The Wolf Tribe Also Grows Leeks
The smoke from the battle had barely cleared from the Horse Horn Tribe when Xueya and his leaders began excitedly tallying their "loot."
Needless to say, the looting of valuables and livestock was a given, but what truly made Xueya's eyes light up was the herd of miniature horses that had been gathered together. There were more than seventy of them! Although about twenty of them were still foals with underdeveloped skeletons and were not of much use for the time being, the remaining fifty or so adult miniature horses had strong limbs and, although they were frightened, seemed to have good foundations.
"Good! Excellent!" Xueya stroked a stallion with a thick Zongmao, his face beaming with the most triumphant smile since their failed southward journey. "Coming north this time was the right decision! With horses, our legs are much longer!"
Shichui, Duyan, and the others marveled at the herd of horses, their eyes filled with greed. With these horses, the Wolf Tribe would be even more formidable, whether for pursuit, escape, or expanding their plundering range. They could say they had already exceeded their primary objective for this northern hunt.
"Take a day off!" Xueya waved his hand. "Make sure the brothers eat and drink well and get some rest! Tomorrow, we'll 'visit' the next neighbor!"
The looted supplies were enough for them to squander, and the entire camp was filled with an atmosphere of bloodshed and revelry. The newly joined wolf cubs, having been baptized in the blood and fire of the Horse Horn Tribe, seemed to have lost the last trace of humanity in their eyes, leaving only numbness and excitement towards violence and plunder.
The next day, Xueya left behind about a hundred men (mainly the wounded and those responsible for guarding the large amount of spoils, prisoners, and livestock), while he himself led three hundred highly motivated elite troops and rushed towards their next target— the Niujiao Tribe.
This time, Xueya did not choose to launch another bloody night raid. Now that the biggest target (the horses) was in his hands, the remaining tribes' will to resist and their strength needed to be assessed. More importantly, he had a new plan.
The three hundred men of the Wolf Tribe no longer concealed their presence and swaggered into the open area near the Niujiao Tribe's camp. The dark mass of people, still covered in undried blood and exuding a menacing aura, terrified the Niujiao Tribe's scouts from afar.
"Waaaaaah!"
The urgent and shrill sound of Niujiao horns immediately rang out over the Niujiao Tribe's camp, filled with terror. Men, women, and children of the tribe ran and gathered in panic like a flock of frightened sheep. Chief Niuyan hurriedly climbed onto the watchtower, and after just one glance, his heart sank to the bottom.
More than three hundred men! And every single one of them looked fierce and menacing. Their equipment was a mixed bag, but it reeked of blood, and they looked like they had just come from the battlefield. Niuyan recognized the tattered wolf skin flag—it was the Wolf Tribe! That scourge that the north feared!
Before long, Xueya, along with Shichui, Duyan, and several other leaders, rode their newly captured ponies and slowly arrived outside the camp fence, stopping at a safe distance.
"Listen up, you inside!" Xueya's voice was deliberately amplified, carrying a cruel mockery, "I am Xueya, the Great Chieftain of the Wolf Tribe! Two days ago, the Horse Horn Tribe dared to defy me and was wiped out by me!"
These words were like ice, instantly chilling the blood of everyone in the Niujiao Tribe. The Horse Horn Tribe was wiped out? The Horse Horn Tribe with hundreds of warriors and hundreds of horses?
Xueya was satisfied with their reaction and continued, "We're not here to kill anyone today. We just want to 'borrow' some food from you to tide us over. If you know what's good for you and cooperate, we can all live in peace. But if you dare utter a single word of dissent..." He paused deliberately, causing the three hundred warriors behind him to raise their weapons in unison, letting out a chilling growl, "The fate of the Horse Horn Tribe is a lesson for you!"
The Niuyan- Eyed Chieftain's face was ashen, the veins on his hands gripping his weapon bulging, and his chest heaving violently. He desperately wanted to lead his men out to fight to the death, but reason told him that it would be like throwing an egg against a rock. The enemy outnumbered them, were riding high on their momentum, and had just annihilated a strong tribe. If they hastily engaged in battle, they had no chance of winning. A forceful resistance would only lead the Niujiao Tribe down the same path Horse Horn Tribe.
A profound sense of humiliation and powerlessness nearly overwhelmed him. He gritted his teeth, almost forcing the words out, "How... how much do you want?"
Xueya laughed, a laugh that seemed utterly detestable to the Niuyan: "Not much, just a third of all your grain. Also, I see your cattle are quite good, so 'lend' us twenty more. As for sheep, just give us a few dozen as a token."
"What? A third? And cows and sheep too?" The tribal warriors behind Niuyan could no longer contain themselves and roared, "You're robbing us!"
"If we give it to you, how will we survive!"
"Fight them!"
Xueya's face darkened, Duyan immediately stepped forward, shrieking, "Shut up! Do as I say if you don't want to die! Our chief has been merciful enough! Look at the Horse Horn Tribe, do you want that?"
The Yexiao added ominously, "If you give us grain and livestock, you can survive and continue herding. If you don't... you'll lose your lives, but the grain and livestock will still be ours, won't they?"
The blatant threats and intimidation struck the hearts of everyone in the Niujiao Tribe like a hammer blow. Niuyan closed his eyes in anguish; he knew there was no choice. To save the lives of most of the tribe, to preserve the tribe's roots, compromise was the only option.
"Okay... we'll give it to you." Bull's Niuyan ' voice was hoarse and weary, as if he had aged ten years in an instant, "But please... keep your promise, take the things and leave."
"Don't worry, our Wolf Tribe is the most trustworthy." Xueya grinned and waved his hand.
The warriors of the Wolf Tribe surged forward like hyenas, brutally storming into the granary under the grief-stricken gazes of the Niujiao Tribe members. They carried away what they considered the best and easiest-to-carry grains; they led away the twenty strongest cattle from the cattle pen; and they drove dozens of fat sheep from the flock. Throughout the entire process, the warriors of the Niujiao Tribe gripped their weapons tightly, their nails digging into their flesh, yet they could only watch helplessly, daring not to make a move.
The Wolf Tribe tribe, laden with their spoils, arrogantly assembled outside the Niujiao Tribe's camp before swaggering away, leaving behind only a mess.
On the third day, the same scene played out again in the Sheep Horn Tribe. With the "example" set by the Niujiao Tribe, the Sheep Horn Tribe's will to resist was even weaker. Under the intimidation of Xueya's military force and the fear of the "Horse Horn Tribe's example", the Sheep Horn Tribe gritted its teeth and handed over one-third of its grain and some livestock, including ten dwarf horses.
Xueya, carrying the supplies extorted from the two tribes, met up with the hundred people who remained at the old site of the Horse Horn Tribe, feeling quite satisfied. Looking at the mountains of grain, hundreds of cattle and sheep, and especially the more than ninety ponies (about seventy of which were usable after deducting the foals), Xueya was filled with an inflated desire for conquest.
"This northward journey was worthwhile!" He rode a newly acquired steed, full of vigor. Combined with the ten horses the Wolf Tribe already possessed, they now had over eighty usable warhorses, enough to arm a sizable cavalry force! The Wolf Tribe's mobility and assault capabilities would experience a qualitative leap!
His decision not to exterminate the Niujiao and Sheep Horn Tribe wasn't due to a sudden surge of mercy. On the contrary, it was a more insidious calculation. Leaving these two tribes alive was like leaving two fields that could still yield crops. Once they recovered and accumulated some wealth, the Wolf Tribe could "harvest" them again. This gradual, sustainable plundering seemed more "cost-effective" in the long run than a one-time massacre. Moreover, avoiding excessive panic would also help lull the Horse Tribe further north— the Wolf Tribe currently didn't want to directly provoke that behemoth.
Laden with spoils and burgeoning ambition, the Wolf Tribe's army embarked on their journey back to High Pointed Mountain. Xueya, mounted on his horse, was already planning their next objective: upon returning to their lair, they would use the newly acquired horses to intensify the training of their cavalry, allowing the troops to rest and recuperate. Then, during the summer harvest season, they would once again set their sights on the Pottery Salt Tribe.
The Fire Tribe and the Fish Tribe are not yet a threat, but what about the smaller, subordinate tribes within the Fish Tribe's territory? Aren't those little lambs, protected by the Fish Tribe and perhaps with some stored grain, the perfect targets for the Wolf Tribe to practice on and replenish their supplies?
"Just you wait, you fat sheep..." Xueya licked his chapped lips, his eyes flashing with ferocity. "Once I've sharpened my claws and trained my cavalry, I'll come back and have a proper 'catch-up' with you!"