Polytheistic Belief

Lu Yao immediately devised a counterattack plan.

First, he sent the Pig-Fish Brothers into the Western Mountains to continue scouting things out. With Tracking and Water Finding, the two Heroes were perfectly suited to serve as scouts.

Then he opened the Temple interface.

[Bounty Slot] was now empty.

Lu Yao rummaged through his inventory and found a red-and-yellow children's toy Bow and Arrow, made entirely of plastic, with soft rubber arrowheads. He had bought it at a toy store after work.

For early tribal civilizations, Bow and Arrow were formidable weapons. They allowed people to escape the high-risk fighting style of close combat and instead use range to harass and wear down their enemies.

Though it was a children's toy Bow and Arrow, its mechanism and structure were the same.

Lu Yao placed the toy Bow and Arrow onto the mouse.

A tiny red-and-yellow Bow and Arrow icon appeared in the Bounty Slot.

[Bow and Arrow]: A God's Blessing. A powerful, long-range weapon and one of the most important weapons for armies and Hunters.

--Would you like to grant [Bow and Arrow] to your followers?

Lu Yao clicked [Yes].

Exclamation marks popped up over the heads of every villager in the Garlic Tribe.

"God Yao has bestowed a new Blessing!"

"Bow and Arrow! A miraculous Bow and Arrow has been born!"

"It's a weapon! An incredible weapon!"

"We don't have to fear enemies anymore!"

"Hunting, hunting! I'm going Hunting!"

"Praise God! Praise the Sun!"

Among the villagers, the Hunters reacted the most intensely. Not only did smiley faces appear above their heads, but they also danced with excitement.

They seemed to understand the significance of Bow and Arrow better than anyone else. The Hunters swiftly crafted their own bows and arrows, then eagerly rushed into the forest.

A question mark appeared above the Prophet's head instead.

Lu Yao clicked on his thoughts.

"Bow and Arrow, a long-range weapon. God intends to arm us so that we will no longer suffer threats and attacks. From now on, we will no longer fear assaults from outside enemies."

"God's will... is for us to confront the Demon Cultists, defeat those evil and barbaric people, uphold our faith, and protect life."

"It must be so!"

A question mark also appeared above the Shaman's head, but his train of thought differed from the Prophet's.

"Bow and Arrow are like a frog's tongue. Those who wield them can hunt from a very safe distance. Once we equip ourselves with bows and arrows, we can hunt not only rabbits and monkeys, but also shoot down Flying Birds in the sky. When facing dangerous venomous snakes, bears, and wolves, we no longer need to fear being injured."

"What an unbelievable creation. A God's power truly lies beyond mortal imagination."

"We need more bows and arrows. Every one of us can become a warrior and a soldier. We will no longer fear the Barbarian Tribe!"

As Lu Yao watched each Pixelated Villager's reaction to Bow and Arrow, a notification popped up on the screen.

[Your Blessing has taught your followers how to make and use Bow and Arrow. Faith has increased.]

The Faith in the upper-right corner increased by 30 points at once, becoming 267.

After mastering Bow and Arrow, the Garlic Tribe visibly became far more martial.

Every Pixelated Villager who went outside carried a bow and arrows, while the Hunters began bringing back large prey such as Bears and deer. More Leather was draped over the roofs and walls of Thatch Huts, and more dried meat hung from wooden racks beside the Wheat Field.

At that moment, news came from the Pig-Fish Brothers.

"A new tribe discovered: the Salt Pool Tribe."

"The Salt Pool Tribe heard that we have food and wishes to trade with us."

They had not found the Barbarian Tribe, but they had made an unexpected discovery.

Lu Yao clicked on the brothers and dragged them back to the tribe.

The two Heroes then led people from the Salt Pool Tribe back with them.

The Salt Pool Tribe had sent two villagers. They wore Flax garments and carried cloth bags on their backs, looking quite wealthy. As soon as they arrived, they began discussing trade with the Prophet and Shaman.

"The Salt Pool Tribe has always traded with various tribes, using salt in exchange for food, clothing, medicinal herbs, and other goods."

"We hope to trade salt for your Wheat."

A question mark appeared above the Prophet's head.

He thought, This seems like an opportunity. I must give it a try and spread the faith of the Great God.

Lu Yao was quite pleased.

The Prophet really understood what he meant.

The Prophet said, "Friends from the Salt Pool Tribe, have you considered finding a place better suited for survival?"

The Salt Pool Tribe villagers looked at one another.

"We have the salt pool. The salt pool is everything. With the salt pool, we can trade for anything. We need nothing else."

"The salt pool is enough."

They had absolutely no intention of migrating.

The Shaman also tried to persuade them. "The Barbarian Tribe is in the mountains. They worship a Demon that can turn people into beasts. The Barbarian Tribe attacks every tribe that does not worship the Demon. The Salt Pool Tribe cannot avoid them either."

Smiley faces appeared above the heads of the two Salt Pool Tribe villagers.

"That isn't a problem."

"We also worship that Demon."

Exclamation marks appeared above the heads of everyone in the Garlic Tribe.

The Salt Pool Tribe members explained, "In the Salt Pool Tribe's Temple, we worship three Gods, including the Demon you see as one."

"Our tribe lives by the salt pool and salt-making. Everyone needs to sell salt. As long as it helps us live better, we can accept any faith."

"If necessary, our tribe is also willing to worship the God here, as long as you are willing to trade with us and God can protect us."

For a moment, both the Prophet and Shaman froze, question marks appearing above their heads.

Lu Yao could only marvel at the sight.

This Salt Pool Tribe was the first polytheistic tribe he had encountered.

They seemed to place great emphasis on practical benefits, carrying a hint of early Merchants.

"Friends of the Garlic Tribe, we are willing to trade Wheat with you for the long term. We are also willing to purchase any other suitable goods."

The Prophet and Shaman went aside to discuss matters.

"The tribe now has an abundance of food. Through the Salt Pool Tribe, we can spread the faith of God. This benefits both God and the tribe." The Prophet valued the tribe's influence in spreading faith.

"Salt is very important to the tribe. With salt, we can make more Cured Meat, which can be stored for a long time. With the Salt Pool Tribe's salt, we won't need to search everywhere for it. The Hunters will grow stronger." The Shaman cared more about practical benefits.

The two wise men reached a consensus.

"We are willing to trade with the Salt Pool Tribe."

[The Garlic Tribe and the Salt Pool Tribe have begun trading. The Salt Pool Tribe's attitude has become neutral.]

Smiley faces appeared above the heads of both Salt Pool Tribe villagers.

"There are quite a few goods here."

"Wheat, an important food."

"Bow and Arrow, excellent weapons."

"Leather, which can be made into clothing, armor, and bags."

"!"

Exclamation marks suddenly appeared above the two villagers' heads.

"Garlic! It's a spice!"

"We've discovered a unique product! Garlic, a spice!"

The Salt Pool Tribe villagers excitedly raised both arms and cheered.

"Please give us as much Garlic as possible. We want all the Garlic! Invaluable Garlic, wonderful spicy Garlic!"

Lu Yao chuckled at the sight.

He had never expected his initial casual action to prove useful now.

In the early stages of human civilization, spices were extremely expensive luxuries. Wheat, Bow and Arrow, and Leather could still be considered ordinary goods, but Garlic was the only spice of its kind in the surrounding area.

The two Salt Pool Tribe villagers left behind two bags of salt, took away a great deal of Garlic, and hurried back into the western mountains.

A few minutes later, a notification appeared on the computer screen.

[The Salt Pool Tribe has decided to make Garlic a key product. The Salt Pool Tribe's attitude has become friendly, and your faith will spread within the Salt Pool Tribe.]

[Your Blessing has delighted the Salt Pool Tribe beyond measure. Faith has increased slightly.]

This time, the Faith in the upper-right corner increased by 120 points, jumping straight to 387.

Lu Yao was momentarily stunned.

This Salt Pool Tribe seemed extraordinary. Simply by giving them distribution rights for Garlic, they had offered so much Faith. Whether in population or scale, they seemed far beyond the earlier Forest Tribe.

Then Lu Yao reconsidered.

It took real strength to switch back and forth among three Gods. If they were not tough enough themselves, the Barbarian Tribe, so keen on raiding heretics, would probably have crushed the Salt Pool Tribe long ago.