“Careful.” Everyone was startled by the sudden scene.
Hei Lie shifted slightly and reached out, catching the flying golden-ringed snake and gripping it firmly at its vital spot.
The snake bared its fangs. Everyone raised their weapons, assuming a battle-ready stance. The tension was palpable.
The members of the Spark Tribe moved in perfect unison, exuding a powerful aura as they faced forward, looking ready to pounce and tear into their opponents at any moment.
The Green Python Tribe had sensed something unusual about this group from the start, and now they could truly feel their formidable strength.
Hei Lie raised one hand and then lowered it again. Instantly, the Spark Tribe members lowered their weapons in perfect sync, without a trace of hesitation. Orders were followed without question.
“We mean no harm. Could this be a misunderstanding?” Hei Lie remained calm, neither arrogant nor submissive.
“Misunderstanding?” Jin Huan scoffed, his eyes sharp and fierce. “We of the Green Python Tribe never abandon our own. You trying to buy one of our people as a slave is the greatest insult!”
Hei Lie chuckled. “I said manpower, not slaves.”
“Isn’t that the same thing?!”
“Not at all. We have no intention of taking your tribespeople by force.”
Hei Lie held out the golden-ringed snake toward Jin Huan. After a brief pause, Jin Huan reached out, and the snake slithered back along her arm.
“I believe you already know. We’ve been cultivating farmland.”
“You mean digging up dirt for no reason?” Jin Huan looked disdainful, though clearly intrigued.
The Spark Tribe was too alert and guarded for others to get close, so no one really knew what they were doing.
Hei Lie explained, “We’re planting food gifted to us by the gods. That way, we won’t need to risk lives sending people out to forage anymore.”
“There’s plenty to eat in the jungle. Why bother planting your own?” Jin Huan couldn’t understand this behavior and soon wore a smug expression.
“But your territory is far too barren. Our Green Python Tribe has everything. We don’t need to do such foolish things.”
The Spark Tribe members were visibly displeased at that comment. Foolish things? But none of them spoke up to argue.
“The abundance of the Green Python Tribe is certainly enviable,” Hei Lie acknowledged. “But I doubt you can pick chili peppers in the jungle, right? The point of cultivation is to supplement what the jungle doesn’t provide.”
“Besides, when you grow your own food, you can have vast fields filled with exactly what you want. When harvest time comes, it’s a breathtaking sight. I’ve never been to the Green Python Tribe, but I imagine you don’t have flower fields as wide as a lake, do you? If you plant them yourself, you can choose where to have a sea of blossoms—and they’ll be there.”
Jin Huan didn’t feel much at first, but when she heard “flowers as wide as a lake”, the image suddenly bloomed in her mind.
All kinds of beautiful flowers growing together, surrounding her. That would be such a dreamlike scene.
“…Alright, I take back what I said. What you’re saying does make some sense.”
“We also build tall, beautiful houses. Unlike cold, damp caves, they’re spacious, bright, dry, and well-ventilated. And if you have an eye for aesthetics, you can decorate them with your own unique style.”
Some of the unfamiliar words were lost on Jin Huan, but she could still imagine what Hei Lie meant by “houses”.
And then Hei Lie pulled out a material she couldn’t identify, with lifelike drawings on it.
Jin Huan was stunned by the artwork. What kind of skill was this? That such paintings could even exist in the world!
Amazing. Absolutely amazing.
Then her eyes were drawn to the content of the painting itself.
This was the kind of house she wanted!
Jin Huan’s eyes burned with intensity, locked onto the image, unable to look away.
“You can build houses this beautiful?!”
“Yes. We’ve already begun preparations, though we’ve run into a few challenges,” Hei Lie replied with a smile, watching her closely.
Jin Huan narrowed her eyes slightly. “Short on manpower?”
“And stone,” Hei Lie said, his gaze unwavering. “To build houses, we need stone. But the usable stone mountain is too far from our tribe. I believe we can make a trade.”
“You’ve got quite the appetite!” Jin Huan laughed in disbelief. This man was bold. No doubt about it.
“It’s a trade, not a gift. All we want is access to the stone mountain near the Green Python Tribe’s territory. From what I understand, you consider it a barren hill and haven’t claimed it.”
Jin Huan raised an eyebrow. “If it’s not part of our territory, why bring it up with me?”
Hei Lie chuckled. “Aren’t we friendly neighbors? It’s only polite to give notice. We wouldn’t want any misunderstandings.”
Opening up a mountain requires many people, and the tools involved can be quite dangerous. Given how close it is to the Green Python Tribe, it would surely raise concerns.
“I appreciate your attitude,” Jin Huan nodded approvingly. “So what’s your plan?”
“We need a lot of manpower. We hope to hire strong, able-bodied individuals from the Green Python Tribe. In return, we’ll compensate them according to the work they do.”
“Hire? Compensate?”
The Eastern Continent already had trade and inter-tribal cooperation, but this kind of formal employment and the concept of compensation were entirely new.
“Simply put, we hope you can send people to work for us. Those individuals will still be members of the Green Python Tribe. We’ll take care of their housing and meals, and also provide materials as compensation. What we need are strong, ordinary people. Of course, if any warriors are willing, they’re more than welcome too.”
In the Green Python Tribe, ordinary people held far lower status than warriors. The tribe had a large population, though exact numbers weren’t known to outsiders, it was clear the figure was substantial.
Even in a prosperous tribe like Green Python, survival pressures still existed. Food shortages could be a concern.
A large population also brought greater challenges. When it became difficult to send everyone out to forage, the burden grew heavier.
“We’ll establish contracts in advance, specifying when they’ll return, what tasks they’ll perform, what rights will be protected, and what compensation we’ll provide.”
“Compensation can be food or other goods. These are all negotiable.”
“At first, we can try short-term work as a trial. If you find it acceptable, you can send more people for longer periods.”
This was the result of discussions between Hei Lie and Yang Yi. Although they now had black pottery, the journey was long, and acquiring large numbers of slaves wasn’t easy.
What they needed now was more manpower, so they turned their attention to the Green Python Tribe.
With such a large population, there was bound to be surplus labor.
Moreover, having Green Python Tribe members work in the Spark Tribe would mark the beginning of interaction between the two tribes.
It would open a small door. One that could lead to mutual exchange from then on.
The Green Python Tribe occupied vast stretches of land and was rich in resources. Moreover, certain areas could only be accessed by passing through their territory. If the Spark Tribe wanted to develop and utilize more land, they had to build a good relationship with them.
The Green Python Tribe was extremely cautious and isolationist. This approach could gradually help them accept the Spark Tribe.
After all, once some of their people lived alongside the Spark Tribe, they would come to understand them better and be more willing to trust them.
And if anything happened, out of concern for their own tribe members, they would likely step in to help.
Once the Green Python Tribe grew accustomed to the conveniences brought by the Spark Tribe, they would take action to preserve those benefits.
Even if no agreement was reached, there would be no real loss.
Jin Huan fell silent. She had never considered such a possibility.
This was an entirely new approach, without precedent or reference.
For the moment, she couldn’t determine whether this kind of arrangement would benefit the Green Python Tribe or whether it might lead to unforeseen consequences.
Yet deep down, she felt a flicker of interest. The Green Python Tribe had its own vulnerabilities, after all.
Jin Huan didn’t give a definitive answer. “I can’t give you a reply on this just yet.”
Hei Lie wasn’t surprised by her response. After all, this wasn’t a trivial matter. Even as a chieftain, she couldn’t make a unilateral decision.
“We’re sincere, and we’re patient. When you’ve made up your mind, come find us. I believe you know how to reach us.”
At dawn, Hei Lie led his group away, not lingering in the dense forest.
Before leaving, he gave Jin Huan a generous supply of flower seeds, brought by Yang Yi from the marketplace.
To reveal the charm of cultivation, starting with the Green Python Tribe’s love of beauty was the perfect choice.
————
Spark Tribe.
“The chieftain and the others are back!”
Even when Hei Lie’s group was just a tiny speck on the horizon, the sentry spotted them through a telescope, and the loudspeaker broadcast the news to every corner of the settlement.
“I knew they’d return safely! I just hope they weren’t given a hard time.”
“Did they all make it back? Is anyone hurt?”
Only when they saw Hei Lie’s group returning exactly as they had left did everyone finally breathe a sigh of relief.
The Green Python Tribe was notoriously fierce and xenophobic. Venturing deep into their territory meant anything could happen.
Yang Yi also received the news. Unlike the others, he wasn’t worried. He knew that man wouldn’t have run into trouble.
“You’re back.”
Yang Yi greeted him. But as Hei Lie approached, he immediately noticed something off about the man’s expression.
“What happened?”
“Our tribe is about to face a crisis.”
Hei Lie’s serious tone made Yang Yi’s heart skip a beat.
Everyone was summoned to the central clearing. The tension in the air was palpable.
This space had been deliberately set aside by Yang Yi during construction, intended for large gatherings and meetings.
Hei Lie, Yang Yi, Jiao, and others stood on the raised platform as Hei Lie truthfully relayed the information he had learned from the Green Python Tribe.
“How is this possible?! My god, have they gone mad?!”
“To wipe us out, they actually traded away Blackstone weapons? Aren’t they afraid of divine punishment? Those weapons were bestowed upon the Blackstone Tribe by the gods!”
“He’s handing Blackstone weapons to demons. He’ll be punished by the gods for this.”
“No wonder that stingy chieftain didn’t stop us when we left, even let us take so many supplies. Turns out he never planned to let us go peacefully!”
“That’s just like him…”
Everyone was utterly shocked, unable to believe what they’d heard. They all thought the Blackstone Tribe—or rather, the Blackstone chieftain—had lost his mind.
They knew full well that every decision made by the Blackstone Tribe now came directly from the chieftain and the shaman. Back when they were still part of the tribe, they had already felt the oppressive dictatorship of their rule.
They desperately hoped the information was false. Even though they had broken away from the Blackstone Tribe, they didn’t want to see it fall into ruin.
But deep down, they knew that it was probably true.
The Fang Tribe would obey the Blackstone Tribe’s orders and go after Hei Lie’s group. And the price for that wouldn’t be just a few slaves or supplies.
After all, Hei Lie was a Level Four warrior, not someone ordinary people would dare provoke.
A thousand people were already a considerable number on the Eastern Continent, enough to form a medium-sized tribe.
Especially since the proportion of warriors was unusually high. Each one was brave and battle-hardened, even the civilians were strong, and they had taken a good number of Blackstone weapons with them. Trying to conquer a group like this would come at a steep cost.
The Fang Tribe rarely challenged groups like this. What truly tempted them were the rare and unattainable Blackstone weapons.
Everyone reacted so strongly to the news because they couldn’t understand why such weapons would be handed over to people like that, just for the sake of killing them.
It was well known that even within the Blackstone Tribe, Blackstone weapons were extremely precious and scarce. Not every warrior had access to one.
Hei Lie swept his gaze across the crowd, his voice calm but firm:
“The Fang Tribe is cunning and ruthless. If they get their hands on Blackstone weapons, their combat strength will rise significantly. This battle will be fierce.”
The Spark Tribe’s current combat power was far from weak. They had a strong chance of winning against the Fang Tribe.
But Hei Lie wasn’t worried about losing. What concerned him was the potential for heavy casualties.
The Fang Tribe was formidable. With the backing of the Blackstone Tribe, they were even more terrifying.
Their numbers weren’t large, but they had no elderly, no sick, no weak—only strong warriors and robust civilians. Every single one of them was a deadly fighter.
This tribe embodied the law of the jungle—survival of the fittest. That made them incredibly powerful in battle.
So while the Spark Tribe could handle them, the cost would likely be steep.
The tribe had only just been established. Every person was needed. Losing even one would be a significant blow.
And if the battle broke out on their own land, it could destroy everything they’d worked so hard to build.
Hei Lie’s gaze sharpened. “People of the Spark Tribe—do you dare face this battle?!”
“Who cares about Fang or Blackstone—we, the Spark Tribe, are the strongest!” someone shouted from the crowd.
“Yes! Let them see how formidable we are. Let everyone know the Spark Tribe is not to be messed with!”
“If they dare come, we’ll rip out their fangs one by one.”
“One comes, we kill one!”
“That’s right! One comes, one dies!”
Someone shouted from the crowd, and others quickly joined in, their eyes burning with hatred and fury.
Everyone’s fighting spirit was ignited. The atmosphere surged with intensity. No one showed fear.
They had powerful weapons, ample food, and medicine gifted by the gods.
Whoever dared to invade would never return alive!
To survive in this world, they had to show their strength. This battle was the perfect opportunity.
To many, the Fang Tribe represented evil. Human nature made them deeply despised.
That kind of tribe didn’t deserve Blackstone weapons. If the Blackstone Tribe didn’t treasure such rare weapons, then they would seize them and distribute them to those truly worthy.
Yang Yi was swept up in the fervor. His unease faded significantly.
The people here were raised in bloodshed. From a young age, they understood the dangers of their world. Even knowing they’d face a formidable enemy, they showed no hesitation or fear. Every one of them was a fearless warrior.
As strategies for the battle were being discussed, Yang Yi, who had never even been in a fight, had no say and didn’t pretend to know better.
He had only one request: “We must not let them enter the tribe.”
Various crops had just begun to sprout. Some fast-growing ones were already showing promising results. The entire tribe was now blanketed in greenery.
Even the poultry had started to take shape.
If this place became a battlefield, even if they won in the end, the losses would be immense, directly affecting future harvests.
Right now, they could still meet their basic needs, but they had no reserve food. That meant they could not withstand sudden disasters.
For a tribe, that was extremely dangerous.
This year was meant to be their foundation year. Yang Yi didn’t want anyone to ruin that plan.
“I won’t give them the chance,” Hei Lie said firmly. “I plan to strike first. Using a defensive strategy against these people will only lead to heavy losses.”
The Fang Tribe, once they realized how strong the Spark Tribe was, would likely resort to ambush tactics.
There’s a saying: thieves can strike for a thousand years, but no one can guard against them for a thousand years. Staying passive only left the tribe in a state of constant fear.
It was better to eliminate the threat before they even stepped onto their land. Wipe them out and remove the hidden danger.
Everyone agreed with this approach. Waiting for the enemy to attack was not their style.
Yang Yi admired their boldness. In this world, you didn’t need a noble reason to fight.
If someone wanted to hit you, they just did. No need to pick a date.
Victory determined everything. Whoever had the strongest force held the power to speak.
Just like the Blackstone Tribe and the Fang Tribe, many people secretly disliked them.
But in the face of overwhelming strength, no one dared say a word. Some even hoped to curry favor with them.
“If they dare come, I’ll cut off their heads, skin them, and hang them from the tree branches!”
Tu wore a bloodthirsty expression, his hand resting on the Blackstone weapon at his waist. He was visibly excited. The others were itching for action, too.
Yang Yi felt a pounding in his forehead. Thankfully, he was regarded as a divine envoy. If he were seen as an enemy, he’d probably be dead three times over by now, and each death would’ve been excruciating.
“I wonder where they are now. We should still have time to dig traps in advance,” Jiao said.
“Digging pits is our specialty!” Chi grinned. “We’re working at several times our old speed now!”
Everyone laughed at that, especially those who had gone with Hei Lie to the Green Python Tribe. They laughed even louder.
They spent their free time digging trenches and wells. It was hard not to become good at it.
Hei Lie unfolded a piece of paper with a rough map drawn on it.
“I’ll lead a group to trap them here and drive them into the Black Forest.”
“Drive them into the Black Forest?”
“How? They’re not stupid. They won’t just run straight into it.”
Everyone was confused. They didn’t understand why Hei Lie wanted to do this. They were all prepared for a head-on clash with the enemy.
To let blood soak the earth and send a message to all.
But from the sound of it, Hei Lie didn’t seem to intend that approach.
“That’s where strategy comes in.”
Hei Lie smiled faintly. It wasn’t a warm smile. It was unsettling.
“The Fang Tribe is very powerful. They know how to fight and have far more experience than we do. Even with the weapons granted by the divine envoy and our preparations, it’ll be hard to avoid heavy casualties.”
“We’re not afraid to die!” someone shouted impatiently.
“No need for all this trouble. Let’s just charge in and kill them all! We can definitely defeat them!”
“Not fearing death doesn’t mean we should rush to die,” Hei Lie said, casting a sideways glance at the two. “Don’t forget. Our goal is to protect our homeland, to keep our people safe. The warriors who fight are our people, too.”
Jiao nodded in agreement. “Hei Lie is right. We need to understand the purpose of this battle, not just focus on killing.”
The ones who had spoken lowered their heads, and the others fell silent.
They were battle-hardened, but not reckless.
“As far as I know, most incidents in the Black Forest happened around this time,” Hei Lie said, pointing at the map. “We can use that. Even if the forest is safe, we’ll make sure they don’t get a chance to leave.”
“Driving them into the Black Forest and avoiding direct confrontation will reduce unnecessary casualties. Defeating them is essential, but minimizing losses is just as important. That will prove our strength even more.”
Xi Hou suddenly stood up and shouted:
“That’s right! We don’t want mutual destruction. We want total domination. And how we achieve that depends on our skill. What we’re aiming for isn’t just brute force, but a battle of wits!”
Everyone now understood Hei Lie’s plan and voiced their support.
Though it lacked the raw thrill of a head-on clash, the thought of a successful strategy was just as exciting.
No one present feared death, but none of them wanted to see their friends and family die in war.
Hei Lie laid out the plan in detail and assigned responsibilities to each person. But the way everyone looked at him had changed.
Too cunning. Too sly!
“Hei Lie, you weren’t like this before. Are you still the same Hei Lie?”
“How did you come up with all these schemes? Oh man, I’m never crossing you again. I wouldn’t even know how I died.”
“You’re terrifying… and evil.”
“…”
Jiao spoke up to ease the tension: “This makes it harder for others to gauge our tribe’s strength. It’ll make more tribes wary of us.”
“What else do you guys know besides swinging blades? These days, every powerful tribe uses strategy. As long as we win, what’s a little trickery?” scoffed Xi Hou.
Yang Yi also chimed in: “Our strategies are for dealing with invaders. We treat our friends with warmth and kindness. That way, everyone will know we’re both formidable and friendly.”
It was just talk. When hunting, no one blindly charged in swinging blades. They always thought things through, setting traps and bait.
As for the shameless Fang Tribe, there was no such thing as killing them too harshly. They didn’t deserve the honor of being treated like warriors.
“What a pity. I wanted to use their skulls to make head bowls. Black pottery just doesn’t compare. If we drive them into the Black Forest, I probably won’t get the chance.”
A burly warrior sighed, sounding genuinely regretful.
Yang Yi glanced at him. He’d always thought this warrior was a bit simple-minded. He often got “bullied” by others—his food stolen—and would just laugh it off, never seeming to care.
He had misjudged—completely misjudged.
Everyone here was more ruthless and fierce than the last!
The fact that his head was still attached to his neck… what a relief.
