The captain of the hunting team, Yonggang, was over forty years old, his face was covered with coarse stubble, and his skin was gray and rough. He pushed away the noisy crowd, strode in front of the leader Fu Song, and exhaled a long breath wearing a white hot mist, his voice was full of exhaustion and: "This trip was not smooth, we encountered the stormmane bear, lost twelve people, Tianfeng and Xu Ping were seriously injured. Didn't get any prey...... The maned bears this season are so strong that we can't bring all the carcasses back. ”

Following his guidance, Fu Song, the leader of the Rock Village, focused his eyes on the spot where the prey had been laid down before the hunting team———— and there were several frozen dead corpses piled up horizontally. Those dead white faces that had been frozen into ice cubes and covered in frost flowers were all familiar to him. Right next to the carcass, there were a dozen snowcocks and hares strung with ropes.

For some reason, Fu Song suddenly remembered the crude house made of thick logs in the center of the stockade. It was the clan's usual storehouse for prey. The room is large enough to hold hundreds of bison if properly placed. However, on the shelves made of rough wood, there are now only a few dried snow frogs, dozens of large loaches with blackened surfaces, and two wild roe deer that have been frozen to the ground.

These are the only food left for the more than 200 people in the whole clan.

This winter came very early. The sudden heavy snow turned the whole world white, and at the same time, it completely cut off people's hope of survival.

It was thought that the hunting party would be able to bring back enough prey from the mountains before the snow closed the road. Now, it is enough to take the lives of twelve hunters.

The losses are significant. For hungry villagers, dead hunters are also food.

"Chief...... What are we going to do? ”

A distinctly suppressed voice, with a hint of loss and pessimism, slowly came from behind him.

There is no need to look back, Fu Song also knows that it is the elder Wu Xing in charge of the witch sacrifice in the clan.

Not only Panshi Village, but all the tribes of the entire northern barbarians, all the wizards have the surname "Wu", and their status is comparable to that of nobles, which is much higher than ordinary clansmen without surnames.

Although Fu Song was the chief, he was not given by the patriarch and could not have a surname.

He shook his head helplessly and sighed: "...... Tomorrow, take a couple of women and take a walk to the south......"

Behind the mountain beam to the south, there is a large village with a population of nearly 1,000, and most of its members are men. They are strong, strong, and have more needs for women. In normal times, a woman can get a bison or a few wild sheep there.

A cow has more meat than a person. Just to be fed, the deal is worth it.

"This ......" The old witch hesitated, and did not answer for a long time.

It wasn't that he didn't understand what the leader Fu Song meant. It's just that the prey is scarce this winter, and even if the big clans in the south are outnumbered, under the severe cold, I am afraid that there may not be many reserves. When the time comes, I am afraid that bartering will not succeed, but even my own woman will be snatched away by the other party. Maybe they will be slaughtered as food for the winter.

However, what can you do if you don't change?

The hunting party brought back little stuff, and there was only a little grain in the warehouse, mixed with some grass roots and bark, which barely lasted for a while. If there is no harvest in the past few days, the whole people will have to starve to death.

Or, eat each other by lottery. Until next year, the weather will be warm and the snow will melt.

Thinking of this, Wu Xing, who was nearly seventy years old, couldn't help but shudder. On the wrinkled and shriveled cheeks, the atrophied muscles twitched slightly. If we can only survive the winter in this way, by next spring, I am afraid that there will be no less than one-tenth or two-dozen people left in the clan who can survive.

Winter has just begun, and we must survive by eating people. This definitely does not bode well.

Next year, what to do?

Fu Song's eyes were full of bitterness and helplessness, he approached the stretcher surrounded by the crowd, and gave a loud order: "Get out of the way quickly, carry Tianfeng and Xuping into the house, they need to rest." ”

……

When the watchman shouted at the entrance of the stockade, Tianhao left the hut as fast as he could. He didn't attract anyone's attention, and quietly saw everything, and the conversation between the hunting captain Yonggang, the leader Fu Song, and the priest Wu Xing could be heard clearly word for word.

walked over, lifted the stretcher from the ground with the second brother Tianfeng, and brought the injured eldest brother Tianfeng back to the wooden house.

According to the standards of the civilized era, a heavenly madness with a height of two meters and three is a giant. He did not wear a thick leather robe like the rest of the hunting party, and only had a thin short-sleeved leather vest on his body. Wheat-colored skin is tight, and there are steely muscles scattered across his arms. Although the physical fitness is strong, it cannot withstand the cold. As soon as he walked into the house and put down the stretcher, he immediately ran to the fire and sat down, stretched out his trembling arms, and enjoyed the long-lost warmth with a comfortable expression on his face that was gradually dissolved.

His leather robe covered Tianfeng's body. If he hadn't done this, Tianfeng, who was seriously injured and unable to move, would have already frozen to death.

The sleepy-eyed Tianshuang stood up from the pile of animal skins, stumbled over, and saw the unconscious Tianfeng, with a trace of horror in his eyes, he knelt down next to the stretcher with his knees bent, and cried "wow": "Big brother, what's wrong with you?" ”

The heavenly madness that had just relaxed was disturbed by the cry. He suddenly turned from the fire pit and let out a deafening roar: "Don't cry! If you cry again, I'll throw you out! ”

The roar was loud, startling Tianshuang, who was touching his tears, and also woke up Tianfeng who was in a coma, and let out a painful moan.

Tianhao walked to Tianshuang's side, not so much calm as emotionless: "Go, find Pingjun and get our share of meat back today." ”

Both parents are dead. Their skulls were stuck in the stakes outside the door. The hunting team has just returned, and the eldest brother Tianfeng, who is also the "head of the ten", was seriously injured again, there are so many pairs of eyes in the stockade to watch, Tianshuang is very safe, even if Pingjun wants to attack her, he will not be stupid to choose this time.

Watching Tianshuang push the door out, the cold air flow pouring in made Tianfang get closer and closer to the fire pit. He glanced at his younger brother Tianhao sitting in front of the stretcher, frowned, and asked angrily, "Is there anything to eat at home?" ”

"Wait! There will be. Tian Hao looked down at Tian Feng, the host elder brother who was parasitized by himself.

He had been moaning, the arm that had been pulled off was completely flipped over, and the skin and muscles of the wound site were black and purple, and they had long lost their suppleness. The pain is unbearable, especially for tears and sprains. It's just that when he saw Tianhao, Tianfeng's eyes full of pain revealed a trace of an extremely reluctant smile.

“…… Younger brother...... We met the Stormmane Bear. Those guys were huge, and there were several. Ah Sheng and the others were shot to death on the spot, and even their heads were shattered. I was slapped in the face, if it weren't for Uncle Yonggang's desperate protection...... I'm afraid I won't be able to come back. ”

Hearing what he said, Tianmad hurriedly turned around from the front of the fire pond and knelt beside Tianfeng with great concern: "Big brother, are you feeling better?" ”

"It was warm...... Back home, it's much better. Twenty-year-old Tianfeng comforted his younger brother, he had a maturity far beyond his actual age.

Tianshuang brought back a small half of the meat. She washed it with melted snow water, then set it on a fire and baked it slightly, burning off the hairs on the surface, and put it in a wide-mouthed pot blackened by the smoke and fire, and boiled in the water.

Although Panshi Village is not far from the ocean, it is difficult to obtain salt due to the climate and nearby terrain. The seasoning is the same in every household in the village, and no matter what ingredients are stewed, a little seawater will be put on them.

Tianhao sat down in front of the stretcher, quietly staring at Tianfeng's face distorted by pain. His pupils flickered with thought, pursed his lips, and said nothing.

There was a knock on the door outside.

A feeling of surprise came to mind. With doubts, Tianhao stood up and walked over. When he opened the door, he saw the old priest Wu Xing and his eldest son Wu Xing standing outside.

"Knocking on the door" is ...... Searching the memory of the host, in the entire rock village, probably only the priest observes such a ritual.

Looking at Tianhao, the old priest's face sank, he did not hide the disgust in his eyes, did not speak, walked directly in front of Tianhao, and went straight to the stretcher.

Heavenly madness and heavenly frost sat respectfully and knelt respectfully and saluted. The priest was the most noble person in the stockade, even surpassing the chieftain Fu Song. A person who is able to communicate with the gods is full of mystery and must be in awe.

Wu Xing carried a bowl of black liquid in his hand, which looked like a decoction. He placed the bowl on the floor near Tianfeng's head, and sighed with a little pity and helplessness: "Drink this, it will make you more comfortable." ”

Tianfeng had difficulty speaking, and could only nod weakly slightly.

The burly Tianmad's eyes were full of reverence, and he knelt on the ground and kowtowed heavily, his face full of excitement and indescribable expectation: "High Priest, help my eldest brother, please save him." ”

The old witch looked at the dying Tianfeng for a moment, then stood up, turned around in silence and walked towards the door.

Tianhao stood in that position and did not move. When the father and son left, he saw the old priest's eyes again. In addition to disgust, there was a deep disappointment in those eyes.

The broth in the pot is already boiling. Tianshuang trotted over and served a bowl with a wooden spoon. Although the meat is not rotten, the soup is drinkable. She felt that the injured eldest brother Tianfeng now needed a bowl of hot broth more than the medicine sent by the high priest.

Only those who have truly experienced hunger will understand the torment. Even the sturdy Celestial Maniac had a dish on his face, and he kept inhaling his nose vigorously, as if the scents in the air had substance to fill his empty stomach. Watching his sister deliver the broth to the eldest brother and carefully feed it with a wooden spoon into his mouth, Tianmad felt that his stomach was screaming all the time, but he had to resist the temptation and kept swallowing his saliva.

If this pot of broth can bring the eldest brother back to life and heal from his injuries, even if he starves to death, the heavenly madness who is as strong as a giant feels that it is worth it.