The Pottery Salt Tribe's Response
Although Xueya's actions, involving the Wolf Tribe and its members, were swift and covert, in this land rife with suspicion, especially among the tribes they had previously ravaged, any unusual movement would trigger their highest level of vigilance.
The Pottery Salt Tribe was one of the most sensitive tribes. They had fought two bloody battles with the Wolf Tribe and suffered heavy losses, almost to the point of being crippled. Their leader, Jia Li, regarded the Xueya and the Wolf Tribe as mortal enemies and wished he could eat their flesh and sleep on their skin. Therefore, he was extremely sensitive to the movements of the Wolf Tribe.
Even before the news of Xueya's takeover of the White Tree and White Creek tribes had fully spread, the experienced and perceptive scouts of the Pottery Salt Tribe had already sensed something was amiss. The small tribes in this area seemed more silent than usual, with an unusually reduced number of signs of activity. This abnormal scene immediately Jingjue the Pottery Salt Tribe's scouts, who risked following some faint traces and eventually found the ruins of the White Stone Tribe's camp, which had long since turned into scorched earth and wreckage.
Despite being mentally prepared, when they saw the mutilated carcasses in the camp, which hadn't been buried in time and had been eaten by wild animals, and smelled the lingering stench of burning flesh in the air, even seasoned scouts couldn't help but turn pale and feel a wave of nausea.
"It's the Wolf Tribe... Only they could do something like this!" an old scout said through gritted teeth.
These messages were immediately brought back to the Tao Pottery Salt Tribe Pottery Salt Tribe by scouts and delivered to Jia Li.
After hearing the report, Jia Li's face was so dark it could drip water. In the fierce defensive battle a few months ago, although the Pottery Salt Tribe had defended their homeland and repelled the Wolf Tribe, nearly a hundred warriors had been killed or wounded, and they had suffered huge losses of supplies, severely weakening their strength. Fortunately, their cooperation with the Fire Tribe gradually improved. First, they facilitated a trade in dwarf horses between the Fire Tribe and Horse Tribe, and later they acted as agents for the Fire Tribe's pottery and dried fish, earning substantial profits and much-needed supplies. Thanks to these incomes, the tribe slowly began to recover.
After the autumn harvest, Jia Li, anticipating future needs, spared no expense, sending men to the Fish Tribe Fish Tribe purchase almost all of their surplus grain at a high price. With this precious grain, Jia Li not only stabilized the morale of his own tribe but also generously sold a small portion at a reasonable price to the Beast Taming Tribe and the Hundred Crafts Tribe, further solidifying their alliance with these two neighbors. Meanwhile, the Pottery Salt Tribe also used the grain to recruit a number of men from the surrounding area, replenishing the troops lost in the previous battles.
However, the shadow of the Wolf Tribe had not yet faded away. At this moment, the bloody news brought back by the scouts was like a bucket of ice water poured on Jia Li's heart.
"That madman Xueya! What exactly is he trying to do? Exterminate the clan? Manipulate the population?" Jia Li paced back and forth in the council booth, his brows furrowed. Years of experience made him instinctively feel that Xueya's actions this time were not just about plundering some supplies.
"Chief," the Biaotou) in charge of defense said in a deep voice, "Whatever his intentions, the fate of the White Stone Tribe is clear. We must immediately increase our vigilance and notify our allies— the Beast Taming Tribe, the Hundred Crafts Tribe, the Fish Tribe, and the Fire Tribe further south! The Wolf Tribe's movements are unclear; we must prepare for the worst!"
"That's right!" Jia Li stopped and decisively ordered, "Immediately send men to the Beast Taming, Hundred Crafts, and Fish Tribe to inform them of the Wolf Tribe's renewed large-scale mobilization and extremely brutal methods. Request that they be on high alert and prepared to support each other if necessary! Also, send a fast ship south immediately to the Fire Tribe! Give Chief Jianshi and Chief Flame a detailed account of the situation here! The Fire Tribe is the strongest; their attitude is crucial!"
The order was given swiftly, and the Pottery Salt Tribe rushed towards the various friendly tribes. However, the large number of cavalry used by the Wolf Tribe in this operation made reconnaissance extremely difficult. The Pottery Salt Tribe's scouts could only observe from a distance, roughly judging the movement of the Wolf Tribe's main force based on signs such as dust and startled birds and beasts, but dared not get too close lest they be hunted down by the enemy's cavalry.
But soon, fleeing tribes began to appear in the Pottery Salt Tribe's sight one after another. At first, they were only in twos and threes, then they became small groups, and finally almost the entire tribes migrated with their families. They looked haggard and tired, with fear on their faces, and brought more detailed and horrifying news.
"The Xueya Wolf Tribe is forcing our tribe to send people; if we don't go, they'll kill us all!"
"The White Stone Tribe... several tribes have been wiped out!"
"There are so many of them, several hundred, no, maybe over a thousand! And lots of horses!"
"They forced the people of the White Creek and White Tree Tribe to fight other tribes..."
Fragments of information gathered in Jia Li's ears, gradually piecing together a clear picture: Xueya was using bloody methods to forcibly coerce all the able-bodied men from the surrounding small tribes that could be captured. Their ultimate goal was most likely to launch an unprecedented raid, or even... revenge and conquest!
"His target is most likely still us!" Jia Li came to this chilling conclusion. The Wolf Tribe had been thwarted by the Pottery Salt Tribe twice before. Given Xueya Fang's vengeful nature, he would surely come back to avenge his defeat once he had enough strength. The sense of crisis instantly rose to the highest level, Jia Li immediately summoned the tribe's high-ranking members to discuss the matter.
"We must expand our strength immediately!" Jia Li said resolutely. "While there are still tribes fleeing to our aid, we will open our doors wide and accept anyone who is strong and willing to take up arms to defend their homeland! We still have food reserves; let's get through this immediate crisis first!"
Faced with the threat of life and death, the Pottery Salt Tribe displayed unprecedented efficiency and cohesion. They acted swiftly, absorbing a large number of people. In just a few days, the population of the Pottery Salt Tribe expanded dramatically, increasing to 1,500! Now, the Pottery Salt Tribe has about 300 warriors.
However, just as the Pottery Salt Tribe was busily strengthening its defenses and integrating new members, the vanguard of the Wolf Tribe arrived.
The fifty Wolf Tribe cavalrymen led by Tujiu appeared like ghosts on the outskirts of the Pottery Salt Tribe. They did not rush to attack, but instead split into several groups and patrolled around the Pottery Salt Tribe's camp, attacking those who went out and burning the grass huts on the edge, deliberately creating a terrifying atmosphere of a large army approaching.
"Wolf Tribe cavalry!" the sentry on the watchtower sounded the alarm.
Jia Li's heart sank; his worst fears seemed to be coming true.
"We can't let them run rampant outside the camp!" Jia Li ordered the Biaotou). "Take all our cavalry and two hundred soldiers, and drive them out! Don't chase them too far, just drive them to the Wolf Fang Valley line! Remember, our goal is to drive them away and eliminate the direct threat to the camp, not to engage them in a final battle!"
"Yes! Chief!" the escort leader took the order, and immediately ordered the only twenty or so ponies and riders in the tribe, plus two hundred warriors holding spears, rushed out of the camp and rushed towards the vulture's cavalry.
Tujiu the Pottery Salt Tribe had mobilized a large force, Vulture did not confront them head-on. He sneered and, following Xueya's orders, led his cavalry in a fighting retreat, using the speed advantage of their horses to harass them continuously, slowly retreating towards Wolf Fang Valley.
The Pottery Salt Tribe's infantry couldn't catch up with the cavalry, while their own twenty-odd cavalry dared not stray too far from the main force, fearing an ambush. The two sides thus engaged in a chase and retreat, entangled all the way, and finally stopped in a relatively open area outside Wolf Fang Valley.
The Vulture cavalry regrouped outside the Langya Valley and did not leave, but wandered and harassed not far away. The escort leader commanded the warriors of the Taoyan tribe to form an array near the entrance of the valley, build simple fortifications, and form a confrontation with the Wolf tribe's cavalry.
When the news reached the Pottery Salt Tribe camp, Jia Li's mood became even heavier. The Wolf Tribe cavalry had arrived, and judging from their posture, their main force was probably not far away!
"We can't hesitate any longer!" Jia Li made a decisive decision. "Send messengers again immediately! No, this time send our most capable men, separately to the Hundred Crafts Tribe, the Beast Taming Tribe, the Fish Tribe, and the Fire Tribe! Tell them that the Wolf Tribe's vanguard has already reached the Pottery Salt Tribe, and the main army will likely arrive soon. The Pottery Salt Tribe implores all tribes to send reinforcements immediately!"
Immediately, the Pottery Salt Tribe's reinforcements set off again, while everyone in the camp was on high alert. The elderly, women, and children were moved to the safer inner circle, while the able-bodied worked day and night to reinforce the camp and sharpen their weapons.