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Chapter 199: Let’s Run, Fox (XV)

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TL: Sarah

    树林中，一群矫健的身影快速从中穿过，追击着几个正在狼狈逃窜的雉狗。

In the woods, a group of vigorous figures quickly passed through them, chasing several avanis who were running away.

    尚可蹲在树上，拉开长弓，神情专注地瞄准前方，弓弦弹响，一支箭矢疾射而出，随即就见一个雉狗哀叫一声，扑倒在地。尚可没有停歇，再次搭弓，将箭头对准第二个目标。

Shang Ke crouched in the tree, pulled out his long bow, and carefully aimed. The bowstring rang, and an arrow shot out. He watched as an avani cried out and fell to the ground. Shang Ke didn’t stop. He pulled back his bowstring again and pointed the arrow at the second target.

    他并没有瞄准要害，打算活捉一两个，拷问石油的位置。即使狮族目前没兴趣开发，也应该将它掌握在自己手中。况且雉狗族侵略兽人部落，必然需要经常采集石油，守株待兔，断其资源，比漫无目的地四处追踪更有效率。

He didn’t aim at their vital points. He planned to capture a few alive and question them for the location of the oil. Even if the lions were not interested in developing at present, they should still take a hold of it. Besides, the avanis had to collect oil when they invaded another tribe. It was more efficient to cut them off from their resources than to chase them aimlessly.

    不过，狮族众人往往见到雉狗便会痛下杀手，几次追击没有都留下一个活口。

However, the lions would always aim to kill when they saw avanis. They’ve still have yet to capture a single one alive after several chases.

    “狐狸，回家了。”解决了那几个雉狗，穆图冲着树上的尚可招了招手。

“Fox, let’s go home.” After dealing with those avanis, Mutu waved at Shang Ke on the tree.

    尚可动作轻盈地跳下树梢，缓步走到穆图身边。

Shang Ke jumped lightly from the treetops and walked slowly to Mutu.

    穆图勾住他的腰，低头在他耳朵上咬了一口。

Mutu captured his waist. He bowed his head and nipped Shang Ke’s ear.

    一行人带着胜利的喜悦和满载的猎物回到部落，受到族人们的热情迎接，小孩子们兴奋地跑过来，争先恐后地询问他们战斗的过程。

The party victorious returned to the tribe, happy and full of prey. They were passionately greeted as children swarmed up in excitement to be the first to ask about the fight.

    穆图一个不注意，又看见两只小狐狸霸住了他的人。那一大两小和谐相处的画面，怎么看怎么不顺眼。

In the split second Mutu’s attention was taken, two kits had taken his fox. That family-scene trio of foxes displeased him the more he looked.

    尚可弯下腰，用手分别在两只狐狸后颈上挠了挠。小狐狸缩了缩脖子，乐呵呵地松开了抱大腿的手。

Shang Ke bent down and scratched the nape of the two kits with his hands. The kit scrunched back his neck and happily let go of Shang Ke’s leg..

    穆图眼神微闪，后颈是狐狸的敏感点吗？今晚试试看。

Mutu’s eyes flashed slightly. Was the nape of a fox sensitive? He will try it out tonight.

    尚可将小狐狸领到其他孩子身边，做了一个团就友爱的手势，让他们好好照顾新伙伴。

Shang Ke led the kits to the other children, and made a gesture of friendship, asking them to take good care of their new partners.

    年纪最大的那个孩子立刻拍拍胸脯表示没问题，不过小狐狸认生，见尚可不陪他们，马上转身奔回到母亲身边去了。

The oldest child immediately patted his chest and said no problem, but the kits were shy. Seeing that Shang Ke didn’t accompany them, they immediately turned and ran back to their mother.

    尚可看向不远处的狐族女子，微微皱了皱眉。不待他有所动作，一双大手将他拉到身边，随即听到穆图不满的声音：“不准和她纠缠不清。”

Shang Ke looked at the fox beastwoman not too far away and frowned slightly. Without waiting for him to move, a pair of big hands pulled him to the side, and immediately, he heard Mutu’s dissatisfied voice, “Don’t get close to her.”

    尚可斜了他一眼：这种担心纯属多余。

Shang Ke gave him a blank look. This kind of worry is unnecessary.

    他昨天就解释了，结果这个醋劲大发的家伙折腾了他一个晚上，压根没注意。

He had explained it yesterday, but in the end, this jealous guy tossed him all night. He probably didn’t pay attention to his explanation.

    两人一起来到仓库前，开始清点猎物，记录每人的收获，然后一一进行分配。每次收获的三分之二都是按劳分配，另外三分之一，一半归族长，另一半则收入仓库。如果当天收获比较少，就会动用仓库的储备。

They went to the warehouse to count the prey and record each person’s harvest which they will then distribute. Two-thirds of the prey would be distributed each time, while half of the remaining one-third were given to the chief while the other half was stored. If there was less harvest on a day, the reserves in the warehouse would be used.

    如今尚可已经在部落中推广养殖，每家养殖的牲口，一半为公有，一半为私有。等以后发展起来，这个分配方式也会进行相应的变动。

Nowadays, Shang Ke has begun to promote farming in the tribe. Half of the animals raised in each family were for public use while the other half were private. As it becomes more developed, this distribution mode would be changed accordingly.

    许多狮族兽人对种植蔬果没什么兴趣，但是为了养牲口，他们种植了不少牧草，绿油油一片，倒也为部落增添了勃勃生机。

Many lions and beastmen were not interested in planting fruits and vegetables. But in order to raise animals, they had to plant. The resulting green made the tribe look more lively.

    尚可拿着属于他的那份食物准备回去做饭，半路上碰到了凯罗娜和她的孩子。

Shang Ke took his share of the food and prepared to go back to cook. On the way, he met Kellona and her children.

    “亚努，我们……我们能去你家吃饭吗？”凯罗娜小心翼翼地问道。

“Yanu, could we… could we go to your house for dinner?” Kellona asked carefully.

    看她两手空空，明显是打算去他家吃白食。

Seeing that she was empty-handed, it was obvious that she wanted to go to his house for free.

    食物对兽人而言是非常珍贵的，除非特殊情况，否则没有人会无缘无故地将自己的食物送给别人，尚可也不例外。狮族其他兽人每次来他家吃饭，都会自带食材，凯罗娜一个外人，更不可能有什么优待。

Food was very precious to beastmen. Unless there were special circumstances, no one would give their food to others for no reason, and Shang Ke was no exception. Every time lion beastmen came to his house for dinner, they would bring their own ingredients. As an outsider, Kellona was even less likely to have any preferential treatment.

    尚可摇摇头，绕过她继续往回走。

Shang Ke shook his head and walked around her.

    “亚努。”凯罗娜急忙拦住他，神色悲切道，“你说过要照顾我们母子的，我们已经好几天没吃饱饭了，部落分给我们的食物根本不够吃，我实在不想看着孩子们饿肚子。”

“Yanu.” Kellona quickly stopped him and said sadly, “You said you would take care of my family. We haven’t had enough food for several days. The food given to us by the tribe is not enough. I really don’t want to see the children get hungry.”

    尚可负责分配食物，很清楚凯罗娜分到多少食物，虽然不多，但也足够他们充饥了。凯罗娜作为初来乍到的外族，应该明白知足安命的道理。不能总是拿孩子当借口，祈求别人的施舍。

Shang Ke was responsible for distributing the food, so he was quite clear about how much food Kellona received. Although it was not much, it was enough for them to feed their hunger. As a new outsider, Kellona should understand how to be content with what she had. She couldn’t always use children as an excuse to ask for charity.

    尚可看了看两只小狐狸，目光微闪，昨天没怎么留意，今天再看，突然觉得有些不对劲。小狐狸面黄肌瘦，精神不济，明显是长期营养不良的后果。反观凯罗娜，虽然身上带伤，但面色红润，体态丰盈，中气十足，完全不像受过苦的样子。这种差异，会发生在一个爱护孩子的母亲身上吗？

Shang Ke looked at the two fox kits, and his eyes flashed slightly. He didn’t pay much attention yesterday, but when he looked again today, he suddenly felt something was wrong. The fox kits were sallow and emaciated, which was obviously the result of long-term malnutrition. On the other hand, Kellona, though wounded, was healthy and plump, and didn’t look to be suffering at all. Would this difference happen to a mother who loved her children?

    尚可抬起眼，用带着审视的目光打量面前的凯罗娜。

Shang Ke looked up at Kellona with cautious eyes.

    凯罗娜见他盯着自己，表情更显楚楚可怜。

Kellona saw him staring at her, and her expression became more delicate and vulnerable.

    尚可想说：把孩子留下，大人请圆润。

Shang Ke wanted to say: Leave the children behind, you may leave.

    部落中唯一能够让他优待的，只有孩子和曾经为部落做过贡献的残疾老人。可惜他没法说话，用手语太麻烦，暂时也只能置之不理了。

The only people in the tribe who could get preferential treatment from him were children and disabled old people who had made contributions to the tribe. It was a pity that he couldn’t speak, and it was too troublesome to use sign language, so he could only ignore it for the time being.

    正想着，处理完事务的穆图迈着轻松的步子朝这边走来，见到凯罗娜后，原本愉悦的表情立刻变得不爽利了。

As he was thinking, Mutu, who had finished the transaction, walked towards his side with easy steps. After seeing Kellona, his originally cheerful expression immediately became unpleasant.

    “你在这里干什么？”论不解风情，穆图绝对是一把好手。更何况这个雌性，还传烟与他的伴侣有一腿。

“What are you doing here?” Mutu was king when it came to being insensitive. He had even less care to give when it came to this woman who had a past with his fox.

    凯罗娜眼中闪过一丝胆怯，礼貌地和穆图打了声招呼，然后找了个借口便离开了，连小狐狸都忘了带走，还是他们自己追上去的。

Kellona’s eyes flashed with a trace of timidity, and politely greeted Mutu. Then she made an excuse and left, even forgetting to take the kits away with her. They had to chase after her themselves.

    “她找你干什么？”穆图拉着尚可的大尾巴，开启审问模式。

“What did she want with you?” Mutu pulled Shang Ke’s big tail and turned on interrogation mode.

    尚可指了指手上的食材，又指了指自己的嘴。

Shang Ke pointed to the ingredients in his hand and pointed to his mouth.

    穆图立刻像是得到什么召唤一般，凑过去在他嘴上亲了一口，亲完之后还高冷地表示：“别以为用美色和美食就能抵消你偷人的罪过。”

Mutu immediately seemed to have an idea. He leaned over and gave him a kiss on the mouth as said. After the kiss, he said coldly, “Don’t think that using beauty and food could offset your sin of luring people.”

    尚可：……有时候他们真的没法沟通，思维完全不在一个频道上。

Shang Ke: …Sometimes we really can’t communicate. We are not on the same wavelength at all.

    晚上，喂饱这头狮子，尚可用沙盘和手势，再次申明他与那个狐族女子没有关系，不要妄图用这个借口“体罚”他！

In the evening, after feeding the lion, Shang Ke reiterated with the sand table and gestured that he had nothing to do with the fox beastwoman. Don’t try to use this excuse to “physically punish” him!

    然而某头狮子似乎选择性智障，抓着他的尾巴，硬说他花心，然后这样那样地折腾，还无理取闹地要求他给他生一窝小狮子，否则就天天给他挂铃铛。

However, a certain lion seemed to have selective mental retardation, holding his tail and insisting that he was being fussy. Then Shang Ke was tossed in one way or another, asking him to give birth to a litter of cubs without any reason, otherwise he would hang bells on him every day.

    最后弄得尚可火大了，往他嘴里塞了一块原始版黄莲，硬生生把他旺盛的欲望和嚣张的气焰给苦没了。

Finally, Shang Ke became very angry, and stuffed an ancient version of a yellow lotus into his mouth, which made his exuberant desire and arrogance dissipate from bitterness.

    第二天，穆图又带着族人出去打猎，顺便追踪雉狗去了。尚可因为太累，没赶上大部队，所以留在部落，和其他人一起做起手工活。

The next day, Mutu took his people out hunting again, and tracked the avanis along the way. Because he was too tired to follow them, Shang Ke stayed in the tribe and did manual work with others.

    狮族收留的那几名外族兽人也各自分配了任务，以后会根据他们的劳动付出，给予相应的物质奖励。

The foreign beastmen who were taken in by the lion tribe were also assigned their own tasks, and given corresponding material rewards according to their labor efforts.

    尚可经历过许多世界，掌握了丰富的知识技能，但他并没有弄出什么惊世骇俗的东西，而是在原有的物产和技术基础上，进行改良，逐步提升兽人的生活水平。

Shang Ke had experienced many worlds and mastered a wealth of knowledge and skills, but he did not create anything shocking. He only made improvements on the basis of the original products and technologies to gradually improve the living standards of beastmen.

    兽人们的知识结构太简陋了，很多观念和习惯转变不过来，他们善于模仿，却不懂得如何运用自己的智慧。尚可想要教的，不是某种已经完善的先进技术，而是创造这种技术的思考方式和实践过程。

The knowledge structure of beasts was too rudimentary, and many concepts and habits couldn’t be changed overnight. They were good at imitating, but they didn’t know how to use their intellect. What Shang Ke wanted to teach them was not a perfect advanced technology, but the way of thinking and the process of practicing to create this technology.

    不知不觉间，忙碌的一天又过去了。穆图等人满载而归，这次又带回了几名流亡的兽人。尚可将他们记入外族名册，然后清点和分配物资。

Quietly, a busy day passed again. Mutu and the others returned home with a full load, and this time they brought back several wandering beastmen. Shang Ke recorded them in the foreign register, and then counted and distributed the materials.

    待一切完成，尚可又看到凯罗娜带着孩子走过来，满脸委屈地说：“亚努，为什么我今天分到的食物比昨天还少？”

When everything was finished, Shang Ke saw Kellona coming with her child and telling him with a grievance, “Yanu, why did I get less food today than yesterday?”

    尚可转身，示意她跟过来。

Shang Ke turned and motioned for her to follow.

    部落中有一座陶土窑，每天大概能制作出几十上百个陶坯。每只陶土器物底部，都刻着制作者的名字。

There was a clay kiln in the tribe, which could produce dozens of hundreds of pottery ware every day. At the bottom of each clay ware were the producer’s name engraved.

    兽人们原本没有刻名的习惯，后来受到尚可的影响，才逐渐形成了风气。穆图还规定，每个月挑选出一批品质精良的陶器，给予制作者相应的奖励和荣誉，于是众人更是热衷于在自己的物品上留下专属印记。

Beastmen didn’t use to carve their names, but due to Shang Ke’s influence, they gradually formed the habit. Mutu also stipulated that every month, a batch of high-quality pottery was selected, and the producers were given corresponding rewards and honors, so people were more keen to leave exclusive marks on their articles.

    尚可走到角落，这里摆放着几只形状怪异的陶坯，与周围浑圆端正的陶坯形成鲜明的对比。

Shang Ke walked to the corner, where several strange-shaped pottery ware were placed, in sharp contrast with the round and straight pottery ware around him.

    那几只怪异的陶坯就是出自凯罗娜之手，按理来说，制作陶器是大部分兽人都能掌握的技能，但凯罗娜不仅速度慢，而且造型极不规则，做出来的陶坯基本和废品没什么两样。

Those strange pottery ware were made by Kellona. In theory, making pottery was a skill that most beastmen could master, but Kellona was not only slow, but also very irregular in shape. The pottery ware made were basically the same as waste products.

    尚可的意思很明显：你的工作做得这么差劲，食物自然分得少。

Shang Ke’s meaning was obvious: your work is so bad, you will naturally get less food.

    凯罗娜却是觉得委屈：“我身上的伤还没好，手指不灵活，难免做得差了些。”

Kellona felt wronged. “I’m still injured, so my fingers are not flexible. It’s hard to not do a bit worse..”

    尚可不为所动：做得差就好好学。

Shang Ke was unmoved, if you do badly, you should properly learn.

    他所认识的兽人，即使再不擅长陶活，制作一些简单的瓶瓶罐罐还是没问题的。但凯罗娜好像从没干过活一样，连一个碗都捏不好。

Amongst the beastmen he knew, even if they no longer do pottery, making some simple containers was no problem. But Kellona seemed to have never worked before, and couldn’t even pinch a bowl well.

    部落中也有一些不用干重活的“贵族”，但他们往往在其他方面有所专长，比如之前被赶走的“巫医”。眼前的这位狐族女子，明显不在“贵族”之列。

There were also some “nobles” in the tribe who didn’t have to do heavy work, but they often had expertise in other aspects, such as the “witch doctor” who was driven away before. This fox beastwoman was obviously not among the “noble.”

    “你说过要照顾我们母子的。”凯罗娜再次搬出这个理由。

“You said you would take care of my family.” Kellona again used this reason.

    一次两次也就罢了，老是挂在嘴边，只会让人厌烦。尚可修养很好，不会和她计较，但心里已经将她列入无足轻重的路人名单。

If it was just once or twice then whatever. But to keep using it over and over again would just irritate people. Shang Ke was very cultivated and wouldn’t dispute with her, but she had been listed as an insignificant passerby in his heart.

    他所谓的“照顾”，只是保障他们有一个栖身之所和基本生活所需，不会受到其他兽人的欺凌，但从没说过她可以不干活，白吃白喝，享受贵宾待遇。就连身为族长的穆图，也不会不劳而获。

His so-called “care” only ensured that they would have shelter and basic needs, and would not be bullied by other beastmen. He never said that she could eat and drink for nothing and enjoy VIP treatment. Even Mutu, as the Lion King, would not get something for nothing.

    尚可没有理会凯罗娜的控诉和委屈，指明情况后便离开了。

Shang Ke ignored Kellona’s complaints, pointed out the situation and left.

    凯罗娜望着他的背影，忿忿地跺了跺脚。

Kellona looked at his back and stamped her foot bitterly.

    晚上，尚可多做了一些点心，打算叫上穆图一起给那两只小狐狸送过去。

In the evening, Shang Ke made more snacks and planned to ask Mutu to send them to the two kits.

    “我不去。”穆图想也不想就拒绝了，让他给自己伴侣传言中的情人的小孩送吃的，这不是有病吗？

“I won’t go.” Mutu refused without thinking. Being asked to send food to the children of his partner’s rumored lover. Was he mental?

    尚可自然不会让他为难，特意叫来几个小兽人，以游戏的名目，给小狐狸加个餐。他很清楚他分给凯罗娜的食物，只能吃个半饱。以凯罗娜的懒惰，两只小狐狸估计还得忍受很长时间的饥饿。

Shang Ke naturally wouldn’t embarrass him, so he specially called several little beastmen to add a meal to the little fox kits under the name of the game. He knew very well that the food he gave Kellona would only ensure they all were half full. With Kellona’s laziness, the two fox kits probably had to endure hunger for a long time.

    一行人来到凯罗娜的住处——一间小土房前。

A group of people came to a small earthen house where Kellona lived.

    房中燃着炉火，悄无声息，好像没人在。

There was a fire burning in the room, quietly, as if no one was there.

    不待尚可敲门，一个小兽人已经大大咧咧地将门推开，里面立刻传来几声惊慌的低叫声。

Before Shang Ke could knock at the door, a small beastman pushed the door open boldly, and there were several low cries of panic immediately.

    尚可探头一看，凯罗娜并不在屋内，两个小狐狸蜷缩在角落，惊恐地望着突然闯入的众人。见到尚可的身影，神色稍稍缓和，但还是没有动弹。

Shang Ke checked inside, and saw Kellona was not home. Two kits were curled up in the corner, looking at the people who suddenly broke in with horror. Seeing Shang Ke’s figure, they looked a little at ease, but still did not move.

    奇怪，凯罗娜去哪里了？

Strange, where was Kellona?

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Sarah: kellona sounds like a bitch who’s asking for more than what she deserves smh the poor fox kits tho ;w; i wonder if they’re actually hers…. https://ko-fi.com/sarah_min

SnowTime: *drinkings a new boba tea everyday.* The new boba tea shop is great (my roommate buying me one everyday bless her ‘cause I’m poor XD). Three more chapters of this arc to go and the next arc is basically almost completely translated by Resonance lol.

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