The Fire Tribe's Response

Just as the Fire Tribe was perfecting the various aspects of the management center at the Little Fish River Mouth Outpost, at noon that day, the sun hung high in the sky, its golden rays shining on the river, making it sparkle. The Valley Tribe's leader, Fengren, led his men by boat, traveling upstream along the Fish River, and arrived near the Fire Tribe's Little Fish River Mouth Camp Outpost.

The Little Fish River Mouth Camp Outpost is now the management center of the Fire Tribe, much busier than before. Rows and rows of wooden houses stand neatly arranged. The dock has also been expanded, accommodating more large boats. Previously, it took about twenty-six days to travel from the Valley Tribe to the Fire Tribe headquarters. Now, traveling upstream along the Fish River, it only takes about twenty days to reach the Fire Tribe's management center Little Fish River Mouth Outpost, from the Valley Tribe's dock—several days faster and saving considerable time. This has greatly enhanced communication between the Fire Tribe and Valley Tribe. Traveling from the Fire Tribe's Green Leaf River Mouth Outpost to the Valley Tribe would be even shorter, taking only a few days to reach the Valley Tribe's headquarters dock by traveling downstream along the Fish River.

Jianshi and Yan had received news from the Valley Tribe long ago that Fengren was coming here today. They stood at the dock of the Little Fish River Mouth Outpost to wait. Jianshi was wearing a linen robe, which was blue and shone softly in the sunlight. Yan stood next to him, wearing a linen short jacket. Dabang, Jijiao, Canglan and others also stood behind him, all looking on with anticipation.

In the distance, several large ships sailed from the lower reaches of the Fish River, their sails billowing in the river wind, their oars cutting through the water. Soon the ships drew closer and became clearer. Fengren stood at the Chuantou, clad in leather armor made of thick, hard cowhide plates. A bronze sword hung at his waist, its scabbard engraved with simple patterns and its hilt wrapped with hemp rope. His sharp gaze, like that of an eagle, scanned his surroundings. Behind him followed several strong and capable attendants, each with bronze weapons at their waists.

The boat slowly approached the shore. Fengren jumped off the boat with a swift and decisive movement. Jianshi and Yan quickly went to meet him. Jianshi's face was full of smiles, his eyes were narrowed into slits, his mouth stretched to his ears, and even the crow's feet at the corners of his eyes were smoothed out.

He grabbed Fengren's hand and shook it vigorously, saying warmly, "Leader Fengren, you must be tired from your journey! Please come in, the food and wine are all prepared, we've been waiting for you!"

Yan stepped forward, clasped his hands in a salute, and said with a smile, "Leader Fengren, it's been a long time. Was your journey smooth? Did you encounter any trouble?"

Fengren was deeply moved. His eyes welled up with tears, and his nose tingled. He hadn't expected the Fire Tribe to be so powerful. With a population of over 100,000, hundreds of ships, tens of thousands of warriors, and mountains of bronze weapons, they hadn't looked down on him, put on airs, or acted condescendingly. Instead, they were so warm and welcoming, like seeing a relative or an old friend.

He quickly returned the greeting, replying, "Chief Jianshi, Chief Yan, you are too kind and too hospitable. I came here on the orders of our chief Daiyue to convey important matters to the Fire Tribe. I didn't expect to run into you here. What a coincidence!"

Jianshi nodded and said with a smile, "From now on, the Little Fish River Mouth Outpost will be the management center for our Fire Tribe. If there's anything going on with your Valley Tribe, you can come here to find me. I'm usually here."

Fengren nodded repeatedly, feeling much more at ease, and said, "Alright, I came here today to convey the message of our leader, Daiyue. I didn't expect to run into you here. It's truly a case of better timing than early arrival."

Yan stepped aside and gestured for them to proceed, saying, "Fengren, you must be tired from your long journey by boat. We've been sitting for a long time and you must be hungry. Let's go to the council hall at the mouth of the Little Fish River Mouth first. We've prepared food and wine, so let's eat, chat, and drink as we go."

Fengren nodded in agreement and followed Yan and the others towards the council hall. Along the way, he looked around, his eyes taking it all in. The Little Fish River Mouth Outpost had changed so much; it was much larger than when he last came. Rows and rows of wooden houses stood neatly; fields stretched out in patches; and people were coming and going, bustling and lively, like a festival. He secretly marveled at how quickly the Fire Tribe had developed.

Soon, Yan led the group to the council hall. The council hall of the Little Fish River Mouth Outpost was large, capable of seating over a hundred people. The walls were made of logs, with rows of round logs bound together with vines and plastered with mud, making them sturdy and warm. The thatched roof was thick and firmly packed, preventing rainwater from seeping in and sunlight from penetrating. Two sturdy pillars stood at the entrance, and a fire pit burned inside. The firewood was pine, crackling and sputtering as it burned, making the room warm and cozy, almost drowsy.

Yan gave the order, and soon a feast was served. Roasted mutton, stewed pork, fresh fish soup, and rice filled the table, steaming hot and fragrant. The roasted mutton was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, sprinkled with salt, making it savory and delicious; the stewed pork was tender and flavorful, falling apart at the touch of chopsticks; the fresh fish soup was milky white, floating with scallions, and incredibly delicious; the rice was plump and piled high. The food from the Fire Tribe was excellent, and everyone quickly began to eat and drink heartily, without any restraint or pretension. Fengren ate with gusto, his cheeks bulging, praising the food repeatedly, his chopsticks and mouth never stopping.

"Delicious, delicious! The food in the Fire Tribe is much better than ours in the Valley Tribe. The lamb is roasted perfectly, and the fish soup is so flavorful!"

The atmosphere in the council hall of the Fire Tribe's Little Fish River Mouth Outpost quickly became lively. Everyone chatted and laughed, like a family. Dabang held up a wine bowl, toasted Fengren, and drank it all in one gulp. Jijiao picked up a piece of mutton and put it in Fengren's bowl, smiling broadly. Canglan and Fengren chatted about interesting things from the Valley Tribe. Yan sat next to his father, pouring wine for Fengren from time to time.

When everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, the dishes on the table were almost empty, and several jars of wine had been consumed. Everyone's faces were flushed, and their bellies were round. Fengren put down his wine bowl, wiped his mouth, and then, with a flick of his sleeve, steered the conversation back on track. His expression turned serious, his brows furrowed slightly, forming a small knot, and his smile vanished as he began to speak:

"Chief Jianshi, Chief Yanshao, our chief Daiyue summoned me to the Fire Tribe Fire Tribe because he has important news to convey to you. Your Fire Tribe is located a little upstream on the Fish River Fish River, and news from the lower reaches isn't as readily available as from our Valley Tribe. We don't know as quickly or in as much detail about what's happening Fish River."

He paused, then continued, "After the autumn harvest this year, the Wolf Tribe caused trouble again near the Great Boulder Tribe, a huge uproar, like the world had turned upside down. This time, the Wolf Tribe abducted a large number of able-bodied men and wiped out the last two core subordinate tribes of the Great Boulder Tribe. Not a single survivor was left; houses were burned, and grain was looted. After the Great Boulder Tribe Great Boulder Tribe discovered this, their leader, Shishan, led his men to pursue the Wolf Tribe. The two sides fought several battles on the main battlefield. The Great Boulder Tribe did not gain any advantage over the Wolf Tribe on the main battlefield; both sides suffered losses, and neither side won nor lost. This time, the Wolf Tribe abducted many able-bodied men and plundered a lot of resources. As long as the Wolf Tribe..." Wolf Tribe the Wolf Tribe's strength will increase significantly, like a snowball rolling downhill. Next year, when the Wolf Tribe goes to cause trouble for the Great Boulder Tribe, the Great Boulder Tribe will definitely be no match for the Wolf Tribe Wolf Tribe. Perhaps by the end of next year, the Great Boulder Tribe will be completely swallowed up by the Wolf Tribe, devoured without a trace. The Wolf Tribe has deep-seated hatred for our Valley Tribe and Fire Tribe. When the Wolf Tribe's strength increases significantly, it may join forces with the Bear Tribe to deal with our two tribes. If they join forces and also bring in the Tiger Tribe, a three-way alliance will put our two tribes in serious trouble.

Jianshi was somewhat surprised by Fengren's words, his brows furrowing slightly. He hadn't expected the Wolf Tribe to establish itself so quickly and expand its strength so rapidly. He said, "I didn't expect the Wolf Tribe to establish itself so quickly and expand its strength so rapidly. It seems that the Great Boulder Tribe will be in danger next year."

Yan's gaze turned grave as he said, "Yes, the Xueya of the Wolf Tribe is quite cunning. They are sly, like foxes, and ruthless, like jackals. The Great Boulder Tribe has been targeted by the Wolf Tribe, like a piece of meat targeted by a hungry wolf, or a rabbit targeted by an eagle. Now, it seems unlikely to escape the fate of being swallowed up by the Wolf Tribe."

Fengren's voice carried a hint of urgency, anxiety, and worry. His brows furrowed even more as he asked, "Shouldn't our Valley Tribe and Fire Tribe take some action? We can't just stand by and watch, can we? The Wolf Tribe Valley Tribe has a Fire Tribe feud with both of us. If we let the Wolf Tribe grow stronger, it won't do either of us any good. The Wolf Tribe was able to escape to the north with only a hundred or so people, which must have been with the Bear Tribe's tacit approval. If the Wolf Tribe becomes powerful and joins forces with the Bear Tribe to invade the south, it will be troublesome. And if they join forces with the Tiger Tribe, it will be even more complicated."

Yan knew that the Valley Tribe feared the Wolf Tribe Valley Tribe would seek revenge, and he was terrified. Although the Wolf Tribe, Fire Tribe, and Valley Tribe were mortal enemies, an irreconcilable feud, the Valley Tribe Valley Tribe was closer to the Wolf Tribe, not far away, and much weaker than the Fire Tribe. If the Wolf Tribe swallowed the Great Boulder Tribe and then allied with the Bear Tribe against the Valley Tribe, things would get complicated. If the Tiger Tribe also intervened, things would become even more complicated. Currently, the Valley Tribe and the Fire Tribe were developing a military alliance; they were allies, friends, brothers in arms, and bound together by a common destiny. This time, the Valley Tribe's leader Daiyue, had specifically sent his most trusted confidant, Fengren, and the Fire Tribe couldn't remain silent; they couldn't let the Valley Tribe feel disheartened, and they couldn't let the Fire Tribe Valley Tribe think that their military alliance was unreliable.

Yan whispered a few words in his father Jianshi's ear, his voice so low that only Jianshi could hear it, like the buzzing of a mosquito.

Jianshi nodded, his gaze hardening. He looked up at Fengren, his voice Chenwen and powerful. "Chief Fengren, what you say makes a lot of sense. The Wolf Tribe is growing stronger, which is certainly not good for us. However, the Great Boulder Tribe isn't far from the Tiger Tribe, separated only by the Great Luwei Tribe. The Tiger Tribe has always considered that area as their outer sphere of influence, like their own backyard. Your Valley Tribe is currently under the Tiger Tribe's control. It would be very inappropriate for our two tribes to rashly send troops to intervene, but we can't afford to be complacent and wait to be destroyed."

He paused, then raised his voice slightly, speaking with a hint of determination and commitment, "How about this? Our Fire Tribe is going to give you all the bronze weapons we promised to provide in advance to your Valley Tribe next spring. We'll take them all back with us this time. This will immediately increase your Valley Tribe's military strength significantly. With better weapons, your warriors will stand taller, have more confidence, and higher morale. The Wolf Tribe's plan to annex the Great Boulder Tribe is also next year. Our two tribes still have time to prepare. We'll see how things develop later next year. We'll take it one step at a time and deal with whatever comes our way. What do you think?"

After hearing Jianshi's words, Fengren wanted to persuade the Fire Tribe to send troops to fight the Wolf Tribe, but Jianshi's firm tone, like Shitou, left no room for argument. He could only stop the topic and swallow his words. Although the Fire Tribe didn't send any troops, not a single soldier, boat, or horse, they still gave the Valley Tribe a great gift. With the Fire Tribe's batch of bronze weapons, all the Valley Tribe's warriors could be equipped with bronze weapons, one set for each person. This trip was a very good gain; at least next year, the Bear Tribe wouldn't be able to do anything to the Valley Tribe, and they wouldn't be able to defeat Valley Tribe.

A smile spread across Fengren's face—a smile that was genuine, grateful, and reassuring. He raised his wine bowl to Jianshi and Yan, offering it with both hands, and said respectfully, "Thank you, Chief Jianshi, thank you, Young Chief Yan! Our Valley Tribe will remember your kindness! I will definitely speak to the chief when we get back, so he can rest assured, be at ease, and sleep soundly!"

Jianshi and Yan also raised their wine bowls and drank them down in one gulp. The bowls clinked together, making a crisp sound.

Then they chatted for a while longer, discussing the situation of the Valley Tribe, the movements of the Bear Tribe, the evil deeds of the Wolf Tribe, and the tragic state of the tribes affiliated with the Great Rock. Afterwards, Fengren, leading the Valley Tribe's men and the bronze weapons pre-supplied by the Fire Tribe, loaded them onto the boats, stacked them neatly, covered them with burlap, and tied them tightly with ropes. The sails billowed, the oars sliced through the water, and the fleet gradually sailed away, disappearing at the bend in the Fish River.