While Kkav was informing the leaders and Vu, the Stone Tribe's main camp, several nearby tribes also gathered.
First was the Fire Tribe, identified by a red mark resembling flames on their foreheads.
The group consisted of over 50 individuals, half of whom were women and children, while the other half comprised 8 tribal warriors.
They carried various items, some concealed in animal hides.
The Fire Tribe, however, brought many children and women, indicating a severe shortage this year, leading them to use women and children for food exchange.
Following the Fire Tribe, there were five other nearby tribes.
These tribes were scattered on the other side of the mountain range but were also struggling.
They carried a variety of goods, mostly dried fruits, animal hides, and some peculiar items.
These tribes were the Mountain Tribe, the Black Valley Tribe, and the Red Rooster Tribe.
The Red Rooster Tribe caught Minh Vu's attention, especially because they adorned their heads with strands of rooster feathers—yellow, black, and green.
The only exception was their leader, who had red rooster feathers.
As the tribes entered the Stone Tribe's territory, there was no immediate exchange of goods.
Instead, they followed the Stone Tribe's regulations to set up temporary shelters.
As night fell, the tribes gathered, preparing for rest.
The faces of those present were mostly gloomy, indicating a significant loss in this year's harvest.
Observing the women and children of the Fire Tribe, it was clear they were emaciated, likely due to food shortages.
It appeared they were resorting to using women and children for food exchange.
Minh Vu silently evaluated them, noting their thinness. Despite their current state, their bone structure and inherent qualities suggested that with adequate nourishment, they could become valuable members.
Femininity leaned towards cleverness and meticulousness, and a crucial aspect was their reproductive ability. The tribe needed to focus on the future, nurturing the next generation for the tribe's development.
Looking at the posture of these people, it seemed they hadn't eaten for two or three days.
If this continued, there was a high chance that some of them would die of hunger tonight.
With a plan in mind, Minh Vu gathered everyone to begin implementing his strategy.
The Fire Tribe was severely lacking in food, so they needed to use food as bait.
Minh Vu ordered the women to bring three large pots of porridge, intending to offer one to the Orc and Klu for the Fire Tribe as bait. The other two pots were to welcome new members.
As the night approached, Minh Vu's group crossed into the Fire Tribe's area.
At this time, the 40 members of the Fire Tribe gathered around a fire. Although it was time to eat, only the tribal warriors were allowed to partake.
Others had to endure, their hungry eyes fixed on the warriors enjoying their meal.
The sight saddened Minh Vu, but he reminded himself that this was a primitive era, where life and death coexisted. People struggled for each meal, and human nature could be ruthless, surviving like weeds.
Klu stepped forward and looked at the Fire Tribe members.
The Fire Tribe leader, Osan, was the tallest, wearing a headdress with the largest and reddest flame design. He held a piece of raw meat and chewed continuously.
Seeing Klu approach, Osan glanced at him but didn't pay much attention, continuing to eat. Sitting next to Osan was Iru, who seemed a bit cunning. When he saw Klu, he stood up to greet him.
"Klu, the leader! Long time no see!" Iru greeted.
"It's been a tough year for our tribe. We're short on food, so we had to trade our people. It's heartbreaking!" Iru complained.
Iru's words had a dual meaning. First, he lamented the poverty of his tribe this year, having to trade women and children for survival. Second, he hinted that the Stone Tribe would likely have to do the same.
Klu didn't seem to understand, but Minh Vu picked up on the underlying meaning.
However, from the flickering flames, Iru noticed that Klu was not the leader of the Stone Tribe but a young teenager. Without any substantial force, if this youngster fought Osan, the Fire Tribe leader, he would be defeated instantly.
This realization led Iru to believe that the Stone Tribe was becoming weaker and more impoverished, likely to be ravaged by the cold this winter.
Osan, still eating, glanced at Minh Vu, the new leader of the Stone Tribe. He snorted and said in a low voice, "Klu! Your tribe doesn't seem to be doing well this year either!"
"Haha! May the spirits be merciful. It's not that bad!" Klu replied sincerely.
"This year, the Fire Tribe seems to be struggling too!" Minh Vu spoke up.
"The season is short, winter is coming early, and the food supply won't last until spring!" Iru complained.
"They've all been sent for exchange!" Minh Vu pointed to the women and children, asking about them.
"Correct! A total of 33 individuals, 15 adults and 18 children! Our tribe is really suffering!" Iru shed tears, but Minh Vu considered them crocodile tears.
"They seem very hungry!" Minh Vu remarked.
"Yes! We haven't eaten anything for the past few days!" Iru added.
However, he immediately shut his mouth because he still had a piece of dried meat in his hand that he hadn't finished eating.
Minh Vu looked down on people like them, but he focused on continuing his plan.
"Hey!" he sighed.
"This year, our tribe was fortunate, and we got a bit more food. Orc, bring it to them!" Minh Vu ordered.
Behind Minh Vu, Orc approached with a pot of steaming porridge.
His face had a malicious grin, as if someone had just finished eating his meal. In reality, he had provided three pots of porridge from morning till now, and his heart ached.
The pot emitted a tantalizing aroma, making the members of the Fire Tribe stand up. The sound of growling stomachs echoed incessantly. Osan stood up, and his greedy eyes fixed on the pot of porridge.
"Here it is!" Iru said.
"This is Stone Tribe's porridge. This is how we, the Stone Tribe, will overcome this winter!" Minh Vu proclaimed loudly. His voice resonated far and wide, inviting all nearby tribes to come and observe.
Immediately, many other tribes joined in, making the crowd even larger.
All eyes were focused on the smoking pot of porridge.
Klu scooped a bowl of porridge and handed it to Osan, who was salivating profusely.
Osan swiftly accepted and gulped it down, the taste of sweetness, saltiness, and warmth spreading throughout his body. It made all the fatigue of the day seem to vanish.
"Delicious! So delicious! Hot! Oh! Comfortable, refreshing!" Osan roared.
His roaring drew more attention from the other tribes. The leader of the Red Rooster Tribe Red Rooster, approached with a thick face, asking for a bowl.
Klu, with a friendly smile, scooped a bowl for him, and the guy's expression was not much different from Osan's—gobbling it all down and licking his lips for more.
Seeing this, other tribal leaders also sought a share, but Osan roared again.
This food belonged to the Stone Tribe, and the comfort of the others was of no concern.
"Ours! You all scram! It's for our Stone Tribe!" Osan asserted his dominance, and the other tribes ignored him.
A leader with a necklace made of fangs stepped forward.
He was Mabu, the leader of the Black Valley Tribe on the other side of the mountain. Aged around 35-36, he looked robust and had sharp eyes, clearly not an ordinary figure.
"What's this food? We've never seen it before!" Mabu asked.
"This is our tribe's new food, called porridge. To make it, you need this pot!" Minh Vu explained the pot's features and its benefits.
He emphasized that the food, once cooked, would provide sustenance for three times as many people, making it three times more efficient than the previous method of eating.
The other tribes seemed incredulous, but Akk, the leader of the Dry Corpse Tribe, verified it.
Moreover, their tribe had successfully experimented with it, making the Stone Tribe's pot the center of attention.