Beastlord: Tribal System

Summer stood in silence for a moment, taking a deep breath. He glanced around at the gathered tribespeople.

"Call the rest of the tribe over," he finally said. "Once everyone is here, I'll explain everything at once."

His gaze shifted to the Shadow Beast, a flicker of pain flashing through his eyes before he masked his emotions. As the chief, he couldn't afford to show too much vulnerability.

Because the order came from him, the tribespeople gathered quickly. Within about twenty minutes, the crowd around the square had swelled, and few stragglers remained. Summer scanned the gathering and decided it was time to begin, even if not everyone had arrived.

He stepped onto the platform at the center of the square, motioning for the beastmen who had been helping him to lift the Shadow Beast onto the platform. The atmosphere in the square grew lively, with people murmuring and craning their necks to see.

Summer raised a hand, signaling for silence. The crowd quickly quieted, their attention fixed on their leader.

Clearing his throat, Summer began to speak. "Do you all remember the beast attack on our tribe ten years ago?"

At his words, the square erupted into chatter. The memories of that attack were seared into everyone's mind.

"That attack ten years ago was a pain our tribe will never forget. We lost so many—beastmen, sub-beasts, and even countless children." His voice grew heavier with each word.

"Many of you probably thought it was just an ordinary beast attack," he continued, and the crowd hushed again. Summer turned to the Shadow Beast, his expression darkening.

"It wasn't! This despicable Shadow Beast was behind it all. It orchestrated that attack, trying to steal the food we had worked so hard to stockpile for the winter. It craved sub-beasts and younglings—it planned that massacre."

The tribespeople gasped in shock, and whispers spread through the crowd.

"It waited until most of our beastmen were away on the autumn hunt. Using its natural abilities, it drove hordes of wild animals to assault our tribe."

"The few beastmen left behind fought valiantly to defend the tribe, even calling upon the young and the elderly to help. But the beasts were too numerous. By the time the hunters returned, the tribe was overrun, and those left behind… were mostly dead or gravely wounded."

Summer paused, his voice trembling with emotion. "This Shadow Beast infiltrated our food stores, stealing what we had. And that wasn't enough for it. It avoided the beastmen, targeting the hidden sub-beasts and younglings instead."

He closed his eyes briefly, as if to suppress the pain. "It… tore them apart. It piled their bodies together like trophies. By the time we found it, the pile of bodies was already… horrifyingly high."

The crowd fell into stunned silence. Many were holding their breath, unable to process the horror of his words.

"We fought it with everything we had, but it was cunning and strong. All we could do was leave a scar on its face as it fled."

Summer stepped to the Shadow Beast's head, lifting it so the crowd could clearly see the jagged scar across its face.

The square erupted into chaos. The revelation that the attack had been orchestrated sent shockwaves through the crowd. Many were overwhelmed by the memories of that fateful day.

"It wasn't just a normal beast attack!" someone exclaimed. "It was a calculated massacre!"

"The beasts don't attack in autumn," another person said. "Why didn't we realize it sooner? They always attack in the dead of winter when they're starving!"

"This wasn't just an attack—it was a deliberate onslaught!"

Yang stood silently, his fists clenched so tightly that his overturned nails began to bleed again. His son Lie, standing beside him, noticed and trembled slightly as he held onto Yang's arm.

"Father…" Lie said softly.

Yang took several deep breaths, finally calming himself enough to glance at his son and shake his head, signaling that he was okay.

Moments later, someone in the crowd broke the silence. "That monster! It deserved to die!"

"My child… my child died because of it!" wailed a woman, her cries echoing through the square.

"My father died in that attack too," another sobbed.

"My partner…" whispered someone else, their voice breaking.

The square was filled with the sounds of grief and anger. Tears flowed freely as many tribespeople released emotions they had held back for years.

"Who killed it?" someone finally asked, their voice cutting through the cries.

"Yeah, who killed it? That person is a hero!"

"It must have been Xuan. He went out for his coming-of-age hunt and brought it back," someone else answered.

"That explains why he was gone so long—he was tracking this beast!"

"He did a great job!"

The atmosphere shifted slightly, the crowd now murmuring in admiration for Xuan.

Summer remained silent, allowing his people to vent their emotions. For most, this was the first time they'd learned the full truth about that attack. Only those who had fought the Shadow Beast or knew about its kind had understood the depth of its threat.

Once the square had quieted down, Summer spoke again. "Ten years have passed. Xuan used his coming-of-age hunt to track down the Shadow Beast. He finally killed it and brought it back to the tribe. The nightmare is over."

All eyes turned to Xuan, who stood expressionless, his face cold and detached. Lan, the leader of the hunting party, walked over and clapped Xuan on the shoulder.

"You've done well," he said firmly, though his voice wavered with emotion. Turning away, he wiped at his eyes. His sub-father and father had both died in that attack.

The crowd erupted into a new wave of chatter, this time praising Xuan's bravery.

By the time the square emptied, night had fallen. Meng Yuqing followed Xuan back to the chief's house, his mind racing with everything he had learned. The pain and resilience of the Qing Mountain Tribe left a deep impression on him. He made a quiet decision in his heart.

When they arrived, Summer and his mate, Autumn Leaf, were seated by a fire in the center of the room, waiting for them. The smell of cooking meat and wild vegetables wafted through the air.

"Father Beast, Sub-Father, this is Meng Yuqing," Xuan said as they entered, gesturing to the young man.

The couple greeted Meng Yuqing warmly, their eyes red as if they'd recently cried. Summer's stern demeanor softened into something fatherly as he watched them approach.

"Welcome to the Qing Mountain Tribe, Meng Yuqing," Summer said kindly. "You must be hungry. Come, have some food."

Autumn Leaf ladled stew into a stone bowl and handed it to Meng Yuqing, then served Xuan. Watching them, Meng Yuqing felt a rare sense of warmth and belonging—something he hadn't felt in a long time. He missed home.

"You can treat this place as your home," Autumn Leaf said gently. "We're your tribe now. Your family."

Meng Yuqing paused, his head lowering slightly as he blinked rapidly, forcing the tears in his eyes to stay put. He nodded silently.

That night, as he lay in the room prepared for him, the system's notification finally sounded.

"Task completed: Join the Qing Mountain Tribe. All current functions are now active, and some features have been adjusted. Please explore them at your convenience."

"Main task unlocked: Develop the Qing Mountain Tribe (long-term task). Discovering or inventing anything beneficial for the tribe, as well as implementing helpful measures, will earn energy. Energy is vital for both the system and the host. Please strive for positive development and avoid malicious competition."

"System upgrade reward: A mysterious scenic map. What purpose does it serve? Upgrade to find out!"