CHAPTER 142: CHAPTER 133 FIGHT BEGINS_1

Si Yan stood beside a small lake, surrounded by a throng of cold-blooded snake Beastmen.

The closest circle around her consisted of high-status individuals from the Delusional Domain snake Beastmen, or the youngest and strongest among them.

But at this moment, none of these high-status or youthful and powerful red crystal Beastmen showed any disrespect towards Si Yan.

After selecting a suitable location and studying it for a while, Si Yan looked up with a smile and said to the snake Beastmen, "Help me dig a pit here, a large one—not wide, but deep."

"Yes, Lady," a snake Beastman responded, his voice full and strong.

The young and able-bodied snake Beastmen stepped forward without a word and immediately began digging.

Si Yan said, "A few of you, go gather more stones, about this big."

"Yes, Lady!"

Several snake Beastmen dispersed to fetch stones from outside the immediate area.

The Beastmen from the outer tribe watched with curiosity, wondering what the snake Beastmen were doing, but they dared not ask.

Beastmen possessed great physical strength, so it wasn’t long before the deep pit Si Yan had requested, along with a nearby pile of stones, was ready.

Si Yan explained to the group of snake Beastmen, gesturing as she spoke, "We’ll use the stones to line the deep pit, filling the gaps with moist mud and pebbles to minimize water loss from seepage."

"Understood!"

Following Si Yan’s instructions, the snake Beastmen quickly constructed the walls of the water cellar.

Finally, Si Yan glanced at the nearby small lake, then back at the water cellar. She pointed at the earthen embankment still separating the lake from the cellar and said, "Dig this out and let the water flow in."

Without another word, the snake Beastmen did as Si Yan instructed.

Just as Si Yan had designed, the water flowed over the breached embankment and into the water cellar. The cellar was quite deep, and it took more than half the water from the small lake to fill it.

Si Yan directed, "Go chop some logs, split them down the middle, and prepare them."

"Yes, Lady!"

The cold-blooded snake Beastmen quickly felled the trees. Trees in the Beast World were very robust. Si Yan had them use the logs to cover the water cellar, and they completed the task swiftly.

Si Yan then added, "Leave an opening with a cover here for easy access to the water. For the other parts, first smear them with mud, then cover them with stones. Make it thick."

"Yes!"

The cold-blooded snake Beastmen sprang into action, and before long, a simple water cellar was constructed.

When the water cellar was completely finished, Si Yan dipped her hand into the remaining water of the small lake. Under the scorching sun, the lake water was scalding hot and visibly diminishing at a rapid pace.

The water inside the cellar, however, gradually cooled after entering and had hardly decreased at all.

This method works!

"You see," Si Yan said, standing up after confirming this and addressing the assembled snake Beastmen, "this thing is called a water cellar. It can store a large amount of water during hot weather."

The snake Beastmen nodded, having heard Si Yan’s words.

"Do you all understand how I constructed the water cellar?" Si Yan asked seriously.

"We understand!" the snake Beastmen declared loudly.

Si Yan nodded. "The Flame Day is approaching fast. I need you to split into five teams, venture out from Dark Sun Lake, and help other tribes build water cellars."

"This..."

The snake Beastmen fell silent, hesitating to speak.

Si Yan, thinking they were unwilling to build water cellars for other tribes, asked, "Is there some difficulty?"

An elderly snake Beastman stepped forward. He spoke carefully, his demeanor cautious and apprehensive, as if afraid Si Yan would be displeased with them, "Lady, you might not be aware, but we snake Beastmen... well, we aren’t very well-liked by other tribes. They wouldn’t allow us to touch their water."

Si Yan’s clear eyes crinkled slightly. "You’re right," she affirmed to the snake Beastman before her.

All the snake Beastmen looked towards her.

After a moment’s thought, Si Yan said, "It’s indeed unsuitable to split into five teams right away. How about this: you pick one team, the youngest and strongest. We’ll start by... trying to build a water cellar for the Yanxiang Tribe. Once they experience the benefits, other tribes will want our water cellars too."

She wasn’t familiar with the other tribes, so she had picked the Yanxiang Tribe at random.

All the Beastmen listened intently to Si Yan’s words.

"The rest of you, first search for unclaimed lakes near Dark Sun Lake. We’ll build more water cellars for ourselves first!"

Although they already had Dark Sun Lake, they didn’t understand why Si Yan still wanted them to build water cellars all over the place.

Yet, at this moment, not a single snake Beastman questioned Si Yan.

They said in unison, "Yes, Lady!"

The snake Beastmen quickly set to work. Si Yan went to another lake to instruct those who, having stood further back, hadn’t seen clearly before.

She was very patient and answered all the snake Beastmen’s questions.

Thus, as they continually identified and solved problems, the quality of the water cellars gradually surpassed that of the first one.

Just then, a snake Beastman came running, shouting in panic, "Disaster! Disaster! A fight’s broken out! A fight’s broken out!"

Si Yan stepped forward and asked, "What fight?"

"The Yanxiang Tribe... The Yanxiang Tribe won’t let us touch their water! A fight has started!"

Si Yan frowned. "You can’t defeat them?"

"No, that’s not it..." The snake Beastman before her lowered his head in shame. "Lady... Lady, aren’t you a female from the Yanxiang Tribe? We... we weren’t sure if we *should* fight them..."

Si Yan felt a pang of embarrassment. It’s my fault, she thought, I didn’t explain it properly. She gave a resigned chuckle. "I know you were doing it for me; I don’t blame you. Let’s go and take a look."

How vastly different this group of snake Beastmen was from the rumors circulating in the outside world.

Each one seemed utterly guileless, almost fatally naive.

And these were supposed to be the villains of this world?

She was far better suited to be a villain than any of them!

Arriving at the outskirts of the Yanxiang Tribe, Si Yan indeed witnessed a tense standoff.

Several snake Beastmen were already injured, yet they hadn’t dared to retaliate.

A snake Beastman elder pleaded earnestly, "Our Lady of the Lord merely wants to build a water cellar for your tribe. It’s for your own good, not to harm you."

A member of the Yanxiang Tribe’s Wolf Clan snarled fiercely, "What water cellar? You’re just trying to steal our water!"

"Occupying Dark Sun Lake isn’t enough for you? Now you want to steal our water too!"

"You’ve gone too far! Snake Beastmen are truly cold-hearted, treacherous, and deceitful! Every last one of you is a vicious Beastman!"

"Snake Beastmen are too vicious!"

"Not a single snake Beastman is good!"

The faces of the cold-blooded snake Beastmen present contorted with humiliation and indignation at the relentless insults.

The insults grew increasingly vile, and Si Yan couldn’t bear to listen any longer.

She stepped forward and took the snake Beastman elder’s arm.

Seeing Si Yan arrive, the elder flushed with shame. "I’m sorry, Lady, we’ve bungled things..."

"It’s alright, don’t worry." Si Yan shot a cold glance at the Yanxiang Tribe.

She had indeed wanted to prioritize building a water cellar for the Yanxiang Tribe, but it seemed they were utterly unappreciative.

"Si Yan? Is that Si Yan?"

"Didn’t she leave? Why is she now leading another tribe to bully ours?"

"Si Yan, you venomous female! Betraying the Yanxiang Tribe wasn’t enough for you, now you’re actually trying to take our lives!"

"You’re too venomous! You truly are worthy of being a snake Beastman’s female!"

The snake Beastmen, who had been suppressing their simmering anger and indignation, completely erupted when they heard the Yanxiang Tribe insulting their Lady of the Lord!