| GB | There Might be An Earthquake | 82
Mount Huoshen had revived, and the continuous mountain ranges showed a lush green. Wild beasts emerged from their dens, and the tribe was surrounded by divine signs.
The north wind not only brought cold but also carried a lingering warmth in the air. This warmth left the orcs speechless for a long time, as they covered their moist eyes and slowly knelt on the ground.
"Thank you, Fire God, for your mercy—"
"The Fire God has not abandoned us; the God has returned—!"
"Orc God, do you see? It's the Fire God! The Fire God has returned to protect us—!"
Shouts of joy rose one after another. Yu Bai opened the courtyard gate, and the long asphalt road was filled with kneeling orcs.
They faced north, toward the direction of Mount Huoshen, continuously shouting, venting their emotions and excitement.
The chief and the priest had already gone to Mount Huoshen to hold the sacrificial ceremony. Many orcs had come out, heading toward the altar of Mount Huoshen in succession.
Huo Duo'er walked out from behind: "Bai."
Yu Bai said, "Everyone has gone to worship the Fire God. Should we go too?"
As he spoke, his waist was tightly held, and the male orc lifted him completely.
Huo Duo'er carried him as they walked, climbing toward the highest peak of the tribe. The power of the mountain god made nature close to Huo Duo'er; the plants and soil beneath his feet automatically made way for him, as if walking on flat ground.
They successfully reached the top of the high mountain and looked out. The winding path from the tribe to Mount Huoshen was filled with orcs. Some took a few steps before kneeling down, intending to prostrate all the way to the altar.
Yu Bai and Huo Duo'er remained silent.
The sacrificial ceremony lasted from day to night.
The next day, the orcs who returned to the tribe told their clansmen about the divine signs around Mount Huoshen.
For example, although the mountain was covered in snow, there were clusters of evergreen trees, and nearby there was a warm stream, which the priest called holy water.
Without the priest's permission, the orcs dared not enter the holy water. Just by getting close, they could feel the warm steam hitting their faces. They shouted in awe of the miracle, surrounding the holy spring and prostrating themselves.
Yu Bai said softly, "Those holy springs are probably hot springs."
"Hot springs?" Huo Duo'er was puzzled.
Yu Bai: "The revival of Mount Huoshen is not the descent of the Fire God; it's a natural phenomenon. Besides Mount Huoshen, there might be other volcanoes in the world, some dormant, some already extinct."
Huo Duo'er didn't understand but remained silent, trying his best to comprehend what his mate was saying.
"Bai, did the Orc God tell you all this?"
Yu Bai nodded slightly.
Moreover, he had an indescribable premonition, but he didn't dare to voice such thoughts yet.
—
In the third month of winter, the tribe experienced its first snowfall of the year.
Looking at the snowflakes falling from the sky, the orcs were not worried, as the protection of Mount Huoshen kept the valley warm.
The surroundings of the tribe were soon covered in a layer of white. Yu Bai did not avoid the snowstorm and stood in the courtyard, soon holding a handful of snow.
The little wolf frolicked around the yard, and within half a moment, its footprints were everywhere.
Jinjin was usually very sensitive to the cold, curling up in a corner every day after winter set in. Since the revival of the Fire God Mountain, a warm atmosphere had enveloped the tribe, and its range of activities had expanded accordingly.
Yu Bai walked around the two beasts, his eyes curved like crescent moons.
He walked up to Huo Duo'er, raised his arm, and tossed the snow in his arms at him. Then he crouched down, picked up a handful of snow, and threw it at Huo Duo'er's feet.
In the past few years, winters had been bitterly cold, with sharp and biting winds. Yu Bai rarely dared to go out, let alone play in the snow.
Huo Duo'er remained completely still, so Yu Bai laughed and threw more snow at his feet. The little wolf tilted its head and approached, also getting hit.
The little wolf yelped and darted away, and Yu Bai shifted his target, chasing the yak-wolf cub around the yard for a while.
—
When spring arrived, it warmed up earlier than usual. The ice on the river broke, and fish leaped out of the water.
Groups of wild animals appeared one after another, stopping by the shore to drink water. The forest became a battleground for large beasts, while herbivores flocked to the safer and more hidden grasslands.
At this time, the chief called upon the warriors to venture out, and the orcs, who had been cooped up all winter, left the tribe early to hunt.
Because of the warmth, the mountains were teeming with more wild animals than in previous years. The chief knelt on the high platform, clasping his hands together, giving thanks to the Fire God and the Orc God for their blessings.
The priest also held a spring prayer ceremony before the warriors left the tribe, praying to the Orv God to bless the orcs of the Yuan tribe with unmatched bravery and a bountiful harvest this year.
A’Li and Tata, the brothers, followed one of the hunting parties out, and Yu Bai went to see them off.
On his way back to the main city, he wandered around the tribe's cultivated fields. Perhaps influenced by the warming climate, the vegetables sprouted much faster than usual. It was just the beginning of spring, but the new shoots were already knee-high, and everywhere was filled with vibrant life.
After returning to the small courtyard, Yu Bai picked up a stone shovel and began digging up the vegetable patch, planting small greens, spices, and even setting up a wooden trellis to neatly guide the sprouting melon vines.
Huo Duo'er returned from his patrol, followed by the little wolf, which had just eaten its fill in the wild.
The male orc carried several plump river fish, and the little wolf had a large, still-wriggling fish in its mouth.
It dropped the fish in the corner where Jinjin usually ate meat, let out a howl, and Jinjin, who had been lazily sleeping inside, padded out. It raised its head to bump against the little wolf's lowered head, then crouched in the corner to chew on the fresh fish.
Yu Bai lifted the lid of the pottery jar next to the vegetable patch, and Huo Duo'er placed the fish inside, selecting two of them.
Yu Bai smiled and said, "Let's make a grilled fish hotpot."
Huo Duo'er replied, "Mm."
Yu Bai's cooking skills were average, and he only knew how to make a few home-style dishes. Over the years, he had mentioned many dishes—steamed, fried, grilled—all of which Huo Duo'er had gradually figured out and made for him.
Huo Duo'er had some natural talent for cooking.
Yu Bai put down the stone shovel and followed the orc, helping out with various tasks.
Half a month later, the hunting party returned with a bountiful haul. The chief held a barbecue feast and invited the leaders of the surrounding tribes to join in the celebration.
Man and Xiu especially enjoyed the rice wine brewed from rice. When Yu Bai saw the rice wine, he felt a pang of unease.
The reason was simple: he had drunk it twice before, and each time... he had done something that left his back sore afterward. So, during the barbecue feast, he didn't drink the large bowl of wine he was given and instead let Man have it.
The orcs were gathered around the fire, shouting loudly. Amidst the lively feast, Yu Bai and Huo Duo'er exchanged a quiet gaze, sharing a faint smile.
He slipped out of the crowd, patted his flushed cheeks, and took a few deep breaths of fresh air.
The air carried the fragrance of flowers and grass, a warm atmosphere, and...
Yu Bai suddenly opened his eyes and touched his face with his fingers.
Fine dust had settled on his forehead and the bridge of his nose.
His nostrils flared as he caught an unmistakable whiff of sulfur.
Yu Bai opened his palm, and gray ash quietly fell onto his hand.
A rough, large hand enveloped his fingers: "Bai, what's wrong?"
Yu Bai's spirits lifted as he gazed toward the north.
To the north of the tribe, Mount Huoshen emitted a faint red glow, and the clouds on the horizon flickered with a dark light.
Jinjin, who had been gnawing on meat beside the wolf pup, suddenly arched his back and leaped up, letting out a few sharp cries.
Yu Bai's attention was drawn to Jin Jin. The leopard cat had always been quiet and aloof since they returned, never making a sound. But now, it was displaying a vigilant posture.
Huo Duo'er brushed the dust off his face, his beastly eyes gazing into the distance, his heart skipping a few beats.
Yu Bai and Huo Duo'er exchanged a glance.
"Huo Duo'er, I have a bad feeling about this."
"Bai, just now, the mountain god seemed to send me a message."
The message was unfamiliar, yet it left him breathless.
Yu Bai repeatedly licked his lips: "There's a sulfur smell in the air, along with other pungent odors. Can you smell it?"
Huo Duo'er's senses were sharp. Not long ago, he wouldn't have known what such a smell meant, but after Yu Bai's brief explanation, he immediately became alert.
Yu Bai: "The volcano might erupt. Let's not waste any time and leave now."
Recalling the frequent rains and beast tides last year, Mount Huoshen which had been dormant for a century, had suddenly awakened.
Perhaps because he had died once, Yu Bai's sense of foreboding grew deeper, and he couldn't help but shiver.
He barely steadied himself, gripping Huo Duo'er's left hand, and said in a trembling voice, "While the orcs are all in the square, let them leave first!"
Huo Duo'er nodded slightly, "Alright."
He could sense the faint tremors of the mountain god.
When the god is angered, it is the various orc tribes that suffer.
Yu Bai picked up the bone whistle hanging around his neck and blew it hard. Huo Duo'er commanded coldly, "Chief, Priest, have all the orc tribes retreat and leave this place."
The chief and the priest were puzzled, "Leave?"
Huo Duo'er, "Leave the tribe!"
The chief, "Why?"
The priest was even more displeased, "We are currently thanking the protection of the Orc God and the Fire God, yet you are driving the orcs away from the tribe?"
Yu Bai pointed to the towering Fire God Mountain in the north, "There, it might erupt soon. Hurry and leave. Can't you smell the pungent odor in the air?"
The giants, Man and Xiu, who were immersed in joy, also noticed something was wrong.
They stood up abruptly, "Everyone, leave! Xiu, go back to the tribe and have our people leave!"
They shouted, "The mountain god is about to get angry. Run if you don't want to die!"
As the giants retreated, the other tribes also began to panic.
The chief and the priest were furious, "Bai, Huo Duo'er, what are you doing..."
Yu Bai, "If you don't believe me, do you not believe Huo Duo'er? They are of the mountain god's lineage and can sense things that ordinary orcs cannot. What's falling from the sky now is likely volcanic ash. If the Fire God Mountain erupts, disaster could come very soon."
For the first time, he raised his voice sternly, "Chief, for the sake of safety, please disperse the orcs from the tribe and leave this place!"
The orcs around hesitated, but A’Li, A’Luo, A’Xin, and Mian, who were more influenced by Yu Bai, took action.
A’Li, "Bai, are you really not lying to us?"
Yu Bai shook his head.
A’Li gritted his teeth, "I'll go back and take A’m and the others away."
As A’Li moved, some orcs began to scatter.
Huo Duo'er didn't hesitate, scooping up Yu Bai and carrying him on his back, with the little wolf carrying Jinjin, following closely behind.
The chief, "Don't go, don't leave..."
Yu Bai anxiously, "Chief, this is not the time for such talk. Run now!"
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