Hungry Wolves Descend the Mountain
The joy of Fengshou flows like a warm stream through every corner of the Fire Tribe.
In the newly expanded granary, golden rice stalks were piled up Little Mountain, shimmering enticingly in the sunlight. Inside the pens, plump pigs and sheep grunted contentedly, while chickens and ducks flapped their wings in their enclosures. Further away, in the newly reclaimed thousand acres of paddy fields, tender green rice seedlings were neatly arranged, like a green velvet carpet spread across the earth.
The men were busy storing the last batch of rice, the women were spinning hemp thread in the newly built weaving workshop, and the children were practicing throwing with Shibang in the newly built training ground. Wang Yan stood on the newly built watchtower, looking at this thriving scene, a gratified smile on his face.
However, beneath this peaceful exterior, a dark force is quietly approaching.
Beyond the ten sunset views, High Pointed Mountain resembles a sharp sword piercing the sky.
Halfway up the mountain is the Wolf Tribe's lair, a strategically important location that is easy to defend and difficult to attack. Inside the camp, wisps of smoke rise from the campfire, and the air is filled with the aroma of roasting meat and a faint, almost imperceptible, smell of blood.
In the largest cave, Xueya, the chieftain of the Wolf Tribe, sat on a stone chair covered with bear skin. He was about thirty years old, with a lean and wiry build, and his movements were as Minjie as Liebao. A hideous scar ran from his left eyebrow to the corner of his right mouth, giving his face a fierce look even when he was calm. At this moment, he was slowly and meticulously trimming his nails with a sharpened piece of bone.
"Many of the nearby tribes have fled in recent years, and those that remain don't offer much profit," Xueya's voice was hoarse, like sandpaper rubbing against rock. "If this continues, the brothers will all go hungry."
His gaze swept over the several leaders sitting or standing in the cave, each a seasoned villain.
Xueshou, Xueya's younger brother, is the second leader of the Wolf Tribe. He is taller and more robust than his brother, with bulging muscles all over his body, standing there like an iron tower. His hands are covered with thick calluses from years of fighting, and his knuckles are unusually large. At this moment, he stands with his arms crossed, his eyes fierce.
Duyan, the leader of three. He was originally a handsome man, until his left eye was gouged out during a fight. Now he covers the empty eye socket with a dirty wolf skin, and his remaining Duyan always flashes with a venomous light. He is skilled in all kinds of insidious tricks.
The Chaigou, the fourth leader. He was thin and always hunched over, walking silently. His nose was exceptionally sensitive; it was said he could detect the scent of prey from three miles away. At this moment, he was crouching in a corner, his nose twitching restlessly.
Shichui, the fifth leader. He was a true giant, nearly two meters tall, with arms thicker than an average person's thigh. His weapon was a massive Shichui, said to be able to smash Bison's skull with a single blow. However, he wasn't very bright and acted entirely on instinct.
Duzhu, the sixth leader, is also the only female leader of the Wolf Tribe. She is about twenty-five or twenty-six years old, with a beautiful face, but her eyes are as cold as Shentan in winter. She is skilled at using her beauty to set traps, and countless warriors have fallen into her hands.
Yexiao, the seventh leader. He is a taciturn middle-aged man with a perpetually expressionless face. It is said that he was once a warrior of a large tribe, but later fled here after committing a crime. He is experienced in combat and is someone Xueya occasionally consults.
Fenglang, leader of the Eighth Leader. He was a young man not yet twenty years old, with a neurotic, savage grin always on his face. He fought recklessly, and trading blows was his specialty.
Shouhou, leader of the Nine. He was short in stature, but agile as a monkey, and adept at climbing walls and trees.
Tujiu, the leader of the ten. He was a bald, middle-aged man with greedy and cold eyes, and was in charge of counting the spoils of war.
"The boss is right," Duyan spoke first, his voice sharp and shrill. "Those small tribes have either fled or are dirt poor. If we keep guarding this place, we'll all be eating tree bark."
The Chaigou fawned, "I've inquired. There are five large tribes over there in the Fish Tribe, each one incredibly wealthy. Especially the Pottery Salt Tribe, they specialize in trade and have stockpiled quite a few good things."
"The Pottery Salt Tribe?" Xueya narrowed his eyes. "Tell me more about it."
"This tribe has about five hundred people now, not many warriors, and all they do is trade all day long," Chaigou said knowingly. "They buy pottery and coarse salt from the Fish Tribe at low prices, and then resell them to nearby or even more distant tribes at a higher price. I've observed their caravans; they always return fully loaded."
Shichui Hammer grumbled, "Then what are we waiting for? Let's just rob them!"
The Duzhu sneered, "You brute! Such a large tribe, if we were to fight them head-on, we would suffer heavy losses."
"The Duzhu is right," Xueya nodded. "This time, we'll go with diplomacy first, then force. It's more worthwhile to get them to hand over the tribute voluntarily than to fight a battle."
He stood up, his gaze sweeping over the crowd. "Xueshou, you take eighty brothers and stay behind to guard the stronghold. Duyan, Chaigou, Shichui, Fenglang, Shouhou, the five of you come with me. Also, gather one hundred and twenty elite soldiers."
"Why leave so many people to guard the stronghold?" Fenglang muttered in dissatisfaction. "Wouldn't it be better if they all went?"
Yexiao coldly said, "Fool! If our stronghold is taken over, all the loot we take will just be a waste of their time."
Xueya gave Yexiao an approving look. "Exactly. If we can just make the Pottery Salt Tribe submit this time, we can slowly extract their wealth later."
He walked to the center of the cave, his voice suddenly rising. "Brothers! Pack your gear, we're leaving first thing tomorrow morning! Let those pampered tribes see what a real wolf pack is like!"
"Awoo--"
A howl, like the roar of wolves, echoed from inside the cave.
At dawn the next day, a group of 125 people quietly descended the mountain. Leading them was Xueya, who wore a battle robe sewn from wolf skin, carried a bone knife at his waist, and had a fierce look in his eyes.
Duyan followed behind him, his Duyan gleaming with excitement. Chaigou scouted ahead like a true Liequan, occasionally crouching down to check the tracks. Shichui carried his signature Dashi hammer, each step causing the ground to tremble slightly. Fenglang, on the other hand, was like a hyperactive patient, constantly looking around, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the Shifu at his waist.
This was a group of true villains, each with blood on their hands. They surged towards the Pottery Salt Tribe like a black, murky torrent, unaware of the impending doom.
Meanwhile, ten sunsets away in the Fire Tribe, Wang Yan was instructing his people on how to install a newly built waterwheel. The clear stream water was lifted by the waterwheel and flowed into the newly cultivated fields with a gurgling sound.
No one could have imagined that this peaceful scene would soon be shattered by hungry wolves that had come from afar.
On the same day, the caravan had just returned from afar. Tribal chief Jia Li was taking inventory of the goods, calculating how much profit he could make this time.
"Chief, I've heard that spies from that Wolf Tribe have been active in the area lately," a merchant warned.
Jia Li waved his hand dismissively. "They're just a bunch of rabble, cowards who bully the weak and fear the strong. How dare they cause trouble in our Pottery Salt Tribe? We have the Fish Tribe protecting us!"
Little did he know, a hungry wolf had already set its sights on him, this fat sheep. And the impending storm would soon sweep across the entire region, changing the fate of all the tribes.