The Survival of the Wild Tribe

114

"Chief, shouldn't we attack now?" A warrior with a rugged face and a scarred cheek asked He Zhan. They've been here for quite a while, but the leader only instructed them to wait without any further action.

Chewing on a blade of grass, He Zhan kept his gaze fixed on the tribe below, his brows furrowed slightly. He wasn't known for his patience, but he remembered the river witch's advice before departing, urging caution.

Glancing at the sky, He Zhan noted the approaching dusk. Tonight marked the new moon, rendering the orc warriors of the Shanjia tribe nearly blind. While He Zhan didn't believe overwhelming numbers would ensure victory, he still valued the wizard's opinion.

"After nightfall," He Zhan instructed, nudging the soldier. "Go and fill your stomach first. We don't want anyone hungry tonight."

Grinning at the nudge, the soldier eagerly shared his observations with the leader, adding in a flattering tone, "I noticed plenty of prey moving within the tribe. Chief, once we've taken over, could you spare me a share? I've been craving fresh animal blood." He licked his lips in anticipation.

At this time, the only beasts visible in the Riyao tribe were the staghorn horses. Their shelter had been converted into a mud-brick house, lined with thick hay to keep the animals warm.

He Zhan silenced the soldier by stuffing snow into his mouth, reprimanding, "Enough of your fantasies. You think you can handle the orc warriors alone? Don't underestimate our opponent."

Unfazed by the cold snow, the warrior grinned, chewed, and swallowed the snow, then hastened to grab some jerky. He made sure to save some for the leader, knowing his position.

Unbeknownst to the orc warriors preoccupied with food, a small, fiery red flame ant lay hidden beneath the snow. After a brief pause, it emerged and stealthily made its way towards the Riyao tribe, its movements swift and unnoticed.

Sun Yao Tribe.

Most of the flame ants had already returned. Luo Zhen had initially anticipated a wait of two or three days from the silk discovery to the enemy's arrival, but it had been over a week. Despite feeling a bit rushed, their preparations were ample by this time.

After hearing Lu Yi's report, Luo Zhen rewarded him with a piece of dried meat. Lu Yi, triumphantly shaking his tentacles, then ate it from Luo Zhen's palm.

"They're here," Luo Zhen informed the waiting soldiers.

"How many of them are there?" Lu Zhan inquired.

Luo Zhen shook his head. Lu Yi, clever as he was, couldn't count. "I just know there are more than all of us combined. Tell the others to prepare for battle," he instructed Lu Zhan.

With a nod, Lu Zhan and the other soldiers headed out.

Luo Zhen placed Lu Yi back on his collar, grabbed a bucket of meat nearby, threw on a cloak at the door, and said, "Let's go. We'll fight on a full stomach."

As the waiting time always seemed to drag on, the new moon was about to ascend when vague figures began appearing in the snow.

Luo Zhen stood in the shadow of the battlements, lighting the arrow set up in the nearby brazier. Thanks to the nectar from the flame ants, his vision was sharp. He could clearly see the movements of those people in the dark night.

Stretching the bowstring, Luo Zhen waited until the dark shadows approached the designated area. Then, with a "shoo," he released the arrow, which landed accurately outside the city wall, igniting the hay and firewood doused with grease and rosin. The sudden burst of light startled the Great Lakes tribe warriors, who halted their advance.

Before they could react, arrows struck their comrades, causing chaos. One man fell to the ground, blood flowing from his forehead. The others looked around nervously, but apart from the lit area, there was no sign of the enemy.

"Boss," some warriors leaned toward River Zhan's side as arrows continued to rain down around them in the darkness. These arrows, aimed for defense, were no longer as easy to evade, resulting in bruises. One arrow, in particular, had a high hit rate, causing those struck to feel numb and immobilized.

With their enhanced vision, the orc warriors easily spotted the arrows coming from the direction of the small tribe. It was evident they had been discovered.

Fully transformed, River Zhan bit into the arrow before him, breaking it into pieces with his sharp teeth.

Now that they had been discovered, there was no need for stealth. He raised his head and roared, the beast's cry echoing far in the quiet night, causing even the creatures hiding in the mountains to shrink back, fearing the approach of a formidable foe.

Several mountains away, a middle-aged man covered in dust perked up at the sound. His sleep-deprived eyes darkened, his sunken cheekbones betraying his exhaustion. He hesitated for a moment before heading towards the source of the beast's roar.

Responding to the River Battle leader's command, the soldiers rode their fire-bearing horses. As they moved beyond the fire's range, the strange wooden arrows' accuracy diminished. However, their relief was short-lived as another row of horses was lit up along the city wall.

To their surprise, when the powerful warriors attempted to scale the wall, their beasts struggled, finding it difficult to ascend without proper footholds. Yet, when they attempted to climb themselves, they were vulnerable to the enemy's arrows without the protection of animal skins and linen armor.

The warriors of the Great Lakes tribe felt stifled in battle, unable to retaliate before being suppressed by the enemy. They marveled at the potency of the thin, long wooden arrows and the obstruction of the unfamiliar wall. Despite feeling aggrieved, they were spurred on by their newfound resolve. With their superior numbers, victory seemed assured.

He Zhan utilized the cover of darkness to scale the wall with his bare hands, his sharp, long fingernails providing a secure grip. His heightened senses allowed him to discern the direction of incoming arrows by sound and evade them skillfully.

Seeing He Zhan preparing to climb, Lu Zhan suddenly leaped onto the battlement. Crouching halfway, he caught He Zhan's gaze, flashed a smile revealing his large white teeth, then swiftly leaped down. In mid-air, he kicked both feet onto the River Battle leader's head, seized the opponent's animal skin jacket, and forcefully pulled him off.

Luo Zhen's heart skipped a beat witnessing the swift maneuver. Glancing downward, he observed a white giant leopard engaging in combat with a peculiar-looking beast beneath the city wall. Luo Zhen could even sense a familiar excitement emanating from the giant leopard.

[Father, come quickly, grab him, I'll leap over and bite him!] Lu Yi's excitement was palpable, making it difficult for Luo Zhen to ignore.

"A Zhan, keep an eye on Lu Yi!" Luo Zhen shouted to the warrior below. However, considering Lu Yi's height and the fact that Lu Zhan couldn't understand Lu Yi's communication, he refrained from further instructions to avoid hindering Lu Zhan's battle.

Drawing a long arrow from the quiver behind him, Luo Zhen noted its bone-polished tip coated with saliva from the flame ants. This saliva possessed a potent narcotic effect, a formidable weapon employed by the flame ants for defense and attack.

Unfortunately, the flame ants had difficulty actively secreting this saliva, and the few arrows were the result of over a week of collection. Initially intended for testing, the narcotic saliva's effectiveness surpassed Luo Zhen's expectations. It could incapacitate even beastly opponents, greatly improving Luo Zhen's success rate in neutralizing enemies.

He Zhan, with wide eyes fixed on the giant leopard before him, dwarfed the feline in size but found its movements far more agile. Engaging in a contest of strength, He Zhan's excitement was palpable as he expelled two streams of white air from his nostrils. However, before he could act, he felt a sudden numbness in his eyelids, prompting him to shout and shake his head to dispel it.

Yet, the numbness persisted, and his eyelids began to swell. Hastily reverting to human form, He Zhan found himself targeted by the giant leopard's leaping attack. However, the creature's tail narrowly missed him, flicking past his eyes before retracting.

Lu Zhan emitted a triumphant cry, followed by Lu Yi's excited communication: [Mother, mother, I helped too!]