“Why hasn’t that guy Hong Shu come back yet? It’s already past the scheduled time.”
Chi looked at the hourglass on the table. His brows couldn’t help but furrow.
They had been inspired by the Green Python Tribe and had also begun using the skill of burrowing underground.
Although Hong Shu hadn’t only just learned how to burrow, he had possessed that talent from a very early age. Because he was just a half-grown child who had only seen ten Flame Seasons, he hadn’t been of much use in actual hunts before, so he had never been given much importance.
This was the first time he had used it in such an important and dangerous matter, so it was inevitable that people would feel concerned.
Tu gazed into the distance, his expression showing no obvious change.
“There’s no distress signal. Let’s wait a little longer.”
“I just hope our decision wasn’t wrong. If Hong Shu loses his life because of this, I don’t know how we’ll explain it to the Divine Envoy.”
Chi’s expression was filled with anxiety as he paced back and forth, unable to calm down.
This had been a last-minute decision. According to Hei Lie’s original plan, they didn’t need to deliberately send someone to incite those captives into coordinating from inside.
But when they learned that the Fang Tribe had captured more than two thousand people, they decided on the spot.
Unite all forces that can be united. That was what the Divine Envoy had taught them.
If they could rally this group, not only would their chances of victory increase, but they could also rescue some people, allowing their tribe to grow stronger.
Otherwise, luring everyone into the Black Forest and losing so many strong people for nothing would be far too great a pity.
An attack from inside and outside at once would also increase their odds of winning.
Tu, for the first time, activated the walkie-talkie to consult Hei Lie’s opinion.
Hei Lie granted him the authority to adapt to circumstances. So long as the objective was achieved and the losses did not exceed the projected amount, he could alter the plan according to the actual situation.
If this step went wrong, it wouldn’t just mean losing someone with a rare talent. It could also cause other unforeseen changes, and, even more importantly, it would betray Hei Lie’s trust.
Tu felt extremely proud and pleased to be entrusted with such an important responsibility.
Although he had always thought himself unqualified to be a chief, he still believed himself to be outstanding, the bravest warrior. He did not want his decision to bring disappointment.
Tu said nothing, his gaze fixed on the large pit ahead.
It wasn’t until a noise came from the bottom of the pit that Tu, who had been calm all this time, instantly moved into action.
A small head popped out. Tu quickly pulled Hong Shu up. Before he could even ask a question, another small head emerged from the pit.
A cold gleam flashed in Tu’s eyes. Hong Shu quickly said,
“There’s another person!”
Tu’s expression did not look good, but he said nothing and pulled the person from the bottom of the pit.
That person looked very thin and small, filthy to the point that it was impossible to tell whether they were male or female.
When brought up to the surface, their whole body trembled, head lowered, hiding behind Hong Shu, wishing they could shrink into the size of an ant so no one could see them at all.
Tu did not intend to make things difficult and called for Ting: “Take her to wash up and get something to eat.”
Ting was the army’s field medic. Her medical skills, especially in treating external injuries, were the best in the entire tribe. Her techniques were skillful, her use of medicine precise, and even Jiao could not compare.
She had already begun taking apprentices. The tribe had a great demand for talent in this area. Every day, there were many injuries. As long as people went out hunting or gathering, it was almost impossible to avoid them, so such expertise was in high demand.
Ting’s apprentices were currently focused on learning external injury treatment, so a few capable assistants had quickly been trained, able to handle basic nursing work.
This time, nearly all of them had come along, serving as one of the key supports in logistics.
In the past, one of the major reasons the tribe suffered heavy losses when encountering enemies was the lack of timely treatment.
What began as a minor wound would end up becoming a severe injury due to improper care, and the injured would end up being eliminated.
Once Ting had led that person away, Tu instantly hardened his expression. “Hong Shu, have you forgotten what your mission is?”
It was already extremely dangerous to infiltrate the Fang Tribe’s camp. Yet, he had secretly brought back another person. This could cause huge trouble.
Tu was very dissatisfied with Hong Shu’s acting on his own.
“Captain, listen to me. I had a reason for bringing her back!”
Tu remained unmoved, his gaze sharp. “If you’re about to say you took pity on her, then you don’t need to speak.”
“No, no, that’s not it! You have to hear me out. Once you know the reason, you’ll definitely agree with what I did.”
“You’d better give me a reason that can convince me, or you’ll have to accept strict punishment.”
Tu was extremely displeased, but he was still willing to listen to Hong Shu’s explanation.
“Her name is Hua Sui. She has an older sister named Hua Ban. They were born at the same time—extremely rare twins from a single birth.”
Seeing Tu’s expression grow darker, Hong Shu didn’t dare to beat around the bush any longer and went straight to the point:
“But that’s not the most important thing. The key is that she and her sister can talk to each other in their minds!”
This sentence left everyone present stunned. None of them had expected such a thing to exist.
At this point, Chi couldn’t help but cut in: “Kid, make yourself clear.”
“The sisters were born with the ability to sense each other. They can hear each other’s thoughts.”
Seeing Tu’s expression improve noticeably, Hong Shu let out a breath of relief and began explaining his intentions:
“I brought Hua Sui back for two reasons. First, so she can tell those people about our situation here and make them willing to trust us. Second, so we can know what’s happening on the other side at any time. This way, we can carry out our plan better.”
Hong Shu had also learned from Yang Yi before, and usually liked to hang around him when there was nothing to do. His way of speaking had been influenced. He liked to lay things out in first, second, and third points.
Chi’s eyes lit up. “Is that real? There’s actually an ability like that?”
“I don’t think they have any reason to lie to us. Deceiving us would only make their situation even more miserable. It wouldn’t do them any good.”
Hong Shu then recounted what the girl had told him about what had happened along the way. Even Tu and the others, whose hands were already stained with blood, couldn’t help but spit fiercely in disgust.
The demons in the Fang Tribe didn’t deserve to be called human!
Tu clenched his fist and bumped Hong Shu in the chest, a warrior’s gesture of respect.
“You did very well in this matter, kid.”
Hong Shu beamed brightly, standing up straight.
“But next time, you still can’t act on your own. If I say one, it means one.”
Tu shot him a sidelong glance in warning, not wanting Hong Shu to get carried away and start ignoring his orders in the future.
Hong Shu immediately straightened up. “Understood!”
Only then did Tu nod in satisfaction. Looking toward the direction where Hua Sui had gone, his gaze blazed:
“This is a gift sent to us by the gods. He must also want those devils to disappear, and for our tribe to become stronger. That’s why such a person was sent to our side!”
Spark Tribe.
“What a wondrous world, with wondrous abilities.”
Hearing Tu’s report from the other end, Yang Yi was full of amazement. This ability was far more useful than a telephone!
Conversations inside the mind. No need to worry about eavesdropping or about situations where taking out a phone would be inconvenient.
Back on Earth, Yang Yi had often heard stories of twins having telepathy, able to sense each other’s emotions or even pain from afar. But he hadn’t expected to encounter an enhanced version here.
Hei Lie also marveled at such an ability, but he was not as shocked as Yang Yi. He analyzed calmly:
“Like a walkie-talkie, it would still be limited by distance and energy. These sisters are still young. They can’t transmit too much information over long distances.”
“That’s already incredible! With such talent joining our tribe, so many things will become easier. Raise more like them, and even wired communications couldn’t compare!”
Having watched many spy films, Yang Yi couldn’t help but feel a bit concerned. “Are we certain this girl is fine? She’s not an undercover agent, is she?”
“Whether or not we have this girl won’t change the outcome. The difference lies only in how many of those captives we can keep.”
Hei Lie wasn’t worried about this. Tu wasn’t someone who only knew how to use brute force. After being tempered under the Blackstone Tribe Chief, he understood the unpredictability of human hearts. He wouldn’t casually reveal specific plans that needed to remain secret.
“I just hope there will be fewer unnecessary casualties.” Yang Yi frowned deeply, feeling that he had to do something.
Their original plan was to use a certain plant, ground together with other plants into a powder, to attract the fierce Giant-horned bulls to charge toward the Fang Tribe. While the enemy was thrown into chaos, they would lead the main force into the Black Forest.
As for the scattered ones, they would be much easier to kill.
This small flower had been discovered by Ting. It was a very inconspicuous blossom.
Normally, it was simply a favorite of the Giant-horned bulls. If one found these flowers, there was a good chance the bulls could be found nearby. After eating them, the bulls would become extremely excited.
If it were only normally ground, it couldn’t achieve the desired effect.
Ting had found it interesting and given it to Qing.
Qing, inspired by Yang Yi’s Chinese medicine and adding in Jiao’s store of knowledge, discovered through research that by combining it with another type of grass, they could make a medicinal powder that was extremely enticing to the Giant-horned bulls.
The plan sounded simple, but putting it into practice would not be easy.
First of all, how to lure that herd of beasts was already a huge problem.
It was possible that before the beasts even charged into the Fang Tribe, the person carrying the lure would already be trampled to death by the bulls.
Though these Giant-horned bulls were massive, they could still weave quickly through the dense forest—faster than many warriors.
They feared no thorns, trampling straight over them. Nothing could stand in their way.
In the process, casualties could easily occur.
For those captives, survival would be even harder.
The Fang Tribe would definitely use them as bait to lure the Giant-horned bulls, while the tribe’s warriors fled in another direction.
And indeed, that was exactly what happened.
“Chief, something’s not right!” Wu Gou pricked up his ears sharply, spotting small animals fleeing in panic, running toward the human crowd.
The ground seemed to tremble ever so slightly, and the shaking grew more and more obvious.
Bai Lie narrowed his eyes slightly. “Be on guard! Put all the slaves in front!”
“Chief, it’s Giant-horned bulls. A huge herd of them! They’re charging straight at us!”
“Damn it! Where did so many Giant-horned bulls come from? It must be that Hei Lie’s doing!” Bai Lie was furious. “Hah, foolish! You think this will wipe us out?”
“Put the slaves in front! Make them lure away the bulls!”
The slaves cried out in terror, but the Fang Tribe warriors felt no pity. Using blackstone weapons, they forced the captives to run toward the oncoming bulls.
Anyone who refused to move was cut down on the spot.
“Run! If we run, there’s still a sliver of a chance to live!” someone shouted from the crowd, and soon many voices took up the cry.
Whether they wanted to or not, the captives could only run forward, not daring to turn back with the Fang Tribe.
The Giant-horned bulls surged in like a tide, charging fiercely through the dense forest, smashing down large trees and rampaging straight ahead.
The captives did not scatter in panic after being frightened. Most of them ran in the same direction. Faintly, it seemed someone was shouting, “If you want to live, run with me!”
Just as Bai Lie had expected, most of the Giant-horned bulls had their attention drawn away and charged after them.
The bulls were far too fast, quickly closing the gap. Some who lagged behind were trampled to death, their screams echoing all around.
A number of the bulls also charged toward Bai Lie’s group, but most were cut down by the Fang Tribe warriors’ weapons. The scent of blood spread rapidly through the forest.
“Those treacherous people must be nearby! We’ll drag them out one by one, skin them alive, and swallow them whole!”
The Fang Tribe fought off the scattered bulls while also keeping a wary eye on their surroundings, in case of an ambush.
“Chief, just now, something strange was flying in the air. I think it’s what brought those bulls here.”
“Catch it alive! We’ll make it part of our Fang Tribe!”
The captives, used as bait, ran for their lives. Lan Xue pulled out the strange black box that Hong Shu had given him, pressed a certain spot, and from inside came a voice:
“If you want to live, follow me! If you want to live, follow me!”
The phrase repeated over and over, loud and grating, gripping everyone’s attention and making them unconsciously run toward the direction of the sound.
Lan Xue ran with all his might. A strange black object hovered in the air, following them closely.
The same kind of object also flew above the herd of Giant-horned bulls. If one looked closely, its body was continuously scattering something, making the bulls more and more excited.
It was precisely because of that device that some of the Giant-horned bulls were lured away instead of chasing the captives the whole time, giving them a bit more time to escape.
“Lan Xue, there’s a trap ahead.” As Hua Ban ran desperately, her sister’s message suddenly came into her mind.
Lan Xue quickly pressed another button, and the words coming from the box changed:
“If you want to live, take the yellow grass! If you want to live, take the yellow grass…”
———
“Xi Hou, how’s the situation?” Tu asked.
“Most of the captives have passed through the trap zone. Not many of the Giant-horned bulls caught up. Most have fallen into the traps. The Fang Tribe people haven’t followed.”
Xi Hou and the other members of the scout team controlled drones from a distance, watching the frontline through a small screen.
After much consideration, Yang Yi had finally decided to take out his precious, expensive drones.
Relying on the native people’s own strength was certainly important. But since they currently had the means, he didn’t want to see unnecessary casualties.
This was different from slow development. Human life was above all else. Even in this world, Yang Yi wouldn’t change that belief.
To clearly have the ability, yet just watch as people lost their lives for the sake of so-called training or independence in matters that hadn’t even happened yet, Yang Yi felt he could never live with himself.
After discussing with Hei Lie, he brought out a machine that, in this primitive world, was far beyond the local level of civilization.
With drones, their original problems were easily solved, though casualties were still inevitable.
Once the Giant-horned bulls went into a frenzy, they became much harder to control.
Especially after spotting humans, the Giant-horned bulls would become utterly frenzied. Though they were herbivores, their aggression toward humans was still very strong.
The medicinal powder couldn’t guide them any further, but the results were already better than expected.
Flying drones in the forest wasn’t easy, but Xi Hou and the others were full of natural talent. After only two or three practice runs, they could operate them with skill, as if the drones had become an extension of their own bodies, never once crashing.
Even in the dense jungle, they could still fly with agility, performing every maneuver with ease, without hitting so much as a single branch.
The team monitoring the Fang Tribe reported: “The Fang Tribe has almost killed all the scattered Giant-horned bulls. Their path has already shifted, just as we predicted.”
“Two of our drones got caught by them… ah! They just shot mine down, too!” One man was full of frustration, frantically pressing buttons, but it was useless.
“All units, fly high. We’re attacking immediately!”
Tu could wait no longer and gave the order to strike.
Sharp arrows rained down from all directions into the Fang Tribe’s ranks. The enemy pulled nearby slaves in front of them as shields, hiding behind their bodies.
But there were simply too many arrows. With over half of the slaves having fled earlier during the Giant-horned bulls’ charge, there weren’t enough left to block the arrow rain.
These arrows had immense penetrating power, easily capable of piercing through a human body.
“Take cover!”
Bai Lie roared, hiding behind a large tree, trying to locate the enemy. But the moment he poked his head out, an arrow whistled toward him. He dodged just in time to avoid getting his skull pierced.
“From this far away, how can they shoot so accurately?!”
The arrows came from far away, and they were clearly not shot at random. Their accuracy was exceptionally high.
The Fang Tribe warriors couldn’t figure it out at all. They could only flee in panic, searching for suitable cover.
Along the way, traps appeared one after another—deep pits lined with sharp wooden stakes, spiked logs suddenly swinging down from the front, swarms of vicious bees, and full-body snare nets that hoisted people into the air.
Whenever they tried to stop, the traps forced them to keep moving. And since they were unfamiliar with the area, they gradually and unknowingly retreated into the Black Forest.
“Chief, we have to get out of here. Something’s wrong with this place!”
Wu Gou had keenly sensed danger. Though it was all forest, this part was noticeably different from the one they had passed before.
His instincts told him they couldn’t stay here.
But it was already too late. Behind them was a dense rain of arrows and swarms of venomous bees chasing them.
These venomous bees were tiny, yet among the most fearsome poisonous creatures in the forest.
Normally, they would not actively attack. But once provoked, they would not stop until either they or their target was dead.
Their venom could kill a person in agony. Being pursued by a massive swarm of them was a fate worse than simply falling over dead on the spot.
The bees had been stirred up by some strange black flying thing. As the warriors passed by, that object suddenly rammed into a massive venomous beehive hanging in the air.
Swarms of venomous bees then rushed at them. With pursuers behind, they were forced into a desperate, chaotic escape.
A warrior with the gift of beast affinity had just tried to calm the bees when he was shot dead on the spot.
The Fang Tribe wanted to leave this place. But death had already crept up on them.
A faint scent drifted into their noses, gradually growing stronger. The people around them began collapsing one after another…
“Put on your gas masks and run!”
Tu shouted loudly. They needed to drive the Fang Tribe deep into the Black Forest, but they themselves also had to enter the forest’s edge.
From a distance, they could see through binoculars a purple wind blowing in from who knows where. Wherever it passed, people dropped to the ground foaming at the mouth.
Just as the Divine Envoy had guessed, it was a poisonous gas capable of killing!
The group no longer dared to linger in battle, fleeing from the Black Forest at their fastest speed.
Hei Lie turned off the walkie-talkie, his expression visibly more relaxed than before, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
“Still lost quite a few people,” Yang Yi said, having also heard Tu’s report. Even as the joy of victory rose in his heart, he couldn’t help feeling heavy inside.
In war, there are always casualties.
Even though they had gained a great advantage, such losses were still unavoidable.
Yang Yi knew every single person here, could call each of them by name. Not long ago, they had eaten meat together and danced around the fire.
Now, some of them were gone forever. Some were barely in their teens.
And as for the captives, their death toll was even more shocking. In just that short span of time, so many lives had been snuffed out.
Hei Lie was very satisfied with the outcome. He had long grown accustomed to such casualties. Though he still felt regret, it was not the same kind of sorrow that weighed on Yang Yi.
In his world, it was the most natural thing for people around him to fall in battle.
“With you here, the losses are already less than half of what we expected. That’s something worth celebrating.” Hei Lie’s dark eyes fixed on him. “This world’s rules are like this. We’re working hard to change them, but before that, we have to focus on the good.”
Yang Yi pulled out a faint smile. It was just a moment of emotion. So what if he couldn’t accept it? Life still had to go on.
Better to keep himself in good spirits, not dwell on it too much.
“Those warriors who sacrificed themselves would also feel proud of it.”
Yang Yi looked at him. “And you? Have you prepared yourself for that as well?”
“Any warrior would rather die with honor in battle than starve to death, die of illness, or waste away from old age.”
So this was a warrior’s pride, Yang Yi thought to himself, his mood settling somewhat.
“Didn’t expect those gas masks to actually be useful.”
Gas masks couldn’t block every kind of gas. Judging by that strange-colored smoke, it didn’t look like any forest miasma he knew of.
It was sheer luck this time that they hadn’t suffered greater casualties.
The smoke had appeared suddenly and spread rapidly. Some of the Spark Tribe still came into contact with it.
Fortunately, they were unharmed. But after leaving the Black Forest, their clothes had visibly changed, showing signs of decay.
Yang Yi had them throw away all their clothing to avoid any harmful effects.
The reason he had even thought to take out the gas masks was because, after hearing more detailed legends about the Black Forest from Hei Lie, he had deduced the real cause behind the mysterious deaths.
Dying without a sound, without a single wound on their bodies. Yang Yi felt there could be no explanation other than poisoning.
He had been in the Black Forest before, and the plants there weren’t much different from those elsewhere. So he guessed it might be like certain tropical forests that harbored miasma.
The Black Forest was densely wooded, extremely humid, and often shrouded in mist.
Now that the temperature was steadily rising, such an environment could easily cause plants and animals to decay, producing miasma.
With a mindset of “better safe than sorry”, Yang Yi had taken out the gas masks he bought from the mall. He didn’t know if they would actually work, but it was better to have them than not.
Unexpectedly, they had indeed worked.
“The Fang Tribe has been completely wiped out. No one will walk out of there alive.”
The poisonous gas was still drifting about, but for some reason, it never floated out of the Black Forest, as though some barrier were holding it in.
To ensure there were no survivors slipping away, Tu even led a group to search the perimeter.
Hearing this, Yang Yi’s spirits lifted again. “To die like this, it’s too easy on those demons!”
When he thought about the atrocities that tribe had committed, Yang Yi felt a chill down his spine. That night, he even had a nightmare.
In the dream, the landing site he had chosen back then was the other option, and he ended up in the territory of the powerful Fang Tribe.
He watched helplessly as his body was chopped apart piece by piece and eaten. First his limbs, then his eyes, ears, and so on, until he was reduced to a mutilated, limbless human.
The nightmare jolted him awake in terror.
“Tu and the others should be bringing the captives back soon, right? Before they return, make sure every single one is screened. Anyone who’s eaten human flesh cannot be kept!”
