n

n

n“No one was hurt and we didn’t use that much effort. The hunt was a success. Good work.”

nDoral brought over a bowl filled with blood and handed it over to Joonbum.

n“Drink. Good for your body. You grow stronger.”

nJoonbum hesitated, but he took the bowl. It was warm.

n‘It’s not going to kill me.’

nHe thought about people up in the north, such as the Siberians who often drank blood and ate freshly-killed animals for their warmth and started drinking.

n‘Hmm?’

nIt did not stink as he expected from that of regular blood. There was the faint scent of grass and something salty.

n“It has the salt you gave us.”

n“Oh.”

nJoonbum realized why they stirred the blood. He soon gulped down all the blood and wiped his mouth.

n“Let’s eat meat.”

nThe Ainos were working on the Bodua to gather meat. Its huge belly was cut open and its intestines poured out from it. Howen found the liver, sliced it to bite-size pieces, and put it next to a bowl of salt. People started taking one each and chewed on it. Joonbum followed after Doral took his turn. It tasted weird, but it was good. The meat had a thick taste that filled his mouth.

nWhen all of the warriors took a bite at the liver which was about the size of a young boy’s head, they started to cut the Bodua apart. Some skinned it while some sliced the meat and topped it with salt all over.

nNot long after, they were done with the enormous Bodua.

n“Doral, how are we going to carry all this?”

nDoral grinned and pointed at the plain. Joonbum took up the binoculars to his eyes and watched.

n“Oh!”

nThere hundreds of Ainos walking toward them.

n“They will carry the meat to the village.”

n“They will carry?”

nJoonbum repeated Doral’s words and nodded.

n“Wow, this one’s really good.”

n“So that one is from the twist? He seems okay.”

n“I heard he even brought his mother?”

n“That’s so dangerous.”

n“Don’t you think we have to keep an eye on him? Humans are greedy.”

n“He saved Chieftain Howen’s son. We have to pay respect to that.”

n“Right, he’s our lifesaver.”

n“He also saved those Guardian’s cubs.”

n“I heard he fought four Kawiqunin with his strange weapon.”

nThe Ainos were talking about Joonbum. It was most-talked about issue among the tribe. Their fascination was fading, but their interest was sparked again at sight of the very person they were interested in.

n“I feel like I’m naked here.”

nJoonbum was embarrassed as many Ainos watched him like he was some sort of celebrity.

nThe Ainos who arrived talked with the warriors and started cooking some of the Bodua meat. The feast began and everyone ate what was cooked. When they were done, the people who had come started wrapping the meat with weird-looking leaves in a basket weaved with bark that seemed to insulate well.

n“Joonbum, I am Dorun, brother of Doral. We thank you for the gift you have given us.”

n“Oh, yes. No problem.”

n“I am Kerr. My mother was delighted at the gift. Thank you.”

n“Yes, yes. Of course.”

nA few of them came to express their thanks to Joonbum. He was embarrassed even just talking for a bit and Doral grinned at the sight.

n“Ha…”

nJoonbum let out a sigh when the people left. The area felt very empty after all the meat and everyone were gone. There was only Doral who stood beside him.

n“We’re going back too.”

nDoral pointed at huge meat left at the side.

n“We carry that by ourselves? That’s too much!”

n“Didn’t you say the REFRIGERATOR can preserve a long time?”

n“Oh!”

n“It’s the delicious part.”

nThe basket bigger than Joonbum himself was full of meat wrapped in leaves.

n“Time to go.”

nWhen Doral and Joonbum started walking, the cubs ran toward them and circled them, howling. Galfus soon closed in. He felt a sense of security in this dangerous wilderness.

n‘So good.’

nIt was something he never experienced but it was great. It was much more brutal and savage than the life in the modern city, but it had its charm.

n‘Modern people can be more brutal.’

nHe changed his thought as he thought about livestock raised at a farm, tucked in the cage their entire lives, some without seeing a daylight, only to be transferred to a slaughterhouse to be killed. All of that brutality was only hidden.

n‘I think I like here better.’

nHe did not have problems with skinning and hunting. Even hunting monsters felt doable.

nA sudden breeze swept through him and Joonbum sucked in a large breath. There was silence on the plain. Various animals came back after the chaos that unraveled earlier subsided. There were more animals gathering at the place of slaughter, eating whatever was left.

n*

n“Haha!”

n“Ellie! I told you to leave your sister alone!”

n“She did it! She did it!”

n“What? What’s happening?”

nJoonbum was surprised when he walked into the fortress. Doral seemed to know what was going on as he smiled sheepishly. It had been two days since he left.

n‘I thought there were only four?’

n“Son, your back!”

nEveryone stopped what they were doing and watched Joonbum. The Ainos kids who were running rampant stopped and even the little kid who was crying stopped.

nOr they were actually staring on the enormous wolf that appeared. The kids ran toward adults and hid behind them.

n“You’re here!”

nHis mother, Sunsook, waved at him while the others were looking at Galfus.

n“Yeah, I’m back.”

n“So did the hunting go well?”

nJoonbum nodded and pointed at the big basket.

n“Is that so? Come, taste the kimchi I was working on. Or should we boil some meat and eat it now?”

nThe other people soon came to their senses at Sunsook’s casual conversation.

n“Joonbum! Doral!”

n“Doral, welcome back.”

n“Doral!”

n“Brother Doral!”

nKids ran toward Doral while they shouted excitedly. Galfus walked past them.

n“Galfus, you did well too. I’ll give you a bath and some scrubs later.”

nSunsook took off her gloves and scratched Galfus’s chin and her belly. The cubs were circling around her also.

n‘Hmm?’

nJust as when Joonbum thought he was being ignored, he felt he was getting sudden attention. The fortress now had ten kids and twenty women. The fortress was wide, but it was now filled with people.

n‘I think I like this too.’

nIt was a different feeling than the old quietness he enjoyed before, but he liked this also. It felt like the fortress was alive.

n“Wha-”

n“Hello!”

n“Hi!”

n“Hiya!”

n“Hey!”

nKids started to greet Joonbum as they gathered to circle him. Their eyes glistened with curiousness.

n‘They are so bright with youth!’

nTheir eyes were filled with immense curiosity about him.

n“Oh, hey. Uh. Hi?”

n“Haha!”

n“He’s so ugly! Hehe!”

nKids started to laugh out loud as Joonbum replied to them with a frown. Doral shook his head and walked away.

n“Hey, Do-Doral!”

nDoral waved his hand not looking back as he walked away.

n“Whooaaa!”

n“Wow!”

n“This is cool!”

n“Hmmph. Didn’t realize that was possible.”

nDoral mumbled as he watched Joonbum. All kids who once circle on Joonbum were awestruck as he turned on a TV and put on an animation. It was a simple animation made for little kids that showed some big bugs talking to each other. They didn’t seem bothered by unknown language as they still seemed to enjoy it.

n“TV is the best.”

nJoonbum took out a beer and handed it to Doral.

n“It’s cold.”

n“So, why are they here?”

nDoral’s face blushed with shame. The Ainos were usually never greedy but Joonbum’s present shook his tribe this time. The most popular among the gifts were the dishes, cups, big water bowl, and a basin.

n