At the Garlic Tribe's dock, larger Galleys had replaced Dugout Canoes.
Unlike Dugout Canoes, which could be handled by one person, a Galley required several people to operate. It used sails with the wind and oars against it.
Compared to Dugout Canoes, Galleys could enter deeper waters and were faster, more stable, and sturdier.
After acquiring Galleys, the Garlic Tribe's reach expanded further. Their footprints spread along the East River, and for the first time, they formally entered the East Sea and began their initial voyage into navigation.
But this also created a resource problem. Building Galleys required large amounts of wood, Flax, and some Copper, and took more than ten times as long as making Dugout Canoes.
The Garlic Tribe had little Flax, relying entirely on gathering it in the wild, though wood and Copper were plentiful. Due to limitations in materials and craftsmanship, the Garlic Tribe had only three Galleys for a long time.
Lu Yao was in no hurry.
Having mastered Galley construction, the next step was to continuously improve the technique and gather more resources.
While the Garlic Tribe explored the coastal waters, the long-absent Donghai Clan arrived at the dock once more.
They still rode old Dugout Canoes and carried traditional Bow and Arrow. Other than having no Sea Monsters accompanying them, the women were no different from when they had first met.
The Garlic Tribe's dock had already grown quite large, with a broad, sturdy Galley moored beside it. By comparison, their Dugout Canoes looked especially shabby.
Grandmother, who led the group, said, "Friends of the Garlic Tribe, we saw your large ships. They are fast and very agile."
"Your ships have entered the sea and have been lingering along the coast. Sailing on the sea is extremely dangerous. Without the proper experience and techniques, you could face shipwreck and death at any moment."
"The East River Tribe is a branch of the Donghai Clan. We possess experience and skills in waterborne travel, and this knowledge is extremely valuable."
"We hope to exchange [Navigation] for your [Galley] technology."
The tribal leader Yu Zou did not answer immediately.
He discussed it with the Astrologer Shahan and Yulian, the inventor of the Galley, before responding.
"While the Prophet and Shaman were still alive, our two tribes maintained a long friendship. Though there were conflicts between us, we ultimately respected one another. Many of the young people in the tribe are the result of unions between our two tribes."
Yu Zou said, "However, the trade you propose is profoundly unequal."
"Our Galleys can enter any waters. Mastering Navigation is only a matter of time."
"And before that happens, our Galleys will grow ever stronger. Until our fleets can fill the rivers and enter the sea, every stretch of water we reach will become part of our tribe's domain."
"But you cannot build Galleys."
"The East River Tribe's population is continuously declining, and the Salt Pool Tribe no longer appears on the river. Everything you need comes from our tribe: Wood, Wool, meat, Potatoes, Garlic."
"You are a branch abandoned by your clan. Ever since you lost the ability to breed Sea Monsters, the Donghai Clan has stopped providing you with any support. You cannot even return to the sea, because without Sea Monsters, the winds and waves will destroy your Dugout Canoes."
"The Garlic Tribe has always helped you."
"As long as you join the Garlic Tribe, you will gain [Galley] technology. Then you will ride these mighty ships back onto the sea and no longer need to bow and scrape before the Donghai Clan."
"There are many ways to earn respect, but the best way is to become strong enough! Believe me. My best brothers and comrades died because of this, and I understand that truth well."
Yu Zou's persuasion was rejected by the East River Tribe.
They remained as stubborn as ever and left in their Dugout Canoes.
Just as Lu Yao was wondering whether he should give them a push himself, perhaps with a Hurricane or Scorching Sun, the East River Tribe's long-suppressed internal conflicts erupted.
On Ship Island, the East River Tribe split into two factions.
Three Female Captains wanted to join the Garlic Tribe, while Grandmother insisted on preserving the East River Tribe's independence. Neither side could persuade the other. So the Female Captains brought seventy-four people to the Garlic Tribe in Dugout Canoes and formally integrated into it.
Grandmother led the remaining people in Dugout Canoes toward the East Sea. It seemed they intended to return to the Donghai Clan at their source.
Lu Yao did not know whether they had successfully crossed the sea and returned to their hometown.
What was certain was that from this day onward, the East River Tribe would become history.
The Female Captains' arrival brought important [Navigation]. They also brought Nautical Charts, clearing away much of the unexplored fog over the surrounding waters.
Lu Yao dragged the mouse and looked down over the East River and East Sea.
Compared with the vast, boundless East Sea, the land occupied by the Garlic Tribe looked very small.
The Donghai Clan's main settlement lay on a medium-sized island southeast of the East Sea. But it was covered in fog, indicating that the East River Tribe had not contacted them in a long time.
Without mastery of sea routes and Navigation, it would be difficult to travel all the way here from there.
Even with the necessary techniques, a dugout canoe without Sea Monster escort could scarcely complete a sea crossing.
Lu Yao felt that Grandmother's branch of the East River Tribe was most likely doomed in its attempt to return to their ancestral land.
But that was unimportant.
What mattered was this group of women who had newly joined the tribe.
To Lu Yao's delight, the East River Tribe's women displayed their hidden racial talent. They possessed extraordinary fertility and could become pregnant and give birth in a short period of time.
In a sense, this was the strongest ability of the tribal era!
As long as population growth could be sustained, tribal civilization would eventually advance to the next stage and enter a new age.
A random association surfaced in Lu Yao's mind.
Perhaps Earth's primitive tribes had once gone through something similar.
Some tribes excelled at hunting, and everyone was sturdy. Some had strong fertility, while others mastered agricultural techniques... Different tribes merged through various means, gathering the strengths of each and forming new human groups capable of entering the next era.
In the Simulator, Lu Yao operated on three fronts.
In the castle, Isabelle was still continuously inflicting mental corruption on the boss Blood Knight, waiting for an opportunity.
In Ghost City Sanilo, the Ghosts continued to improve the city of the dead.
In the Garlic Tribe, the Age of Navigation was quietly approaching.
All three sides needed time to digest their gains and transform.
Taking advantage of this, Lu Yao minimized the Simulator and prepared to find a comedy to watch and relax.
This recent string of multi-front operations had exhausted Lu Yao as well.
The Pixelated Villagers kept courting death everywhere, so he had to rescue them at any time.
When the Pixelated Villagers simply loafed around and waited to die, he had to give them a hard slap and make them pull themselves together.
His feelings were quite complicated.
Gods truly had no holidays.
Compared to him, even God, who worked six days and rested one, counted as a slacker.
Before he could find a movie, a message suddenly came from Isabelle's side.
"My lord, the Forest Wolves found a Cave Dweller tribe of forty in the mountains."
Nice!
This was the perfect chance to test the Forest Wolves' real combat strength.
Then Isabelle added, "Before the Forest Wolves could attack, they surrendered voluntarily and were willing to become vassals of the Garlic Tribe."
Lu Yao was instantly disappointed.
They surrendered without a single shot fired?
Who knew where these Cave Dwellers had picked up such a rotten habit.
Before you continue