The White Pig Tribe's Scheme

The White Pig Tribe's camp was situated beside a clear stream, with a swamp on one side, and was less than a day and a half's journey from the Bison Tribe. When the Wolf Tribe's figures appeared on the outskirts of the Bison Tribe, it wasn't long before the White Pig Tribe's scouts had already sent back the news.

Chief Zongmao stood at the highest point of the camp, his face as gloomy as the sky before a storm. He had originally thought that after extorting the Bison Tribe, the Wolf Tribe would continue towards the more distant Fire Tribe. Unexpectedly, this pack of hungry wolves turned around and headed straight for the White Pig Tribe.

"Do you really think our White Pig Tribe is easy to bully?" Zongmao gritted his teeth, a fierce glint in his eyes.

However, he was not unprepared. In fact, several days earlier, when news of the destruction of the Little Stone Creek Tribe arrived, Zongmao had already begun making plans.

"Tunyong!" A few days ago, he summoned his son, the tribe's foremost warrior, and said, "Take the Hunting Team out to all the nearby small tribes and tell them the Wolf Tribe is coming."

Tunyong asked, puzzled, "Father, won't this cause panic?"

"We need to scare them!" Zongmao narrowed his eyes. "Only when they're panicked will they come looking for a backer."

Over the next day or two, the White Pig Tribe's Hunting Team roamed the surrounding mountains and forests, exaggerating the Wolf Tribe's brutal acts. In particular, the horrific scene of the Little Stone Creek Tribe's annihilation was described as a living hell.

"The Wolf Tribe kills anyone they see and robs any woman they encounter! They steal all the food and burn down all the houses!"

"They're coming soon! Where can you possibly escape to with such a small group?"

Panic spread like wildfire. The small tribes, numbering only fifty or sixty people, were terrified and completely lost their composure. At this point, the hunters from the White Pig Tribe "kindly" offered advice:

"Why don't you come and stay with our White Pig Tribe for a few days? We can stick together and keep warm; there's strength in numbers!"

Some tribes wanted to go to the more powerful Fire Tribe, but the hunters from the White Pig Tribe immediately "warned": "We don't know which direction the Wolf Tribe is coming from. You have elderly people and children with you. If you run into them on the road, can you escape?"

These words completely dissuaded the small tribes from their plans. Indeed, if they were to encounter Wolf Tribe on the road, they would be utterly helpless.

So, in just one or two days, five small tribes arrived at the White Pig Tribe with their families. Each tribe had anywhere from forty or fifty to seventy or eighty people, totaling three hundred! Adding the three hundred people from the White Pig Tribe itself, the camp suddenly swelled to six hundred people!

Looking at the bustling camp, a barely perceptible smile appeared on Zongmao's lips. His plan had succeeded.

However, once the news of the Wolf Tribe's impending arrival was confirmed, dissenting voices immediately arose among the six hundred people.

That evening, Zongmao summoned all the tribal chiefs and warriors to the largest council tent to discuss countermeasures. The tent was packed with people, and the air was thick with tension and unease.

"Gentlemen!" Zongmao stood in the center, his voice booming, "The Wolf Tribe is coming tomorrow! According to our scouts, they have a hundred warriors and dozens of enslaved prisoners."

A young warrior from the tribe immediately stood up. "Chief Zongmao, we now have six hundred men! We have one hundred and forty skilled hunters! The Wolf Tribe only has one hundred. What are we afraid of? Let's fight them!"

These words resonated with many young warriors, and a chorus of shouts and cries for battle erupted inside the shed.

But just then, an elderly man with white hair stood up shakily. He was an elder of the tribe and knew the ferocity of the Wolf Tribe.

"Young people, you... you don't know how powerful the Wolf Tribe is!" The old man's voice was hoarse. They often robbed other tribes of their food and kidnapped their women. Those beasts... those beasts aren't even human!

He took a breath and continued, "Moreover, this isn't the entire Wolf Tribe tribe that came! I heard they still have at least seventy or eighty people in their lair in High Pointed Mountain! If we let them suffer a loss this time, what will we do if they come out in full force next time?"

These words were like a bucket of cold water, extinguishing the young man's enthusiasm.

Another middle-aged leader said worriedly, "The people of the Wolf Tribe are all villains raised in blood. Although we outnumber them, we are not united and not fierce enough. Even if we win, we will suffer heavy casualties. How will we resist the next time then?"

Silence fell over the shed. The stark reality was clear: victory might invite even more ferocious retaliation; defeat would mean annihilation.

Seeing everyone's reactions, Zongmao knew the time was right. He slowly spoke, "I understand everyone's concerns. But right now, we must get through this first."

He looked around at everyone. "I've had all the weapons sharpened and the food prepared. From now on, everyone eat as much as you like. Only when you're well-fed will you have the strength to fight!"

"However," he changed the subject, "We also need to be prepared for both scenarios. If the Wolf Tribe only wants some food, and it's not excessive... we can give them some and send them on their way."

"What? Give them food?" The young warrior stood up excitedly.

"Let me finish!" Zongmao raised his voice, "Giving them food is better than bloodshed and death! But if they push their luck and try to steal our women and pigs... then there's nothing more to say!"

A cold glint flashed in his eyes. "At worst, we'll fight to the death! We have six hundred men; even if half of us are wiped out, we'll cripple the Wolf Tribe! Then we'll see if they dare come back!"

These words gave everyone hope and demonstrated their determination. Everyone nodded in agreement, feeling that this was the safest approach at the moment.

After the meeting, the White Pig Tribe's camp immediately sprang into action.

Tunyong led the Hunting Team in intensified their training, mixing hunters from various tribes into teams and teaching them basic teamwork;

Liaoya was in charge of distributing the weapons, bringing out all the Shimao and Shifu from the stockpile;

The women of the Houzong organization prepared food, slaughtered two of the fattest pigs, and the aroma of roasted meat filled the entire camp;

The Nitan led people to dig pits around the camp;

Chongzhuang led the able-bodied men to reinforce the fence and move stones to a higher point.

As night fell, the White Pig Tribe's camp had transformed into a fortified stronghold. Six hundred people were crammed into the camp; though crowded, the sheer number of people provided a sense of security. Campfires blazed, and warriors sat around them, sharpening their weapons and encouraging each other.

He Jianren inspected the defensive fortifications throughout the area;

Lichi counted the number of weapons and javelins;

Shouhu and arrange shelters for the elderly and children;

Xunjie serves as a mobile force, ready to support various locations at any time.

Zongmao stood on the lookout tower, gazing at the brightly lit camp, feeling a slight sense of relief. But he knew the real test was tomorrow.

Meanwhile, in the nearby mountains, a campfire burned at the Wolf Tribe's camp. Xueya listened to the scouts' report on the White Pig Tribe's situation, and his brows gradually furrowed.

"Six hundred men?" he repeated the number. "This Zongmao, he's got some skills."

Duyan said fiercely, "Chief, how about we launch a surprise attack tonight and catch them off guard?"

Yexiao shook his head. "Since they were prepared, their defenses must be very tight. A night raid would be too risky."

Xueya pondered for a moment, then suddenly laughed, "Six hundred people... that sounds like a lot, but think about it, how many of them are capable fighters? How many are old, weak, women, or children?"

He stood up, a sly glint in his eyes. "Tomorrow, we'll go and meet this 'Zongmao ' and see just how much influence his six hundred men really have."