Chapter 245: Honey Trap

After Sora handed the letter to the marmot and watched it disappear with the message, she turned her attention toward the Females cooking in the Plaza.

Her eyes swept across the familiar faces.

But one person was missing.

Red Frost wasn’t there.

Sora’s eyes narrowed slightly.

Ever since she had developed a strange feeling about Red Frost yesterday, she had been paying closer attention to her movements.

She turned toward Clare.

“Where did Red Frost go?”

Clare continued what she was doing and casually answered,

“Mark brought her over this morning to ask for some salt. After that, they left together. They said they were going to make some Rena Chicken to eat.”

“Rena Chicken?”

Sora paused.

She had never heard of such a dish.

It was probably a recipe that Red Frost had brought from her Tribe.

However, Sora wasn’t particularly interested in the dish itself.

The important thing was that Red Frost and Mark had left together.

That meant Red Frost was now spending even more time around Mark.

Sora’s suspicion deepened slightly.

Still, she didn’t say anything.

Instead, she turned around and went to find Martin.

Yesterday, she had been too occupied discussing the salt situation with Martin and had completely forgotten to mention the rice.

Since she had already decided to distribute the rice throughout the Tribes, she had no choice but to make another trip.

When Sora found Martin, she went straight to the point.

“Father, I found some food that can be eaten as a staple. How do you think we should distribute it to the Tribe?”

Martin looked at her curiously.

“Food? What is it?”

Sora handed him the Animal Skin Pouch she had prepared beforehand.

The pouch was filled with rice.

“It’s rice. I found it recently. If the people in the Tribe eat this, they won’t have to rely entirely on hunting anymore.”

Martin took the pouch.

When he opened it and saw the tiny white grains inside, his expression became curious.

He picked up a handful and stared at it for a long time.

“These tiny things can actually fill a stomach?”

Sora nodded.

“Of course. It’s like the potatoes and cassavas I brought for everyone before. It can be eaten as a staple food.”

Martin fell silent.

He had long since become accustomed to Sora bringing strange things back to the Tribe.

Whenever she discovered something they had never eaten before, she somehow managed to turn it into something delicious.

Therefore, although he was initially skeptical about the tiny grains, he trusted her judgment.

He carefully returned the rice to the Animal Skin Pouch.

“Do you plan to distribute all of this to everyone?”

“Yes.”

Sora nodded.

“Some will go to the Wolf Tribe, and some should also be distributed among the dragons. I’m just not sure how to divide it fairly among so many people.”

Martin had been a leader for many years.

He immediately understood the problem.

“That is easy to handle.”

He thought for a moment before continuing.

“Distribute it according to the population. Each household receives an amount based on the number of people living there.”

He looked at Sora.

“You aren’t very familiar with the situation inside the Wolf Tribe, so when the time comes, I’ll help you distribute it.”

Sora’s eyes brightened.

That was exactly what she had wanted.

She had come to Martin specifically because she wanted the distribution to be fair.

Although she was now the Leader of the dragons, she couldn’t neglect the Wolf Tribe.

The two Tribes were connected.

If she wanted them to coexist peacefully, she had to treat everyone fairly.

She nodded.

“Alright.”

As for the Dragon Tribe, she planned to leave the distribution to Drake.

He was much more familiar with the Tribe’s population and households.

He would certainly handle it better than she could.

Sora finished explaining the matter and turned to leave.

But before she could take more than a few steps, Martin called after her.

“Wait a moment.”

Sora turned around.

Martin pointed toward the crude map on the table.

“Help your Father see where it would be best for us to Purify Salt for the second batch.”

“The salt in the Tribe is almost finished. It’s time for us to purify salt again.”

Sora walked over.

On a wooden table nearby was a rough map Martin had created using sand.

Several small mounds of dirt had been piled together to represent mountains, valleys, and other geographical features.

From a distance, it looked like a simple topographical map.

Sora studied it carefully.

After a moment, one place caught her attention.

“How about Dead Valley?”

She pointed toward the location.

“There aren’t many people there, and it’s close to the Salt Well Cave, so transporting the salt would be more convenient.”

Dead Valley was shaped somewhat like a sheep’s kidney.

There was only one passage leading in and out of the valley.

The ground at the bottom was relatively flat, making it suitable for salt purification.

More importantly, the terrain was easy to defend and difficult to attack.

For their current needs, it was an excellent location.

Martin nodded.

“That place is indeed suitable.”

Sora continued,

“But which people should we send for the salt purification this time?”

“The experienced ones, naturally.”

Martin thought about it.

“The few people who went with you last time can all go again.”

Sora’s expression became slightly serious.

“If so many people go out together, it will easily attract someone else’s attention.”

Martin looked at her.

“Someone else?”

Then he suddenly smiled.

“Are you talking about that kid Nick Wilde?”

Sora’s lips twitched.

Martin waved his hand dismissively.

“He’s no trouble. I know him. He won’t say anything.”

Then, with the pride of a Father talking about his daughter, Martin added,

“Besides, hasn’t he taken a liking to you? He’s even less likely to betray us.”

Sora stared at him.

“…”

She hadn’t expected Martin to be such a gossip.

She silently looked at him for a moment.

Martin eventually realized that he had gone too far and cleared his throat.

Sora finally said,

“Father, I’m not talking about him.”

Martin frowned.

“Then who?”

Sora’s eyes darkened.

“Another person.”

“Another person? Who?”

Before she could answer, the scene shifted elsewhere.

—

“Red Frost, here’s the Wild Chicken you wanted.”

Mark happily handed over the captured Wild Chicken.

Red Frost took it from him with a gentle smile.

“Thank you, Brother Mark.”

She paused before adding,

“Sorry to trouble you, but could you dig up some soil for me?”

“Dig soil?”

Mark looked confused.

“What do you want soil for?”

Red Frost smiled confidently.

“This dish of Rena’s Chicken needs soil to be made.”

Seeing Mark’s confused expression, she added,

“Does that sound strange? But I guarantee that once it’s finished, it will be the most delicious chicken meat you’ve ever eaten.”

It wasn’t actually that strange.

After all, Sora had cooked chicken using a similar method before.

Therefore, Mark didn’t feel particularly surprised.

Seeing how happily Red Frost was preparing the food, he swallowed the words that had almost escaped his mouth.

Perhaps the chicken prepared by her Mother really was different.

He nodded.

“Then I’ll go get the soil.”

Not long afterward, Mark returned with the soil.

By then, Red Frost had already begun rubbing salt onto the chicken.

When she had helped with cooking at the Plaza before, Clare hadn’t allowed her to touch things like salt.

Therefore, Red Frost hadn’t had a chance to see what the Wolf Tribe’s salt looked like.

But now, when Mark brought the salt over, her eyes widened slightly.

The Wolf Tribe’s salt was snowy white and extremely fine.

It was actually even better than the salt she had seen in the City-State.

Serena had already told her that the Wolf Tribe possessed a Salt Well.

But Red Frost had always assumed that the salt they purified wouldn’t be particularly good.

Now that she had seen it herself, she couldn’t help sucking in a breath.

The Wolf Tribe was not inferior to the Black Pig Tribe.

In some aspects, they were actually better.

Her gaze shifted toward the pottery scattered throughout the Tribe.

The pottery was everywhere.

And unlike the pottery Serena had described, these pieces were not crude or easily cracked.

Red Frost’s eyes flickered.

There were clearly many secrets in this Tribe.

She would have to investigate them carefully.

Just then, Mark returned.

Red Frost deliberately knocked over the salt bag.

More than half of the salt spilled onto the ground.

She immediately crouched down and began gathering it.

” Mark, I’m so sorry!”

Her expression became filled with guilt.

“I spilled so much precious salt.”

Mark looked down at the spilled salt.

Then he shook his head.

“It’s okay. We still have plenty of salt.”

“But this salt is so precious.”

Red Frost lowered her head.

“I feel terrible.”

“It’s fine. Our Tribe isn’t short of salt. If it spills, it spills.”

Red Frost looked up.

“But Mark, isn’t this bad? One has to hunt very hard to go to the City-State to exchange prey for salt.”

Mark casually replied, ℯ

“It’s okay. Our Tribe’s salt doesn’t need—”

His voice suddenly stopped.

He had almost said too much.

Red Frost immediately noticed.

She looked at him innocently.

“Doesn’t need what?”

Mark’s expression changed for a brief moment.

“Nothing.”

He quickly covered it up.

“I was just saying that there’s still quite a bit of salt in the Tribe, so don’t worry.”

Red Frost felt a little disappointed.

She had been only one step away from learning the secret.

But Mark had stopped himself.

It was clear that he still had some reservations about her.

She decided not to push further.

Instead, she returned her attention to the chicken.

After rubbing salt and seasonings over it, Red Frost wrapped the chicken in leaves.

Then she covered the entire thing with mud.

“Don’t mind that it looks dirty,” she said with a smile.

“It will be delicious once it’s cooked.”

Mark stared at the chicken.

His expression gradually became strange.

This method…

Why did it look exactly like Sora’s Beggars Chicken?

He couldn’t help asking,

“Red Frost, did your Mother teach you to make this chicken?”

Red Frost nodded immediately.

“Of course. It’s been passed down through my ancestors.”

Mark’s eyes flickered.

Could it be that Sora’s Adoptive Mother had learned this method from Red Frost’s Tribe?

If so…

Perhaps Sora wasn’t actually as extraordinary as he had thought.

The thought quietly settled in his mind.

After the two finished eating the chicken, they returned to the Tribe.

Not long after, Martin called Mark over.

Mark left Red Frost and went to meet him.

Once Mark had gone, Red Frost asked casually,

“Did the Leader want something from you?”

Mark nodded.

“Red Frost, I’m afraid I can’t accompany you for the next few days.”

He looked somewhat apologetic.

“Father told me to go out and handle some matters.”

Red Frost’s heart immediately skipped a beat.

Her fingers tightened slightly.

Was he going to the Salt Well?

Was this finally the opportunity she had been waiting for?

But none of those thoughts appeared on her face.

She maintained a calm expression and smiled gently.

“It’s okay.”

She looked at Mark affectionately.

“The Tribe’s matters are more important. I’ll wait for you to come back.”

After saying goodbye to Mark, Red Frost immediately returned to her hut.

The moment she was alone, she quickly took out a leaf.

She wrote a letter to Serena.

The contents were brief but enough to make Serena understand that Mark was about to leave the Tribe to handle an important matter.

Red Frost rolled the leaf into a cylinder and sent it away.

—

### Black Pig Tribe

Serena received Red Frost’s letter.

The moment she finished reading it, she burst into loud laughter.

“Hahaha!”

She couldn’t contain her excitement.

No matter how hard Martin tried to hide things, hadn’t he still fallen into her trap?

She had been right.

Red Frost’s approach had worked.

Mark trusted her.

And now, Mark was leaving the Tribe.

If they followed him, they might finally discover the location of the Salt Well.

Serena’s eyes gleamed with triumph.

She immediately turned toward Mat.

“Mat, Mambo, take a few more people with you tomorrow.”

Her smile became colder.

“Follow them and keep an eye on the Wolf Tribe.”

“Yes, Leader’s Wife.”

Mat and Mambo immediately obeyed.

Serena’s expression remained satisfied.

The Wolf Tribe had thought that its secrets were well protected.

But this time, they had underestimated her.

The Salt Well was within reach.

And all she had needed was a little honey.

A little patience.

And the right trap.

Red Frost had become the perfect bait.

And Mark…

Had already taken the bait.