Chapter 139: The Exotic Armor Beast is Truly a Treasure
Just as Yu Haojie was about to refuse his help, Yu Zhengqing suddenly snatched the hammer from his hand.
Without hesitation, he swung it down with great force!
His mighty swing startled everyone around, making them instinctively step back to avoid getting hit.
Even the Exotic Armor Beast, which had been headbutting the stone, was shocked by the impact.
With a startled yelp, it scurried into Yu Luo’s arms, shivering and whimpering in fear.
With his inner strength, Yu Zhengqing continued to hammer away.
In just a few swings, the rock surface began to loosen, revealing large cracks.
Seeing this, the other men quickly grabbed their tools, breaking up the loosened stone and removing the rubble.
The women gathered the fragments into baskets, and the men carried them out.
Yu Luo was stunned by how many people had jumped in to help.
She wasn’t sure if the system would still award her points for something everyone contributed to.
But before she could worry too much, the system reassured her.
[Don’t worry, Host. The points will still be yours.]
Hearing this, Yu Luo let out a helpless laugh.
Looking at everyone working together, she couldn’t help but feel moved.
Her parents’ kindness had been genuinely repaid by these people.
Originally, Yu Luo thought it would take until the next afternoon to break through.
But by early morning, Yu Zhengqing’s hammer finally struck hollow space!
With one final swing, the last layer of stone collapsed, revealing the entrance to a cave.
A wave of damp, musty air rushed out from the newly opened cave, filling the air with earthy humidity.
But instead of fear, the crowd erupted in excitement!
“There really was a cave inside!”
“This means Haojie’s Armor-Claw Beast is truly a priceless treasure!”
“Even in the wilderness, it led them to such a safe home!”
Despite their excitement, no one dared to enter the dark cave immediately.
Just like Yu Luo, they feared snakes or hibernating creatures inside.
Even Yu Qiang, who was thrilled, stayed outside.
To clear out any dangers, Yu Zhengqing grabbed a torch and lit a bundle of dry wood.
Then, he threw it into the cave, letting the fire and smoke drive out any hidden creatures.
“If there’s anything alive in there, the fire will force it out. We should let the cave air out overnight before moving in.”
Hearing his words, everyone instinctively backed away, fearing unwanted surprises from the cave.
But as Yu Zhengqing handed back the torch, everyone noticed something shocking—
His palms were bloody from gripping the hammer for hours.
From mid-afternoon to dawn, Yu Zhengqing had done most of the work.
Although Yu Haojie had tried to take over, Zhengqing never fully let go.
Despite his pride, he had borne the burden so that his younger brother wouldn’t have to.
For someone who rarely expressed emotions, this was his way of making amends.
Yu Haojie couldn’t find the words to thank him.
Instead, Ye Jiamei quietly handed him a small bundle of medicine.
“Use this tonight.”
Seeing the golden sore medicine in his hand, Yu Zhengqing felt a strange warmth in his heart.
Even the pain in his palms seemed to fade.
As he watched Ye Jiamei walk away, following the others back to their tents,
Yu Zhengqing’s usual cold expression softened into a smile.
His son, Xiaoxuan, soon appeared, looking annoyed.
“Father, why do you do this to yourself? Grandmother is just going to scold you again! There were so many men—even Second Uncle is strong—but you had to be the one to wreck your hands?!”
Hearing his son’s complaints, Yu Zhengqing’s smile faded.
He silently tucked away the medicine and, with a swift movement, leapt away toward the tents.
By the time they returned, many women and children were already asleep.
The rest ate a simple meal and collapsed into bed.
In such freezing temperatures, no one cared about bathing.
Even Yu Luo’s family simply spread their blankets and slept instantly.
However, what they didn’t know was that their arrival had already been noticed.
A group of unknown figures had received word—and their peaceful days were numbered.
*
As the women woke early to start cooking, the men gathered supplies.
Some picked firewood, others gathered stones.
Though many hoped to find another cave, they knew it wasn’t guaranteed.
Yu Luo, however, already knew the location of a second cave—the system had revealed it.
So, early that morning, she led a new group of people westward.
The Armor-Claw Beast, now familiar to everyone, ran ahead with its long tail swaying.
When it suddenly stopped at a certain spot, it turned back, tilting its head.
Its signal was clear.
It had found another cave.
Seeing how intelligent the Armor-Claw Beast was, the group marveled again.
“This beast is truly a treasure!”
Yu Shanhe sighed in admiration.
“If only we could find more caves… No one would need to build houses anymore!”
With the second cave confirmed, other families grew eager.
They joined in, hoping to secure their own cave before winter fully set in.
After all, in this harsh environment, a stone cave was the best shelter—
Warm in winter, cool in summer, and safe from wild beasts.
