Chapter 12

As the strong wind conveyed Lu Qi's orders, the small team leaders did not bring the empty water bags, but instead brought a group of indignant slaves from the marsh.

From a distance, Lu Qi heard a noisy sound and already understood what was happening. When Lu Kang looked worried, he pinched his nose and smiled secretly, feeling confident.

"Tiger Team Leader, Da Feng said you want everyone to continue hunting without considering the fact that we are almost out of water. Aren't you trying to kill us all?" The speaker was a slave named Da Shun, who was known for his excellent archery skills, able to accurately hit the eyes of wild animals from fifty steps away, and was highly respected in the northwest.

Lu Qi coldly looked at Da Feng, who was visibly conflicted. His body trembled, and he quickly replied, "Tiger Team Leader, please don't misunderstand. I didn't exaggerate at all. I just told the truth. I also said that the team leader has a way to get drinking water, but they simply don't believe it."

Seeing Da Feng's appearance, Lu Qi knew he wouldn't dare to play tricks. He then looked at Da Shun and the others, calmly asking, "Do you all think I'm trying to kill you?"

"Without water, continuing to hunt is nothing but trying to kill us. I believe you can get water for a few people, but now we need water for hundreds of people, and we need several large bags of water every day. Where are you going to get it? Don't think that just because you're the team leader, you can treat us like we're not human. We are all slaves from the marsh, and there's no high or low, noble or humble among us..." Another small team leader named Da Lin responded.

The crowd echoed his words. After all, each of them had participated in hunting many times, and sometimes they had to endure the last one or two days of the journey back without water, which was an unbearable feeling that no one wanted to experience.

Da Lin had been causing trouble recently, and Xiao Qiang had reported him to Lu Qi several times. Lu Qi pinched his nose and his tiger-like eyes narrowed. "Da Lin, I don't need to explain where I get the water from. However, I want to know, if I can get several bags of water a day, what will you do?"

Lu Qi's eyes were quite intimidating. Da Lin's heart trembled, thinking of Da Gu's body that had not yet been used. He didn't dare to speak recklessly. "What can I do? You are the team leader. If you can get that much water, I will follow your orders and go hunting!"

"You have a good plan!" Lu Qi said coldly. "You question my orders and incite everyone to challenge me. After I go to great lengths to prove it, you act as if nothing happened. Is it that everyone can question my every decision in the future? Where will my face as the team leader be?"

"Uh... Tiger Team Leader, what do you think?" Da Lin didn't expect Lu Qi, who was so young, to be so perceptive. He didn't seem like a simple-minded young man at all.

Lu Qi glanced around at the crowd and said, "You all go back and bring the empty water bags to me. We'll see the results at dawn tomorrow! If I can find enough water, I will have a good reason to punish you!"

"But what if you can't find enough water?" Da Shun looked at Lu Qi with bright eyes.

Lu Qi said sternly, "Then it means I was wrong. I will retract my wrong order, be punished by going without food for three days, and apologize to everyone. How about that?"

Everyone was shocked. After all, Lu Qi's current status was equivalent to that of a large household head. In the past, even if a large household head made a mistake, no one would care, as it would be asking for trouble. However, Lu Qi set an example, showing that he would be punished if he made a mistake, and the punishment was not light. Going without food for one meal was already enough to make one hungry, let alone three days of rations?

However, Lu Qi's manly attitude undoubtedly won the respect of the marsh slaves. Knowing that Lu Qi might have another surprising move, Da Feng said, "Since Tiger Team Leader has explained it clearly, why don't you all go back and get the water bags? Do you want Tiger Team Leader to come and collect them himself?"

The crowd naturally dared not agree and quickly left. Soon, Da Shun, Da Lin, and the other four small team leaders brought dozens of empty water bags and left with a look of "looking forward to the show" on their faces.

Looking at the pile of water bags that formed a small mountain, Lu Kang worriedly looked at Lu Qi, "Son, do you really have a way?"

"Of course! Although I can't collect that much in one night, it will definitely be enough for a day's drinking." Lu Qi was confident. As an excellent master of animal ecology, he didn't just stay in the zoo to study animals. His survival skills in the wild were on par with any special forces soldier.

The next morning, the marsh slaves, who were not in the best mental state, came to the temporary main camp where Lu Qi was staying and were stunned by the scene in front of them!

Most of the water bags were hung in the air with vines, and each opening was fitted with a makeshift funnel made from one or two large palm leaves.

Some of the water bags were tied to the tall palm trees around, with their openings near the "wounds" where the leaves had been broken. Standing at the base of the trees, one could faintly hear the sound of water dripping.

"Take them down carefully, don't spill the water!" Lu Qi directed a few skilled climbers to take down the water bags. "Also, separate the water bags tied to the trees from those hanging from the vines. Drink the tree sap first, and don't get it wrong. The tree sap can only be drunk for one day!"

It seemed that even the sky was helping Lu Qi. Although the winter rainforest usually had little rain, it rained that night. The water bags, originally intended to collect dew, now collected rainwater, making the effect even better.

Seeing the water bags in two piles, all "half full," everyone was amazed. Da Shun looked at Lu Qi, "Tiger Team Leader, can all this water be drunk?"

Without a word, Lu Qi walked to the smaller pile of water bags, picked up one, opened it, and took a sip. "The palm tree sap tastes pretty good. It's a bit astringent but has a fresh aroma..."

Then, in the stunned looks of the crowd, Lu Qi picked up another water bag from the larger pile and took a sip, his eyes lighting up. "Great, the rainwater mixed with the sap tastes excellent, sweet and refreshing, not inferior to spring water. Ha ha..."

"Yes..." Da Feng echoed, "Tiger Team Leader, I also tasted it. It's really good, and it looks like the water collected last night is enough for us to drink for two or three days."

"Indeed, we had good luck last night!" Lu Qi nodded. "If it hadn't rained, the effect wouldn't have been as good. However, using this method, we can still collect enough water for a day!"

Da Lin swallowed hard, still not believing it, and picked up a water bag to try a sip. It didn't taste bad, but he was still reluctant to admit defeat. "This... will drinking the water cause stomach problems later?"

Lu Qi looked at him coldly. "If it doesn't cause stomach problems, will you then say it might cause poisoning in a few days?"

Da Lin's face changed. "Tiger Team Leader, I didn't mean that. I just had some doubts..."

"I can guarantee that this water is safe to drink. I've drunk it many times over the years and am no less healthy than you." Lu Qi snorted. "Da Lin, now you need to think about how I will punish you."

The faces of the four small team leaders changed again. Da Shun was straightforward and had the spirit of a marsh slave. "Tiger Team Leader, we admit our mistake. We questioned your decision recklessly. Tell us how you will punish us. Twenty strokes or forty lashes? If we flinch, we're not real men!"

Da Shun's words made the other three unable to show cowardice. After all, how