Retreat and Schemes

After suffering a defeat at the Valley Tribe, the Tiger Tribe and Bear Tribe fleets sailed down the Fish River at a much faster pace than they had come. However, the atmosphere on board was even heavier than before, as oppressive as the sky before a storm, making it hard to breathe.

Tong Dachui stood at the Chuantou of the largest ship, a massive vessel with a carrying capacity of 100,000 jin, hands on his hips, like an iron tower. But his face was darker than the bottom of a pot, his brows were furrowed, his lips were downturned, his jaw was clenched tightly, his teeth were grinding, and the muscles in his cheeks bulged. The soldiers behind him were also silent; no one spoke, no one laughed, and they even walked on tiptoe, afraid of making any noise that might anger their hot-tempered leader.

Hu Wei stood beside him, arms crossed, eyes fixed on the river, lost in thought. Hu Ya sat on the gunwale, a piece of dry ration in his hand, which he broke in half and put in his mouth, chewing slowly and unable to swallow for a long time. Hu Zhua leaned against the mast, his eyes closed, but his eyelids kept twitching, clearly indicating that he was also not at peace.

The Tiger Tribe had three giant ships with a carrying capacity of 100,000 jin when they came, but only two returned. The giant ship that was sunk by the Fire Tribe was half submerged in water, and the large hole in its hull was pitch black. Every time Tong Dachui thought of that ship, his face darkened even more.

The Bear Tribe's fleet followed behind, about an arrow's length away. Xiong Lie also switched from land to the largest ship in the middle, his face also looking grim. But his grimness was different from that of Tong Dachui. Tong Dachui's grimness was anger, resentment, and a feeling of losing face; Xiong Lie's grimness was heartache and fear.

This time, the Bear Tribe didn't get anything from the trip to the Valley Tribe. Xiong Pan sat next to his father, his face pale, his eyes red, and his lips trembling. He wanted to say something but didn't dare to. There were still marks on his face from the slap Xiong Lie had given him a few days ago. Although the five finger marks had faded, they hadn't completely disappeared.

After several days of travel, the fleet finally arrived at the Bear Tribe's dock. The Bear Tribe's dock was built on the east bank of the Fish River. The dock was usually bustling with people, but now it was deserted. Only a few old soldiers who guarded the dock rushed over to greet the fleet when they saw it returning.

The fleet docked, the gangplank was set up, and Tong Dachui was the first to jump off the ship. His heavy footsteps made the gangplank thud. Xiong Lie quickly followed him off the Tong Dachui, his back bent low and his head bowed. Xiong Pan followed behind Xiong Lie, not daring to raise his head, his eyes fixed on the ground as he walked step by step. There was a simple wooden shed on the dock, usually used to store miscellaneous items and also as a place for people to rest. Tong Dachui strode into the shed and plopped down on a wooden stool. The stool creaked as if it were about to fall apart.

Xiong Lie stood outside the shed, not daring to go in. He lowered his head and hung his hands at his sides like a wooden stake. Tong Dachui stared at him, his eyes wide like copper bells, his eyeballs almost popping out. His gaze was like a knife, carving into Xiong Lie's body piece by piece, as if he wanted to rip his flesh off.

"Come in!" Tong Dachui roared, his voice like thunder.

Xiong Lie shuddered and quickly went into the shed. Standing in front of the Tong Dachui, he bent his back even lower and lowered his head even further, his chin almost touching his chest.

Tong Dachui stared at him, scrutinizing him from head to toe as if he were looking at a prisoner. His breathing was heavy, his nostrils flaring, and his hot breath sprayed onto Xiong Lie's face.

"Xiong Lie!" Tong Dachui spoke, his voice loud.

"Is this the information your Bear Tribe gathered? Is this the intelligence your scouts brought back? Didn't you say the Fire Tribe's ships were self-made and not very sturdy? Didn't you say the Fire Tribe had one ship with a carrying capacity of 100,000 jin? Didn't you say the Fire Tribe didn't have many bronze weapons?"

He asked three questions in a row, each one louder and more forceful than the last, like three hammer blows hitting Xiong Lie on the head, making him dizzy and weak in the knees.

Xiong Lie's lips trembled. He wanted to explain, to say something, but his throat felt like it was being choked, and he couldn't make a sound. He could only open his mouth like a fish thrown ashore.

The sound of the Tong Dachui grew louder and louder, like a roar, like an angry bellow, as it continued to shout, "Look at the battle we fought between the Valley Tribe and the Fire Tribe a few days ago! Their five giant ships, each with a carrying capacity of 100,000 jin, were lined up in a row! Their bronze battering rams gleamed in the sunlight, like the Liaoya of a ferocious beast! One of their charges sank one of our 100,000-jin-capacity ships! If it weren't for the Tiger Tribe's quick thinking and escape, all our ships might have been lost in the Valley Tribe!"

He slammed his hand on the table, and the wooden table cracked with a snap. Xiong Lie was so frightened that he fell to his knees with a thud, his knees hitting the wooden board with a dull thud.

"Chief Dachui, we were quite surprised by the Fire Tribe's formidable naval strength! Our Bear Tribe's intelligence gathering may have been delayed. The Valley Tribe and the Fire Tribe are extremely wary of our scouts, treating them like thieves. Our scouts were driven away as soon as they got close, some were captured, and some were killed."

He raised his head, his eyes red and swollen like a rabbit's, glistening with tears, and continued, "Even this information came at a great cost. Several spies died, and many people perished, just to get this little bit of information. We didn't even know the Fire Tribe already had five giant ships with a carrying capacity of 100,000 jin! We really didn't know! If we had known, we wouldn't have been so careless, and we wouldn't have suffered such a great loss!"

Tong Dachui looked down at Xiong Lie with wide eyes, his gaze sharp as an eagle's, as if he wanted to rip out Xiong Lie's heart to see if it was black or red. The shed was extremely quiet, so quiet that you could hear the river lapping against the dock, the wind rustling through the thatch, and Xiong Lie's heartbeat.

Time passed slowly, like sand flowing in an hourglass, drop by drop, so slowly it was agonizing. Xiong Lie knelt on the ground, his knees went numb and his calves cramped, but he dared not move, dared not raise his head, dared not breathe. After a long while, Tong Dachui's gaze softened a little.

"You wouldn't dare lie to us, but your Bear Tribe will bear the majority of the responsibility for this failed operation! And you'll be responsible for 80% of the losses suffered by our Tiger Tribe!"

80%!

Xiong Lie's heart sank, as if he had fallen into an ice cave. What did 80% mean? It meant that the Bear Tribe would have to compensate for 80% of the ships, weapons, food, and supplies that the Tiger Tribe had lost! That was a huge amount of stuff! The Bear Tribe's savings over the years would probably be almost wiped out after this loss.

But Xiong Lie had no choice. He knew that if he didn't agree, Tong Dachui would turn on him faster than flipping through a book. The Tiger Tribe could easily send a fleet to burn down the Bear Tribe's docks, sink the Bear Tribe's ships, and raze the Bear Tribe's camp to the ground.

Now, the Bear Tribe is like an ant in front of the Tiger Tribe, easily crushed with a single step or a finger. Xiong Lie lowered his head deeply, his forehead almost touching the ground, and said:

"Thank you for your forgiveness, Chief Dachui! Our Bear Tribe is willing to bear these losses!"

He paused, then looked up, his eyes filled with fear and pleading. "But, Chief Dachui, the Fire Tribe has won this time! Their naval strength is far superior to our Bear Tribe's! Please, Dachui Hammer, help our Bear Tribe! Show us the way! Otherwise, if the Fire Tribe's fleet sails downstream one day, our Bear Tribe won't even be able to fight back. We'll be like lambs to the slaughter, like meat on a chopping board!"

Tong Dachui stared at Xiong Lie for a long while, his gaze sweeping over his face as if weighing something, as if calculating something. Then his voice softened slightly, but he still said coldly, "The Fire Tribe is, after all, a tribe upstream of the Fish River, several dozen days' journey from your Bear Tribe. Although they won this time, they won't chase Fish River to cause trouble for your Bear Tribe."

He paused, thought for a moment, and then said, "Even if they come to cause trouble for your Bear Tribe, you can simply sail your boats down the Fish River to our Tiger Tribe's territory to hide. Our Tiger Tribe has many warriors and boats, enough to protect your people. Just sail your boats over and dock at the pier, and the Fire Tribe won't dare to chase after you. They don't have the guts to trespass into our Tiger Tribe's territory right now."

"If your Bear Tribe's land-based warriors are well-prepared, set up more outposts, dig more trenches, and stock up on arrows, they won't suffer any losses."

Xiong Lie nodded repeatedly, saying, "Yes, yes, yes! Dachui Hammer is right! Our Bear Tribe will definitely strengthen our land defenses, set up more outposts, dig more trenches, and stockpile more arrows, so as not to give the Fire Tribe any opportunity to take advantage!"

Tong Dachui continued, "As for the Valley Tribe, after our attack, their naval strength was reduced by nearly half. Five of their 50,000-jin-capacity ships sank, and nearly 30% of their smaller ships also sank. The dock at the Little Valley Camp Outpost was also burned down. It will be difficult for them to recover in a short time. Before I go back, I'll leave you a few 50,000-jin-capacity ships and some smaller ships. With these ships, you won't have to fear the Valley Tribe on the Fish River. They don't have as many ships as you do, so if a real fight breaks out, your Bear Tribe will have the advantage."

Xiong Lie's eyes lit up instantly, and he exclaimed excitedly, "Thank you, Dachui! Thank you, Dachui! With these ships you left behind, our Bear Tribe will have a much easier time dealing with the Valley Tribe! We won't be as passive as before!"

Tong Dachui raised his hand to stop him, his face darkening as he said, "However, these ships left for your Bear Tribe are not a gift. Before we leave, you must pay us with supplies of equal value. Do you understand?"

Xiong Lie's smile froze on his face. His lips twitched, as if he wanted to say something, but then swallowed it back. His throat bobbed as if he had swallowed a bitter pill, but quickly, he forced a smile again and said, "It's what I should do! It's what I should do!"

His voice trembled slightly, but he tried his best to remain calm as he said, "With these ships left by your Tiger Tribe, dealing with the Valley Tribe will be much easier for us. Spending some supplies is worthwhile, it's worthwhile, it's what we should do. Thank you, Chief Dachui! Tiger Tribe!"

Tong Dachui nodded, his face expressionless, and said, "Then it's settled. Get the supplies ready as soon as possible. We need to take them before we leave. Don't delay or try anything funny. The Tiger Tribe has limited patience and a bad temper. If you push them too far, they're capable of anything."

Xiong Lie nodded repeatedly, cold sweat pouring down his forehead, and said, "No, no! We'll be ready right away! Don't worry, Chief Dachui!"

The shed was quiet for a while, with only the sound of the river water lapping against the dock. Xiong Lie knelt on the ground, his knees numb and tingling, but he dared not get up or move. After a long while, Xiong Lie cautiously raised his head, looked at Tong Dachui, and said with a hint of probing and flattery in his eyes, "Chief Dachui, there's something I'd like to tell you."

"Speak," said Tong Dachui, sparing with his words.

Xiong Lie swallowed hard to moisten his dry throat and said, "There's a Wolf Tribe not far from our Bear Tribe. I heard they came from the Fire Tribe, were defeated by the Fire Tribe, and fled here. They should know a lot about the Fire Tribe."

He paused, observing Tong Dachui's expression, and seeing that he didn't interrupt, continued, "I'd like to make contact with this Wolf Tribe and talk to them. Maybe we can get a lot of information about the Fire Tribe from them, and this information might be helpful to us."

Tong Dachui narrowed his eyes, his gaze sweeping across Xiong Lie's face as if judging whether what he said was true or false, as if weighing the weight of his words.

"The Wolf Tribe Wolf Tribe? The one that's been annexing the Great Boulder Tribe's territory lately? I heard they've been incredibly aggressive, robbing and killing everywhere, like mad dogs."

Xiong Lie nodded repeatedly, saying, "Yes, yes, yes! It's them! It's that Wolf Tribe! When they came, there weren't many of them, but they were very fierce and capable fighters. They fought like madmen, risking their lives. During this time, they seized a lot of land in the territory of the Great Boulder Tribe and swallowed up many small tribes. Their strength has grown rapidly."

Tong Dachui pondered for a moment and said, "If they want to annex the Great Boulder Tribe and gain a foothold there, and if they want to be affiliated with our Tiger Tribe, then you should send him to our Tiger Tribe. I want to meet their leader in person, see what kind of people they are, and weigh their worth."

He paused, then his voice became stern. "But you must tell him that if he wants to be affiliated with our Tiger Tribe, he must abide by our Tiger Tribe's rules. Uncontrolled mad dogs are not allowed to bite people indiscriminately on our Tiger Tribe's territory. Do you understand?"

Xiong Lie nodded repeatedly, saying, "Understood, understood! I will definitely convey Chief Dachui's words! I will make sure the Wolf Tribe leader knows the Tiger Tribe's rules!"

Tong Dachui nodded, stood up, and stretched his stiff neck, the bones in his neck making a cracking sound.

"Alright, let's not talk about this anymore. Go prepare the supplies. We're leaving first thing tomorrow morning. Don't waste time, don't make excuses, and don't try anything funny. Our Tiger Tribe's fleet has a lot to do and doesn't have time to waste here with you."

Xiong Lie quickly stood up, but his legs were numb and he couldn't stand steadily. He swayed a couple of times and then grabbed the table to steady himself.

"Yes, yes, yes! I'll prepare right away! I'll arrange it right away! Don't worry, Chief Dachui, we will definitely deliver on time, not a single item missing, not a single penny short!"

Tong Dachui didn't say anything more. He strode out of the shed and walked towards the giant ship by the dock. Hu Wei, Hu Ya, and Hu Zhua followed behind him and also walked out of the shed, leaving Xiong Lie alone inside.

He stood there, trembling slightly, his face pale, his forehead covered in sweat, which dripped down his cheeks and onto the ground. He let out a long breath, as if to expel all the pent-up emotions in his chest, as if to drive away all the fear in his heart. Then he walked out of the shed to find Xiong Pan.

Xiong Pan stood by the dock, watching the Tiger Tribe's fleet. His face was grim; his eyes were red, his lips were tightly pressed together, and his jaw was clenched, as if he were enduring something. Seeing Xiong Lie approaching, he quickly went to greet him and said in a low voice, "Father, this trip to the Valley Tribe yielded nothing; we even lost a large amount of supplies."

His voice trembled slightly, and his eyes were red-rimmed. Xiong Lie glared at him and shouted:

"Shut up! Where are we? What kind of occasion is this? Are you trying to get the Tiger Tribe to hear you? Are you trying to get Tong Dachui to hear you? Do you want our Bear Tribe to die even faster?"

Xiong Pan shrank back, lowered his head, and dared not utter another word after being scolded. Xiong Lie Xiong Pan to a large tree by the dock, looked around to make sure no one from the Tiger Tribe was nearby, and then lowered his voice to say, "Our information was wrong this time. We didn't expect the Fire Tribe's naval strength to be so powerful. We miscalculated, we were careless, we underestimated our enemy. If our Bear Tribe doesn't agree to Tong Dachui's demands, we will face a devastating blow. The Tiger Tribe's fleet is right here on our dock, and their warriors are in our camp. If we don't agree, they'll turn on us faster than flipping a book, and they can wipe us out with a flick of their wrist."

He paused, then sighed and said:

"Fortunately, we reacted quickly and ran fast this time, otherwise the losses would have been too great. Not many ships sank and not many people died. It's a stroke of luck amidst misfortune."

He looked at Xiong Pan, his eyes filled with determination and resolve, and said, "We can earn back the supplies. As long as our Bear Tribe is still here, as long as we have people and territory, we can earn back anything and make up for any losses. The Fire Tribe can't stay in the Valley Tribe forever. They have their own things to do and their own lives to live. As long as we don't attack the Valley Tribe, the Fire Tribe won't come and won't interfere."

He turned to Xiong Pan and said, "In a while, I'll send people to find that Wolf Tribe. I heard they came from the Fire Tribe, and after being defeated by the Fire Tribe, they fled to our side. They should know a lot about the Fire Tribe, more than we do, more than our scouts have found out. If we can join forces with the Wolf Tribe and take down the Valley Tribe's Little Valley Camp, then our Bear Tribe won't suffer a loss. The Little Valley Camp has tens of thousands of acres of paddy fields, stretching as far as the eye can see, with more grain than we can eat; there are vast vegetable fields, lush and green, with vegetables piled up like mountains; there are warehouses, docks, houses, everything. If we get those things, we'll make up for all the supplies we lost this time, and maybe we can even make a profit, a windfall."

Xiong Pan listened, his eyes lit up, like a lamp lit in the darkness, like the morning star before dawn.

"Father, you're right! As long as our Bear Tribe can take over the Little Valley Camp, we'll have everything! Grain, salt, cloth, furs—we'll have everything! We'll have nothing to worry about!"

He paused, then said with some worry, "But what about the Fire Tribe? What if they come to help us again? Can we defeat them?"

Xiong Lie shook his head, his eyes full of determination and confidence.

"The Fire Tribe won't come to help every time. They live far away, and it takes them dozens of days to travel back and forth, so it's not that quick. Besides, they have their own things to do and their own enemies to deal with. The Tiger Tribe suffered a loss this time, so they will definitely retaliate against the Fire Tribe next time. At that time, the Fire Tribe will be too busy taking care of itself to have the energy to deal with the Valley Tribe."

He patted Xiong Pan on the shoulder with a heavy pat, causing Xiong Pan to sway slightly.

"Don't worry, Father knows what he's doing. As long as we find the right opportunity and seize the moment to take over the Valley Tribe's Little Valley Camp, we will make up for all the losses of our Bear Tribe. At that time, our Bear Tribe will be stronger, our territory will be larger, and our population will be greater. We will have nothing to fear and nothing to worry about."

Xiong Pan nodded, a genuine smile spreading across his face, a smile that came from the bottom of his heart.

"Father is right! I'll listen to you, Father! I'll do whatever you say!"

Xiong Lie nodded and turned to look at the Tiger Tribe's fleet on the river.

Looking at those giant ships, Xiong Lie felt a mix of emotions.

There was envy, envy of the Tiger Tribe's strength, their ships were bigger, their weapons were better, and they had more warriors.

There was fear—fear that the Tiger Tribe would turn their backs on them and wipe them out at any moment if they were in a bad mood.

There is resentment, resentment that the wealth they have painstakingly accumulated has vanished just like that, flowing away like water, blown away like the wind.

There was something else, something indescribable, like expectation, ambition, or a dream.

He took a deep breath, turned around, and strode towards the camp.

"Let's go prepare the supplies. Tong Dachui is leaving first thing tomorrow morning; we can't afford to be late."

Xiong Pan followed behind him, his steps hurried.

The shadows of the father and son stretched longer and longer in the setting sun, finally disappearing at the entrance of the campsite.