Cai had finished giving orders to the abled beastmen, instructing them to rebuild a temporary camp where they could tend to the wounded.
Ren took charge of another group, his expression grim as he oversaw the collection of their prey. The massive five-horned rock lizard lay nearby. Ren guarded it fiercely—this was his friend's kill, and no one would dare lay a claim on it.
A few steps away, Wan knelt beside Huo's unconscious body, his hands shaking as he pressed against the bleeding wound on his shoulder. "Please… hold on," he whispered, tears streaming down his face.
"Stop crying!" Cai snapped, his tone cold but his eyes flickering with fear.
Wan pressed his lips together, trying to swallow his sobs, but the moment he looked at Huo and what had happened replayed in his mind, his effort crumbled.
"It's my fault," he whispered hoarsely. "Huo's unconscious because of me…" Tears flowed down once again on his grimy cheeks, mixing with the snot he could no longer wipe away.
Huo was critically injured. Both of his arms were fractured, his shoulder torn open by a massive claw mark that refused to stop bleeding. His skin was hot to the touch, his breathing shallow and unsteady. No matter how many times they called, Huo didn't respond.
"Stop spouting nonsense!" Ren angrily shouted.
He had just come to check on Huo, but once he heard Wan's words, his temper ignited. "Huo would've done the same for any of us!"
"Ren was right. No one should be blamed for what happened—" Cai added.
"No!" Ren cut Cai off. His eyes were burning with grief and anger. "It's not Wan's fault. The one who should be blamed for all of this is Lin!"
Earlier, after confirming that the five-horned monster was truly dead, they quickly regrouped, dragging the wounded into the tent that remained standing and tending to their injuries as best they could.
Three beastmen had already lost their lives, and nearly half of the group lay wounded and barely conscious. The monster's strength and almost impenetrable defense were amplified by its near-evolution, pushing them all to their limits.
If not for Huo taking the brunt of the monster's attacks, many more lives would have been lost.
Before long, the beastmen who had gone out to hunt and gather their own prey returned.
They froze at the sight before them.
The once-lively camp now lay in ruins. There were deep craters on the ground, tents were torn apart, and the air reeked of blood. They could also see wounded tribesmen lying on the ground.
The once laughter and chatter were replaced by pained breathing and hurried footsteps.
But what truly shocked everyone was when Ras returned, carrying a mutilated Rei in his arms.
Rei was barely recognizable. His right arm and leg were gone, ripped clean from his body. His skin had turned pale, his lips were blue, and his breathing was faint. If not for the slight rise and fall of his chest, anyone would have thought he was dead.
Ras, who had escaped with only scratches on his arms and legs, set Rei down carefully among the other wounded.
For a moment, Ras stood frozen, his hands trembling. He glanced around, then rage finally overtook him.
"Lin!" he roared.
Before anyone could stop him, he charged toward Lin, fists clenched and eyes blazing with anger.
Ras was immediately restrained before he could reach Lin. The latter was already badly injured, and another blow might kill him.
But Ras didn't stop. He struggled violently.
"Let me go!" Ras roared, thrashing against their grip. "You don't even know what he did!"
He began to tell them what had happened. How everything started and how Rei ended up like that.
Every sentence was choked with rage and grief.
Ras had already given up hope of finding his brother alive. When he finally reached the spot where the monster had thrown him, his heart nearly stopped.
Rei was still breathing. His right arm and leg were gone, his body drenched in his own blood, but he was still clinging stubbornly to life.
The sight left a mark on Ras's heart, and from that moment on, he hated Lin to his very core.
Everyone present couldn't believe it.
Not only had Lin used Rei as bait, but he had even lured the monster toward their camp just to save his own life.
The beastmen restraining Ras froze, their eyes wide with disbelief, and whether intentionally or by accident, their grips on Ras loosened.
Ras broke free, lunged forward, and struck furious blows on Lin.
Those who had lost brothers or friends to the five-horned rock lizard had wanted to join in beating him.
If Cai hadn't arrived in time, Lin might have died then and there.
Back to the present.
"Stop it already," Cai said firmly. "We'll talk about this again after we return to the tribe. Let the patriarch and the high priest decide Lin's fate."
He was also furious after knowing what had truly caused the tragedy, but death would be too lenient for Lin.
Ren exhaled sharply. "What should we do with this?" he asked, raising a pitaya fruit wrapped in leaves.
Even with his injuries, Lin hadn't let go of the fruit. He clung to it stubbornly, as though it were worth more than his life. Only when Ras's blows had finally knocked him out did it roll from his grasp, and one of the men picked it up.
Cai glanced at it, his expression cold. "Once Lin wakes up, give it back to him. That's the fruit he risked his life for and even sacrificed his tribesmen to get."
The pitaya was a rare fruit coveted by many. But now, no one wanted to touch it. No one even dared to look at it for long.
Cai glanced toward Huo, checking once more that his best friend was still breathing before turning back to the others. "It's getting dark," he said. "Finish setting up the tents and gather wood. We'll light fires around the camp."
The air was thick with the stench of blood. Moving to another location was impossible. All they could do was hold their ground, surround the camp with fire, and hope to keep the monsters at bay.
"Wan, you'll return to the tribe tomorrow and bring help," Cai said quietly after a while.
Wan stiffened. He wanted to protest, but one sharp glance from Cai silenced him instantly.
"The herbs and concoctions we brought are already gone. We could search the forest for more, but there's no guarantee we'll find what we need, and no one here knows how to process them properly. Huo and Rei are both in critical condition. If we can't treat them soon, they might not survive," Cai said grimly.
Wan wanted to suggest traveling back together, but looking at all the injured beasts lying on the large tent, he realized that his idea wasn't feasible.
Nearly half of their group was injured. If they chose to return now, they would have to abandon all their prey just to carry the wounded. Even then, there was no guarantee they could protect everyone on the journey back.
Wan sighed as he reluctantly agreed.
The next day, the sun had yet to rise, but Wan was already preparing to return to the tribe, together with the two fastest beastmen in the hunting group.
"Remember, don't engage in any fight. If you can avoid danger, then avoid it," Cai reminded him for what felt like the tenth time.
"I know, I know!" Wan replied, rolling his eyes.
Beside Cai, Ren crossed his arms, both of them watching Wan with worried expressions. The scene almost looked like parents sending off a child for the first time.
The other two beasts couldn't help but laugh.
Wan didn't mind. Being the youngest among them, he was used to it. Cai, Ren, and Huo weren't just his comrades—they were his brothers.
"Why don't you guys rest for a while instead of being up this early?" Wan said.
"It's fine. Cai and I have just enough energy left to bother you," Ren replied with a smirk.
Wan smiled faintly but couldn't help glancing at the two with worry.
Last night, because of the strong scent of blood, several two-horned monsters had attacked the camp, led by a three-horned monster. Cai suspected it was the new ruler of the area after the death of the five-horned monster.
If the pitaya fruit were not wrapped in thick layers of fur, its sweet scent would have surely attracted more monsters.
No one had slept. The entire night was spent fighting and defending the camp.
After packing several portions of roasted meat, the three were finally ready to depart.
"Cai, we will leave now," one of the two beasts said.
Cai nodded. "Be careful."
The three transformed into their beast forms, crouching low as they prepared to take off. But just as they were about to leap into the air, a distant sound made them pause.
A formation of flying beasts was approaching fast. At the front is a magnificent white tiger.
For a moment, silence envelops everyone.
Then someone shouted. "The rescue is here!"
The others stirred, their exhaustion momentarily forgotten.