In Teyvat, it all begins with rescuing the grass god.

Those are crocodiles raised by the Tanit tribe.

This is an important source of income for the Tanit tribe. They earn a considerable income every year from the crocodile skin, essential oils, dried meat, and other specialties produced by these crocodiles.

The area is also quite green.

These plants were not planted by the Tanit tribe themselves; they appear to have been there long before the ruins were built.

Besides these green plants, Rhodes also saw a field full of lush greenery outside the Tanit tribe settlement.

It's just not very large in scale.

The amount of food produced is definitely not enough to meet the daily consumption of such a large tribe.

But looking out over the desert...

This was already a very insightful move.

After all, in Rhodes's knowledge, most desert tribes did not have the option of growing their own food to support themselves.

A tribe like the Tanit, who know how to farm and understand farming, is truly unique.

I observed for a short while.

Urged and escorted by the bandits, Rhodes successfully entered the Tanit tribe.

As soon as I stepped through the gate.

A strong aroma of spices wafted over.

Following the scent, you'll find an extremely simple workshop where workers are extracting a pungent and spicy spice from sandworm fat.

Judging from Rod's learning progress during this period.

This substandard workshop had at least twenty violations in its hygiene and production processes.

"It's amazing that those rainforest people can eat this spice."

"If they saw this environment, wouldn't they throw up on the spot?"

Rod silently complained to himself.

This Tanit tribe's spice-producing workshop inexplicably reminded him of a short video he had seen at his teacher's place before.

No more.

If I think about it any longer, I'm going to vomit.

Rhodes turned his head and focused his gaze on the overall structure of the Tanit tribe.

It is clear.

This is a standard clan society structure.

This tribe, which is based on the ruins of Gür, is divided into three levels.

Rhodes is now heading towards the uppermost area, where the tents are the most luxurious and exquisite, and there are many slaves with marks on their faces coming and going.

This floor has the fewest tents, and all the tents are set up around the largest and most conspicuous one.

no doubt.

The matriarch of the Tanit tribe lived in that large tent, surrounded by the tribe's nine elders.

Down this floor, the number of residents is several times greater.

Judging from the people coming and going, most of them were people who could be of use to the tribe, such as warriors escorting Rhodes, hunters going out to hunt, and crocodile breeders.

"Oh, a new leader of the merchants has been chosen?"

Upon seeing a tribesman dressed similarly to Adelfi, Rod couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

peddler.

This is the Tanit tribe's biggest revenue source.

Rhodes had compared Aru Village and Tanit Tribe a long time ago.

The conclusions drawn.

If the Tanit tribe hadn't been constrained by its identity as a desert tribe and its limited perspective, it would definitely have become a powerful separatist force.

This tribe has a truly unique approach to internal affairs.

Emphasis should be placed on agriculture, a solid commercial reputation should be established, and the entire population should be required to learn cultural knowledge.

only.

Even with such enlightened methods, the drawbacks of desert tribes still persist.

Thinking of this, Rhodes looked down at the lowest level of the Tanit tribe.

That's where the Tanit tribe has the most tents; the entire upper and middle levels combined probably don't even amount to a fraction of the lower level.

Most of the people living here are physically weak tribal people.

Very few are young people; most are elderly.

As for the kids.

Those who appear in the lower levels are mostly children who are weak and sickly. Those who are physically strong are either learning various combat skills in the training ground or doing odd jobs in the workshop or crocodile pond.

The weak eat the strong.

This desert iron rule is vividly demonstrated in the Tanit tribe.

After deeply memorizing these situations,

Under the escort of the bandits, Rhodes arrived at the tent of one of the elders.

it's here.

He met for the first time the legendary desert tyrant, Elder Babel, who had not yet become the matriarch.

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 112 Nasita's Thoughts

It's different from what I remembered about Babel.

Aside from the slime on her chest that's bigger than a baby's head and her nosebleed-inducing figure, Babel's other appearance has almost nothing in common with the Babel in Rod's memory.

She wasn't wearing an eye mask.

Babel's true appearance was incredibly alluring, and coupled with her captivating figure, Rhodes was almost completely drawn in the moment he saw her.

Fortunately.

Babel's clothing was not as revealing as that of ordinary desert dwellers.

to the opposite.

Perhaps to maintain the dignity of an elder, she dressed very conservatively, even more so than Dixia.

When Rhodes came in.

Babel is reading a book.

Upon seeing Rhodes enter, she closed her book and bowed with the most perfect desert etiquette imaginable, saying, "Greetings, sir. I am Babel, the elder of the Tanit tribe. I wonder if my men have done anything disrespectful to you on our journey?"

"Eh?"

Rhodes, who hadn't expected Babel to ask such a question, glanced left and right at the two robbers who had brought him there.

Judging from the fact that they broke out in a cold sweat instantly.

They are very nervous right now.

This discovery made Rod raise an eyebrow slightly.

It surprised me that.

Babel, who has not yet become the matriarch, already possesses such awe-inspiring authority. It is unimaginable what kind of prestige the matriarch of the Tanit tribe must have!

At this time.

Then Babel spoke up again: "Scholar, don't worry. If they do anything disrespectful, just tell me and I will help you resolve it. I guarantee they won't do anything to upset you again."

What a brilliant way to win people's hearts!

Rod hesitated for a moment, then suddenly became frantic, pointing at the two robbers and then at the people outside the tent who hadn't come in, saying, "Him, and him, and those other people, they've been rude to me the whole way!"

"we do not have!"

Upon hearing Rhodes's words, the two robbers immediately waved their hands frantically, saying, "Elder Babel, don't listen to his nonsense! We haven't done anything wrong along the way. Even when we talked, we were only talking about our own affairs, and we didn't mention him at all!!!"

"fart!"

"You keep saying those vulgar things. I'm not stupid. Do you think I don't know who you're talking about?"

Rod no longer showed any fear. He jumped up and down, pointing at the two of them, and rattled off all the things they had used to provoke him on the way.

Babel is a very intelligent person.

After hearing Rod's accusations, she knew exactly what these people had said.

In fact.

It's not just the rainforest people who look down on the desert people; the desert people also look down on the rainforest people, especially those scholars who monopolize the best resources in the entire Sumeru region and then exploit their own people.

With this mindset.

Since they couldn't take action, it was perfectly normal for these guys to deliberately scare Rhodes with some words.

"Get out and slap yourselves until the scholar forgives you."

Babel issued a command in a calm tone, leaving no room for argument.

The two robbers were immediately relieved and scrambled out, and then the sound of slapping their faces came from outside the tent.

Surprised by Babel's methods, even though Rhodes was mentally prepared, he couldn't help but be momentarily stunned.

"I'm sorry, sir, I've startled you."

"Introduce yourself again."

"I am an elder of the Tanit tribe, my name is Babel, may I ask how I should address you?"