Chapter 104
The Kasanlai family finally decided to give their young son Katuli to someone else to raise. Although this meant that they would no longer have any relationship with each other, at least everyone could survive.
However, in this place, everyone's survival is not easy. When almost everyone is hungry every day, if there is one more mouth to feed, it is likely to be equivalent to cutting off the life of another person. Therefore, although the several families that Kasanlai knew sympathized with their family's situation, when it came to adopting little Katuli, everyone shook their heads with guilt and determination.
Kasanglai entrusted the farm work to a neighbor who had a good relationship with him. He ran around all day, visiting all the families he thought might adopt another boy, and finally persuaded one family to agree. But although the family had no son, they had three young daughters, and the hungry mouths almost ate the walls of the house. Therefore, they agreed to adopt Katuli on the condition that the boy's food rations would be borne by Kasanglai's family.
This was as it should be, and Kasanglai had originally made such preparations, but the amount the family asked for was far beyond the amount needed to raise a baby, and far beyond the maximum amount Kasanglai's family could afford. For this reason, Kasanglai argued with them for a long time, bean by bean, until the sun set, and finally determined how much food to send every month.
But when Kasan came to say goodbye to the family, after walking some distance along the narrow dirt road in the village, he looked back and saw the dilapidated straw house that looked shabby in the afterglow of the setting sun. He then thought of the family's cold, greedy, and petty expressions, and he hesitated again.
——Can they really raise his son well?
——Can the food he sent really go into Katuli’s stomach instead of being eaten up by the family themselves?
——If his son, who has no ability to protect himself, enters this family, would it really be a good thing for him?
Kasanlai had seen people cannibalizing each other when they were extremely hungry. Hunger would corrode people's reason, morality, and principles, and only the desire to survive would be stimulated to an infinite degree. At that time, weak children were often the most vulnerable.
Because of this hesitation, Kasanlai did not send his son to that family that night. There were two families that he thought he could trust, but their attitudes of rejection were not so firm, so he wanted to try again.
As a result, during the time he was hesitating, the wolf cavalry arrived.
When he saw the wolf cavalry holding the young body in its hands, the baby was covered in bruises, its thin limbs were waving weakly, and its intermittent crying was heartbreaking. The young man was furious and was about to rush forward, but a big hand grabbed his shoulder fiercely.
Qi Dan turned around suddenly and saw his father Qi Yang. The tall man's face was blue and purple, and his anger made his ten fingers almost dig into Qi Dan's flesh like hooks, but he just didn't move, like a silent rock.
"Father... shouldn't we do something?" Qidan asked tremblingly.
Qi Yang gave him a cold look, a look that made Qi Dan feel like a brainless wild boar.
In fact, he regretted it after he said it.
The physical fitness of the Moon Wolf Clan and humans is very different. Even without any weapons, a Moon Wolf Clan soldier can easily tear apart ten equally strong adult men with his claws. But now, they are facing an entire fully armed Moon Wolf Clan. Even if the entire village fights for their lives, it will be in vain.
[But...are we just going to just watch like this? ]
Qidan bit his lips unwillingly, and red blood dripped from between his fingers in his clenched fist.
The wolf cavalryman carrying the baby twitched his nose slightly, and glanced at Qidan and his son indifferently. Qidan hurriedly lowered his head and pretended to be respectful, but he did not notice that his father kept his head raised and looked at the wolf cavalryman with cold eyes.
Afterwards, the first person to turn his head was the wolf cavalryman.
Two ragged farmers came over carrying a large clay pot, and many people immediately cast murderous eyes on them. They lowered their heads, looked evasive, and even the way they walked looked very wretched. Soon, the two carried the clay pot in front of the wolf cavalry, and stood aside respectfully under the villagers' scornful and hateful gazes, not daring to look at anyone.
The two were brothers Gotomo, who had always been servile and fawning on the Moon Wolf Tribe. Every year when it was time to collect taxes, they would take the initiative to go to the Moon Wolf Tribe's people, not only serving them attentively, but also reporting some of the information they had collected in private - such as which family had secretly hidden food, which family's children were of age but still didn't go to work, which family had injured the oxen bestowed by the higher-ups, etc.
Those who were reported by them would not only lose a small amount of food, but also be whipped to death by the wolf riders. In return, the two brothers were favored by the Moon Wolf Tribe. Not only did they transfer the tax burden they should pay to other people, but they would also occasionally give them some precious things, such as black bread, dried meat, or new farm tools. Therefore, their lives were much better than most people, and they were two of the few people in the village who could eat enough.
If the people in the village were filled with hatred and fear towards the Moon Wolf Tribe, they hated them with gnashing teeth. Although no one dared to do anything to them because of the Moon Wolf Tribe's protection, no one talked to or interacted with them, and they were in a state of absolute isolation.
Once, Da Gotomo accidentally rolled down the hillside and broke his leg. He cried out for help in pain. There were at least dozens of people coming and going around him, and there were two families weeding in the fields on the slope not far away, but everyone walked past him indifferently , as if they didn't see him or hear his shouts. Except for a few children who looked at him curiously, everyone else acted as if he didn't exist at all.
Until the elder Gotomo shouted himself hoarse, and until the younger Gotomo came looking for him in the evening, no one offered him a helping hand.
The attitude of the villagers that day made the two brothers feel a deep fear. Even the protection of the Moon Wolf Tribe could not bring them much sense of security. Since then, the Gotomo brothers, who originally liked to bully others , have restrained themselves a lot, but it was too late. At this time, they were no longer tolerated in the village, and they dared not disobey the orders of the Moon Wolf Tribe.
These days, the Wolf Riders have received news that the people in this small village have taken in a stranger of unknown origin, but several searches have yielded no results, and they cannot kill everyone. After all, they still need these humans to reclaim wasteland and grow food.
After several fruitless efforts, the wolf riders were anxious and angry and decided to teach these rude and untouchable people a lesson. Just as they discovered that Kassanlai's family had dared to violate the laws set by the royal family and gave birth to an extra son, they decided to use this as an excuse to attack and let humans know in fear that the dignity of the Moon Wolf Clan is sacred and inviolable.
Therefore, the wolf riders turned a problem that could have been solved with a single sword into a public execution.
The object was a three-day-old baby.
The earthenware jar carried by the Gotomo brothers was as high as an adult's knee. The bottom of the jar was covered with a palm-thick layer of charcoal. The wisps of green smoke rising from it made everyone shudder.
Kasanlai roared like a wild beast in his throat and struggled desperately. His shoulder was dislocated with two cracks.
Aunt Kasanlai screamed shrilly, and somehow she found the strength to throw herself forward;
Kagto and Kalumbi were beaten to death by the wolf riders' whips, but they still tried to crawl towards their brother.
The wolf cavalryman glanced at everyone indifferently, raised a cruel arc at the corner of his mouth, and let go of his hand.
The little body fell straight towards the clay pot filled with charcoal, and the sobbing sound suddenly became louder. Perhaps it was born with a strong desire to survive, the baby's hands, which were thinner than chicken claws, miraculously grabbed the edge of the clay pot! The little body hung on it, as if it would fall off if the wind blew.
"oh?"
The wolf cavalryman raised his eyebrows in surprise, but did not hesitate. He pulled out the dagger tied to his thigh, and with a flash of cold light, he chopped towards the little hands!
"bite!"
His knife hit the edge of the clay jar , and a crack immediately appeared on the poor quality jar.
The baby had fallen out.
He grabbed the clay pot by accident, and his little hands did not have the strength to support his body.
At this moment, countless people screamed.
But the expected tragic crying did not appear.
At that moment, Qi Yang rushed forward and knocked over the clay pot, holding the child tightly in his arms and rolling on the ground twice before stopping. The hot charcoal was scattered all over the ground, and the man's back was full of burn marks, but he didn't say a word and stood up holding the child.
Qiyang had also raised two children, so he was very skilled at holding a child, which was at least much more comfortable than the wolf cavalry holding with one hand. Katuli was also a good-tempered child, and he howled twice before stopping, smacking his lips as if he wanted to drink milk.
Qidan opened his mouth wide. He didn't expect his father to stop him, but he rushed forward instead.
The wolf cavalryman saw the man standing in front of him, his eyes flickered, and he said slowly: "Qi Yang."
Seeing that someone actually dared to resist, the wolf cavalrymen who were watching the show with their arms folded changed their expressions. They immediately took a few steps forward and were about to surround them, but then they paused.
Because they saw seven or eight more human males standing up, forming a potential confrontation.
Immediately afterwards, another dozen people stood up, as if they wanted to surround the wolf cavalry.
The wolf riders' faces changed, not because they were afraid of these unarmed farmers, but because they felt that the dignity and status of the Moon Wolf Clan was challenged. Their eyes were suddenly filled with murderous intent.
The leading wolf cavalryman put his hand on his long sword and said coldly: "Qiyang, hand the little thing over to me, and I can forgive you for your offense this time."
Qiyang shook his head and said nothing. He was not a talkative person. He just held the child in one hand and reached behind him with the other hand to pull out the sickle stuck in his waist and hold it in his hand.
There was a coldness in the wolf rider's green eyes!
