The Wolf Tribe Raids Again

Halfway up High Pointed Mountain in the north lies the lair of the Wolf Tribe. The terrain here is treacherous, accessible only by a winding mountain path. Steep cliffs line both sides of the path, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack. Halfway up the mountain is a relatively flat and open area of scattered rocks, where hundreds of crooked wooden houses and thatched huts are laid out, forming a simple campsite.

This is the Wolf Tribe's old lair, which they have built up over many years. However, the Wolf Tribe of today is no longer as arrogant as it once was.

Inside the largest wooden hut in the center of the camp, the atmosphere was so oppressive it was hard to breathe. Six people sat inside—the leader Xueya, his brother Xueshou, and the four other leaders: Duyan, Shichui, Duzhu, and Yexiao. These were the only six leaders left in the Wolf Tribe.

Do you remember a few years ago, when the Wolf Tribe was at its peak, it had ten leaders and over a thousand warriors and hundreds of horses under its command? They roamed the surrounding area with impunity, striking fear into the hearts of many small tribes, and even the Fish Tribe suffered heavy casualties at their hands.

But what about now?

Xueya glanced at the people present, a bitter feeling welling up inside him. The scar on his face, which ran diagonally from his forehead to his chin, looked even more ferocious in the dim light, but his eyes held a deep weariness.

"Everyone's here," Xueya said, his voice hoarse. "Have a seat."

After everyone silently gathered around Xueya, Xueya didn't speak immediately. He took out a piece of dried meat from his pocket, cut off a small piece with his dagger, and slowly chewed it. The others also silently took out their own food—mostly dried fruit and coarse food, a stark contrast to the days of feasting on meat last year.

After a long while, Xueya swallowed what was in his mouth and slowly said, "Our supplies are running low."

These words were like a Shitou thrown into a stagnant pool, creating ripples.

"I've inspected the warehouse," Xueya continued. "The food supplies will last at most another half month."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over everyone. "If we don't go out and make some money soon, the brothers will starve."

Silence filled the room.

Everyone knows that Xueya is telling the truth. The Wolf Tribe has never had the habit of planting crops; they have always lived by plundering. Last year, they suffered a defeat at the hands of the Fire Tribe Yellow Leaf Tribe's camp—not only did they lose a large number of people, but the resources they plundered are now almost all used up.

Although they had taken over a dozen small tribes and made them cultivate some wasteland and gather some wild fruits and vegetables at the foot of High Pointed Mountain, the output was not even enough to feed those vassal tribes themselves, let alone support the Wolf Tribe of several hundred people.

"Rob it!" Shichui broke the silence first, slapping his thigh. "Rob it, damn it! When has our Wolf Tribe ever lacked food? If we do, we just rob it!"

He was a burly man with a face full of scars, one of the most valiant leaders in the Wolf Tribe. But at this moment, beneath his fierce exterior, there was a hint of barely perceptible anxiety—his warriors hadn't had a proper feast in a long time.

The Duyan chuckled sinisterly, "Chief, I think we should do it the same way we did last year: take men out, target those small tribes, slaughter those who disagree, and bring back the obedient ones. If it weren't for the Fire Tribe interfering last time, we could have easily taken the Fish Tribe for granted!"

When he said "last time," he was referring to the Wolf Tribe's operation last autumn. Although they ultimately lost, Duyan felt it was mainly due to bad luck—who could have predicted the Fire Tribe's swift response and the alliance with so many other tribes?

Yexiao shook his head. He was the most cautious and intelligent leader in the Wolf Tribe, and also the one who understood the Fire Tribe's strength best.

"Duyan, you make it sound so easy," Yexiao's voice was deep. "The Fire Tribe... is different now."

He paused, as if recalling a horrific scene. "Last year, in the battle at the Yellow Leaf Tribe camp, our main force of over four hundred was completely surrounded. If it weren't for the fact that we were all riding good horses and running fast, we would all be bones by now."

The room fell silent again.

Everyone remembers that battle. Back then, the Wolf Tribe, riding high on their victory, gathered several hundred able-bodied men, intending to make a killing near the Fish Tribe. But then the Fire Tribe's forces appeared out of nowhere and almost completely annihilated the Wolf Tribe's main force.

Tujiu died while breaking through enemy lines to cover their retreat in that battle.

"In the end, fewer than 10 people escaped back to High Pointed Mountain," Yexiao continued. "If the leader hadn't ordered those 300-plus wounded soldiers to bring the supplies back first, we wouldn't even have this much to our name."

He sighed, "Now our Wolf Tribe only has a little over four hundred warriors left, and dozens of them are still wounded and limping. There are only about three hundred who can actually fight."

"There are only a dozen or so adult horses left now," Xueshou chimed in. "There weren't many ponies to begin with, and the losses last year were too great. These remaining ones are being kept like treasures, and we dare not use them lightly."

Shichui retorted, "So what if there are over three hundred people? Our Wolf Tribe has over three hundred people. Taking on those small tribes of a few hundred is child's play for us!"

"The problem is, where do we fight now?" Yexiao countered. "To the south is the Fire Tribe; wouldn't we be committing suicide if we went there? To the west are the Fish Tribe and the Pottery Salt Tribe; they're probably defending themselves like an iron barrel right now. We won't gain anything by going there with just our small force."

He paused, then continued, "The area between us and the Fish Tribe was wiped out by us last year. Now, the dead are dead, the fleeing have gone, and it's long been deserted. There's nothing left to gain."

Silence fell in the room again. Everyone was calculating in their minds: going south was suicide, going west was uncertain, and to the east were continuous mountains. There was only one direction left.

"North." Xueshou slowly uttered two words.

All eyes turned to him.

Xueshou, Xueya's younger brother, had raided the north before. He analyzed, "The north is the territory of the Horse Tribe. The Horse Tribe is quite powerful, with a population of at least three thousand and an estimated five hundred warriors. Moreover, they have many horses and are highly mobile."

"The Horse Tribe has a large territory, but their main area of activity is in the grasslands and hills further north. We can start our attack on the edge of their territory—there are also some small tribes there, the larger ones with four or five hundred people, and the smaller ones with one or two hundred people."

He stood up and walked to a simple animal hide map hanging on the wall.

"Look," Xueshou to a region to the north on the map, "This area is at least seven or eight days' journey from the Horse Tribe's main camp. If we're fast enough, we can plunder and run. By the time the Horse Tribe gets the news and arrives, we'll be long gone."

Duyan's eyes lit up. "That makes sense! Besides, many of the tribes to the north raise horses. If we steal their horses, even if the Horse Tribe chases after us, we can still escape!"

"Yes." Xueshou nodded. "What we lack right now is horses. With horses, our mobility will improve, and if we can't win a fight, we can still run away."

At this moment, the Duzhu, who had been silent until now, spoke up. She was the only female leader of the Wolf Tribe.

"Those small tribes we've coerced," the Duzhu's voice shrill, "Have some useful members. The able-bodied women can carry things, the boys can run errands, and the able-bodied old men can guard prisoners. When we go out to plunder, we can take these people with us, so our three hundred warriors can focus on fighting and looting."

She paused, then added, "Besides, taking these people with us can also serve as expendable pawns. If we encounter any tough opponents, we can send some of them first."

The leaders in the room exchanged glances, all seeing agreement in each other's eyes; the plan sounded feasible.

Xueya finally spoke. He had been listening without saying a word, but he already had a plan in mind. In fact, the reason he had gathered everyone today was to finalize the plan to raid the north.

"Alright." Xueya stood up, his massive frame casting a huge shadow in the firelight. "That's it."

He looked around at everyone. "Leave one hundred people in the tribe to guard it—the wounded, the old, and those who aren't strong enough to fight. Xueshou, you take the men and stay behind to watch over the place."

Xueshou nodded. "Understood."

"Duzhu, you stay too, assist Xueshou." Xueya looked at Duzhu, "You're best at managing those vassal tribes, don't let them cause trouble."

The Duzhu chuckled coldly, "Don't worry, anyone who dares to cause trouble, I'll let them taste my 'good stuff'."

"I'll personally lead the remaining three hundred warriors," Xueya continued. "Shichui, Duyan, and Yexiao, the three of you will come with me. We'll depart first thing tomorrow morning."

"Yes!" the three replied in unison.

"Where are the horses?" the Yexiao asked. "Just those dozen or so adult ponies?"

"Take them all," Xueya said decisively. "We're going out to steal horses. With horses, our lives will be much easier."

He paused, then said, "Take three hundred capable men from those vassal tribes with you. Duzhu, this task is yours."

"No problem," the Duzhu readily agreed.

The matter was settled, and everyone got up to go back and make arrangements.

As he reached the door, Yexiao hesitated for a moment, then turned back and asked, "Chief, what if... what if we run into the main force of the Horse Tribe?"

Xueya looked at him, his eyes cold and sharp. "Then run. The reason our Wolf Tribe has survived until now isn't because of brute force, but because of our brains."

He patted Yexiao on the shoulder. "Remember, we're going there to make some money, not to risk our lives. Fight if you can win, run if you can't. Taking the spoils and the horse is victory."

Yexiao Owl nodded, his unease lessening slightly. After everyone dispersed, Xueya stood alone in the cabin. He walked to the window and looked out at the camp.

In the camp, some Wolf Tribe warriors gathered in twos and threes. Some were sharpening their weapons, some were checking their equipment, and some were just sitting there with empty eyes.

Xueya knew that the morale of these warriors had plummeted to rock bottom. Successive defeats, shortages of supplies, and a bleak future had turned this once fearsome tribe into a lifeless place.

"We must win a few battles," Xueya muttered to himself. "We must let our brothers taste Tiantou again, otherwise... this tribe is truly finished."

He thought of the Fire Tribe, the enemy that had defeated them time and time again; that tribe was like an insurmountable mountain, blocking the Wolf Tribe's southward advance.

"Fire Tribe..." Xueya murmured, a complex mix of emotions flashing in his eyes—hatred, fear, and an inexplicable... awe?

He shook his head, banishing those thoughts. Now was not the time to think about the Fire Tribe; what he needed to think about now was how to extract enough resources from the north to ensure the survival of the Wolf Tribe.

The next morning, before dawn, the Wolf Tribe's camp was already bustling with activity.

Three hundred warriors gathered in the open space in the center of the camp. Most of them were dressed in rags, and their weapons were a motley collection— Shimao, Shifu, bone knives. But in each of their eyes, there was a gleam of hunger like that of a wolf, a madness born of long-term hunger and despair.

A dozen or so ponies were led out. Although they were small, they had good stamina and were the last remaining assets of the Wolf Tribe.

Xueya mounted his horse and surveyed the entire group.

Three hundred warriors, sixteen horses.

This is all the strength the Wolf Tribe can muster right now.

"Let's go!" Xueya waved his hand.

The group moved slowly, descending the mountain path.