Chapter 353- Fierce and Ominous Top VS Pretend Weak but Actually a Big Boss (19)
Of course, this was something Mu Jin had not been aware of initially. After ensuring that the Pingshan Tribe had set up their stall properly and observing how orderly everything had been managed over the past few days, leaving no need for his assistance, Mu Jin decided to wander around the gathering with Wu Po, hand in hand.
Not long after, as they strolled to a stall belonging to another tribe, Mu Jin spotted a familiar face—Mu Shan. It was then that Mu Jin was shocked to realize that the Pingyuan Tribe had also come to attend the gathering.
As Mu Jin noticed Mu Shan, Mu Shan also saw the young man whose appearance bore a striking resemblance to his son. If it had been anyone else looking at Mu Jin, they might not have immediately recognized him as the young leader of the Pingyuan Tribe.
However, Mu Shan was Mu Jin’s father and had watched him grow up. Even though Mu Jin’s face was now free of the scar, his appearance was neat and clean, and his skin had become smooth and fair, Mu Shan still recognized his child at first glance.
Mu Shan’s eyes widened in shock as he stared at Mu Jin, unable to comprehend what had happened to cause such a drastic transformation in his son’s appearance.
Following the initial shock, however, Mu Shan quickly transitioned to dismay as he noticed Mu Jin’s fingers intertwined with Wu Po’s.
Back then, his son had clearly agreed to hold a bonding ceremony with Mu Xuan. Yet here they were—both Mu Xuan and Mu Jin had run off.
If it were only Mu Xuan who had left, it wouldn’t have been a big deal—just a beautiful woman in the tribe; finding another partner wouldn’t be hard.
But his child was the young leader of the Pingyuan Tribe, the hope for its future. How could he act so recklessly? Leaving the tribe without a word, simply because Mu Shan wanted him to find a woman and ensure the continuation of the family line?
Mu Shan was no longer young, and over the years, he had only had one child—Mu Jin. So when his son left without a word, it naturally broke his heart.
Mu Shan had always been deeply affectionate and indulgent toward Mu Jin. Seeing Mu Jin now only made him angrier. After being gone for so long, did his son even still consider him a father?
Without thinking, Mu Shan stormed forward, intending to teach his ungrateful son a lesson. However, as he approached, he was stopped by the tall, imposing man standing in front of Mu Jin.
Wu Po, noticing the authoritative-looking man from the large tribe rushing aggressively toward Mu Jin, immediately stepped in front of him.
He didn’t understand why this man was glaring so fiercely at Mu Jin, but no matter who the person was, Wu Po would never allow anyone to harm his partner.
Mu Shan, meanwhile, had been entirely focused on Mu Jin. Although he had noticed the man beside his son, he had paid him little attention.
But now, seeing this man daring to block his way, Mu Shan’s temper flared. He locked eyes with Wu Po, only to realize, to his annoyance, that this young man was significantly taller and more imposing than himself.
The thought that this guy had “stolen” his son infuriated Mu Shan even more. Naturally, his tone toward Wu Po was far from friendly. Seeing Wu Po standing like a wall between him and Mu Jin, Mu Shan snapped coldly, “Step aside!”
As the chief of the Pingyuan Tribe, Mu Shan naturally carried an air of authority from his many years in power. While most people might have been intimidated by his imposing demeanor, Wu Po was clearly not among them.
Wu Po furrowed his brows, unshaken by Mu Shan’s harsh tone or presence.
Mu Jin, sensing the tension, realized things were about to spiral. He had originally planned to return to the Pingyuan Tribe after resolving everything with the Pingshan Tribe and neutralizing the female protagonist’s threats. If conditions in the Pingyuan Tribe were favorable, he had even considered settling there with Wu Po.
However, he hadn’t expected to encounter the original host’s father at this gathering. Judging by Mu Shan’s reaction, it was clear that despite his changed appearance, Mu Shan had recognized him. Deciding there was no point in running from this any longer, Mu Jin quickly began considering how to handle the situation—especially given his relationship with Wu Po and the original host’s reasons for leaving in the first place.
The original host’s personality had always been too stubborn, but Mu Jin could tell from Mu Shan’s expression that, beneath the stern façade, there was a mix of excitement and worry. The man was nothing more than a “paper tiger1.”
Recalling from the original host’s memories that the father and son had always shared a strong bond, Mu Jin understood Mu Shan’s feelings. To ease the situation, he squeezed Wu Po’s hand reassuringly and offered Mu Shan a bright, conciliatory smile as he called out, “Father.”
Wu Po, who had been bracing himself to confront this “stranger” charging toward his partner, froze in shock. He had assumed that something had happened to Mu Jin’s former tribe, leaving him alone and wandering. But now, hearing Mu Jin call this man “Father,” he was stunned. Not only did Mu Jin have family, but judging by the way the other tribesmen deferred to Mu Shan, his father clearly held a significant position.
In hindsight, Wu Po realized he should have figured it out. Someone as knowledgeable as Mu Jin, who had studied under his tribe’s priest, couldn’t have come from a weak or insignificant tribe. He had simply assumed too much.
Even though Mu Jin had many traits that might arouse suspicion, Wu Po deliberately chose to overlook them.
The time spent with Mu Jin was the happiest and most fulfilling period of Wu Po’s life. Deep down, the man feared unexpected events that might disrupt their harmony.
No matter how many questions Mu Jin’s origins raised, Wu Po decided to deceive himself and ignore anything that could cause doubt. He didn’t care who Mu Jin was or where he came from; all he wanted was for Mu Jin to stay by his side.
But now that Mu Jin’s family had appeared, Wu Po was momentarily unsure how to react.
When he saw Mu Shan’s shocked expression after hearing Mu Jin call him “Father,” followed by Mu Shan’s angry glare in his direction, Wu Po instinctively bowed deeply toward Mu Shan. Then, mimicking Mu Jin, he earnestly called out, “Father!”
His attitude couldn’t have been more sincere.
Mu Shan froze at Wu Po’s sudden change in demeanor and, hearing him use that form of address, stiffened in shock.
With many people around, Mu Shan refrained from immediately losing his temper, but his face darkened noticeably. He glared at Wu Po, silently cursing, ‘This shameless brat! Who wants to be your father?’
Meanwhile, the members of the Pingyuan Tribe who had accompanied Mu Shan were equally astonished. Hearing Mu Jin call Mu Shan “Father” left them shocked and unsure of what to think.
They had already felt that the young man seemed somewhat familiar. After their leader’s reminder, they took a closer look and realized—wasn’t this their tribe’s young chief?
“Wait, how did the young chieftain’s appearance change? Even the scar on his face is gone!”
The once disheveled and untidy hair had been neatly combed, and Mu Jin was dressed in a pure white animal-hide outfit. Paired with his refined features, he looked even more attractive than the women in the tribe.
However, just as they began doubting their eyes, Mu Jin turned his head and flashed a grin at them. The clear and unmistakable warning in his gaze confirmed it: this was indeed their mischievous young chieftain!
Seeing that his father, Mu Shan, hadn’t lashed out at him in front of everyone, Mu Jin inwardly sighed in relief. He knew the gathering wasn’t the right time or place to explain things to his father, so he cheekily winked at him.
Mu Shan glared at Mu Jin in annoyance, but he couldn’t bring himself to berate him. With a huff, he strode ahead.
Mu Jin chuckled at his father’s reaction, then tugged at the sleeve of the visibly nervous Wu Po, signaling him to follow Mu Shan toward the tents set aside for the Pingyuan Tribe at the gathering.
Upon arriving at the tents, Mu Jin stopped everyone else, including Wu Po, from entering. “Don’t go in yet. I need to speak to my father privately,” he said, giving Wu Po a reassuring glance.
Though reluctant, Wu Po pressed his lips together and stayed behind, casting a worried gaze at the closed animal-skin flap of the tent. His heart was filled with anxiety as he waited for Mu Jin.
Inside the tent, Mu Shan had heard Mu Jin’s instructions. Though dissatisfied, he didn’t object, partly out of consideration for Mu Jin’s reputation and partly because he had his own questions to ask.
As soon as Mu Jin entered, he approached Mu Shan with a wide grin, almost playfully, and called out, “Father!”
Hearing Mu Jin call him that, Mu Shan softened a little, seeing his usually rebellious son suddenly showing such a rare gentle demeanor. For a moment, he was tempted to forgive him.
But then the memory of Mu Jin disappearing without a word for so long reignited his anger. He had feared that Mu Jin had met some terrible fate in the forest, perhaps even ending up in the stomach of a wild beast.
Thinking back on all the worry and fear he’d endured over such a long time, Mu Shan decided he wasn’t going to give Mu Jin an easy pass. With a stern face, he said, “Explain yourself. Where have you been all this time? And who’s that strange man outside?”
“A strange man? Really, Father…” Mu Jin felt a wave of exasperation at the description.
Still, he understood that Mu Shan was upset with him and probably held some disdain for Wu Po. So, Mu Jin quickly offered a mix of truth and embellishment, saying, “Father, it’s not that I didn’t want to return to the tribe. It was my fault for storming off into the forest in a fit of anger. But I got lost and then ran into a wild beast.”
“I hadn’t eaten properly in days and didn’t have the strength to fight back. Luckily, Wu Po—yes, the man you just saw—appeared and saved me!”
Hearing that the man outside was Mu Jin’s savior, Mu Shan’s expression softened slightly.
Noticing this, Mu Jin seized the opportunity and pressed on, “After that, he took me to a place called the Pingshan Tribe. Wu Po is incredibly skilled; he’s the strongest fighter in their tribe.”
“Ever since he rescued me, he’s been nothing but kind. He assumed I was weak and made it his duty to take care of me. He hunted for me every day and wouldn’t even let me join the foraging teams.”
“I didn’t know how to explain to him that I wasn’t actually weak. His strength far surpasses mine, and he was my savior. At the time, I was exhausted, hungry, and unwell from wandering in the forest for so long.”
“Having someone willing to care for me, I decided to stay in the Pingshan Tribe temporarily to recover.”
“In fact, I miss home and you very much! But when I think about how angry you were when I left, I don’t dare to go back to the Plains Tribe to face you. And then, it has been delayed until now…”
Note :
- “Paper tiger” (纸老虎, zhǐ lǎo hǔ) is a Chinese idiom used to describe something or someone that appears threatening or powerful but is actually weak and ineffective. ↩︎