The Great Boulder Tribe's Tragedy

Just as the Fire Tribe was rapidly expanding its strength, the situation was undergoing a major change in the lower reaches of the Fish River, near the Great Boulder Tribe Great Boulder Tribe. The Great Boulder Tribe's camp was located on the east bank of the lower reaches of the Fish River. It had been built bit by bit over many years by the successive leaders of the Great Rock Tribe and had withstood many attacks from external enemies, allowing the Great Boulder Tribe to stand firm in the turbulent Fish River Basin.

But now, this once impregnable camp is crumbling. A heavy stench of blood and burnt flesh permeates the camp, making one want to vomit. Wounded men are everywhere; some lie groaning in thatched huts, their voices broken and intermittent; others sit against the wall, eyes closed, resting, their faces sallow and lips cracked; still others stagger along, leaning on wooden canes, stopping to catch their breath after every step. Most of their wounds are not properly bandaged; some are wrapped with rags, while others are simply left exposed, festering and ignored.

The women and children huddled together in the innermost corner of the camp, their faces pale, their eyes red and swollen, their expressions filled with fear and exhaustion. The children clung tightly to their mothers' clothes, afraid to cry out, with only occasional suppressed sobs. The granary was empty, the arrows in the warehouse were almost gone, the bowstrings were broken and there were no replacements, and even the firewood for cooking was nearly exhausted. They could only make do with cooking with damp branches, the smoke from which was thick and choking, making it hard to open their eyes.

Dashi, the chieftain of the Great Boulder Tribe, stood atop the highest watchtower of the camp, his hands gripping the wooden railing, his gaze fixed intently on the Wolf Tribe's camp outside. He was a burly man, broad-shouldered and thick-waisted, his shoulders like a wall, but at this moment his face was full of exhaustion and haggardness, his eyes sunken, his cheekbones high, his beard stubble unshaven, and his left arm wrapped in blood-stained burlap, a wound he had sustained in battle two days prior. The wound was deep and still oozing blood, staining the burlap red. His lips were taut, and the muscles in his face twitched slightly.

The leather armor he wore was torn in several places, covered in blood and dirt, black and brown patches, making it impossible to tell its original color. The bronze knife hanging at his waist, with the totem of the Great Boulder Tribe engraved on its scabbard, was now mostly covered in blood.

He stood there, motionless, the wind blowing, ruffling his clothes and hair, but he didn't even blink, his eyes fixed on the dense Wolf Tribe camp outside, with two leaders standing behind him.

The one on the left is called Shishan, and the one on the right is called Shizhua. The three of them stood on the watchtower without saying a word, just looking outside. The Wolf Tribe camp outside looked like a patch of black moss, densely covering the flat ground in the distance. Tents were one after another, and people were coming and going in the camp. The sounds of talking and horses' hooves could be faintly heard, along with occasional shouts.

Shishan spoke up, "Chief, the Wolf Tribe is preparing again. The able-bodied men they've gathered are regrouping. I just saw figures moving over there; it looks like a new offensive is about to begin."

Dashi didn't turn around, his gaze still fixed outside. After a while, he finally spoke, "They've been attacking us for so many days straight. They're just wearing down our manpower and energy, preventing us from resting and recovering. They don't care about the able-bodied men who have been coerced. They don't care how many Wolf Tribe die. Their real main force—the veterans of the Wolf Tribe —hasn't even been mobilized yet."

He paused, then finally turned around, his gaze sweeping over Shishan and Shizhua's faces. His voice Chenwen and firm as he said, "Tell the soldiers to take turns resting. Don't all stay on the wall. Half of them should rest, and the other half should be on guard. The archers on the wall should also take turns. If they launch a strong attack, we will fight to the death to hold them off. If they retreat, we will use this time to conserve our strength."

Shishan nodded, turned and walked down from the watchtower to relay the order. His footsteps thumped on the wooden steps, receding into the distance and finally disappearing into the noise of the camp. Dashi turned back and continued to look at the Wolf Tribe outside. His brows furrowed more and more, as if he wanted to twist a deep frown into his brows.

Shizhua walked to his side, also leaning against the wooden railing, looking out at the camp. After a moment of silence, he spoke, "Chief, how much longer can we hold out?"

His voice was soft, tinged with weariness and hesitation, as if he had been holding this question in his heart for a long time and finally couldn't help but ask it. Dashi remained silent for a moment, without answering directly. His gaze remained fixed outside.

"We must hold on until the very last moment. Our Great Boulder Tribe has lived here for generations. Our ancestors cleared land, cultivated the fields, built walls and dug trenches, and multiplied and thrived here. Every inch of this land is soaked with the blood and sweat of our people, and every Shitou holds the bones of our ancestors."

He turned around, looked at Shizhua, and said with a glint in his eyes that sent a chill down Shizhua, "We will not give up this place, we will not surrender it to others, even if we die, we will die on our own land."

Shizhua looked into the leader's eyes and saw an unwavering determination. He said nothing more, just nodded silently, then turned back to look at the camp outside.

In the Wolf Tribe's temporary camp, in the largest animal-hide tent, Xueya sat on a low couch made of hay and animal hides. Today he wore a black linen robe, the fabric of which was thick and of the finest quality, stolen from the area. A wide animal-hide belt was tied around his waist, from which hung a bronze dagger with a thin hemp rope wrapped around its hilt for a secure grip. His hair was disheveled and greasy, as if it hadn't been washed in a long time, with a few strands falling to the side of his face, obscuring half of it, and the one eye that was visible gleamed with a cold light.

The hideous scar on his face was particularly striking in the firelight, running from his brow bone to the corner of his mouth. The edges of the scar were a dark red, a mark left by an infected wound from years ago. He raised his hand and touched the scar, his fingers slowly gliding over it, as if caressing a beloved object, or as if recalling a deeply unforgettable memory.

Xueshou sat opposite him, wearing a gray linen robe that was open, revealing his muscular chest and abdomen, which was covered with crisscrossing scars, like a map carved with a knife. He rested his hands on his knees, leaning slightly forward, his eyes filled with excitement and eagerness. Yexiao sat near the tent entrance, his body hidden in the shadows. He wore a dark linen robe with the collar turned up, obscuring half his face, revealing only a pair of sharp eyes that gleamed in the darkness. His fingers, like eagle claws, rested lightly on his knees, motionless.

Xueshou said urgently, "Brother, isn't the time about right? We've surrounded the Great Boulder Tribe and attacked them continuously for several days. Their morale has been almost completely worn down by the young men we've recruited. They're like a dull knife, unable to cut any further."

He clenched his fist and said, "The four thousand-plus brothers we brought haven't even had a chance to fight yet! They're all elite veterans of our Wolf Tribe, each one crawled out of piles of corpses, every one of them has blood on their hands, every one of them has fought tough battles. Now it's our turn to strike! Let's wipe out the Great Boulder Tribe in one fell swoop! Kill them all! Loot them all! Burn them all!"

Xueya didn't speak, but stared at the oil lamp hanging on the top of the tent, his gaze deep and cold. The oil lamp was made of an earthenware bowl filled with animal fat, and a hemp rope wick was soaked in the oil, with a small flame burning at the top. The flame flickered slightly, casting his shadow on the tent wall, sometimes long, sometimes short, sometimes bright, sometimes dim.

The tent was quiet for a while, with only the faint crackling of the oil lamp. After a long pause, Xueya spoke, his voice hoarse and low. "The Great Boulder Tribe is indeed suffering heavy losses. I estimate they only have about four thousand warriors left in their camp, half of whom are wounded. Their arrows are almost gone, their bowstrings are loose, their granaries are empty, and they're almost out of firewood for cooking. Morale is extremely low."

His eyes narrowed as he continued, "As long as we launch a full-scale attack on the camp, they certainly won't be able to resist and will be defeated in one fell swoop."

He paused, his voice now laced with malice and calculation, and said, "However, although the Great Boulder Tribe doesn't have many people left, there are still several thousand. If they fight to the death with their camp's defenses, we'll lose quite a few brothers if we launch a direct assault."

He held up three fingers and waved them in front of him, saying, "Our veterans are the result of hard work, accumulated through killing many people and annexing many tribes. Every one that dies is one less, every one that is wounded is a cripple. We can't waste our time attacking camps. We must achieve the greatest victory with the least cost."

Yexiao shifted slightly in the corner and said, "The chief is right. A direct attack would result in too many losses and wouldn't be worth it. I suggest we launch a night attack. The people of the Great Boulder Tribe have been harassed by us these past few days, and they are already exhausted."

He paused, his gaze sharpening as he said, "At night, when it's quiet and everyone is asleep, their vigilance decreases, and their defenses loosen. During the day, they can barely muster the energy to keep watch, but in the dead of night, sleepiness sets in, their eyelids droop, and their reactions are much slower than during the day. We can sneak in under cover of darkness and catch them off guard, making things much easier for us and minimizing our losses."

Xueya listened, pondered for a moment, his gaze shifting back and forth between the oil lamp and the Yexiao. After a while, he raised his head, a cold smile appearing on his lips, and said, "Here's what we'll do. You two will each take a thousand veteran soldiers and two thousand able-bodied men from the Wolf Tribe, and begin taking turns attacking the camp tonight. However, the attacks in the first half of the night are just for show; don't actually fight to the death."

Xueshou paused, then frowned and said, "Brother, are we just putting on an act? Not really? Isn't that a waste of effort?"

Xueya glared at him, his gaze like a knife piercing his face, making Xueshou shrink back and swallow all the words he was about to say.

"What do you know?" Xueya's voice was as cold as ice. "You led your men to attack the Great Boulder Tribe's camp in shifts, but it was all bluff. You'd fire a few volleys of arrows, shout a few times, charge a few times, and then retreat, making them think we were just intimidating them from the outside and didn't dare to actually attack. You made them think we had run out of options and could only shout and yell from the outside."

He paused, his gaze growing even more sinister, and said, "Once they get used to our harassment and think we're just bluffing, their vigilance will gradually decrease. Then, in the latter half of the night, when they are most tired and relaxed—probably during the darkest period before dawn—you take all the men, veterans and able-bodied men, and together with the two thousand Wolf Tribe veterans I'm leading, launch a full-scale attack on their camp."

His voice turned fierce as he said, "They won't be able to react then. Once their defenses are breached, we'll take their camp in one fell swoop! As long as we break through their camp walls, they'll be like wild beasts trapped in a cage, waiting to be slaughtered!"

Xueshou's eyes lit up immediately. He slapped his thigh and exclaimed in a loud voice, "Brother! That's a great idea! Brilliant! Let them think we're just bluffing them in the first half of the night, then launch a sudden attack in the second half. They definitely won't have time to react, and in their panic, their defenses will surely collapse! What's this called again... Yexiao, what's this strategy called?"

Yexiao chimed in casually, his voice tinged with approval, "This is called the strategy of exhausting the enemy's strength. First, wear them down and make them complacent; then, launch a surprise attack when they are unprepared. The leader's idea is indeed brilliant."

Xueshou laughed heartily, his laughter echoing through the tent, making the oil lamp flame flicker. "Good, good, good! We'll do as you say, brother! Tonight, we'll let the Great Boulder Tribe taste our might! Let them know who truly reigns supreme over this land!"

Yexiao nodded slightly, his eyes filled with admiration, and said, "The chief even thought of this. Night Raid is impressed. The people of the Great Boulder Tribe definitely didn't expect us to pull this stunt. In the first half of the night, they were still glad that we couldn't break through, but in the second half of the night, we were already in front of them. By the time they realized something was wrong, we had already rushed to their doorstep."

Xueya stood up, stretching his stiff neck, the bones cracking softly. He walked over to Xueshou and Yexiao, looking down at them with a cold gaze and a ruthless voice. "Alright, you two take your men and get ready. Remember, let the brothers get some rest. The first half of the night is just for show; don't actually make the brothers fight to the death. If anyone charges too aggressively and gets caught up in a fight with the Great Boulder Tribe, resulting in unnecessary losses, who will I hold responsible?"

Then his voice became even more stern. "Wait for the signal just before dawn, then everyone charge together and take down the Great Boulder Tribe! This time, success is the only option; failure is not an option!"

Xueshou and Yexiao stood up and bowed simultaneously, saying, "Yes, leader!"

Xueshou turned and walked out of the tent, with Yexiao following behind him. The tent flap fell down, blocking out the light, leaving Xueya alone inside.

He stood there, watching the tent flap sway gently, watching the oil lamp flame flicker slightly. A cold smile slowly crept onto his lips, growing deeper and colder until it became an almost ferocious expression. His eyes narrowed as he looked towards the direction outside the tent. "Great Boulder Tribe, your death is nigh."

That night, as soon as darkness fell, the Wolf Tribe began their operation. The night was thick, the moon was obscured by thick clouds, and there was no light at all. The torches in the camp flickered in the wind, casting long and short shadows. Xueshou led a thousand veteran Wolf Tribe soldiers and two thousand young men he had brought along, setting off from the east side of the camp and charging towards the Great Boulder Tribe's camp. They held torches, brandished weapons, and shouted loudly.

"Charge! Kill!"

Break down their walls!

"Capture Dashi alive!"

Shouts of battle echoed through the night sky, sharp and piercing, and alarms immediately sounded on the walls of the Great Boulder Tribe.

"Woo--woo--woo--"

The urgent sound of horns echoed through the night sky. Sentinels ran along the wall, their footsteps hurried and disorderly. Warriors grabbed their weapons and rushed up the wall. Archers drew their bows and aimed their arrows at the torches that were emerging from the darkness, waiting for the enemy to approach.

But the Wolf Tribe members stopped a few dozen steps from the wall. They stood in the darkness, the firelight casting flickering shadows on their faces. They simply shouted, shot arrows, and waved torches, without actually charging forward. Then they retreated, letting out a few mocking shouts in the darkness.

The warriors of the Great Boulder Tribe breathed a sigh of relief. Some put away their bows, some laid down their swords, and some leaned against the wall, panting heavily.

"Here we go again... it's the same old routine..."

"What exactly are they trying to do? Pulling this stunt at night, and they're not even really fighting..."

"They're just trying to scare us and keep us from sleeping..."

"Damn it, I haven't had a good night's sleep in days..."

They whispered amongst themselves, put away their weapons, and went back to rest. Some fell asleep as soon as they lay down, too exhausted; their eyelids felt like lead and they couldn't keep them open. But not long after, shouts of battle rang out again from the north.

Yexiao led another group from the north, employing the same tactic: making a show of force outside the walls before retreating. The firelight flickered in the darkness, and the shouts of battle rose and fell. Wave after wave harassed the Great Boulder Tribe's camp, retreating from the east only to be met by the north. Sometimes they would fire a few fire arrows, setting the roofs of the thatched huts ablaze, the flames leaping up in the night wind and illuminating half the sky. Other times they would throw in a few Shitou, which would thud against the walls of the wooden houses with dull thuds.

Although there were no real casualties, the warriors of the Great Boulder Tribe could not rest in peace, and their spirits remained tense. By the second half of the night, the warriors of the Great Boulder Tribe had become accustomed to this harassment. Whenever the Wolf Tribe people rushed over, they no longer all climbed the wall, but only sent a small group to guard, while the others continued to rest. Some even dozed off on the wall, and their snores carried far in the night wind.

Dashi also sensed something was wrong. He stood on the watchtower, his hands gripping the wooden railing, his eyes sharply fixed on the flickering torches outside, his brow furrowing more and more tightly.

"Chief, what's wrong?" Shizhua stood behind him, his voice tinged with tension and unease.

Dashi was silent for a moment, then slowly shook his head and said, "I don't think this is right. The Wolf Tribe's harassment tonight seems like they're playing some trick. They attack during the day and cause trouble at night, never letting us have a moment's peace. It doesn't seem like they're really going to invade; it seems like they're stalling for time, waiting for something."

Shizhua frowned, a hint of worry in his eyes, and asked, "What are they waiting for?"

Dashi didn't answer; he didn't know the answer either, but his unease grew stronger.

Then, in the darkest moment before dawn, a deafening battle cry suddenly erupted from the Wolf Tribe's camp, urgent and loud:

"Kill them!"

"Charge in--!"

"Leave no one alive!"

This time, it wasn't a bluff. All the torches lit up at the same time, all the horns sounded at the same time, and thousands of people poured out of the camp. Some climbed up the wooden ladders, while others used battering rams to ram the camp gate. The sounds of footsteps, shouts of battle, and ramming mingled together, shaking the earth.

This time, it was for real. The warriors of the Great Boulder Tribe were awakened from their sleep. In a panic, they grabbed their weapons and rushed up the wall, but it was too late. The Wolf Tribe had already climbed the wall and engaged them in hand-to-hand combat. The shouts of battle were deafening, blood splattered in the night, and screams rose and fell.

Dashi charged down from the watchtower, drew his bronze sword from his waist, and roared, "Follow me! Hold the line! Hold the line!"

His voice echoed through the camp like thunder, carrying an unquestionable authority and determination. He led the last few hundred elite soldiers to charge up the wall and engage in a desperate battle with the Wolf Tribe. Blades struck shields with a series of clanging sounds; spears pierced bodies, and blood gushed out. The two sides grappled together on the wall, like two wild beasts tearing at each other in the darkness.

Shishan stood beside Dashi, piercing the chest of a Wolf Tribe warrior with a spear, then pulling it out and thrusting it at another. His movements were concise and powerful, each strike carrying immense force, but his breathing became increasingly rapid, and his steps heavier and heavier.

Shizhua stood guard at the breach in the wall, his bronze dagger flashing in his hand as he cut down three Wolf Tribe warriors who had climbed up. His face was covered in blood, whether his own or that of the enemy, he didn't know. His right leg was lame even more, and he had to grit his teeth to move each step. Veins bulged on his forehead, and large beads of sweat streamed down his cheeks.

But the Wolf Tribe outnumbered them all. Xueya led two thousand veteran Wolf Tribe soldiers in a frontal assault, personally charging at the forefront. His bronze sword gleamed coldly in the darkness. Xueshou and Yexiao flanked from both sides, tearing gap after gap in the Great Boulder Tribe's defenses. Although the Great Boulder Tribe's warriors fought desperately, they hadn't had a proper rest for days and were severely exhausted. Their movements grew slower and weaker; some had arms so sore they couldn't lift their swords, while others had unfocused eyes, unable to see which direction the enemy's swords were coming from.

The walls were breached, the camp gates were smashed open, and the Wolf Tribe surged into the camp like a tidal wave. Torches illuminated every corner of the camp and every terrified face as women and children screamed and fled in all directions.

Dashi led the last few hundred men to retreat to the council hall in the center of the camp, surrounding the dilapidated wooden hut for a final stand. He had several wounds on his body, the burlap on his left arm was soaked with blood, dripping from his fingers to the ground, and his face was also bruised, a knife cut from his forehead to his brow bone, blood flowing down his cheek and obscuring half of his eye, but he still gripped the knife, his gaze still fierce, like a cornered beast.

"Dashi! Surrender!" Xueya's voice came from behind the crowd, loud and clear, tinged with smugness and mockery. "You can't beat us! Your warriors are either dead or wounded, less than a thousand remain! Surrender! Surrender, and I might spare your life, make you a prisoner, give you food and clothes, and you won't die!"

Dashi didn't answer. He simply gripped his knife tighter, his gaze sweeping over the last warriors beside him. He saw the despair and resolve in their eyes. Shishan stood to his left, several wounds on his chest and shoulder, blood still seeping out, yet he stood ramrod straight, his spear firmly in his hand. Shizhua stood to his right, his right leg almost unable to move, but he gritted his teeth, supporting himself with his left leg, his short knife still gleaming coldly.

Dashi looked at them, then turned back to look at the approaching Wolf Tribe tribe, his eyes filled with a death-defying resolve.

"Warriors of the Great Boulder Tribe! We have lived here for generations! This is our home! Even if we die today, we will die on our own land!"

He raised the knife, the blade tracing an arc in the firelight.

"Kill--!"

He charged forward, his bronze sword arcing through the firelight, felling one Wolf Tribe warrior, then the second, the third, the fourth... He charged forward relentlessly, each strike drawing blood, his blade slicing through his enemies, the blood splattering like raindrops onto his face and body. His breathing grew heavier, his steps deeper, but he did not stop.

Shishan and Shizhua followed behind him, leading the last warriors in a final charge against the Wolf Tribe. But they were outnumbered. Shishan was pierced in the shoulder by a spear, staggering and falling to his knees. He reached out to grab the spear shaft, trying to pull it out, but then a knife slashed at his back. He collapsed to the ground, his face pressed against the cold earth, his fingers still gripping the ground, but he could no longer hold onto anything.

Shizhua was overwhelmed by the crowd. His knife cut through two enemy weapons, but a third knife slashed from his side, striking his waist. He groaned, swayed, and then two more knives pierced his body simultaneously. He fell, his eyes still open, staring at the gray dawn in the sky.

Dashi was still fighting. He had been stabbed countless times, and his body was covered in blood. But he still stood, still holding his sword, still slashing. Xueya stepped out from the crowd, carrying a blood-stained bronze sword, and walked step by step toward Dashi.

The two men faced off in the firelight. Dashi was panting heavily, blood streaming down his forehead and blurring his vision. He raised his left hand, which was not holding the knife, and wiped it haphazardly with his sleeve. Then, looking at Xueya in front of him, his eyes held no fear, only anger and determination.

"Xueya, you've won, but you'll get your comeuppance."

Xueya sneered, "You're about to die, and you still have so much to say."

After a few exchanges, Xueya's blade fell, and Dashi's exhausted and numb body swayed before slowly collapsing. As the first light of dawn appeared on the horizon, the Great Boulder Tribe's camp finally fell silent. The Wolf Tribe had occupied every corner of the camp, looting everything of value. The prisoners, their hands and feet bound, were led in groups to corners, heads bowed, trembling like a herd of livestock being driven into a cage.

Xueya stood before the council hall in the center of the camp, hands on his hips, surveying the surroundings with a satisfied smile. His face was smeared with blood—not his, but Dashi's. He wiped it away, looked at the bloodstains on his fingertips, and then stuck out his tongue, slowly licking them.

Xueshou approached, his face stained with blood, but he looked energetic and moved with light steps. He stood before Xueya, clasped his hands in a salute, and said triumphantly, "Big Brother! The Great Boulder Tribe has fallen! Their leader, Dashi, is dead, and their two main leaders Shishan and Shizhua, are also dead! We won!"

Xueya nodded and asked, "What about the casualties?"

Xueshou thought for a moment and said, "Of the able-bodied men we brought in, there are still over a thousand left, and almost all of them are wounded. We've lost several hundred of our own veterans, and many are wounded as well. Overall, it's a very worthwhile deal!"

Xueya nodded, then turned to look at the rising sun in the distance. Golden rays shone on the earth, on the Wolf Tribe's banner, and on his ferocious face. The morning breeze blew from afar, carrying the smell of blood and burnt food, but Xueya took a deep breath.

"Hold the prisoners safe and don't let them escape."

Xueshou nodded in agreement and turned to make the arrangements. Xueya stood there, looking south with a meaningful smile on his face.