Chapter 290

Inside the Shijin Camp (Gold-Devouring Camp), Qi Bai took stock of all the food and concluded: "The food here is enough for the Shouren in the camp to eat for over twenty days. Supplies from Wangu probably won't arrive before the banquet."

This was sufficient. After the banquet, Wangu Zhi Cheng would likely have its own problems to deal with and wouldn't have the energy to spare for this place.

Lang Ze nodded: "Set aside the food we need for the next stage. Have the injured Zhanshi take all the rest back to Manghuang (Savage Wilds)."

The Shouren in the clearing were eating roasted meat around the bonfires, talking and laughing, but the injured inside the stone house looked unwilling, sitting up straight abruptly one after another.

"We will not retreat!"

"We can still fight!"

"That's right, we can still fight!"

The Shengling Zhanshi (Holy Antelope Warriors) shouted loudly, all wanting to prove that their injuries were nothing.

Although the Langzu (Wolf Tribe) warriors didn't voice their opposition, their eyes as they looked at Lang Ze were also full of hope.

The Shengling Zuzhang (Holy Antelope Tribe Chief), draped in an animal hide, propped himself up on his uninjured arm and said nonchalantly: "When I was young, I suffered minor injuries like this countless times. They absolutely won't affect the upcoming battles."

Lang Ze glanced at them a few times, said nothing, and walked out of the stone house.

The Shouren, who had been激昂 (excited and impassioned) moments before, simultaneously shrank their necks, looking at each other somewhat uncertainly. Had they said something wrong?

But they truly didn't want to retreat like this. They might not yet understand the concept of tactics, but today's battle had left both the never-battle-shy Shengling Zhanshi and the battle-hardened Yinyue Zhanshi (Silver Moon Warriors) feeling exhilarated.

No one wanted to leave the team; they wanted to follow Lang Ze and continue the campaign.

So Lang Ze's sudden departure left everyone feeling somewhat disappointed.

However, Lang Ze soon returned from outside, holding a half-charred piece of wood in his hand.

"This is our current location," Lang Ze said under everyone's gaze, drawing a simple map on the wall with the charcoal. "Setting out from the Shijin Camp, follow the Zhaozedi (Swamp/Marshland) west. Around here, there is a team of about five hundred people."

"They are our next target."

This team was naturally the guard team of Xun Wuzi that had been sent out.

The Shouren in the stone house were seeing a map and such clear combat analysis for the first time. They couldn't help but widen their eyes, listening intently.

"We need to reach this place within two days," Lang Ze drew a circle. "This team is different from the Shijin Camp. They won't stay in a fixed location and might move at any time. So after we arrive here, we must find their traces as quickly as possible."

"Even if we successfully eliminate them, we won't have much time left," Lang Ze pointed in the direction of Wangu Zhi Cheng. "It also takes time to rush back to Wangu."

"I believe each of you can still fight, but you are injured. Such a long and rapid march will wear you down," Lang Ze's powerful voice reached the ears of every Shouren present. "I will not accept such meaningless casualties. I need you to return and recuperate. Every single one of you must survive. Surviving is the greatest encouragement for the other warriors, for the tribe."

The stone house fell silent for a moment.

All warriors learned to fight from childhood, learning to tear apart prey and enemies. They overcame the fear of death every day.

But this was the first time someone told them that fighting wasn't their only使命 (mission/duty); surviving was.

"Well said!"

A voice suddenly came from the doorway.

Everyone turned to find the doorway crowded with people. The speakers were none other than Ling Ta and Ling Ping.

Ling Ping's eyes welled up just thinking about what the Wu (Shaman) had told them: that the Zuzhang had resolved to achieve victory even if it meant dying in battle this time.

She looked at Ling Qiu: "Zuzhang, Lang Ze is right. You are the pillar of all warriors. As long as you do not fall, we will not fall. Please listen to Lang Ze. Leave the upcoming battles to me and Ling Ta. We will definitely return victorious."

She didn't want to be any Zuzhang; she only wished for Ling Qiu to live well and long.

Ling Qiu looked at the moved Ling Ping and Ling Ta, sighed, smiled, and shook his head: "I think you just think I'm old. Fine, I'll follow the arrangements. I will take every injured person back to Manghuang."

With Ling Qiu's words, the other injured in the stone house fell silent.

Several Shouren scratched the back of their heads somewhat sheepishly. Ah, they almost caused trouble for the team.

Ling Ping, standing at the doorway, smiled brightly, then pulled Ling Ta to the wall with the map: "Lang Ze, quickly tell us about your next plans."

Listening to Lang Ze's strategy, Ling Ping felt ambitious and even felt that capturing Wangu was just a matter of time.

However, she understood that their actual strength was still far inferior to Wangu's. Yinyue and Shengling were currently utilizing the element of timing and surprise. Once Wangu Zhi Cheng reacted and sent out the Xuegu Army (Blood Bone Army), they definitely wouldn't be able to confront them head-on with just their current numbers.

War can never focus only on the immediate present. After these two battles, the subsequent arrangements for the two tribes were even more important.

Qi Bai leaned against the wall, watching Lang Ze explain things calmly and methodically, a smile unconsciously appearing on his lips.

Everyone was awed by Lang Ze's decisive and commanding presence. In reality, if one got to know him, they would find he was never an arbitrary or dictatorial person.

It's just a pity that this gentleness and patience, not displayed outwardly by Lang Ze, seemed to be something only Qi Bai could perceive.

Well, actually, it wasn't a pity at all, Qi Bai thought somewhat possessively. It's best that you all don't know.

The armies of the two tribes only stayed at the Shijin Camp for half a day.

Qi Bai redistributed all the supplies within the Shijin Camp.

The warriors continuing forward into battle were each allotted seven days' worth of food. To ensure the warriors' energy, Qi Bai instructed everyone while distributing the food that they didn't need to ration this food.

After all, as long as they could maintain their combat strength, the enemy's granaries could always become their supply.

As for all the remaining spoils of war, they were to be taken back to Manghuang by the injured and divided equally between the two tribes.

The two teams split up at the Shijin Camp. The original force of eight hundred was now down to about six hundred.

Although the situation was better than expected, this battle still resulted in the highest casualties since Lang Ze began leading troops.

It wasn't that Yinyue and Shengling's combat power was lacking. In fact, the Shengling tribe, long accustomed to a state of war, possessed combat power that even surpassed the former Zhanxiong (Fighting Bear) tribe.

It was just that their enemies were not ordinary Shouren but Shijin Shouren whose bodies had severely mutated. If not for Lang Ze's leadership, their losses would have been even greater.

"Boom!"

The group had already gone quite far when a loud explosion suddenly sounded from behind them, seeming to shake the very ground beneath their feet.

The giant wolf stopped alertly.

The little snow leopard, its four paws clinging to the giant wolf's horn, stretched its neck to look back. From the foot of the mountain they had left, billowing dust rose from the ground.

"Miao ao, miao ao." The little snow leopard waved its claws excitedly. This sounded similar to the mountain blasting he had heard in his previous life.

Before leaving, they had moved all the bodies in the camp into the mining pit, then simply blocked the mine entrance with stones and threw several torches inside.

Now this sound coming from there clearly indicated that the Gujin (name for a mineral, possibly related to their mutation) in the mine pit had accelerated the burning of the bodies, causing an explosion in the relatively enclosed space.

However, as there was no professional explosive here, the sound of the explosion wasn't that loud, and presumably the damage to the mountain wouldn't be too severe.

But Qi Bai's requirements weren't high; he just needed the original mine entrance sealed.

They didn't have time to check now. If everything went smoothly, they could come back later to seal the Gujin mine entrance more completely.

The warriors of the Yinyue and Shengling tribes were advancing westward.

At the same time, north of Yanqiu Xiacheng (Rock Mound Lower City), in the territory of the Chihu (Blazing Tiger) tribe, another team of nearly a thousand people was already prepared to set out.

"Liao! How can you trust Ji so blindly! Once our forces attack Wangu, there will be no turning back! Your decision could very well lead to the complete annihilation of this branch of the Chihu!"

Wangu Zhi Cheng was a Zhongcheng (Middle City)! They dared to charge in with only a thousand troops; the decision was far too rash.

Hu Xi's usual伪装 (pretense/façade) could no longer be maintained.

He had traveled a long distance from Shangcheng to Yanqiu, to a down-and-out) Chihu branch依附 (dependent on) a Xiacheng, to subdue the old forces of his father's brother, Ye Shenshi (Master Smith/Forge Divine Emissary). He wanted to bring these Shouren under his control, not watch them march to their deaths.

Hu Xi's words couldn't sway Hu Liao at all. His gaze was fervent: "Xi Shaoye Young Master Xi, the Egu Ren Evil Bone People killed Lord Ye. As his old tribe, it is natural for us to seek revenge for him. This is a mission that all Chihu tribesmen must complete. You'd better not hinder/stop us."

At that moment, a tall figure walked out of the large tent. Hu Liao immediately abandoned Hu Xi and walked towards Ji's direction.

Hu Xi was so angry his face seemed to contort. What revenge? What mission that must be completed?

When Shenshi Ye was killed back then, this branch didn't come out to seek revenge for him. Now it was as if they suddenly knew the truth. The nonsense about revenge from Hu Liao's mouth wouldn't be believed by a three-year-old cub.

What Hu Liao coveted was Wangu Zhi Cheng. He wanted to capture a Zhongcheng and use this city as a bargaining chip for their branch's return to the Shen Dian Divine Temple.

Don't think he didn't know, if Ji hadn't inherited Shenshi Ye's talent for forging/smithing, Hu Liao would never have paid any attention to a Shouren like Ji who grew up outside.

The reason Hu Xi was acting together with Hu Liao was that they both wanted to control Ji. A forging genius who would obey their commands was sufficient to fulfill their goals without hindering their ambitions.

Hu Xi had never taken Ji seriously. But he never expected that this very shabby, dejected-looking Shouren would completely disrupt his plans.

Just last night, Ji, who had arrived at the Chihu territory travel-worn and weary, somehow said something to Hu Liao that actually convinced him to summon all the warriors in the territory to follow him to battle against Wangu.

Hu Xi stared viciously at Ji's face. Just what basis/qualification did this person have to make Hu Liao believe he could capture Wangu Zhi Cheng?

"Xi Shaoye, Wangu Zhi Cheng is Cang Shenshi's Granary Divine Emissary city. Whether they can capture Wangu or not, Cang Shenshi probably won't let the Chihu off. What should we do?"

"What can we do!" Hu Xi growled in a low voice. Everything here was already beyond his control.

"Let's go. What happens here has nothing to do with us." Hu Xi showed a ferocious/vicious smile towards Hu Liao's retreating back. "He thinks he can control Ji. Just wait. He will pay the price for today's actions."