Jiang Xiaorou did not suspect anything amiss and told Yi Yun all about this strange world.
Yi Yun had originally thought this might be a world where martial strength was supreme. However, after hearing Jiang Xiaorou's description, he realized that he had still underestimated the importance of martial strength in this world.
More precisely, this was a world that treated martial strength as its very lifeblood.
In this world, humans had their own cities and camps, while the wilderness belonged to beasts and Savage Beasts.
Whether humans went out to farm or hunt, they could be attacked by beasts or Savage Beasts. These terrifying Giant Beasts had compressed the range of human activity, so supplies were extremely scarce for the common people.
For a camp or a city, high-level warriors were its lifeline!
Without the protection of high-level warriors, the residents of a camp or city could very well be slaughtered by Savage Beasts overnight.
Unfortunately, the tribe where Yi Yun and Jiang Xiaorou lived was a small tribe without any high-level warriors.
The entire tribe was weathering storm after storm, on the verge of collapse at any moment.
Because it was too weak, the small tribe could produce and collect only a limited amount of food. They could not support themselves at all, and could only process weapons for the tribes in the great cities, such as arrows and armor, in exchange for some grain and beast meat. Only then could they survive.
The materials for the arrows Jiang Xiaorou made were supplied by the great tribes. She was only responsible for processing them.
"Yun'er, go inside and sleep. Tomorrow, I can exchange these arrows for quite a lot of grain, and even a piece of Savage Beast Meat. Do you still remember Savage Beasts? They're the most powerful kind of beast. Only the great tribes can hunt them. Eating one piece of their meat can give you a great deal of strength! If you eat it over a long period, you can quickly become a warrior!"
As Jiang Xiaorou spoke, she became somewhat wistful. How wonderful it would be if her younger brother could become a warrior as well.
Unfortunately, they could only eat Savage Beast Meat once every few months. Becoming a warrior was destined to remain an extravagant hope.
In the great tribes, however, those young people ate Savage Beast Meat as their daily food. In fact, Savage Beast Meat was not considered precious in the great tribes. Although Savage Beasts were extremely difficult to hunt, a large Savage Beast could be more than ten meters long and weigh tens of thousands of pounds. Its meat was enough to feed ten people for several years.
To the favored children of the great tribes, Savage Beast Meat was what the lower classes ate. They ate Savage Beast Bones, also known as savage bones.
The essence of Savage Beasts was contained within their savage bones. After a massive Savage Beast skeleton underwent special refinement, it could produce a grain-sized amount of Savage Bone Essence.
This Savage Bone Essence could help warriors break through their realms. It could also open their meridians, awaken their bloodlines, and provide countless other benefits. It was practically something every martial artist dreamed of.
Of course, to poor people like Jiang Xiaorou and Yi Yun from a lowly tribe, Savage Bone Essence was no different from a legend.
Not to mention that savage bones were rare—even if one obtained a piece of savage bone, refining it into essence required many methods and secret techniques. Ordinary people found it extremely difficult to succeed.
"Savage Beast Meat, Savage Bone Essence..."
Yi Yun muttered to himself. Hearing these terms from Jiang Xiaorou, he was rather surprised by the breadth of her knowledge.
The night passed without incident. Early the next morning, Yi Yun rose from bed. He had not woken naturally; hunger had jolted him awake.
He had not eaten for several days, drinking only a little porridge. It was easy to imagine how hungry Yi Yun was.
"Sister Xiaorou!"
Yi Yun had grown accustomed to calling her Sister. During his idle conversation with Jiang Xiaorou the previous day, he had learned that "Sister Xiaorou" was what he used to call her.
"Mm... Sister Xiaorou, how did you..."
Yi Yun's heart jolted when he saw that Jiang Xiaorou's clothes were soaked with heavy dew. Her originally limpid eyes were filled with bloodshot veins, and she looked utterly exhausted.
Then he saw the two huge bundles of arrows in Jiang Xiaorou's arms. How could Yi Yun not realize that Jiang Xiaorou had not slept at all? She had spent the entire night rushing to finish the arrows!
Their family was poor and could not afford oil for a lamp. Jiang Xiaorou had relied on the faint light of fireflies drawn by a stalk of Insect Luring Grass, as well as the moonlight overhead, to make arrows through the night. The damage such harsh conditions inflicted on her body was obvious.
Jiang Xiaorou smiled. "Yun'er, you injured yourself before, so I spent all my time taking care of you. The past two days, I was busy burying you and making offerings. I had no time to make arrows. Today is the day we exchange them for grain. If I didn't rush to make a little more, the two of us would have nothing to eat. I'm even going to stew Savage Beast Meat for you today to nourish your body!"
As she spoke, Jiang Xiaorou lovingly stroked Yi Yun's head.
Yi Yun's expression dimmed. He did not know what to say. He watched as Jiang Xiaorou took an oilcloth and carefully wrapped the two large bundles of arrows, her eyes filled with delight and satisfaction.
Yi Yun exhaled heavily. He clenched his fists slightly and made up his mind. No matter what, he would let this sister who cared for him live a good life.
"Come on, let's go exchange them for grain!"
Jiang Xiaorou pulled Yi Yun along and carried the two heavy bundles of arrows to the threshing ground where the grain exchange was held, her heart full of anticipation.
Quite a few people had already gathered there.
The most eye-catching person was a Brocade Robe Man seated on a raised platform.
He looked about twenty-four or twenty-five years old. Sitting boldly in a broad beast-skin chair, he had a finely crafted sword hanging from his waist.
At that moment, the Brocade Robe Man was lazily sweeping his gaze over the suffering commoners bustling below him.
These people were carrying bundles of arrows and finely crafted leather armor one by one. Each time someone brought over an item, a man who looked like a secretary recorded it.
Standing beside the Brocade Robe Man was also a well-dressed Yellow-robed Elder. His face was wreathed in smiles, every inch of it dripping with obsequiousness.
"Lord Tao, are you satisfied with the weapons and leather armor this time?"
The elder bowed and scraped, his facial wrinkles bunched together.
The Brocade Robe Man glanced at him and snorted through his nose in reply.
Although the Brocade Robe Man's manner was arrogant, the elder did not dare show the slightest dissatisfaction. He continued smiling obsequiously.
Lord Tao was an envoy from a great tribe, responsible for collecting weapons. Although Lord Tao might not have been doing well in his own tribe—otherwise he would not have been sent on such a menial errand—he was still a major figure in the Yellow-robed Elder's eyes.
Jiang Xiaorou also handed over the two bundles of arrows she had made and received two small wooden tokens in exchange.
Holding the two wooden tokens, Jiang Xiaorou's pretty face flushed slightly. Her small hands gripped them tightly, her palms faintly beading with sweat. These wooden tokens were the rations for her and her younger brother.
After a quarter of an hour, all the weapons and leather armor had been loaded onto large carts. Two horned horses pulled the carts away.
Lord Tao lazily glanced at the account book, then had someone carry a large wooden chest down from the cart and throw it before the Yellow-robed Elder. He then left with his attendants.
The Yellow-robed Elder smiled broadly as he saw Lord Tao off. Only then did he stand up. The smile on his face vanished, replaced by a stern expression.
The tribespeople had been eagerly awaiting this moment. "Chief, hurry and distribute the grain!"
"That's right! We haven't seen meat for several months!"
Some half-grown youths had already begun shouting. They were all waiting to receive grain and meat and go home to fill their bellies.
"Quiet!" The Yellow-robed Elder pressed down with one hand, signaling everyone to settle down. Yi Yun had not expected that this old man, who appeared to have no backbone at all, was actually the tribe's chief.
"Since everyone is so anxious, let's distribute the grain first!"
As soon as he finished speaking, several robust men eagerly stepped forward. They drove an ox cart and hauled the grain out of the storehouse. Bags of grain quickly piled into small heaps.
"Something's wrong, Chief. Why is there so little grain this time?"
"That's right! There used to be much more than this! And where's the beast meat?"
Many people began shouting. They had handed over more weapons than in previous years, yet what they received was pitifully little. Not only had the grain been reduced by more than half, but the long-awaited beast meat was nowhere to be seen.
"The Huoyun Tribe is bullying us! They're trying to fob us off with this little bit?"
"Chief, what on earth is going on?"
As the uproar below grew louder, the Yellow-robed Elder snorted coldly. "All of you, shut up! I'll explain this matter later. Distribute the grain now! Hand over your wooden tokens, and you'll receive however much grain you're allotted!"
As the Yellow-robed Elder spoke, an aura faintly radiated from him, instantly silencing many of the dissatisfied people.
The Yellow-robed Elder was a warrior.
Although he was merely a low-level Mortal Blood Warrior, he was still the tribe's unquestioned pillar of support. Normally, few people dared to defy him.
"Those from the Warrior Reserve Camp, come collect your grain first!"
As the Yellow-robed Elder spoke, he waved his hand. A group of men dressed in animal skins stepped forward. The youngest were fifteen or sixteen, while the oldest were in their thirties. Without exception, they were powerfully built, with clearly defined muscles. At a glance, they were clearly trained fighters.
These people were members of the Warrior Reserve Camp, and the tribe's hope. The warriors in the Warrior Reserve Camp were chosen from youths with good physiques and trained from childhood. Aside from occasionally hunting, they neither farmed nor engaged in production activities such as making arrows and leather armor.
However, any good meat or grain in the tribe was given to the Warrior Reserve Camp first. If even one high-level warrior emerged from among them, it would be a heaven-sent fortune for the tribe.
There was no need to mention the protection high-level warriors provided. Their productive capacity alone was astonishing. High-level warriors were already strong enough to enter the wilderness and hunt alone. If they killed several large beasts, that would be enough to feed the entire tribe for several days!
It was no exaggeration to say that a single high-level warrior could support an entire small tribe!
There were several dozen people in the Warrior Reserve Camp. Since they did not engage in production, they naturally had no wooden tokens, yet every one of them carried away a bulging sack of grain.
The already meager pile of grain instantly lost a fifth of its contents, while the tribespeople who had not received any grain outnumbered the Warrior Reserve Camp dozens of times over.
Thus, many people were doomed to go hungry.
Beside Yi Yun, Jiang Xiaorou immediately tightened her grip on her wooden tokens. Her little face paled. If they could not receive any grain, how would they survive?
The tribespeople fell silent. The Warrior Reserve Camp members had received nearly as much grain as usual. At this rate, there definitely would not be enough to distribute.
"Those with a First-class Male in the family, come collect your grain!"
The Yellow-robed Elder issued another command. In this world that treated martial strength as its lifeblood, the other men outside the Warrior Reserve Camp were also divided into ranks.
The simplest way to test them was by strength. A man who could lift a three-hundred-pound stone lock was a First-class Male!
Below that, the lighter the stone lock he could lift, the lower his rank.
The families with a First-class Male breathed a slight sigh of relief and hurried forward to collect their grain. The wooden tokens were merely a reference now. These families received far less grain than usual, but at least they received some.
These families had originally been somewhat wealthier and usually had surplus grain. Their days would become more difficult, but they would not be driven to the brink of starvation.
"Those with a Second-class Male in the family, come collect your grain!"
The Yellow-robed Elder spoke again. Compared to the obsequious way he had bowed before "Lord Tao," the stern Yellow-robed Elder now seemed like an entirely different person.
A Second-class Male could lift a two-hundred-and-fifty-pound stone lock. The grain they received was reduced by another large amount.
The grain bags rapidly dwindled. Every time one disappeared, Jiang Xiaorou's face grew paler. She gripped her wooden tokens tightly, her palms drenched in cold sweat.
This was not a matter of losing a few bags of grain. It concerned their very lives. Without grain, they would starve to death!
She had originally held great hopes for this grain distribution. She had not only wanted to receive grain but also to obtain a piece of beast meat to stew for Yi Yun and nourish his body. Yet now, even ordinary grain was running out.
"Those with a Third-class Male in the family, come collect your grain!"
The grain grew scarcer and scarcer, and Jiang Xiaorou held her breath.
The Yellow-robed Elder also frowned. There was far too little grain. Many people would not receive any, and some were destined to starve to death over the next few months.
Yet for the sake of the tribe's interests, and for the chance to leap over the dragon's gate, the Yellow-robed Elder could only harden his heart and sacrifice some of the weak.
In the tribe, people starving or dying from illness was a common occurrence. The harsh environment made the average lifespan here terrifyingly short.
"The rest of you, come collect your grain."
As soon as the Yellow-robed Elder finished speaking, a crowd surged forward and began fighting over it. Jiang Xiaorou cried out as the raging tide of people directly shoved her to the ground.
She was bruised from the fall, yet she still gripped the wooden tokens in her hand with all her strength, as though those tokens were her sole support and could bring her hope.
"Sister Xiaorou."
Seeing Jiang Xiaorou fall helplessly to the ground, Yi Yun did not know where he found the strength. He forced his way through the crowd and pulled Jiang Xiaorou up.
"Sister Xiaorou, are you all right?"
Yi Yun was anxious. If someone fell in the crowd and was trampled, they could die.
Jiang Xiaorou held Yi Yun's hand, her heart filled with helplessness...
"What are you pushing for? All of you, behave yourselves!"
The Yellow-robed Elder roared. His voice seemed infused with some kind of energy, and the tribespeople who had surged forward fell much quieter at once.
"Form a line and come one by one!"
The Yellow-robed Elder's voice was harsh and stern. No one present dared defy him. He possessed absolute strength and controlled the tribe's laws. Anyone who disobeyed his orders could very well be killed on the spot.
People began lining up to collect grain. Although the amount distributed to each family this time was pitifully small, there were many people, and the grain was soon gone.
Jiang Xiaorou's heart sank. Without grain, they would not be able to hold out.
"Wang Long, take a few people and bring out the reserve grain from the tribe's storehouse," the Yellow-robed Elder said to a burly man beside him.
This burly man named Wang Long was the Yellow-robed Elder's servant.
"Yes, Chief."
Wang Long strode away. Soon, he pushed over a small cart and pulled down several more bags of grain. This was the tribe's stored grain, but it was all coarse grain.
On Earth, eating coarse grain meant getting more vitamins and being healthier.
But in this other world, it was entirely different.
Coarse grain was what remained after grain was ground for the final time, with wheat bran mixed into it. Food made from coarse grain had a harsh taste and was nearly impossible to swallow.
Moreover, coarse grain meant fewer calories. It was not only difficult to digest, but also provided less energy. One pound of **grain was equivalent to eating two pounds of coarse grain.
Although it was coarse grain, it was still better than nothing. The people could only resign themselves to collecting it. Each person received very little. Jiang Xiaorou had originally been at the very back of the line, and by the time it was her turn, hardly any coarse grain remained.
She handed over the two wooden tokens soaked through with sweat, but received only a sack of coarse grain about the size of two palms. Even if she and Yi Yun ate wheat bran porridge every day, it would last them no more than ten days.
Jiang Xiaorou was completely stunned. She held the light grain sack in her hands, unable to accept the result.
Her younger brother had only just come back to life. Were they really going to starve to death together?
"Why are you still standing here? Don't block the way!"
The man responsible for distributing the grain spoke impatiently, urging Jiang Xiaorou to leave.
Jiang Xiaorou felt anger rising in her. She had worked through the entire night making arrows, only to receive this tiny amount of grain. Although she was a frail woman, at this moment she gritted her teeth and faced the group of burly men who represented the tribe's authority.
"Why is there so little? I handed over two bundles of arrows, yet I didn't receive even a single grain of fine food. Even the coarse grain is nowhere near a tenth of what we usually receive!"
The man responsible for distributing the grain froze. He had clearly not expected this little girl before him to have the courage to question him.
"Don't you know the rules? You're just a child, and a girl at that. Your family doesn't even have a man. What use would you have for so much grain? Eating more would only be a waste!"
The small tribes of this world valued men over women.
In the great tribes, there was all kinds of Savage Beast Meat and even Savage Bone Essence to nourish them. The already small difference in physical constitution between men and women was no longer important, and there were just as many female experts as male ones.
But in the small tribes, men's innate physical advantage over women was an uncrossable chasm. Very few women could match men in physical strength.
The discrimination only made Jiang Xiaorou angrier. "Who says my family has no men? My family, Jiang Xiaorou's family, has a real man too!"
As Jiang Xiaorou spoke, she grabbed Yi Yun's hand and stood together with him!
Before you continue