Chapter 1883 1359: Barbarian Wolf Pack! From the North American Plains to the Maya Jungle
Chapter 1883 1359: Barbarian Wolf Pack! From the North American Plains to the Maya Jungle
"Sand Snake, is it you again? How many Canine Descendants have you brought this time?...""Ah! Respected Black Wolf Legion Commander... just like last time, there are five hundred grassland barbarians, all ready warriors!..."
"Hmm?! Why only five hundred again? What use is such a small number? What is Miyava doing? In half a year, only a thousand people have been sent over?!..."
"Uh... that... Lord Black Wolf, Serpent Mother has already exerted her utmost, communicating with the Red Crow Tribe... First batch trade of two thousand people was done by the end of May, and this month it's agreed to trade another two thousand... then in every trade, the Coastal Sect has to keep half of the people. Before sending the other half over, they must first convert and reorganize slightly before they can board the ships..."
At the port, Totonac noble Sand Snake, wearing a feather headdress, sweat was beading on his forehead. Facing the evidently angry Black Wolf General, he bent his waist deeply, pointing toward the fleet along the shore, explaining cautiously and respectfully.
"Witness of the Chief Divine! From the Red Crow Land to the Seaside Alliance, it originally takes half a month to a month. Switching faiths and reorganizing also takes another half a month to a month. Finally, going eastward over two thousand miles along the coast to deliver here takes more than a month... that's a delay of three months! What's more, the eastward transport fleet also has to carry supplies of food and weaponry for at least one legion, only able to fit five hundred people at a time..."
"Respected Lord Black Wolf, we are already rushing as fast as we can! Just look at the naval forces' rowers, they're so exhausted they're nearly skin and bones, hardly having any time to rest!..."
Upon hearing this explanation, Black Wolf Torc squinted his eyes, coldly watching Sand Snake for a while. Then, he suddenly took a deep breath, reached out to grab Sand Snake's collar, and almost single-handedly lifted this hundred and thirty pounds warrior noble off the ground!
"Ha! You sly Sand Snake!..."
"Ah! Cough cough!... Black Wolf... my lord!..."
"Don't play tricks on me! Does Miyava think I can't see through these little moves?!..."
"My lord! My lord! Serpent Mother she... cough cough!... I have not deceived you!..."
"Ha! So eager before, easily contacted, trade agreed upon... yet when it's time to transport to me, it becomes all this delaying nonsense!... Sand Snake, if I cut off your head and send it back to Miyava, will the next batch of reinforcements come quicker?..."
"Ah!!... My lord, my lord! Spare my life, spare my life!... I truly have not lied to you..."
"Ha!... Down you go!"
Black Wolf Torc roared furiously and directly threw Sand Snake to the ground, almost knocking half the life out of him. Then, he kicked Sand Snake, sending him sprawling on the ground, placed his foot on Sand Snake's chest who was coughing and gasping for air, leaned down, and coldly shouted.
"Sand Snake! For the sake of His Majesty, I'm sparing you this time and won't deal with that woman Miyava!... Go back and tell her not to play these small tricks again! Don't even think of privately organizing a so-called legion with those barbarians... keeping these wolf cubs in their hands is a complete waste! She simply doesn't have the ability to control these tribes; sooner or later, the barbarians will strike back!..."
"His Majesty's divine revelation sees through her thoughts clearly. Marshal Bertade and Chief Priest Yitai, all see it plainly. It is just for the sake of Princess Light Snake and her contributions in transporting grain that nothing is being said! Fine then! Let me be the bad guy today and tell it to you straight!..."
"All the clans of the Maya coast have been cleared by me one by one! Those long-headed blocking the way have been sacrificed and killed one by one! The Kingdom has conquered a thousand miles of Maya coast, annexing many vassal Maya clans, urgently needing reinforcement from our main forces! These are frontline military matters, the most significant overarching situation on the front line! Apparitions of evil demons have appeared at the Cuban frontline, demanding strong reinforcements!..."
"These conquered vassal Maya tribes are excellent farmers! The city-states leveled by our army are stocked with years worth of grain reserves... Thus, I am not short of food! What I lack is people! I lack reliable warriors capable of defending coastal city-states, untempted by Maya Priests, and skilled at wielding the sword!..."
"Witness of the Chief Divine! Don't push me to return with my legion and demand personnel from the Seaside Alliance myself!... Begin from next year, exchange more Canine Descendants Barbarian Tribes! No matter how much she exchanges, every three months, she must send at least two thousand to me! If not enough, supplement with your Totonac warriors! Remember this! Bring just enough grain for the journey; pack more people and weapons! Once here, I can sustain them all!..."
Black Wolf Torc glared at Sand Snake with wolf king-like eyes, spitting out orders word by word. Sand Snake trembled as if faced with a natural enemy, completely lacking his usual arrogance. Only after Black Wolf finished, did he nod weakly in fear and said.
"Yes! Yes! Lord Black Wolf! I will definitely comply with your orders and relay these words to Serpent Mother... We dare not hold you back, nor have the slightest disloyalty to His Majesty... Cough cough! As for privately organizing a barbarian legion... witness of the Chief Divine! That is, that is... like finding an ant's nest in water, something nonexistent! Cough cough cough!!..."
Upon hearing these promises, Black Wolf squinted his eyes before slowly withdrawing his foot. He pondered His Majesty's instructions, recalling that one-handful of corn, one-handful of obsidian club analogy... after silently contemplating for a moment, he turned to his trusted aide Wuta and said.
"Go! Wuta, take part of the spoils of war from conquering Ekab City, and place them on the ships at the seaside! Also, take some boxes of 'Top Grade Turquoise' from the Mayapan Royal Family and have Sand Snake bring them back to the seaside!"
"Do not hesitate! There's more than enough of this wealth! Sending some back is not for the woman's sake but for His Majesty and the Princess... hmm, also allows this misfortunate fellow on both ends to get by!"
After saying this, Black Wolf clapped his hands, then lifted the fallen Sand Snake. Sand Snake gratefully and fearfully lowered his head in thanks. Despite getting a severe thrashing from the Black Wolf General, he bore no thought of retaliation, even feeling somewhat thankful for the final reward. As Black Wolf waved him off, he walked toward the fleet at the port, watching those ragged, emaciated, dizzy grassland barbarian children who had just climbed off the small boats, like a head wolf smelling wolf cubs.
"Hmm? These wolf pups look very scrawny! They probably haven't eaten well along the way and are seasick to the point of exhaustion… But those green eyes, that fierce determination to bare their teeth and bite back, I sure like them at first glance!"
"Someone, bring a raw piece of meat! Make it West Wild Boar meat! I want to give it to their warriors to eat!"
"Listen up! Of the twenty of you on this ship, whoever fights the best can become the team leader and earn this piece of meat!"
"Begin! Wolf pups, knock the others down and decide a leader for me!"
After speaking, Black Wolf waited a moment, only to see the grassland barbarians glaring red-eyed at the raw meat, occasionally glancing at the armored warriors on both sides, but not making any move. After a few breaths, he suddenly realized.
Though these grassland barbarians looked just like the Canine Descendants, with the same fierce vigor, they couldn't understand a word of his Wilderness language! They were clearly from another language family of tribes, and he had no idea where Red Crow had captured them from. Just how vast is that Northern Continent, and how many barbarian tribes are there?…
Black Wolf didn't waste time pondering unsolvable questions and simply tossed the raw meat into the midst of the barbarians. It was followed by a series of beast-like howls and roars as the twenty-odd grassland barbarians suddenly erupted in a brawl! They punched, kicked, headbutted, and even picked up stones to smash on the heads of their own kind nearby.
"Wuta!"
Upon hearing the leader's shout, Wuta quickly swung his big club, knocking the brutal barbarian to the ground. The twenty-odd barbarians paused, casting fierce looks at Wuta, with signs of chaos and disturbance. But the armored Canine Descendants around them shouted in unison, their long spears stomping the ground, causing the hungry barbarians to calm down and continue fiercely competing for the raw meat internally!
After a while, the ground was littered with exhausted and injured barbarians, leaving only the strongest and most ferocious short warrior clutching the bloody raw meat. As he aggressively chewed, he coldly surveyed his surroundings.
The pungent smell from the West Wild Boar meat was overpowering, but while eating, he only slightly frowned, his mouth covered with blood and meat scraps. Being able to stomach such raw meat meant he was no longer bound by logistical supplies and could eat anything...
"Haha! Good! A fine pack of wolf pups!"
Seeing this voracious scene, Black Wolf Torc laughed heartily, his face full of delight. Striding forward, just as he was about to speak to the meat-eating short barbarian, the latter suddenly threw the raw meat over and lunged forward, a hidden flint dagger appearing in hand!
"Bang!"
Black Wolf Torc raised his leg and, in the blink of an eye, kicked the lunging short barbarian down. As the barbarian attempted to get up again, a heavy great sword, with a whistling wind, was placed threateningly at his throat. Upon facing those cold, murderous eyes, the rebellious barbarian involuntarily shivered as thoughts of a winter calamity that destroyed everything surfaced... Ultimately, he lowered his head.
"Haha! What a fierce wolf! No need to tame, it's already a fine wolf!"
Black Wolf Torc was not angry, his face full of appreciative laughter. He scrutinized the grassland barbarian lowering his head, noted the short, robust figure, and smilingly asked.
"Warrior, what's your name?"
"..."
"Which tribe are you from?"
"…"
"Hmm? Oh, right! You don't understand! It's strange, looking like the Canine Descendants, yet understanding nothing?"
Intrigued, Black Wolf Torc observed the opponent's attire. Torn half leather clothing, an American Gourd for water, a peculiar flint knife, and a cow horn pendant symbolizing their Concho-Jumano identity, quite distinct from the Canine Descendant tribes!…
After a while, Black Wolf Torc withdrew his gaze, nodding in satisfaction. He reached out, patting the short barbarian's head with a forceful grip on the black hair, laughing.
"Good! Good! A fine tribe of wild wolves from the Northern Grasslands!"
"With bison horn pendants, you must be familiar with these thundering giant beasts. You probably won't fear His Majesty's prophecy about 'cavalry'? Indeed, you're the best reinforcement!"
"Haha! From today on, you're one of my warriors, leading a team of twenty! Let me give you a formidable name!… Hmm, 'Wild Bull Land's Fierce Warrior'… Got it! From now on, you're called 'Bull Wolf!'"
diymy