Startling News of Reinforcements

The sun was high in the sky, making people feel lazy, but no one in the Fish Tribe camp felt lazy. Everyone was tense, like a fully drawn bowstring. Outside the camp, the Wolf Tribe was still shouting and cursing.

"You coward! Come out!"

"Are all the men in the Fish Tribe dead?"

"You women can come out too!"

Each vulgar word pierced the hearts of the Fish Tribe warriors like a knife, but no one responded. They could only grit their teeth, swallow their anger, and watch helplessly as the Wolf Tribe people swaggered around outside their homeland. What pained them even more was the rice that was being harvested.

In the golden rice paddies, the Wolf Tribe's logistics personnel swarmed like locusts, wielding stone sickles and bone knives, frantically harvesting the nearly ripe rice. The cut rice ears were bundled and piled on the ridges of the fields, waiting to be transported to the collection point.

One after another, the rice paddies were turning into bare stubble at a visible speed. Canglan stood on the watchtower, watching this scene, his heart aching. That rice was the result of several months of hard work by thousands of people from the Fish Tribe, and it would be ready for harvest in a few days, but now it was going to be stolen by the Wolf Tribe.

He clenched his fists, his nails digging deep into his flesh, but he dared not move. Yesterday's battle had been a complete defeat for the Fish Tribe, with over three hundred lives lost. The lesson learned was that they couldn't go out; going out now would just mean certain death.

"Leader," Shentan walked over and stood beside him, his voice low, "How many men do we have left that can fight?"

Canglan was silent for a moment, then said, "Our Fish Tribe still has about five hundred able-bodied warriors, but many of them are wounded. Only a little over four hundred are truly capable of fighting."

Shentan Tan nodded without speaking. Both of them knew that the fighting strength of these four hundred people was no longer comparable to before. Yesterday's battle had crushed the Fish Tribe's morale and confidence. Now, many of them would tremble at the mere mention of the Wolf Tribe.

"Reinforcements..." Canglan murmured, "Any news from the Pottery Salt Tribe?"

Shentan shook his head. "Not yet. Langhua sent Xiaozhou to deliver the message, but there's been no reply yet."

Canglan sighed. He knew that the Pottery Salt Tribe also had to be wary of the Wolf Tribe, and whether they would come to their aid, or even if they could come at all, was unknown.

All they could do now was wait, wait for reinforcements who might not even come. In the camp, the soldiers gathered in twos and threes, whispering amongst themselves.

"I heard Laoduo is nearing his end..."

"That Xieqian arm... I'm afraid it's beyond saving..."

Can we hold out?

"Have no idea..."

The morale of the Fish Tribe has plummeted to rock bottom. Outside the camp, Xueya, riding his black ponies, looks at the Fish Tribe camp with a smug smile on his lips.

"Cowards," he muttered, "I'll see how long you can keep hiding."

He turned to look at the logistics personnel who were harvesting, and nodded in satisfaction. Even if they couldn't capture the Fish Tribe's camp, seizing so much grain was still a worthwhile trip. Besides, he had other plans.

"Yexiao!" he called out.

Yexiao rode up. "Chief?"

Xueya pointed to the Fish Tribe's camp. "Tell me, if we launch a direct assault, can we take it?"

Yexiao thought for a moment and said, "Yes, but at a considerable cost."

He analyzed, "Although the Fish Tribe only has about 500 people left, they are still fighting very hard to defend their camp. Their camp's fence is very sturdy, and the trenches are deep. If we launch a strong attack, we will lose at least 200 men."

Xueya nodded without speaking. He couldn't bear the loss of two hundred men. The Wolf Tribe only had about seven hundred warriors outside the Fish Tribe camp. Every one who died was one less. It wasn't worth sacrificing two hundred men for the sake of the Fish Tribe.

"Then let's think of another way," he said.

He ordered Shichui to continue harvesting while he led his cavalry to patrol outside the camp, searching for weaknesses. During this time, he launched two small-scale attacks as a probing attack. The first time, he had fifty infantrymen carry makeshift ladders and attempt to scale the fence. The Fish Tribe immediately swarmed over them, thrusting spears and hurling stones. Before the infantrymen could even climb the fence, they were smashed and left bleeding from the head, retreating in disarray.

The second time, he ordered archers to shoot arrows into the camp with bamboo arrows, hoping to create chaos. The Fish Tribe immediately raised their shields and hid behind them. Most of the arrows were blocked by the shields, and only a few unlucky ones were hit, but they were quickly carried away.

After two probing attacks, the Wolf Tribe lost more than a dozen people, and the Fish Tribe also suffered several injuries. Xueya frowned as he looked at the wounded being carried back.

"Step back." He waved his hand.

It seemed that although the Fish Tribe's morale was low, their determination to defend the camp remained. A direct attack was indeed not worthwhile. He turned his horse around and returned to the temporary camp. Inside the camp, the logistics personnel were busy processing the harvested rice. They spread the rice ears on the ground to dry, threshed the grains with tools, and packed the grains into baskets.

A bustling scene unfolded. Xueya, seeing the ever-increasing amount of grain, felt his displeasure lessen. This much grain would be enough to feed the Wolf Tribe for a while. Just then, Yexiao galloped up on horseback, his expression grim.

Xueya's heart tightened, and he asked, "What's wrong?"

Yexiao dismounted, strode up to him, and said in a low voice, "Chief, the scouts sent to the Fire Tribe's Stone Creek River Mouth Outpost have not yet returned with any news."

Xueya froze for a moment. Fire Tribe? These three words were like a bucket of cold water poured over his head. He had just been immersed in the joy of defeating the Fish Tribe and had almost forgotten about the Fire Tribe. The tribe that almost left him behind at Yellow Leaf Camp last year, the tribe that made him feel uncomfortable just thinking about it.

"No news?" he asked, frowning.

"They were sent out a few days ago," Yexiao said. "They should be back today."

Xueya fell silent. Sometimes, no news is worse than bad news. At least with bad news, you know what's going on. But with no news, you know nothing. What if the Fire Tribe has already sent troops? What if they're on their way here? Xueya glanced at the Fish Tribe camp in the distance, then at the harvested grain, quickly calculating in his mind.

Although we didn't manage to breach the Fish Tribe's camp this time, we still managed to plunder a considerable amount of food. We also looted food from the Marsh Tribe, and the rice paddies outside the Beast Taming Tribe are still there. We can harvest another crop on the way back. All things considered, the harvest has been quite substantial.

If we retreat now, we can save all this food. But if we stay out of greed, what if the Fire Tribe really comes...?

Xueya shuddered.

"Yexiao," he said in a deep voice, "Continue to send scouts south to gather intelligence, and report back immediately if you find anything."

Yexiao nodded. "Understood!"

Xueya turned to look at Shichui, who was busy with the Shichui staff, sweating profusely. He ran over and shouted, "Shichui!"

Shichui ran over. "Chief?"

Xueya pointed at the rice paddies. "Have your men speed things up! Try to harvest all this rice today! Tomorrow morning, the logistics personnel will take the grain and retreat!"

Shichui paused for a moment. "Withdraw tomorrow? We're not fighting anymore?"

Xueya glanced at him but offered no explanation.

"Do as I say."

Shichui scratched his head, but still nodded. "Yes!"

He turned and ran, shouting as he went, "Hurry up! Everyone, speed things up! We have to finish before dark!"

The logistics personnel worked even harder. As the sun slowly began to set, Xueya stood on a high point in the temporary camp, looking at the Fish Tribe camp in the distance, and silently thought to himself, "Fish Tribe, you've got good luck this time."

Next time, it won't be so simple. He looked south again, towards the Fire Tribe. Would they come?

Time passed slowly, and the Wolf Tribe's logistics personnel were still working hard to harvest. Basket after basket of grain was packed, and Xueya's heart gradually calmed down. So much grain was enough to make a profit. Just then, the sound of rapid hoofbeats came from afar. Xueya turned his head and saw several horses galloping towards them. The riders were crouching low and whipping their horses frantically, obviously having traveled a long distance.

It was a scout. Xueya's heart sank. The horses were getting closer and closer, and the riders were one of the scouts sent south. They rode up to Xueya, pulled on the Jiangsheng, and dismounted. His horse was covered in sweat, foaming at the mouth, and could barely stand.

"Chief!" the scout gasped, his voice hoarse. "It's bad! A large number of cavalry have been spotted to the south! They're from the Fire Tribe!"

Xueya's expression changed drastically.

How many people?

"At least seven hundred cavalry! Mostly elite! They're only half an hour away!"

Xueya felt a buzzing in his head. Half an hour? Seven hundred cavalry?

He turned abruptly and shouted, "Everyone assemble! Prepare for battle!"

The entire Wolf Tribe camp erupted into chaos. Warriors dropped what they were holding, grabbed their weapons, and mounted their horses, while the support staff panicked and didn't know what to do.

Shichui ran over, his face full of anxiety. "Chief, the grain..."

Xueya gritted his teeth. "Never mind that! Take what you can!"

He mounted his horse and drew his bone knife.

"Brothers! The Fire Tribe is here! Let them see that the Wolf Tribe is not to be trifled with!"

The warriors of the Wolf Tribe shouted in unison, but their voices clearly carried a hint of panic. In the distance, on the southern horizon, a cloud of dust could be faintly seen rising.

That was the dust kicked up by the galloping cavalry, getting closer and closer. Xueya gripped the hilt of his sword tightly, his palms sweating profusely. The Fire Tribe had finally arrived.