The Bear Tribe's intelligence

Then, Xiong Lie turned his gaze to Xiong Zhua, who was sitting at the lower end of the table. Xiong Zhua was the leader of the Bear Tribe, and his eyes were shrewd, darting around as if he were sizing something up. He wore a leather armor made of deerskin plates, which was light and soft. He had a bone knife at his waist, with hemp rope wrapped around the hilt and animal hide in the scabbard. He sat in the corner, not saying much, like a lurking cat, but every time he spoke, it carried weight, like nails hammered into a plank.

"Chief Xiong Zhua Claw, how is our Bear Tribe doing now? What about the Valley Tribe? Tell me in detail the information you've gathered recently, don't miss anything, don't hold anything back." Xiong Lie's voice Chenwen, like Shitou rolling across the ground.

Xiong Zhua stood up, walked to the center of the council hall, clasped his hands in a salute, cleared his throat, and spoke in a low but clear voice, "Chief, esteemed leaders, our Bear Tribe now has over four thousand warriors. Four thousand warriors, a dense, dark mass, each one strong and robust, like calves. With the Tiger Tribe's covert support, our Bear Tribe Bear Tribe possesses bronze weapons for about 60% of its forces; more than half of our warriors have been equipped with bronze weapons. The remaining warriors are gradually changing their equipment, piece by piece. As time goes on, the proportion of bronze weapons will increase, to 80%, 90%, and sooner or later everyone will be equipped, one set for each person." Bronze weapons, not a single person left behind. The Tiger Tribe has now imposed sanctions on the Valley Tribe, forbidding them from selling pottery, buying bronze, or buying coarse salt—like strangling them, like gagging them. Many businesses that originally belonged to the Valley Tribe downstream of the Fish River, except those near the Tiger Tribe, have been taken over by our Bear Tribe, like picking up scraps. Now our resources are plentiful; grain fills the warehouses, sacks stacked neatly from floor to roof; salt is piled high, pure white like winter snow; bundles of cloth are stacked like city walls; and our strength is growing stronger, like a snowball, getting bigger and bigger.

Upon hearing this, Xiong Lie's brows did not relax; instead, they furrowed even more, as if twisted into a knot, with deep lines etched on his forehead.

He picked up his wine bowl and took a sip. The wine was a bit cold. He frowned, put down the bowl, and said, "Logically speaking, the Valley Tribe has lost many sources of income. Now that the Tiger Tribe Valley Tribe its neck cut off, its source of wealth is gone, like someone has choked it. Its strength should have greatly diminished, like a wilted eggplant. Why is the Valley Tribe's strength still growing, like bamboo shoots in spring, growing taller and taller? And this year, the Valley Tribe's Little Valley Camp Outpost even turned around and suppressed our Bear Tribe again? We've had several skirmishes at Little Valley Camp recently, with many dead and many wounded. Our morale is low, like a defeated rooster. What's going on? Explain yourself clearly, don't be vague."

Xiong Zhua nodded, his expression turning serious, his brows furrowing into a small knot. He took a step forward, lowering his voice as if revealing a secret. "Chief, the Valley Tribe is extremely cunning, like a fox, like Niqiu. Although they are currently under sanctioned by the Tiger Tribe and dare not openly conduct business, cowering like mice, they are still secretly selling coarse salt and other supplies downstream of the Fish River, operating clandestinely like thieves. They dare not sell pottery, fearing recognition and discovery by the Tiger Tribe, but coarse salt is unmarked, making it impossible to identify its producer, so they continue to sell it secretly, using it to barter for grain and other supplies. Moreover, the Valley Tribe's strength is largely due to the recent rise of the Fire Tribe. This Fire Tribe is not simple; they seem to have emerged from the ground, extremely mysterious."

Xiong Lie's eyes lit up, like a lamp suddenly lit in the darkness. He leaned forward as if to pounce, and said, "Fire Tribe? Continue, tell me everything you know, don't leave anything out."

Xiong Zhua took a deep breath, his chest heaving, and recounted the latest intelligence he had gathered, spilling out like beans. "Our scouts received word that the Fire Tribe's fleet has recently appeared in large numbers in the Valley Tribe Little Mountain, like a giant beast, floating on the water, majestic and awe-inspiring. There are also dozens of ships with a carrying capacity of 50,000 jin! Dozens of ships, a dark mass, sailing on the river like a floating forest. Our Bear Tribe scouts saw it with their own eyes, there's no mistake."

The council chamber of the Bear Tribe was eerily silent, like a tomb; you could hear a pin drop. Everyone gasped, as if someone had grabbed them by the throat.

Xiong Lie took a deep breath, his eyes wide, his mouth agape, unable to close for a long time. His voice was so low that only he could hear it, as if he were talking to himself, or perhaps in his sleep, as he murmured, "When did such a large tribe appear in the Fish River? It's like it sprang from the ground, like it fell from the sky. The Fire Tribe's strength far exceeds our expectations, it's even stronger than we imagined. No wonder the Tiger Tribe is so concerned about the Fire Tribe, like they're possessed, constantly asking me for details about the Fire Tribe for a month." They asked several times, pressing hard, like they were chasing someone for their life, like they were collecting a debt. The vague information I gave them before, like 'the pottery is well-made,' 'the population is considerable,' and 'the boats are plentiful,' was very unsatisfactory to the Tiger Tribe. They said it was too general, not detailed enough, like they hadn't given anything at all. The information you've gathered this time is extremely useful, specific and detailed, like a portrait. I will immediately pass this information on to the Tiger Tribe Tiger Tribe, so they can see that the Fire Tribe is not to be Tiger Tribe with, and so they can prepare and take precautions as soon as possible."

Then, Xiong Lie pressed for details about the Valley Tribe, his eyes fixed on Xiong Zhua, unblinking as if trying to see right through him. He asked, "What's the Valley Tribe been up to lately? How are their manpower, weapons, and food supplies? Tell me one thing at a time, don't rush."

Xiong Zhua thought for a moment, counting on his fingers one by one, and said, "The Valley Tribe has recently seen a surge in the number of bronze weapons, as if they've struck it rich. Their warriors are more confident and assertive, like completely different people. The Valley Tribe's population is also steadily increasing; they've been recruiting from surrounding smaller tribes, and I've heard they already have over 30,000 people. All of this points to the Fire Tribe. It's highly likely that the Fire Tribe Fire Tribe provided them with bronze weapons, Fire Tribe salt, and is buying up the Valley Tribe's grain in large quantities. The Fire Tribe Valley Tribe is backing them up. The Fire Tribe is now the Valley Tribe 'Valley Tribe protector, their backer."

Xiong Lie remained silent for a long while, motionless like a statue. After a while, he raised his head, his gaze cold and sharp, and said, "We must continue to intensify our reconnaissance of the Fire Tribe. Send more people, spend more resources, and use more methods; we must spare no expense. I need to know everything about the Fire Tribe: their population, military strength, weapons, provisions, leaders, terrain, defenses—the more detailed the better, like drawing a map. The Tiger Tribe is pressing us hard; we cannot fall behind, we cannot let them think we are useless. This Fire Tribe will be a major enemy of our Bear Tribe Bear Tribe sooner or later; we cannot be careless or complacent."

Xiong Zhua nodded, clasped his hands in a salute, and said, "Yes, Chief. I will immediately send more men and scouts to the Fire Tribe to infiltrate, disguise themselves as merchants and refugees, as those seeking refuge, as all sorts of people. Our Bear Tribe must find out everything about the Fire Tribe, thoroughly understand it, and completely uncover its secrets!"

Xiong Lie waved his hand and said, "Go ahead, but be careful not to get discovered. The Fire Tribe people aren't stupid; they're shrewd. The Valley Tribe people aren't stupid either; they're cunning."

They chatted for a while longer, discussing the movements of the Valley Tribe, the defenses of the Little Valley Camp, the Bear Tribe's winter supplies, and their plans for next year. Then, they gradually left.