The Wolf's Shadow Returns

The Wolf Tribe's lair, nestled halfway up High Pointed Mountain, was shrouded in a somber atmosphere. The trees around the camp had begun to shed their leaves, the withered yellow leaves carpeting the ground and rustling underfoot. The sky was overcast, the sun hiding behind the clouds, occasionally peeking out before quickly retreating again.

In the largest wooden hut in the center of the camp, several people sat around a wooden table. Xueya sat in the main seat, with a charred lamb leg in front of him, but he didn't touch it. His bloodshot eyes were fixed on the flickering flames in the hearth in front of him, lost in thought.

Everyone else remained silent, with only the crackling of the firewood clearly audible in the quiet wooden cabin. After a long while, Xueya finally spoke.

"Last time, our Wolf Tribe brought back a large number of able-bodied men from the north," his voice was hoarse, like sandpaper rubbing against wood, "Now, both the population and supplies have greatly increased. During this time, those who needed training have trained, and those who needed to eat have eaten. The warriors' combat strength is much stronger than before."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over everyone present. Duyan, Shichui, Xueshou, Duzhu, and Yexiao —the few remaining leaders of the Wolf Tribe —were all sitting there.

"But," Xueya continued, "Our supplies are running out quickly. The food in the warehouse is dwindling every day, and salt and dried meat are also running low. If this continues, it won't be long before we have to tighten our belts again."

The Duyan man grinned, and the smile, combined with his single Duyan, looked particularly sinister.

"Damn it!" he slapped his thigh. "Rob it! Is there even a question?"

Shichui also suddenly stood up, his face full of fat trembling.

"Yeah! Let's grab them! I've been training those greenhorns for so long, I'm practically going crazy! Time to get out and stretch my legs!"

His eyes gleamed, like those of a starving wolf.

"Go get some more horses!" he shouted. "When everyone in our Wolf Tribe is on horseback and becomes a cavalryman, who will we be afraid of? The Horse Tribe? The Fire Tribe? Then, I'll ride my horse and rob whoever I want!"

Xueshou remained calm, unlike Duyan and Shichui who were more excited. He looked at Xueya and slowly said, "Brother, now is indeed the time to go out and raid. More of our warriors are wearing leather armor than before, and their training is also much better. It's time to see how much progress they've made during this period."

The Duzhu also spoke. She was the only female leader of the Wolf Tribe, thin and with a cold face. Her voice was high-pitched and shrill.

"When you go out to plunder, you can take those young and strong women and teenagers with you," she said. "Let them help carry supplies, let them see blood, and after a few more times, they'll get used to it."

Xueya nodded and looked at Yexiao Yexiao, the most cautious and intelligent leader in the Wolf Tribe. Before each operation, he would carefully analyze the pros and cons. At this moment, he was frowning and staring at the flames in the fire pit.

"Yexiao, what do you think?" Xueya asked.

The Yexiao raised its head, remained silent for a moment, and then slowly spoke.

"Chief, gentlemen," his voice wasn't loud, but everyone heard him clearly, "The commotion we caused in the north last time was too great."

He paused, then continued, "You've all heard the news our scouts have brought back recently. The Horse Tribe in the north is now extremely wary of us. Their outposts are guarded from morning till night, and their patrols come one after another, leaving no gaps in our defenses."

Shichui retorted, "So what if they're heavily guarded? We have six hundred cavalry; if we charge straight in, do they think they can stop us?"

Yexiao looked at him and shook his head.

"Shichui, think about it. What did we say to the Horse Tribe last time? We swore an oath that we would never set foot in the Horse Tribe territory again. If we go there for no reason now, not only will we not gain anything, but we will also invite their crazy retaliation."

He said seriously, "Although the Horse Tribe suffered a loss last time, they are still strong. Their hundreds of cavalrymen are not to be underestimated, and with their affiliated tribes added to the mix, we won't have the upper hand if a fight breaks out."

Shichui opened his mouth, wanting to refute, but couldn't find the words.

Yexiao continued, "Besides, we made an oath last time, and we're breaking it so quickly. Who will trust us in the future? Which of those small tribes will dare to follow us? If our reputation is ruined, it'll be hard to get along in the future."

The Duyan man chuckled sinisterly, "Reputation? When has our Wolf Tribe ever had a good reputation?"

Yexiao looked at him and said calmly, "Having no reputation is better than having a bad one. With a bad reputation, people will be wary of you wherever you go, and they'll hate you. If that's the case, who can we rob in the future?"

Duyan paused for a moment, then fell silent and turned to Xueya Yexiao.

"Chief, I suggest we head west this time."

"The west?" Xueya raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, to the west." Yexiao nodded. "It's almost harvest time. The crops in the fields of those western tribes are almost ripe, and they should still have some grain left from last year in their granaries. If we go there, we're sure to get something."

A cold glint flashed in his eyes.

"Moreover," he lowered his voice, "We suffered a great loss in the battle at Yellow Leaf Camp last year. Although the main force wasn't from the Fish Tribe, they still contributed men. It's time to avenge that."

Xueya's heart skipped a beat. This was exactly what he had been thinking. He had wanted to go west for a long time, but he hadn't said anything earlier. He wanted to hear everyone's thoughts first. Now that Yexiao had brought it up, it suited him perfectly.

But he didn't show it on his face, only calmly asking, "To the west are the Fish Tribe, the Pottery Salt Tribe, the Hundred Crafts Tribe, the Beast Taming Tribe, and the Marsh Tribe. To the south is the Fire Tribe. We know the strength of the Fire Tribe; what if we run into them..."

Yexiao shook his head. "We won't run into them. The Fire Tribe is far away, and they mainly develop in the south. Our target this time is the Fish Tribe. As long as we act quickly, we can grab what we need and run. The Fire Tribe won't have time to react."

He paused, then said, "Even if the Fire Tribe comes, we're not afraid. We now have six hundred cavalry and nine hundred warriors, not the few hundred remnants from last year. If it really comes to a fight, the outcome is uncertain."

Xueya nodded, remained silent for a moment, and then stood up.

"Alright," he said, "It's settled then. Let's go west and plunder."

He glanced at the crowd and began to give orders.

"Xueshou, you take the rest of the men and stay at the base. Keep an eye on things and make sure nothing goes wrong."

Xueshou stood up. "Yes, Big Brother!"

"Duzhu, you're in charge of organizing the logistics team. You decide how many people you need, but they must be able to keep up with the main force and transport supplies."

The Duzhu gave a sinister smile, "Rest assured, leader, I've made all the preparations. A logistics team of 1,500 men is ready to depart at any time."

Xueya nodded in satisfaction.

"This time, I'm taking nine hundred men with me," he said. "Six hundred cavalry and three hundred infantry."

He looked at Yexiao and Duyan: "Yexiao, Duyan, each of you take three hundred cavalrymen."

Yexiao and Duyan stood up simultaneously. "Yes!"

Xueya then looked at Shichui: "Shichui, you take three hundred infantrymen, keep up, don't fall behind."

Shichui patted his chest and said, "Don't worry, Chief! I promise I'll take good care of it!"

Xueya swept his gaze over the crowd one last time.

"Meet at the foot of High Pointed Mountain tomorrow morning," he said. "Now, everyone go and get ready."

Everyone responded in unison and rose to leave. Inside the wooden hut, only Xueya remained. He stood by the fire pit, watching the flickering flames, motionless for a long time. To the west...

Fish Tribe...

He recalled the battle at Yellow Leaf Camp last year, the despair of being besieged, the brothers who died, and the scene of him desperately fleeing with his remaining troops. He had lost that battle terribly; more than four hundred of his main force were almost completely wiped out, the Tujiu leader was dead, and four of his Xiaotou were also killed.

Tujiu, and many others... they were all his old brothers who had followed him for many years, and they all died there last year. Xueya clenched his fist.

"Wait," he whispered. "This time, I'll get it all back, with interest."

The firelight illuminated his face, revealing the hideous scar. He touched the scar, a cold glint in his eyes, then turned and walked out of the cabin. Outside, it was already dark, and the camp was bustling with activity—soldiers were checking weapons and organizing equipment, while logistics personnel were moving supplies and preparing rations.

Xueya stood on high ground, looking at everything. Nine hundred warriors and six hundred cavalrymen—this was almost all of his current resources, even stronger than when he was at his peak last year. But it wasn't enough, far from enough. He raised his head and looked towards the western horizon, the direction of his tomorrow, and the direction of revenge.

Early the next morning, at the foot of High Pointed Mountain, before the morning mist had even dissipated, the open space was already packed with people. Nine hundred soldiers stood in neat square formations. At the forefront were cavalry, six hundred men riding ponies, bone knives at their waists, looking menacing. Behind them were infantry, three hundred men wielding spears and Shifu, their eyes fierce. Further away, there was a logistics team of fifteen hundred people—young women, teenagers, and even some nimble elderly people, carrying baskets on their backs, ready to move supplies.

Xueya rode his black ponies at the head of the procession, clad in fine leather armor with his bone dagger at his waist. The scar on his face was particularly striking in the morning light.

Yexiao, Duyan, Shichui, each with their own men, stood behind him, as did Duzhu. She led the support team, standing at the very back. Xueya surveyed the scene and nodded in satisfaction.

Nine hundred soldiers, full of spirit and brimming with killing intent, and fifteen hundred support personnel, fully prepared and ready to depart at any time.

"Let's go!" He raised his whip and pointed west.

The column began to move, with cavalry in front, infantry in the middle, and logistics at the rear. The long column, like a giant black python, slowly swam westward. The morning mist gradually dissipated, and the sun rose from the east, shining on the column, on the swords and spears, and on the fierce faces.

Xueya rode at the head of the horse, his eyes filled with greed and hatred as he looked ahead. Ahead lay the Fish Tribe, food, women, wealth, and... revenge.