Even so, the discovery of the bow-shaped branch with two intersecting arcs was indeed a pleasant surprise. Originally, since she had never witnessed a real hunting scene, she hadn’t even considered making a weapon like a bow and arrow.
Now, looking back, if she could craft a bow and arrow, the benefits it would bring to their future hunting life would be immeasurable.
Bone knives and stone knives lacked any real power. Even if they were replaced with fruit knives, they would still only be useful in close combat. In this era, animals that could be hunted with auxiliary tools were never small. On the contrary, using such tools against large animals in close combat would undoubtedly maximize the risk of injury.
As for the long bone spears, they might seem impressive at first glance, but in reality, they were only good for poking rabbits or skewering small four-legged creatures. If they encountered carnivorous beasts like the wolves or saber-toothed tigers from before, the bone spears would likely be nothing more than decorations.
She hadn’t forgotten how Sha Yi had once fiercely stabbed a giant snake with a bone spear. At the time, the snake was lying still, yet the spear’s shaft ended up breaking.
Considering all these issues, Sha Yi felt that until they found metal ore and mastered smelting, bone spears had to be temporarily abandoned. Even in close combat, they needed to maintain distance. To achieve long-range effectiveness, bows and arrows were the best choice.
And now, she had stumbled upon just such an opportunity. Although she wasn’t sure what kind of tree the branch in her hand—resembling the shape of a bow—came from, its texture was completely different from ordinary branches. If the intertwined strands of the branch were separated, each one proved incredibly flexible. When twisted together, they gained extra hardness, somewhat like bamboo—firm yet resilient. When plucked, they even produced a whistling sound from the recoil.
As for the bowstring, she was at a loss. While using elastic vines as material might work initially, over time, they would dry out, lose elasticity, and likely snap. Using them as-is would be fatal during a hunt. If they opted for frequent replacements, it would be cumbersome, and accuracy would suffer due to unfamiliarity. Thus, plant vines were unsuitable, and she couldn’t think of a better alternative in the short term.
Lastly, the arrows weren’t as demanding. As long as they could be whittled straight and were hard enough, they would suffice. Adding some waterfowl feathers for balance wouldn’t pose any major issues.
Now, she needed to find more trees with branches similar to the bow-shaped one. Crafting bows and arrows would require a lot of such material.
With this in mind, she set off again, intending to explore the area around the cave. Just then, Sha Yi emerged from the cave.
With more people, cleaning and organizing the cave went quickly. In just a short while, everything was in order. Sha Yi set aside her plans for the moment and followed him back inside.
Xi Gu had already assigned everyone their spots.
The cave’s layout consisted of an entrance leading downward before opening into a wide, spacious section, with a thin stone wall dividing the middle. Thus, the group was split into two along the cave walls, with each person’s hay and fur bedding laid out according to their assigned position.
This time, Sai Na and the others were placed closer to the inner side, while those who had originally lived deepest in the cave were now positioned near the entrance. Unlike the previous settlement’s cave, the thin stone wall here created a secluded corner for her and Sha Yi’s sleeping area. If they hung a fur curtain, it would be completely enclosed.
Additionally, there was a larger open space beside their spot, perfect for storing items. The only downside was that the cave floor wasn’t as ideal as the settlement’s cave—there, the ground was dry, with clean, light-colored stones. Here, the stones were naturally gray-black, and years of disuse, rainwater seepage, and accumulated dust and mud made the damp, grimy environment far from comfortable.
Moreover, as the weather turned colder, bathing in the river outside would be impossible. Even if Sha Yi and the others could endure it, she couldn’t. So, using the bathtub as a bed wasn’t a long-term solution. They needed to lay down wood and large leaves to keep the area dry and clean. Otherwise, she’d have to follow the others’ example and simply pile hay and furs—something she couldn’t accept, especially during the rainy season.
The cooking area was set up at the very back of the cave, where the ground was even lower than their sleeping area. It resembled a curved nook formed by two small hollows—one side for storing food, the other for multiple cooking fires.
Sha Yi found it somewhat amusing that, compared to their sleeping spots, the cooking and food storage areas had been cleaned much more thoroughly. Perhaps, in their eyes, filling their stomachs was the top priority. After all, in these harsh prehistoric conditions, no one expected a permanent dwelling. Moving around had made them accustomed to making do, and once used to it, they stopped complaining. Unlike her, who had grown up in the comfort of a modern home, they didn’t mind. Survival came first.
Still, she admired Xi Gu’s foresight in separating the cooking and storage areas. First, cooking would be chaotic with so many people, and without a dedicated space, the entire cave would be filled with smoke. Second, keeping the fire alive was their usual practice, but storing food near an active fire risked losing everything in an accident. This arrangement was quite clever.
Lastly, there was the issue of ventilation. Unlike the spacious settlement cave, this one had a narrow entrance and a stepped interior, making it hard for light to penetrate. The ceiling was dotted with small holes, which hadn’t mattered when the cave was uninhabited. But now, if left unsealed, rainwater would flood the cave during the monsoon. Yet sealing them completely would make the space feel oppressive—a real dilemma.
Xi Gu was currently discussing this with a few others, clearly troubled by the problem. Sha Yi didn’t have any immediate solutions, so after familiarizing herself with the cave layout and her spot, she followed Sha Yi back outside.
Sha Yi was tasked with sealing the ceiling holes—likely the same ones he and Xi Mang had opened before, so he knew their locations well. In no time, he pinpointed them.
His initial plan was to plug them with mud and stones, but the results were lackluster. Some debris even fell inside, prompting loud complaints from those below. Sha Yi found it amusing and began considering alternatives, but Sha Yi was quicker. He discarded the stones, grabbed a thick branch, wrapped it in a large leaf, and jammed it into the hole.
This method worked surprisingly well—the branch stayed firmly in place without even a slight wobble. Delighted, Sha Yi swiftly repeated the process for the remaining holes.
Sha Yi, however, stood by with a face full of disbelief.
The branches sticking out were an eyesore, and strong winds might dislodge them. Worse, they might attract lightning, turning the cave into an impromptu barbecue pit for its bored inhabitants.
The man crouched on the cave roof seemed to notice her odd expression. After a moment of confusion, he reached out, snapped off the protruding parts of the branches with startling strength, and left them neatly trimmed.
Sha Yi jumped in surprise, then burst out laughing.
Sha Yi didn’t understand what was funny, but seeing her laugh always lifted his mood. This time was no exception. He immediately leaped down, took her hand with a mischievous grin, and led her in the direction she had originally intended to go.
Coincidentally, she had been planning to ask for his help with the bow and arrow. Now, without her even mentioning it, they were heading that way. Compared to her limited familiarity with the area, Sha Yi knew it far better.
But instead of leading her to pick wild fruits as usual, he guided her through a small grove to a sparsely vegetated spot. There, he pointed at the roots of a large-leafed plant, urging her to take a look.
At first, she didn’t see anything special—just a plant that looked familiar. After racking her brain, she remembered: it was the same broad-leafed plant they had used for sleeping and repelling mosquitoes by the lakeside. She had even worn its leaves as makeshift clothing once.
Since leaving the snake-infested forest, she hadn’t seen it again. Now, encountering it here filled her with nostalgia.
Regardless, the newly relocated cave had been empty for a long time. Laying down these mosquito-repelling leaves would help with moisture, even if there were no giant mosquitoes. It would prevent the wooden bathtub base from rotting.
Pleased, Sha Yi stepped forward to pluck a few leaves.
Behind her, Sha Yi let out a resigned sigh. Just as she decided to ignore it, a strange noise came from the plant’s roots.
Something was off!
Her hand froze mid-reach. Puzzled, she stared at the source of the sound but saw nothing except a few drooping leaves. Dismissing it, she went to snap off a leaf.
Suddenly, a blur shot out from under the leaves.
Sha Yi shrieked, leaped back reflexively, and scrambled onto Sha Yi’s back in an undignified flail. The sudden movement even triggered an unfortunate “flooding” situation—she hadn’t forgotten it was the second day of her period, but she *hated* unexpected scares!
The tall, muscular man was startled too—but not by the creature. *She* had scared *him*!
Fortunately, his reflexes matched hers. The moment she latched onto him, he caught her in his arms.
The next second, the culprit of the scare crashed into his leg.
Looking down, Sha Yi realized it was another one of those damn bald birds—a *pankuo*!
But unlike the first one they’d found, this one had a fiery red crest instead of blue. Its neck was just as long, its swollen face even larger, and its overall size slightly bigger.
Perched on Sha Yi’s back, Sha Yi pondered—this one was probably male.
Sha Yi, however, had no interest in discussing bird genders. Seeing the creature tumble out, he swiftly bent down, cradled her with one arm, grabbed the bird by the neck with the other, spun it a few times, and hurled it away in a perfect arc.
Without a word, he set her down, then crouched and began digging into the *pankuo*’s nest.
Sha Yi could only stare in disbelief.
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