Gui Xu and Gu Xu bowed deeply, their heads lowered toward the ground as Chief Lei Xu stood before the cottage with his retinue and elders.
The entire area had gone completely silent except for the faint rustling of leaves and the distant sound of birds. The air was tense.
Gui Xu straightened first and immediately put on a completely different face — one Gu Xu had never seen so closely before.
"My Chief! My elder brother!" Gui Xu said loudly, bowing again and again in an overly enthusiastic manner.
"It is an honour that you would personally come to my poor household! This humble home was not prepared to receive you — please forgive this lack of etiquette!"
Gu Xu, still bent slightly from his bow, glanced sideways at his father in shock.
At home, Gui Xu always complained about the Chief, about the elders, about the tribe rules. He called them fools, parasites, old dogs who lived off other people's work. When drunk, he spoke as if he feared no one.
But now, in front of the Chief, he looked like a completely different person — smiling, bowing, speaking in a sweet, respectful voice that almost made Gu Xu feel sick.
Servants stepped forward carrying a wooden chair carved with simple but elegant patterns. They placed it carefully behind Chief Lei Xu, then stepped back and bowed.
Chief Lei Xu sat down, his expression calm and unreadable.
The elders stood behind and around him in a semicircle, with only the feathers in their headresses moving to and fro. Their faces looked stern and some of them had crossed arms.
Seasoned warriors like them who had seen life and death in war secretly felt that it was a waste for the Chief to come all the way out here to visit a lazy man like Gui Xu.
A no gooder like him should have been summoned to the elder's council instead.
Gu Xu kept his head slightly lowered, but he could feel their eyes on him — heavy, cold, judging.
Chief Lei Xu spoke first.
"It is unfortunate," he started, "that I had to make time to visit this place for such an inauspicious reason."
His voice was calm, but his eyes moved to Gu Xu and stayed there, dark and heavy.
Gu Xu felt his chest tighten.
"This morning," the Chief continued, "I held a discussion with the elders regarding the incident at the pre–coming-of-age ceremony."
A murmur passed through the crowd.
"We discussed the matter carefully," Chief Lei Xu said, "and we have decided that what Gu Xu did — injuring another noble girl child during a sacred ceremony and bringing inauspicious signs upon the tribe — warrants punishment."
The crowd leaned in slightly. Everyone was listening now.
Chief Lei Xu paused, then said clearly:
"Gu Xu is sentenced to spend one night in the lions den."
For a moment, there was complete silence.
Then the crowd exploded into shocked whispers.
"The lions den!?"
"He'll die!"
"That's the worst punishment!"
"Gu Xu's just a child!"
"He doesn't even have the Cheetah ability!"
"Gu Xu won't last a night!"
Gu Xu felt the blood drain from his face and was breathless. Beads of sweat began to appear on his forehead. This was a very unexpected development.
The lions den.
Every child in the tribe knew what that meant.
It was a deep stone pit near the edge of the tribe's territory, covered by a heavy wooden gate. Inside lived half-starved lions that the tribe used as a test and as punishment.
Criminals, cowards, and disgraced warriors were sometimes thrown inside. If they survived the night, they were considered forgiven by the spirits and allowed to live. If they died, then the tribe said it was heaven's will.
Most did not survive.
Gu Xu's legs felt weak, but he forced himself to stand still.
Beside him, Gui Xu said nothing. He did not protest. He did not plead. He did not even look surprised. He simply kept his head lowered.
Some of the elders looked around the compound and the cottage with scornful expressions.
They were dressed in fine tribal robes made of patterned animal skins and decorated with bone ornaments and polished stones that signified status. Their hair was tied neatly, and their posture was straight and proud.
Elder Li Zhen, Li Jing's father, was a tall, thin man with sharp cheekbones and narrow eyes that always looked like they were measuring something. He stroked his short beard as he looked at Gu Xu with clear disdain.
Elder Ting Guowei, Ting Lan's father, was broader and dressed more richly than the others, his robe lined with fox fur from trade with the Fox Tribe.
His face was calm, but his eyes were cold and distant, like a merchant evaluating damaged goods.
Another elder, Elder Han Shouren, an older man with white hair and a long scar across his jaw, looked openly disgusted as he glanced between Gui Xu and Gu Xu, as if their very existence offended him.
But one person was missing.
Yu Yunshang's father was not there.
Gu Xu noticed that immediately, even through his fear.
In the crowd, people continued whispering.
"He's going to die!"
"He can't even run properly."
"He's fat and slow!"
"He doesn't have the Cheetah gift."
"Even some warriors die in there."
"Why send this boy?"
Chief Lei Xu raised his hand slightly, and the crowd slowly became quiet again.
He frowned slightly, as if thinking.
"However," he said, "since Gu Xu is of noble blood… and since he is my nephew… I do not wish to appear overly cruel."
The elders remained silent, watching him.
"So," Chief Lei Xu continued, "I will amend the punishment slightly."
The crowd leaned forward again.
"I will give Gu Xu one month," the Chief said. "For one month, he will be trained by Maki. After one month, on this same date, he will enter the lions den for one night."
The crowd reacted again, but this time the reaction was softer.
"A month…"
"Well, that's more fair…"
"If Maki trains him…"
"He might at least last a few hours…"
"The Chief is merciful…!"
People began nodding, feeling more comfortable. The punishment still sounded terrible, but now it felt less like immediate execution and more like a test.
But deep down, almost no one believed Gu Xu would improve enough in one month.
Even Chief Lei Xu did not really believe it.
That was precisely why he was comfortable offering Maki.
If the boy died, no one could say the Chief was unfair — he had given him training, given him time, given him a chance.
If the boy survived… then perhaps he was not completely useless.
Behind his lowered head, Gu Xu's mind was racing.
One month with Maki and then it was on to the lions den.
He did not know whether this was a death sentence or an opportunity.
Beside him, Gui Xu was thinking about something completely different.
"One month?" he thought. "So this whole thing is finished for now? Good. I thought it would be something troublesome. One month is long enough. I can go back to drinking later today!"
He was already thinking about alcohol and gambling again.
Just then, one of the elders stepped forward slightly. It was Elder Li Zhen.
"There is one more matter," Elder Li said, looking directly at Gu Xu. "Before this punishment, the boy must go to Yu Yunshang's house and apologize to her and her family for the insult and injury he caused during the ceremony."
The crowd murmured again.
"Yes, that is proper."
"He must kneel and apologize."
"That family lost face because of him."
"That girl is talented. She didn't deserve that."
Chief Lei Xu nodded slowly.
"That is correct," he said. Then he turned his gaze to Gui Xu. "Gui Xu, as his father, you will ensure that this apology is carried out properly, according to our tribe's customs."
Gui Xu bowed quickly and repeatedly.
"Yes, yes! Of course! It will be done properly! Thank you for your wisdom, Chief! Thank you for your grace!"
Chief Lei Xu stood up. The servants immediately stepped forward and lifted the chair.
Without another word, the Chief turned and began to walk away. The elders followed him, their robes swaying as they moved. The retinue walked behind them, and the two horn blowers gave one final long note as they left.
Slowly, the crowd began to disperse, people whispering to each other as they walked away.
"He's finished."
"One month won't change anything."
"Poor boy…"
"Serves Gui Xu right."
"The lions den… I wouldn't go in there for all the silver and gold in the tribe…"
Gui Xu let out a long breath he had been holding in.
"It's over," he muttered. "Finally."
He turned and walked back into the cottage as if nothing important had just happened.
Gu Xu remained standing outside for a moment watching the crowd disappear.
His life suddenly had a clear direction — and that direction was terrifying.
As he stood there, someone walked towards him and stopped just in front of him.
It was Maki.
He put one hand on Gu Xu's shoulder and studied his face expression.
He then spoke directly.
"Tomorrow," Maki said, "At seven in the morning. Be at the same place as last time. Do not be late."
Then he turned away and continued walking with the rest of the departing group, leaving Gu Xu standing there alone.
"In a month", he thought.
If I survive the lions den… everything will change.
And for the first time in his life, Gu Xu realized something very clearly:
"No one was coming to save him."