Chapter 61: Decision Made, Loki’s Suggestion

Chapter 61: Chapter 61: Decision Made, Loki’s Suggestion

The rain outside the stone house had lightened a bit, but it continued to fall incessantly. Inside, everyone looked at each other in dismay, all facing the same dilemma.

Should they trade their territory for medicine, or trade their young females? Both were absolutely indispensable to their clan.

"I suggest trading the young females," one elder proposed. "We can only hunt on our own territory. Less territory means less prey, and with less food, our people will starve. If everyone is starving, how can anyone be willing to have cubs?"

For a moment, several elders chimed in with their agreement. "I think that works." "I support this as well." "Without our territory, we won’t have a place to survive. When that happens, won’t we just be at the mercy of others?"

"No, I do not agree to trade the young females for medicine." Just as Soro was considering whether to agree with the previous elders, a voice of opposition rose from the crowd. "The young females are the foundation of the tribe! Relying on them is the only way to reproduce. Without them, how can our tribe gain fresh blood? How can we grow? If the tribe cannot grow, it won’t matter how vast our land is. Without clansmen to protect it, our territory will still be invaded."

The middle-aged elder paused for a moment before adding, "I think we should use territory to trade. If we lose territory, we can always fight to get it back. But if we lose our young females, the hope of our tribe is gone."

What this elder said made perfect sense. Suddenly, the elders in the room were divided into two factions. One supported ceding territory, while the other supported sending young females to the Golden Dragon Clan. The two sides argued relentlessly, nearly coming to blows over the dispute. Fortunately, Soro was present, so they didn’t dare to act rashly.

"What do you know? Territory is definitely more important than the females! We fought hard for our lands. Without it, where will we live?"

"And what about the females? They are crucial for our descendants! Are we going to give up the future of our tribe for a piece of dead land?"

The elders argued until they were red in the face, yet they still couldn’t reach a conclusion.

"Enough!" An elder stepped forward, shouting loudly, "We can’t lose this, we can’t lose that—then what exactly are we going to trade for the medicine? Are we really going to watch our clansmen die right in front of our eyes?"

His voice calmed several elders, and the sound of arguing gradually died down. The elder then turned his gaze to Soro. "Clan Leader, what do you think?"

Everything they said could only be considered suggestions; the final decision still rested with Soro. If Soro disagreed, everything they had just said would be in vain. For a moment, everyone’s eyes followed the elder and landed on Soro, waiting for him to make a choice.

"Well..." Facing the crowd’s gaze, Soro felt uncertain. After all, he didn’t want to lose either. Feeling helpless, he turned his attention to Loki. "What do you think we should do?"

He was getting old, and the future of the tribe would sooner or later have to be handed over to the younger generation. He could use this opportunity to test Loki’s decision-making abilities.

After thinking for a moment, Loki offered his suggestion. "We can send the severely ill young females to the Golden Dragon Clan. If they stay in the tribe, they might not survive anyway. The territory of our Snow Wolf Clan absolutely cannot be divided."

"Wouldn’t that be too cruel?" An elder couldn’t bear the thought. No matter what, these young females were members of the tribe. To send them away when their lives were in danger—wasn’t that a bit merciless?

"Is this really the time to worry about that? Sending them away allows them to contribute to the Snow Wolf Clan; they should feel honored. The tribe has provided for them for so long, and it’s time they did their part for the tribe in return."

The other elders in the clan saw things clearly. Trading a few sicklings for the long-term prosperity of the Snow Wolf Clan was only natural.

The elder who had spoken up for the young females fell instantly silent. Judging by the current situation, Loki’s opinion had gained the approval of the majority. Even if he argued further, he wouldn’t gain their support, so he simply shrank back into the corner without another word.

"All the elders here know that both our territory and our young females are indispensable to the clan," Loki continued.

"However, we are not abandoning them. If our clan’s strength grows in the future, we can always negotiate with the Golden Dragon Clan to bring them back. It’s just for now, they’ll have to suffer a bit.

"You all know that my young female cub, Amy, has had a high fever for days. I’ve already left her with the Golden Dragon Clan. The rest is up to you."

By using his own cub, Amy, as an example, Loki took the lead. The crowd immediately supported his idea, and Soro’s gaze toward him filled with appreciation. He was truly his son—ruthless enough to get things done.

"It’s settled then. I’ll leave the follow-up matters to you." Soro placed the responsibility entirely on Loki. He had high hopes for this son of his.

"Yes, Father," Loki replied, his heart surging with excitement. If he successfully brought the medicine back to the tribe, he would undoubtedly earn his father’s favor. When that time came, the position of Clan Leader would definitely be his.

The meeting ended.

Loki returned to his own stone house. The moment he walked through the door, he saw Miche pacing back and forth by the table. Seeing him enter, Miche hurriedly went to greet him. Her face was written with anxiety as she asked, "How did it go, Loki? Did you get the medicine?"

Loki shook his head.

Miche’s legs gave out, and she collapsed straight toward the ground. Fortunately, Loki was quick. He caught her in time, preventing her from hitting the floor.

"Then what about my brother?" Miche’s expression twisted in pain, her lips murmuring as she struggled to accept Loki’s answer.

Loki’s eyes filled with heartache. Applying a little force, he pulled Miche into his embrace and softly comforted her, "Don’t worry. I’ve already found a way to exchange for medicine from the Golden Dragon Clan."

This was great news for Miche. She looked up in surprise, her eyes filled with hope as she stared at Loki. "Really?"

Loki rubbed Miche’s head, smiling helplessly. "Of course. When have I ever lied to you?"

It was true that Loki had never lied to her, and Miche finally breathed a sigh of relief. However, when it came to her brother’s safety, she still felt uncertain. She asked again, "What plan did you come up with? Will Ophelia really agree to it?"

"Naturally," Loki replied. His expression exuded confidence, looking as though he had already ascended to the position of Clan Leader.

Receiving Loki’s affirmative answer, Miche’s tense nerves relaxed. "What’s the plan?"

Her top priority was saving her brother, no matter what it took. As long as her brother could survive, she didn’t care about anything else at all.