The Battle of Wild Boar Gully

As Xueya led his team away from the White Pig Tribe camp, he was still calculating the costs. Ten fat pigs and five hundred catties of grain—this trip wasn't a loss. The sight of the several hundred people from the White Pig Tribe crammed together looked intimidating, but if a fight broke out, he bet that rabble wouldn't last long.

"Chief, where are we going now?" the Chaigou asked, licking his lips. "How about we stop by the Deer Tribe or the Green Sheep Tribe on the way? They're not far away."

Xueya squinted as he pondered. He knew about the Deer Tribe and the Green Sheep Tribe; they were even poorer than the Bison and White Pig Tribes, with only about two hundred people, living off the mountains and grasslands, and probably even less money to be made.

"I'm not going to those two poor places." Xueya shook his head. "I heard that the Fire Tribe over there has grown very rapidly in the last two years. I heard they increased their population at last autumn's market, and they also took in a lot of small tribes fleeing refugees last winter. They must have a lot of good stuff."

Shichui muttered from the side, "What's the use of having a lot of people? The White Pig Tribe has a lot of people too, and they still obediently give us things, don't they? Without unity, a large number of people are just sheep."

Xueya sneered, "You're right. Numbers are useless; what matters is having strong fists and a ruthless heart. Let's go 'check out' the Fire Tribe and 'borrow' some food while we're at it."

The Wolf Tribe's caravan slowly made its way along the path trodden through the grassland towards the Fire Tribe. The stolen pigs were being driven along, grunting and squealing, while the cattle carried loads of grain, and the captives followed numbly behind. An atmosphere of ease and greed permeated the caravan; their confidence had been inflated by two successful extortions, making them feel as if this trip was nothing more than picking up scraps in their own backyard.

Only Xueya casually surveyed the surrounding mountains and forests, a barely perceptible wariness hidden deep in his eyes. He hadn't forgotten the loss he suffered at the Pottery Salt Tribe a few days ago. The ambush by the Fish Tribe and several other tribes, while not crippling them, had cost them over a dozen skilled fighters and nearly led to their annihilation. This made him realize that not all tribes were lambs to the slaughter.

Two days later, in the afternoon, the group approached the entrance to a valley flanked by two mountains. The valley was Forest Wood forested on both sides, and the entrance was narrow, leading to one of the main routes to the heart of the Fire Tribe — Wild Boar Gully.

Xueya raised his hand, signaling the group to stop.

"Why have you stopped, leader?" Duyan asked.

Xueya didn't speak, but squinted as he surveyed the valley ahead. It was too quiet. Although birds and beasts were scarce this time of year, the valley was unusually quiet; even the usual chirping of insects and the sound of the wind seemed weaker. The vegetation at the valley entrance also looked somewhat unnatural.

"Something's not right," Xueya whispered. "It's too quiet. We can't forget the lesson we learned at Pottery and Salt. You three, go in and check it out first. Be careful, and if there's any movement, come back and report immediately."

"Yes!" The three Wolf Tribe members, who were most skilled at stealth reconnaissance, responded and, like three ghosts, lowered their bodies and, using the trees and rocks as cover, silently made their way to the valley entrance.

At this moment, on the mountain ridge of Wild Boar Gully, behind several clumps of dense bushes, Wang Yan and Jianshi were lying behind a Jushi, watching closely through the gaps in the branches and leaves as they observed the movements of the Wolf Tribe outside the valley.

"They've stopped," Wang Yan said softly, his heart pounding slightly. His biggest worry was that the other party Jingjue.

Jianshi frowned, watching three figures cautiously creep into the valley from within the Wolf Tribe's ranks. "Father, they only sent three scouts; the main force is still outside the valley," Wang Yan quickly analyzed. "Our original plan was to wait until most of them entered the valley before encircling them, but now it seems that won't work."

Jianshi Stone nodded, his expression grave. "Once these three spies come in, they'll definitely discover the traces of our setup. Then, they'll give the warning, Xueya will turn tail and run, and all our efforts will be for nothing."

"What should we do then?" asked one of the men beside him in a low voice, his hand already gripping the Shimao tightly.

A cold glint flashed in Jianshi's eyes, and he made a decision in an instant. "A complete annihilation is impossible. While their scouts have just entered and the main force is still at the valley entrance and hasn't reacted yet, let's concentrate our forces to take out these three scouts, then send the whole army forward, inflicting as many casualties as possible and driving them away! Kill as many as we can, and most importantly, show them our strength so they won't dare to come back!"

"Okay!" the two squad leaders replied in hushed tones.

"Go!" Jianshi suddenly stood up, grabbed a Niujiao horn from his waist, and brought it to his mouth.

"Waaaaaah--waaaah--waaaah--!!"

The sound of three long and two short horns shattered the tranquility of the valley and echoed through the mountains!

Those lying in ambush on the mountain ridge were the first to attack!

"Ah!"

"There's an ambush!"

"Kill--!!"

Dali and Dazhuang each led a hundred Fire Tribe Hunting Team, like two brown torrents, rushing down the hillside with a roar! The rattan armor on their bodies rustled as they ran, the Shimao in their hands gleamed coldly, their steps were heavy and orderly, carrying an indomitable momentum!

The Xueya outside the valley trembled violently the moment the horn sounded!

"We've fallen for their trap!" The thought flashed through his mind, and a chill ran from his feet to the top of his head. Thank goodness! Thank goodness he was cautious!

He saw the three scouts fall to the ground instantly, and then he saw the well-equipped and far more numerous ambush troops pouring out from the hillsides on both sides. His face turned extremely ugly in an instant.

"Form ranks! Quickly! Back to back! Move closer to me!" Xueya roared hoarsely, drawing the heavy Shifu from his back. The Wolf Tribe's ranks were thrown into disarray, but being used to their ferocity, they quickly rallied under the shouts and kicks of their leaders, forming a defensive circle facing the charging Fire Tribe warriors. However, their formation was far less orderly than the Fire Tribe's charging ranks, and many still wore expressions of panic.

The Fire Tribe's charging force halted abruptly about a hundred paces from the Wolf Tribe's lines, under the command of Jianshi. As the dust settled, the two sides stood in tense confrontation, separated by this distance.

Xueya's heart pounded, his eyes fixed on the opposing force. Their numbers definitely exceeded two hundred! And... everyone wore strange, sturdy-looking rattan armor and rattan helmets. Besides Shimao, many carried stone balls (throwing Shichui) tied with ropes at their waists. The ranks stood ramrod straight, utterly silent, save for heavy breathing and the faint rustling of armor plates. A heavy, oppressive aura emanated from them.

These were no ordinary tribal militia; they were clearly well-trained warriors! Their equipment and imposing presence were even stronger than some of the elite units he had seen in the Fish Tribe!

"We've kicked a hornet's nest..." Xueya's heart sank, realizing he had severely underestimated the Fire Tribe. Judging by their posture and strength, they were almost on par with the Fish Tribe! If he had rashly marched the entire army into the valley just now... He shuddered, not daring to think any further.

At this moment, from the opposing formation, a particularly burly man, as tall as an iron tower, stepped forward – it was Jianshi. He wielded an extra-large, extra-long and heavy Shimao, his voice booming like a bell:

"Wolf Tribe! This is our Fire Tribe territory! You've come uninvited, trying to sneak in. What are you trying to do? Don't even think about leaving alive until you give us an explanation!"

Xueya forcibly suppressed his shock and stepped forward, shouting with a fierce but weak voice, "Hmph! We are the Wolf Tribe! We were passing through and wanted to make some trade with your Fire Tribe! But you, without asking any questions, ambushed and killed our people! Is this how your Fire Tribe treats its guests?"

"A trade?" Jianshi laughed loudly, his laughter filled with sarcasm. "What a 'trade'! Where did you get these pigs, these cattle, and this grain behind you from? Did you get them through a trade involving the extermination of the Little Stone Creek Tribe? Did you get them through a trade involving the humiliation of the Bison Tribe and the White Pig Tribe?"

He pointed his spear at the trembling prisoners and the laden supplies behind Xueya: "Leave these stolen goods and people behind, apologize, and I might consider letting you go!"

Xueya's face flushed red and then paled. Caught off guard, he roared in rage, "Bullshit! All this stuff is ours! Want to steal it? Ask my axe first!" Knowing he couldn't let things slide today, and a direct confrontation would surely result in defeat, he dared to provoke him. "What kind of skill is it to ambush us with numbers? If you've got the guts, come out and fight one-on-one! If you win, we'll admit defeat! If you lose, get out of our way!"

The Wolf Tribe also joined in the jeering and cursing, trying to disrupt the other side's formation.

Before Jianshi could speak, Wang Yan quickly walked to his side and whispered, "Father, we have the upper hand. There's no need to risk a one-on-one fight with him. What if..."

Jianshi waved his hand, a powerful confidence on his face. His voice wasn't loud, but everyone around could hear him clearly. "It's alright. To deal with this kind of Chaigou, you have to break its spine yourself. Only then will it know pain and fear. After I defeat him, you watch the opportunity and lead your men to ambush him."

Having said that, he strode forward, his Shimao slamming down. "A one-on-one duel? Fine! I, Jianshi, will play with you today! I'll show you wolf cubs what true power is!"

Xueya felt somewhat relieved when he saw the opposing leader accept the challenge. He was extremely confident in his one-on-one combat prowess; the Jijiao Bison Tribe's leader hadn't lasted more than a few dozen rounds against him. If he could kill or severely injure the opposing leader on the battlefield, he might be able to reverse the morale and even turn defeat into victory.

The two stood still in the open space in front of the battle formation. The atmosphere suddenly froze, and all eyes were on them.

Xueya roared and took the lead, swinging his heavy Shifu with both hands and cleaving it fiercely at the Jianshi with the force of splitting Kaishan! This axe Dali and heavy, accompanied by a whistling sound. It was his usual killing move, and countless opponents had been cleaved by this axe, losing their weapons or even having their bones broken.

Jianshi neither dodged nor evaded, his eyes flashing with a sharp light. Holding his spear with both hands, he launched a fierce upward thrust, meeting the attack head-on!

"Clang--!!!"

A deafening roar! Sparks flew as the Shifu axe clashed with the Shimao!

Xueya felt a violent tremor in his arms, an irresistible force coming from the axe handle, his hands went numb, and he almost lost his grip on the axe! He was horrified: this strength... was more than twice the size of the Jijiao of the Bison Tribe! It was much stronger than the Julang of the Fish Tribe, which was known for its divine strength!

Jianshi's figure swayed slightly, without taking a single step back. With a loud shout, he twisted and pressed down with his Shimao, actually deflecting Xueya's Shifu. Then, like a poisonous dragon emerging from its cave, the spear swiftly pierced Xueya's chest!

Xueya hastily dodged to the side, looking utterly disheveled. In the next few rounds, he was completely outmatched. Jianshi's strength, speed, and skill completely overwhelmed him. The heavy Shimao seemed weightless in Jianshi's hands; thrusting, parrying, sweeping, and smashing attacks Kuangfeng down relentlessly. Xueya could only parry with difficulty, retreating step by step, his arms growing increasingly numb and sore. The last vestiges of hope and fighting spirit in his heart quickly faded, leaving only fear and regret.

"Damn it! I miscalculated! How could the Fire Tribe leader be so strong!" Xueya roared inwardly. He was already considering retreating and just wanted to find a chance to escape.

The more Jianshi fought, the more courageous he became. He seized the opportunity when Xueya was using a move that was out of balance and his center of gravity was unstable. With lightning speed, he swung his Shimao horizontally and struck Xueya's Shifu side hard!

"Bang!"

Xueya could no longer hold on, and the Shifu flew out of his hand! He was also pulled off balance by the impact.

Jianshi wouldn't let this opportunity slip by. He stepped forward, raised his large foot clad in a hard leather boot, and kicked Xueya hard in the chest!

"Pfft--!" Xueya was struck as if by a heavy blow, spitting out a mouthful of blood foam. His body flew backward like a broken sack, crashing heavily to the ground, unable to get up for a moment.

"Chief!" Duyan and Shichui cried out from the Wolf Tribe's ranks, rushing out without regard for their own safety to desperately snatch back the limp Xueya.

Just as Xueya was kicked away, Wang Yan swung his clenched fist down with a roar, "Kill--!!"

"Kill them all!!" The Fire Tribe warriors, who had been waiting in ambush, roared with earth-shattering fury!

The warriors in the front row did not charge directly, but instead unanimously took out the throwing Shichui from their waists, swung their arms wide while running, and hurled them with all their might at the panicked Wolf Tribe's circular formation!

Dozens of heavy Shichui ripped through the air with a terrifying howl, crashing down like hailstones into the densely packed Wolf Tribe tribe!

"Ah--!"

My leg!

"Brain!"

Screams erupted everywhere! Those Shichui, if they hit you, will break bones and tendons; a blow to the head, and you're dead on the spot! The already low morale of the Wolf Tribe collapsed instantly under this sudden long-range attack! Their formation was thrown into chaos!

"Charge! Crush them!" Jianshi had returned to the formation, his Shimao pointing forward.

The warriors of the Fire Tribe raised their spears and marched with orderly and swift steps, like a giant, spiked millstone, crushing the chaotic Wolf Tribe!

After only a few moments of fighting, the Wolf Tribe completely lost the will to resist. Their ferocity and cruelty vanished in the face of overwhelming strength and brutal attacks, replaced by a desperate desire to escape.

Run!

"Run!"

"The leader is injured!"

The Wolf Tribe's ranks suddenly scattered. The survivors no longer cared about formation, supplies, or even their companions, and fled desperately back the mountain path they had come from, crying and screaming. Several leaders, carrying the dying Xueya, pushed through the crowd under the desperate cover of their confidants, and fled in a disheveled state into the depths of the forest.

"Chase them! Don't let the leader escape!" Jianshi ordered.

The Fire Tribe's forces pursued relentlessly, like Liebao herding sheep. Wolf Tribe warriors, lagging behind, were constantly felled by Shimao and smashed by Shichui. The forests outside Wild Boar Gully became a bloody hunting ground.

Xueya coughed up blood again from the jolting. He barely managed to turn around and saw that the few people who had escaped behind him were now less than twenty! Of the hundred people who had come, most of them, except for the scouts and prisoners who were shot at the beginning, had fallen inside and outside that narrow valley entrance.

He felt a chill and despair in his heart.

"Don't go along the river... they have boats..." Xueya said weakly to the Duyan and Shichui carrying him, "Go... go into the mountains... go into the forest..."

The remaining Wolf Tribe soldiers, like frightened birds, abandoned all the looted supplies and even threw away the weapons that hindered their movement, and plunged into the dense, steep, deep mountains and forests without looking back, hoping to get as far away from the terrifying army behind them as possible.

The Fire Tribe pursued the fleeing soldiers for several miles, killing dozens of them. Jianshi then ordered a halt to the pursuit, the cleanup of the battlefield, and the collection of spoils.

As the sun set, tranquility gradually returned to the area outside Wild Boar Gully, with only the thick stench of blood and scattered debris telling the story of the brief but fierce battle that had just taken place.

The Fire Tribe achieved a resounding victory in their first battle.