Probing Attack and Counterattack

The three thousand cavalrymen sent by the Bear Tribe this time were the elite of the Bear Tribe, handpicked by the Bear Tribe. All were equipped with bronze weapons, and their leather armor was made of the finest cowhide—thick and tough, impervious to swords and arrows. Their warhorses were also robust and strong, with glossy coats like silk, running like the wind and lightning. Xiong Lie had truly gone all out this time, using all the best weaponry the Bear Tribe Bear Tribe had on these three thousand cavalrymen, as if betting his entire fortune. With the Tiger Tribe backing them up, the Bear Tribe was going all in on their attack on the Valley Tribe's Little Valley Camp Outpost; they had even emptied their coffins.

As soon as the three thousand cavalrymen of the Bear Tribe arrived, their leader Xiong Lie, Bear Tribe took command of the army. He also transferred three hundred elite veterans from the Bear Tribe's fleet to assist in the battle. These men were all veterans skilled in both land and naval warfare, each one battle-hardened and covered in scars, like a group of demons crawling out of hell. Xiong Lie was determined to take down the Valley Tribe's Little Valley Camp this time, to wipe away the previous humiliation suffered by the Bear Tribe, and to vent the anger that the Bear Tribe had been suppressed by the Valley Tribe for so many years.

Xiong Lie, the leader of the Bear Tribe, had long coveted the Little Valley Camp of the Valley Tribe tribe. Like a hungry wolf eyeing a piece of fat meat, or a vulture eyeing a carcass, he Little Valley Camp Outpost it. The land Valley Tribe Little Valley Camp, his eyes filled with desire, like a hungry wolf eyeing fat meat, or a vulture eyeing a carcass. His eyes turned red with rage. Xiong Lie couldn't bear to destroy, trample, or burn these crops. If he could capture the Little Valley Camp Valley Tribe, everything would belong to the Bear Tribe —the grain, the vegetable gardens, the houses, the warehouses—all Bear Tribe his.

The Tiger Tribe had already made a promise, as Tong Dachui himself said: even if the Valley Tribe were to submit to the Valley Tribe Tiger Tribe, their status would only be below the Bear Tribe Bear Tribe, like a concubine. Moreover, the Valley Tribe would have to provide the Bear Tribe with a batch of supplies as compensation—grain, salt, and cloth, nothing less. Xiong Lie never expected the Valley Tribe to be so ungrateful, refusing to listen to reason and instead choosing to suffer the consequences. The Tiger Tribe Tiger Tribe now furious and determined to destroy the Valley Tribe's Little Valley Camp Outpost to others. The Tiger Tribe had now completely blocked off this section of the Fish River, with three giant ships, each with a carrying capacity of 100,000 jin, blocking the Fish River. No reinforcements from the Valley Tribe's main force could get through!

In the past, when the Bear Tribe and the Valley Tribe clashed at Little Valley Camp Outpost, the Bear Valley Tribe always suffered losses, constantly being battered and bruised by the Valley Tribe Little Valley Camp Outpost. This was because the Valley Tribe's main force would frequently come to the Little Valley Camp Outpost to provide reinforcements. Every time the Valley Tribe's reinforcements arrived, the Bear Tribe couldn't hold out, their efforts extinguished like a fire doused with water. This time, without reinforcements from the Valley Tribe's main Little Valley Camp Outpost will soon fall to the Bear Tribe, as easily as picking fruit, slicing tofu, or chopping melons and vegetables.

Beside Xiong Lie Xiong Pan, the eldest son, riding a tall black horse. The horse's back was padded with thick animal hides, making it very stable. He wore fine leather armor, and a bronze axe hung at his waist. The axe blade was polished to a gleaming shine, gleaming coldly in the sunlight. His face was covered with a thick, black beard, like a brush, and his eyes were wide open like copper bells, almost popping out of their sockets.

His voice was rough and booming, like thunder, making the ears of those around him ring. He addressed his father, Xiong Lie, saying, "Father, we're almost ready. The warriors are well-fed, the horses are well-fed, the food and fodder are plentiful, the weapons are sharpened, and the arrows are loaded. We're ready to attack the Valley Tribe's Little Valley Camp Outpost at any time. The Tiger Tribe has even sent craftsmen to help our Bear Tribe build ladders and battering rams. These craftsmen are all veterans, skilled, fast, and experienced in warfare. They've fought many battles. The Tiger Tribe craftsmen said that we can take the Valley Tribe 'Little Valley Camp Outpost before tonight, and our men can storm it before nightfall!"

Xiong Lie's smile blossomed like a chrysanthemum, the crow's feet at the corners of his eyes smoothing out like fans. His eyes sparkled with joy as he exclaimed, "That's good, that's good! As long as we capture the Valley Tribe's Little Valley Camp Outpost Little Valley Camp Outpost, everything there will belong to our Bear Tribe —grain, salt, cloth, weapons, tools—all of it will be ours! With these supplies from the Bear Tribe Valley Tribe's Little Valley Camp Outpost, our Bear Tribe's strength will greatly increase. Once the Tiger Tribe also destroys the Fire Tribe, our Bear Tribe will be the largest tribe in the Fish River Basin besides the Tiger Tribe!"

Beside him, Xiong Pan's eyes gleamed, his voice laced with ambition, greed, and a touch of arrogance as he spoke, "Yes, I've heard the Fire Tribe also knows bronze-making techniques. They can smelt copper, forge bronze weapons, and make bronze tools—their craftsmanship is superb. If we can also master this, we won't have to be subservient to the Tiger Tribe anymore, and we won't have to pay exorbitant prices for their junk. Maybe our Bear Tribe can even stand on equal footing with the Tiger Tribe!"

Xiong Lie was stunned by Xiong Pan's astonishing words. He froze for a moment, his eyes widening like saucers, his mouth agape, unable to close for a long time. Then, he flew into a rage, the smile on his face vanishing instantly, as if he had become a different person, as if he had a completely different face. His eyes quickly filled with fury, like two burning flames, like two flashes of lightning. He suddenly raised his hand, his arm swinging like a windmill, and slapped Xiong Pan hard across the face. The sound was crisp and clear, like a firecracker. The slap sent Xiong Pan spinning halfway around on the spot, his body tilting to the side, and even his horse was startled. Five finger marks immediately swelled up on his face, as red as a monkey's bottom, like a fiery sunset.

Then Xiong Lie's voice, low and deep, seemed to be squeezed from his throat, filled with anger and fear, like a wild beast's growl, "You bastard, are you out of your mind?! Do you know what you're saying? These words are fine to think in your heart, but they must rot in your stomach, rot in your gut. Although these are all our trusted confidants, all veterans who have followed us for many years, and all of them are tight-lipped, if the Tiger Tribe finds out and it reaches their ears, our entire Bear Tribe will face a great disaster! A catastrophic disaster! Do you know that? Your foul mouth will kill us sooner or later, kill the entire Bear Tribe!"

Xiong Lie Pan was stunned by Xiong Pan's slap, his vision blurred, and his ears rang. He was completely bewildered by his father's sudden attack and scolding, as if struck by Xiong Lie or doused with ice water. His face turned from blue to purple, like a chameleon, like a palette of colors. He felt a mix of resentment, anger, fear, and grievance. This wasn't a thought unique to him in the Bear Tribe; many had discussed it privately, at banquets, and in tents. He hadn't expected his father's reaction to be so strong. Seeing the strange looks from the other tribe members nearby, Xiong Pan's expression darkened further.

Xiong Lie ignored all that and didn't even look at Xiong Pan's expression. He coldly said to Xiong Pan, "You're going to be in charge of logistics, escorting grain and fodder, guarding the supplies, and taking inventory. We don't need your help here anymore. It's better that you're not here; it'll save you from causing me trouble."

Xiong Pan opened his mouth, as if to say something, but then swallowed it back, as if he had swallowed a Shitou. He lowered his head, like a defeated rooster, like a dog with its tail between its legs, and turned away, his steps heavy.

Then Xiong Lie made arrangements, his voice Chenwen and powerful. "Xiong Jian, you are in charge of our Bear Tribe's navy. You must manage our Bear Tribe's fleet well, keep an eye on the Fish River, and don't let the Valley Tribe's ships get close, not a single one. The rest of you, follow me, attack Little Valley Camp! Today, our Bear Tribe must take it down. If we fail, you will all pay with your heads!"

Soon, the Bear Tribe launched a probing attack on Little Valley Camp. Xiong Lie sent several hundred infantrymen, carrying shields, ladders, and battering rams, to charge towards the Little Valley Camp's fence. They wanted to test the strength of the Little Valley Camp Outpost, to see how many people there were, what their weapons were like, to probe the defenses of the Xiong tribe's Little Valley Camp Valley Tribe 'Valley Tribe Little Valley Camp Outpost's will to resist, whether they would fight resolutely or collapse at the first contact, whether they would fight to the death or flee at the first sign of trouble.

Xiong Lie led his men in a probing attack on the Valley Tribe's Little Valley Camp Outpost. The warriors of the Valley Tribe's Little Valley Camp Outpost held their ground behind the fence, desperately firing arrows and resisting fiercely, refusing to yield an inch. Meanwhile, upstream on the Fish River, Quyong of the Valley Tribe and Yan of the Fire Tribe tribe, outside the vigilance range of the Tiger Tribe and Bear Tribe, were secretly transporting two thousand cavalrymen from the Valley Tribe's main force across the Yu Fish River to the east Fish River.

After receiving Quyong's message, Daiyue and the seven elders of the Valley Tribe decided to send Shi Lei, another leader of the Valley Tribe headquarters, with two thousand cavalry across the Fish River Fish River to the east bank to aid the Little Valley Camp Outpost. Shi Lei was a veteran general of the Valley Tribe, a burly man with a broad back and a fierce face, his eyes gleaming like a hungry wolf. He wore fine leather armor, a bronze broadsword at his waist, and rode a tall, chestnut horse. Fengren, on the other hand, led the remaining troops to defend the Valley Tribe headquarters and prevent a sneak attack from the Tiger Tribe.

The Fire Tribe's large ships, with their deep draft, floated steadily on the water like small islands. The Valley Tribe's cavalry, leading their horses, stepped onto the ships one by one using the gangplanks. The horses were somewhat restless after boarding, snorting, and the warriors soothed them, calling out softly like coaxing children. The fleet shuttled back and forth, transporting people and horses across the Fish River.

After the two thousand cavalrymen of the Valley Tribe headquarters safely crossed the Fish River Fish River to the east bank with the help of the boats of the Fire Tribe and the Valley Tribe, they headed towards the Little Valley Camp along the predetermined route. The two thousand cavalrymen and two thousand horses thundered with their hooves, shaking the earth and raising dust in the sky, like a giant yellow dragon. Shi Lei of the Valley Tribe headquarters rode at the front, his eyes cold and sharp, like an eagle waiting for its prey, like a tiger patrolling its territory.

Watching Shi Lei of the Valley Tribe Valley Tribe his two thousand cavalrymen slowly away and disappear into the dust, Yan turned to Quyong tribal leader, and spoke in Chenwen and powerful voice:

"Chief Quyong, we'll be sailing downstream along the Fish River in a bit. Our Fire Tribe will be responsible for attacking the Tiger Tribe's fleet, and your Valley Tribe will be responsible for attacking the Bear Tribe's fleet. Is that alright?"

Quyong's voice carried a mix of confidence, determination, and gratitude as he spoke, "No problem, Young Chief Yan. Although our Valley Tribe suffered nearly half its naval strength this time, we should still be able to hold our own against the Bear Tribe's fleet on the water. They don't have as many ships as we do, they're not as experienced, and their weapons aren't as good. We're not afraid of them. Young Chief Yan, our Valley Tribe suffered a great loss at the hands of the Tiger Tribe and Bear Tribe this time. Please help us avenge ourselves! Our chief, Daiyue, said that he will reward us handsomely afterwards and will express his sincere gratitude!"

Yan waved his hand and said, "Chief Quyong, please don't be so polite. Our two tribes are now in a military mutual assistance alliance. We are brothers, allies, and in the same boat. Helping your Valley Tribe is the right thing to do. Our Fire Tribe doesn't need any reward. We only hope that after this incident, the relationship between our two tribes will be even closer, like a family, like the left and right hands."

Quyong's voice was filled with gratitude, his eyes were red, and his nose tingled as he said, "Of course, Young Chief Yan! Our Valley Tribe is willing to deepen its military alliance with the Fire Tribe, and is willing to stand with the Fire Tribe through thick and thin! From now on, the Fire Tribe's affairs are our Valley Tribe's affairs!"

Yan smiled and said, "We are also willing to stand with the Valley Tribe, one heart and one mind! Don't worry, Valley Tribe, this time our Tiger Tribe will definitely not hold back. We will teach them a lesson they won't forget, beat them until they cry for their parents, beat them until they're crawling on the ground! Let them know that the Fish River is not ruled by the Tiger Tribe alone, let them know that we are not so easy to bully, not to be trifled with!"

Then, Yan and Quyong chatted for a while, discussing the specific action plan: how to fight, how to coordinate, and how to pursue. When the time was almost up, Yan gave the order, the sound of the ox horn rang out, and the two tribes' fleets sailed down the Fish River. Five giant ships with a carrying capacity of 100,000 catties led the way, like five giant dragons or five Little Mountain. Behind them were fifty-five large ships with a carrying capacity of 50,000 catties each, as well as many small boats. They sailed majestically and aggressively towards the naval forces of the Tiger Tribe and the Bear Tribe.