Encounter and God Mountain

Outside Trout Village, Black Wolf stepped out from among several hundred personal guards. He looked at the warrior leader opposite him and asked in surprise.

"Blessings of the Main God! Grey Earth Puapu—so it was you, you fellow! What are you doing here?!"

Grey Earth Puapu looked startled and uncertain as he gazed at the Black Wolf General, who had suddenly appeared. He had been exiled to the southernmost border of the kingdom, where he not only had to guard the kingdom's only outlet to the sea, but also set up camp, build houses, and store a portion of timber and food. One man could not possibly complete all these tasks. Thus, His Majesty had given him three hundred newly surrendered southern warriors to suppress the Tecos people on both banks of the river mouth, collect tribute from the villages, and conscript local able-bodied men.

"Blessings of the Main God! His Majesty ordered me to garrison the mouth of the Talsas River. I only just arrived not long ago."

Grey Earth Puapu forced a smile and answered cautiously. Speaking of it, he and the old Militia had once snatched the Chief Minister's head from Black Wolf's hands. Now that he had fallen to this place, he could afford to offend him even less.

"Honored commander of the Black Wolf Legion, why have you come from the west? Great Chief Chimali is at war with the kingdom, so I keep watch here day and night. When I heard a large army was coming, I thought the Tecos Alliance had sent troops to punish us..."

"Haha! Chimali is finished! I came around seven hundred li from the west, burned Hand-Snake City to the ground, and conscripted all the grain along the way. His army has nothing to eat, and they'll collapse soon