"Impossible. The shaman cannot leave the tribe," Ahua said with a serious face. This was exactly what her father had insisted on before he left—under no circumstances could the shaman leave the tribe.
The chief, Yan Jiao, had acted on impulse. Without thinking too much, he had taken all the totem warriors to search for the hemp material.
"Why can't I leave?" Su Bai frowned, a string of bad possibilities flashing through his mind. House arrest? Or were they afraid he'd run away?
"This is for the shaman's safety."
Ahua noticed the change in Su Bai's expression and spoke in a clear, calm voice: "Shaman, it's too dangerous outside. You're the pillar of the Flame Dragon Tribe—what if something happens to you?"
"What danger could there be? You're here, aren't you?" Su Bai's serious expression softened. As long as it wasn't house arrest, it was fine.
"You've just become the shaman, so there are things you don't know. Some exiled totem warriors have kidnapped shamans from smaller tribes and forced them into the passing-of-power rituals."
Ahua's voice darkened with anger. "Among the ancestors of the Flame Dragon Tribe, one shaman was kidnapped by exiled totem warriors. That's why the ancestors decided: the shaman cannot leave the tribe."
"There's really such a thing?" Su Bai was stunned. So being a shaman was a high-risk job. Exiled totem warriors might actually try to kidnap him.
After thinking for a moment, he understood: exiled totem warriors, without a tribe—or more precisely, without a shaman—urgently needed one. That's why they would kidnap shamans from other tribes to ensure the birth of totem warriors.
"Shaman, it's dangerous outside. You are absolutely safe within the tribe," Ahua said earnestly.
"So, you have eleven totem warriors, but only six go hunting. The rest stay behind to protect me?" Su Bai squinted.
"Yes," Ahua replied firmly.
She added, trying to persuade Su Bai further: "The chief is the strongest in the tribe. He doesn't go hunting either, for the shaman's safety."
"Such a waste of manpower," Su Bai shook his head. If there were more totem warriors, leaving some behind wouldn't be a problem. But there were only eleven in total. To protect the shaman, they had to leave five behind—including the strongest, the chief himself. No wonder hunting couldn't provide enough meat.
Of course, he wasn't unconcerned about his own safety—he just wanted to make the most of the tribe's manpower to accelerate its development.
"So, the top priority is to ensure my own safety," Su Bai concluded.
The real problem was a lack of manpower… no, a lack of totem warriors. Population couldn't be solved temporarily, and totem warriors weren't something you could just create. It fundamentally limited his actions.
Su Bai decided to solve the water supply issue first. With a new water source, the totem warriors who stayed behind could be freed from carrying water.
He needed to convince the stubborn Ahua to take him to the water source, since he didn't know the way.
"Shaman, you cannot leave the tribe," Ahua said again seriously. Everything else could be agreed to, but nothing that could endanger the shaman was allowed.
"But if I observe the water source, I might be able to fix the problem and ensure everyone has enough water," Su Bai spread his hands.
"That's still impossible," Ahua said stubbornly.
"Don't you think you smell bad?" Su Bai wrinkled his nose and stepped back slightly, fanning his hand in front of his face.
"I don't smell!" Ahua shouted in indignation.
"Really? Then take a good sniff and see for yourself." Su Bai stepped back further, his face full of disgust.
Yu Ying copied her example, lifting her arm to sniff.
"Smelly… so smelly…" she stammered, her face turning pale, feeling terrible.
Ahua's face darkened. She thought: I'm really that smelly? Do others notice? How embarrassing!
The human nose has a strong adaptation. After a few days without washing, one's own smell doesn't seem offensive anymore. But consciously noticing it makes everything smell worse. That's why Ahua and Yu Ying felt it so strongly.
"See? Smelly, isn't it?" Su Bai folded his arms, teasing. "Others can definitely smell it too."
"I…" Ahua was speechless, imagining people talking about her stink behind her back, almost losing her mind.
Su Bai asked, "All the totem warriors have gone hunting, right? Even the chief?"
"They… they've all been taken," Ahua said uncomfortably, blaming the impulsive chief. It wasn't reliable, leaving her alone to protect the shaman.
Su Bai's lips curved slightly. "If there are no totem warriors in the tribe, how can I be protected? Going to find the chief together is much safer."
"Alright… alright then," Ahua lowered her head, defeated but persuaded.
"Then let's go. First, we find the chief, and then we check the water source," Su Bai decided. Having totem warriors nearby meant he'd be safe while doing some labor.
"Yu Ying, you stay. Help tidy up the tent," Ahua said to the fox-eared girl as they left.
"Okay. Be careful," Yu Ying replied obediently.
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