Settling the Bison and White Pig Tribes
Leading their victorious team and protecting the wounded, Jianshi embarked on their journey back to the Fire Tribe. Along the way, they encountered a group of elderly, weak, women, and children from the White Pig Tribe who had been arranged to evacuate earlier.
The group moved slowly, their faces filled with sorrow and bewilderment. When they saw the Zongmao Chieftain and the tribe's warriors return unharmed, with a considerable amount of spoils following behind, they were first stunned, then burst into complex emotions.
"Chief! Are you all alright?"
How's the camp?
"Where is the Wolf Tribe?"
The people of the White Pig Tribe asked questions all at once.
When they learned that the Wolf Tribe's Xueya had not only looted their camp but also burned it to the ground, the people erupted in chaos. Women wept uncontrollably, the elderly beat their chests in despair, children wailed in terror, and the men gritted their teeth, their eyes red with rage, their curses and swears against the Wolf Tribe and Xueya filling the air. Their homes were gone, all the possessions accumulated over generations were gone—the hatred was irreconcilable.
But then, Zongmao stood on a Shitou and loudly announced the following news, "Fellow tribesmen! Quiet! Listen to me!" His voice was booming, filled with the exhilaration of someone who had survived a catastrophe, "Those beasts from the Wolf Tribe burned down our home, but we avenged them! Chief Jianshi arrived just in time with the warriors of the Fire Tribe, and together with us, outside the White Pig Tribe, we utterly thrashed that bastard Xueya and his two hundred-odd wolf cubs! We slaughtered over eighty of them on the spot! The rest were all terrified and fled in disarray!"
These words struck like Startling Thunder amidst the grieving crowd.
"Well played!"
Kill them all!
"More than eighty! That's satisfying!"
The sorrow was quickly replaced by ecstasy and the thrill of revenge. Their home was gone, but their revenge was complete! And it was a great victory! Looking at Zongmao exhausted yet spirited warriors of the White Pig tribe, and then at the orderly ranks and superior equipment of the Fire Tribe warriors behind them (although the bronze artifacts were deliberately hidden, the rattan armor and neatly arranged Shimao were still conspicuous), the people of the White Pig Tribe felt an unprecedented sense of security.
Seizing the opportunity, Zongmao pointed to Jianshi and Wang Yan beside him and said with utmost admiration, "Look everyone! This is Jianshi, the chief of the Fire Tribe! On the battlefield, the four fiercest leaders of the Wolf Tribe — Xueya, Shichui, Duyan, and Yexiao —all ganged up on Chief Jianshi! And what happened? They were utterly defeated by Chief Jianshi 'Shifu, and in the end, they stole a horse and fled for their lives like dogs! And this is Jianshi's son, Yan, who is equally brave! Every warrior of the Fire Tribe is a hero who can take on ten men!"
The people of the White Pig Tribe were dumbfounded, their gazes towards Jianshi and Wang Yan filled with awe and worship. One person fighting four Wolf Tribe leaders and still gaining the upper hand? What an incredibly powerful war god he must be!
"Furthermore," the Zongmao's voice became even more earnest, "Our White Pig Tribe has suffered such a calamity and is now homeless. It is thanks to Chief Jianshi Stone's benevolence and kindness that he not only helped us avenge our defeat but also offered to take in our entire tribe, giving us a way to survive! From today onward, our White Pig Tribe is part of the Fire Tribe! Does everyone agree?"
After a brief silence, an even louder response erupted from the crowd:
"Willing!"
"Follow the leader of the Jianshi!"
"Thank you for taking me in the Fire Tribe!"
"We are willing!"
Those who had previously been worried about the uncertain future were now filled with gratitude and hope. With such a powerful leader and such a valiant tribe, what was there to fear?
At this moment, the scouts sent by the Fire Tribe arrived. They had come to deliver the latest news, but unexpectedly ran into the triumphant team. Jianshi told the scouts that the remnants of the Wolf Tribe had fled far away and posed no immediate threat. He then immediately ordered the scouts to ride back to the tribe to report the great victory and to have his family prepare in advance to receive and settle the nearly one thousand people from the two tribes.
The group continued their journey and soon encountered reinforcements from the Fire Tribe, led by Dabang. Hearing that the battle was over and their leader had won a great victory, Dabang and his warriors cheered and were immediately ordered to return to protect this large "newly surrendered force."
When Jianshi, Wang Yan, and the others finally returned to the Fire Tribe Valley, the scene before them filled them with both relief and awe.
The temporary resettlement area outside the valley has been initially set up, with simple wooden sheds and tents lined up in a row. The elderly, women, children, and wounded of the Bison Tribe are receiving hot rice porridge and clean drinking water in an orderly manner under the guidance of the Fire Tribe's logistics personnel. The Jijiao Chief is half-lying on a stretcher, having his wounds treated by the Fire Tribe's healer (Granny Cao's apprentice). Although his face is pale and tired, his eyes no longer show the despair they once did, but rather a complex, almost awe-inspiring light.
Upon seeing Jianshi return, Jijiao struggled to sit up. Jianshi quickly stepped forward and pressed him down. "Jijiao Chief, rest and recover from your injuries, don't move."
Jijiao gripped Jianshi's hand tightly, his voice choked with emotion. "Chief Jianshi, I can't thank you enough! The Bison Tribe... is truly convinced this time!" He pointed to the vast fields in the valley, the towering earthen walls, and the Fire Tribe members bustling about, their faces ruddy and their manner orderly, his voice filled with emotion, "These past few days, I've seen it all with my own eyes... mountains of grain, livestock roaming freely in their pens, crops growing beautifully in the fields, walls so high they inspire confidence, and so many people I can't even count them all... I've also met the brothers from the Deer Tribe and the Green Sheep Tribe; they're doing even better than they did in their own tribes! I was so blind before... I was truly like a frog in a well!"
He took a deep breath and solemnly said, "I, Jijiao, on behalf of all the remaining members of the Bison Tribe, sincerely join the Fire Tribe! From this day forward, the Bison Tribe will have no disloyalty and will obey Chief Jianshi's arrangements! We only ask that the chief give us, the remaining men, a chance to follow you in the future and avenge ourselves against the Wolf Tribe!"
"Good!" Jianshi patted his hand forcefully, his tone resolute. "Take good care of your injuries! Remember the matter of revenge! Once you've recovered, you're welcome to join the Fire Tribe's Hunting Team! From today onwards, we're family!"
Over the next few days, the entire Fire Tribe operated at high speed, focusing on receiving and settling nearly a thousand people from the two major tribes.
The Bison Tribe and the White Pig Tribe mainly lost food and campsites, but their population base was relatively intact, totaling nearly a thousand people. The Fire Tribe's original population, after continuous natural growth and the absorption of scattered smaller tribes, had already exceeded five thousand. With the addition of nearly a thousand people this time, the Fire Tribe's total population has surpassed six thousand!
Among the newly incorporated tribes, there were about two hundred able-bodied young men who were capable of fighting. After initial screening and physical examinations, they were uniformly incorporated into the Fire Tribe's reserve Hunting Team (Defense Team) for training. This caused the number of regular warriors in the Fire Tribe to surge from about one thousand to one thousand two hundred! The size of the Youth Team also expanded from five hundred to six hundred people due to the absorption of half-grown children from two tribes.
More importantly, it's about the hearts and minds of the people. These two tribes, especially the Bison and White Pig Tribe who have just experienced the devastating consequences of their conflict, harbor a deep-seated hatred for the Wolf Tribe. Furthermore, most of the members of the other smaller tribes who have recently joined the Fire Tribe have also suffered oppression or threats from the Wolf Tribe. When they witness firsthand or hear of how the Fire Tribe decisively defeated the once-arrogant Xueya, or hear of Jianshi's heroic feat of fighting four enemies single-handedly on the battlefield, the excitement, admiration, and sense of pride they feel are indescribable in any language.
"Choosing the Fire Tribe was definitely the right choice!"
"Following Chief Jianshi, I'll never be bullied again!"
"Next time we go to war, I'll definitely be at the forefront!"
"Train! Train like crazy! Next time you see those wolf cubs, you'll personally chop a few down!"
The newly Hunting Team warriors trained with extraordinary diligence, their eyes burning with a thirst for revenge. They knew the Wolf Tribe still existed, Xueya had fled, and the grudge was far from over. They yearned to become stronger, to fight alongside Chief Jianshi and reclaim their lost dignity and homeland with their own hands!