor, a state in Malaysia bordering Singapore. It was a land of dense forests, level terrain, abundant sunshine, and plentiful rainfall, bordered by the sea on three sides! Moreover, it was the only place in the world without natural disasters. It was truly nature's greatest gift to humanity!
And this deserted island where I now found myself, wasn't it simply a supercharged version of Johor?
If, one day, I could resolve all the strange occurrences on this island, I would be able to make a fortune solely from the miraculous animals here.
Then, I could set up a ticket booth by the sea and create a real-life Jurassic Park, with the island's savages performing impromptu dances for each honored guest. It would be sheer bliss!
As I was daydreaming, I didn't even notice my cigarette burning down, almost scorching my finger.
"Master, let's depart!"
Once the Kasa tribe had finished packing all their luggage, we quickly left that place of sorrow.
After Ke Ya became queen, she had dispatched people to search for a hidden and safe dwelling as a backup. Now, they were heading to one of those locations.
There were no further mishaps along the way. Perhaps the fierce beasts in the forest, seeing our numbers, dared not show themselves. After several hours of arduous trekking, just as the sun was about to set, we finally reached our new abode.
Holy hell, a place like this exists?!
He Ya led us into a dim and silent cave. After walking for an unknown duration, the path opened up unexpectedly into a natural cavern! The roof of the cave was only a thin layer, through which warm sunlight streamed down.
Isn't this Shangri-La!
I was somewhat astonished. "The entrance is extremely narrow, barely wide enough for a person. After walking a few dozen paces further, it suddenly opens up." It turned out that the idyllic paradise described by Tao Yuanming was here!
Ke Ya directed the Kasa tribespeople to do a simple bit of tidying up, then called for a bonfire feast. httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
We had just escaped a life-or-death situation. Now that we had survived, it was time to celebrate.
As night deepened, the bonfire was lit. The survivors gathered around it, singing and dancing, while the cooked delicacies were served as if they were inexhaustible.
"Ke Xin, how are you feeling now?"
Just a moment ago, Ke Xin had also woken up from her coma. Her condition did not look good; her face was devoid of color, and her lips were pale.
"Master, I thought I would never see you again!"
My speaking was ill-timed. Ke Xin had been sitting there, lost in thought, but upon hearing my words, she seemed to have a switch flipped. Tears began to stream down her face as if they were a bottomless well.
"It's alright, it's alright. It's all over now."
I gently pulled Ke Xin into my embrace, stroking her back. I knew this girl had endured much hardship these past few days.
Ke Xin cried in my arms for a long while before her sobs gradually subsided. I looked down to see that she had fallen asleep in my embrace while weeping.
Thinking about it, I sometimes envied Ke Xin and the others. At least they had me to rely on. As for myself, I had no one to depend on but myself.
"God helps those who help themselves," I had read that sentence in a foreign novel.
The bonfire feast lasted for a long time. Everyone sang and danced joyfully, as if releasing all their pent-up emotions.
Initially, I had the presence of mind to ponder other matters, but later I was also swept up by the collective emotion. I took out beer from my backpack and joined their revelry.
Damn it, this was the most exhilarating day I'd had in a long time!
Even after the bonfire feast ended, I still felt a lingering sense of contentment. The negative emotions that had been building up in my heart for days had been completely vented.
"Master, you..."
I crawled into the tent I had previously set up. Ke Ya was waiting for me inside. She had intended to say something to me, but alcohol is the aphrodisiac for desire, and right now, I only wished to transform into the fiercest tiger in this forest!
That night, the clash between the knight and the tiger was intense.
At times, the tiger pinned the knight down, and the knight repeatedly begged for mercy. At other times, the knight flipped over, mounting the tiger's back, enjoying the thrill of conquest in their undulating movements. This continued back and forth, neither tiring until the sky began to lighten.
My old back!
I slept soundly, but upon waking, my back felt a bit sore.
"Ke Ya, wake up."
Ke Ya was curled up in my arms, sleeping soundly. It seemed last night had truly exhausted her. They say there are no fields too difficult to plow, but now it seems that's not entirely true.
I wanted to let Ke Ya sleep a little longer, but the sun was already high in the sky.
There were many matters within the tribe that Ke Ya needed to attend to. There was no choice but to gently shake Ke Ya's body.
"What is it, Master?"
With my persistent efforts, Ke Ya finally woke from her sleep. Seeing her groggy expression, I couldn't resist pinching her cheek.
"I'm going out for a bit. You first settle the tribe. After that, we'll teach the Duan tribe a harsh lesson!"
Ke Ya was now fully awake and nodded very seriously.
Originally, when we set out, I had planned to take the capable fighters of the Kasa tribe to confront the Duan tribe once I found Ke Ya. But now, with Ke Ya's tribe having suffered heavy losses, we had to reconsider.
This tough nut, the Duan tribe, I would definitely crack it!