| GB | Jealous | 71
The snow stretched endlessly, connecting the heavens and the earth. The fierce wind whipped up several small tornadoes, and along the path lay many fallen branches, along with a few scattered, nearly snow-covered animal tracks.
It took about an hour to walk from the Yuan tribe to the territory established by the Giant tribe, and with the harsh weather, any orc not physically strong enough would likely have been swept away by the continuous wind columns.
The biting wind ruthlessly swept through the bare trees, throwing snowflakes into their faces.
By this point, Huo Duo'er regretted bringing Yu Bai along.
Yu Bai reached out to brush away the snow that had crept into Huo Duo'er's neck, the icy sensation causing his fingertips to tremble.
He exhaled a few breaths of frosty air from his reddened lips, his eyelashes curving into crescent moons. Despite Huo Duo'er's efforts to shield him, some fine snowflakes still landed on his lashes, blurring his vision and making it difficult to see the path ahead.
Huo Duo'er adjusted his hood, wiping away the snowflakes that the wind had blown onto his forehead.
Yu Bai hissed through his teeth, "I can still manage."
The orc's rough palm covered the back of his head, pressing his half-exposed face entirely into his chest.
At this moment, Yu Bai couldn't help but envy Huo Duo'er.
In this freezing, icy world, he was bundled up like a ball, shivering from the cold, and could barely keep his eyes open.
Yet, Huo Duo'er's palm was warm, and despite carrying him as a burden, he moved effortlessly through the blizzard. The difference in their physical strength was simply too vast.
After trudging through the snow for over an hour, Huo Duo'er gently patted Yu Bai's shoulder, "We're almost there."
Hearing this, Yu Bai lifted his head from Huo Duo'er's chest, straightened his hood, and Huo Duo'er carefully removed the fluff that had blown into his mouth.
Only then did Yu Bai notice that the wind here was somewhat blocked by the surrounding higher hills. The Giant tribe's new territory was built in a relatively small valley, with only one entrance left open while the rest was sealed off with stones.
Around the valley entrance, sentries from the Giant tribe stood guard. Spotting them, one called out from a distance, "Big Huo—"
As they approached, Yu Bai saw that nearly all the orcs from the Giant tribe had come out to greet them.
Compared to their first meeting, where they had only worn loincloths for modesty, now each orc was wrapped in a fur robe.
While Yu Bai was observing them, the two at the forefront, Man and Xiu, were also staring at the fluffy bundle in Huo Da's arms... the sub-female.
Man raised his thick eyebrows, mimicking a cradling gesture, and chuckled.
Xiu’s expression was complicated, his heart unsettled.
In the past, they would have teased Big Huo for being overly protective of his mate, never having seen anyone carry their partner everywhere.
But now, Big Huo hadn't returned with them, and he had been saved by the sub-female orc from the Yuan tribe, he chose to stay there.
They partly blamed Yu Bai for this. The leader of the Giant tribe had been taken away by a sub-female from another tribe, and it was impossible not to feel some resentment.
It was Xiu who stepped forward to smooth things over, "The wind and snow are fierce outside. Let's head inside to take shelter. A Ming and the others have gone hunting and won't be back until later."
In order to move into the houses before the snow fell, fewer than ten houses had been built in the territory.
Aside from the only mated pair, A’Yue and A’Ming, who lived alone, the rest were single orcs, several sharing a house, which was sufficient.
The new settlement of the Giant Clan was still in its rudimentary stages, with only crude outer walls and houses constructed. The pottery, spices, and animal hides they used were supplied by the Yuan tribe as a token of gratitude for the Giants' assistance during the beast tide. This matter was mediated by Huo Duo'er, and both sides had no objections.
To take a step back, even if the Yuan tribe hadn't provided these supplies, the Giant tribe wouldn't have simply waited for their demise. As descendants of the Mountain God, they were always embraced by the natural mountains and rivers, no matter where they were. Their adaptability was remarkable, so hunting in the mountains during winter wasn't a difficult task for them.
Moreover, they had brought back a considerable amount of salt from the peak of the Western Mountain. Trading coarse salt with other tribes could fetch them a fair amount of goods.
However, salt was a precious commodity. At this time, most valleys and roads were frozen, and many paths were blocked. Venturing to the Western Mountain in such harsh cold was no easy feat. One would either have to wait for the ice and snow to melt or take a detour, with the round trip taking at least a month.
Therefore, after discussing with Xiu, Man decided that they would only use salt to trade with other tribes as a last resort.
Huo Duo'er carried Yu Bai into the largest wooden house. The interior was bare, with no beds set up. A few animal hides were rolled up, to be spread out when it was time to sleep.
Yu Bai slowly slid down from Huo Duo'er's arms and stood steadily. He hunched his shoulders slightly and asked in a soft voice, "Isn't it cold sleeping directly on the ground?"
Man patted his thick arm and said with a grin, "The Giant tribe is naturally warm-blooded. When we huddle together to sleep, it's quite cozy."
Yu Bai recalled how Huo Duo'er became his personal oversized heater every winter and nodded gently in agreement.
Man chuckled, squatting on the ground and winking at him.
"Right? Big Huo is so protective of you. He must hold you while you sleep, huh? Isn't it warm and firm?"
Yu Bai's face turned bright red, and he darted behind Huo Duo'er like a rabbit, hiding.
Huo Duo'er said, "Man, don't speak so carelessly to Bai."
Man clicked his tongue. "Alright."
Man and Xiu stayed behind to chat with Huo Duo'er, while the orcs surrounding them greeted them before gradually dispersing.
Yu Bai noticed that they didn't return to their houses but instead headed toward the low-lying area of the territory.
Amid the snowflakes as large as goose feathers, the orcs of the Giant Clan in the depression opened their animal robes, leaving only their lower bodies covered, and let out a few powerful roars.
They tied bags of something to their shoulders, thighs, and arms. Some raised their hands, others clasped their palms, and they swung their arms with great force. In an instant, a column of mud shot up from the snow-covered ground. Yu Bai peeked from behind the door and quickly realized that these orcs were training in the midst of the snowstorm.
Huo Duo'er had also been training the orcs of the Yuan Clan in this manner over the past two years, though the resistance applied was clearly not as heavy as that of the Giant tribe’s orcs. Moreover, he would never make the orcs endure such harsh conditions in the midst of a blizzard.
Even for the strongest male orcs, enduring this for a few days would likely sap half their strength.
Huo Duo'er explained, "Man and the others have been training like this since they were young. Moreover, the Giant tribe has an inseparable connection with the forces of nature, which is why they can train without fear of the raging snowstorm."
Yu Bai nodded thoughtfully. At first, he was merely curious, but after a while, as he gazed at the powerful, robust, bronze bodies, he felt a bit too shy to continue admiring them.
As the male orcs trained in the snowstorm, they grew hotter and more excited. At one point, one of them kicked and lifted his leg, inadvertently revealing something dark and bushy.
Not to mention other orc tribes, even within the Yuan tribe, not all orcs have gotten used to adding a pair of shorts under their robes. They still lack a sense of modesty.
Huo Duo'er also noticed this, his face darkening as he silently led Yu Bai back inside.
"It's cold outside. Sit down and warm yourself by the fire."
Yu Bai responded with an "Oh," placing his hands neatly on his knees, sitting upright and obediently.
Man, on the other hand, sprawled out casually with his legs wide open. But as soon as his rear touched the chair, Huo Duo'er kicked him.
"Big Huo, what's the meaning of this?"
Man rubbed his ankle, which had turned red from the kick.
Huo Duo'er: "Sit properly."
Man hissed, bringing his legs together. "Is this better? Why is there a need of so many rules? Everyone is used to sitting like that."
Yu Bai smiled faintly, and Man chuckled too, though he kept his legs more properly together, not revealing anything that shouldn't be seen.
After a while, Yu Bai noticed Man occasionally scratching his fingers. Both Man and Xiu's fingers were noticeably swollen, clearly suffering from frostbite.
"Do you have any spicy roots?"
Man: "What spicy roots?"
Yu Bai gestured slightly. "Yellowish-brown root chunks, it’s very pungent."
Xiu: "We have some."
When the Yuan tribe's chief was responsible for delivering supplies, among the spices was something Yu Bai referred to as spicy roots.
Xiu found two pieces of spicy roots, and Yu Bai took out a small stone knife from his cloth bag, sliced the roots, and handed them to Man and Xiu.
"The swelling on your hands is called frostbite. Applying the juice from these spicy roots can help alleviate it. If you catch a cold, you can also boil it into a drink. It's best to keep warm and not take your health for granted just because you're strong."
Man and Xiu listened intently, then followed Yu Bai's instructions and applied the spicy root juice to their fingers, and felt much better.
Man grew even more curious about Yu Bai. "Bai, do you have any siblings? Even a sub-female orc would do."
Yu Bai: "Why?"
Man: "Introduce one to me. Seeing how Big Huo is with you, it seems like having a sub-female orc as a mate isn't so bad."
Yu Bai honestly shook his head. "I don't have any."
Man sighed regretfully. "What a pity."
He was about to say more but caught Huo Duo'er's gaze and quickly composed himself, joining the work report. Both Man and Xiu detailed the changes in their tribe over the past few years to Huo Duo'er.
Yu Bai sat to the side like a focused student. When he felt cold, he pulled up his scarf to cover his face; when he felt stuffy, he pulled it down to let in some fresh air.
When it was Xiu's turn to speak, Man noticed Yu Bai's little movements and made funny faces at him, his tribal tattoos twisting comically, showing not a serious bone in his body.
Despite Man's fierce appearance, Yu Bai couldn't help but laugh. When several pairs of eyes turned to him, he blushed and lowered his head, swallowing his laughter.
Huo Duo'er paused. "It's getting late. I'll take Bai back now."
Xiu: "Big Huo, won't you stay and have a meal with us?"
Huo Duo'er: "The snowstorm will get worse at night. Bai shouldn't stay out too long."
Xiu stood up. "I'll see you off."
Man rubbed his hands. "I'll walk Big Huo and Bai out too."
Huo Duo'er carried Yu Bai as they gradually walked away.
From Man and Xiu's perspective, the sub-female orc in Big Huo's arms was truly well-behaved. As they left, he even waved at them. No wonder Big Huo's cold heart had melted.
Yu Bai rested his chin on Huo Duo'er's shoulder, waving goodbye with his arm until the figures of the two male orcs behind them were no longer in sight.
Halfway through their journey, snowflakes almost hit their faces.
Huo Duo'er remained silent the entire time, and it wasn't until they were almost home that Yu Bai noticed something was off.
He trailed behind Huo Duo'er like a tail, and when Huo Duo'er turned around, he almost stepped on him. Quickly, Huo Duo'er scooped him up and placed him on his lap.
"Bai, do you think I talk too little and can't make you happy?" Huo Duo'er asked.
Yu Bai was surprised. "Why would you think that?"
Huo Duo'er fell silent, and no matter how much Yu Bai pressed, he didn't speak again.
In the middle of the night, the orc, who usually spoke few words, woke Yu Bai by licking him. Before Yu Bai could even open his eyes, he was nearly knocked into the headboard by Huo Duo'er's brute strength.
Clutching his stomach, Yu Bai looked pitiful.
Huo Duo'er's eyes darkened as he gently touched Yu Bai's abdomen and lifted him up.
Yu Bai complained that his stomach was about to burst, but his damp eyes were kissed by Huo Duo'er, who was filled with tenderness.
Despite his tenderness, Huo Duo'er didn't stop walking around the room.
As he walked, he moved his hips.
Huo Duo'er held him tightly. "We'll stop after ten more laps."
Yu Bai believed him, but when he counted to ten, Huo Duo'er said he had miscounted, and they ended up going through multiple sets of ten laps.
"Bai, don't look at other orcs in the future, and don't pay attention to Man," Huo Duo'er said.
Yu Bai wondered what he had been looking at and why Man was brought into this.
It wasn't until Huo Duo'er slowly massaged the contents out of Yu Bai's stomach, and the sound of dripping filled the air, that Yu Bai belatedly realized Huo Duo'er must have been jealous...
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