Chapter 23: The Asenman Tribe
Su Xiao looked at the elderly native, who was clearly trying to pull him into the native faction. Faction favorability had already appeared.
The world introduction had mentioned one point earlier: to avoid communicating with void creatures, because void creatures mostly had unstable structures.
Those insect races were obviously void creatures, which could be seen from their data.
As for whether the red-skinned natives were void creatures, Su Xiao couldn't be sure yet. It didn't seem like it from the data. These red-skinned natives should be the original inhabitants of this planet, while the void insect race might be foreign invaders.
Furthermore, the warning about not communicating with void creatures was just one side of Reincarnation Paradise's statement. It could be taken as a caution. Su Xiao would need to verify the specific situation himself.
Since the red-skinned natives had shown the possibility of communication, Su Xiao would naturally seize the opportunity, but he also had to stay vigilant. He had killed several red-skinned natives during the war.
"How do I leave the red soil area?"
Currently, Su Xiao's biggest concern was his escape route. Even if he communicated with the red-skinned natives, he needed to prepare a way out first.
As Su Xiao spoke, the elderly native with feather ornaments stepped forward.
"Foreign adventurer, keep walking toward the direction of the sun, and you'll leave the red soil area."
"The direction of the sun?"
Su Xiao felt there was something off about that statement.
"Yes, the direction of the sun. Everything we have is guided by the sun. Of course, you'll need a small tool."
The elderly native unfastened an ornament from his waist. It was an item resembling a compass, somewhat similar to Jack's compass from Pirates of the Caribbean.
Su Xiao guessed it might be a tool similar to a compass.
"Name your price."
The other party's intention was clear. Food and water could be given for free, but this compass was not included.
"Foreign strong one, you can call me Baer. May I ask your name?"
Old Baer gave off the feeling of a sly old fox. Though he appeared calm on the surface, he was actually probing Su Xiao's background and deliberately avoided mentioning the price of the compass.
"Bai Ye."
He used a pseudonym as usual. The name Bai Ye had become a habit. Su Xiao used this name to reduce the sense of incongruity.
If he used a name like Zhang Tiedan, once he did something major in a derivative world, other contractors would immediately find out, and the name would be too jarring.
"Bai Ye, hmm~, wouldn't you like to rest at my tribe?"
Old Baer wore a warm smile, his face wrinkling up like a blooming chrysanthemum.
Su Xiao hesitated for a moment, surveying the number of red-skinned natives around him.
There were several thousand natives around. If he entered their tribe and was surrounded, it would be troublesome.
However, the current favorability was: Friendly (21/500). As long as no major changes occurred, the red-skinned natives wouldn't surround Su Xiao.
Even if they were going to surround him, the favorability would drop sharply beforehand, serving as a warning.
A red gem slid from his sleeve into his palm. It was a Philosopher's Stone. With this stone, he could create alchemy bombs and potions at any time.
He decided to visit the native tribe. Forcibly taking the compass from the natives was clearly impossible, but he could obtain it through other means.
From Old Baer's tone, he could tell that the other party was willing to give him the compass, but it would require some payment.
Old Baer walked ahead, followed by dozens of natives.
The tribe's location was somewhat far. Su Xiao rode Bubu Wang for half an hour and still hadn't seen Old Baer's tribe.
This was normal. No one would fight a war near their base camp. If a war happened near the base camp, the red-skinned natives would be close to extinction.
Forty minutes later, a wisp of cooking smoke appeared ahead. Su Xiao noticed that the natives' pace had quickened slightly, as if they hadn't returned here in a long time.
"Duta meng, kase tseni! (Unknown language)"
A woman's shout came from afar, and the nearby tribe began to stir.
This was a large tribe. As far as the eye could see, stone houses stood in clusters. Though crude, these stone houses could block wind and rain.
The dozens of natives behind Old Baer shouted excitedly, but none dared to walk ahead of him.
"Tete ma bai (Unknown language)."
Seemingly receiving Old Baer's permission, the natives rushed toward the tribe with their bare feet.
Several hundred female natives emerged from the tribe. Some looked happy, while others were disappointed.
From the expressions of these female natives, Su Xiao guessed that the tribe had already implemented monogamy or a similar system.
Su Xiao also noticed something strange: all the female natives were accompanied by several young children.
Some female natives carried two in their arms, two on their backs, and had five or six following behind.
Judging by age, these children were divided into three age groups, meaning each female native gave birth to two to three children per pregnancy.
"Tu yi ge ri na (Unknown language)."
A young male native ran to Old Baer's side, puffing out his chest as if very proud.
Old Baer smiled and patted the young native's shoulder.
Su Xiao couldn't understand the native language. Old Baer noticed this and translated for him.
"His wife gave birth to fifteen children at once. He's a true warrior with excellent bloodline."
"Huh?"
Su Xiao thought he had misheard. Could a human really give birth to fifteen infants at once? Although these red-skinned natives had strong physiques, their overall structure was the same as humans.
"You seem a bit skeptical. I'll take you to see."
As if Su Xiao's doubt was intolerable, even the sly old fox Baer showed a hint of anger.
"No need. Let's talk business."
"No, this is business."
Old Baer looked at the young native beside him and rattled off a bunch of words.
The young native's face flushed red. He glared angrily at Su Xiao for a moment, then turned and rushed into the tribe.
Before long, the young native came out of the tribe with a female native. Both were carrying several young children in their arms, totaling exactly fifteen.
"See? Fifteen, just as I said. Look at their strength and bone structure. They'll definitely be outstanding warriors in the future."
Old Baer seemed to have transformed into the manager of some pig farm, introducing to Su Xiao how excellent their farm's breeding stock was.
No wonder Old Baer and the young native were so enthusiastic. The red-skinned natives had been at war with the void insect race for centuries. The insect race's consistent style was to swarm. If the red-skinned natives didn't have a countermeasure, they would be doomed.
The red-skinned natives' countermeasure was to reproduce. Female red-skinned natives gave birth to two to five offspring per pregnancy, which was the normal number.
Female natives started having children at sixteen and continued until around thirty to thirty-five. One could imagine how many children they could have.
With their strong bodies and fertility, the Asenman Tribe had withstood the insect race's attacks and even launched counterattacks.
A race that could survive in the red soil area was not so easily wiped out.
Moreover, the Asenman Tribe had another unknown method, one that could produce stronger warriors, but with equally obvious side effects.
Loss of most senses, becoming bloodthirsty, cold, and rigid.
Su Xiao had already encountered the product of this method in battle.