Seeing this, Garo also adopted an expression of being too lazy to waste any more words on her. He turned his head and handed the still-bleeding snake carcass to the group of men behind him.
The men didn’t refuse. After each taking a sip of the snake’s blood, they passed it to the two women, and finally, it reached the old man.
Sha Yi had assumed he would drink the snake blood like everyone else, but contrary to her expectations, he flailed his hands in the air for a while before finally grasping the snake carcass—only to forcefully push it away, his face even showing a hint of disgust and displeasure.
The others could only sigh helplessly, but they didn’t try to persuade him, as if they were used to his refusals.
Garo, who had been squatting on the ground facing her, seemed to have anticipated this outcome. Rubbing his forehead, he let out a long sigh and called out the old man’s name in a drawn-out tone: “Tuge, can’t you even take a single sip?”
“No!” The old man named Tuge refused almost instantly, gnashing his jagged teeth into a piece of roasted meat he had grabbed, as if to emphasize his displeasure.
“You’ve drunk it before—what’s the big deal now?” Garo turned back in frustration, snatched the roasted meat from Tuge’s hand, and shoved the dangling snake carcass into his grip. “Just one sip, hurry up!”
At this, the old man flew into a rage. Trembling, he stood up and pointed at the tall man in front of him. “Garo, how dare you force me!”
“I’m just worried you’ll go completely blind! Look at you—you can barely see a thing.” Not daring to push the old man too far, Garo muttered under his breath, “It’s already a burden that you refuse to die, and now you can’t even see properly. Even the giant-toothed eagles carrying you have to worry about crashing into trees because of you. What’s the harm in drinking some snake blood? It’s not like it’ll kill you…”
“You… you…” Tuge was so furious he could barely speak, glaring at Garo for a long while without managing to utter a word.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” Garo shot back with exaggerated horror, taking two steps back. “With that old, wrinkled face of yours, don’t get any ideas. If you die someday, I won’t be joining you!”
“You…” Once again left speechless, Tuge gave up on arguing with the burly man. Instead, he turned his head away with a haughty huff. “I’ve seen giant snakes eat people I knew. Snake blood has human blood in it—that’s why I won’t drink it…”
“You repeat this every single day—when will it end?” Garo cut him off impatiently. “Have you ever seen a giant snake that doesn’t eat people? Or a person who doesn’t eat animal meat? Did the snakes ever complain when they ate humans?”
After this barrage of aggressive rhetorical questions, Garo didn’t even wait for the old man to respond before continuing, “The snake you saw eating people is already dead. Do you think this one has the ability to eat anyone? Do you expect us to easily find other animals to bleed for you back where we used to live? Especially now, during the rainy season—why don’t you just go bite a giant-toothed eagle and drink its blood instead?”
Tuge grew agitated, his gap-toothed mouth flapping as he slurred, “Giant-toothed eagles eat snakes, you fool!”
“Of course I know that!” Garo snapped back, but after a moment’s thought, his tone softened. “Fine. If you teach us all the plants you know that can heal wounds—how to identify them and their basic uses—I’ll go catch another animal for you to bleed. Deal?”
The old man pondered for a moment before adding, “And… when I die, you can’t throw me to the giant snakes. That’s non-negotiable!”
“Fine, fine!” Any remaining patience or respect for Tuge vanished as Garo waved him off. “We’ll do everything your way. Hell, we could bury you right now if you’d just start talking. Otherwise, once you’re dead, even if I do throw you to the snakes, what would you know about it?”
The old man was once again left fuming.
Sha Yi remained lying on her side, watching the back-and-forth between Garo and Tuge along with the rest of the group. She had no idea how to judge these two utterly ridiculous men—one stubborn and annoyingly simple-minded, the other well-intentioned but shameless to the core. It was exhausting.
However, their conversation did reveal some useful information.
From their exchange, she deduced that they must belong to a group that coexisted with giant-toothed eagles.
Xi Yi had mentioned that they once traveled to the eagles’ territory during the rainy season. That area was also overrun with snakes—though not giant ones, venomous snakes were everywhere—making it difficult to hunt other animals freely.
Moreover, given the prevalence of venomous snakes, it was plausible that the old man Tuge knew about plants with medicinal properties. And judging by the group’s deference to him, his knowledge of plants must be highly respected.
In such a place, someone like Tuge was indispensable. No matter how old or difficult he was, they still supported him. And when he threw one of his tantrums, only someone in Garo’s position dared to talk back so bluntly.
As for the others, she noticed they remained silent, including Manlun earlier.
But the more pressing issue was Tuge’s failing eyesight. Based on his refusal to drink snake blood, it wasn’t hard to guess that they relied on animal blood for salt intake.
Sha Yi realized this was an area where she could make a difference.
While they understood the general cause of vision deterioration, they didn’t realize that the salt content in blood was the critical factor.
Even Xi Yi’s group might not know this.
They were blessed by nature—those rodent-like creatures with naturally salty meat prevented potential micronutrient deficiencies. But this also meant they lacked deeper understanding of natural remedies.
Even if the two women captured with her mentioned the salt crystals, they wouldn’t connect them to blurred vision. At most, they’d only recognize salt’s role in food preservation.
Now, Sha Yi felt somewhat grateful for those salt-rich animals. Because of them, she hadn’t had to explain the composition and importance of salt—or the consequences of its deficiency—to everyone.
Just as she was lost in thought, a sudden gust of wind swept into the cave, carrying the scent of birds and something foul. Before she could even turn to look, a series of loud crashes echoed from outside, causing rocks and dirt to rain down from the ceiling once again.
Garo cursed loudly but couldn’t withstand the impact of the massive, five-to-six-meter bird. He staggered several steps before regaining his balance.
When the commotion finally settled, the cries of eagles and falcons rang out from outside the cave.
Sha Yi instinctively turned toward the entrance and saw two giant-toothed eagles flapping their wings, their massive bodies hopping around. Illuminated by the flickering firelight, a colossal glowing snake between them stood out starkly.
She couldn’t help but shudder in fear.
From her side-lying position inside the cave, she couldn’t gauge the snake’s length, but its thickness was unmistakable under the eerie glow—about as wide as her waist.
Though smaller than the one she and Xi Yi had encountered, it was still formidable. She guessed its length surpassed the wingspan of the giant-toothed eagles.
In nature, size mattered in animal confrontations. Even though the eagles were snake-eaters and enormous, this snake was longer, giving the birds no advantage. Despite the two eagles ganging up on it, Sha Yi couldn’t shake her unease.
She had a deep-seated fear of snakes, and their appearance was universally unsettling. Worse, if the snake gained the upper hand, they’d all be in trouble. No matter how many people were present, the snake’s brute strength was terrifying.
While Sha Yi watched the battle outside intently, the others seemed indifferent, preoccupied with brushing off dirt and debris. The old man Tuge, however, was livid, ranting at Garo to keep the giant birds farther from their cave in the future.
Garo ignored him. After dusting himself off, he turned to Sha Yi, as if he’d noticed her tension all along. With a malicious smirk, he taunted, “Can’t see well from here, can you? Why not go take a closer look at the entrance?”
Before she could react, he yanked her up and shoved her toward the cave’s mouth.
Panic surged through her, and she instinctively tried to resist. But half her body, including her legs, was numb, leaving her helpless against his brute force. She was dragged uncontrollably toward the terrifying scene outside.
Fear nearly made her scream, but she bit it back, not wanting to startle the battling creatures.
Within seconds, her numb legs gave out completely. As she collapsed, Garo tightened his grip on her shoulders, giving her no chance to retreat.
Furious and terrified, she knew begging would be useless. If he was cruel enough to push her into danger, a few pleading words wouldn’t sway him.
What he wanted wasn’t just to scare her—it was a power play, a way to assert dominance and further his agenda.
Suddenly, it clicked. They had captured her to exchange for food. The two women—or perhaps the people from the old cave—must have revealed that she could be used as leverage to increase their bargaining power.
She didn’t know if the new cave’s inhabitants valued her more, but she was certain Xi Yi would choose her over food, even if it meant sacrificing everything.
Garo must have guessed she’d try to thwart his plans. To crush any resistance, he was pulling out all the stops.
For all she knew, this bird-snake battle was staged just for her!
This savage man was cunning. First, he captured her, then pretended to placate her before delivering this terrifying spectacle. She even suspected he’d left Manlun to torment her deliberately.
Just as her entire body was forced out of the cave, the proud and stubborn Tuge suddenly shouted, “Garo, have you lost your mind? Aren’t you planning to trade her for food?”
“None of your business, blind fool! Since when did your eyesight get so sharp?” Garo retorted without even turning his head.
“The group needs women! Even if you don’t trade her, there’s no need to throw her to the snakes!” Tuge grumbled. “Tie her up and make her bear children instead!”
“What nonsense! Look at her—she’s too scrawny to bear children!” Garo scoffed. “I prefer feisty women. Someone this thin and deceitful is just a waste of time to keep around!”
Sha Yi stayed silent, now fully aware that he wouldn’t actually throw her to the snake. Though terrified, she knew she wouldn’t end up as snake food.
Garo wouldn’t let that happen.
After going to such lengths to capture her for trade, he wouldn’t throw it all away at the last moment.
She’d see how he handled it if she refused to be intimidated.
After a few tense seconds, the man shoving her toward danger abruptly stopped.
After a long pause, he asked, puzzled, “Not scared?”
Of course she was scared!
But arguing with him was pointless. She had no time for his nonsense. After a moment’s thought, she decided to cut straight to the chase: “You won’t actually throw me out. I’m your bargaining chip for food. And don’t think you can scare me into raising your demands!”
“Huh, not bad—you’ve got brains.” He yanked her back, narrowing his eyes at her. Though his expression feigned disappointment, there was a glint of curiosity in his gaze.
Sha Yi didn’t miss it. Coldly, she said, “Drop the idea of trading me for all their food. And don’t try to use me for anything else. If you don’t want Tuge to go completely blind or die mysteriously, you’d better cut the tricks.”
“You know how to fix his eyes?” Garo was startled but quickly masked it, his voice turning icy. “Don’t try to fool me!”
“What do you have that’s worth fooling you over?” She smirked. “Getting any food in exchange for me is already a huge win for you. Stop pushing for more—it won’t happen. And if they refuse to trade, what then?”
“Then I’ll throw you to the snakes!”
“Go ahead. But remember—I’m the only one who knows how to treat Tuge’s eyes without animal blood. You still want him to teach you about medicinal plants, don’t you? Let’s see how well that goes if his vision keeps failing.”
“You’re threatening me!”
“Just taking advantage of the uneducated. Got a problem with that?”
The man frowned and fell silent, hesitating for a long while before asking somewhat uncertainly, “What do you mean by ‘no culture’?”
“I don’t want to tell you right now.”
“Didn’t expect you to be so feisty.” Jialuo wore an expression that said, “I knew you wouldn’t say anything nice,” as he grabbed her and pulled her back. “Fine, I’ll believe you this once. Tell me, what can cure Tuge’s eyes?”
“You think I’m stupid?” Sha Yi rolled her eyes. “Why don’t you let the new settlement cave give you food first before releasing anyone?”
Her retort, mirroring Tuge’s earlier argument, left him momentarily speechless. Jialuo stared blankly for a while before suddenly laughing. “Not just feisty, but cunning too. But if you want me to believe you, you’ll have to show some action. You can’t just talk—I’m not that easy to fool.”
“To get things done, you have to be flexible, especially someone like you. You’re no saint either, so don’t expect me to trust you easily!” Ignoring his smile, Sha Yi didn’t bother beating around the bush and cut straight to the point. “No matter what you think, your plan was always to trade me for food. If you still want to cure Tuge’s eyes, don’t act like you’re doing me a favor. If you think it’s unreliable, then stop wasting my time.”
“Why so angry?” His tone softened abruptly, as if he had transformed into a different person, speaking gently. “I was just asking. At the very least, I need to understand a bit before I can weigh the exchange value, right?”
“You just want to know if I can really cure Tuge’s eyes, don’t you?” Seeing right through his thoughts, Sha Yi calmed down. “In your group, animal blood is a necessity. If you go too long without drinking it, you’ll experience weakness and dizziness, right? Tuge has definitely had these symptoms before. Of course, drinking some animal blood in time can fix it, but now his condition is severe. Blurred vision is just the first sign—if I had to guess, he’ll vomit all the roasted meat he just ate soon!”
This was the most basic reaction to a lack of salt in the body—common knowledge in modern times.
Salt deficiency, or even just low sodium levels, could cause a multitude of problems. She suspected Tuge’s condition was far worse, but explaining too much would only confuse them or invite unwanted suspicions, potentially backfiring on her.
Her words left not just Jialuo but the entire group stunned. Though Sha Yi had expected this reaction, she still felt uneasy. She could only hope Jialuo wouldn’t get any more malicious ideas.
He had intimidated her to make her afraid, ensuring that when negotiating with the new settlement cave, she’d act out of fear, increasing their chances of securing more food.
But she refused to play along. Instead, she turned the tables, using logic to pressure him into a dilemma: if he wanted a large amount of food, he’d have to abandon Tuge; if he wanted to save Tuge, he’d have to lower his demands.
She wasn’t naive—if Tuge hadn’t been skilled in identifying and using medicinal plants, Jialuo wouldn’t have wasted his breath. But their territory was infested with venomous snakes, making Tuge’s knowledge indispensable. Jialuo couldn’t afford to lose him, nor could he force Tuge to pass on his skills without the old man’s cooperation.
This was why she had some leverage. Her earlier negotiations had been a gamble—if they backfired, she’d be left with nothing.
Just as she thought they were all frozen in shock, Jialuo finally spoke: “Name your terms!”
Used to his roundabout ways, his sudden directness caught her off guard. But she knew she couldn’t let him gain the upper hand. Firmly, she replied, “You can’t set the terms, but don’t worry—the new settlement cave will provide enough food to last you through the rainy season.”
After a moment of thought, Jialuo frowned. “That’s it?”
“You really think it’s that simple?” Matching his cold expression, Sha Yi decided to return the favor. “That’s just the price for kidnapping me. For Tuge’s eyes, you’ll have to agree to another condition!”
“You’re raising the stakes!” The man was furious.
“So what? Should I play fair with a savage like you? You think I’m stupid?”
“Don’t forget, you’re still in my hands!”
“What can you do? I’ll only tell you what you want if I choose to. If I refuse, what then? Besides, I’m your only way to get food. Even if you trade me for all the supplies, you still won’t be able to save Tuge. You’ll lose something either way—his plant knowledge or extra food. Which is more important? Think carefully!”
“If you’re going to be like this, we’ll just take what we want by force, like we did with your old settlement cave!” Shoving her hard against the wall, Jialuo’s voice dripped with menace. “You think I need you to get food? This is just to avoid unnecessary casualties!”
Jialuo’s strength was formidable, and his angry push sent her crashing into the cave wall, pain shooting through her body. Sha Yi groaned, taking a moment to recover.
The instigator loomed over her, his bloodthirsty gaze chilling.
Though her heart pounded, she knew she couldn’t show weakness. Any sign of fear would undo all her efforts and put both her and Xiyi’s group in greater danger.
Gritting her teeth, she hissed, “You said it yourself—this is to avoid unnecessary losses. If you’ve planned this far, it means you’re afraid of heavy casualties. Your group isn’t that large—you’re just used to bullying others. I don’t believe you’d abandon scheming for an outright fight. Ask yourself: do you have the numbers? A few bone spears and knives won’t cut it.”
The man’s face darkened further, his eyes turning stormy. He stared at her for a long moment before turning to the two bound women. “Is what she’s saying true?”
One of the women trembled and nodded. “Sh-she’s telling the truth… They have strange knives, very sharp… And we saw them using new hunting weapons…”
“The new settlement has more people than our old one!” The other woman quickly added. “Even their women outnumber ours. Don’t you need more women?”
Watching them betray the new settlement to save themselves, Sha Yi felt a surge of anger. “Shut up, you idiots!”
The women flinched, falling silent and casting fearful glances her way.
Sha Yi realized her outburst had worked.
In truth, having these two reveal some details about the new settlement was beneficial—it confirmed her claims and served as a warning to Jialuo.
The new settlement had more people, better weapons, ample food, and familiarity with the terrain. No matter how strong Jialuo was, he’d have to consider these disadvantages.
She refused to believe he wouldn’t back down.
But she still couldn’t shake the unease about her sudden capture. She distrusted the two women and had grown wary of the old settlement.
Something felt off—like there was a hidden connection between the old settlement and Jialuo’s group. She couldn’t prove it, but her instincts screamed it.
After a long silence, the displeased man finally looked at her again. “What’s the other condition?”
“How did you capture me?” Sha Yi lifted her chin, locking eyes with him. “Don’t try to lie. You know exactly what answer I want.”
They stared each other down until his expression softened slightly. He motioned to the men behind him, and someone handed him a small, dried blue-purple plant.
He tossed it at her feet. “Burn this, and it’ll knock someone out for a full day.”
Recalling the night the old settlement arrived with torches, she realized something had been off.
The two settlements weren’t close, separated by a stretch of water. If they came at night, how did they keep their torches dry? Swimming with torches was impractical, and she hadn’t left them a lighter—starting a fire wasn’t that easy.
Moreover, the new settlement’s location was far more dangerous. Traveling such a distance with lit torches in the dark was practically inviting trouble.
Jialuo had also mentioned seeing her by the river. Had he been the only one lurking near the new settlement? Unlikely.
Everything pointed to a hidden alliance between the old settlement and Jialuo—and not a friendly one.
“Why so quiet?” Jialuo crouched, suspicion flickering in his eyes.
“You gave me the knockout herb. Where’s the antidote?”
“There isn’t one. You woke up naturally, didn’t you?” He shrugged, feigning innocence. “It just puts you to sleep—no poison.”
“Still lying?” Certain now, Sha Yi pressed harder. “Without an antidote, wouldn’t the person burning the herb also pass out? If everyone’s unconscious, how could you have brought me here? Do you really think I’m that gullible?”
“You’re not stupid!” Snarling, Jialuo gestured to his men. “Give it to her!”
Soon, a small green plant, still damp with soil, landed before her.
Glancing at both plants, Sha Yi relaxed slightly. Her plan had worked.
Turning, she eyed her bound wrists and ankles. “Untie me.”
“Don’t push your luck!” Jialuo’s face darkened again.
But Sha Yi had him figured out. Slowly, she repeated, “Untie me. And I want full answers. If I’m not satisfied, the deal’s off.”
The man glared, then cursed under his breath as he yanked out a bone knife and cut the vines binding her. “You’re a cunning woman.”
“Not as cunning as you.” Rubbing her sore limbs, she pressed, “Don’t forget my question. Answer truthfully, or—”
“Fine, fine!” Annoyed, he stood and flung the knife aside. “I’ll tell you. Can’t get anything past you!”
“Go on.”
After ordering the two women dragged deeper into the cave, Jialuo spoke irritably: “We raided the old settlement the night before, took these two women. We planned to take over their cave—it’s a good spot, safe from beasts. But they said their food stores wouldn’t last the rainy season, while yours were plentiful. To get these women back, they offered to help capture you in exchange for all your food. I figured it was easier than fighting, so I agreed. With their women here, they wouldn’t dare double-cross me.”
“That’s all?”
“What else?”
“No ulterior motives?” Sha Yi eyed him disdainfully. “Like, if you succeeded with us, you’d turn around and extort the old settlement too? Maybe even take their cave after all?”
Jialuo froze, then spat, “So what if I did? None of your business!”
“How is it none of my business?” Hearing the man’s utterly unreasonable words, Sha Yi’s expression turned cold. “This is called going back on your word, you know? If you can treat the people from the old cave settlement like that, you can treat us from the new cave settlement the same way. Use your brain, will you!”
“Since you already know, why the hell are you asking?”
“Asking is my business, answering is yours. Who are you to interfere?” Countering him, Sha Yi felt that Garo had been completely tangled up in her words.
As the old saying goes, when you have value to exploit, enemies aren’t so scary. As long as you figure out their motives and understand their temperament, a little verbal sparring can lead them by the nose—just like Garo. He wasn’t exactly stupid, but when it came to intelligence, she thought he might actually be a fool.
Most likely, after being led in circles by her so many times, whatever little wit he had left had been spun right out of him.
Sha Yi hadn’t expected that she, too, could be so sharp-tongued and fierce. Adversity truly was the most effective teacher—not only forcing self-preservation but also fully unleashing a person’s inner potential!
This round of confrontation counted as her victory. Now, all that remained was to wait for their arranged exchange.
“…” Blocked time and again, Garo was thoroughly frustrated, yet he had no choice but to grit his teeth and press on. “Look, I’ve said so much, and you still haven’t told me—what exactly can cure Tuge’s eyes?”
“Salt crystals cure eyes!”
“What? What cures eyes?” The abrupt statement left Garo dumbfounded again. “Say that again!”
“Didn’t I just say it? Salt crystals cure eyes! Too bad even if I tell you, you won’t understand.” Since the two women had been thrown deep into the cave, Sha Yi no longer held back. “When you take me to exchange for food, I’ll tell them to include the eye-curing item with the provisions. But you won’t be able to find this thing yourselves, and you’d better not let word of it get out. Understand what I mean?”
The last few sentences were deliberately meant to deceive them. Garo had screwed her over plenty—when vengeance and opportunity aligned, only a fool wouldn’t take it.
Garo eyed her skeptically for a long moment before reluctantly nodding in agreement.
Just then, the battle between the two birds and the snake outside reached its climax. The burly wild man was instantly captivated, pointing outside while turning to the old man who had been silent for a while. “Tuge, look! The Razorbeak is winning!”
“You’re doing this on purpose, trying to piss me off, aren’t you? You know damn well I can’t see!” Swatting at Garo’s hand after several attempts, Tuge’s temper flared instantly. Mimicking Sha Yi’s earlier words, he snapped, “If you love snake blood so much, why don’t you just pounce on it and take a bite yourself?”
Still reeling from Sha Yi’s verbal blows and now facing Tuge’s direct attack, Garo’s face cycled through shades of green before he finally gave up with a frustrated wave. “Stubborn old blind man, why won’t you just die already?” he muttered under his breath before storming off.
Sitting on the ground, watching the two men bicker, Sha Yi was at a loss for words.
Meanwhile, outside the cave, the bird-and-snake battle had indeed escalated.
The massive serpent was covered in wounds, while the two Razorbeaks hadn’t lost a single feather. Their enormous wings half-spread, they took turns shifting positions, circling the snake.
The snake kept its head raised high, flicking its crimson tongue, occasionally lifting its armored tail in a threatening pose.
Unfortunately for it, Razorbeaks were its natural predators. They completely ignored its aggressive posturing. One alone would’ve been trouble enough, but with two, no amount of thrashing could save it—the numerous gashes on its body were proof.
Perhaps exhausted from constantly fending off the two giant birds, the snake suddenly retracted its head and lunged at the Razorbeak near the cave entrance.
The strike was lightning-fast, aimed straight for the cave. Sha Yi’s heart pounded wildly, and she barely stifled a scream.
The serpent’s target was indeed the gold-and-black bird. In an instant, it coiled around the Razorbeak’s body, tightening its grip until even the bird’s massive wings were constricted.
Sha Yi feared the worst—the snake’s size was easily a match for the bird.
Yet, just as she expected the other Razorbeak to intervene, it simply crouched down, golden talons tucked, as if content to watch.
Baffled, Sha Yi turned back to the entangled bird. Strangely, it showed no panic. It stood motionless, letting the snake squeeze until it could tighten no further. Then, with a piercing screech—
In that instant, the bird’s body suddenly expanded. A series of bizarre cracking sounds erupted from the snake’s coiled form. Like an overstretched rubber band snapping, the serpent slid limply off the bird’s body.
At a glance, only the uncoiled head still twitched—the rest of its body had gone completely slack.
The previously idle Razorbeak could no longer resist. It sprang forward, viciously pecking at the snake’s head while its companion turned and began feasting on the serpent’s flesh, its back to the cave.
Sha Yi stared in shock before finally piecing it together.
The Razorbeak had lured the snake into coiling around it. Against smaller serpents, they could simply snatch and devour them midair. But with a foe this size, minor nips wouldn’t suffice. To neutralize its resistance, they’d tricked it into constricting—then, by compressing and abruptly expanding their bodies, they’d dislocated the snake’s vertebrae, rendering it helpless.
The sheer brutality of the scene left her awestruck. She’d been worried for nothing—this was no struggle, but a calculated slaughter.
Unlike Rongmo, who merely ate snake gallbladders, these birds consumed the entire serpent. Their predatory prowess was undeniable. No matter how massive the snake, it stood no chance against them.
The only downside? Razorbeaks couldn’t navigate dense forests.
As Sha Yi watched the birds feast outside, she nearly sighed in admiration—until she noticed something odd. The bird facing away had a bald, featherless rear end. Under the light, the stark contrast between bare skin and plumage was both glaring and absurdly comical.
Aside from flightless birds and that bizarre Pankuo from the ancient world, this was the first flying bird she’d seen without tail feathers.
Her gaze flicked to Garo and the others’ black feathered loincloths. A realization struck her.
No wonder these Razorbeaks had terrible spatial awareness. No wonder they kept crashing into trees. No wonder they tumbled every time they landed!
They’d plucked all the feathers from the birds’ backsides!
And the poor, clueless birds probably thought they were just naturally unsuited for dense forests, resigned to hunting small, venomous snakes.
Just as this dawned on her, Garo suddenly bellowed, jabbing a finger outside.
“Eyes cure eyes! Hurry—grab those snake eyes before the birds eat them!”
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