Great Uses for Captives
Just as Yan led his men to ambush and slaughter the remaining Wolf Tribe soldiers, including Xueshou, at the Little Mountain's exit, Julang also blocked their retreat. Julang led five hundred cavalrymen out of the low forest behind the valley, trapping the Wolf Tribe Wolf Tribe remnants who tried to escape through the entrance. These remnants, already disoriented from the Shitou and arrows on the cliff, some with broken legs from falling Shitou, others with pierced arms from arrows, and some even losing their horses, ran along the valley floor towards the entrance. Julang's men blocked their way; those in front crashed into Julang's cavalry and were impaled by bronze spears. Those behind tried to turn back, but were blocked by the defeated soldiers surging up from the valley floor. The entire valley path was completely blocked, and Julang and his men hacked their way through from behind. The remnants had no chance to resist and were quickly and easily eliminated by Julang and his men.
After dealing with the remnants of the Xueya Wolf Tribe, Yan led three hundred cavalrymen into the Little Mountain to begin clearing the battlefield. The remaining Wolf Tribe soldiers were no match for Yan and his men. Just as Yan was preparing to make the final cleanup, Huibao of the Wolf Tribe emerged from behind several Dashi at the foot of the cliff with more than twenty men. Huibao walked in front, his right hand still covering his face, where Xueshou had whipped him with a horsewhip. In his left hand, he held up an arrow shaft without an arrowhead, which he had hastily broken to signify surrender. The twenty-odd men behind him also threw their knives on the ground and followed with their hands raised.
Huibao approached Yan. His gaze lingered on Yan's face for a moment. Seeing Yan mounted on his horse, clutching the blood-stained bronze scimitar, his expression cold and his eyes sharp as blades, Huibao's knees involuntarily buckled. He knelt on one knee, placing the broken arrow shaft on the ground, then raised his head and said, "Chief, I am Huibao, the scout leader under Xueshou of the Wolf Tribe. I surrender, if you spare my life."
Yan, mounted on his horse, looked down at Huibao, his gaze sweeping from the scar on Gray Leopard's face to his knees on the ground, then to the twenty-odd men behind him with their hands raised. He then spoke, "The Fire Tribe doesn't keep idle people. If you can't help me in any way, there's no use in keeping you. I have enough men; I don't need your twenty-odd men."
Upon hearing this, Huibao leaned forward abruptly, his knees scraping against the ground as he took half a step. His voice rose slightly, and his speech quickened. "Chief! If you give me a way out, I'm willing to help you take over the Wolf Tribe's stronghold at Stone Ridge Mountain! I know that place very well. I know which paths are passable, which paths have traps, which sentry posts change shifts, and which chief lives in which house. I'm quite well-known there. If I lead the way, you can definitely take it with very few losses. If you launch a direct assault, the mountain path is narrow, full of tripwires and traps on both sides; your losses will be considerable. Your lives are precious; why sacrifice them?"
After listening, Yan asked, "How many soldiers are still inside? What's their situation?"
Huibao withdrew his hands from his knees, wiped them on his trousers to remove the mud and blood from his palms, and then said, "There are only four hundred warriors left in the Wolf Tribe's stronghold, mostly old and weak. These four hundred warriors are led by four chieftains. One of them is the leader of the Xueya's Green Guard, named Qinglang. He's quite skilled in martial arts, but he usually doesn't leave the stronghold, only managing the Xueya's personal guards and the defense of the main stronghold. The other three chieftains each guard their own areas and don't usually interact. I can lead you to take down the checkpoints along the way one by one. If we can take all three checkpoints quietly, Qinglang's hundred men won't be able to cause any Langhua."
After listening, Yan nodded and said, "Okay, if things go well, you only need to serve in the Fire Tribe for five years and I will set you free. If you perform meritorious service, I will reduce the time limit further. During these five years, you will have food to eat and a place to live while working in the Fire Tribe. You will not be treated unfairly. But if anyone slacks off, tries to cheat, or does anything underhanded, don't blame me for being impolite."
Upon hearing this, Huibao and the twenty-odd men behind him immediately relaxed. Huibao's lips twitched, pulling at his facial wound and causing him to gasp in pain, but he kept his mouth open, his eyes shining. When he spoke, his voice carried a sense of relief. "Thank you, leader! Thank you, leader! We will definitely work hard and atone for our sins!"
The twenty-odd men behind him nodded in agreement. Some lowered their hands, some picked up the knives from the ground and put them away, and some tightened the strips of cloth wrapped around their arms. Huibao turned around and shouted at them in a loud voice, "Did you all hear that! Follow the leader, and you'll be a free man in five years. Anyone who slacks off or tries to Huibao will be the first to suffer the consequences!" The twenty-odd men responded in unison, their voices not loud but very clear.