“Alright, everyone, pack up and let’s get moving!” Su Yi raised his voice, and the others immediately began to gather their things. Su Yi glanced at the young orc and the unknown orc, wondering who would carry them. At that moment, Ed walked over.
“I’ll take them,” Ed offered. He wanted to befriend Su Yi and his group, so he stepped forward to solve Su Yi’s problem.
Earlier, when the group had wanted to execute the young unknown orc, Ed had been among those who opposed it. However, at the time, emotions were running high, and some of the orcs were under Hunter's command, so Ed hadn’t had the authority to speak up.
Sinoer could have carried them, but Su Yi was selfish and didn’t want Sinoer to overwork himself.
Since Ed volunteered, Su Yi quickly nodded in agreement.
Just before they set off, Hunter called Jells aside.
“What’s the deal with Su Yi?” Hunter, being an old friend of Jells, asked bluntly.
“I thought you didn’t care,” Jells teased.
The old Jells had always been cold and never joked around. Hunter looked at him in surprise.
“Don’t you think he’s too strange?”
Jells shook his head. “I don’t care. All I know is that he’s good to Tang Yu, and that’s enough for me.”
Hunter thought about it and agreed. No matter what Su Yi was, he hadn’t harmed anyone. In fact, he had saved many people and was a close friend of Jells’ mate.
Hunter patted Jells on the shoulder. “Alright, for your sake, I won’t target him, no matter what he is.”
The group continued their journey, and after half a day, they finally saw the familiar valley as night approached.
Su Yi, lying on Sinoer’s back, leaned over to look down. From above, the valley looked like a bowl. A layer of white mist surrounded it, and through the mist, Su Yi could vaguely see the plants and traps he had set up below.
The valley walls were smooth. Originally, there had been some plants growing on them, but the group had decided to cut them down to prevent beasts from climbing up. Without the plants, the orcs could also spot danger more quickly.
Everyone was excited, especially the females and children who had never seen the valley before. They couldn’t help but exclaim in awe.
Soon, the people in the valley noticed them and began waving happily.
As everyone landed in the central square of the valley, Su Yi hadn’t even steadied himself when something rushed toward him.
“Mother!” A soft, sweet voice called out. Su Yi felt a warmth in his heart as a small snake quickly slithered up his leg and onto his chest.
“Mother, mother,” little Eli hissed, his small head swaying in front of Su Yi.
Su Yi was delighted. This was his beloved little one. It had been nearly twenty days since they left, and this was the longest Eli had ever been away from his parents.
Before Su Yi could say anything, Eli, who had been so happy moments ago, suddenly burst into tears. Su Yi, who was usually unshakable, was completely helpless against Eli's crying. The little one could switch from sunshine to rain in an instant, his tears falling like they were free.
“Why are you crying? Did someone bully you?” Su Yi asked, glancing at Mino, who looked both happy and exasperated.
“Who would dare bully him? In the days you were gone, he’s practically become the little tyrant of the valley,” Mino said with a wry smile.
Su Yi was about to respond when he felt someone tugging at his clothes. He looked down to see Dino standing quietly by his feet.
Dino’s eyes were also red, and he timidly held onto Su Yi’s clothes. Su Yi reached down and pinched Dino’s cheek, then set Eli down.
“You two go play for now. I’ll handle things here and join you later.”
The two children clearly had a lot to say, but they obediently nodded and walked away.
Tonight, everyone would rest in the valley. Although it was just for one night, the temperature would drop significantly, so arrangements had to be made for everyone to stay warm.
The orcs were easier to accommodate, as they could stay in the caves within the valley. However, the females and children, being more vulnerable, were assigned to the houses.
Hunter efficiently handled the arrangements, and in the end, the young orc and the unknown orc were assigned to stay at Su Yi’s house.
Seeing that Hunter had everything under control, Su Yi took his group home to rest.
After returning home, Su Yi spent some time chatting with his two children, briefly telling them about what had happened outside. Of course, he didn’t mention the life-threatening situations he had faced.
When Su Yi mentioned that Tang Yu was pregnant, the two children excitedly ran out to see the baby, even though the baby wasn’t visible yet.
The young orc and unknown orc seemed very nervous. He had never lived in such a clean house before. The floors in the yard and the house were paved with smooth stone tiles. Their dirty feet left obvious footprints, which embarrassed them.
Although Su Yi told them to make themselves at home, the two sat stiffly on the stone benches, not daring to move around.
Since it was getting colder, the stone benches were uncomfortable to sit on. Su Yi had made some animal hide cushions to place on them, making them much more comfortable.
Noticing their discomfort, Su Yi brought them two pairs of straw sandals. He first had them wash their feet and then patiently taught them how to wear the sandals.
The young orc found the sandals very comfortable. He usually walked barefoot, which often left his feet bleeding. Although the straw sandals weren’t as good as leather shoes, they were much better than going barefoot. The only downside was that the sandals kept slipping off.
“You two will stay here for now. Do you want to share a room or have separate ones?” Su Yi asked, leading them to Eli's room.
Given Eli's clingy nature, he would likely spend the next few days glued to Su Yi and Sinoer, so his room would be empty.
“We’ll… share,” the young orc said softly, his eyes darting around the room.
Eli's room had a bed that covered the entire floor. The floor was slightly raised compared to the living room, and the room was covered in soft white animal hides with a few brightly colored cushions. In the center of the room was a small table with toys on it, and in the corner was a small hammock.
Su Yi gently pushed them inside. He could tell they were curious. “Go ahead and play.”
Although the unknown orc looked to be in his teens, he was still a child at heart. Hearing Su Yi’s words, he eagerly pulled the young orc inside. The two began exploring, touching everything with wide-eyed wonder.
Su Yi went to the kitchen and found that some of the food had gone bad. It seemed the two children hadn’t even entered the kitchen while he was away.
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