Crossing to Live in the Wilderness Plains 210
Chapter 210
After feeding the little Chen bun his milk fruit, Chen Qi carefully placed him, now fast asleep, on the bed. Since the arrival of winter, he had moved the sleeping spot to the heated kang-bed outside the hall. With a fire constantly burning in the hall, the surrounding temperature was much higher than in the room—there was no risk of the little bun freezing.
Aze was busy making a new toy for the little Chen bun—a rattle. He had made similar toys for the little beastmen in the tribe before, but now he worked with more skill. The table was scattered with wood shavings, and Aze held a thin grinding stone, gently smoothing the tiny splinters along the edge of the rattle.
Chen Qi poked the plump, pink cheeks of the little bun, his expression softening. He tucked the quilt neatly around him and placed a favorite cloth doll within reach. Only then did Chen Qi step over to Aze to watch him work.
“You’ve been busy all day. Go to bed early,” Seeing Chen Qi sit down opposite him, Aze stopped what he was doing. Today, a young foal had fallen ill, and Chen Qi had spent the whole day in the conservatory tending to it. Now, with deep winter setting in, even staying inside the warm conservatory did little to energize the animals—they moved sluggishly and listlessly. Chen Qi worried whether they could make it through the cold, devoting most of his time to their care.
“I’m fine. Not sleepy yet,” Aze replied. Chen Qi picked up a small cup of milk fruit that had been warming nearby, poured a cup of scented tea over it, and stirred. The faint fragrance of milk blended into the tea. This was the leftover milk fruit from feeding the little Chen bun. Thanks to the little wolf cub, the stock of milk fruit in the cellar was now the largest among all the stored fruits. With the little Chen bun’s current appetite, eating them three times a day would carry him safely through to next winter.
Aze accepted the mixed milk tea. The liquid was still steaming, warmth radiating through the pottery cup into his hands. He sipped it lightly. Ever since discovering the enormous quantity of milk fruit, Chen Qi had been inventing all kinds of ways to enjoy it. Aze felt that even the air in the house seemed infused with the scent of milk.
“I heard there are much fewer animals on the forest edge?”
Crossing to Live in the Wilderness Plains (CLWP) is translated by Betwixted Translations. The site you’re reading this chapter on stole our translation.
“En. Today, we didn’t spot a single dragon near the edge.” Aze set the cup down and resumed work on the unfinished rattle, taking the opportunity to relay the patrol’s findings from today.
“I’m afraid the hyena-drakes will be here soon,” Chen Qi said, letting out a sigh, worry knitting his brow.
Aze looked up. “Don’t worry. We’ve done everything we needed to. The rest will take care of itself.” Living on these plains meant they were bound to confront hyena-drakes sooner or later, and he would protect Chen Qi.
“True,” Chen Qi murmured, rubbing his brow. After a whole summer and most of a winter of preparations, even if they couldn’t confront the hyena-drakes head-on, defending the tribe shouldn’t be a problem.
They were speaking when a deafening explosion echoed from afar, followed by wolf howls warning of danger. The sound startled the sleeping little bun awake; he cried loudly. Ajing and the little wolf cub emerged from the room, still groggy and confused at the sight of the two in the hall.
Chen Qi scooped up the little bun and soothed him gently. Aze had already flung open the door and rushed outside. The half-open door let in snow and biting wind.
“Get your clothes on and pack your things,” Chen Qi said to Ajing, who was still standing at the doorway, after calming the little bun.
Ajing snapped back to attention, rummaged out his small backpack, and packed some essentials. Chen Qi dressed the little bun, his mind racing with the worst-case scenarios.
Late last summer, Chen Qi had tinkered again with his gunpowder devices, crafting a few pressure-triggered mines using stones and ceramics. They were simple versions, so their lethality was limited, but the explosions they produced were enormous.
Once winter brought snow, the accumulation on the ground became thick and difficult to clear. That was why these mines had only been buried facing the Chishui River—so that even if dragons from the forest accidentally strayed to the edge of the tribe, they would be unlikely to trigger them. But now it was clear that the mines had been set off, and Chen Qi felt a vague sense of unease.
After wrapping little Chen bun tightly in his cloak, Chen Qi saw Aze returning. His expression was grim. “The hyena-drakes may be coming. Get ready. I’ll take you to the cellar first.”
“Couldn’t see them clearly?”
Aze shook his head. Today was a Moonless Day; the plains were almost swallowed by darkness. To better prevent a hyena-drake attack, the mines had been buried a little farther from the tribe. Even with excellent eyesight, the females could only make out vague shadows—unable to tell whether they were ordinary dragons that wandered in or hyena-drakes.
Chen Qi packed the extra snacks made today into his backpack, along with the usual things for the little Chen bun. Donning a thick fur cloak, he followed Aze out the door.
Crossing to Live in the Wilderness Plains (CLWP) is translated by Betwixted Translations. The site you’re reading this chapter on stole our translation.
The beastmen of Qi Ze City were already awake. People hurried along the roads. Next door, Ka Luo was carrying Ayao, who, still sleepy, had not woken despite all the commotion. Ake, carrying a large backpack, followed behind them. Seeing Chen Qi and his group, he joined them, heading toward the school’s cellar.
The only safe hiding place in Qi Ze City was the specially reinforced cellar under the school. By the time Chen Qi and his group arrived, many males and females had already taken shelter inside. Ali was busy assigning spots for everyone, while Ashu helped with registration.
Chen Qi carried the little Chen bun to the deepest corner of the cellar—the farthest from the ground and best insulated. Even if the child made noise, it wouldn’t be heard outside. Aze quickly lit a small fire, and Chen Qi spread some furs on the floor. He handed the little bun to Ajing, reminding him to take good care of him.
After quickly arranging things in the cellar, Chen Qi wanted to follow Aze outside to assess the situation. The little wolf cub, who had quietly followed him, tugged on Chen Qi’s cloak.
“You want to go too?” Chen Qi asked tentatively, seeing the eager look in the little wolf cub’s eyes.
The little wolf cub nodded. Before Chen Qi could refuse, Aze grasped Chen Qi’s wrist and said to the little wolf cub, “You can go, but make sure to protect yourself if danger comes.”
Hearing the permission, the little wolf cub let out a joyful “awoo”, wagged its large tail, nudged the worried Ajing reassuringly, then bounded past Chen Qi toward the cellar exit.
“Is it really okay to let it out?” Chen Qi asked anxiously.
“Don’t worry—it’s a giant wolf-god,” Aze replied.
Seeing the trust that Aze had in the little wolf cub, Chen Qi could only suppress his concern.
Snow began falling again at some point. The explosions had long ceased, and aside from footsteps hurrying into the cellar, the entire Qi Ze City was eerily silent.
The two crossed the two reddish-brown walls to the outermost ice wall, where numerous fires had been lit, illuminating the whole battlement. Azhang watched the surroundings intently, though all he could see was darkness.
Crossing to Live in the Wilderness Plains (CLWP) is translated by Betwixted Translations. The site you’re reading this chapter on stole our translation.
“Are the hyena-drakes here?” Chen Qi asked as he stepped down from Aze’s back. The wind on the wall was stronger than in the tribe, and he tightened his cloak. Through the thick mask covering his face, his voice sounded muffled.
Seeing Chen Qi, Azhang gave him space at the battlements. Chen Qi peered outward, but all he saw was darkness.
“We’re still not sure if they’re hyena-drakes,” Azhang explained. “The guards said something moved outside when the explosions went off, but they didn’t hear hyena-drake sounds, so we can’t confirm yet.”
At that moment, Achu approached from the other side of the wall. Seeing Chen Qi, he nodded and greeted him. “No abnormalities in the other three directions for now.”
Azhang glanced at the sky. “Wait and see. Assess the situation in the morning before making any decisions.”
It was still early before dawn. After a short while on the wall, Chen Qi, seeing nothing urgent, was sent back to rest by Azhang. Feeling the cold of the night, he returned to the cellar with Aze.
The little wolf cub remained on the inner wall, not venturing to the outer ice wall.
By the time they returned, the males and non-combatant females of the tribe had all taken shelter. Ajing sat in a corner by the fire, holding the little bun. The other small beastmen gathered around him, while Ka Luo handed out small toys to keep the energetic ones occupied. The cellar was quiet, everyone careful not to make noise.
Chen Qi quickly explained the situation outside. Several more females arrived, taking advantage of the brief calm to rest beside their families in the cellar.
Early the next morning, Chen Qi and Aze grabbed a quick bite before dawn. Ye Huo left his son in Ka Luo’s care while he and Ali went to the conservatory to replenish food and add fresh charcoal to maintain warmth for the animals.
The guards on the ice wall had been rotated. Many beastmen rested during this moment of calm. Azhang, however, hadn’t slept at all, standing silently by the wall, lost in thought. Axu, cloaked in white fur, squatted on the battlement with Achu, their eyes fixed unblinkingly on the darkness, as if trying to see through it.
The first morning of the month arrived suddenly. As darkness lifted like a curtain, Chen Qi drew a sharp breath. Not far from the mines they had buried, hyena-drakes stood densely packed. Even the bare branches of nearby acacia trees were crowded with pterosaurs. Their numbers stretched beyond sight, seemingly endless.
As the darkness vanished, the once motionless hyena-drakes lifted their heads. Snowflakes from the night slid off their backs. A male hyena-drake, larger than the average adult, stepped forward from the crowd and let out a piercing howl.
The roar of the beast sounded, the darkness finally dissipated, and a new day began.
Words from the Translation Crew
Miiya: 2 of 3 for the week.
Translator: Miiya
Editor: MushroomKnight73
Proofreader: Yume
Editor stepping into the realm of MTL translating, starting with CLWP. Support this translation with a Ko-fi. Three Ko-fis will add an extra chapter from the stockpile to the next weekly release.
