Chapter 39 – Setting off (1/2)

Translated by Sunyancai

Although confused, the Shaman did not come and ask, but continued his work as usual.

The scene was not as spectacular as the ritual ceremony, which was attended by thousands of people. For every hunting mission, there were only about two hundred warriors. Warriors that got wounded from last mission would remain at home for recovering, and there were some others who needed to welcome a new birth at home, or needed to look after others. So they wouldn’t be joining the hunting. Warriors in unstable conditions or had other assignments were also excluded from the hunting team. So even the same team would send out different warriors for different hunting missions.

Lang Ga and the others stood on their old spots naturally, and Shao Xuan stood right next to them.

In the front of the team stood the important people. There were about ten warriors and Mai was one of them.

The Shaman stood beside the fire pit, with a stone bowl in his hand. Inside the bowl there was some dark green pigment extracted out of some plants.

Warriors stepped forward one by one to let the Shaman draw patterns on their faces with that pigment in the bowl.

The patterns were similar as their totemic patterns. As the Shaman was drawing, he whispered something in his mouth. Shao Xuan could not hear him clearly, or even if he heard him clearly, he could not understand what it meant.

Not everyone in the hunting team could be painted on the face by the Shaman. The only group qualified enough to be painted were the important people standing in the front. Now their facial expressions were serious and respectful, as if they were in the middle of some holy ceremony.

As for Lang Ga and the others, there was pure admiration in their eyes. Perhaps deep down in their hearts, they were dreaming about some day to stand in the front of the team, and obtain the Shaman’s blessing before the hunting team set off.

Even though Shao Xuan had his own opinions, his facial expression was just like everyone else in the crowd, which was serious enough, but mixed with some admiration.

After all ten warriors had been painted and stood back to where they were before, the atmosphere immediately loosened up. Led by the Chief, people began to sing the Song of Hunting.

It’s such a shame that… Shao Xuan did not know how to sing that!

In the past, Shao Xuan had heard the Song of Hunting a few times, but he never managed to learn it. He had no idea that warriors were required to sing the song before the hunting teams set off.

Shit, it’s like not knowing how to sing national anthem in the middle of a flag raising ceremony. So embarrassing to speak it out! Fuck!

However, since Shao Xuan was not a real kid, he knew how to pretend even though he did now know how to sing the song.

Shao Xuan remained calm and he stood there with his mouth opening and closing constantly in silence. If not paid extra attention, he could be identified as an offbeat person in the crowd.

“Our ancestors existed since the beginning of heaven and earth. We relied on hunting when our tribe rose. Spring is warm, with all ice and snow gone with the wind. Fowls and beasts dance, while birds and animals sing and warriors cheerfully go hunting…”

Originally Shao Xuan assumed that the Song of Hunting would come to an end after a few verses. However, as time went by, he discovered that the song was rather long, as if it was telling a story. Also, the verses described circumstances from spring to summer, and then from summer to autumn, while it finally ended in winter.

It was not only a long story; it was a fucking sad story!

As if all warriors were preparing to die chivalrously!

He wondered which “talent” in the tribe wrote that kind of a song.

Even though the song described a lot of things that happened in hunting missions, and warned people to be cautious, especially during winter time, Shao Xuan found it hardly inspiring. However, almost all warriors at the scene became really excited with their necks turning red, as if they got high on marijuana.

Shao Xuan could not understand these people’s mentality anyway, and perhaps that was just the difference between insiders and an outsider.