TRWSB – Chapter 238 Survival, Bonds, and Blood on the Hawk Ridge

A sharp “whoosh” echoed as a mountain hawk was shot down from the sky.

Sin Dolei shouted in excitement and rushed toward where the eagle had fallen.

Fred toyed fondly with the bow in his hand. “This bow is amazing.”

Qi Shaorong, always generous to his allies, had given the heavy blackwood bow to Fred after Fred pledged his loyalty. Most elf bows were lightweight and elegant, but this one was hefty and cumbersome to wield—so much so that Qi had nearly written it off as useless. Unexpectedly, the burly warrior Fred was instantly smitten with it, gazing at the bow as if it were a priceless beauty.

“Brother, you’re incredible!” Sin Dolei dragged the massive bird over with pride.

Fred bowed to Qi Shaorong and said, “It’s not me, it’s the bow that’s incredible.”

Qi Shaorong waved his hand. “It’s nothing special. Doesn’t your tribe make bows?”

“Sure, but nothing as good as this,” Sin Dolei replied, eyes glowing.

Qi Shaorong chuckled. “Is that so?”

Sin Dolei looked up at the sky and said boldly, “These winged beasts are a real menace. They love swooping down and snatching up females. It’s been a big problem in the tribe. But with this bow, we don’t need to be afraid anymore.”

Qi Shaorong was amused by Sin Dolei’s excitement—it was contagious.

“Where are we headed?” Qi Shaorong asked Fred.

Fred replied apologetically, “We’ll find a place to settle temporarily. It might be dangerous.”

He frowned. Since Qi and the others were outsiders, Fred couldn’t just take them to another tribe. Most fertile lands were already occupied. After considering their options, he decided to lead them to Hawk Ridge.

Hawk Ridge was home to many mountain hawks. These birds particularly favored females as prey. Since warriors couldn’t fly and often couldn’t keep up with the hawks, most tribes avoided the place entirely.

From Sin Dolei, Qi Shaorong learned that the Divine Blood Clan drank the blood of wild beasts to absorb their power.

They referred to women as “females,” and due to a natural imbalance, females made up only a quarter of the population. Their scarcity made them precious, elevating their status, and they were pursued fervently by many males.

Most males remained single, and some formed pairs with other males. While male-male pairings rarely resulted in offspring, it wasn’t impossible. A rare plant called the “Union Fruit” existed—when nurtured for a month using the blood of both partners, it could produce a child.

But Union Fruits were hard to find and dangerous to obtain. Thus, most still relied on marrying a female to pass on their lineage.

Zhuang Hao and the others settled in Hawk Ridge.

Qi Shaorong looked at the bowl Zhuang Hao handed him and frowned.

Zhuang Hao downed the thick blood in his bowl without flinching.

“You really enjoy drinking blood, huh?” Qi asked.

He had tried it himself, but could never quite get used to it.

Zhuang Hao smiled. “You get used to it.”

Qi Shaorong took a deep breath and stared at the congealing liquid in his bowl. “I wonder if I can make it into blood tofu…”

Zhuang Hao grinned. “Feel free to experiment. You and Mu Tingxuan stay here—Yi Fan, Fred, and I are going to scout around.”

Qi Shaorong frowned. “Going out again?”

Zhuang Hao nodded. “Yep.”

“Be careful,” Qi Shaorong said.

Zhuang Hao gave him a reassuring smile. “I will.”

Qi watched him leave, the corners of his mouth lifting. Zhuang Hao had adapted rapidly to this world; his physique had already caught up.

Fred and Zhuang Hao walked ahead, one behind the other.

Fred glanced over and said, “You’re really strong. I heard that outsiders who end up here are usually weak, but you seem different. You must’ve been a top fighter back where you came from.”

Zhuang Hao smiled. “Yeah, I was pretty powerful.”

Yi Fan, walking alongside them, gave Zhuang Hao a side glance and thought to himself: In the magical world, ‘powerful’ doesn’t even begin to describe him.

Sin Dolei laughed and flashed a mouthful of white teeth. “Too bad you’re here now. In this world, you’re just a rookie. My brother could beat you with one hand!”

Zhuang Hao gave a dry smile. Fred’s recovery sure brought back Sin Dolei’s energy—and his sass.

Fred scratched his head awkwardly. “My little brother tends to speak without thinking. Don’t take it to heart.”

Zhuang Hao waved it off. “It’s fine.”

“You’re improving quickly,” Fred noted.

Zhuang Hao smiled and murmured, “Only if I get stronger… can I protect him.”

Sin Dolei suddenly asked, “Is the healer your partner?”

Zhuang Hao nodded and said, “Yes.”

Sindorei asked, puzzled, “The doctor is so capable, and you’re so thin and weak. How did you manage to win him over?”

Zhuang Hao smiled and replied, “With my charm, of course!”

Among the Godblood Tribe, physical strength was the standard of beauty. Nearly all the warriors Zhuang Hao had seen were burly and muscular. There were a few like him, slender and small, but as Sindorei had once explained half-jokingly, those usually lacked power and couldn’t hunt, so they would end up pairing with warriors and submitting themselves.

Zhuang Hao still remembered the first time Sindorei quipped that someone like him ought to “marry out”—he had nearly punched him in the face.

Suddenly, Zhuang Hao’s eyes sharpened. “There’s someone on that hawk!”

From afar, a mountain hawk was flying in, and indeed, a figure dangled from its talons.

Fred instantly drew his bow and released an arrow, piercing the hawk through the chest.

The person tied to its leg began plummeting. Fred rushed forward and just barely managed to catch the falling figure in time.

“Fred!” the person cried out.

Fred recognized the person with a flash of irritation and tossed them aside. It was Mill, whose shoulder had been clawed and was bleeding badly, looking pitiful.

“What are you doing here?” Fred asked.

Mill paused, then said, “I was caught by a mountain hawk.”

“You went to the Purpleberry Grove again, didn’t you?” Fred’s voice turned cold.

Sindorei snorted and looked away with a flash of disdain.

The Purpleberry Grove was far from the tribe’s territory. It bore the fruits many of the tribe’s females loved, but most only asked their partners to bring some back occasionally. Mill, however, was different.

She loved the berries and demanded them constantly. No matter how tired Fred was after hunting, she would insist. If he refused, she would sneak off to gather them herself.

Mountain hawks also loved purpleberries, making it dangerous. Every time she went alone, Fred had to chase after her.

“Jesse didn’t go with you?” Fred asked.

Mill pressed her lips together, clearly annoyed. “He… was busy.”

She felt wronged. Jesse had been sweet in the beginning, but over time, she realized he wasn’t as attentive or capable as Fred.

Fred frowned. “Winter is coming. Everyone’s preparing to survive. Don’t cause trouble. Sindorei, take her back to the tribe.”

Sindorei blinked, pointed at himself, and muttered, “Me?”

Fred nodded. “Yes.”

Sindorei groaned, “Fine…”

Mill protested, “Fred, you’re not coming with me?”

Fred frowned again. “No. It wouldn’t be appropriate. If Jesse misunderstands, it’ll just cause problems.”

Sindorei chimed in, “Exactly. You’re already engaged to Jesse. He’s not like my brother—if he sees you tangled up with Fred, he’ll lose it.”

Mill’s face darkened. “Fred, now that you’re healed, come back to the tribe. You’re still a warrior there. If you return, there will always be a place for you. I’m willing to reject Jesse—for you.”

Fred’s brows furrowed even deeper. “Jesse really cares about you. Since you chose him, you shouldn’t keep waffling.”

Fred clenched his fists. He didn’t want to return to the tribe. When he had fallen ill, the priest had declared he was possessed by evil spirits and ordered him to be burned alive. That hatred wouldn’t be so easily erased. If he returned, the priest would surely despise him, and he himself wouldn’t forget the grudge.

The priest held absolute power in the tribe. Fred had no desire to live under that shadow anymore. Besides, he had promised to follow Qi Shaorong.

Mill’s voice trembled. “Are you blaming me?”

Fred said calmly, “You’re overthinking it. Jesse is excellent. You made the right choice.”

Then he turned to Sindorei, impatience rising, “Go. Now.”

Sindorei puffed out his cheeks. “Mill, come with me.”

Mill looked at Fred, unwilling, but when he didn’t budge, she had no choice but to bite her lip and follow.

Sindorei cast a sideways glance at her, annoyance bubbling. He had never liked Mill. She was too delicate, too spoiled. Yes, the females of the tribe were often willful, but Mill was excessive.

He remembered last winter—Mill had thrown a tantrum demanding snow-melt beasts. They were rare, elusive creatures with little meat, and nearly impossible to catch. During winter, all prey became bloodthirsty and dangerous, so most warriors avoided hunting altogether.

But Mill wouldn’t relent. His brother finally gave in and went out to find one. He returned seriously injured. Mill hadn’t even thanked him. Instead, she took the snow-melt beast and went off to show it off to the other females in the tribe.