Joining the Fire Tribe in the Snow
The first snow of early winter, fine and dense, tinged the Fire Tribe Valley with a light silvery-white hue. Just as everything seemed about to fall silent, an unusual commotion arose from the outposts on the outskirts of the Fire Tribe.
A large migrating group, comprised of more than a dozen smaller groups, appeared outside the valley entrance, braving the cold wind and snow. They brought their families and drove their thin livestock, their faces a mixture of exhaustion from the long journey, relief at escaping danger, and apprehension and anticipation for the future. At a rough estimate, there were eight or nine hundred of them!
These people were the last remaining small tribes and scattered settlements on the periphery of the Fire Tribe, who were utterly terrified by the news of the Wolf Tribe's bloody expansion from the direction of the Bison and White Pig Tribe.
Jianshi and Wang Yan had already vaguely learned about the Wolf Tribe's rampage through their own channels, but they didn't have a complete grasp of the specific details and the chain reaction it had triggered. Now, looking at the nearly one thousand faces in the snow, filled with the desire to survive, they truly felt the enormous wave of panic that the Wolf Tribe's atrocities had caused in the surrounding area.
"Father, it seems that our decision to buy grain from the Fish Tribe at a high price and expand our houses ahead of schedule was the right one," Wang Yan said softly to Jianshi, standing on the watchtower and looking down at the dense crowd below.
Jianshi nodded solemnly, his heart filled with both joy at accepting the influx of people and a heavy sense of responsibility. "Yes, thankfully we bought an extra 200,000 jin of grain and built many more houses. Otherwise, with so many people suddenly arriving, food and lodging would have been a huge problem." He was once again grateful for his son's foresight and decisiveness, and also thankful for his own resolute support. The Fire Tribe's secrets (bronze, fine salt, advanced agricultural tools, etc.) and future ambitions all required a large population base as support and cover.
"Let's go down and greet them." Jianshi straightened his fur robe and took the lead towards the valley entrance. Wang Yan, Jianya, Dali, and the others followed closely behind.
On the temporarily cleared open ground, the leaders or representatives of various small tribes were so excited to see the renowned Fire Tribe leader, Jianshi, personally come out to greet them that they were at a loss for words. They stepped forward one after another, expressing their allegiance in the simplest and most sincere language.
"Chief Jianshi! Captain Flame! Heroes of the Fire Tribe!" An elderly chieftain's voice choked with emotion. "We were terrified by those beasts of the Wolf Tribe, we simply couldn't go on living! We've heard that the Fire Tribe is righteous and powerful, even Xueya was beaten to the point of vomiting blood and fleeing for his life by you, a truly great tribe that can protect us! We sincerely wish to join the Fire Tribe, to serve you as our master from now on, to abide by the tribe's rules, seeking only a way to survive and a peaceful life!"
"Yes! Leader Jianshi defeated Xueya, avenging us all!"
"The Fire Tribe is the one we should follow!"
"Please, chief, take us in! We'll do anything!"
The cacophony of pleas and praises coalesced into a warm current, dispelling the chill of the snowy day. Jianshi could sense that these people's fear was real, as was their yearning for the Fire Tribe. This differed slightly from some tribes that had previously sought refuge under pressure to survive; it showed a greater degree of proactive choice towards a "powerful protector."
Jianshi raised his hands, signaling for everyone to be quiet. His imposing figure and Chenwen demeanor naturally made him the center of attention.
"Brothers and sisters!" Jianshi's voice boomed, piercing through the wind and snow, "The Wolf Tribe is cruel and tyrannical, bullying the weak; they are a scourge on this land! Our Fire Tribe is fighting them not only to protect ourselves, but also to seek justice for all the tribes they have oppressed! This is what we should do!"
His gaze swept over the expectant faces. "Today, you chose to come to the Fire Tribe because you trust us! I, Jianshi, on behalf of all the people of the Fire Tribe, welcome you! From this day forward, you are brothers and sisters of the Fire Tribe! As long as you abide by the tribe's rules, work hard, and unite as one, I, Jianshi, guarantee that you will have a share of the Fire Tribe's food! The walls of the Fire Tribe will protect your safety! The enemies of the Fire Tribe are the common enemies of all of us!"
These words resonated deeply, instantly easing the anxieties of many. Then, without further ado, Jianshi led the newly arrived leaders on a tour of the open-to-the-public grain storage area.
When the heavy warehouse door opened, revealing mountains of golden rice and various grains piled up almost to the beams, all the newcomers gasped, their eyes widening in astonishment and then bursting into uncontrollable exclamations of amazement and joy!
"My God! So much food!"
"I've never seen so much grain in my entire life!"
"Following the Fire Tribe, we really won't go hungry!"
The abundance witnessed firsthand is more convincing than any words. The last trace of doubt vanished completely, replaced by immense peace of mind and anticipation for the future.
The acceptance process proceeded swiftly. The entire Fire Tribe's administrative system began operating efficiently. Jianya oversaw the overall situation, directing the coordination of the various "groups":
The Personnel Group and some of the Hunting Reserve Team soldiers were responsible for registering all new arrivals, verifying their origins, and explaining the basic rules of the tribe.
Based on the registration information, the Logistics Group allocated the pre-prepared food, winter clothing (hemp clothes and some old fur coats), and temporary shelters or newly built wooden houses.
The Manufacturing Group and some of the able-bodied young workers are working to build more temporary housing to cope with the sudden increase in population pressure.
The Farming Group and Domestication Group are also assessing whether any new hires have experience in farming or animal husbandry, in order to recruit them in the future.
Most importantly, all the newly joined young and strong men, after a period of rest and learning the rules, were quickly dispersed and incorporated into the Hunting Reserve Team. Here they would receive unified training and education, gradually integrating into the Fire Tribe's military and production system, diluting their original tribal identity and strengthening their sense of belonging to the Fire Tribe.
With the successful integration of these nearly nine hundred people, coupled with the newborn babies in the tribe this year, the total population of the Fire Tribe has snowballed, breaking through the five thousand mark! It has reached a scale that all surrounding tribes, including the Fish Tribe, have to look up to!
Correspondingly, the Fire Tribe's armed forces have also grown significantly. The total number of the Hunting Team (active elite troops) and the Hunting Reserve Team (new recruits in training) has exceeded one thousand! This does not include the strong women who have also received some training and can take up arms when necessary. The size of the Youth Brigade has also expanded to more than five hundred people with the addition of fresh blood!
Standing atop the newly renovated, taller earthen wall, Jianshi and Wang Yan looked down upon a valley that was larger, busier, and more vibrant than ever before. Smoke rose from the snow-covered landscape, shouts from the training ground pierced the wind and snow, and newly built houses sprang up like mushrooms after rain.
Five thousand people, a thousand warriors... This is a milestone, marking that the Fire Tribe has completely broken free from the category of a micro-tribe and grown into a truly regional power.
"Father, our strength has greatly increased," Wang Yan said softly.
"Yes," Jianshi, his gaze deep, looking towards the direction where the Wolf Tribe might be located in the north, then turning towards the Fish Tribe's location, "But it's not enough. Far from enough."