As Yuan Zhan’s hand tightened, Yan Mo cried out, “Wait!” Why do you want to kill me? I told you to go south before and you didn’t believe that. As for the exact number of days…… I’ve never went. How would I know?”
Meng was the most puzzled. He glanced at his brother, and at Bing, and finally at Yan Mo. then he asked, foolishly, “What’s wrong with this? Are you guys worried that the new salt mine had been discovered and occupied by the Gaoshan and Bairi tibes?”
“You either know and don’t want to say it, or you’re lying.” Bing sneered. Although he had saved him, that didn’t mean the boy had no other plans. How can they completely believe him, who’s from another tribe?
“What does that mean? Where did I lie to you guys? I’m going with you. if there’s a danger, won’t I be in danger too?” Yan Mo’s head hurt. He was indeed lying, but only idiots would admit it in his situation.
Bing shook his head, his face was scornful, “You’re saying the end of the continent is in the south? And at the end of the continent, there is that salt mine ocean you talk about?”
Yan Mo could only go straight without regret. He gritted his teeth, “That’s right.”
Bing immediately said, “That Gaoshan man was also looking for something, and he also said he may have to go to the end of the continent to find it.”
After Bing said that, Yan Mo suddenly wished he can slap himself. He now understood what they mean, and also understood the reason why Lie and Yuan Zhan suddenly became hostile to him.
“You’re thinking Gaoshan warrior are also looking for new salt mine?” Yan Mo looked at Lie and everyone.
Bing didn’t reply, but the expression on the faces of Lie and Yuan Zhan next to him had given him the answer.
Da Shan and Diao were a step slower to respond. Only now do they get why Lie suddenly changed towards Yanmo, and immediately their faces turned a bit ugly.
Yuan Zhan squeezed Yan Mo’s neck, forcing Yan Mo to look at himself, and questioned coldly and fiercely, “Which way is the salt mine, for real? East or south? Say it!”
“South.” Yan Mo’s fists clenched. He had taken out the needle hidden on his waist and had it ready in his hand. Changing his words now would only prove that he had things to hide.
“You still insist it’s south?” Lie seemed a little surprised, “The Bairi tribe’s place is in the east of the grassland. That Gaoshan man who’s looking for something and wanted to look for it to the end of the continent didn’t find the thing at the rocky shore, and went to the Bairi people. He can also ride horses, obviously he has been prepared. Doesn’t that mean that the end of the continents actually in the east, and the ocean you talk about is also in the east?”
Meng finally got it. “Ah!” He shouted and pointed his finger to the boy’s nose, “So you were lying to us! Lord Priest was right after all! He clearly told us that the east is the best way to go!”
So he still lost in comparison to that old priest? Damn it!
This type of deep-rooted trust was fucking terrible. Fuck!
“You still have one last chance, Yanmo.” Lie supplemented.
“You’ve saved Da He before, also told us the use of big thistle(Setose Thistle/Da Ji) and how to set a broken bone. That’s why even though you’re disciple of another tribe’s priest, we also chose to believe in you and didn’t tell Lord Priest about you.”
Lie’s words made Bing frown, but soon he suppressed that bit of surprise.
“Now you have saved Bing and Cao Ting, Yang Wei. You’ve also made backpack and hide armour, if not because we have to, we also don’t want to hurt you. But that’s not to say we will let you trick us as you like. You should understand the consequences of lying to us.” Lie’s voice was very gentle, but his face showed obvious killing intent.
“I didn’t lie to you. Why would I lie to you?” Yan Mo was so angry he smiled.
Zhan snorted and clutched his neck tigher, “Maybe to let your people find the new salt mine before us, then you’ll bring us to the place. When we get there you can have your tribesmen think of a way try to save you, and then kill us.”
Just listen! Who said primitive people’s imagination was not that rich? This reason he came up with, even he as the interrogated man felt this situation sounds exactly like what’s happening now.
Yan Mo helplessly tried to defend himself, “Would everyone be so stupid? When you see that land was already occupied by someone else, would you just stand around and let them kill you? Am I not afraid I’d be killed first? Besides, that Gaoshan man only said he was looking for something, he didn’t say he’s looking for salt. How can everyone be sure he’s definitely looking for salt by that?” Fuck, why is it so difficult for him to pretend to be an expert?
“We’re not sure.” Lie honestly said, “But you mentioned the sea is at the end of the land. Coincidentally, the Gaoshan warrior also said he’d have to search till the end of the land to find his something. If it’s you, won’t you also think the other side is also looking for salt?”
Yan Mo almost wanted to press like on these primitive people’s associative connection. But wait, aren’t you primitive people? Why is your brain so smart? Shouldn’t you be as stupid as pigs and just need a simple trick to make you worship me?
Of course, he also knew… A tribe that had introduced slavery system; even if its products were very backward and lack even the basic items such as needle, thread and clothes, didn’t mean their brain was like ancient primitive people who had just gained awareness.
The main reason why they couldn’t develop was probably the lack of material. The other reason could be because the priests wanted to keep their mystical and powerful position, and in order to do that, intentionally or unintentionally put a stop to new inventions or discoveries. These two points had been proven as part of factors halting the development of the human race in the primitive age.
In short, they maybe uneducated due to backwardness, but it doesn’t mean they’ll be stupid.
“The end of land is not just in the south.” Yan Mo thought it over and mentioned, “It could be in the east, or even in any other directions.”
Lie frowned, “That’s not enough. Now not only do I need the direction from you, I need to know the exact route to take. There’s no way your priest only told you to go south without giving any other hints. If you want to prove you didn’t lie to us, give us something better to back your words now!”
What better hints can I give to you? Make you follow the river to the salt? And journey until the end of time?
I’m just a doctor, not an expert adventurer! How about you get me the world map. If you can give me that, I can tell you right then and there the exact route to go! Get me the world map if you can!
Speaking of maps, only now did Yan Mo feel the importance of reducing the scum as soon as possible. If he had reduced a thousand points, wouldn’t he be able to use the third guide right now and know the geographical and hydrological situation around? By then, what minerals couldn’t he find? Let alone mere salt mine.
“Yanmo?” Lie urged again.
Everyone was looking at him, but in their eyes were not trust and reliance but doubt and impatience. Cao Ting who was usually the one who was most trusting and friendly to him was also the same, only that Cao Ting had a bit more concern in her gaze.
Wait……Looking for salt? Looking for mines? Maps? Sly god! What the heck did he overlook before?
Yan Mo just wanted to give himself a slap. He only thought he had to save people since the guide will punish him before, making him feel very stifled. It also made him forget about some guide functions that can be quite practical, ones he can use as long as the corresponding points have been reduced.
Once he satisfied the condition to use and grasps the use of the third guide, would he still need to worry about how to look for the new salt mine? Or worry about not being able to find a suitable place to build a home of his own?
What’s more, once he had a detailed map, there’s no need to think, the survival rate in this primitive society would immediately increase more than half. At least, he wouldn’t need to worry he’d fall into a swamp or quicksand in his journey. He could go straight to his objectives, not wasting his time, energy or lives.
With this change of thinking, Yan Mo suddenly had a feeling of attaining a great understanding in one short moment. Why didn’t he take this thing seriously before? Why didn’t he notice this scammy reformation guide was not only there for digging pits for him but also had its own usefulness?
——Because his mind and sight were completely blinded by all sorts of anger and resentment. He couldn’t be more stupid!
But what could he do to reduce a large number of scum points quickly? Yan Mo didn’t have the time to count in detail, he could only estimate it.
If saving someone’s life can get a reduction of 100 scum points, he had saved Yang Wei twice already, Bing once, Cao Ting once, then he should already have 400 points at hand. This meant that as long as he saves people six more times he’d meet the criteria for the third guide.
600 points, not too many, but not too little. He might even get 600 points in one go if there was an opportunity.
For the first time, Yan Mo felt like the future was unlimited and was slightly excited for it. It was also the first time he began to seriously consider how to use the guide and use his own expertise and knowledge in order to live a better life in this world while smoothly reducing his scum points.
Actually, from the day he arrived until just now he was somewhat going with the flow, rebelling against his fate by not doing things. Basically, he wouldn’t meddle in anything until he was forced to, or he looked into all kind of ways he could exploit the holes in the guide. He didn’t think about how he would live from now on at all.
Although he really wanted to lose all the scum points and make his precious son return to his side, that’s only on level of giving him more ideas and still no real action.
But now he had really jolted awake, his mind was changed.
Yan Mo felt that the human mind was really capable of big changes. Sometimes, just a slight ripple could make someone have an epiphany that changed their thinking entirely. However, that epiphany also depended on the person. Yan Mo was not stupid at all, he had understood it before but got on the wrong direction. This time he finally got on the right track.
With this realisation, looking back at his original plan, Yan Mo suddenly felt caught between laugh and tears. Because his original thinking was too naive and ridiculous. Look at the present reality and circumstances. At this place with no infrastructure where dinosaurs and human coexist, he tricked this little group of people and carried out this little bit of supplies, and wanted to journey the whole land to find the sea? What a joke!
Yan Mo’s line of thought was becoming clearer and clearer. He originally wanted to trick the indigenous people, to say they should follow the river that was flowing to the south. Even though following the track of a river might not necessarily lead to sea because the flow of river in the ground and on the surface might be different, and more often than not they’ll walk round and round because of the topography, this was already the best way to get to the sea that he could think of.
Now that he thought about it, even when people are looking for death, they don’t do that.
But how to put it into words that’d make sense, and let Lie and others not doubt him and change directions? Also, get them to stay temporarily in a safe place with enough food, so that he can reduce many scum value points?
Yan Mo’s change of mind would take paragraphs when explained, but it only took him a minute to process in real time.
But Yuan Zhan and the team had become impatient. Yan Mo, who was calculating all sorts of facets in his mind, was brought back by pain on his neck. His cold-hearted quick-handed boy-owner was squeezing around his neck again.
“I, I’m scared……” Yan Mo didn’t need to pretend to look scared. His hands reached out, dirty and long nails so close to touching the teen’s arm. Everyone thougth he wanted to hurt Yuan Zhan, but his fingers only gently stroked the teen’s inner upper arm.
Yuan Zhan’s expression turned puzzled in an instant. What is his family’s little slave doing? Is he begging for mercy to him?
Although inside he’s laughing at the little slave’s ‘weak’ display, the fierce-looking young man relaxed his grip a bit. Mhm, actually he relaxed his grip a lot.
As he felt Yuan Zhan’s grip loosening, Yan Mo became calmer. It’s good as long as these barbarians didn’t really intend to kill him. His face went along with his words just now. Ideas about the follow up and what to say was forming in his brain one by one.
“Our tribe priest did tell me some hints for finding the sea. Just now, I didn’t say it because I was afraid you wouldn’t believe it even if I say. You might even get angry and kill me.” The boy’s face looked like he’s about to cry but he put a stop to it himself.
“If you don’t say, that will make us kill you instead.” Lie’s expression had become more gentle. He also didn’t want to force the kid like this but, as the oldest and leader of this team, he had to think about everyone’s safety.
“Alright, actually…… Lord Priest told me that the sea is far away from us. We will definitely encounter many dangers in our long journey, so he told us to make a lot of preparations before we set off.”
That sounded more like the truth. Lie, Yuan Zhan, and the other warriors all thought so.
Without waiting for their questions, Yan Mo immediately said, “If you remember what I said before… I didn’t forcefully make you to go to the sea. It was you guys who asked me where there is salt, so I said to get salt we need to find sea. Because my priest told me that sea had the most salt. I also told you the truth, the sea is at the end of the continent. If I wanted to trick you, I wouldn’t mention the ocean at all.”
Seeing everyone’s faces had eased up, Yan Mo knew that they had accepted the answer. Seems like his actions during this period of time were not all wasted. Though it’s not good enough to stand against their Lord Priest’s influence, he had given the impression that he was very useful and had a good character.
He quickly hit the iron while it’s hot, “If you don’t want to go looking for the sea, then I can take you to other salt mines. The salt there may not be as much as in sea, but should be enough to last Yuanji tribe for a few years.”
“Based on your words, you seem to know more than just one place that can produce salt.” Bing said with suspicion.
Yan Mo calmly made up nonsense, “Yes, I am the Salt Mountain tribe’s priest disciple, of course I’d be better at finding salt than other people.”
Lie and everyone exchanged looks.
Yuan Zhan pushed Yan Mo to Cao Ting, so she could watch over him. Everyone thought the little slave’s leg was broken and he couldn’t walk, only he knew that the little slave’s leg had healed up to 9 of 10.
The warriors gathered together for a quick and brief discussion.
“First find another salt source, who knows where the sea is.” Diao said.
“But didn’t Xiao Mo say that the sea had endless salt, and a lot of food?” Meng felt it’s a pity to let that go.
“I think if the Yanshan people also know about the sea, they’ll definitely go south to find the sea.” Que Ya deduced.
“It’s possible.” Lie nodded, “If the sea is really at the end of the continent, that boy didn’t lie, the journey to sea will certainly be very dangerous. We only have twelve people. That level four Gaoshan warrior had four companions when he set off, when he gets here they’ve all died and there’s only him left. We don’t know if in the end he found the end of the continent with the Bairi tribe. It’ll soon be winter, our tribe is waiting for the salt. If we can find the salt nearby, that’ll be the best.”
The warriors walked back to the boy side, and everyone crouched down in one place.
Yuan Zhan poked his little slave, “Say it, aside from that something-sea, where else can we find salt?”
Yan Mo did not answer but asked back, “Where do you know have the most herbivores? Bulls, goats, and the like.”
Comments