Pursuit and Clash

The messenger warrior from the Bison Tribe knew that the Fire Tribe's fishing boats frequently operated in the area where the Fish River and the Valley Tribe's stream met. On the afternoon of the day his tribe was attacked, he desperately ran to the riverbank and, luckily, encountered several Fire Tribe fishing boats hauling in their nets.

"Quick! Take me to your chief! The Wolf Tribe... the Wolf Tribe is attacking!" He practically lunged to the side of the boat, shouting hoarsely.

When the fishermen of the Fire Tribe saw that he was covered in mud and blood and looked anxious, they knew that something serious had happened. Without saying a word, they immediately pulled him onto their boat, hoisted the sail, and set off as fast as they could, going upstream along the Fish River and the Fire Tribe's stream towards the Fire Tribe Valley. With favorable winds and the boatmen taking turns rowing, they hardly stopped.

At dawn the next day, just as day was breaking, the messenger and the Fire Tribe's fishing boat rushed back to the dock outside the valley. The news was immediately relayed to Chief Jianshi.

Before long, the largest council house of the Fire Tribe was brightly lit. Jianshi, Wang Yan, Jianya, Dali, Dazhuang and other high-ranking members were all woken from their beds and rushed over.

The Bison warrior who delivered the message was brought in, and he spoke with a sob in his voice, "The Wolf Tribe... Xueya led nearly four hundred men and suddenly attacked our Bison Tribe yesterday morning! Our Jijiao Chief is holding them off with his men, and the old folks and children are all coming to your side... Please, please go and save our chief, save the Bison Tribe!"

Jianshi's face darkened. He then inquired in detail about the enemy's numbers, weapons, equipment, and attack time. Afterward, he kindly comforted the soldier who was on the verge of collapse and ordered someone to take him to rest and take good care of him.

As soon as the messenger left, the atmosphere in the room immediately became heavy.

Wang Yan was the first to speak, his tone resolute. "Xueya's intentions this time are not good! Bringing so many people, it's definitely not a spur-of-the-moment decision, it's premeditated! Moreover, they suffered a loss last time, and this time they've come back with a vengeance, or they want to completely crush the surrounding tribes like the Bison and White Pig, and make a fortune!"

"Screw him!" Dazhuang roared. "We'll fight him every time he comes! It'll be perfect revenge for our brothers from the Bison Tribe!"

"That's right! We're strong and well-equipped now, we're not afraid of him!" The other Hunting Team echoed, their fighting spirit high.

Jianshi raised his hand to silence the murmurs, and said in a deep voice, "Yan is right, Xueya has definitely come prepared this time. We cannot underestimate them, but we also cannot stand by and watch them die." He looked at the steward in charge of the ships, "How many ships can we immediately mobilize to transport troops?"

"Reporting to the chief, twenty large Muzhou (with a carrying capacity of two thousand catties) that can transport troops have just been built and are docked at the pier. Each can carry ten to fifteen soldiers. We can also call upon some smaller boats weighing five hundred catties each," the steward replied immediately.

"Alright!" Jianshi decided immediately. "Transporting troops by boat is the fastest! Dali and Yan'er, you two take a hundred men and head by boat immediately towards the Bison Tribe to scout and provide support! I'll take a hundred men and follow shortly! Bring ten days' worth of rations and weapons!"

He paused for a moment, then emphasized, "Don't bring the bronze weapons yet. Use the Shimao, bone spears, and rattan armor we have before. Bronze is our secret weapon; it must not be revealed unless absolutely necessary."

He then looked at Jianya and Dabang: "Jianya, you stay behind to guard the tribe and oversee the overall situation. Daily production cannot be completely stopped, but vigilance must be raised to the highest level! Dabang, you and Dazhuang, each take one hundred men as reserves, and immediately head overland to provide support!"

"And horses!" Wang Yan added, "Shibang hasn't returned with twenty ponies yet. The remaining thirty are being led by Yingmu, who will be responsible for relaying messages between us and the tribe! If we encounter any fleeing members of the Bison Tribe on the road, we must comfort them and guide them to the tribe."

Jianya nodded. "Don't worry, brother, leave the family to me."

With the arrangements made, Jianshi and Dali Wang Yan immediately mustered two hundred elite warriors and boarded twenty large Muzhou moored at the dock. The fleet raised its sails and sailed downstream at great speed in the morning light, heading straight for the lower reaches of the river.

The fleet sailed for most of the day, and in the afternoon, they indeed encountered the remnants of the Bison Tribe struggling to retreat near the riverbank. Most of them were elderly, weak, women, and children, still in shock. One of them had Jijiao injury and was being carried by his tribesmen on a makeshift stretcher.

Jianshi disembarked to inquire about the situation and learned that after Xueya plundered and burned the Bison Tribe, he led the main force towards the White Pig Tribe.

"That beast!" Jianshi cursed, immediately leaving fifty warriors to protect and guide the survivors of the Bison Tribe to the Fire Tribe Valley, and sending Dwarf Horse back to inform Jianya to prepare for their reception and resettlement.

The young warrior of the Bison Tribe, Mangu (Jijiao's son), stepped forward with red eyes and said, "Chief Jianshi! My father was wounded by Xueya, and our tribe was burned. This blood feud cannot go unavenged! Please allow me to take ten brothers and go with you to fight the Wolf Tribe!"

Seeing the deep-seated hatred and determination in his eyes, Jianshi sighed and nodded, "Alright! Follow me! But remember, obey orders, don't act recklessly!"

Mangu nodded emphatically and immediately selected ten fierce-looking Bison warriors to join Jianshi's team.

With this, Jianshi still had 150 Fire Tribe warriors under his command, plus 11 men from Mangu, for a total of over 160 people. After a brief rest, the group immediately turned and headed rapidly towards the White Pig Tribe.

As dusk fell, they caught up with the fleeing White Pig Tribe tribe by a stream. Compared to the Bison Tribe, the White Pig Tribe was in slightly better shape, with a more concentrated group of people, but they had also lost their armor and weapons, and everyone looked terrified. When Chief Zongmao saw Jianshi leading his troops, he almost burst into tears.

After learning the situation, Jianshi realized that the harassment by Xueya's cavalry and the pursuit by the main force had put them under tremendous pressure, but fortunately, their main force had not been lost. He told the elderly, weak, women, and children of the White Pig Tribe to rest on the spot and set off for the Fire Tribe the next day, while he himself, along with the warriors and the more than forty remaining fighting warriors of the White Pig Tribe, found a nearby place that was easy to defend and difficult to attack to set up camp for the night.

Like Zongmao and Mangu, Mango was eager for revenge and insisted on leading a group to follow Jianshi.

The next day, just as dawn broke, Jianshi led the combined force to set off. The Fire Tribe had 150 people, the White Pig Tribe 40, and the Bison Tribe 11, totaling just over 200. The group moved silently and quickly toward the White Pig Tribe's original camp.

By noon, they could already see thick smoke rising from the direction of the White Pig Tribe camp in the distance.

"Oh no! They're setting a fire!" Zongmao's eyes instantly turned red.

When they arrived at the outskirts of the camp, they saw that most of the original houses and sheds had been set ablaze, with flames leaping high and thick smoke billowing. Some miscellaneous items that they hadn't had time to take were carelessly discarded outside the fire. Clearly, the Wolf Tribe had only recently left.

"Xueya! I'll fuck your ancestors!" Zongmao and the White Pig warrior behind him cursed, their eyes blazing with fury.

"Zongmao Mane, send the rest of the White Pig Tribe with about thirty men to put out the fire! Every bit we can salvage is valuable!" Jianshi immediately ordered, "The rest of you, give chase! Xueya can't have gone far!"

Despite his heartache, Zongmao selected over thirty men to rush into the fire to put it out, while he himself, armed, followed Jianshi and the main force, quickly pursuing them along the obvious tracks left by the Wolf Tribe during their retreat.

The remaining 200 members of the Wolf Tribe Xueya, carrying some of the looted supplies, rested for another day behind the White Pig Tribe and did not move quickly. Jianshi and his group caught up with the Wolf Tribe in a relatively open forest clearing in less than half an hour.

Xueya hadn't expected the Fire Tribe to arrive so quickly, and they seemed to have quite a few people. Xueya had nearly a hundred men escort the first batch of important supplies obtained from the White Pig Tribe away first, while he led the remaining two hundred or so men behind, intending to rest before slowly retreating. However, they were caught red-handed; the Fire Tribe had arrived far too quickly.

"Prepare to meet the enemy!" Xueya roared, both shocked and furious. The warriors of the Wolf Tribe hurriedly picked up their weapons and, under the commands of their leaders, managed to form a battle formation.

Jianshi didn't charge immediately; he surveyed the enemy opposite him. The Wolf Tribe outnumbered them slightly, but their formation was somewhat scattered, and many of them still wore the weariness and relaxation of arson, clearly not expecting to be caught.

"First team! Throw the Xiaoshi hammer!" Jianshi Shi gave the order.

The fifty warriors in the front row of the Fire Tribe immediately stepped forward, took out small, pointed Xiaoshi hammers tied with hemp ropes from their waists, swung their arms wide, and threw them forcefully at the Wolf Tribe's ranks!

"Whoosh whoosh whoosh--!"

Dozens of Xiaoshi hammers whistled through the air as they hurtled towards the Wolf Tribe. However, this time the Wolf Tribe members did not panic as they had before. Instead, the front-line Wolf Tribe warriors raised their thick wooden shields in unison!

"Bang! Bang! Thud!"

Most of the Xiaoshi hammers that struck the wooden shield were either deflected or embedded in the planks, causing negligible damage.

"Hmph, you've learned your lesson." Jianshi sneered. It seemed Xueya had learned from its previous failure. "All troops! Charge!"

"Kill them!"

The Fire Tribe warriors roared with fury, raised their spears and Shifu, and charged towards the Wolf Tribe Tribe's defenses like a flood bursting its banks. They wore improved rattan armor, with tough leather linings in key areas, making them far more defensive than the Wolf Tribe's haphazard leather armor.

Although the Wolf Tribe had large shields to defend against ranged attacks, their disadvantages in equipment and training became immediately apparent in close combat. The Fire Tribe warriors, in groups of three to five, covered each other, thrusting with spears and slashing with Shifu, their coordination impeccable. The Wolf Tribe, on the other hand, relied more on individual bravery and ferocity, and their formation was quickly shattered.

Xueya spotted Jianshi at the very front of the Fire Tribe Tribe's ranks, a figure like a war god. Jianshi Stone wielded a heavy, elongated Shifu (specially crafted to match his immense strength), which he swung with ferocious force, leaving none in his way.

Xueya, traumatized by Jianshi, dared not approach alone. He immediately roared at Shichui, Duyan, and Yexiao beside him, "Attack him together! Surround him!"

The four immediately abandoned their opponents and rushed towards Jianshi from different directions. Shichui wielded Langya (a loot from the last time), Duyan used a machete, Yexiao used a pair of short spears, and Xueya carried a heavy bone knife. The four cooperated well and quickly surrounded Jianshi.

"Well done!" Jianshi Shi was fearless, roaring as he swept his Shifu with Dali, forcing the four men to retreat or parry instead of taking the blow head-on. He possessed immense strength and his moves were wide and sweeping. Although he was fighting four against one, he was not at a disadvantage at all. On the contrary, relying on the weight of his weapon and the quality of his armor, he forced the four men to constantly move around and look for openings, spending most of their time on the defensive.

On the other side, Wang Yan faced Tujiu and several of Xueya's personal guards. Tujiu was agile, leaping and bounding like a monkey, his two bone blades aimed precisely at vital points. Wang Yan didn't try to outmaneuver him; relying on the protection of his rattan armor, he wielded a Yingmu spear with speed and stability. A Thrust forced Tujiu back, and with a backhand slash, he knocked down a guard who tried to ambush him. With a flick of the spear tip, he sliced open the throat of another guard. In the blink of an eye, two guards lay on the ground, and Tujiu was forced into a state of disarray.

Dali, Mangu, and Zongmao were even more bloodthirsty. Mangu was like a mad Bison, specifically targeting the Wolf Tribe's Xiaotou and seemingly fierce warriors, oblivious to the several wounds he sustained. Zongmao, on the other hand, led the warriors of the White Pig Tribe, specifically targeting the weak points in the Wolf Tribe's formation, their burning rage for revenge unleashing astonishing fighting power.

The Wolf Tribe's numerical advantage was quickly negated by the Fire Tribe's superior equipment, stricter discipline, and the individual prowess of Jianshi Shi, Wang Yan, and Dali, and they began to fall into a disadvantageous position. Wolf Tribe warriors were constantly being knocked down, and screams of agony echoed throughout the area.

Xueya grew increasingly alarmed as the battle progressed. He discovered that even with the four of them working together, they were completely unable to defeat Jianshi. Instead, their arms went numb from the impact of the opponent's heavy Shifu. Seeing his own lines beginning to falter and his men falling one after another, he knew he couldn't afford to delay any longer.

"Go!" Xueya winked at Shichui, Duyan, and Yexiao. The four of them suddenly exerted their strength and attacked Jianshi together, forcing Jianshi to parry with his axe. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Xueya turned and ran, rushing towards the few dwarf horses tied to the side.

"Retreat! Retreat quickly!" he shouted hoarsely as he mounted his horse.

Shichui, Duyan, and Yexiao Owl, disregarding all pride, scrambled to the horse's side, mounted it, and followed Xueya into the depths of the forest.

With the chief and leaders gone, the morale of the Wolf Tribe collapsed instantly.

Run!

"The leader has run away!"

The remaining Wolf Tribe warriors had no will to fight. With a shout, they dropped their weapons and even tore off their cumbersome leather armor, fleeing in all directions as if their lives depended on it, wishing they had two more legs.

As the warriors of the Fire Tribe and their allies were about to give chase, Jianshi raised his Shifu: "Don't pursue a desperate enemy! Clear the battlefield and heal the wounded!"

The battlefield was a scene of devastation, littered with weapons abandoned by the Wolf Tribe, broken wooden shields, leather armor, more than sixty corpses, and several Wolf Tribe warriors groaning from severe wounds.

Jianshi stared coldly in the direction Xueya had fled. Although they had repelled the Wolf Tribe this time, Xueya's main force was unharmed and had escaped back. This menace was still a huge threat. As for the Fire Tribe, its prestige had increased after this battle, but it would also face the Wolf Tribe's hatred more directly.