Stone Ridge Mountain's Plans

Autumn in Stone Ridge Mountain gets colder earlier than at the foot of the mountain. Before the sun sets, the mountain wind already carries a chill, blowing in from the valley with a howling sound, like someone crying or wolves howling. The wind blows through the gaps in the wooden fence, making a sharp whistling sound that sends chills down one's spine.

The Stone Ridge Mountain campsite is located on a relatively flat plateau halfway up the mountain, surrounded by steep slopes, accessible only by a narrow path. This path is so narrow that only two people can walk side by side, with a cliff on one side and a deep abyss on the other; a slight misstep could result in a fatal fall.

The camp was surrounded by a tall wooden fence, outside which a deep trench was dug, filled with sharpened wooden stakes, densely packed like rows of gleaming white teeth. Inside the camp, wooden huts and thatched huts were packed together, enough to house at least two or three thousand people. At this moment, wisps of smoke rose from the chimneys, drifting away in the twilight like a layer of gray mist, enveloping this camp hidden on the mountainside.

The largest wooden house in the center of the camp served as Xueya's council hall and residence. The house was built from whole logs, with thick walls, airtight doors and windows, and was warm in winter and cool in summer. The roof was covered with a thick layer of thatch, which was packed tightly to prevent rainwater from seeping in. Two sturdy wooden pillars stood at the entrance, carved with lifelike wolf heads, baring their teeth, which were the mark of the Wolf Tribe.

Inside the house, the hearth was burning brightly. The firewood in the hearth was pine, crackling and sputtering as it burned, and the air was filled with the scent of pine resin. The firelight reflected on the faces of several people, revealing expressions that were either ferocious, cold, or excited. The light and shadow flickered on the walls, like countless ghosts dancing.

Xueya sat in the main seat, a golden-brown roasted leg of lamb in front of him, along with a jar of fruit wine. The lamb leg was roasted with pine branches, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, sprinkled with salt, making it savory and delicious. The fruit wine was something he had robbed from a small tribe last year; it was mellow on the palate and had a strong aftertaste. He leaned back in his chair, crossed his legs, and held a piece of meat in his hand, slowly chewing. The meat was roasted perfectly, cooked to perfection, with a crispy skin and juicy interior. He nodded in satisfaction, then took a sip of the wine. The liquid burned down his throat, a satisfying sensation.

A young woman sat beside him, carefully pouring him wine. She wore a thin linen dress, her hair was disheveled, her face was pale, and her eyes were red and swollen, clearly indicating that she had just been crying. She kept her head down, her hands trembling, and although she was pointing the spout of the wine pot at the wine bowl, she couldn't pour it accurately. Some wine spilled out and splashed onto the table, spreading out in a small patch.

Xueya glanced at her, his gaze as cold as ice. The woman turned pale with fright, trembled all over, and immediately knelt down, her forehead pressed to the ground, shaking like a leaf in the wind. Xueya withdrew his gaze, picked up his wine bowl and took another sip, as if nothing had happened.

Xueshou sat at the lower end of the table, with a young woman serving him. The woman was even younger than the one beside Xueya, looking no more than fifteen or sixteen years old. She was pretty, but her face was streaked with tears, her eyes were red, and there were bite marks on her lips with scabs on them. She was wearing an ill-fitting linen dress with sleeves that were too long and rolled up several times, revealing a section of her thin wrist.

Xueshou was a burly man with a broad back and a thick waist. His face was full of scars, and his large, rough hands were like two iron clamps. As he drank, he vigorously rubbed her body with his hands. The woman winced in pain and instinctively shrank back, but dared not cry out. She bit her lip, tears welling up in her eyes and rolling down, dripping onto her clothes.

Xueshou chuckled twice and rubbed her a few more times. The woman finally couldn't help but let out a soft "Ah," her voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz. Xueshou didn't stop; instead, he rubbed her even harder, making her body shrink back. The chair creaked and groaned. Her tears flowed even more fiercely, but she dared not cry out loud, only sobbing silently, her shoulders heaving.

"Scream, scream louder!" Xueshou grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth with bits of meat stuck between them. "The more you scream, the more excited I get; the louder you scream, the more pleasure I feel!"

The woman bit her lip, no longer daring to cry out. Tears streamed down her cheeks, dripping onto her clothes and spreading. She bit her lip until it bled, and blood seeped out, mingling with her tears, salty and astringent. She rubbed her Xueshou a few more times before finally withdrawing it with satisfaction. Then he picked up the wine bowl and took a big gulp, the wine dripping down the corner of his mouth onto his stubble, which he didn't bother to wipe away.

Yexiao sat opposite Xueshou, with a young woman beside him. He was more refined than Xueshou and didn't make any advances, but the woman didn't dare approach him either, sitting at a distance like a frightened little bird huddled in the corner of the chair, her body trembling slightly. Yexiao Owl picked up his wine bowl and slowly drank, his gaze sweeping around the room, as if he were examining something or plotting something. His eyes weren't large, but they were very bright, like the eyes of a wolf, gleaming eerily in the darkness.

Duzhu sat in the corner, next to a fair-skinned boy who looked no more than fourteen or fifteen years old. He had delicate features, fair skin like a peeled egg, and fine, girlish features. He wore a clean linen shirt, his hair was neatly combed, and he lowered his head, obediently pouring wine and serving food to Duzhu with gentle movements, like a docile cat.

The Duzhu reached out and pinched his chin, lifting his face to examine it closely, its gaze like that of someone inspecting merchandise. The boy's eyes were filled with fear, his eyelashes trembled, yet he dared not look away, his body shaking slightly like Luwei in the wind. The Duzhu nodded in satisfaction, released its grip, and scratched the boy's face with its fingernail, leaving a faint white mark. The boy lowered his head again and continued pouring wine, his hand trembling, spilling some.

"Not bad." The Duzhu's voice was shrill, like fingernails scratching a stone slab, grating and cold. "This one is better than the last one. The last one was too thin, skin and bones, rough to the touch. This one is well-fed, with some meat on it, and smooth skin."

Xueshou glanced at her, chuckled, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth, and said, "Duzhu, you have a good eye for talent. Where did this kid come from? He looks like a woman."

The Duzhu picked up the wine bowl, took a sip, held the wine in his mouth for a while, and then slowly swallowed it. He said, "I stole this from a tribe last time. It was originally chosen by the chief to be a slave, but the chief thought he was too thin and small, so I kept him."

She reached out and touched the boy's head, her fingers running through his hair like she was petting a pet. The boy flinched, then sat stiffly like a wooden statue, too afraid to move. She said, "You've been caring for him for a few months now, and he's become so fair and tender. He looks much better than before. When he first came, he was as skinny as a monkey, but now he's gained weight and has more color in his face."

Xueshou laughed loudly, his laughter echoing in the room and rattling the windows. He shouted, "You sure know how to enjoy yourself! Now that you're tired of women, you're starting to play with men?"

The Duzhu laughed too, a sinister laugh like a snake flicking its tongue. Its lips curled slightly upwards as it said, "Men have their advantages, women have theirs; it's more fun to take turns."

Xueya remained silent, slowly eating his meat and drinking his wine. He ate in a very rough manner, tearing the meat with his hands and biting with his teeth. The juices dripped from the corners of his mouth onto his clothes, but he didn't wipe them away. Only when he had almost finished eating did he put down the bones in his hands, wipe his hands on his clothes, pick up his wine bowl, take a big gulp, wipe his mouth, and lick his lips with his tongue.

"This Stone Ridge Mountain campsite is quite nice." His voice was hoarse, like sandpaper rubbing against wood, deep and powerful.

Xueshou's eyes lit up. He quickly put down his wine bowl, leaned forward, and said expectantly, "Brother, this place is easy to defend and difficult to attack. It's a great place to settle down. Duzhu and I Dali into building it."

He pointed outside, a hint of pride in his voice, and said, "Look at that fence, it's taller than a person, made entirely of logs, each one driven into the ground, very sturdy. The trenches are two people deep, with spiked stakes inside; falling in means certain death. Some sections of the mountain path are so narrow that only one person can walk at a time. At that point, let alone a thousand, even ten thousand people wouldn't be able to breach it."

Xueya nodded, his gaze sweeping over the four walls of the wooden cabin, then looking out the window, and said, "You've done a great job. This camp is well-built, even sturdier than the one at High Pointed Mountain."

Xueshou grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth, and said, "We're also thinking of getting the camp up as soon as possible so we have a good place to stay."

He sighed, his voice tinged with a mix of emotion and nostalgia. "Ever since I escaped from High Pointed Mountain, I haven't had a single comfortable day. I've been hiding every day, eating poorly, sleeping poorly, and I haven't even had a decent woman."

He rubbed the woman beside him a few more times. The woman trembled in pain, curled up into a ball, but dared not utter a sound, tears streaming down her face. Xueshou smiled with satisfaction, a look of contentment on his face, and said, "These past few days have been comfortable. I've eaten when I'm supposed to eat, played when I'm supposed to play, slept when I'm supposed to sleep, and drunk when I'm supposed to drink!"

After saying that, he roughly rubbed the young woman serving him beside him a few more times. The woman cried out in pain, her voice sharp and shrill, echoing in the room. Hearing this, the Xueshou became even more emboldened, laughed twice, and rubbed her a few more times before finally stopping. The woman huddled to the side, trembling all over, tears streaming down her face, her clothes soaked through, her hair disheveled, like a mouse that had been toyed with by a cat.

Xueya glanced at him without speaking, picked up her wine bowl and took another sip, her gaze as cold as ice. Only after Xueshou had finished his commotion did Duzhu speak. She put down her wine bowl, wiped her mouth, her movements elegant yet sinister, like a snake flicking its tongue.

"Chief, last time we raided small tribes of a few hundred people, and their supplies were limited. Now, our Wolf Tribe over a thousand people has been indulging in gluttony and drinking, and our food is almost gone."

She paused, her gaze turning serious, her brow furrowing slightly, and said, "I've had someone take inventory. The grain in the warehouse can only last for a month at most. After a month, we'll go hungry."

She looked at Xueya, her voice tinged with urgency. "Now that all the tribes have finished their autumn harvest, they have surplus grain. It's time for us to strike again, otherwise our Wolf Tribe won't have a good winter either. When winter comes, heavy snow will block the mountains, and we won't be able to go out. When the food runs out, are we going to eat tree bark? Gnaw on grass roots?"

Xueshou chimed in, putting down his wine bowl, wiping his mouth, standing up, pacing back and forth a couple of times, and saying, "Yeah, brother, a lot of the brothers have made up for it lately. Those who used to be as skinny as bamboo poles are now all fleshy. Everyone's been training well lately, it's time to get out and stretch our legs."

He clenched his fist and slammed it on the table, making the dishes clatter. "If we don't get moving soon, everyone'll get lazy, and it'll be time for the brothers' knives to see some blood."

Yexiao spoke up, his voice low and deep, as if squeezed from his chest. "Yes, Chief, our Wolf Tribe has recovered its strength and has captured quite a few ponies. We can easily assemble over a thousand cavalrymen now, one man and one horse, moving like the wind."

He paused, his gaze sharpening like two knives, and said, "Among the tribes around here, only the Great Rock and the Great Luwei are relatively strong. The other tribes are no match for our Wolf Tribe. We don't even need to pay attention to tribes with fewer than a hundred warriors; we can wipe them out with a single charge. Tribes with two or three hundred warriors can be taken down with a little effort. Tribes with four or five hundred warriors can be taken down with a serious fight. Only those with over a thousand warriors are worth our serious attention."

Xueya nodded and said, "Yes, it's time for our Wolf Tribe to get out and have some fun." He picked up his wine bowl, took another sip, put it down, and tapped his fingers lightly on the table, making a rhythmic sound.

Yexiao asked, "When are we leaving? Where are we going this time?" His voice held a mixture of anticipation and eagerness.

Xueya thought for a moment and said, "Neither the Great Luwei Tribe nor the Great Boulder Tribe are a match for us individually right now. However, the Great Luwei Tribe is closer to the powerful Tiger Tribe, so we shouldn't touch their core territory for now. If we alert the Tiger Tribe, we'll be in big trouble."

He paused, then continued, "This Great Rock is a good target for us now. It's far from the Tiger Tribe, but close to us. We can fight it and run, and they won't be able to catch us. The Great Rock currently has about 10,000 people, and we can muster 2,000 warriors. With 1,000 against 2,000, we're confident we can win."

Xueshou slapped his thigh and said, "Then let's teach the Great Boulder Tribe a lesson first!"

He stood up, paced back and forth a couple of times, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked, his knuckles turning white. "Recently, scouts from the Great Boulder Tribe have been loitering around our Stone Ridge Mountain, acting suspiciously. They're clearly not good people. I caught one a couple of days ago, interrogated him for ages, and got a lot out of him."

He paused, a fierce glint in his eyes. "I'll teach them a lesson in the next couple of days! I'll let them know that the Wolf Tribe isn't to be trifled with! I'll let them know who's the boss of this place!"

The Yexiao and the Duzhu nodded in agreement.

"Let's attack the Great Rock first, test their strength," Yexiao said calmly. "If we can win, we fight; if not, we run. We have horses, they're fast, and the Great Rock's infantry can't catch us."

The Duzhu nodded and said, "Yes, the Great Rock has a large population, abundant food, and many young women. If we take it, it will be enough for us to eat for the whole winter. Their food, their women, and their territory will all be ours."

Seeing that everyone agreed to move towards the territory of the Great Boulder Tribe in the southwest, Xueya stood up. His gaze swept over the three of them, and his voice Chenwen and powerful, carrying an unquestionable authority.

"Duzhu, this time you'll lead two hundred men to stay at the Stone Ridge Mountain camp. Keep a close watch on things and make sure nothing goes wrong. The supplies and prisoners are all yours."

The Duzhu nodded, stood up, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and said, "Rest assured, Chief. With me here, nothing will go wrong. Anyone who dares to cause trouble, I'll teach them a lesson they won't forget."

Xueya looked at Xueshou and Yexiao: "Xueshou, Yexiao, and I will lead a thousand cavalrymen and set off tomorrow. We'll leave quietly and without alerting anyone."

Xueshou and Yexiao stood up simultaneously and replied in unison, "Yes!"

Xueya waved his hand. "Go prepare. Check the weapons, stock up on rations, feed the horses, and we'll set off at dawn tomorrow."

The three turned and walked out of the wooden house. The door closed, shutting out the noise inside, leaving only the crackling of the firewood in the hearth.