"Akk is right! This food is really delicious! Give it to me! Give it to me!" Lusu exclaimed.
"No! I'll only let you try; we're short on supply!" Epx shouted. Her large eyes glared at Lusu.
Epx was a greedy person, but Akk was an experienced elder who knew when to be tough and when to yield.
Such skills were crucial for survival, and Lusu, with his violent tendencies, could bring disaster to the tribe if provoked.
"Epx! Give him some, even if we don't have much. It won't hurt to share a bit!" Akk suggested calmly.
Epx reluctantly gave in and made space for Lusu.
Lusu seized the opportunity and devoured the food like a starving pig, paying no attention to anyone else, just like his tribal members, who acted like hungry wolves fighting for food.
While the two tribes were sharing the newly acquired food, Minh Vu was examining the Op tubers given by Akk.
The Op tuber was the size of a fist, about three to four times larger than the stones from the Stone tribe.
It had a brownish-yellow skin with a thin layer of dirt. The thin skin could be easily peeled away with a gentle scrape, revealing the milky-white inner flesh.
Minh Vu started experimenting with these tubers, hoping they might be a valuable resource for the Stone tribe in the future.
If they turned out to be potatoes, they would provide a reliable food source as they could be cooked, steamed, boiled, or used to make cakes.
Minh Vu took out three large Op tubers. He boiled the first one, buried the second in hot ashes, and ground the third into fine powder. He then mixed a bit of salt into the powder, placed it in a bowl, and let it sit for half an hour before burying it in hot ashes.
This was Minh Vu's new method of baking cakes during this period.
While completing all these tasks, the Stone and Dry tribes were approaching.
Akk was extremely amiable, but Lusu had a different attitude, carrying an air of arrogance on his face.
"Are you the leader of the Stone tribe?" Lusu sneered.
"Yes, I am," Minh Vu replied coldly.
"I want that pot! One bag of meat for one pot! I'll trade thirty pots!" Lusu demanded arrogantly.
"For one adult, you get a large pot. For two children, a small pot. For three large hides, you get one cup and two spoons. Take it or leave it!" Minh Vu stated firmly.
Lusu and Akk were stunned by the exorbitant prices.
"One large hide, one pot. If you don't agree, we'll kill your tribe!" Lusu threatened.
Minh Vu remained calm and unyielding.
Klu, standing next to him, showed a worried expression, understanding the terror the Dry tribe could bring.
They were like ferocious wolves, and crossing them could lead to catastrophe.
"Ha ha ha! Dry tribe, let me see how strong you are!" Minh Vu's voice was colder than the winter chill.
As both sides were preparing for a confrontation, a group from the Stone tribe, led by Kkav, rushed in.
They had noticed the signs of conflict and came to investigate.
Kkav, who had guided Minh Vu's group, appeared to be competent and was entrusted with this mission by the Stone tribe leader.
Taking a quick glance at the faces of the three tribal leaders - the Fang tribe, the Dry tribe, and the Stone tribe - Kkav recognized the contempt in their expressions.
These three tribes, Fang tribe being the strongest, consisted of around 200 warriors.
The entire tribe had nearly 700 members, with the Stone tribe being the weakest.
"Don't fight! If you want to fight, take it outside!" Kkav shouted loudly.
Lusu seemed to fear the people of the Stone tribe, so he immediately withdrew his aggressive attitude.
"I want to trade with the Stone tribe! But they demand outrageous prices!" Lusu complained in advance.
"He wants to exchange this piece of broken land for an adult and two children. Isn't that just robbery?" Lusu swore loudly.
"The Stone tribe is too desperate due to hunger! This is the territory of the Stone tribe!" Kkav angrily retorted.
Akk, standing beside him, was sweating profusely.
He knew that today might mark the end of the Stone tribe.
"Kkav, do you know what this is?" Minh Vu asked.
"Isn't it just a piece of land or something?" Kkav cursed.
"This is a ceramic pot that can turn the food of one person into enough for three. Do you think it's worth it?"
Minh Vu laughed scornfully.
"Rubbish! Don't talk about turning one person's food into three!" Kkav was somewhat skeptical.
"You can ask Akk and Lusu; they will answer truthfully."
Kkav glared at the two of them.
Akk quickly responded, "Indeed, it's true, and it tastes great!"
Kkav was still suspicious, but suddenly, a special fragrance wafted through the air. It was a unique scent that no one had ever smelled before, emanating from the burning fire of the Stone tribe.
Minh Vu's mouth curled up slightly, and then he used a self-made roasting stick to pull a small oven out of the pot. At this point, the pot was covered in dust, but it continued to emit a captivating aroma.
"It seems! This can make cakes!" Minh Vu announced.
In the eager eyes of the crowd, Minh Vu slowly brought out the freshly baked cake.
The weather seemed cold, and the cake had not been proofed for long, so it didn't rise as much as Minh Vu had expected. However, in his eyes, it was sufficient. Yet, for the people around him, it was a different story.
The aroma of the cake spread everywhere, making the hungry stomachs even more unbearable.
An orc leaped forward; he knew he had the privilege in the Stone tribe, always the first to taste new food. He considered it an honor for always obeying the leader's orders.
However, for Minh Vu, this chubby one was just a test subject for the food.
Minh Vu did not hesitate to break off a quarter of the cake for the chubby orc.
"Roop!" The crispy sound echoed, accompanied by a strange fragrance that made the hungry ones drool even more.
The orc couldn't resist and took a bite, opening his mouth wide, devouring the entire piece of cake.
The newly baked cake was still warm, filled with the aroma of the cake, both chewy and flavorful.
Taking a bite brought an indescribable taste that overwhelmed the mouth.
"Delicious! It's delicious! Leader! It's really delicious!" the chubby orc said while chewing.
The other tribal members couldn't help but peek at the remaining cake in Minh Vu's hand.
Understanding their intentions, Minh Vu didn't hesitate to divide the remaining cake among the tribal members. Although each person got only a small piece, it was better than nothing.
Even though the other tribes looked at them with envy, he still shared a bit with them.
Lusu and Kkav were stunned, amazed, and drooling, but old Akk was different. He recognized a familiar taste in that aroma, somewhat similar to the Op root from the Dry Tribe. Though different, the distinct taste of the baked Op root was something the old man could recognize.
"Can this turn one person's food into food for three people?" Kkav asked once again, not fully believing it.
"Yes!"
"Luvv! Cook a pot of porridge for Kkav to taste," Minh Vu ordered.
Luvv had been doing this job for a long time, so he was very skillful.
The work progressed smoothly and quickly. He peeled the Stone Seed, crushed it, boiled water, added dried meat, added salt—everything proceeded efficiently in front of everyone.
However, Minh Vu was considering a reasonable price for exchanging all the valuable items from the other tribes.
Half an hour later, finally, a pot of Stone Seed porridge was completed.
The fragrance of the fully cooked porridge filled the air, making the hungry people's stomachs growl.
Especially the Stone Tribe people, due to the prolonged winter, the tribe implemented a policy of frugal eating, having two meals a day.
Therefore, their stomachs were empty, and the scent of this porridge was unbearable.
Akk ate once and was quite adept, so as soon as Luvv said it was ready, he immediately scooped up a large bowl. Only then did he slowly blow and sip to savor the exquisite taste.
Lusu and Kkav followed suit, eating like a herd of pigs without any words.
After a satisfying meal, Kkav truly believed that this could turn one person's food into food for three people.
If they had this item in hand, the Stone Tribe would not suffer from hunger and death this winter.
This winter was indeed harsh, as Vu in the tribe had said.
If they did not prepare adequately, many people in the tribe would die of hunger.
Therefore, this pot was essential for the tribe's survival. However, the exchange price was too high.
He had to report to the leader to let him decide.
Kkav thought to himself and then quickly ran back to the third area, where their leader resided, to inform him.