By evening, the raft-making results were unexpectedly fruitful. Aside from the one they struggled with in the morning, the group had successfully crafted four more rafts.
Sha Yi was astonished and couldn’t help but examine the newly made rafts. They were vastly superior to the one from earlier in the day. Unfortunately, time was running short. Night was approaching, and lingering in the wild any longer would only increase the danger. Testing the rafts would have to wait for another time—preferably if the next day remained clear.
However, handling the rafts posed a problem. They were not only large but also likely heavy. Bringing them back might not be feasible, as there was no suitable place to store them. Previously, they had simply left them where they were made. But today, Sha Yi had already encountered an unfriendly stranger from another group, which made her uneasy.
As she hesitated, a figure came running from a distance.
Sha Yi didn’t know his name, but she recognized him—he had originally been assigned to Saina’s group. For some reason, he had rushed over to theirs, shouting anxiously as he ran.
Due to the distance, Sha Yi couldn’t quite make out his words, but Xi Yi beside her immediately dashed forward, intercepting the frantic man halfway.
After a brief exchange, the man turned and sprinted back, while Xi Yi frowned.
The group fell into a tense silence at Xi Yi’s subtle reaction, waiting for him to speak. Sha Yi, too, quietly followed the unspoken agreement among them.
After a long pause, Xi Yi finally spoke, his voice heavy: “Our hunting and foraging team was ambushed by another migrating group. Most of what they gathered was stolen.”
His words left everyone stunned, as if they had never encountered such a situation before. Sha Yi was no exception.
Since arriving in this ancient era, she had mostly witnessed amicable interactions between people. Apart from the occasional friction between Xi Yi and Saina, the only real misfortune had been the lightning-struck tree collapsing their old cave dwelling. But even that paled in comparison to this outright hostility.
This attack was entirely different. The unease among the group was understandable, but the real concern was the aggressors’ intentions. The fact that they dared to act so boldly suggested they outnumbered Xi Yi’s group.
In fact, the moment Xi Yi spoke, Sha Yi immediately thought of that brutish man named “Jialuo.” Recalling his savage behavior toward her that morning, she had no doubt he was part of that ruthless migrating group.
The thought of his crude and violent methods made her deeply uncomfortable, especially since he had been merciless in his actions. Unable to hold back, she looked up at Xi Yi and asked, “Xi Yi, were there any injuries?”
After a brief hesitation, Xi Yi nodded. “Yes, most were hurt, but the details are unclear.”
Sha Yi’s unease grew.
She should have realized it sooner. If that brute could be so cruel to a defenseless woman, how could his group refrain from attacking others? Expecting decency from them was impossible.
If they had already ambushed the hunting party, they could just as easily target the raft-making group. Unlike the prepared migrating group, Xi Yi’s people were caught off guard.
With nightfall imminent, staying in the woods was unwise. Returning to the cave dwelling to regroup was the better option.
Thinking this, she tugged at Xi Yi’s arm and addressed the group: “It’s getting late. We need to leave now. Staying here only invites more danger.”
Everyone agreed, but Xi Yi pointed at the five rafts on the ground and asked uncertainly, “What about these? Leave them here?”
“Take them all! Not a single one stays!” This was the result of days of preparation and today’s hard work. There was no way she’d let those savages benefit from it. Even if they didn’t understand the rafts’ purpose, they could still damage them, rendering all their efforts worthless. Besides, they were counting on these rafts for the late rainy season floods.
The more she thought about it, the firmer her resolve became. “We must take them back, even if we have to carry them. We can’t let our own creations aid our enemies.”
The group nodded in agreement. Finally, one man chuckled, “It won’t be that hard. Pasamu wood is very light. Two people at most can carry one raft. We have enough hands.”
The speaker was one of the shorter newcomers. Sha Yi facepalmed at his nonchalance but grew curious about the wood’s weight. “Is it really that light?”
“Very light!” another chimed in.
She turned to Xi Yi for confirmation, but he shook his head slightly, amused. “Don’t listen to them. It’s only light in comparison. You wouldn’t be able to lift it, especially since the ground is soaked, and the wood might have been waterlogged for days.”
At this, the overly optimistic group fell silent, quietly dividing tasks before wordlessly hoisting the four large rafts and heading back—as if afraid of being scolded for their earlier remarks.
Sha Yi was speechless, but watching them carry the rafts with apparent ease piqued her curiosity.
In modern times, balsa wood was known for being the fastest-growing and lightest. She wondered if this “Pasamu” was its ancestor. If so, they’d hit the jackpot—balsa was prized for aviation and marine use, making rafts a trivial task. The thought alone filled her with excitement.
Meanwhile, Xi Yi took advantage of her distraction to gather the four thin Pasamu poles meant for paddles. Noticing she was still standing there, he assumed she wanted to test the wood’s weight. After a moment’s hesitation, he reluctantly handed her the thinnest one.
Sha Yi, caught off guard, instinctively reached for it but wasn’t prepared for its weight. Her arms instantly buckled, and her legs nearly gave way. Luckily, Xi Yi reacted swiftly, supporting the pole with one arm while pulling her upright with the other, preventing her from face-planting into the water.
Shaken, Sha Yi learned a hard truth—their idea of “light and easy” was a complete lie. Given the vast differences in physique and living conditions, their standards of measurement were on an entirely different scale from hers.
She should have listened to Xi Yi. Not only was he considerate, but he also understood her limits.
And, it seemed, he was especially indulgent toward her.
Recalling the weight of the pole and remembering how lunch had been cooked atop an enormous boulder earlier, she glanced at the four Pasamu logs—each as thick as her thigh—that Xi Yi was effortlessly carrying. Hesitantly, she whispered, “Xi Yi, with the water this deep and the wood so heavy… can you manage?”
The moment the words left her mouth, Xi Yi burst into laughter, nearly doubling over before gathering all four logs under one arm. In one swift motion, he pulled her into a tight embrace and teased, “Are you worried about me? Should I carry you back too?”
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