Chapter 34

Lu Yu stuttered, “W-what did you say?”

Xia Cao looked at his face and said, “I heard from Shan Pu and the others that you are the Broken Man…”

Lu Yu: …

That big mouth!

Xia Cao asked seriously, “Witch, is that true?”

Lu Yu whispered guiltily, “I… I’m not.”

Xia Cao sighed suddenly, “Alright.”

Lu Yu explained anxiously, “I didn’t mean to deceive them. I actually…”

Xia Cao interrupted, “Witch, it doesn’t matter. Whether you are the Broken Man or not, it won’t change our perception of you. You are the best Witch in our hearts.”

Lu Yu scratched his head, “That’s good then…”

“But, Witch, I must tell you something…” Xia Cao said.

“What?” Lu Yu asked.

Xia Cao’s expression was very serious, “Chief is a very determined person. If he really wants something, he won’t easily let go, even if he ends up with a head injury and bruises all over his body.”

Lu Yu fell silent.

Xia Cao said gently, “Witch, that’s all I can say. I just hope that you and Chief will be fine.”

Lu Yu murmured in agreement.

At noon, Lu Yu used the stone tools he exchanged on the Beast Plains to cook a large pot of wild mushroom fish soup.

Lu Yu had been wanting to find wild wheat or rice to collect for planting. After eating meat and vegetables for so long, he really wanted a bowl of fragrant rice, but he couldn’t find any. Even when he went to the Beast Plains, he didn’t find any to exchange. The main food for everyone was still wild fruits and meat.

This biased diet structure was something only the Matais could endure. Lu Yu had noticed that many people, including those “nobles” living in the Beast Plains, had symptoms of malnutrition to varying degrees.

Even Lu Yu himself needed carbohydrates in his diet.

As long as he could find wild wheat or rice, he could balance the body’s nutritional needs, and the food problem for the people in the basin could also be solved. It was still summer, and there were still many wild fruits and vegetables in the forest, but what about when everything withered in winter…

The Matai could store some meat, making them into bacon and jerky, which could be preserved for winter. However, the Matai themselves consumed a lot, so it was impossible to guarantee the people in the basin.

But where could they find it…

While thinking about these things, Lu Yu didn’t forget to stir the soup in the pot with a stone spoon.

“What are you thinking about, Witch?” asked Shi Tou curiously.

Lu Yu snapped out of his thoughts and looked at the group of kids surrounding him. He smiled and said, “I’m thinking about delicious food.”

Shi Tou glanced at the bubbling soup in the pot and swallowed his saliva quietly. “Whatever Witch makes is delicious.”

Lu Yu looked at the soup and added some cilantro. “But these delicious foods can’t provide us with all the energy we need…”

Shi Tou disagreed, “They can! Every time I eat the food Witch makes, I feel especially energetic!”

Lu Yu tasted the soup and felt satisfied. “But Witch is different from you guys. Witch needs to eat something else to stay healthy.”

Upon hearing this, Shi Tou became anxious. “What else does Witch need to eat?? I’ll go find it! My eyesight is really good!! I’ll definitely find it!”

Lu Yu ladled some soup into a stone bowl and casually said, “I need to eat a plant with long green stalks and small yellow grains on them…”

“I’ve seen that plant before!” Shi Tou said, puzzled.

Crash!

The stone bowl in Lu Yu’s hand fell to the ground.

“The soup!” Shi Tou exclaimed regretfully, reaching out to pick up the spilled vegetables and fish.

But Lu Yu didn’t let him do as he wished. He grabbed Shi Tou’s shoulder excitedly and asked, “What did you just say?”

Shi Tou was puzzled. “I said… I’ve seen the plant Witch mentioned…”

Lu Yu described it again, and Shi Tou nodded, confirming that it was the same plant.

Lu Yu’s face turned red. “Where did you see it?!”

“Um…” Shi Tou thought for a moment and pointed in the distance. “Just over that mountain and then a little further down the path!”

Shi Tou hesitated for a moment before adding, “But there aren’t many of those plants, only a few…” If it weren’t for his sharp eyes, he might not have noticed them at all.

Lu Yu’s heart was racing. “It doesn’t matter, it doesn’t matter. A few plants are enough.” In such a fertile land in the primitive society, a few plants would suffice. He could grow a large patch of them.

Lu Yu patted Shi Tou’s little head and praised him wholeheartedly. “Shi Tou, you’re amazing! You’re incredible! Witch will make delicious food for you every day!”

It was his fault for not asking these kids before. He had only asked Tai Lie and the others and the people in the basin, forgetting that these kids caught rabbits every day and ran around, probably seeing more than Tai Lie and the others.

Shi Tou jumped with joy.

The other kids became anxious and tugged at Lu Yu’s animal skin skirt. “Witch, we’ll go find it too…”

“There’s enough for everyone to eat. Don’t worry, I’ll serve you guys.” Lu Yu quickly scooped several big bowls of soup from the stone pot and distributed them to the children.

“Be careful, it’s hot.” Lu Yu reminded them. He was really worried, so he watched them, letting them cool it down before drinking it. They had no sense of pain, so they wouldn’t even know if they burned their mouths.

Watching the children slurping down the soup without lifting their heads, Lu Yu didn’t feel like drinking. He was excitedly thinking about his rice.

This was rice…

After finishing the meal, Lu Yu didn’t take a nap. Instead, he eagerly grabbed Shi Tou and the others to go collect rice.

Tai Lie stopped him. “Where are you going?”

Lu Yu hurriedly explained, “It’s a very important plant. I’ll explain when I get back.”

What if some wild beasts destroyed the rice while they were away?

Tai Lie said sternly, “No, you can’t go alone.”

Lu Yu got a little angry. “Shi Tou and the others usually go there. Why can’t I…”

Tai Lie interrupted, “They run faster.”

Lu Yu thought, “Alright”, he indeed couldn’t match the physical stamina of an eight-year-old kid. Before Lu Yu could ask what to do, Tai Lie said calmly, “I’ll go with you.”

Lu Yu frowned slightly. “But won’t you go hunting?”

They didn’t have much stored meat, and Tai Lie was supposed to go hunting with the hunting team in the afternoon.

Tai Lie’s expression remained unchanged. “You’re more important.”

Lu Yu’s face suddenly turned red.

This guy… saying such things in public!

And how could he say such things with a straight face…

Shan Pu, who was beside them, chimed in straightforwardly, “Yes, yes, Witch, your safety is more important. Let Chief accompany you. We have enough people for hunting.”

Lu Yu sighed, “Alright.”

He wasn’t swayed by Tai Lie’s rustic words. He just thought that he still had the function of guiding the way. It didn’t matter if Tai Lie missed the hunt this time. He could use the guiding function tomorrow to catch more prey.

The place Shi Tou mentioned wasn’t far, and they wouldn’t go too far away. Lu Yu, Tai Lie, and Shi Tou crossed the mountain Shi Tou mentioned and walked a short distance before stopping.

Scratching his head, Shi Tou said anxiously, “It should be around here.”

“It’s okay, let’s look for it.” Lu Yu said.

During this season, the rice wasn’t so golden yet, just a bit yellowish, making it not easy to spot among the green grass.

“Is this it?” After searching for a while, Tai Lie’s voice came from behind.

Lu Yu stood up straight, turned around, and ran to him in a few steps.

Several wild rice plants stood vividly in front of them, with their light yellow ears swaying slightly on top, and their slender green leaves stretching out gracefully.

Lu Yu’s heart melted as he looked at them. “Yes, yes, this is it!”

His rice! His food!

Suppressing his excitement, Lu Yu squatted down and carefully dug up the rice, putting them along with the soil into the basket on his back.

Although it wasn’t enough to eat, it was sufficient for planting. If he planted now, it would be considered late rice, and they could still harvest it in October. If everything went smoothly, part of their food problem for the winter would be solved. Even if they couldn’t eat their fill, they wouldn’t starve.

Returning to the tribe, Lu Yu didn’t rush to tell everyone about planting rice. Instead, he organized various knowledge about rice planting in his mind. With a solid foundation, he could proceed step by step.

However, even if they started planting rice later, it wouldn’t require much manpower. So, Lu Yu also considered opening the skills training ground in the dream training camp to the people of the valley. Before opening it, he still needed to understand the projects and operational mechanisms.

With these thoughts in mind, he had quite a lot on his plate. He had to use his guiding function to hunt wild animals, find suitable rice fields, educate about rice planting, arrange the training ground, and also find time to teach cooking and plant identification.

He was busy, but Lu Yu felt fulfilled. He used to focus solely on cooking, neglecting everything else. While there were benefits to focusing on one thing, he found great satisfaction in his current situation as well.

Watching their territory develop bit by bit, he felt confident and supported for future endeavors, whether it was seeking revenge with Tai Lie and the others or leading a peaceful life.

Lu Yu encouraged himself and mentally reviewed the tasks he needed to accomplish.

In the evening, Lu Yu explained to the Matai people what they would encounter in the dream training camp and prepared to send them in for training tonight.

The Matai people were excitedly chattering and eager to go to sleep.

However, a few of them looked quite disheartened because it was their turn to stand guard tonight, and they couldn’t sleep.

“Alright, everyone go back to your places,” Tai Lie said sternly.

The Matai people instantly quieted down, those who needed sleep went to sleep, and those on guard duty prepared for the night.

After everyone left, Lu Yu hesitated for a moment, then finally walked up to Tai Lie. “Tai Lie, I have something to tell you.”

Tai Lie gave him a deep look. “Alright.”

Tai Lie led Lu Yu to his stone house.

The moonlight shone in through the window.

Tai Lie stood with his back to the moonlight, his expression concealed in the darkness. “What do you want to say?”

Lu Yu clenched his fist. “I want to say… Last time, when I said I was a broken man, it was a lie.”

Tai Lie seemed as if he had known already and said calmly, “Hmm.”

Lu Yu turned his head aside, gritted his teeth, and continued, “So… actually, what I like is women.”

Tai Lie’s tone remained cold. “Is that so?”

Lu Yu nodded. “Yes.”

“Is that all?” Tai Lie asked calmly.

Lu Yu felt that something was off, but he didn’t have time to dwell on it. He hastily continued, “Anyway, I won’t have any feelings for men. If you understand, then I’ve said everything.”

Having said that, Lu Yu paused for two seconds. Seeing no reaction from the other side, he pursed his lips and turned to leave.

Just as he turned around, his arm was suddenly grabbed, and he was pulled and thrown against the wall.

“Ah!” Lu Yu let out a short, startled cry.

Before he could react, his arm was twisted back, and a large, scorching body pressed against his back.

“Tai Lie, you—” Lu Yu’s words were interrupted.

“Lu Yu, do you have a truthful sentence in your mouth?” The man’s deep and hoarse voice sounded.

Feeling a hot breath on his neck, Lu Yu couldn’t help but shudder.

What did he mean by that sentence…

A sense of anxiety gradually enveloped him…