The Fisherman Enters the Fray
After a brief lunch break, a chilling atmosphere once again settled over the clearing between the Pottery Salt Tribe and Wolf Tribe, a clearing soaked in blood and fire. Neither side uttered a word; their hatred and intentions were tacitly understood. After several rounds of cautious, probing contact, the intensity of the battle rapidly escalated.
The Wolf Tribe's Xueya desperately needed a decisive victory to completely crush the Pottery Salt Tribe's last will to resist, so as to end the battle before the Fish Tribe could intervene. Meanwhile Pottery Salt Tribe's Jia Li had to repel or even severely cripple the Wolf Tribe in order to preserve his tribe's remaining home and a glimmer of hope. Both sides had no way out and committed all their remaining fighting strength to the fight.
The battle was even more brutal and protracted than in the morning. The two sides repeatedly charged and fought on the narrow battlefield, each encounter accompanied by new casualties. The ferocity of the Wolf Tribe and the grief and anger of the Pottery Salt Tribe's allied forces intertwined, forming a bloody war of attrition. There were no clever tactics, only the most primitive fighting and a contest of wills.
After several rounds, both sides paid a heavy price. Dozens more bodies fell on the battlefield, and blood almost soaked the land. When the two exhausted and heavily wounded teams slowly disengaged and faced each other at a distance, the air was filled with the stench of blood, heavy breathing, and a stifling silence. Each side left behind about thirty more corpses, and neither gained a decisive advantage.
The brief respite became a precious window for both sides to lick their wounds and gather their last bit of strength. However, this fierce balance was about to be broken by a third party.
Just as Xueya of the Wolf Tribe was calculating how long the enemy could hold out and whether he should launch a final, desperate charge, Tujiu, who was in charge of guarding the south, rode hurriedly from the direction of the Fish River. Xueya's heart sank when he saw Vulture's hurried and even somewhat panicked expression.
Tujiu dismounted and leaned close to Xueya's ear, his voice urgent and low. "Chief! Something terrible has happened! We've spotted the Fish Tribe's fleet at the confluence of the Fish River and the Stream! Several large ships, carrying a large army, are heading this way! They're not far off!"
Despite having a premonition, Xueya still felt a pang of fear and rage upon hearing that the Fish Tribe had actually intervened at this moment. He took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down quickly. His gaze swept over the Pottery Salt Tribe coalition opposite him, who were equally exhausted, but whose eyes had regained a glimmer of hope.
"Damn Canglan! They always choose this moment to take advantage!" Xueya cursed through Xueya. He judged that although the Pottery Salt Tribe seemed to be able to resist, they were actually at their last gasp. If he had another hour, he might be able to defeat them. But the arrival of the Fish Tribe completely disrupted his plans. Once the Fish Tribe's fresh forces attacked from the flank or rear, the Wolf Tribe would be doomed.
"We must retreat immediately!" Tujiu! Xueya hissed. "Take thirty cavalrymen and immediately slow down the Fish Tribe's advance! No need for a fight to the death, just harass them, set up obstacles, and delay their approach as much as possible!"
"Duyan!" He then turned to another trusted confidant, "You take a dozen cavalrymen, plus a hundred relatively strong warriors, and are responsible for covering the rear! Keep a close watch on the movements of the Pottery Salt Tribe. If they dare to pursue, give them a good beating! But don't linger in battle; fight and retreat!"
"Everyone else, pack up immediately and retreat with me! Destination: Wolf Fang Valley!" Xueya decisively ordered. Wolf Fang Valley was a strategically important and easily defensible location, his prepared escape route, and now it had become the best defensive position.
The order was quickly relayed. The Wolf Tribe tribe began an organized retreat, while the Duyan, bringing up the rear, formed a tight defensive formation, vigilantly facing the direction of the Pottery Salt Tribe.
On the Pottery Salt Tribe, Jia Li, Kaishan, the Liequan, and others also noticed the unusual movements of the Wolf Tribe, especially the Tujiu rushing back and forth and the Wolf Tribe beginning to tighten their formation. Combining this with the messengers sent out earlier, Jia Li already had some guesses in his mind. When the scouts confirmed that the Fish Tribe's fleet had indeed arrived nearby, everyone finally breathed a sigh of relief, but seeing the Wolf Tribe's orderly retreat, they also knew the risks of pursuing them.
"Leader, should we pursue them?" the Biaotou asked in a low voice, his eyes filled with both hatred and exhaustion.
Jia Li watched the Wolf Tribe slowly retreat, then looked at the warriors around him, almost all of them wounded and exhausted. He slowly shook his head, his voice hoarse. "Chase? What are we going to do to chase them? Everyone who's still standing is wounded. Their retreat is well-organized, and they have cavalry covering their rear. A hasty pursuit will only increase casualties."
He hesitated for a moment, then said, "However, we can't let them leave so easily. Biaotou, you, along with the Kaishan Chief and the Liequan Chief, select one hundred brothers with the lightest injuries and still some strength to follow them from a distance. Don't engage in battle, just keep a close eye on them. Since the Fish Tribe's Julang has arrived, they'll most likely give chase. You follow behind the Fish Tribe and observe the situation. If there's any opportunity to take advantage... take it."
This was the safest approach at present. The escort leader and others took the order and quickly mobilized their troops. Just as the main force of the Wolf Tribe began to move towards Langya Valley, and the Taoyan Tribe sent a small force to follow, Julang of the Fish Tribe led 270 recharged and well-equipped warriors (leaving 30 people to guard the ship), and finally "caught up" with the Wolf Tribe's tail during the delay. The order he received was to "intervene in a timely manner" ", it is necessary to highlight the existence and force of the Fish Tribe, but not to allow the Taoyan Tribe to win easily. It is best to make both sides lose. Now it seems that the goal has been basically achieved. He commanded the team and followed the Wolf Tribe to cut off the rear troops. The Wolf Tribe's cavalry continued to harass and slow them down, and Julang did not pursue them with all their strength. Until most of the Wolf Tribe's team retreated into the familiar Wolf Fang Valley.
Xueya had already learned of Julang's movements through his scouts. The humiliation of being ambushed by the allied forces in Wolf Fang Valley was still fresh in his mind, and now Julang dared to lead his troops to pursue him alone, which made him grit his teeth in hatred.
"Good! Just in time!" Xueya's eyes flashed with a fierce light, and a plan for revenge instantly took shape. He ordered the main force to continue advancing slowly, making the appearance of a panicked retreat, while secretly ordering Yexiao and his fifty men, who had been lying in ambush in Wolf Fang Valley, to prepare.
Seeing the Wolf Tribe rush into the valley in Julang, Julang felt even more confident. He thought it was a good opportunity to gain merit and easily defeat the defeated army. Eager to make a name for himself, he urged the team to quicken their pace and plunge into Wolf Fang Valley.
Just as most of the Fish Tribe's group entered the valley and their formation stretched out due to the mountain path, shouts of battle suddenly rang out from the slopes on both sides! The fifty men of Yexiao Owl, who had been lying in ambush, launched a sudden attack, raining down logs and boulders.
"An ambush!" The Fish Tribe's troops were thrown into chaos. Caught off guard, some were knocked over and their horses were thrown about, screams filling the air.
Julang was terrified and immediately ordered the vanguard to hold steady and form a defensive formation. Fortunately, the Fish Tribe warriors were well-equipped, and their leather armor and shields withstood some of the attacks, preventing an immediate collapse.
Just then, Xueya led over a hundred Wolf Tribe warriors who still had fighting strength, turning back from the valley entrance ahead! Like hungry wolves turning back, they charged straight at the Fish Tribe's vanguard, who were caught in the chaos!
Julang was both shocked and enraged, and commanded his troops to fight desperately. Wolf Fang Valley was narrow and its numerical advantage was difficult to utilize, so the two sides were crammed into the valley and engaged in a chaotic melee. Yexiao's ambush troops also rushed down the hillside and joined the battle.
The Fish Tribe, with its superior equipment and relatively well-organized formation (vanguard and center), barely managed to withstand the Wolf Tribe's counterattack. However, the Wolf Tribe, taking advantage of the terrain and the psychological advantage brought by the ambush, fought exceptionally fiercely.
The battle was fierce but brief. The two sides fought repeatedly in the narrow valley, neither able to completely defeat the other. Although Xueya was determined to annihilate the elite of the Fish Tribe, his own forces were exhausted from the long battle and their fighting strength had been severely reduced. Julang, on the other hand, was alarmed by the ferocity and cunning of the Wolf Tribe and dared not venture any further.
The sky darkened rapidly amidst this chaotic and bloody stalemate.
With their vision obstructed, continuing the fight would be extremely disadvantageous for both sides. Xueya knew it was time to call it a day; if it dragged on any longer, the Fish Tribe would have reinforcements, which would be troublesome. Julang was also eager to escape this damned danger zone as soon as possible.
So, under the cover of night, both sides "tacitly" disengaged slowly. Taking advantage of their familiarity with the terrain, the Wolf Tribe quickly disappeared into the dark depths of the valley. The Fish Tribe, on the other hand, cautiously withdrew from Wolf Fang Valley, reorganized, and tallied their casualties (though not as heavy as the Wolf Tribe claimed, the losses were still considerable). Julang's face was ashen, and the ease and calculation he had shown when he arrived were gone.
In the distance, a hundred-man team led by Taoyan tribe's bodyguards, Kaishan, and Hounds heard the roar of killing in the valley, and saw the Yu tribe retreating in embarrassment. They roughly guessed the process.