Chapter Forty-Two: The Age of Tribes

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[Thanks to your relentless efforts]
[Your tribe has begun to grow steadily]
[And through a unique and complex process, your tribe has evolved...]
[Limb Regeneration (Rare)]
[Severed limbs can be restored by consuming food]

“This time, it’s a genetic trait,” Li Shan muttered, frowning at the prompt before him.

Considering the previous reward, it seemed the settlement after each phase was based on his actions.

If that was the case, there was plenty of room to maneuver. By focusing on a single aspect during each phase, he could control the direction of his rewards.

With this realization, Li Shan withdrew from his thoughts and turned his attention to his territory, which had transformed significantly.

The sparse and rudimentary houses now hinted at the budding form of a tribal era.

At this moment, outside the small village, a particularly burly Pyramid was patrolling the perimeter with seven or eight underlings.

This leading Pyramid was his very first warrior. Judging by the scene, it seemed to play a role akin to a lord, possessing greater intelligence than the ordinary Pyramids.

“At last, I don’t have to play the babysitter anymore.” Watching his tribe managed in perfect order by the warrior Pyramid, Li Shan spoke to the viewers in the livestream.

“Honestly, you should say you’re finally not messing things up; last time you nearly wiped out the whole tribe.”
“Go out and explore instead, development is too boring to watch.”
“I think Old Devil is enjoying himself. People who like farming games are usually good homemakers. Makes me want to spend the night at Old Devil’s house.”
“??? What are you even saying?”

Glancing at the barrage of comments, Li Shan simply agreed, “Alright, I’ll take a few underlings out, and while I’m at it, I’ll look for traces of epic creatures to prepare for the final mission.”

Without further ado, Li Shan set out with three Pyramids, leaving the tribe behind.

“Earlier, when I was in God’s-view mode, I noticed a snow-capped mountain to the north.”

“Terrain like that is usually where you’re more likely to find epic creatures. So, this time, we’ll head there.”

He explained as he traveled, giving everyone a clear objective to stave off the boredom of aimless wandering and keep his audience engaged.

Chatting with the viewers while cautiously observing his surroundings, Li Shan soon arrived at the foot of the snow mountain with his three companions.

It was the tallest mountain in the area. The lower slopes were green, but higher up, everything was covered by endless blue-white snow.

Li Shan led his companions up the mountain.

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He hadn’t removed the cold-resistance gene from before, and now it proved invaluable.

In temperatures below minus ten degrees, neither he nor his companions were hindered in the slightest.

Before long, they reached the summit.

Along the way, they had encountered other creatures, but he had avoided them all from a distance—after all, exploration was the goal, not combat.

At the peak, Li Shan surveyed the landscape.

The summit resembled an inverted cresting wave, and colossal, razor-sharp icicles hung overhead, threatening to fall at any moment.

To avoid accidents, Li Shan first shouted from a safe spot. When no avalanche occurred, he led his underlings into the central area at the top.

Here, the temperature was even lower.

The further they went, the less snow there was, until eventually, it became a world of nothing but solid ice.

“Old Devil, look at the ice wall to your left—there’s something inside.”
“That’s massive! Is that an epic creature?”
“Looks like a snake crossed with a centipede.”

Noticing the sudden flurry of comments, Li Shan looked to his left.

Sure enough, within the thick layers of ice, he saw a gigantic creature, roughly as tall as a three-story building.

Its body was segmented and grayish-white, but it had no legs—more like a snake.

Having seen it clearly, Li Shan shook his head. “Doesn’t look like an epic creature.”

“It’s too small.”

The thing he’d encountered under the sea before was as large as a mountain; this creature was a mere flea in comparison.

Still, the presence of this creature put Li Shan on high alert again. He’d thought nothing could survive in such cold, but now it seemed not only were there creatures, but some were very powerful.

He pressed on deeper until he reached the very heart of the icy mountain—a small hollow where permafrost was exposed.

The plants that had vanished halfway up the mountain reappeared here, densely covering the hollow.

They were leafless, purple plants, somewhat like tulips without leaves, thrust straight into the earth.

The flowers had transformed into eight-sided, azure blue fruits.

Using his innate ability, Li Shan judged them to be non-toxic.

He picked one and tasted it.

[You have discovered a rare plant]
[It has been added to your diet]
[Its unique nutrients have enabled you to evolve...]

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[Thermal Vision]

Startled by the sudden prompt, Li Shan quickly realized, “So, herbivores can seek out rare plants to consume and evolve special genes.”

“Wait, then why did Old Devil only eat seaweed in the ocean when there were so many plants?”
“Li the Old Devil: This… this… I can’t explain.”
“Feels like you missed out on a fortune. So this is how you’re supposed to play herbivores. Doesn’t seem weaker than carnivores at all.”

Clearing his throat at the barrage of comments, Li Shan said, “Alright, looks like there are no epic creatures here. Let’s move on to the next place.”

With that, he and his companions left the snowy mountain, heading towards another unusual terrain he’d seen from the God’s-eye view.

However, epic creatures seemed extremely rare.

After circling the area once more, he hadn’t caught sight of so much as a single hair.

Leaving the final location, Li Shan noticed the comments growing restless and quickly tried to calm them, “I’m laying the groundwork here.”

“This round, I’ve been persistently searching for epic creatures. When the next phase of evolution comes, my actions will be imprinted in our DNA.”

“After that, my underlings will start searching automatically. I’ll only need to skip ahead to the results.”

With that, Li Shan wasted no time and clicked to enter the next phase.

The scene shifted rapidly.

Population and housing multiplied at a visible rate.

Just as Li Shan had predicted, the warrior Pyramids began organizing expeditions, searching for epic creatures and expanding their territory by encroaching on others.

After a phase had passed, his population, aided by a robust reproductive ability, had reached 1,273.

The number of warriors had grown to nine.

The territory had also expanded greatly, now reaching 572 units.

[Your tribe continues to grow]
[And in the process, constantly explores new things]
[This has led to a qualitative increase in your tribe’s intelligence]
[You have entered the Tribal Era]
[You have learned to use tools to work more efficiently]
[Meanwhile, through ongoing exploration, your tribe has gained]
[Talent: Crisis Sense]
[When danger approaches, it is now easier to detect]
[Your tribe has taken shape]
[But your large numbers have attracted the curiosity of other races]
[They have sent emissaries]
[Through repeated exchanges]
[You have learned information about an epic creature]