Primitive tribes？
1132 Words
So hot... This place feels like a steam room...
My head is spinning... Am I... having a heatstroke?
I struggle to get up and slowly make my way to the water nearby.
Before I even get a chance to drink, my reflection in the water shocks me.
Ah! What happened to me?!
Grass skirt, animal fur, long curly hair, dark skin... And I don’t even look like myself!
Where’s my beautiful face?! This world is way too wild!
"Mission One," I hear the voice of Kronos in my head, "Objective: Become the chieftain's wife."
"Huh? Are you kidding me? My first marriage has to be here?!"
Loading… Starting mission.
"Yu, there you are! I’ve been looking for you. Come on, if we don’t go back, the chieftain will blame us," says a red-haired girl running toward me.
The scene pauses.
Two choices appear.
A. Go with her
B. Don’t go with her
Vocal, did the system upgrade? The choices are so clear now.
Easy, she knows my name and mentioned the chieftain.
I choose A.
I follow the red-haired girl back to the tribe, where people are assigning hunting tasks.
The scene pauses again.
A. Go hunting
B. Gather wild fruits
C. Guard the camp
D. Wander around
In this heat, I’d rather rest.
I choose C.
"Due to lack of experience in guarding the camp, you reached the ending: Attacked by wild beasts and died."
"Am I dead already? Starting over? Is it finally my timeline’s turn?"
"In your dreams," Kronos chuckles.
Loading progress…
A. Go hunting
B. Gather wild fruits
C. Guard the camp
D. Wander around
Hunting sounds hard. Gathering fruits should be easy…
B.
"Due to lack of knowledge of the area, you reached the ending: Lost in the forest."
"Reload, reload!"
Since I don’t know the area and have no experience, I should explore first.
D.
"Idling during hunting time, caught by the tribe and marked as a sacrificial offering."
"You're impressively good at avoiding the correct answer," Kronos laughs softly.
"...Fine."
A.
So, hunting it is, even though I have no idea how.
Led by the chieftain, we head deeper into the forest.
I look around at everyone as we go.
This chieftain… is way too old... He could be my grandfather… Am I really supposed to marry him?
Plus, he’s quite elderly… He must have a wife already... So I’m supposed to seize power?! No way, I’ll need to rethink this.
I glance at the others; no familiar faces here either.
After a long walk, we finally reach our destination. I’m already gasping for air from the journey.
What are we hunting? Through the bushes, I see a large wild boar with two piglets looking for food.
It’s my first time seeing such a creature up close—those sharp tusks, that huge body… One hit, and I’d be crushed!
Time to back away…
While everyone’s watching, I sneak to the back.
But my foot slips, and I fall hard on my backside.
"Ouch!"
The big boar hears me and charges toward me.
I freeze—this is really the end.
Suddenly, a figure leaps out and shields me: "Get down!"
We narrowly escape by sliding under the boar, but I end up eating a mouthful of dirt.
He then turns to the piglets, drawing a somewhat rough iron dagger from his waist, and swiftly kills each one.
The boar mother, enraged, goes berserk and manages… to take the chieftain away…?
Well, that was quick—the chieftain was taken out by a boar.
In this primitive world, survival is tough. Deaths during hunting seem almost routine for them. After burying the chieftain, everyone just moves on as if nothing happened.
Back at camp with our hunt, we enjoy a hearty meal. Only then do I clearly see the one who saved me.
A tall, muscular figure, with skin different from the others, decorated with mysterious totems and wearing a distinctive ivory necklace. His gentle gaze… looks like… Su Yan Che?
I rush over, grabbing his face and pinching it: "Su Yan Che! You’re here too? You didn’t die?"
"Yu… What are you saying… I’m Lin…" he stammers, blushing and looking away.
Su Yan Che, this shy? No way. He can’t possibly turn into this hunk.
...
At dusk, as the fire reflects the red sunset, the tribe gathers to discuss who should be the next chieftain… Obviously, the chieftain needs to be strong…
There are a few strong men in the tribe…
The scene pauses again.
A. Lin
B. Ping
C. Feng
D. Shen
My turn to choose? Marrying someone with Su Yan Che’s face isn’t so bad…
A.
Lin becomes the new chieftain.
That was easy! No way—is it rigged so I pick the right one? Haha.
"Congratulations!" I walk up to Lin.
I should make myself known, or he won’t marry me.
Lin just scratches his head and smiles, blushing again. So innocent.
"Choose a strategy to court the chieftain," Kronos’s voice echoes in my mind.
A. Platonic approach
B. Coercion
C. Seductive charm
D…
I ignore the system and grab Lin’s hand: "Marry me."
"Huh? … Sure… okay."
"…Disregard for system rules, warning issued."
"I call it efficiency. Your terrible suggestions would take forever to work. I’m on a schedule here."
"I doubt your chances on your own."
"Do you think I have no charm?"
"…I’ll let it slide this time."
...
In less than two days, Lin and I have arranged the wedding.
On our wedding night, Lin places the ivory necklace around my neck: "My mom left this to me when she passed."
He gazes at me with clear, bright eyes: "She said to give it to my future wife."
I feel a bit guilty under his stare; after all, I’m just here to complete a mission.
"Uh… I’m a bit thirsty. I’ll… go get some water…"
Just a few steps away, I slip, hit my head on the edge of the bed, and black out.
...
Back at the cliff.
"Did I die that fast? On my wedding night, too? Such a tragic end!"
"What else were you waiting for? A wedding night with him?" Kronos’s voice is chilly.
"Fine, fine. Mission accomplished; can I choose my own timeline now?"
"Not so fast."
The ivory necklace around my neck glows, merging into my forehead.
"So the power was in here all along. You knew, didn’t you? Did you just… eat the ivory?! Spit it out; it’s valuable!"
With a soft thud, the ivory necklace falls to the ground.
I grab it at lightning speed and shove it into my pocket.
Jackpot, jackpot…
"Mission progress, one percent."
"What?!"
Before I can start cursing, Kronos disappears again.
With dreams of riches, I leap off the cliff once more…
- Writer
