We made you the chief, and now you've become the world's chief?

Chapter 6 Initial Establishment of Prestige
The fish trap gradually rose to the surface, and the fish trapped inside struggled fiercely, splashing water everywhere.

These fish never expected to be the first unlucky ones to be caught in the fish trap, and they slapped the water's surface in bewilderment with their tails.

The women's voices grew softer and softer as they watched the scene unfold with astonishment.

Isn't this the strange basket I wove this morning?
Why are the fish in the basket?
And why put the basket in the water?

The silence that followed the contemplation quickly transformed into a frenzy of obtaining food.

More and more women gathered around, some shouting and even gesturing wildly.

Although this most primitive "dance" has no aesthetic appeal whatsoever, it doesn't stop them from expressing excitement and joy.

After the trap was completely pulled up, Xia Minghao counted them.

He was surprised by what he had gained.

It was still dark, and only about four or five hours had passed since the fish trap was set.

They actually caught two big black fish, and... the corpses of several unidentified small fish.

The reason they are called corpses is because most of these fish are just heads.

It's estimated that the earthworms initially attracted these unidentified small fish.

It was these small fish, which were caught in the fish trap but did not leave, that attracted the river's apex predator, the blackfish.

After counting the catch from one fish trap, Xia Minghao smiled.

I was actually worried that I wouldn't be able to catch any fish. It seems that I underestimated the millennia-old human wisdom in my mind.

This feeling of genuine ease and joy is like getting a walkthrough for a game.

Looking at the cheering women around him, Xia Minghao's lips curled up slightly, and he thought to himself.

You guys look so naive. There are five more fish traps like this.

Without hesitation, the remaining five fish traps were pulled ashore one by one in order.

All six fish traps yielded a full catch!

There were a total of eleven blackfish, as well as countless small fish carcasses.

Each blackfish was the size of the "West Lake Vinegar Fish" that Xia Minghao had once eaten.

These eleven blackfish, of varying sizes, weigh at least twenty or thirty pounds in total.

After removing the internal organs and other miscellaneous parts, it would be enough to feed twenty-odd women and a dozen-odd children.

By the time the six fish traps were gathered together, the women were already exhausted from cheering.

This was a completely different feeling from being too hungry or too tired; it was an experience I had never had before.

Their faces were filled with anticipation and joy, and when they looked at Xia Minghao, their eyes shone like starlight.

This man wasn't lying! There really were fish he couldn't lift!
The women didn't know why there were so many fish.

This was difficult for them to understand, because it was a completely revolutionary hunting method.

Some people even believe that the man caught the fish first and then put them back into the water.

But in any case, a simple chain of logic had already taken shape in the minds of these tribal women who didn't have much logic.

Because of this man, there was a fish.

But the smile on Hima's face faded, replaced by an unusual worry.

Because she remembered something the previous matriarch of the tribe had mentioned—the power of the totem god.

Why do fish go into the basket and not get out? Is it the power of the totem god?

Although she had never met a tribe with totems, Hima had heard the previous Great Mother mention them.

The tribe that possesses the totem is located in the direction where the sun sets, where there is a great river, much larger than the one in front of us!
Tribes with totems are terrifying, which is why they have no choice but to migrate in the direction of sunrise.

Thinking of this, Hima raised her head and looked at the man dressed in strange animal skins, becoming more and more worried.

Although Xia Minghao never acted aggressively, Hima had already developed a sense of fear in her mind after imagining the situation.

Xia Minghao, however, was completely unaware that after distributing the fish to the women, he began to examine the fish traps.

"Holy crap, how did this fish trap get so badly damaged?"

In some places, the bark of the trees used to weave fish traps had been chewed up beyond recognition.

If it had come an hour or two later, the fish trap would definitely have leaked.

Moreover, this was not an isolated incident; it occurred in all six fish cages.

If it is not repaired, it cannot be used again.

It's truly a primitive era; even the fish in the river are so wild.

Making one of these fish traps was no easy feat; it took more than twenty women a whole morning to make just six.

If this thing becomes a consumable item, and new ones have to be made every day, it would be a huge waste of labor.

"Forget it, let's go back to the cave first, fill our stomachs, and then think about these things carefully."

The riverbank is certainly not a place to think about such things, and besides, I've been hungry all day, so my brain isn't quite sharp.

After tying the fish trap up with vines, Xia Minghao signaled everyone to return to the cave.

The women immediately followed Xia Minghao closely, including Xima. This primitive tribe, where only women remained and struggled to survive, was now showing signs of Xia Minghao becoming their leader.

……

……

……

The sun sets in the west, and the sky is filled with red clouds.

The group finally returned to the cave entrance.

The children who remained in the cave cheered a second time after seeing so much food they had never seen before.

But the women had no time to take care of the children; they were all busy preparing grilled fish.

Those who had fish in their hands were looking for sharp stone pieces, and those who couldn't find any simply picked up a stone and started carving.

Those without fish started fires or helped make sharp stone flakes.

Although the technique of starting a fire had long been mastered, it was still very inconvenient to operate.

Therefore, unless in extreme circumstances, the fire will be kept alive.

When the Xi tribe went out to gather resources, they would cover the fire with ashes to make it "smolder".

Several women brought dry grass and carefully put it into the fire pit little by little, blowing on it as they did so.

A wisp of smoke rose up, and soon the flames in the hearth became strong.

Immediately afterwards, the women began adding dry branches to the fire pit.

Upon seeing the fire start, Xia Minghao quickly opened the lid of his military water bottle and stuffed it inside.

He licked his dry lips, waiting for the pot to boil so he could drink it freely.

Women had already prepared the blackfish, skewered them with branches, and started grilling them over the fire.

The aroma of grilled fish had long since filled the entire cave, and all the women couldn't help but twitch their noses and breathe in frantically.

The children smelled and watched, their mouths glistening with saliva.

Just as the sun was about to set completely, and the light coming in from outside the cave was no longer as bright as that from the campfire, the first fish was finally cooked.

But everyone just licked their lips and didn't eat; instead, they looked at Xia Minghao.

The woman who had finished grilling the fish willingly handed it to Xia Minghao.

Clearly, they wanted him to be the first to eat.

Seeing this, Xia Minghao smiled faintly and accepted it without any hesitation.

What era are we living in? We can completely throw all those social niceties aside.

Besides, even if I'm being polite, they won't understand. They might even think I don't want to eat fish.

Under the watchful eyes of more than forty women and children, Xia Minghao took a big bite out of the fish's belly.

Hunger is the best seasoning.

There were no seasonings, but this piece of grilled fish was indescribably delicious.

The earthy smell and the fish scales that weren't scraped off don't matter at all.

The women, seeing Xia Minghao's bite, all licked the drool that had been dripping from the corners of their mouths.

Finally, more fish were grilled in succession, and everyone, under Hima's arrangement, orderly shared the remaining ten blackfish.

One fish is certainly not enough to eat, especially since this fish is the largest one.

After eating only half a piece, Xia Minghao felt about 80% full.

The water in the military canteen had already been boiled and was left to cool.

He blew into the kettle, felt the steam hitting his face, and after confirming it wasn't too hot, Xia Minghao took a big gulp.

Cool!
This not-so-clean plain water felt more comfortable in Xia Minghao's throat than a sugar-free cola filled with ice!
After eating and drinking his fill, Xia Minghao felt much more energetic. Looking at the women and children "buriedly eating" by the campfire, he began to think about his next plan.

The image of a fearsome saber-toothed tiger immediately came to mind.

With the food issue resolved, the next step seems to be safety.

wrong.

It's not a safety issue.

Safety is certainly important, but solving safety issues requires everyone to work together.

Like today, if Hima hadn't spoken up, even if she had managed to persuade everyone to go to the riverbank, the fish trap would probably have been chewed up.

Not only would they return empty-handed, but they would also lose their current prestige and might even be driven out of the tribe.

that power!

Only by first gaining power can one avoid being hindered in the future.

Xia Minghao silently looked at everyone, and the god-making plan that had been brewing resurfaced in his heart once again.

(End of this chapter)