I am a Primitive Man-Chapter 817: The First Clash Between Shared and Private Ownership
Chapter 817: The First Clash Between Shared and Private Ownership
It wasn’t just the old primitive man whose expressions changed dramatically; those from the Wind Tribe who had come forward alongside them were also utterly stunned when they heard the sounds coming from inside.
Some of the minors who understood what was happening couldn’t help but laugh.
Even knowing that laughing at this moment was inappropriate, they couldn’t contain themselves.
Hearing the laughter, the Wind Tribe leader and his people inside grew even more tense. These ferocious outsiders were laughing—surely they must have discovered that their tribe’s cave still had people inside. They hadn’t come back to an empty cave, which explained their joy!
“#55 Leader, we…”
The old primitive spoke to those inside.
Once he spoke, the Wind Tribe leader and his group became even more anxious, because they couldn’t understand a word of what was being said—just gibberish to them.
It was precisely this incomprehensibility that shattered the last trace of hope in the Wind Tribe leader’s mind.
These people weren’t from their tribe at all! If they were, why couldn’t they understand what was being said?
Initially, the leader expected that once they spoke, the outsiders would stop at the cave’s entrance. But after waiting a moment and seeing the door remain firmly shut, they were baffled.
What was wrong with the outsiders? They had already identified themselves, so why not open the cave?
After a long stare at each other, the old primitive suddenly smacked his own forehead.
Over the past six months, they had been speaking Mandarin almost exclusively and had grown accustomed to it.
Just now, the old primitive had primarily spoken in Mandarin. The leaders inside had never visited the benevolent Green Sparrow Tribe or learned Mandarin, so they couldn’t understand and therefore didn’t open the cave.
“￥%6DF…”
Realizing this, the old primitive quickly switched to their native tribal language to speak to those inside.
The Wind Tribe leader, pressing tightly against the stone slab, froze upon hearing the outsiders speak in their own tongue.
What were they saying?
They claimed to be from their tribe?
This… how could it be possible?
It was freezing outside; how could they possibly return in such conditions?
Even if they survived the cold, many would have surely died. Those who remained would be shivering and weak, miserable beyond words.
But what he saw outside defied all logic—there were more of them than when they had left!
Moreover, their voices were loud and clear, not faint or shivering as one would expect from people who had endured such a harsh journey.
The Wind Tribe leader, fearing he had misjudged, cautiously peeked through a crack.
Up close, his suspicions were confirmed.
These people speaking their tribal language were definitely not their tribe’s original members!
They had no pale complexions, and their heads were wrapped in furs, looking utterly strange. How could these be his people?
Turning back inside, he saw the disheveled hair, soot-covered faces, and cracked skin of his actual tribe members—the true appearance of those who had remained.
Thankfully, he had been cautious and hadn’t opened the cave to the outsiders. Otherwise, his people would have been doomed.
As he pressed the stone slab more firmly, even Third Senior Brother and Mao, who had come along, couldn’t help but be amused.
Family members failing to recognize one another—what a curious scene!
“#￥%ER…”
After further negotiations, the Wind Tribe leader finally moved the slab aside, cautiously peeking out to see the old primitive man who had removed their fur hats.
When the old primitive man applied some soot to their face, the Wind Tribe leader and the others inside finally exhaled in relief.
With the soot, they could see the familiar features of their people and recognized them.
Relieved, the Wind Tribe leader was no longer concerned that outsiders were attacking—they were truly their own.
Curiosity quickly took over.
He, along with some tribe members, circled the old primitive man, marveling at their appearance.
They were treading thick snow, enduring freezing temperatures, yet no one had been injured or frostbitten. They all appeared energetic and healthy.
Such a sight was impossible in the Wind Tribe’s eyes, yet it was happening before them.
Excited, the old primitive man began sharing their experiences enthusiastically.
Over the past six months, especially during their time in the Green Sparrow main tribe, they had witnessed countless astonishing events that overturned their prior understanding of the world.
Among the Green Sparrow, they had always been humble, learning from those more experienced. But now, facing people who had never left the tribe, the roles were reversed.
They were knowledgeable, worldly, and naturally carried a sense of superiority, speaking with great enthusiasm.
The remaining Wind Tribe members, who had never left, had never seen such things.
Hearing the old primitive man’s tales, they were completely awestruck.
The minors who had accompanied them timidly took out treasured lollipops from their small pouches and, with excitement and a bit of reluctance, offered them to the tribe members.
The Wind Tribe leader took one, tasted it, and his eyes widened in shock and delight.
This… this is so delicious!
He was certain he had never tasted anything like it.
“#￥5D…”
Still with the lollipop in his mouth, the leader suddenly spoke, snatching the candies from the others.
It was clear: in his view, all delicious food belonged to the tribe. Whoever obtained it should submit it to the tribe for distribution.
When a minor resisted, the leader hit him on the head and took the lollipop, causing the child to fall and cry.
Seeing their leader take away all their treasured candies, the other minors cried as well, feeling aggrieved.
The leader, however, saw nothing wrong; in their tribe, food was always collected and redistributed according to strength.
Ignoring the stunned old primitive man and the crying minors, he returned to the cave, holding a handful of candies—now fewer than half of the original supply.
He distributed a few to selected individuals—one per person—and kept two for himself, in addition to the one in his mouth.
In moments, the cave’s atmosphere shifted from joyful reunion to something odd and tense.
The leader then eyed the outsiders’ unusual but warm clothing, shoes, and hats.
He believed their safe return was mainly due to these garments.
Without hesitation, he demanded they remove their clothes for redistribution, following tribal rules.
Seeing them merely stare, the leader acted for himself.
With both hands full of lollipops, he shoved three into his mouth at once.
The minors watched in tears and indignation. These candies had been precious gifts from the Divine Child—they had barely eaten any, saving them carefully.
The leader ignored their protests, taking hats and clothing from the newcomers, dressing himself, and giving the old skins to the others to keep warm.
The warmth from the furs was immediate; even the youngest tribe member recovered somewhat.
The leader smiled, feeling satisfied.
Then his gaze fell on his frozen feet, poorly wrapped in an old hide.
Noticing the newcomers’ shoes, which were well-made and fully insulated, the leader became irate when they instinctively pulled back their feet, fearing he would take them.
In his view, the tribal custom had been forgotten. He scanned the group and finally fixed his eyes on the old primitive’s shoes—both beautifully made and large enough for his feet.
“￥%6T!”
Pointing, he ordered the old primitive man to remove his shoes.
Perhaps instinctively, the leader sensed a change in his people. His action was to reassert his authority and return the newcomers to the previous order: all items were pooled and redistributed.
The old primitive’s chest heaved with anger.
During their time in the benevolent Green Sparrow Tribe, he and his group worked hard to provide for the minors, bringing back salt, food, and pottery for the tribe.
Instead of praise, the leader now seized their personal belongings.
The shoes on his feet were a personal prize from the Divine Child, awarded for coming in second in a race. They belonged solely to him.
“No one else can wear these!”
The old primitive spoke firmly, triggering strong agreement among the returning group.
The minors, seeing the leader’s bamboo stick and recalling their stolen candies, felt equally indignant.
The clothing and shoes were theirs; no one had the right to take them without permission.
The person from whom the leader had taken a fur piece was enraged—partly from the cold, partly at the outrageous theft, and partly because the fur was filthy, smelly, and infested with biting insects.
Reluctantly wearing it, he felt uncomfortable and disgusted.
Over half a year in the Green Sparrow Tribe had civilized the group, both inside and out.
This is the power of a more advanced civilization over a less developed one: it changes perceptions and expectations without conscious realization.
In the Green Sparrow Tribe, they had learned to bathe, clean clothes, groom hair, and appreciate hygiene.
They understood the difference between personal possessions and communal property, enjoyed having things of their own, and were accustomed to rewards for effort.
Their belongings—clothes, hats, candies—were theirs.
Food and clothing were sufficient for those who worked hard; no one took their personal items.
Once accustomed to such civilization, returning to their original tribe made many old customs unbearable.
Dirt, disorder, and foul smells could be tolerated due to long-standing relationships, but the seizure of personal property was intolerable—it touched their real, if not fully understood, interests.
Thus, when the old primitive man spoke up against the leader’s actions, he received unanimous support from those returning from the Green Sparrow Tribe.
The Wind Tribe leader’s chest heaved with anger.
To him, these people were out of their minds.
In their tribe, all goods were communal—any deviation could threaten survival.
Weak individuals relied on stronger ones for food.
Now, the returning group claimed ownership of their personal items, refusing to contribute them.
This infuriated not only the leader but the stronger members who had stayed behind.
If the previous communal system had applied, they could have claimed these items by strength, but now, weaker outsiders possessed them and refused to share.
Fear and anger spread among the remaining tribe members.
Thus, a fight no one had anticipated erupted—right amid the joy of reunion.
The leader, unwilling to tolerate this rebellion, sought to assert authority and restore obedience.
When the old primitive man refused to remove his shoes, the leader struck him to seize them.
The old primitive resisted fiercely—these shoes were his earned prize.
Though defiant, he was no match for the leader, and one shoe was taken.
The returning group’s chests rose and fell in agitation.
“Fight!”
The individual whose clothing had been taken finally shouted, yanking a filthy hide from the leader and pressing it onto his head…
Chapter 817: The First Clash Between Shared and Private Ownership
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