Chapter 659 - 676: Conflict

Chapter 659: Chapter 676: Conflict

But in the end, he nodded heavily, his tone firm and resolute.

"Yes. My Elephant Clan is a Super Tribe with a long legacy, but this battle has left us severely weakened. We’re now at a point of life and death. If we don’t leave now... with only our remaining strength, I’m afraid... I won’t be able to protect the few clansmen we have left. This migration is for survival, to preserve the spark of our people."

"You are a good Clan Leader who truly thinks of his people."

Bai Wanwan said sincerely, trying to offer some comfort, "Please don’t worry. There’s always a way to solve things, and our current predicament is only temporary. As long as we stand united, we will surely overcome this hardship."

’I just hope the backlash that Fake Beast God suffered is severe enough that it’ll take him a very, very long time to recover.’

’That way, I’ll also have enough time to grow stronger and develop my own power.’

"Good. I came to tell you that we are willing to leave with you. I’m sorry for the trouble these past few days. You should get ready. We’ll be departing soon."

After seeing the Elephant Clan’s Clan Leader off, Bai Wanwan finally relaxed completely.

’We can finally leave.’

’The thought of that disgusting Fake Beast God being somewhere nearby made her feel completely unsafe.’

Three days passed in a flash, filled with tense preparations and suppressed sorrow.

On the morning of the fourth day, as the sky began to lighten, the survivors were assembled and ready to depart at what was left of the Elephant Clan’s entrance.

The procession formed a long line.

Leading the way at the very front were Bai Wanwan and her Beast Husbands, along with some of the Elephant Clan’s High Rank Males who were less seriously injured and had preserved most of their strength. They were responsible for scouting ahead and clearing any obstacles.

In the middle of the column were the relatively weaker males, all the females, and the tightly protected cubs. They were the future of the tribe.

Bringing up the rear was another group of High Rank Males led by the Elephant Clan Leader himself. Though only recently recovered from their injuries, their fighting spirit was high. They were tasked with securing the rear of the procession and guarding against any pursuers.

The vast procession moved in silence, leaving behind the once-prosperous, now-dilapidated territory of the Elephant Clan.

When they reached the border of their territory, the Elephant Clan Leader stopped for one last look back at the homeland where his people had lived for generations.

He gazed at the collapsed stone houses and the scorched earth, his eyes shimmering with tears as he let out a long, heavy sigh.

Buried there were his clansmen, his everything, and the former glory of his tribe.

But he quickly wiped his face, turned around to face his waiting clansmen and allies, and with all his might, let out a powerful, grief-stricken cry:

"Move out!"

With the order given, the massive migrating column, like a wounded but unyielding giant python, began to move slowly, taking a determined step toward an unknown but hopeful future.

Behind them lay ruins and the past; before them, survival and the future.

With all the Beastmen on edge, the migrating procession struggled onward through the rugged mountains and forests for several days. No pursuers appeared.

The sky, however, began to turn dark and humid. They knew the rainy season was fast approaching.

Finally, one afternoon, a fine drizzle began to fall. At first, it merely dampened their fur, but it soon turned into a dense curtain of rain that shrouded the entire forest.

The rain brought a bone-chilling cold and, with it, enormous trouble.

The path turned into a muddy mess, and every step was a struggle, sinking deep into the mire.

Over the next few days, the rain showed no signs of stopping. Instead, it grew denser and colder, like countless fine needles piercing through the thick foliage to prick every Beastman’s skin—and their already heavy hearts.

Worse still, the shadow of sickness spread rapidly in the damp and cold.

The faint coughs of the cubs and the pained groans of females suffering from high fevers spread through the procession like a plague.

The wounds of some of the injured began to swell and fester after being soaked in the filthy water, emitting a foul odor. Fever and weakness made it difficult for them to even stand steady.

The suppressed panic finally erupted.

"We can’t go on! My partner is burning up, and my cub is coughing up blood! They’ll die if we keep moving!"

An Elephant Clan male stood protectively in front of his trembling female and cub, who were huddled under a tree. He roared, his eyes bloodshot and his voice filled with despair.

"We have to go! This rain is only going to get heavier! Do you want to wait for the snow season to arrive and have us all freeze and starve to death here? Or would you rather wait for that damn Beast Army to catch up and slaughter us all?"

Another hot-tempered male retorted, looking anxiously at the gloomy sky as if he could already hear the hoofbeats of their pursuers.

"But moving now is suicide!"

"Stopping here is just waiting to die!"

The two opposing arguments clashed fiercely within the group, with neither side willing to back down.

Those who insisted on leaving immediately were mostly young, unmated males with minor injuries, while those demanding they stop to treat the sick were mostly males whose families were being tormented by illness.

Emotions ran high on both sides. They pushed and shoved, argued, and even bared their claws and fangs. The already low morale was on the verge of collapse, and the migrating group faced an unprecedented crisis of division.

Just then, a clear and steady voice cut through the cacophony of rain and arguments:

"Everyone, stop!"

Everyone turned toward the voice and saw Bai Wanwan walking over quickly, escorted by Chou Rong, Jin Yi, and Yin Ze.

She too was soaked through by the rain, and her face was pale from the continuous travel, but her eyes were astonishingly bright, radiating a calm and unquestionable authority.

She ignored the arguing factions at first, walking straight to the most seriously ill cubs and females. She crouched down, felt their foreheads, and then carefully examined the wounds of the injured.

"Holy Female Bai Wanwan... can you save them?" the Elephant Clan male who had been roaring earlier asked, his voice trembling as he looked at Bai Wanwan with a last glimmer of hope.

Bai Wanwan frowned. "I can only do my best."

’After all, she wasn’t a doctor. She could follow instructions to prescribe the right medicine, but as for whether it would actually cure them, she had little experience and couldn’t say for sure.’

A moment later, using her small bag for cover, she took out several small bottles and jars from within.

"Give one of these pills to everyone with a fever. Have them take it with clean water. For those with infected wounds, wash the area with this medicinal liquid, then sprinkle this white powder on it."

She gave the instructions quickly and clearly, handing the medicine to the trusted females and her Beast Husbands beside her to help distribute it.

Under the doubtful gazes of the crowd, the sick who took the pills and the injured whose wounds were treated didn’t heal instantly, but their pained moans noticeably subsided. The foreheads of the feverish cubs no longer seemed so scorching hot, and a cool, soothing sensation spread from the festering wounds.

The miraculous effects rekindled the hope in the eyes of the once-despairing Beastmen.

’Bai Wanwan hesitated. She had raincoats in her system, but she couldn’t possibly take them out in front of so many people.’