I'm involved in poverty alleviation in a primitive tribe.

Jiang Ning led the fishing net and the warriors toward the Tianlang River, while the rest of the tribesmen stood on the mountain to watch them fish.

They were all dressed in newly made animal skin clothes and comfortable animal skin shoes. Their appearance had also changed dramatically. They all looked refreshed and seemed to have been reborn.

Along the way, people were marveling at how warm the animal skin coats and shoes were.

When they were still some distance from the riverbank, the chief suddenly stopped Jiang Ning. He gestured for Jiang Ning to stop, then said to him seriously, "Jiang Wu, let's stop here. We can't get any closer."

Jiang Ning looked at the chief with a puzzled expression, not quite understanding why they couldn't continue.

The chief sighed and explained, "Beneath the ice of the Sirius River lurks some enormous water monsters. They possess immense strength and ferocious aggression. If they see us too close to the riverbank, they might break through the ice and attack us."

Upon hearing the chief's words, Jiang Ning couldn't help but become wary.

Since the beginning of winter, the tribe has relied on stored water and collected snowmelt for drinking water. Even when water is scarce, they will not venture near the Sirius River.

So Jiang Ning waved to her people, signaling them to stop. She turned to the chief and said, "But how can we fish from so far away?"

The chief thought for a moment, then asked, "What do you intend to do?"

Jiang Ning said earnestly, "First, we need to find someone to break the ice and try to get to a deeper spot. That way, we'll have a better chance of catching more fish." The Tianlang River enters its dry season in winter, and she wasn't sure if there were still fish in the shallow water near the banks.

The chief nodded and immediately selected some warriors to attack the ice with their weapons. These warriors carried out the order very bravely, wielding their sharp weapons and chiseling at the ice again and again.

The sky seemed to be shrouded in ice, so cold that it was hard to breathe.

The north wind cut like a knife, and snowflakes were constantly being carried by the wind, hitting people's faces like hail.

The chill penetrated to the core, making every cell in one's body tremble.

The moment the snowflakes landed on my face, they felt as sharp as needles, causing almost unbearable pain.

Even if someone tries to speak, the cold wind quickly enters their collar, freezing their words in their throat.

Many predators that used to hover in the sky gradually disappeared as the weather grew colder.

They may have migrated to warmer places, or they may have hidden in caves to escape the cold weather.

The whole world seemed to be swallowed up by ice and snow, all colors became pale and powerless, and everything was dead and silent.

Only this vast expanse of white stretches on endlessly, evoking a sense of loneliness and silence.

And in this silence, there are still people struggling to survive.

The other soldiers were not idle either; they not only had to guard against the dangers around them, but also had to be wary of the dangers beneath the ice.

Because if the ice is broken, the monster below could leap out and attack humans at any moment. Therefore, they must remain vigilant at all times and cannot afford to be careless.

With everyone's efforts, they finally broke through a large enough ice hole.

"Jiang Wu, what should we do next?"

"Wait."

"wait?"

"Yes, just wait."

Jiang Ning ordered all the soldiers to come ashore and stand on the bank to wait.

They stared at the broken ice hole with a mixture of tension and confusion. After a while, the fish beneath the ice, lacking oxygen, began to surface from the hole.

"There really are fish!"

"So many fish!"

"But how do we capture them?"

Seeing this, Jiang Ning was secretly pleased. She knew this was the best time to catch fish.

She handed the fishing net to the chief: "Would you like to try using this to catch fish?" while demonstrating how to use the fishing net.

The method was simple. Watching Jiang Ning's demonstration, the chief quickly understood how to use the landing net. He took the net, aimed it at the ice hole, and prepared to start catching fish.

To make fishing safer for his people, Jiang Ning made the handle of the landing net very long.

This way, they can stand on the bank instead of in the river, which would make them safer.

However, this also means that the person using the fishing net needs to be very strong. Fortunately, the chief is the strongest warrior in the tribe. His arms are strong and powerful, and he is skilled. For him, controlling the fishing net is not a difficult task.

He swung his fishing net closer to the ice cave, where many fish peeked out, panting and desperately seeking life. The chief seized the opportunity, swiftly swung the net, and scooped up a plump fish.

A blackfish over a meter long wriggled and struggled in the net, its strength so great that it bent the handle of the net.

The chief swung the fish forcefully onto the shore. The blackfish continued to writhe on the bank, while a tribesman nearby casually knocked it unconscious with a stone knife.

"They really caught a fish! Jiang Wu is amazing!"

"We're having fresh fish today!"

The clansmen cheered.

After catching a few blackfish, the chieftain stopped what he was doing and turned to look at the warriors around him.

"Which one of you wants to try?"

"Me! Me! Chief! Let me try!" Wu rushed over anxiously. He had wanted to try for a long time, but he didn't dare to snatch the things from the chief.

The chieftain looked at him, made a quick assessment, and shook his head. "Wu, you're not a level one warrior yet. You're not strong enough to do this."

Hearing the chief's words, Wu's mood immediately turned somber. He stared longingly at the fishing net in the chief's hand, his heart filled with yearning. But there was nothing he could do; the chief was only concerned for his safety.

The chief handed the fishing net to the soldiers beside him, and they took turns catching fish. They quickly mastered the technique, and soon a mountain of fish had piled up on the bank.

Despite the freezing weather, the soldiers were drenched in sweat. They gripped the landing nets tightly, feeling the chill emanating from the river. Some fish thrashed about due to lack of oxygen, but most were quickly scooped ashore.

As time passed, the fish on the shore gradually froze. They shimmered with a silvery-white light in the cold wind, creating a striking contrast with their black scales.

Just then, a splashing sound came from under the ice, and a dark shadow broke through the water and bit the blackfish in the landing net.

The soldier holding the net was pulled by the shadowy figure, and his body involuntarily fell into the water.

Upon seeing this, the chieftain's pupils contracted, and a strong sense of crisis surged within him. He rushed forward.

He grabbed the warrior's arm with all his might, trying to pull him back to shore, but the shadowy figure was unexpectedly strong, and the chief was also pulled in, falling into the water as well.

The chief was extremely anxious; he knew he couldn't be dragged into this. He struggled fiercely, trying to break free from the shadowy figure's grasp. At the same time, he shouted angrily, "Let go of the net! Do you want to die?!"

The warrior was startled awake by the chief's angry shouts. He loosened his grip, and the fishing net disappeared underwater with the shadows. A wave of fear washed over him as he realized the immense danger he had just faced.

At this moment, the other soldiers realized the seriousness of the situation and gathered around. Some picked up stone knives, others stone spears, and escorted the two back.

Only then did they realize that it was a piranha. Although the piranha did not attack them, the soldiers were filled with lingering fear.

Piranhas have mouths full of sharp teeth, which are as sharp as blades and can easily tear the skin of their prey.

Their bite force is so powerful that it can even bite through hard bones. Imagine how terrifying it would be if a person were bitten by a piranha.

Most terrifyingly, piranhas usually don't act alone, but rather appear in groups.

When they attack their prey, a group of piranhas will swarm forward and tear the prey apart with their sharp teeth.

If that soldier had been dragged into the water, he would have faced attacks from countless piranhas. The scene was chilling; one must be constantly cautious when near the river.

The tribespeople were still shaken, staring at the calm water with lingering fear. The suddenly appearing piranha had posed a tremendous threat, and the consequences would have been unimaginable had the chief not reacted in time.

Once ashore, the chief was still furious, yelling, "Are you stupid? Why are you still holding onto the net at a time like this? Is this how your hunting team usually hunts?"

The chief's voice was filled with anger and disappointment. He glared at the warrior, his eyes seeming to spit fire. His words filled the warrior with shame; he lowered his head, unable to meet the chief's gaze.

"Do you know how dangerous that was? You were almost dragged into the water by the piranhas! Don't you know how strong piranhas are underwater?" the chief continued to scold.

"Even if it's not piranhas today, do you think you can fight river beasts underwater?"

The warrior listened silently to the chief's reprimand. He had only joined the hunting party last year; his name was Blackstone, and he was a young level one warrior. He knew he had made a mistake, and seeing the chief's angry eyes, he said sincerely, "Chief, I was wrong. I was only thinking about not letting it take the fishing net, and I didn't consider my own safety."

The chief's eyes showed disappointment and helplessness upon hearing his words. As a warrior, he should have a higher sense of responsibility and calm judgment. When faced with danger, he should have prioritized his own safety and that of the tribe, rather than risking his life to protect the fishing net.

“You only think about the fishing net, but you haven’t thought about how much the tribe will suffer if we lose you! What will happen to your family?” the chief said sternly. “As a first-level warrior, you should understand your responsibilities. You must protect yourself and the safety of the tribe.”

“I was wrong, Chief.”

The chief said nothing more. This reprimand was not meant to punish him, but rather to teach him a lesson and make him cherish his life more.

"Alright, that's enough for today. Take these fish back; they'll last us for several days."