Deep inside the cave, four men were sitting in a circle. Unlike the groups outside who were burning things, they were preparing to light a fire. Interestingly, three of them were casually handling half-processed meat and wild vegetables, while the fourth was vigorously drilling wood to make fire, sweat beading on his forehead.
All four were adult males, like Xi Yi, wearing animal hides around their waists. There were no women among them.
Sha Yi was curious. As she had walked through the cave earlier, she had indeed seen very few women. The two or three she had glimpsed were relatively older, and their appearance and attire were vastly different from Xi Yi and the others. She thought that even Xi Gu, who appeared to be much older than Xi Yi—perhaps in his thirties by modern standards—would stand out as exceptionally young and attractive compared to the women she had seen.
It seemed the cave wasn’t inhabited by a single tribe, but Sha Yi doubted there were many tribes either, as the clustered groups were too small to meet the numbers required for a proper tribe. Yet the situation was puzzling. If they weren’t part of the same group, why tolerate living together?
As Sha Yi pondered, the four men heard footsteps and looked up. Recognizing Xi Yi and Xi Gu, they waved in greeting. Xi Yi returned the gesture, showing familiarity. However, the moment they caught sight of her, all four men froze.
They were in their prime, tall and robust even while seated. Sha Yi guessed they were Xi Yi’s tribesmen. Though not as handsome as Xi Yi, they were far more attractive than the others in the cave. Yet the way they stared at her was unsettling—perhaps they saw her as an outsider.
Unnerved by their gazes, Sha Yi instinctively retreated behind Xi Yi. Sensing her discomfort, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, gently pulling her close. She felt reassured.
Xi Gu, however, wasn’t having it. Forgetting her earlier sorrow, she leaped forward and slapped each of the four men. Then she spread her arms, blocking Sha Yi and Xi Yi, and began shouting angrily. The man drilling wood protested innocently, only to earn another slap. Defeated, he and the others lowered their heads in submission.
Xi Gu finally relented.
Sha Yi had no idea what Xi Gu had said, but Xi Yi’s eyes held a hint of amusement. Since returning from the small cave, she hadn’t seen him smile so genuinely. Xi Gu must have said something amusing to lighten the mood.
The tension eased. Even Ma Rui, who had been trailing behind, sighed in relief and slowly set down the bathtub before moving to help the men with the fire-making.
Sha Yi found this unnecessary. Many fires were already burning in the cave—why go through the hassle of drilling wood when they could simply borrow a flame? She pointed at the existing fires, then at the unlit one, raising a questioning glance at Xi Yi.
He understood instantly and shook his head. Gesturing toward another fire, he waved his hand dismissively, muttered something under his breath, and frowned before shaking his head again.
Sha Yi grasped his meaning—fire was not to be shared with outsiders, not even a spark. It must be an unspoken rule among the clustered groups.
Still, it baffled her. In any era, communal living thrived on cooperation. She couldn’t fathom their exclusionary mindset.
No matter. Starting a fire was child’s play with a lighter or matches. For now, it was simple and convenient, though preserving the flame was essential. They’d also need resin and other materials to sustain it and conserve the lighter’s fuel.
Ma Rui and the man continued struggling with the wood, while Xi Gu joined the food processors. Xi Yi, though he’d seen her use the lighter, remained clueless about it. He simply guided her to sit and rest, making no mention of fire-making.
Sha Yi, however, couldn’t sit still. She gestured for Xi Yi to help remove the dead deer from the bathtub. Knowing her intent, he complied without protest. She quickly retrieved the bag of lighters and matches, took out the one she’d used before, and strode toward the fire pit.
Xi Yi followed. He didn’t recognize the strange little object in her hand, but he knew it could conjure fire miraculously, requiring only dry leaves and grass as kindling before adding twigs and bark.
As Sha Yi crouched, he gathered dry grass from nearby and handed it to her for ignition.
Impressed by Xi Yi’s quick thinking, she deliberately slowed her movements, showing him how to hold the lighter. With a gentle press, a wisp of blue flame flickered to life.
Xi Yi gasped softly. The others gaped in astonishment, staring dumbfounded at the lighter in Sha Yi’s hand, unable to process what they’d just seen.
Instead of lighting the grass in Xi Yi’s hand, she passed the lighter to him, encouraging him to try.
Excited yet hesitant, Xi Yi took it. After fumbling for a moment, he mimicked her motion. A soft click later, another blue flame emerged.
The tension in his eyes melted away as he carefully lit the dry grass, his face alight with joy.
The others snapped out of their daze, their expressions mirroring Xi Yi’s delight.
Xi Gu, especially, couldn’t resist touching Sha Yi again in excitement. Then, remembering something, she hastily pushed Xi Yi’s hand down, scanning the surroundings nervously. Only when she confirmed no one had noticed did she relax.
Sha Yi guessed Xi Gu feared others might spot the lighter—a godlike artifact to these ancient people, unimaginable let alone usable. It made sense to keep it hidden.
Fortunately, the cave was noisy, and their huddled formation shielded the lighter from prying eyes.
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