The midsumr breeze was warm, and the sky was bright. The longship set sail once again, departing from the camp of the Bosalos people, rowing along the north coast of Warrior Lake, heading towards Red Crow City on the west coast of the Great Lake.
The water glead, and the day was fine. Priest kate stood on the ship, looking at Wilderness Priest Zu Di waving from the shore, still feeling sowhat unwilling.
"Hey! kate, where’s your robe?"
Old militia mber Chiwaco widened his eyes, looking at Priest kate, who was only wearing a short garnt, then glanced at the "Brown Bear" priest on the lake shore, and curiously asked.
"Why is your clothing on that priest?"
"..."
Priest kate was silent for a mont, pointing to the Chief God’s Amulet around his neck, answering briefly.
"I exchanged my clothes for this amulet."
"What! You got tricked by that guy? Stop the boat! We’re going back!..."
"Uh... Captain Qi, I did it willingly, I wasn’t tricked..."
Holding the amulet, Priest kate sighed softly.
"This amulet can help have sons... oh no! This amulet is a relic of a xica priest."
"Huh? You... really weren’t tricked?..."
The old militia mber widened his eyes, looking at the sowhat crestfallen Priest kate, pondered for a while, and tried to comfort him.
"The priests on the Wilderness, although they look honest and simple... they can deceive people without batting an eye... You’ve never encountered it before, so it’s normal to be tricked, don’t be stubborn..."
"Maybe! But I think this should be a relic..."
Priest kate lowered his head, caressing the precise carvings on the amulet, lightly shaking his head.
"That Wilderness priest told ... he found this on a corpse that had been gnawed by wolves near the copper mines in the north... it was a murder."
At this, the old militia mber’s expression beca solemn. He pondered for a mont, glanced at the rowing Canine Warriors, and lowered his voice.
"You an?... Red Crow Great Tribe?"
"Yes."
Priest kate nodded, his actions light and his voice soft.
"He said... several Alliance priests ca to preach before, and what he knows about the Chief Divine is all from them. But these priests said, the Chief Divine is the supre god, even the only god, and one should devote oneself sincerely, following the teachings..."
"The doctrines taught by the Alliance priests didn’t quite suit the Wilderness Tribes’ taste, and few listened. Later, they developed so tribespeople believers and told them to sincerely follow the Chief Divine’s will. The will of God was above the tribe..."
"Huh?"
Upon hearing this, the old militia mber was startled, sharply sensing danger.
"And then?..."
"Then, they disappeared mysteriously, died... and then, the faith of the Chief Divine in the Wilderness was as we heard this morning."
"Ah!..."
The old militia mber pursed his lips, exchanged a look with Priest kate for a mont. He then asked in a low voice.
"Who do you think it is?"
"..."
Priest kate pondered for a while before answering aningfully.
"The Red Crow Chief of the Red Crow Great Tribe is not an ordinary Canine Descendant leader. He inherited Chichika the Great Chief’s legacy, thinking and wanting far more than other leaders..."
Both fell silent. The old militia mber stood at the bow of the ship, watching the increasingly dense camps along the shore and the growing number of Tribal Warriors, sighing softly.
"Ah! Another eagle of the plains!... The Chipawa left here... afraid there won’t be peaceful days!..."
Priest kate also turned his head, looking at one team after another of Tribal Warriors carrying copper spears, and the buffalo leather armor on these warriors, his eyes growing sharper.
"Manufacture greatbows, slt lead and copper, make leather armor, establish a permanent elite hundred-man team, recruit a large number of Tribal Warriors... With Red Crow’s military force, there probably isn’t a tribe in this Northeast land of the world that can resist! If this force expands northward, that’s fine, but if they turn south instead..."
"Their system is a duality of farming and hunting, politically a gradually centralized tribal alliance, while economically relying on plundering and farming. As they gradually establish a foothold along the Egret River, the tribe population they can support will increase. The number of troops they can mobilize will also rise rapidly..."
"Witnessed by the Chief Divine! This is a rapidly rising tribal alliance on the Northeast Wilderness! What’s more crucial is that they learn quickly, and if given ti..."
Priest kate thought silently, decisively concluding.
"I must personally report my findings from this journey to Your Majesty! The Red Crow Great Tribe must be dealt with swiftly to establish a strong influence!... Or, to raise a great army early and march a thousand miles north..."
"Here we are! This is Red Crow City! The nest we built with our own hands!"
The longship "thumped" onto the mudflat, and Wilderness Warrior Qipa lunged onto the shore excitedly. He pointed to the not-so-distant dense tribal camps, vast lakefront farmlands, and the seemingly endless wooden fence, proudly asking.
"How is it! Pretty nice, right!"
"Ah?..."
Hearing his son’s inquiry, old militia mber Chiwaco widened his old eyes, eyebrows twitching. He stared at the expanse of flat camps and farmlands, dazed for a long ti, unable to find "Red Crow City." Finally, from the simple wooden fence and the high-flying Red Crow banner, he could discern a bit of village-town semblance. As for the so-called "city"?
"Uh... very nice! Quite a big... village!... Yes! Red Crow Great Village!..."
Upon hearing this, Wilderness Warrior Qipa scratched his head, recalled sothing, and replied in a low voice.
"Uh... Dad, compared to the Qinchongcan Capital, it’s indeed a bit lacking..."
"What? A bit?"
"But! But!..."
Wilderness Warrior Qipa raised his head, strongly patting his chest, confidently announcing.
"This is our city! It will also be the largest city on the vast North Wilderness!"
"Good! Great!"
Looking at his confident son, the old militia mber pursed his lips. Heartwarming, he nodded vigorously.
"Good son! That tall pavilion, is that the leader’s Royal Tent here? Should we go directly?"
"No, not yet! I’ve already sent Jia Ka to report to Sister Alan. When her trusted aide arrives and takes us over, it should be by evening... As for now..."
Good son Qipa ruffled his hair, thought for a bit, then bead a smile.
"Dad! There’s still ti now! Let take you to see a place!"
"Huh? What place?"
"A good place!"
With that, good son Qipa led everyone up a small hill on the west coast of Warrior Lake. From here, one could clearly see the entire Red Crow City, sprawling farmland, and camps stretching over ten miles. Then, son Qipa led the old militia mber to the hilltop. After searching for a while, he excitedly pointed at three mounds of earth, shouting to his dad.
"Dad! Look! Look!"
"Uh? What’s this? A few small mounds?"
"These are graves I’ve dug for you with my own hands!..."
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