Chapter 326
“What else could it be?” The old beastman named Niu Qu sighed. “Seeing you carrying so many supplies—are you planning to migrate to Bei Huang? If so, I advise you to turn back quickly and leave this land.”
Qi Bai poured the old beastman a cup of hot water, gesturing for him to continue.
“Not long ago, our E Lian tribe wasn’t spared either. All the food we had painstakingly stored for winter was stolen. These past years in Bei Huang…” The old beastman let out a bitter sigh, eyes glistening. “Everyone lives day by day. Stored food was never enough—and now, even worse. The warriors had no choice but to hunt through the freezing winter. I’m old, so I can only stay near the tribe and try to gather what little food I can.”
“Your tribe is so strong, your beastmen so sturdy—don’t go forward, just leave this land,” Niu Qu shook his head. “I heard even some of the large tribes in Hun Rong have already migrated away.”
The old beastman had poured out a torrent of words, but Lang Ze caught the key point.
“You…” Shock spread across Niu Qu’s face. “You mean to seek the Le Li? Wait—did I just say their name out loud to you?”
Indeed, Hei Yao’s army had taken the same route as the caravans heading west. Along the way, Yun Jing and Shu You had traded with over a dozen tribes and sketched a map, though it was crude and lacked many proper names.
Qi Bai had already cross-checked earlier—the E Lian tribe’s name appeared on the trade records, and its location matched this area.
Niu Qu looked excitedly at the countless campfires across the mountains. Now, seeing clearly—this wasn’t a migration team at all. There were no elders or cubs, only the strongest horned beastman warriors.
A wild guess formed in Niu Qu’s heart—but it was so outrageous even he dared not believe it.
“I know! I know!” Niu Qu’s face flushed, his arms flailing with excitement. “I really do know. When they raided E Lian, I overheard them talking—the Le Li are raising their beasts by Chen Shui!”
The campfire crackled. The five generals sat around a beast-hide map spread across the ground.
Ten days meant ten days’ march—right at the border of Hun Rong and Bei Huang. The location matched the estimate Qi Bai and Lang Ze had already discussed.
“That’s even better!” Xiong Han said. “We’ll crush this detachment at Chen Shui, then march west to Hun Rong and wipe out the main force.”
“Don’t forget—they entered Bei Huang from the north. There may still be forces in Yi Di. If the Chen Shui group breaks out and alerts those outside, we could be flanked by forces from both Hun Rong and Yi Di. Their numbers might be four or five times ours. That would be disastrous.”
Everyone frowned. They had marched thousands of li to Bei Huang—if they couldn’t subdue the Le Li, all would be wasted.
“What’s wrong with that?”
The group froze, then all turned to Qi Bai.
Clearly, the five generals had learned much from years at Lang Ze’s side. Each could analyze strategy now. In battlefield command, Qi Bai might not match them—but in planning operations, his insight was invaluable. After all, he carried the accumulated wisdom of Hua Xia’s history in his bones.
“Of course.” Qi Bai nodded. “If the Chen Shui Le Li are too few, we’ll send them a battle challenge—set a time and place for decisive war.”
Traditionally, beastmen warred with ambushes and sieges—hunting tactics adapted to battle. It kept forces concentrated and losses minimal. Nothing wrong with that.
But tactics served strategy, and strategy served the war’s purpose.
This war’s goal was to end the Le Li threat to Hei Yao once and for all.
The Yi Di Plains were vast—nearly as large as Hun Rong and Bei Huang combined. To unify such a land into a massive tribe of tens of thousands was no small feat.
From one angle, Qi Bai thought, that Le Li leader, Cang Xie, was a sort of hero.
If he hadn’t set his sights on Hei Yao, if he’d simply lived in Yi Di, Hei Yao would have gladly traded with them. Such a large tribe would need vast goods—profit was profit, no matter from whom.
But Cang Xie erred—by daring to target Hei Yao, and by doing so at such a turbulent time.
Wan Gu and Cang Shen Si had been destroyed, but greater powers—like the Hong Chai clan—might still be behind them.
Hei Yao, with its treasures and its Ju Feng and Yin Yue allies, would surely become a coveted target under the excuse of “divine blood revival.”
The Le Li themselves weren’t terrifying—but their presence could shift the balance of the whole continent.
Hidden enemies could not be ignored. Hei Yao could not allow such a massive threat to linger.
And removing this threat didn’t necessarily mean killing every Le Li.
“Our numbers are limited. We can’t stretch our lines thin. Scattered captives would be impossible to guard. The best course is to subdue them all at once,” Qi Bai said. “That way, we spare their civilians too.”
Yes—Hei Yao not only had to win, but win while sparing as many Le Li civilians as possible.
Most of Le Li’s people had been coerced or half-coerced into joining. How much loyalty could they truly have?
Better to take them back to farm than leave them starving on the plains.
That was the main reason Hei Yao had mobilized its entire city across the freezing season to march against the Le Li.
To turn a threat into soldiers and subjects—that was meaningful victory.
“The Le Li’s raids differ from before,” Lang Ze said. “They stripped E Lian of all food—that means their shortage is critical. With food as bait, and Cang Quan arrogance, he’ll fight. If he truly doesn’t dare—” Lang Ze’s eyes hardened—“then we split forces to chase. No thought for casualties. We must not let them regroup.”
“Yes!”
The envoy’s persuasion would decide if the challenge worked. The choice was critical.
“Beastmen have never sent envoys like this,” Lang Ze replied. “An envoy must be ready to die. But you five command fifteen hundred warriors each. Their lives depend on you. None of you can go.”
Nor could Lang Ze or Qi Bai go themselves.
So, who would?
“Let me!”
They turned to see a young man.
“Lin,” Lang Zhan frowned. “This isn’t for you to hear.”
“I wasn’t eavesdropping.” Lang Lin stood tall. “Manager Xiong Feng sent me to tell you: the E Lian man brought another horned beastman to the camp.”
Lang Ze finally turned, looking at his uncle’s son.
This past year, raised by Aunt Lang Yao, the boy had lost his Wan Gu arrogance and the emptiness after his mother’s death. Now his eyes showed fear of Lang Ze, yes—but also duty and resolve. Like jade sinking into water—shaken, yet steady.
“You’re not afraid to die?”
By Chen Shui
“Huo—he, Huo—he.”
A dark-skinned youth waved a leather strap, shouting as he drove a herd of wild cattle to the river.
Strangely, the notoriously irritable beasts merely flicked their tails in annoyance, without kicking him.
When they bent their heads to drink, he tucked the strap into his belt and ran to a tree.
“Xie, why are you still staring at that thing? Is it so interesting?”
“Have Yi and the others returned?”
“They’re back.” Cang Dun sat at the roots. “Chi and the rest are sorting the spoils.”
“Mm.”
“The tribe is complaining again—the food shares too small. I hear many want to return to Yi Di. Xie, can’t we go back?”
“Even for the herds—it’s too barren here. They’re starving, growing irritable.”
“Xie? Xie? Are you listening? Did you fall asleep?”
“Shut up.”
“Xie! Xie!”
The ragged tents, muddy paths, stinking air, unkempt beastmen—
In their midst, three figures in clean fur robes stood out starkly.
Cang Xie entered and saw them at once—especially the pale face he found vaguely familiar.
“Chief!” “Chief!”
Leaders around them bowed to Cang Xie.
“Envoys of Hei Yao,” his golden eyes glinted. “You dare step into my territory.”
The envoy party was Lang Lin, Shu You, and Lang Tai. Shu You had spoken to Cang Xie before, so his presence gave weight. Lang Tai had insisted on joining to guard them.
Though he asked Shu You, his voice carried so all heard.
“Hei Yao has also brought food for ten thousand for ten days. If you submit, it will be yours. Become Hei Yao’s vassal, obey its orders, and greater rewards will follow.”
Shu You received it and offered it to Cang Xie.
Cang Xie unfolded it idly. After one glance, he chuckled—then burst into shaking laughter.
At his laugh, the greedy leaders around him joined in.
“So funny. Too funny.”
Laughter boomed again.
Lang Lin glanced at Shu You. Shu You gave a small nod.
“Cang Xie,” Lang Lin thundered, “how dare you insult our City Lord and Great Priest! Hei Yao will never forgive your insolence.
Ten days hence, Hei Yao’s army will crush Chen Shui. Do you dare meet us in battle?”
Cang Xie’s gaze turned cold. Silence fell.
But the envoys had expected death already. Even under his feral stare, they stood unmoved.
“If it’s war you want—why wait ten days?”
“Ten days, then.”
Cang Xie rose.
“Tell your City Lord and Great Priest—keep my food safe. In ten days, I’ll come reclaim what is mine.”
“We’re done.”
“Wait.”
The three halted. This mercurial chief was hard to read.
Then he followed Lang Lin and Lang Tai out without looking back.
“Chief! Do they really have that much food?”
“Cities are richer than tribes. Chief, let’s seize their city!”
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