Submission

At midday, the stench of blood still lingered in the Green Bamboo Tribe's camp. The sun was high overhead, its rays shining directly down on the dark red bloodstains, making them gleam with a blinding light. The bloodstains stretched from the center of the camp to various places, some already dried, black and dark, like ugly scars.

Some of the bodies weren't completely dry, gleaming a dark reddish light in the sunlight like a thin layer of paint. The corpses had already been dragged away and piled up in an open area outside the camp, where firewood was burning. Thick black smoke billowed, carrying a nauseating acrid smell, drifting into the sky like a black dragon, baring its fangs and claws. Several crows circled around the column of smoke, emitting mournful cries, one after another, like weeping and laughing at the same time.

In the largest wooden hut in the center of the Green Bamboo Camp, Xueya leaned back in his chair with satisfaction. In front of him were a leftover leg of lamb and an empty wine jar. The lamb leg was reduced to a bone, the meat on it had been gnawed clean, and even the marrow had been sucked dry. The wine jar lay on the ground, with wine still dripping from its mouth, drop by drop, onto the muddy ground, spreading out in a small patch.

He had a satiated expression on his face, his eyes half-closed, like a wolf that had eaten its fill, lazily basking in the sun. His belly was bulging, and he let out a burp. The smell of alcohol rose from his stomach, making his nose sting, but he didn't care.

The young woman beside him was gone. She was the daughter of the Green Bamboo Tribe chief, fairly pretty with fair skin and black hair. After Xueya finished with her, he dragged her out and gave her to a Xiaotou who had performed well. This was common in the Wolf Tribe, as ordinary as rewarding someone with a piece of meat or a jar of wine. Whoever made a contribution or performed well would receive a reward. The rewards varied widely: grain, weapons, horses, and sometimes women. Those who didn't get one could only watch longingly, swallowing their saliva, hoping that they could perform better next time so that the rewards would come their way.

Xueshou and Yexiao had finished eating, both wearing satisfied smiles. Xueshou's belly was round and bulging, like an inverted pot, his leather armor stretched taut. He patted his stomach, making a dull thud like beating a drum, then let out a burp, reeking of alcohol. He stretched, his bones cracking. Yexiao picked up his bowl, downed the last drop of wine, wiped his mouth, licked his lips, and swallowed the last drop. His face was slightly flushed, but his eyes remained clear, like a deep pool, undisturbed.

The three gathered together and began to discuss their next move. Xueya pulled his chair forward, closer to the fire pit, and Xueshou and Yexiao also joined in. The three of them formed a semicircle, heads close together, like three wolves plotting something.

Xueya spoke first, his voice hoarse and low, like sandpaper rubbing against wood, "You did a great job in this raid on the Green Bamboo Tribe. Our Wolf Tribe suffered few casualties, and not a single person from the Green Bamboo Tribe escaped."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the two men, a cold glint in his eyes, and said, "This is extremely beneficial to our Wolf Tribe's next move. If this news doesn't get out, Great Rock won't know. If they don't know, they won't be on high alert. If they're not on alert, our Wolf Tribe can continue fighting. By the time Great Rock and the others find out and react, our Wolf Tribe will basically have already finished the battle."

Yexiao Owl nodded, but his brows furrowed slightly, forming a knot, and he said, "After this enjoyable time, everyone's morale is extremely high. The brothers all feel that following the leader means having meat to eat, wine to drink, and women to play with. They're all yelling and wishing they could fight every day."

He paused, lowered his voice, and said, "There aren't enough women in the Green Bamboo Tribe to go around. Basically, there's only one young woman for every dozen or so brothers. Some people got one, and some didn't. Those who didn't get one were unhappy, though they didn't say it, but the fire of desire in their eyes was undeniable."

Xueya laughed, a sinister laugh, as cold as a blade, as menacing as a wolf baring its Liaoya. He said, "It's better if there's not enough to go around. If there's enough, people will find it boring. What you can't have is always the best, what you can't get is always the most desirable. Those who can't get their share have a burning desire inside them, which will make them more proactive and fight harder in the next battle. They'll fight desperately, and then they'll get their share. Once they get their share, they'll fight even harder. It's a perfect cycle."

He picked up his wine bowl, took a sip, put it down, tapped his fingers lightly on the table, and slowly said, "And it should be given priority to the leaders, or the brothers who have made great contributions and are proactive. The leaders are our backbone, so we must satisfy them first. Those who have made great contributions are our heroes and should be rewarded. These proactive brothers are our future and should be well nurtured. Only by ensuring that they don't get any can we better motivate everyone and let them know that if they follow Xueya and our Wolf Tribe, as long as they work hard, they will have everything; if they don't work hard, they will have nothing."

Xueshou slapped his thigh with a loud "smack," bursting into laughter that sent dust flying from the rafters. He exclaimed, "No wonder these kids were all yelling today! They weren't full! I was wondering why those little Xiaotou were so eager to work this morning, like they were on steroids. They were thinking about getting their share of women. Well, those who didn't get any will definitely work even harder next time. Maybe they'll be the ones charging ahead in the next battle!"

Yexiao chuckled, but quickly his smile faded, his brow furrowing again. He picked up his wine bowl, took a sip, put it down, and asked the crucial question, "Chief, what's our next move? We've finished fighting the Green Bamboo Tribe, so who's next for our Wolf Tribe? We can't just sit here doing nothing, can we? If we stay idle for too long, the brothers will start causing trouble again."

Xueya thought for a moment and said, "The Great Boulder Tribe and its core affiliated tribes are growing rapidly in strength. They have more and more people and more and more warriors. The population of the Great Boulder Tribe has increased from 6,000 to 10,000, and the number of warriors has increased from more than 1,000 to about 2,000. Our Wolf Tribe has sent 1,000 people, while they have 4,000. Compared to them, we still have too few people."

He raised his head, looked at the two men, his gaze turning cold and sharp, and said, "While the Great Boulder Tribe hasn't reacted yet, our Wolf Tribe should quickly expand its strength. Once the Great Boulder Tribe reacts, it will be harder for our Wolf Tribe to act. They will be on guard, and our Wolf Tribe will have to fight head-on. In a head-on confrontation, our Wolf Tribe will definitely suffer losses."

He paused, lowered his voice, and said, "Our Wolf Tribe will first expand our manpower to two thousand men before we go out. Two thousand against four thousand is still a bit few, but with the advantage of our cavalry, we have nothing to fear. They can't outrun us. We can fight when we want and leave when we want."

Xueshou and Yexiao both nodded, perking up their ears and leaning forward slightly like two wolves waiting for their prey. Xueya continued, "Our Wolf Tribe's next targets are the Abundant Grain Tribe, Sweet Fruit Tribe, White Bone Tribe, Little Star Tribe, and Full Moon Tribe. Each of these five tribes has a population of about five hundred, with about a hundred able-bodied warriors. That's five hundred able-bodied men in total. Add that to our original thousand men, and that's fifteen thousand. We're still short five hundred. We can fill that gap by taking a few more tribes under our control."

He paused, his gaze turning fierce, like a hungry wolf spotting its prey, and said, "Moreover, these tribes are not affiliated with the Great Rock Great Rock, and they don't have much to do with it. The Great Rock won't interfere too much if we attack these tribes. As long as the Great Rock doesn't interfere for the time being, our Wolf Tribe will be safe. Once we're safe, our Wolf Tribe can continue fighting. By the time the Great Rock reacts, we'll already have two thousand people."

Xueshou grinned, revealing a set of yellow teeth with bits of meat stuck between them, and said, "These tribes are just right, a tribe of five hundred people, not too big, not too small, just right."

Yexiao nodded and said, "Besides, these tribes aren't within the Great Rock's sphere of influence. If we attack them, the Great Rock won't come to our aid immediately. If they don't come to our aid, we're safe, and we can eat them one by one."

Xueya stood up, walked to the window, and pushed open the wooden pane. The afternoon sun streamed in, making him squint. He stood by the window, watching the busy soldiers outside. Some were loading rations onto horses, some were checking weapons, and some were saddled. Several Xiaotou were distributing young women, arguing and berating each other. One soldier who didn't get any kicked a wooden post, cursed, and walked away. The person next to him patted him on the shoulder and said something. He smiled again.

"Everyone, get ready. We'll head to the Abundant Grain Tribe Abundant Grain Tribe. It's not far from here; we can get there in a day on horseback. After we've conquered Abundant Grain Tribe, we'll go to the Sweet Fruit Tribe. We'll take it one step at a time; there's no rush."

He turned to Xueshou and Yexiao and instructed them, "You two go and make arrangements first. Make sure the brothers are well-fed and watered, and check their weapons and horses. We'll set off this afternoon and try to reach the vicinity of the Abundant Grain Tribe before dark."

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

The two turned and walked out of the cabin to prepare. Their loud voices came from outside the door, shouting, urging, and cursing. Xueya stood by the window, looking at the camp outside. The sunlight shone on his face, making the hideous scar more conspicuous, like a centipede crawling on his face. His eyes were half closed, as if he was dozing, but a cold and sharp light flashed in the occasional slits he opened.

In the afternoon, as the sun began to set, Xueya arranged for a Xiaotou to lead twenty men to wait in the Green Bamboo Tribe. The man was a man in his thirties with a scar on his face, running from the corner of his eye to the corner of his mouth. It was from last year's battle. He was called Balian and was an elder of the Wolf Tribe. He had been following Xueya for several years and was extremely loyal and reliable.

Xueya, perched atop his black ponies, looked down at Balian and said, "You wait here. The logistics team will arrive tomorrow. Eight hundred able-bodied women, all drawn from affiliated tribes, are capable of work and carrying heavy loads. Once they arrive, hand over the captured supplies and prisoners to them and have them transport them back to our Stone Ridge Mountain. The grain, animal hides, tools, and those young women are all our spoils of war; not a single one can be missing."

Balian nodded, clasped his hands in a salute, and said crisply, "Rest assured, Chief, I guarantee I will complete the task you assign. If even one item is missing, you can hold me responsible."

Xueya nodded, turned his horse around, and said, "After you hand over the goods to them, come back to us. Be careful on the road, don't run into anything. This area is not safe right now; the spies from Great Rock are wandering around everywhere. Don't let them run into you."

Balian nodded again and said, "Understood."

Xueya said no more, spurred his horse, and galloped away. Xueshou and Yexiao followed behind, with over nine hundred cavalrymen in tow. They marched in a mighty procession towards the Abundant Grain Tribe, their hooves thundering and dust billowing, like a giant yellow dragon moving through the mountains. The column cast long shadows in the setting sun, like a giant black python, winding and slithering, pouncing on its prey.

The next afternoon, as the sun began to set, the Abundant Grain Tribe's camp came into view. The Abundant Grain Tribe was situated on a flat valley, surrounded by golden rice paddies. The rice had already been harvested, leaving only rows of stubble, standing neatly like soldiers in formation. The Abundant Grain Tribe was quite large, capable of housing at least five or six hundred people. Wooden houses and thatched huts were scattered about, smoke curled from chimneys, and the sounds of people could be faintly heard. People were moving about, working, and chatting. Several children chased and played in the open space, their laughter ringing out. Several women washed clothes by the river, their washing sticks bobbing and splashing Shuihua. Everything was peaceful, as usual, as if nothing had happened.

Xueya reined in his horse, raised his hand to signal it to stop, and his gaze swept across the camp and then over the surrounding terrain. To the left was a river, to the right were mountains, in front was flat land, and behind was a forest. The terrain was quite good, easy to defend and difficult to attack, but even the best terrain could not stop the Wolf Tribe's cavalry.

"Surround them," he ordered in a low voice, his tone as cold as ice.

The Wolf Tribe's nine hundred cavalrymen scattered, forming a loose encirclement, and slowly approached the Abundant Grain Tribe's camp. The sound of hooves grew closer and louder, rolling across the earth like muffled thunder, shaking the ground. The people of the Abundant Grain Tribe finally noticed something was wrong. Some were running around the camp, some were shouting, and some were blowing their horns, but it was too late. The Wolf Tribe's cavalry had already completely surrounded the camp, leaving no way out. They wanted to run, but they couldn't; they wanted to fight, but they couldn't win.

Xueya spurred his horse forward, followed by Xueshou and Yexiao. He rode high above the panicked people in the Fenggu camp, their faces filled with fear, like a flock of sheep waiting to be slaughtered. Some were crying, some were shouting, and some were trembling.

The chief of the Abundant Grain Tribe stepped out from the crowd. He was a middle-aged man in his fifties, with gray hair, a face full of wrinkles, and skin tanned dark by the sun. His hands were as rough as old tree bark. He wore a coarse linen garment, a straw rope tied around his waist, and straw sandals on his feet. He forced himself to step forward, his legs trembling like Luwei in the wind, but he forced a calm expression, not wanting to lose face in front of his tribe. He clasped his hands in a salute, his voice trembling slightly, like the wind blowing through a broken window.

"Fellow warriors, what brings you here? Our Abundant Grain Tribe is a small tribe, and we don't know where we have offended you. If we have offended you in any way, we are willing to apologize. Grain, livestock, animal hides—whatever you want, we will give you."

Xueya looked at him, a cold smile playing on his lips, and said, "We are the Wolf Tribe of Stone Ridge Mountain. We've recently come up with a lucrative opportunity and would like to invite the able-bodied men of your Abundant Grain Tribe to join us."

He paused, his gaze turning fierce, like two knives, and said, "Don't worry, as long as you work hard with us, you'll be well rewarded. You'll have meat to eat, wine to drink, and young women to play with. It's much better than farming here. What future is there in farming? You work yourself to the bone all year round, and sometimes when the harvest is bad, you can't even afford a decent meal. Follow us, and you'll eat and drink well, and do whatever you want."

Fengshou's heart sank to the bottom, like a Shitou sinking into deep water. He had heard of the Wolf Tribe; they were the ones who had caused trouble in the area not long ago, slaughtering several tribes, killing many people, and stealing a lot of grain. He had heard that these people were ruthless and merciless, killing without blinking an eye, more ferocious than wild beasts. Several small tribes in the vicinity had already been wiped out by the Wolf Tribe and their people. Some tribes' young men had been taken hostage, some tribes' old and weak had been slaughtered, and their own young women had been kidnapped. Those young men who had been taken hostage had now become beasts just like them.

He glanced at the menacing Wolf Tribe warriors around him, their swords drawn, bows strung, their eyes gleaming with bloodlust. Then he looked at his terrified tribesmen, huddled together like a flock of startled chickens. He knew that if the Abundant Grain Tribe didn't agree today, the tribe would likely perish. If they didn't agree, they would die; if they agreed, they could live.

He closed his eyes, gritted his teeth, and said in a voice as bitter as gall, "We... are willing to work with you."

Xueya laughed loudly, his laughter echoing throughout the camp, piercing and arrogant, like a wolf's howl, and said, "That's more like it!"

He dismounted, walked up to Fengshou, patted him on the shoulder with such force that Fengshou stumbled and almost fell. He said, "Look at our brothers around us. Not long ago, they were skinny, they'd fall over in the wind, they'd stagger when they walked. Now look at their physiques, they're much stronger than before! They're as strong as calves! Their faces are fuller, their bodies are more robust, even their eyes are different."

He pointed to the Wolf Tribe warriors behind him. These men were indeed much stronger than when they first arrived. Their faces and bodies were fuller, and even their eyes were different. Before, they were hungry wolves, staring longingly at their food, skin and bones. Now, they were well-fed wolves, fiercer and more ruthless, their eyes gleaming like two flames.

"Don't worry, as long as you follow my orders, the Wolf Tribe will not treat you unfairly."

Xueya's voice softened slightly, but his eyes remained cold and sharp, like a winter wind. He said, "Go, bring out all the grain and good food. Slaughter a sheep and a chicken to entertain our guests. Today, it's my treat! Let everyone have a good meal and a good drink. From now on, we're family, so don't be shy."

Fengshou's heart was bleeding, as if it were being cut by a knife, but he could only obediently do as he was told. He turned around, waved to the tribesmen behind him, and said in a hoarse voice, "Go, bring out the grain and meat, slaughter the sheep and chickens to entertain the guests."

The people of the Abundant Grain Tribe began to get busy. They carried grain out of the warehouse, one load at a time, and piled it on the open ground. They pulled sheep and chickens out of the pen. The sheep bleated and the chickens flapped their wings. They lit a fire to cook, and smoke rose up, filling the air with the aroma of meat. The able-bodied men were called over and sat next to the Wolf Tribe warriors to eat meat and drink wine together.

At first, they didn't dare to move, acting timidly like thieves. But when they saw the Wolf Tribe eating meat and drinking wine with gusto, their mouths greasy and their faces and necks red and their stomachs rumbling, they couldn't help but start eating too. They hadn't eaten such good food in a long time; the last time they ate meat was during a festival.

Xueya sat in the Fengshou's wooden house, with the best food from the Abundant Grain Tribe laid out before him: roasted whole lamb, stewed chicken, rice, and fruit wine, filling the table. Fengshou sat beside him, his face forced a smile, a smile more like a grimace, his heart weeping uncontrollably. He raised his wine bowl to toast Xueya, his hand trembling, spilling some wine.

"Chief, our Abundant Grain Tribe will follow you from now on. Whatever your orders, just say the word. We'll go through fire and water for you."

Xueya took the bowl of wine, drank it all in one gulp, wiped his mouth, and said, "It's fine. As long as you listen to me, I won't treat you unfairly. Work hard, and you'll benefit. If you don't listen, you know the consequences."

That night, Xueya led everyone to a good rest at the Abundant Grain Tribe. The warriors ate and drank their fill; some fell asleep immediately, snoring loudly, while others chatted around the campfire, boasting about their achievements that day, arguing heatedly. The able-bodied men of the Abundant Grain Tribe were also arranged to rest nearby. Some were still afraid, huddled in a corner like frightened rabbits, while others had already begun to call the Wolf Tribe warriors brothers, holding wine bowls, putting their arms around each other's shoulders, and talking drunkenly.

The next morning, before dawn, Xueya got up and stood at the entrance of the Abundant Grain Tribe's camp, watching the warriors who were assembling. The hundred or so young men of the Abundant Grain Tribe were sandwiched in the middle of the formation, with veterans of the Wolf Tribe in front and behind them. They couldn't run away even if they wanted to. Some of them were still yawning, some were rubbing their eyes, and some were looking around.

Xueya mounted his horse, waved his hand, and shouted, "Let's go!"

The procession of over a thousand people marched towards the Sweet Fruit Tribe. As the sun rose, golden rays streamed into the valley and onto the ever-growing army. Xueya, mounted on his horse, gazed ahead with a cold, sharp look. Sweet Fruit Tribe, White Bone Tribe, Little Star Tribe, Full Moon Tribe —come one by one. Once they've swallowed all these tribes, and then taken a few more with them, the Wolf Tribe will have two thousand warriors outside.