Beastlord: Tribal System

Meng Yuqing was awakened by the enticing aroma of roasted meat. Opening his eyes, he saw Xuan, in his human form, sitting by the fire, carefully cooking. The sun was already high in the sky, and Meng estimated it was nearing noon.

"Why didn't you wake me? Didn't you say we had things to do today? It's almost midday," Meng said, feeling a bit embarrassed as he accepted the meat Xuan handed him.

"No rush. You went to bed late last night—getting some extra sleep won't hurt," Xuan replied casually, waving off the concern.

"And you? Why didn't you rest a bit more? How are your wounds?" Meng Yuqing put down the meat and leaned closer to examine Xuan's injuries. Xuan cooperated, sitting still to let him check.

The wounds were healing well. The areas treated with the herbal paste looked significantly better than the untreated ones, which were still slightly red and swollen. It was a testament to both the herb's effectiveness and the remarkable healing capabilities of beastmen.

"I need to find more hemostatic herbs to treat the rest of your injuries. Some of these are starting to look inflamed," Meng Yuqing said, frowning.

"No need. They're just minor wounds—they'll heal in a few days. Herbs are precious; I'd rather save them to bring back to the tribe," Xuan replied.

Meng Yuqing paused, lowering his head under the guise of taking another bite of meat. In his mind, he asked the system, "Are herbs really that scarce in this world?"

"No. Herbs are abundant, but beastmen lack the knowledge to recognize them."

"Yesterday, Xuan mentioned shamans. What do they represent here?" Meng Yuqing asked, recalling their conversation the previous night.

"Shamans are the wisdom keepers of a tribe. They record and pass down the accumulated knowledge of their people, including the use of herbs. However, this knowledge is transmitted orally, making it prone to loss. Each tribe's shamanic traditions differ based on their unique experiences."

"Wait—does this mean there's no mystical aspect involved?" Meng Yuqing's curiosity sparked.

"Correct," the system responded coldly, its tone somehow even icier than usual.

Meng Yuqing scratched his head, baffled by the system's reaction. Did I offend it somehow? Or does it just dislike anything superstitious? he thought. Kind of ironic for a system in a world as fantastical as this one.

Shrugging off the system's mood, Meng Yuqing mulled over the potential of using herbal knowledge as a niche skill. With the system's help, it might be a viable path.

The Shadow Beast

After finishing their meal, Meng Yuqing followed Xuan out of the cave. The Shadow Beast's corpse lay nearby, its wounds treated with some substance that had neutralized the overpowering stench of blood.

Walking around the massive creature, Meng Yuqing realized just how enormous it was. It was larger than Xuan, with grayish-black fur, razor-sharp claws, and fangs longer than a human hand. Its appearance was utterly terrifying.

Xuan returned, carrying thick vines, and began binding the Shadow Beast's limbs and tail tightly against its body. Then, he transformed into his panther form and tried lifting the carcass. Meng Yuqing helped secure the bindings, watching as Xuan adjusted to carrying the beast's weight. Once satisfied, Xuan returned to his human form.

Seeing the leftover vines, Meng Yuqing had an idea. His grandmother had once taught him how to weave bags from hemp rope. Why not make something similar? He glanced down at himself, thinking, I guess I count as "cargo."

"Xuan, can I use the leftover vines? I want to make something," Meng Yuqing asked, pointing to the pile.

"Sure. What are you planning to make?" Xuan squatted beside him, curiosity written all over his face.

"A bag."

"A bag? What's that?" Xuan tilted his head in confusion.

"It's something you use to carry things. You put items inside, and it makes them easier to transport," Meng Yuqing explained while examining the vines.

"What are you planning to carry?" Xuan glanced toward the cave, puzzled. There didn't seem to be anything worth bringing back.

"It's not for carrying items—it's for carrying me," Meng Yuqing said, scratching his head. "I feel suffocated when you carry me by my clothes. If I'm in a bag, it'll be more comfortable."

Xuan's eyes widened in shock. "Why would you need to be carried in a bag?"

"Well, you'll be carrying me for five days, right? My clothes are dirty and might not hold up. Plus, it'll be more convenient this way," Meng Yuqing explained, tugging at his soiled clothing. He didn't want to admit it, but the thought of Xuan biting down on his worn shirt for five days was mortifying.

After a moment of processing, Xuan nodded seriously. "I'll help!"

The two got to work. Xuan eagerly followed Meng Yuqing's instructions, holding one end of a vine while Meng attempted to weave. The process was slow and clumsy—Meng's memories of his grandmother's technique were hazy at best. They had to redo it several times due to mistakes, but Xuan's patience never wavered, calming Meng's frustration.

By late afternoon, the bag was finally complete. As Meng admired their handiwork, the system's voice echoed in his mind:

"Ding—Hidden task completed: Teach Xuan of the Qingshan Tribe how to weave a bag with vines. This contributes to the tribe's development. Energy earned."

Meng Yuqing glanced at Xuan, who was excitedly testing the bag, oblivious to the system's announcement.

"Meng Yuqing, this is amazing! We used to only use vines for tying things, but now we can carry so much more with this! It's way more convenient than using animal hides," Xuan said, his eyes sparkling.

"Eh, it's just a simple trick," Meng Yuqing replied, waving his hand dismissively.

Final Preparations

After storing the bag in the cave, Xuan fetched dried grass to cover the Shadow Beast's body and camouflage it. Meng Yuqing, meanwhile, decided to search for more hemostatic herbs.

"Can you come with me to look around? I want to see if we can find any more herbs nearby," Meng Yuqing asked.

"Of course!" Xuan agreed enthusiastically. Having experienced the herb's effects firsthand, he was eager to collect more.

Together, they scoured the area around the cave, even venturing to a nearby stream where Meng Yuqing washed his face. Though he wanted to bathe, he decided to conserve resources and time. Before returning, he had Xuan help him fashion a makeshift water container from a coconut-like fruit. Xuan's claws made quick work of hollowing out the fruit and securing a grass lid.

"Meng Yuqing, how did you come up with this? We usually use animal stomachs or bladders for carrying water. No one likes using fresh ones, especially sub-beasts and younglings—they'd rather use stone bowls," Xuan said, marveling at the invention.

"Just something I thought of. It's a temporary solution—still leaks a bit. I'll improve it when I have time," Meng Yuqing replied, grinning.

Back at the Cave

By nightfall, they returned to the cave. Xuan started a fire to keep Meng Yuqing warm before heading out to hunt.

"I'll be back soon. With the Shadow Beast here, no other predators will come near. Stay put," Xuan instructed.

"Got it. Bring back more fruit, though—I'll pack it in the bag for the journey," Meng Yuqing replied.

After Xuan left, Meng Yuqing approached the Shadow Beast's corpse, curiosity gleaming in his eyes. "System, identify the Shadow Beast."

"Adult Shadow Beast. Deceased. High-level carnivorous predator. Highly intelligent, cunning, and aggressive. Combat strength: capable of overwhelming 2-3 average adult beastmen. Prefers preying on sub-beasts and beastman younglings. Known to command lower-level beasts and occasionally mid-level ones. Classified as a nightmare predator for weaker tribes."

Meng Yuqing's jaw dropped. "It took 2-3 beastmen to handle one of these? But Xuan killed it alone!"

"Xuan is different," the system replied cryptically.

"What do you mean?" Meng Yuqing pressed.

"Insufficient permissions. Upgrade the system to unlock further information."

Frustrated, Meng Yuqing changed the subject. "What exactly are sub-beasts?"

"In this world, inhabitants are divided into beastmen and sub-beasts. Beastmen can shift into animal forms and are skilled in combat. Sub-beasts cannot shift but possess the ability to bear offspring. Most sub-beasts have little to no combat ability."

Meng Yuqing froze. "Bear offspring? Are you serious?"

"Correct."

"But I'm a man!" Meng Yuqing exclaimed, horrified.

"In this world, sub-beasts resemble men in appearance."

Meng Yuqing slumped onto a rock, his mind racing. This world had no women—just beastmen and sub-beasts. His head spun at the implications, but he quickly shook it off. Focus on survival and getting home. Romance can wait—forever, if necessary.

When Xuan returned with freshly hunted meat, he found Meng Yuqing sitting in the cave, lost in thought. Waving a hand in front of his face, Xuan asked, "You okay?"

"Yeah, just thinking about tomorrow's journey. We're leaving in the morning, right?" Meng Yuqing replied, forcing a smile.

"Right. It'll be a long trip, but don't worry—I'll make sure you're safe," Xuan promised, his voice warm with sincerity.

Meng Yuqing nodded, the complexities of his situation momentarily set aside.