Siheyuan: tomb robbing? I am serious about hunting.

Chapter 1152 So

Shi was quite old and usually needed assistance to walk, but today, he walked steadily, his expression more serious than usual. He walked to the center of the riverbed, stood beside the trickle, and gazed upstream, his brow furrowed in a knot. He remained silent for a long time. Several elders from the tribe followed him, gathered around Shi, and whispered. "Chief, why did the river suddenly dry up? Did something happen upstream?" asked Old Tian, ​​who managed the tribe's farmland. His biggest concern was the corn in the fields, the tribe's main grain for the rest of the year. Shi shook his head, his voice low, "Normal years at this time, even in the most drought, the river wouldn't be this low. I just asked a few people who got up early to go upstream to collect firewood, and they said the water level upstream is much lower than usual. I suspect..." He paused, but everyone understood his meaning—it must be the Blackwood Tribe's doing. "I'll go check it out!" A resounding voice echoed, and the crowd parted again, and Lie emerged. Lie was Ayan's father and the tribe's most formidable hunter. He was tall and broad-shouldered, his face, though adorned with a few light scars, only adding to his majestic presence. He carried his well-worn crossbow on his back, a sharp stone axe at his waist, and looked at Shi with a determined gaze: "Chief, I'm going to see what's going on upstream. Are the Blackwood Tribe blocking the water?!" Shi looked at Lie and nodded. "Okay, you go and see. Be careful along the way. If you do encounter Blackwood Tribe members, don't fight them head-on. Return and report first." "Dad, I'll go with you!" Ayan immediately raised his hand, his eyes filled with determination. He knew the water upstream might be dangerous, but he didn't want his father to go alone. He also wanted to see for himself whether it was the Blackwood Tribe that was causing the trouble. Lie glanced at Ayan and hesitated. He knew that while Ayan was brave, he hadn't yet officially become a warrior of the tribe. He was concerned for his safety, as he knew the dangers upstream might be. But seeing Ah Yan's determined eyes, Lie was reminded of his own youth, fearless and always eager to contribute to the tribe. He finally nodded, "Okay, you come with me. Take your stone axe, and stay close to me on the way. Don't run around." Ah Yan happily agreed, hurried back to the tent, grabbed a water pouch and some dried wild fruits, checked the stone axe at his waist, and after confirming it was in good condition, he followed Lie upstream. As they walked upstream, the scenery on both sides of the riverbed grew increasingly desolate. In the past, the riverbed was covered with lush grass and wildflowers, with the occasional rabbit hopping in the brush. The willow trees along the riverbank were always filled with birds. But now, the grass had withered and the wildflowers had faded, leaving only bare earth, with not even a single bird to be seen. The soil along the riverbed was drying out, falling away underfoot, and the cracks were widening, making walking difficult. "Dad, look here." Ah Yan suddenly stopped and pointed to a spot near the riverbed. Lie walked over and looked in the direction Ah Yan pointed. He saw a few shallow footprints in the mud, and next to them were scattered bits of black moss—the same moss that had formed around the footprints of the Blackwood tribe members he had seen in the hunting area last time. "It looks like someone from the Blackwood tribe has really been here." Lie's eyes grew serious, and he tightened his grip on the stone axe at his waist. "Let's hurry up and be careful." Ah Yan nodded and followed Lie, quickening his pace. He kept a vigilant eye on the surroundings, fearing that someone from the Blackwood tribe might suddenly burst out from the nearby woods. After walking for about half an hour, the two reached a bend. Lie suddenly stopped, motioned Ah Yan to be quiet, and pointed ahead. Ah Yan looked in the direction Lie pointed and saw a large pile of stones and branches piled on the riverbed not far ahead. The stones were large and round, clearly moved here by someone. The branches were fresh and still had leaves on them. These rocks and branches completely blocked the remaining water flow. Only a small amount of water seeped through the cracks in the rocks, forming a thin stream that flowed downstream. Next to the rocks and branches, several black wooden sticks were inserted. Each stick hung a black wooden board with a fang pattern carved on it—the totem of the Blackwood Tribe! "It's them!" Ah Yan was shaking with anger. He clenched his stone axe and rushed to tear down the rocks. "These Blackwood Tribe members have gone too far. They've actually blocked the water. Let's tear down these rocks now and let the water flow!" Lie grabbed Ah Yan and said in a low voice, "Don't be impulsive. Look around. It's so quiet. There must be Blackwood Tribe members guarding here. They're just trying to lure us in. We're outnumbered now. If we confront them head-on, we'll definitely suffer. Let's go back and report it. Let the tribe leader bring more people, and then we can find a way to clear the water." Although Ah Yan was furious, he knew Lie was right. He looked at the rocks and branches blocking the water, then at the Blackwood tribe's totem hanging nearby. His anger grew, but he suppressed it and nodded, "Okay, let's go back and report." The two quietly retreated, retracing the way they had come. As they walked, Ah Yan couldn't stop thinking about how heartless the Blackwood tribe were. They had blocked the water just to compete for it. If the tribe had no water, who knew how many would die. He vowed to himself that he would return with the tribe leader and more people. They would definitely remove the rocks, let the water flow back into the tribe, and make the Blackwood tribe pay the price. After walking for about an hour, the two finally saw the edge of the tribe. From a distance, they saw Chief Shi and a group of people standing at the tribe gate, obviously waiting for them to return. Seeing Lie and A Yan, Shi immediately walked over: "What's the matter? What happened upstream? Was it the work of the people from the Black Wood Tribe?" Lie nodded and told Shi everything he saw upstream: "Chief, it was indeed the work of the people from the Black Wood Tribe. They piled a lot of stones and branches on the riverbed upstream, blocking the water flow tightly, and even inserted their tribal totem. They must have done it on purpose, trying to cut off our water source." Shi's face turned ashen in an instant. He clenched the stone staff in his hand until his knuckles turned white: "Black Ya is trying to kill us! Without water, we won't last more than ten days. The people in the tribe will die of thirst, and the corn in the fields will wither. Then the whole tribe will be finished!"