Sharpening Weapons and Fattening Horses

News of the approaching Wolf Tribe also reached the Fire Tribe.

The first piece of bad news came from the remnants of the Little Stone Creek Tribe. A few emaciated men and women, covered in mud, stumbled out of the Fire Tribe's outpost yesterday afternoon. Their eyes were vacant, and their teeth chattered involuntarily as they recounted the atrocities committed by the Wolf Tribe.

"They... they pounced on us like mad dogs... one of our tribesmen had his head smashed by that Duyan's hammer..." A fifteen or sixteen-year-old boy sobbed incoherently, his face smeared with snot and tears, "All the women were taken away... the food... even the grass seeds were all stolen..."

Jianya personally settled these poor people, clearing out several newly built wooden houses, and had Qingye lead the women to deliver hot soup and rice cakes to them. Sui arranged for them to do some simple work, using labor to temporarily numb their pain.

The second piece of bad news came from the Hunting Team's Muzhou. This afternoon, two Muzhou sped back upstream, bringing more concrete information:

"The Wolf Tribe, with over a hundred members, extorted money from the Bison Tribe the day before yesterday, stealing five cows and grain!"

"I headed towards the White Pig Tribe early this morning!"

"We could see them clearly from a distance; they were all ferocious, their weapons stained with blood!"

When these two messages were gathered in the council chamber before dusk, the air in the Fire Tribe suddenly became tense.

Jianshi sat in the main seat, his rough fingers unconsciously tapping the newly made wooden tabletop. On both sides of the long table, the core figures of the Fire Tribe were all present: Jianya, Dali, Dazhuang, Dabang, Wang Yan, and several newly emerging captains. The torches on the wall flickered, casting long shadows of everyone onto the solid mud wall, swaying erratically.

"I understand," Jianshi said, his voice as rough and Chenwen as a whetstone. "The wolf cubs stole Little Stone Creek, extorted the Bison, and are now heading for the White Pig. Judging by their pace and greed, they'll be on our Fire Tribe's territory by tomorrow afternoon at the latest."

He slammed his fist on the table with Dali "bang," making the ceramic bowl jump. "Well done! These past two years we've had plenty to eat and toughened up, we've been looking for a place to hone our skills! Let them come, we'll kill one if they come, two if they come, we'll kill them both!"

Dazhuang suddenly stood up, his face full of murderous intent. "Big Brother, let me lead a team to ambush them on the way! I guarantee they won't return alive!"

The younger men were even more enraged, and some of them had fierce glints in their eyes, wishing they could immediately grab their spears and go into battle.

"Sit down!" Jianshi barked, his gaze sweeping across the crowd like lightning. The council hall fell silent instantly, broken only by the crackling of the torches. "We must fight, but not recklessly. The Wolf Tribe are vicious wolves, not foolish rabbits. First, assess your own strength, then decide how to strike."

He looked at Wang Yan: "Yan, what do you say?"

Wang Yan stood up and walked to the simple animal hide map hanging on the wall. This map was drawn by him and his Youth Team over several months of surveying. Although rough, it clearly marked rivers, hills, hunting grounds, farmland, and main paths. He pointed with a thin wooden stick to the circle representing the Fire Tribe's settlement.

"The Wolf Tribe sent out about a hundred people this time, with about a hundred being capable warriors; the rest are prisoners and laborers," Wang Yan's voice was clear and calm. "As for our Fire Tribe, we currently have over fourteen hundred people."

He paused, letting the number settle in everyone's minds. More than 1,400 people! Two years ago, the Fire Tribe was just a small tribe struggling to feed 200 people.

"Among them, there were more than 350 official Hunting Team, all equipped with rattan armor and helmets, and armed with Shimao, slings, and Shichui."

"The Youth Team has over 153 members, trained for more than a year, and their discipline even surpasses that of some veteran hunters. They can serve as auxiliary combat force or a reserve team."

"In addition, there are nearly three hundred adult women. Although they are not full-time soldiers, they have been eating well in the past two years and are strong enough that they can all be armed and guard the wall in an emergency."

"Nearly a hundred women were skilled in using slingshots and were responsible for driving away and guarding during hunts."

With each item Wang Yan mentioned, the crowd unconsciously straightened their backs a little more. Indeed, without realizing it, the tribe had grown so powerful!

"Regarding equipment," Wang Yan walked to the side, picking up the hanging rattan armor and several weapons, "The rattan armor has undergone three improvements and is multi-layered, making it difficult for ordinary Shifu Shichui to break through with a single blow. Our Shimao use a new binding method, making the spearheads more secure, and the throwing Shichui have been weighted down, resulting in considerable power at close to medium range."

"Most importantly," Wang Yan emphasized, tapping a wooden stick on the map to indicate the location of the granary, "We've just finished the summer harvest! The granaries, big and small, are full—enough rice and other grains to feed everyone for a long time! We don't have to worry about food while fighting; we can focus all our efforts on the enemy!"

These words were like a shot in the arm, invigorating everyone. Dabang let out a long sigh of relief, slapping his thigh and exclaiming, "Thank goodness! Thank goodness we didn't slack off these past two years, turning everything we'd accumulated into real strength! If this had happened two years ago, when the Wolf Tribe came, we probably would have been stuck in caves!"

One of them grinned sheepishly, "That's right! I tried it yesterday. Before, I'd be out of breath carrying a 100-pound sack, but now I can lift it with one hand and walk dozens of steps without breaking a sweat! Eating well really makes a difference!"

The atmosphere gradually shifted from tense to a confident yet solemn one. Seeing that the time was right, Jianshi slowly spoke:

"You're all right, we have the resources. But those wolves aren't here to visit relatives; they're here to steal our food, our people, and our territory. This battle, we must not only fight, but fight fiercely, so fiercely that they'll never dare to look our way again!"

He stood up, his massive frame casting a huge shadow in the firelight, and pointed his finger at a throat-like valley on the map.

"This is ' Wild Boar Gully,' the shortest and easiest route for the Wolf Tribe to reach our paddy fields and settlement the fastest," Jianshi's voice was resolute. "My idea is: take the initiative, block Wild Boar Gully, and keep the enemy out of our doorstep!"

"Take the initiative and launch an attack?" Dali's eyes lit up.

"Yes!" Jianshi nodded emphatically. "I'll lead 250 Hunting Team to ambush them on both sides of Wild Boar Gully. When the wolf cubs sneak in, we'll block them from both ends, using our superior position to rain down Shitou and spears first, then charge down for close combat. We have the advantage in numbers, equipment, and terrain; our goal is to stun, inflict pain, and terrify them in one battle!"

Dazhuang rubbed his hands excitedly. "Two hundred and fifty against one hundred? That's like beating someone by the head! That's awesome!"

"Not only must we win, but we must win cleanly and decisively." Jianshi's eyes flashed with a cold light. "This battle must demonstrate the might of the Fire Tribe! We must let every tribe that hears the news know that the Fire Tribe is not to be trifled with! Anyone who dares to lay a finger on us should think twice before making a move!"

Wang Yan then spoke up, "Father, I request to join the war."

All eyes turned to him. Although Wang Yan held a special position as the tribe's "wisdom," he was still young and mainly responsible for technology and training. He had watched Yan train a lot and knew that Yan was strong, but he had never experienced a real bloody battle.

Jianshi frowned. "Yan, the battlefield is dangerous..."

"That's precisely why I should go," Wang Yan said firmly. "I trained the Youth Team, and I devised the new tactics. Only by witnessing real combat can I identify our shortcomings and make improvements. I promise I won't act rashly; I'll only observe the battle and identify areas for improvement."

He looked into his father's eyes. "Besides, the Wolf Tribe is our greatest enemy. How we fight this battle will determine the tribe's stability for the next few years. I should be on the front lines to understand them."

Jianshi and his son exchanged a glance, and Jian Shi saw the determination and responsibility in his eyes. He finally nodded. "Alright, you stay by my side. Without my order, you are not allowed to leave the central command area by more than ten paces."

"Yes!"

With the battle strategy finalized, Jianshi began assigning tasks, his voice firm and resolute:

"Dali, you take one hundred men and ambush them on the ridge east of Wild Boar Gully. Upon hearing three long and two short blasts of the Niujiao, immediately rush down the mountain and cut off the Wolf Tribe's advance!"

"Dazhuang, you take a hundred men and ambush on the west side. Give the same signal, attack simultaneously, and join Dali in encircling them!"

"I will personally lead fifty elite troops to block the front of the ditch. Yan will follow me."

"Dabang, you take the remaining one hundred Hunting Team and stay behind at the settlement, under Jianya's command. Strengthen the perimeter defenses, just in case."

"Jianya, the tribe is in your hands now. Organize all men and women not yet engaged in battle, prepare rolling logs, boulders, hot water, and molten gold, and be ready to respond at any time. You will also be in charge of treating the wounded."

"Shipbuilding Group, prepare twenty fast boats, ready to be deployed on the waterways at any time. If needed, they can provide rapid support or encirclement along the smaller rivers."

"Farming Group, you organize the women to prepare three days' worth of dry rations, dried meat, and water overnight, and distribute them before we set off tomorrow morning."

"Qingye, reassure the elderly and weak in the tribe, especially the newly arrived refugees, and tell them that the Fire Tribe has the power to protect every member of its people!"