Chapter Twenty-Two: The Iron Sword, the Millstone, and the Armor

This female ancient ape was slightly robust in build, her chest prominent, her figure round and full. Though she was female, her physical prowess was by no means inferior to the males—if anything, she was stronger. It was precisely because of this that she had managed to persist until now.

“These strange things feel smooth all over, not a single sharp edge. They look nothing like the food we’ve eaten before. The little one tried them just now—they can’t be eaten at all. So, in my opinion, these things must serve some other purpose,”

The one she called Elder was an aged ancient ape with a coat of silvery hair.

He had lived for nearly sixty years—a rare feat, given that the average lifespan of their kind was barely thirty. Moreover, one of his ancestors had once studied diligently at the side of the Most Sacred Sage. This knowledge had been passed down through generations, earning him both wisdom and the honorific title of Elder.

As he spoke, the Elder gestured toward the young ape whose teeth had been knocked out.

The little ape pursed his lips, his expression growing even more sullen.

“If they aren’t edible, then what are they for?” one of the apes asked in confusion. Their limited experience divided all things simply into those that were edible and those that were not. The concepts of direct and indirect use were alien to them.

“Well… I can’t say for sure,” the Elder replied. “But I suspect it concerns the survival of our kind.”

Bent with age, the silver-haired Elder propped h