Jiang Xiaorou did not doubt him and told Yi Yun the general situation of this alternate world.
Yi Yun originally thought that this was a world where martial arts were respected, but after hearing Jiang Xiaorou's description, Yi Yun realized that he had underestimated the importance of martial arts in this world.
To be precise, it was a world where martial arts were the key to life.
In this world, humans had their own cities and camps, while the wilderness was the world of wild beasts and desolate beasts.
Be it farming or hunting, humans could be attacked by wild beasts or desolate beasts. As these terrifying beasts limited the range of human activities, the people at the bottom of the social hierarchy lacked resources.
For a camp or a city, a high-ranking warrior was their lifeline!
Without the protection of a high-ranking warrior, the people in the camp or city could be massacred by desolate beasts overnight.
And the tribe that Yi Yun and Jiang Xiaorou came from was unfortunately a small tribe that did not have any high-ranking warriors.
The entire tribe was in a precarious situation, and could be destroyed at any time.
Because they were too weak, the amount of food that this small tribe could produce and collect was very limited. They couldn't feed themselves at all. They could only rely on processing weapons for the tribes in the big cities, such as arrows and armors, in exchange for some food and beast meat. Only in this way could they survive.
The arrows that Jiang Xiaorou made were transported from the large tribe, and she was only responsible for processing them.
"Yun-er, go in and sleep. Tomorrow, I can use these arrows to exchange for a lot of food. I can even exchange for a piece of desolate beast meat. Do you still remember desolate beasts? They are the most powerful beasts. Only a large tribe can hunt them. Eating a piece of its meat can give you a lot of strength! If you eat it for a long time, you can quickly become a warrior! "
Jiang Xiaorou said. She was fascinated. If her brother could become a warrior, that would be great.
Unfortunately, they only had the chance to eat desolate beast meat every few months. Becoming a warrior was destined to be an extravagant hope.
And in the large tribes, the youths ate desolate beast meat as a meal. In fact, desolate beast meat was not considered precious in the large tribes. Although desolate beasts were difficult to hunt, a large desolate beast was more than ten meters long and weighed tens of thousands of pounds. Its meat was enough for ten people to eat for a few years.
To the elites of the large tribes, desolate beast meat was for the lower classes. They ate desolate beast bones, which were also known as desolate bones.
The essence of a desolate beast was in the desolate bones. A huge desolate beast's skeleton could be refined into a desolate bone essence the size of a soybean through a special method.
This desolate bone essence could help a warrior break through to the next realm. It could also open up meridians and stimulate blood vessels. It was something that warriors dreamed of.
Of course, the desolate bones essence was equivalent to a legend to poor people like Jiang Xiaorou and Yi Yun.
Not to mention the rarity of desolate bones, even if one obtained a piece of desolate bone, to refine it into an essence required many methods and mystic techniques. It was very difficult for the average person to succeed.
"Desolate beast meat, desolate bones essence …"
Yi Yun muttered to himself. When he heard this term from Jiang Xiaorou, he was surprised that Jiang Xiaorou was so knowledgeable.
…
After an uneventful night, Yi Yun woke up early the next morning. He did not wake up from sleep, but from hunger.
Having not eaten for a few days and only having some porridge, Yi Yun's hunger was imaginable.
"Sis Xiaorou!"
Now, Yi Yun was used to calling her Sister. From his conversation with Jiang Xiaorou yesterday, Yi Yun knew that he used to call her "Sis Xiaorou".
"Oh … Sis Xiaorou, why are you …"
Yi Yun was stunned. He saw that Jiang Xiaorou's clothes were stained with dew, and her watery eyes were now bloodshot. She looked extremely tired.
Looking at the two bundles of arrows in Jiang Xiaorou's arms, Yi Yun could tell that Jiang Xiaorou had not slept the entire night. She had been rushing to make the arrows!
Her family was poor and they could not afford to light an oil lamp. Jiang Xiaorou had to rely on a Worm Attracting Grass to make the arrows from the fireflies and the moonlight. It was obvious how damaging it was to the body to make arrows under such harsh conditions.
Jiang Xiaorou smiled, "Yun-er, I've been taking care of you ever since you fell. I was busy with your burial and paying my respects, so I didn't have time to make the arrows. Today is the day to exchange rations. If I don't make more, the two of us won't be able to eat. I still need to stew desolate beast meat for you to nourish your body!"
Saying that, Jiang Xiaorou touched Yi Yun's head lovingly.
Yi Yun's expression turned gloomy. He did not know what to say. He watched Jiang Xiaorou carefully wrap the two bundles of arrows with a piece of oilcloth. Her eyes were filled with joy and satisfaction.
Yi Yun exhaled heavily. He clenched his fists and secretly made up his mind that no matter what, he would let this sister who cared for him live a good life.
"Let's go, let's exchange rations!"
Jiang Xiaorou pulled Yi Yun along with the two bundles of heavy arrows. Filled with anticipation, she came to the grain-sunning ground where the rations were exchanged.
There were already quite a number of people gathered here.
The most eye-catching person was a man in a brocade robe on a high platform.
He looked to be about twenty-four or twenty-five years old. He sat in a wide animal skin chair with a well-made sword hanging from his waist.
At this moment, the man in the brocade robe was lazily looking at the busy people suffering under him.
These people were moving bundles of arrows and pieces of well-made leather armor. Every time an item was moved, a person who looked like an advisor would record it down.
And beside the man in the brocade robe stood a well-dressed elder in a yellow shirt. His face was full of smiles and his face was full of flattery.
"Lord Tao, are you satisfied with the weapons and armor this time?"
The elder bowed as the wrinkles on his face squeezed together.
The man in the brocade robe glanced at the elder and snorted, which was considered an answer.
Although the man in the brocade robe was arrogant, the elder did not dare to show any signs of dissatisfaction. He was still full of smiles.
Mister Tao was the emissary of a large tribe, responsible for collecting weapons. Although Mister Tao didn't have much of a background in his tribe, otherwise he wouldn't have been sent to run errands like this. But to the yellow-robed old man, he was a big shot.
Jiang Xiaorou also handed over the two bundles of arrows she had made in exchange for two small wooden tokens.
Holding the two wooden tokens, Jiang Xiaorou blushed and clenched her hands tightly. Her palms were slightly sweaty. These wooden tokens were her and her brother's rations.
After a quarter of an hour, all the weapons and soft armors were loaded onto the cart. Two horses with horns on their heads pulled the cart away.
Lord Tao lazily glanced at the account book and got someone to move a large wooden box from the cart. He threw it in front of the yellow-shirted elder and left with his entourage.
The yellow-shirted elder was full of smiles as he respectfully sent Lord Tao off. Only then did he stand up. The smile on his face disappeared and was replaced with a dignified look.
The people of the tribe were already looking forward to it. "Patriarch, quickly distribute the food."
"Right, we have not seen meat in months!"
A few teenagers began to shout. They were all waiting to receive the food and meat to fill their stomachs.
"Quiet down!" The yellow-shirted elder gestured for everyone to quiet down. Yi Yun never expected that this seemingly spineless old man was the Patriarch of the tribe.
"Since everyone is so anxious, let's distribute the food first!"
As soon as he finished speaking, a few strong men impatiently walked forward and drove the oxcart to pull out the grain from the storehouse. The sacks of grain quickly piled up into a small pile.
"That's not right, Patriarch. Why is there so little food this time!?"
"That's right, there's usually more than this! And why can't I see any beast meat? "
Many people began to clamor. They had handed over more weapons than usual, but the amount they received was pathetic. Not only was more than half of the food gone, even the long-awaited beast meat was gone.
"The Fire Cloud tribe is going too far. They want to send us away with this little bit of food?"
"Patriarch, what's going on!?"
Seeing the clamor getting louder, the yellow-shirted elder coldly said, "All of you shut up! I will explain this matter in a while. Now, distribute the food! Hand over your wooden token and you will receive as much food as you want! "
As the yellow-shirted elder spoke, a faint aura emanated from him, causing many of the disgruntled people to shut up.
This yellow-shirted elder was a warrior.
Although he was a low-level Mortal Blood warrior, he was a solid pillar of the tribe. Very few people dared to defy him.
"Warriors of the warrior preparation camp, first receive your rations!"
As the yellow-shirted elder spoke, he waved his hand. A group of men dressed in animal hides came forward. The youngest among them was fifteen or sixteen years old, while the older ones were in their thirties or forties. Without exception, they were all strong and muscular. It was obvious that they were trained.
These people were the members of the warrior preparation camp. They were also the hope of the tribe. The warriors in the warrior preparation camp were chosen from youths with good physiques. They were trained from a young age. Other than occasionally hunting, they did not farm, nor did they engage in production activities such as making arrows or armor.
However, the tribe would prioritize the good meat and food for the warrior preparation camp. This was because once there was a high-ranking warrior, it would be a great fortune for the tribe.
Ignoring the protection that high-ranking warriors provided to the tribe, just their production ability was enough for a high-ranking warrior to enter the wilderness alone to hunt. Once they hunted a few large beasts, it would be enough to feed the entire tribe for a few days!
It was not an exaggeration to say that a high-ranking warrior could feed a small tribe!
There were a few dozen people in the warrior preparation camp. They did not engage in production, so naturally they did not have a wooden token. But each of them carried a large bag of rations.
The already small bag of rations had been reduced by a fifth, and the number of people who did not receive any rations was ten times that of the warrior preparation camp.
As such, many people were destined to starve.
Beside Yi Yun, Jiang Xiaorou clenched the wooden token in her hand. Her face was pale. If they did not receive any rations, how were they going to survive?
The tribe was silent. The amount of rations the members of the warrior preparation camp received was not much less than before. If this went on, there would not be enough to go around.
"Those with first-class males, come forward to receive your rations!"
The yellow-shirted elder gave his orders once again. In this world, strength was life. Other than the warrior preparation camp, the other men were also divided into different grades.
The simple test was to compare strength. A man who could lift a 150 pound rock weight was a first-class male!
Further down, the lighter the rock weight, the lower the grade.
The families with first-rate males heaved a sigh of relief and hurriedly went forward to receive their rations. At this time, the wooden token was only a reference. The rations these families received were a lot less than usual, but they still received it.
These families were originally wealthier, and usually had surplus rations. Although their lives were a little tight, it was not to the extent that they could not survive.
"Those with second-class males, come forward to receive your rations!"
The yellow-shirted elder spoke again. Compared to the servile attitude he had towards "Young Master Tao", the cold and resolute yellow-shirted elder was like a different person.
Second-class males could lift a 250 pound rock weight. The rations they received were much less.
The number of bags of rations decreased rapidly. With every bag gone, Jiang Xiaorou's face turned paler. She clenched the wooden token in her hand tightly. Her palms were covered in cold sweat.
This was not a matter of losing a few bags of rations. This was a matter of life and death. Without rations, they would starve to death!
She had high hopes for this distribution of rations. Not only did she want to receive rations, she also wanted to receive a piece of beast meat to stew for Yi Yun. But now, even ordinary rations were gone.
"Those with third-class males, come forward to receive your rations!"
As the rations decreased, Jiang Xiaorou held her breath.
The yellow-shirted elder also frowned. The rations were too lacking. Many people could not receive it. In the next few months, many people were destined to starve to death.
But for the tribe's interests, to fight for the chance of a carp leaping over the dragon's gate, the yellow-shirted elder could only harden his heart and sacrifice the weak.
In the tribe, it was common for people to die of starvation or illness. The harsh living conditions made the average lifespan of the people here extremely short.
"The rest of you, come forward to receive your rations."
Just as the yellow-shirted elder finished his words, a group of people began to scramble. Jiang Xiaorou screamed and was pushed to the ground by the surging crowd.
Her body was bruised from the fall, but she still clenched the wooden token in her hand tightly. It was as if the wooden token was her sustenance, bringing her hope.
"Sis Xiaorou."
Seeing Jiang Xiaorou helplessly fall to the ground, Yi Yun, who did not know where he got the strength, squeezed through the crowd and pulled Jiang Xiaorou up.
"Sis Xiaorou, are you alright?"
Yi Yun was nervous. If she fell and got trampled in the crowd, she would die.
Jiang Xiaorou held Yi Yun's hand, feeling helpless …
"What are you squeezing for? Behave yourselves!"
The yellow-shirted elder roared. His voice seemed to be infused with some sort of energy, causing the swarming crowd to quieten down.
"Line up, one at a time!"
The yellow-shirted elder's voice was stern. No one present dared to disobey him. After all, he had absolute strength and was in charge of the tribe's rules. If anyone disobeyed his orders, it was not impossible for him to kill them on the spot.
People began to line up to receive their rations. Even though the rations given to each family were pitifully small, there were many people after all. In a short while, the rations were all collected.
Jiang Xiaorou's heart sank. Without rations, they would not be able to last.
"Wang Long, bring a few people to take out the surplus rations from the tribe's storage." The yellow-shirted elder said to a brawny man beside him.
This brawny man named Wang Long was the yellow-shirted elder's servant.
"Yes, Patriarch."
Wang Long strode away. Soon, he pushed a small cart over and pulled down a few bags of rations. These rations were the tribe's stored rations, but they were all coarse rations.
On Earth, eating coarse rations meant having a variety of vitamins and health.
But in this alternate world, it was completely different.
Coarse rations were the leftovers from the last grinding of the grains. They were mixed with wheat bran. Food made from coarse rations had a bitter taste, making it difficult to swallow.
Besides, coarse rations meant low calories. Not only was it difficult to digest, it also provided little energy. One catty of coarse rations was equivalent to eating two catties of coarse rations.
Although it was coarse rations, it was better than nothing. The people had no choice but to accept their fate and collect their rations. Everyone received very little rations. Jiang Xiaorou was originally last in line, so when it was her turn, there was not much rations left.
She handed over two wooden tokens that were soaked in sweat, but all she received was a bag of rations the size of two palms. Even if she and Yi Yun ate wheat bran porridge every day, it would only last for ten days.
Jiang Xiaorou was completely stunned. Holding the light bag of rations in her hands, she could not accept this outcome.
Her brother had just come back to life, were they going to starve to death together?
"What are you still doing here? Don't block the way!"
The man in charge of distributing the rations said impatiently. He wanted Jiang Xiaorou to leave quickly.
Jiang Xiaorou was furious. She had worked hard all night to make arrows, only to receive such a small amount of rations. Although she was a weak woman, she gritted her teeth at this moment. She faced the group of brawny men who represented the tribe's authority.
"Why is it so little? I handed over two bundles of arrows, but not only did I not receive any refined rations, even the coarse rations are less than 10% of the usual amount!"
The man in charge of distributing the rations was stunned. He did not expect the girl in front of him to have the courage to question him.
"Don't you know the rules!? You're just a child, and a little girl at that. You don't even have a male in your family, so what's the point of having so much rations? It's a waste to eat too much! "
In this world, small tribes valued males over females.
In large tribes, there were all sorts of desolate beast meat and even desolate bone essence. The small difference in physique between males and females was nothing. Female experts were no less than male experts.
However, in a small tribe, the innate physical advantage of males over females was an insurmountable gap. Very few females could compete with males in terms of physical strength.
Being discriminated against, Jiang Xiaorou was even angrier, "Who said my family doesn't have a male!? I, Jiang Xiaorou, also have a male in my family! "
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