Reorganizing the fighting force
After a hearty meal of home-style stewed meat and hot soup that he had not tasted in so long, followed by a sound sleep in his familiar, safe hut, Wang Yan felt the exhaustion of days of travel swept away. Waking in the morning and hearing voices outside far noisier than before, he knew the tribe had entered an entirely new stage, and the problem of management was pressing.
When he found his father, Jianshi was standing on high ground with Jianya, Dali, Dazhuang, and the others, looking down over the somewhat disorderly settlement. Most of the newcomers still clustered in their former tribal groups, with clear boundaries between them. This made them very difficult to manage and prevented them from truly becoming one.
"Father, uncles," Wang Yan stepped forward and came straight to the point. "We have more people now, and that's a good thing. But if people from each tribe keep living in their own clusters like this, divisions will easily develop over time. That's bad for management, and worse for making our Fire Tribe truly united."
"Yan, what do you have in mind?" Jianshi asked directly. He now placed great importance on his son's opinions.
Wang Yan clearly already had a plan, and laid it out methodically. "First, we need to break down the old tribal boundaries. We'll take all the newly joined tribespeople, keep each family together, and completely mix them up, reassigning their living areas. From now on, there will only be the Fire Tribe in this valley, no Black Stone Tribe or Stream Tribe! Everyone belongs to the Fire Tribe!"
The proposal made the elders' eyes light up. Indeed, only by breaking up the old groups and blending them anew could they erase the old tribal marks as quickly as possible and foster a sense of belonging to the Fire Tribe.
"Second, and most importantly," Wang Yan emphasized, "we must reorganize the tribe's fighting force immediately! I estimate that we now have around a hundred and fifty strong men over fifteen and under forty. We must keep these men firmly in our hands!"
"I suggest the tribe establish a standing hunting team—no, we should call it the 'Warrior Team'! In peacetime, they'll hunt, keep watch, and defend the tribe. In wartime, they'll be warriors!"
"Ten men will form a squad, with one squad leader.
· Five squads, fifty men, will form a company, with one company commander.
· Three companies, a hundred and fifty men, will form a battalion, with one battalion commander."
He looked at the elders. "Father, you will naturally be the battalion commander, in overall command. Uncle Jianya, Uncle Dali, and Uncle Dazhuang will serve as company commanders for now, each commanding one company."
He then turned to Dabang. "Uncle Dabang is brave in battle, loyal, and dependable. He can lead a separate ten-man squad as your personal guard, Father, responsible for protecting you and carrying out special missions."
"As for the fifteen squad leaders," Wang Yan swept his gaze over the busy tribespeople below, "every one of them must be chosen from the most reliable and valiant warriors originally from our Fire Tribe! We've had plenty of food these past few months, and our own warriors are all as vigorous as dragons and tigers. The newcomers have suffered from malnutrition for a long time. Even the bravest warriors from their former tribes are absolutely no match for ours in physical strength! We can select them through contests, but in the end, the squad leaders must be our own people, men we can trust absolutely!"
"We should even strive to fill around half the five-man leader positions-the deputy squad leaders-in each squad!" Wang Yan added. "Only then can we ensure absolute control over this force from top to bottom."
This complete plan for a military-style reorganization set Jianshi and the others' hearts surging! Before, they had only thought about how to manage people and find food. They had never imagined that the tribe's fighting force could be organized so clearly and efficiently!
"Good! Excellent!" Jianshi slapped his thigh, his face brimming with excitement. "That's what we'll do! Start immediately!"
The reorganization proceeded with the swiftness of thunder and the force of lightning, and orders were quickly issued.
The first step was to redraw the residential areas. Under Jianya's direction, all the families were shuffled and numbered, then settled together in mixed groups according to the new plan. At first, there were some small pockets of unrest and unease, but these soon subsided under the Fire Tribe members' patient explanations and guidance. Everyone gradually understood that this was for better integration and management.
Next came the selection and reorganization of the Warrior Team.
All eligible men were gathered in the clearing at the center of the tribe. When more than a hundred and fifty young and able-bodied men stood together, their surging strength struck everyone watching with awe.
Jianshi publicly announced the Warrior Team's organization and selection rules. Squad leaders and five-man leaders would be selected through contests of strength, endurance, and combat.
There was no suspense in the contests. Thanks to the ample supply of meat over the past few months, the Fire Tribe's original warriors were all broad-shouldered and thick-waisted, full of spirit and stamina. They displayed an overwhelming advantage in tests of strength, running, and fighting.
Among the newcomers, there was no shortage of brave fighters, but prolonged hunger had left them with weak foundations, and they soon lost in the face of absolute strength and endurance. Even the best among them could only contend for five-man leader positions, and in the end, only about half of those positions went to newcomers.
Shibang, Yingmu, Kuaitui, Shangou, and other outstanding members of the youth team were also appointed five-man leaders despite the usual requirements because of their excellent performances, and began gaining experience among the true warriors.
In the end, all fifteen squad leaders were elite warriors originally from the Fire Tribe. Jianya, Dali, and Dazhuang became the three company commanders. Dabang selected ten absolutely loyal warriors with the best fighting skills to form the chief's personal guard.
Standing on high ground, Jianshi looked down at the hundred and fifty warriors whose ranks were gradually becoming orderly and whose gazes were growing solemn, his heart soaring with pride! This was the Fire Tribe's true backbone.