The Charcoal Fire and Firewood Tribes Submit
As darkness fell, Xueya led a force of over six hundred men to the outskirts of the Charcoal Fire Tribe Charcoal Fire Tribe. The tribe's camp was situated on a gentle slope, with a small stream in front of it. From a distance, one could see scattered campfires burning in the camp and faintly hear human voices.
"Stop," Xueya ordered in a low voice. "Rest here. No fires, no loud noises. Violators will be severely punished!"
The orders were passed down through the ranks, and the team stopped in a dense forest about four miles from the Charcoal Fire Tribe camp. The soldiers silently unloaded their equipment, found a place to sit and rest, and no one dared to speak. They even covered their mouths with their hands when they coughed, trying to keep their voices down.
Xueya dismounted, handed the Jiangsheng to the soldier beside him, and sat down by a Dashi. He took out a hard, dry rice ball and a few pieces of charred jerky from his pocket and ate them slowly with the cold water from his leather bag. Yexiao came over, sat down beside him, and also took out food to eat silently.
"The scouts report," Yexiao said in a low voice, "That the Charcoal Fire Tribe has about 520 people, with about 100 able-bodied men, and they also have a dozen or so ponies in their camp."
Xueya nodded without saying a word.
"They're quite vigilant," Yexiao continued. "There's a simple wooden fence around the camp, and there are guards at night. With so many of us approaching, it's hard to remain completely undetected."
Xueya swallowed the food in his mouth and said, "We'll make our move at daybreak. Even if they find out, they won't have time to prepare."
He paused, then added, "Besides, we outnumber them, so even if they discover us, they won't dare to attack first."
Yexiao thought about it and agreed; six hundred men against one hundred able-bodied men—the advantage was too great.
After they finished eating, the two found a relatively flat spot, wrapped themselves in animal skin blankets, and rested. The other soldiers also gradually fell asleep, with only a few dozen sentries scattered around, taking turns observing the surroundings.
The night was deep, and the only sounds in the dense forest were the chirping of insects and the rustling of leaves in the wind. Xueya closed his eyes, but couldn't sleep. He repeatedly rehearsed tomorrow's plan in his mind. Charcoal Fire Tribe... Firewood Tribe Mole Burrow Tribe... Mole Tribe... Firefly Marsh Tribe... Boat People Tribe...
Five tribes, more than two thousand people. If they can take them all down, the Wolf Tribe's strength will soon recover or even surpass its peak strength from last year.
By then, we will have enough resources to maneuver against the Horse Tribe, and even...
He opened his eyes and looked at the dark night sky to the south. Some thoughts could only be kept in his heart for the time being.
As dawn approached, Xueya opened his eyes.
"Get up." His voice wasn't loud, but it was exceptionally clear in the silent forest.
The soldiers woke up one after another. They silently put on their leather armor and checked their weapons. Their movements were skilled and swift. Although the newly recruited young men were still a bit rusty, they were able to keep up with the pace and get ready under the veterans' reprimands.
After preparations were complete, the team began to slowly move towards the Charcoal Fire Tribe camp. When the team was less than a mile away from the Charcoal Fire Tribe camp, Xueya ordered the troops to split up.
"Yexiao," he said to the leader beside him, "Take a hundred cavalrymen and spread them out around the camp. If the Charcoal Fire Tribe tribe knows what's good for them, just drive them back to camp. If they resist or try to escape, kill them all. Don't let a single one get away!"
"Understood!" Yexiao nodded and turned to gather the cavalry.
"Shichui, you take a team and take control of the stables. Not a single one of those dozen or so horses can be lost."
"Don't worry!" Shichui grinned, revealing his gleaming white teeth.
"Duyan," Xueya, turning to Duyan last time, "You lead the main force in a frontal assault, subdue those able-bodied men, and remember, try to capture them alive; we need manpower."
"Good!" The Duyan man grinned sinisterly and touched the stone knife at his waist.
"I will personally go and capture their leader and high-ranking officers." Xueya finished speaking and waved his hand, "Action!"
Each team immediately deployed according to plan. Yexiao led a hundred cavalrymen, spreading out silently to form a loose encirclement. They rode on horseback, spears in hand, their eyes fixed on the camp.
Shichui led over fifty men toward the stables on the east side of the camp. Duyan led the remaining five hundred men, slowly approaching from the front. Xueya himself led a dozen elite warriors, following the flank of Duyan's group, ready to break in at any moment.
As dawn broke, the Duyan group was finally discovered when they were less than a hundred paces from the wooden fence.
"Who goes there?!" shouted a young man on night watch behind the fence.
"Waaaaah!"
The sound of cow horns shattered the morning tranquility, but it was too late.
"Charge!" the Duyan man roared.
More than 500 Wolf Tribe warriors rushed towards the camp like a flood bursting its banks. They dragged large trees to smash through the makeshift wooden fence, kicked down the doors of the thatched huts, and subdued anyone they saw. If anyone resisted, they were immediately beaten to the ground.
The able-bodied men of the Charcoal Fire Tribe hastily engaged in battle, but they were outnumbered and poorly equipped, making them no match for the enemy. The battle was almost entirely one-sided, with Shichui's group quickly taking control of the stables and leading out all the dozen or so ponies, gathering them in an open area.
Yexiao's cavalry patrolled the perimeter of the camp. Several people who tried to escape were caught up by the cavalry as soon as they rushed out of the camp. They were either driven back or cut down on the spot. Xueya led his squad directly to the largest wooden house in the center of the camp. According to the scouts, the chief and high-ranking members of the Charcoal Fire Tribe lived here.
The door to the cabin was kicked open, and three middle-aged men inside were frantically grabbing their weapons, but before they could resist, they were pinned to the ground by the warriors brought by Xueya.
"Who is the leader?" Xueya asked coldly.
One of the three, a dark-skinned, stocky middle-aged man, raised his head and tried to remain calm. "I... I am Heitan, the chief of the Charcoal Fire Tribe. Who are you? Why are you attacking us?"
Xueya walked up to him, looking down at him. "Wolf Tribe, Xueya."
Heitan's face turned deathly pale instantly. He had certainly heard of the Wolf Tribe's fearsome reputation. Last autumn, the Wolf Tribe had wiped out several tribes in the southwest. Although they were later defeated by the Fire Tribe, their influence remained.
"Wolves... the Wolf Tribe..." Heitan's voice trembled slightly, "Our Charcoal Fire Tribe has always been peaceful and never offended anyone. We don't know where we have offended you warriors..."
Xueya crouched down, looking into his eyes. "You haven't offended us. We're here today because we have a good deal to discuss, and we'd like to cooperate with you."
"Easy to buy... a deal?" Heitan was stunned.
"Yes." Xueya stood up, pointed outside, "Our Wolf Tribe has discovered a chance to make a fortune, but we lack manpower. We'd like to 'borrow' some able-bodied men from you to work together. After it's successful, you'll certainly get your share of the profits."
Heitan's heart sank. The "business" and "opportunity to make a fortune" that the Wolf Tribe mentioned were obviously about plunder, slaughter, and robbery.
"Chief Xueya," Heitan said, forcing a smile, "The people of our Charcoal Fire Tribe don't know how to fight, and we don't have many able-bodied men. If we go with you, we might just be a hindrance and ruin your plans..."
He paused, then gritted his teeth and said, "Our tribe has some grain. If you need it, we can give you half, as a way of... as a gesture of friendship."
No sooner had he finished speaking than a Xiaotou beside Xueya shouted angrily, "How dare you! Our leader extended an invitation out of kindness, how dare you refuse? Don't you want to live?!"
Xueya's face also darkened. He drew the bone knife from his waist, the cold blade pressed against Heitan's neck.
"Heitan Chieftain," Xueya's voice was icy, "I'll tell you the truth, our Wolf Tribe is preparing to lead everyone on a grand undertaking—plunder, raid, and make a fortune. Those who follow will have meat to eat, soup to drink, and women to play with; those who resist..."
He tightened his grip slightly, the blade of the bone knife pressing a bloody gash into the Heitan neck. "Exterminate the entire clan, leave no one alive!"
Heitan froze in fear, too terrified to move. He could feel the stinging pain in his neck and the chilling killing intent. He looked out the door and saw his people being herded together, the ferocious Wolf Tribe warriors, the mess on the ground, and the corpses of several of his own people lying there...
He knew he had no choice.
"I... I promise." Heitan managed to utter these three words, then collapsed to the ground as if all his strength had been drained away.
Xueya sheathed his bone knife, a smile spreading across his face. He reached out and pulled Heitan up, patting him forcefully on the shoulder. "Good! Good! Good! Following our Wolf Tribe will surely bring you plenty of benefits!"
He turned to the Xiaotou beside him and said, "Pass down the order: gather all the able-bodied men of the Charcoal Fire Tribe, collect their weapons, and incorporate them into the ranks."
The order was quickly carried out. More than a hundred able-bodied men from the Charcoal Fire Tribe were gathered together, their weapons were confiscated, and then, under the supervision of the Wolf Tribe warriors, they were incorporated into the ranks. Xueya did not linger there; he left behind several dozen men to look after the elderly, weak, women, and children of the Charcoal Fire Tribe.
Then, he led his team, which had expanded to more than 700 people, toward his next target— Firewood Tribe Firewood Tribe, which was only half a day's journey from the Charcoal Fire Tribe and was also a medium-sized tribe with about 500 people.
After noon, Xueya's army arrived near the Firewood Tribe. This time, Xueya did not choose to launch a sneak attack. He directly ordered Yexiao to lead more than a hundred cavalrymen to drive all the Firewood Tribe members who were working or herding back to their camp. Then, he led the main force and swaggered to the entrance of the Firewood Tribe's camp.
The people of the Firewood Tribe were terrified. They stared at the massive group of over seven hundred men outside, at the cavalry and infantry, at the fierce expressions on their faces and the blood-stained weapons...
"Summon your leader to speak!" Xueya shouted from his horse towards the camp.
Soon, an elderly man in his fifties with graying hair walked out timidly, surrounded by several young men. He was the leader of the Firewood Tribe, named Mucai.
Mucai walked to the camp gate, his heart pounded as he looked at the massive army outside. He scanned the crowd, and suddenly his gaze settled on a figure beside Xueya.
"Heitan?!" Mucai exclaimed, "You... how did you get with them? Who are they?"
Heitan was specially brought along by Xueya in order to "persuade" him to surrender. Now that his old friend recognized him, a hint of shame flashed across his face, but he quickly concealed it.
"Brother Mucai," Heitan said, forcing a smile, "This is Xueya, the leader of the Wolf Tribe. Our Charcoal Fire Tribe... has already submitted to the Wolf Tribe."
He paused, then added, "Chief Xueya has come to invite your Firewood Tribe to join us. We can work together on great things, and you'll reap the rewards in the future."
Mucai's face turned deathly pale. Although he had a vague idea, hearing it confirmed with his own ears still made him feel dizzy. The Wolf Tribe... that infamous bandit tribe...
"Chief Mucai," Xueya spoke, his voice low but carrying an undeniable authority, "Our Wolf Tribe is always decisive in its actions. Those willing to follow will naturally reap many benefits, those unwilling..."
He pointed to the ferocious warriors behind him. "Exterminate the entire clan, leave no one alive."
Heitan quickly urged, "Brother Mucai, don't hesitate! Those tribes that refused are... are all gone! Make a decision quickly, for the sake of your people!"
Mucai turned his head and looked at the terrified faces in the camp—old people, women, and children, huddled together, their eyes filled with fear and despair. He then looked at the massive army outside and at the lances in the hands of the cavalrymen.
He knew he had no choice; to resist meant the annihilation of his entire clan, while to submit would at least allow him to survive.
"Sigh..." Mucai sighed deeply, as if he had aged ten years in an instant. "I... our Firewood Tribe is willing to submit."
A broad, gleeful smile spread across Xueya's face.
"Good! Very good!" He dismounted and strode into the camp. "From this day forward, the Firewood Tribe is brothers with the Wolf Tribe!"
He ordered the weapons to be confiscated and the able-bodied men to be reorganized. More than a hundred able-bodied men from the Firewood Tribe were incorporated into the Wolf Tribe's ranks. By this time, the number of people from the Wolf Tribe had exceeded nine hundred, and there were also more than thirty dwarf horses captured from the two tribes.
Xueya ordered the troops to rest for one night at the Firewood Tribe camp. The warriors could relax, eat and drink their fill, and recharge their energy. He himself gathered with several leaders to discuss the next steps.
"Tomorrow morning, we'll set off to attack the Mole Burrow Tribe," Xueya said, pointing to the map. "Then the Firefly Marsh Tribe, and finally the Boat People Tribe. We need to be quick; we must take them all before the Horse Tribe can react, and make a fortune from them."
"Yes!" the leaders replied in unison.
As night fell, bonfires were lit in the Firewood Tribe's camp. The Wolf Tribe warriors gathered around the fire, eating meat heartily and laughing loudly. The newly joined young men were initially a bit reserved, but under the guidance of the veterans, they gradually relaxed. Xueya sat by the largest bonfire, holding a roasted lamb chop in his hand, slowly munching on it.
Looking at the group of over eight hundred people before him, a surge of pride welled up in his heart! In just one day, they had annexed two tribes of five hundred people each, gained over two hundred able-bodied men and thirty horses. At this rate, the Wolf Tribe would be back to its peak in just a few days!