Pursuing the Wolf Tribe

Just days after the Great Boulder Tribe Shishan out scouts again to gather intelligence on the Wolf Tribe's movements, news returned to the Great Boulder Tribe Great Boulder Tribe. This news spread like wildfire from all directions, each piece more astonishing and horrifying than the last, like knives stabbing into the hearts of every member of the Great Boulder Tribe, leaving them breathless. That day, the leader of the Great Boulder Tribe quickly summoned the tribe's elders and leaders to the council hall to discuss the matter.

Soon everyone gathered in the council hall of the Great Boulder Tribe. Everyone present had a solemn expression and furrowed brows. Even the most talkative people were silent. The atmosphere in the council hall was like the sky before a storm, so oppressive that it was hard to breathe.

The firewood in the hearth of the Great Boulder Tribe was burning brightly, crackling and sputtering, tracing brief arcs in the dim room. But the people inside felt as if a heavy Shitou was pressing on their hearts, making it difficult to breathe. Their chests felt as if something was blocking them. The firelight reflected on everyone's faces, revealing expressions of anger, worry, or gloom. The light and shadow flickered on the walls, like countless ghosts dancing, sometimes bright, sometimes dim, sometimes visible, sometimes hidden.

Shishan, the first warrior of the Great Boulder Tribe, stood up and walked to the center of the Great Boulder Tribe's council hall. He wore leather armor and a bronze broadsword at his waist. His face was ashen, like a piece of rusty iron, or like the sky before a storm, overcast with dark clouds. His fists were clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white, and his veins bulged like earthworms wriggling under his skin. His voice, like thunder, echoed in the quiet council hall, causing dust to fall from the roof beams and float in the beams of light like countless tiny flying insects.

"The scouts outside just reported that the entire Yellow Stone Tribe on the outskirts of our Great Rock Force has been wiped out! The scouts said the scene at the Yellow Stone Tribe's camp was horrific; corpses were everywhere, lying haphazardly on the ground, some burned beyond recognition. Blood flowed like rivers inside the camp, turning the soil black and making it sticky to walk on. The houses in the camp were also burned down, leaving nothing but charred ruins, still smoldering."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over everyone present, his eyes filled with rage, like two burning flames or two knives cutting into people. He said, "This is definitely a blood debt committed by the Wolf Tribe! No one but them would do such a thing! Such methods, such ruthlessness, such cruelty—only the Wolf Tribe would do this!"

In the council hall of the Great Boulder Tribe, everyone present loudly condemned the Wolf Tribe, causing the hall to erupt in chaos. It was like a pot of boiling porridge, bubbling and gurgling, or like a hornet's nest being disturbed, buzzing and humming. Some slammed their fists, rattling dishes and splashing tea; others cursed, spitting everywhere, covering the faces of those opposite them; some stood up, waving their fists as if ready to fight, their eyes bloodshot; some shouted for an immediate military campaign, saying they couldn't wait a moment longer and wished they could rush out and slaughter the entire Wolf Tribe.

The Yellow Stone Tribe was an outer vassal tribe of the Great Boulder Tribe. Although it was small, with only a few hundred people, the Yellow Stone Tribe was still a vassal of the Great Rock, paying tribute every year and coming to court every year without ever daring to be negligent. Now they had been wiped out by the Wolf Tribe, which was simply the greatest provocation to the authority of the Great Boulder Tribe. The Wolf Tribe's behavior was like defecating on the head of the Great Boulder Tribe, and was a crazy slap in the face of the Great Rock.

If the Great Boulder Tribe continues to ignore the Wolf Tribe, it will lose the support of the surrounding tribes. Who will dare to rely on the Great Rock in the future? Who will listen to the Great Rock Tribe? Who will take the Great Rock Wolf Tribe seriously? The Great Boulder Tribe Wolf Tribe Great Boulder Tribe hard, let them know that the Great Rock Wolf Tribe is not to be trifled with, let them know what price they will pay for attacking the Great Boulder Tribe Wolf Tribe, and let them know who is the boss in this area.

The elder leaned back in his chair, his eyes half-closed as if dozing, like a clay sculpture. But in the occasional slits where he opened them, a sharp glint flashed, as keen as an eagle, as cold as a blade. His hair was all white, as white as snow, and his face was deeply lined, like a cracked riverbed or the bark of an old tree. His hands were withered and thin, with bulging veins, yellowed nails, and large joints. His voice was old and Chenwen, like the gnarled roots of an old tree or Shitou rolling across the ground, deep and powerful.

"The destruction of the Yellow Stone Tribe proves that the Wolf Tribe is already operating right under the noses of our Great Boulder Tribe. It's a dereliction of duty on the part of our Great Boulder Tribe's scouts who failed to discover them in time. Those scouts do nothing but drink and sleep all day; they can't even keep an eye on anyone when it matters."

He paused, sighed, and continued, "Of course, now is not the time to assign blame. Now is the time to think of a solution. The fact that the Wolf Tribe was able to wipe out a tribe right under our Great Boulder Tribe's nose shows that the Wolf Tribe is no ordinary force. They have the guts, the methods, and the strength. Our Great Boulder Tribe must be careful and cannot be careless!"

The Second Elder, Shi Ji, stroked his goatee. His fingers were long and thin, like chicken claws, with yellowed nails and large joints. His hands were covered with age spots. His eyes were narrow, like a fox's, and his pupils darted around, as if he were scrutinizing something or plotting something. His voice was high-pitched, like fingernails scratching a stone slab or a mouse squeaking, making people uncomfortable and giving them goosebumps.

"The Wolf Tribe is testing the limits of our Great Rock Great Boulder Tribe. They want to know if we dare to fight, and if we can fight. If we don't send troops, the Wolf Tribe will become more aggressive and attack more tribes. Today they'll attack Yellow Stone, tomorrow Baishi, the day after Heishi, one by one. Sooner or later they'll reach our doorstep, our Great Boulder Tribe. If we send troops, the Wolf Tribe will hide and play hide-and-seek with us. They're in the dark, we're in the light, it's not easy. They're in the mountains, we're on the plains, it's even more difficult."

The Third Elder, Shi Feng, slammed his hand on the table and stood up abruptly, knocking over his chair with a loud crash that was particularly jarring in the quiet council hall, like thunder. His eyes were wide open like copper bells, almost popping out of their sockets, and filled with bloodshot veins. His voice was like thunder, making everyone's ears ring and their heads spin.

"Who cares about the Wolf Tribe or the Dog Tribe? If they dare to come to our Great Boulder Tribe, we'll fight them! We'll beat them to a pulp! Let them know how powerful our Great Boulder Tribe is! If we don't crush the Wolf Tribe, how will our Great Boulder Tribe survive in this area? How will we gain a foothold? How will we make other tribes submit to us? Our Great Boulder Tribe has been developing in this area for decades. When have we ever been afraid of anyone?"

Shishan spoke again, his voice lowered, but every word pierced everyone's ears like nails, causing pain and making people uneasy. He walked to the center of the council hall, facing the Dashi, and clasped his hands in a fist salute.

"Our scouts discovered this and relayed the news back to the Great Boulder Tribe several days ago, but they still haven't found any trace of the Wolf Tribe Wolf Tribe. They seem to have vanished without a trace. However, it's certain that the Wolf Tribe's actions this time are somewhat targeted at our Great Boulder Tribe. Instead of attacking the Luwei Tribe, which is closer, has more tribes, and offers more opportunities, they've chosen to operate here, roaming our Great Boulder Tribe's territory and running rampant within our sphere of influence. Their intentions are clear—they're targeting our Great Boulder Tribe. They want to attack us, weaken us, embarrass us, and make us lose face."

Dashi, the chief of the Great Boulder Tribe, sat in the main seat. His brows were furrowed, forming a knot, and deep lines were etched on his forehead, as if carved by a knife. His gaze was cold and sharp, like the winter wind, piercing and chilling, making anyone who looked at him feel uneasy. When he spoke, his voice Chenwen and powerful, carrying an unquestionable authority, like a general issuing orders or a judge pronouncing a verdict.

"Regardless of whether the Wolf Tribe is targeting our Great Boulder Tribe, we must strike Wolf Tribe hard, drive them out of our territory, and even wipe Wolf Tribe out, otherwise our region will never have peace."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the crowd, and continued, "Today they attack the Yellow Stone Tribe, tomorrow they'll attack the Blue Stone Tribe, and the day after tomorrow they'll attack the White Stone Tribe. They'll come one by one, and sooner or later they'll reach the doorstep of our Great Boulder Tribe, and attack our stronghold."

Others chimed in, each adding their own voice, which grew louder and more excited, surging in like a tide, wave after wave.

"Yes! Wipe out the Wolf Tribe! Leave them all alive! Kill them all!"

"We can't let the Wolf Tribe harm people anymore! They've killed so many people and stolen so much food lately; they have to pay for it! Blood for blood!"

"Send troops! Send troops! If we don't send troops, where will we put our Great Rock's face? How will we face anyone in the future?"

"Fight! Fight them! Let them know how powerful our Great Boulder Tribe is!"

Just as everyone was engaged in a heated discussion, a scout rushed into the council hall. He was covered in dust, his hair was a mess, like a bird's nest, and it was covered with leaves and grass clippings. He was drenched in sweat, his clothes were soaked and clung to his body, emitting a sour stench like spoiled swill. He had clearly run back for his life, changing horses countless times and covering an unknown distance. He knelt on one knee, panting heavily, his chest heaving like a bellows, his voice hoarse as if he had sand in his throat, his lips cracked and Baipi, with several cuts.

"Chief! Elders and leaders! We have just received news that our core subordinate tribe, the Great Black Stone Tribe, has been massacred! Judging from their methods, they are very much like the Wolf Tribe —they left no one alive, not even the children or the elderly. They burned down the houses, burned down the grain, and left nothing behind! Not even a hair!"

As soon as the young scout finished speaking, the council hall erupted in chaos again, like a pot boiling over, or a hornet's nest being disturbed, a cacophony of buzzing sounds, or a volcanic eruption with continuous booming noises. The people surrounded the scout, bombarding him with questions, one after another, their voices a cacophony of chirping sparrows and buzzing flies, a complete mess. Some grabbed his sleeves, pulling him erratically; others patted his shoulders, making him grimace; still others gripped his collar, choking him until he could barely breathe.

"The Great Black Stone Tribe? That had over two thousand people! Nearly five hundred warriors! They were one of the most important subordinate tribes of our Great Boulder Tribe! Their tribe just vanished like that? Not a single one escaped? Not even a messenger?"

"Were they completely wiped out? Did anyone escape? Did anyone see who did it? Does anyone know how many of them there were?"

"How many days has this happened? Why are you only reporting it now? What are you scouts good for? All you do is drink and sleep all day!"

"How many people are in the Wolf Tribe? To wipe out the Great Heishi, they must have quite a few! A thousand? Two thousand? Or more?"

Where did they go? Have they been tracked? Did they leave any traces? Did they leave any footprints?

The scout answered in unison, his voice hoarse, his throat parched, his lips cracked, and he licked them after each word. "We didn't find a single living person in the Great Black Stone Tribe. Corpses were everywhere, all charred beyond recognition, not even men and women. We discovered this a day or two ago, but by the time we arrived, everyone was dead, the fires were out, and even the ashes were cold. We don't know how many people were in the Wolf Tribe, but judging from the traces at the scene—the hoofprints were dense, like ants—we estimate there were at least a thousand. We don't know where the Wolf Tribe went. We chased them for a while, but lost them. They vanished like they evaporated; not even the hoofprints remained, not even their scent."

Dashi suddenly stood up, knocking over his chair with a loud crash that pierced the quiet council hall like thunder, making everyone's ears ring. His face was ashen, like a piece of rusty iron, or like the sky before a storm, with dark clouds gathering and lightning flashing. His eyes were wide open like copper bells, almost popping out, bloodshot and red like a rabbit's eyes. His fists were clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white, and the veins bulged like earthworms wriggling under his skin or small snakes crawling.

"The Great Black Stone Tribe was our core subordinate tribe, with nearly five hundred warriors and a population of over two thousand. They were one of our most important subordinate tribes, paying tribute to us every year and sending grain to our Great Boulder Tribe every year. They were never disloyal. I never imagined that they would be so silently wiped out by the Wolf Tribe!"

His voice, like thunder, echoed through the council chamber, rattling the windows and causing dust to fall from the beams like snow. He continued, "The Wolf Tribe is doing this to prepare for a fight to the death with our Great Boulder Tribe! They know that Great Heishi is our core subordinate tribe; attacking Great Heishi is attacking us! They are challenging us, declaring war on us! They are demonstrating their power against us!"

Shishan's voice was tinged with urgency, anger, and anxiety; veins bulged on his forehead as he continued, "The Wolf Tribe definitely knows that the Great Black Stone Tribe is our core subordinate tribe. They're doing this to weaken our Great Rock Great Boulder Tribe. Destroying one of our core subordinate tribes is more effective than destroying ten smaller outer tribes, and more worthwhile than raiding our food ten times. Since we can't find the Wolf Tribe now, it's very likely they're still attacking our other core subordinate tribes."

He turned to the Dashi Chief, his gaze earnest, like a Liequan awaiting command, or a prisoner awaiting judgment, and said, "Chief, continue to send reinforcements and alert our other core subordinate tribes, so they can be on guard. We can't let the Wolf Tribe succeed again! If we lose another one, the Great Boulder Tribe's losses will be even greater! We'll lose face even more!"

Dashi nodded, his voice Chenwen and powerful, like striking an anvil or hammering Shitou. He said, "Shishan, continue to send more men to inform our other core and subordinate tribes. Tell them to strengthen their defenses, patrol day and night, keep watch at night, and have people keep watch from high places to prevent the Wolf Tribe from launching a sneak attack. Each tribe must send people to keep an eye on the direction of Stone Ridge Mountain. Report any movement immediately, whether on horseback, on foot, or by air."

He paused, his gaze turning cold and sharp, like two knives or two bolts of lightning, and said, "We, the Great Rock, have two thousand warriors of our own. We'll leave five hundred to guard our home; we can't lose our stronghold, we can't lose our home. The remaining fifteen hundred warriors have already assembled, are fully equipped, and are ready to depart at any time. As soon as we discover any trace of the Wolf Tribe, we can attack immediately. They won't escape."

Shishan nodded, clasped his hands in a salute, and said crisply, "Yes! Rest assured, Chief, I will personally send someone to deliver the message! Report back immediately upon receiving news! We'll find the Wolf Tribe even if we have to dig three feet into the ground! We'll dig them out even if we have to dig thirty feet into the ground!"

Dashi said, "Shishan, when you send scouts to our other five core subordinate tribes, also have them gather their troops and prepare to attack the Wolf Tribe together with our Great Boulder Tribe. Each tribe should send two hundred people, that's one thousand people from the five tribes. Add to our one thousand five hundred people, that's two thousand five hundred people. Two thousand five hundred people are more than enough to deal with the Wolf Tribe. Also, have the other tribes within our sphere of influence on alert. If they discover any trace of the Wolf Tribe, they should report it to our Great Boulder Tribe. Whoever reports will be rewarded with grain, cloth, women, and weapons. Whoever conceals will be punished with grain, cloth, women, and a beating."

Shishan nodded and strode out of the council hall. His footsteps pounded like war drums, echoing in the corridor and striking the hearts of everyone present.

The next afternoon, news came from outside again. A scout rode in at top speed, stumbling and crawling into the council hall. His face was covered in sweat, which mixed with dust, leaving black streaks on his face. His clothes were soaked through and clung to his body as if he had been pulled out of the water. His lips trembled like fallen leaves in autumn or candles in the wind. His eyes were filled with fear, as if he had seen a ghost.

"Chief! Something terrible has happened! The Black Wood Tribe, a core subordinate tribe of the Great Boulder Tribe, has also been completely wiped out! Not a single survivor was left! The methods are exactly the same as those of the Yellow Stone Tribe and the Great Black Stone Tribe —leaving no survivors. It must have been the Wolf Tribe! We found a large number of hoofprints at the scene, densely packed, like ants, like countless stars in the sky. They retreated towards Stone Ridge Mountain! There were at least a thousand horses! A thousand! Countless!"

The council chamber erupted in chaos once more, a deafening roar like a volcanic eruption, a tremor like an earthquake. Some groaned and slumped to the ground, heads in their hands, like deflated balloons; others cursed and swore, spitting as they spoke; some beat their chests and wept like children; still others remained silent, their faces ashen, like statues.

Shishan stood up, walked to the center of the council hall, clasped his hands in a salute, and said in a loud, booming voice, "Chief, let me go this time! I will definitely lead my men to utterly crush the Wolf Tribe! If I don't wipe them out, I'll offer my head in return! I, Shishan, keep my word and will never go back on my word!"

Dashi looked at him, remained silent for a moment, and then spoke, his voice Chenwen and powerful, like a hammer striking iron or an axe chopping wood.

"Alright, you take 1,500 warriors from our Great Boulder Tribe to pursue the Wolf Tribe. They've retreated towards Stone Ridge Mountain, which is their Wolf Tribe. Go after them, hold them off, and don't let them escape. If they get away, there will be endless trouble."

He paused, then continued, "I will also transfer another 800 men from other core subordinate tribes to assist in the battle. You hold off the Wolf Tribe for me, don't let them escape. Once the reinforcements arrive, we'll launch a pincer attack and annihilate the Wolf Tribe Wolf Tribe in one fell swoop! Leave no one alive! We must eradicate them completely!"

Shishan clasped his hands in a fist salute and said in a loud voice, "Yes!" He turned around and strode out of the council hall, his footsteps pounding like war drums, each one striking a chord in everyone's heart.

That evening, Shishan led 1,500 warriors from the Great Boulder Tribe Great Boulder Tribe out of their camp and pursued the Wolf Tribe in the direction they had retreated. The 1,500 men marched in a long column along the mountain path, like a giant black python slithering through the mountains or a black river flowing through the valleys. The warriors wore leather armor and carried spears, Shifu, bone knives, and even some bronze weapons. Their faces were filled with a murderous aura, and their eyes were blazing with anger.

Shishan rode at the head of the procession, wearing leather armor and a bronze sword at his waist. His gaze was cold and sharp, like an eagle waiting for its prey, fixed on the front without blinking. Behind him, 1,500 men followed him, moving hurriedly, raising dust that covered half the sky. Wolf Tribe, you can't escape!