Chapter 056: Reunion

Li Zhan led Zhang Feng and Zhao Ming, both archers on horseback, as well as four militiamen toward the Tutt tribe. Accompanying them was a cotton farmer. Before they set out, Li Zhan used the friend function to inform Tutt not to bother coming to Yanhuang tribe to pick up the cotton farmer, since he himself would be bringing troops over and could conveniently bring the farmer along. Tutt, already halfway there when he received Li Zhan’s message, replied and turned back.

Zhang Feng, at level 17, was the highest-level member of Yanhuang tribe, and indeed among all seventeen tribes of Danyang county. As an archer on horseback—a profession only emerging in the feudal era—he had mastered all four skills of his class, making his attributes extraordinarily powerful. Initially, Li Zhan hesitated about bringing Zhang Feng along; he didn’t want others to become too familiar with his tribe’s military strength. But considering the uncertainty of the enemy’s real power, bringing Zhang Feng could increase their chances of victory. Moreover, Li Zhan wasn’t fully aware of Zhang Feng’s true capabilities and saw this battle as an opportunity to gauge them.

Zhao Ming and the four militiamen were part of the first batch, considered veterans compared to the six newly promoted militiamen. The four militiamen were all level 7, while Zhao Ming was level 9. Since their promotion, they hadn’t seen actual combat, only chasing wild beasts from the tribe’s outskirts. Hearing there was a battle ahead, they were eager and excited.

The Tutt tribe was located on the west bank of the Han River, one of the six inner tribes, about three li from the Muyu tribe—a perfect spot for the sixteen tribes to assemble their forces, allowing for rest without being discovered by the Black Fiend tribe.

The group sailed up the river from the dock for about four li, then landed on the west bank. After disembarking, the fisherman turned his boat back. Li Zhan opened his map and found the approximate location of the Tutt tribe, leading the group westward.

After about half an hour’s walk, the Tutt tribe appeared before them. The tribe gave an impression of simplicity and efficiency: a ring of wooden palisade surrounded all fields, which were few and thus all contained within the fence. Only at the logging site were laborers visible; otherwise, all villagers stayed within the palisade’s protection. Two watchtowers stood, one at the logging site and one at the center by the palisade. A handful of militiamen patrolled between these points.

At that moment, all four gates of the tribe were open, ready to welcome the chiefs of various tribes and their troops. Li Zhan and his group arrived at the east gate, where villagers greeted them enthusiastically—arrangements made in advance by Tutt.

The militiamen and Zhang Feng were dressed in new uniforms, immediately attracting villagers’ attention. They watched with curiosity, whispering and pointing, which caught Tutt’s notice. He had just selected three villagers with the highest farming and weaving skills to manage the cotton planting next. Seeing everyone put down their work to discuss something, Tutt turned curiously to find Li Zhan leading six sharply dressed soldiers into the tribe.

Tutt hurried forward to greet Li Zhan with a smile. “Chief Li, your troops are indeed swift—you’re the first among fifteen tribes.”

He paused, his gaze lingering on Li Zhan’s five soldiers, admiring them. No wonder Chief Li’s uniforms were so popular. Just the sight of these six soldiers in neat attire was dazzling; their posture and presence made them look heroic wherever they stood. By contrast, Tutt’s own militiamen, still in yellowish villager garb, looked awkward—more like striking laborers than soldiers. Li Zhan’s troops all wielded iron swords (even Zhang Feng, whose bow and arrows were left behind to conceal his true profession) and wore wrist guards, while Tutt’s own militiamen only carried wooden clubs. The comparison was stark.

Li Zhan laughed, “Given the urgent border situation, our tribes must temporarily use the Tutt tribe as a base. I hope Chief Tutt will understand.”

Tutt shook his head, smiling. “Chief Li, you jest. For the sake of the united tribes, it’s no burden—whether as a temporary base or even a permanent military post, Tutt would never object.”

As they spoke, another chief arrived with his troops. Tutt quickly led Li Zhan’s group to the barracks to rest, then went to greet the new arrivals.

By lunchtime, including Li Zhan, nine chiefs had arrived at the Tutt tribe, including the siblings Windwalker and Windchime. Of the nine, Li Zhan brought the largest force—six soldiers including his militiamen and Zhang Feng. Windwalker and Windchime each brought five. The rest brought three or four each, with the smallest contingents being the two direct tribes, each with two soldiers.

Lunch was provided by the Tutt tribe: sorghum rice and rabbit stew. When Zhang Feng, Zhao Ming, and the others left the barracks, they drew another round of admiring glances from the chiefs and their militiamen, who then surrounded Li Zhan to inquire about reserving uniforms. Li Zhan found himself besieged, spending much effort and making promises before he was finally released.

Muyu arrived hurriedly from his tribe, followed by villagers carrying supplies for military use. Li Zhan questioned him thoroughly about the military situation, forming a clear picture of both sides in his mind before sending Muyu back, instructing him to keep a close watch on the Black Fiend tribe with no room for complacency.

About half an hour after lunch, Yaya Radish strode in through the south gate, accompanied by five militiamen in new uniforms. Again, the chiefs and their troops gave a round of admiring looks, making Yaya Radish quite proud. However, seeing Li Zhan’s militiamen not only in new uniforms but also equipped with iron swords and wrist guards, he quickly lost his confidence. Still, Yaya Radish was adept at shifting attention. Noticing that only Li Zhan and himself had militiamen in new uniforms, his pride returned. He placed his men in the crowd, letting the others see, then casually greeted Li Zhan and chatted.

Less than an hour later, all sixteen tribe chiefs, including Thunder Dragon, had assembled. Thunder Dragon brought even more troops than Li Zhan—eight in total, the largest contingent. The smallest forces were from the four direct tribes, including Tutt, each with two soldiers. Altogether, the sixteen chiefs brought sixty-four soldiers, plus twenty from Muyu tribe, bringing the total for the operation to eighty-four.

After settling his men, Thunder Dragon approached Li Zhan, and after exchanging pleasantries, they discussed the tactical deployment. Li Zhan suggested stationing the militiamen about a kilometer from Muyu tribe, then making detailed arrangements at night. With only a kilometer separating them from Muyu tribe, they could respond quickly if the Black Fiend tribe made any sudden moves.

Thunder Dragon, less familiar with the overall situation than Li Zhan, found the suggestion reasonable and agreed. He organized the sixty-four militiamen into six squads, each led by himself, Li Zhan, Windwalker, Windchime, and two other chiefs as temporary captains, who would lead them to the designated location. The remaining chiefs accompanied them.

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Note:
1. Map: At the start of “Chaos Continent,” each player receives a game map showing the terrain and distribution of tribes and cities at that time. The map does not update automatically; to update it, one must visit the military intelligence office at county level or higher and pay a hefty fee.