Sha Yi did not participate in tending to the man’s wounds.
The task of stopping the bleeding and bandaging the man was left entirely to Xigu and the other women, while she and Masa were responsible for cooking some meat broth.
It was a clear day, and the sun was still early in the sky. Though they remained wary of the savages, this couldn’t be an excuse for the men to stay behind. A substantial food reserve was necessary, and if luck was on their side, some of the animal pelts they hunted could serve as protection against the winter cold. Moreover, between the rainy season and winter, they would need to search for and select a new settlement site. So, on such a rare day, everyone unanimously decided to go out hunting and gathering.
Xiyi only stayed with her for a short while, helping her chop the meat and place it into the cooking pot, before leaving the cave with the other men.
Sha Yi couldn’t find any reason or excuse to make him stay, so she could only urge him to be careful and watch him leave.
According to their agreed plan, apart from the women, a few men who had sustained relatively serious injuries during the previous day’s attack also remained in the cave.
In truth, their injuries weren’t that severe, but given the cunning nature of the savage raiders, they had no choice but to take precautions.
Those who went out had to stay alert, and those guarding the cave couldn’t afford to be careless either. Both groups were equally important—losing one would mean an irreparable loss, and the thought alone was disheartening.
The more she dwelled on it, the more restless she became. Sha Yi simply buried herself in lighting several fires.
The water for the broth was fetched by Masa. Though still young, he was strong and capable of many tasks she couldn’t manage.
If she was the result of being pampered, Masa was the product of hardship from an early age.
Sha Yi felt she needed to improve her own physical condition. Even if Xiyi and the others didn’t mind her being a burden, if she ever encountered a situation like the previous day—without Xiyi by her side—her lack of basic speed and stamina would leave her utterly defenseless.
Just like when she had encountered that man Garo the day before. She had thought her physical endurance had improved over time, but in reality, the progress she’d made was negligible. Faced with that man, she hadn’t even been able to put up the slightest resistance, which was frustrating.
If it had been any other woman here, they likely wouldn’t have been as helpless as she was. Even if they appeared taller, their strength was the result of hard work.
Perhaps after the rainy season, she really should consider going out with Xiyi to run and train. Not for anyone else, but for herself—a better physique would mean fewer illnesses, especially in an era where medical knowledge was so underdeveloped.
For now, the most troubling thing was that she hadn’t dared to tell Xiyi about her encounter with Garo.
Initially, she feared he might act rashly in anger, but after the events of the previous night and this morning, she was genuinely afraid that keeping this secret might lead to some terrible outcome.
Tormented all morning, Sha Yi still couldn’t make up her mind. She could only focus on cooking the broth. Fortunately, Masa noticed her unease and stayed by her side, occasionally speaking a word or two, preventing her from sinking into complete gloom.
The wounded man didn’t wake until the afternoon. Though the treatment of his injuries had been rudimentary, his strong constitution allowed him to recover quickly after the bleeding stopped. Despite his weakness, he still had some energy left.
The broth she had cooked in the morning was decent in flavor, but the meat wasn’t particularly tender. The hungry group had eaten some of it, while the rest was kept simmering for the wounded man. By the time he woke, the meat had become tender and smooth.
Whether out of extreme hunger or because he truly saw them as kin, the man devoured the broth ravenously, finishing the entire pot without leaving even a scrap.
Seeing the empty container, Xigu immediately expressed strong dissatisfaction, grumbling complaints under her breath. If not for the others restraining her, she might have dragged the man out and thrown him out of the cave.
But the man didn’t seem to care. Having once lived in the same settlement cave, he was well acquainted with Xigu’s temperament. Unfazed by her outburst, he focused solely on replenishing his strength.
Xigu glared at him for a long moment before finally losing her patience. She sprang up and slapped the large broth container out of his hands, shouting, “All you know is how to eat! How can someone so badly injured still have such an appetite? Did we save you just so you could stuff yourself?”
The man looked aggrieved. “How can I explain everything to you properly if I don’t have the strength?”
At this, Xigu exploded. “A whole pot of food in exchange for your ‘explanation’ is a terrible deal! If you can’t talk, then spit it all back out—”
Before Xigu could escalate further, several men and women nearby rushed to cover her mouth, struggling to drag her back and force her to sit down.
Everyone remembered the agreement—they couldn’t antagonize the people from the old settlement cave now. Xigu’s impulsiveness and temper had nearly led to the man being beaten, leaving the onlookers speechless.
Truth be told, they harbored deep resentment toward the old settlement’s people, but given the current circumstances and their decision not to sever ties, maintaining harmony was crucial. Xigu’s outburst risked ruining that, so they had no choice but to silence her.
After being restrained by several people, Xigu grumbled for a while before finally quieting down.
Fortunately, the rescued man seemed thick-skinned and didn’t take Xigu’s tantrum to heart. Only after the others had dragged her away did he hesitantly begin speaking.
His account was mostly about the savages’ night raid. After missing a few rainy seasons, they had caught the settlement cave’s inhabitants off guard, inflicting heavy losses.
After listening for a long time, most of his words were useless details. Sha Yi summarized the valuable points into three main takeaways:
1. This time, the savages not only stole food but also kidnapped women—two of the already scarce women had been taken.
2. They did intend to occupy the old settlement cave but hadn’t succeeded yet.
3. Finally, it confirmed her suspicion—the leader of the savages was a man named “Garo.”
This was precisely what gave Sha Yi a headache.
The man’s account successfully dragged her back into her earlier dilemma. She sat on the animal hide all afternoon, lost in thought, until Xiyi returned.
Sha Yi didn’t know what had happened, but when Xiyi appeared in her line of sight, he was covered in blood. Her heart lurched, and she froze in place, opening her mouth several times but failing to utter a single sound.
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