"Ah! Blind Heavenly Divine... Let’s go, we’ll land on the island and take a look at the stones there!"
Everyone imdiately anchored on the South side of the Great Island, landing on a gentle mudflat. As soon as they stepped onto the island, a faint scent hit them. It wasn’t exactly foul, but it had a bit of a pungent odor that was hard to describe.
"Hmm? This sll..."
Puap sniffed, with a few fleeting mories flashing across his face.
"It slls a bit like the old dung heaps outside Qinchongcan City that have been piling up for decades..."
"Old Pu, have the Samurai be cautious! This is the territory of the Sri people, we might encounter them. If we do, don’t attack first, try to show goodwill..."
"Understood! But a few hunting tribes are no match for the Kingdom’s Warriors, right?"
"It’s best to avoid conflict if possible! Since we brought our brothers out in one piece, we need to bring them back in one piece. We’ve already lost one or two percent along the way..."
"...Alright then!"
Puap nodded and then ordered the thirty or forty Prepecha Warriors who had landed.
"You form teams of five, look around the island for any tribes or wild people. Everyone put on your Leather Armor and take your Greatbows. If you encounter any tribes, don’t attack first, try to be friendly! Also, take the issued horns, blow them if there’s any situation! Chief Divine bless!"
"Chief Divine bless!"
The warriors bowed and then scattered. This island was vast, with mountain ranges crisscrossing the middle, so exploring it would require so effort.
The old Militia gazed at the nearby towering peaks, estimated to be at least seven or eight hundred ters high. He thought for a mont, then looked back.
"Priest kate, I’ll have a few people accompany you to climb the nearby peak and asure the size of the island."
"Yes, Captain!"
kate nodded respectfully, showing great compliance to Chiwaco. He took so simple tools and suggested.
"I’ll spend the night on that mountain to asure the angle of the North Star and determine our position."
"Good! There shouldn’t be any beasts on the island, but be cautious of possible tribes. Chief Divine bless!"
"Chief Divine bless!"
Everyone started to get busy. The sailors chose a high point to set up a temporary camp, planning to spend the night on the island.
"Guano rock... Bird guano rock..."
Chiwaco muttered as he wandered around. Eventually, he found a pile of stones mixed with gray and yellowish-brown colors. The stone heap was covered with bird droppings, with a colorful bird perched on top, curiously looking at him.
"Chirp, chirp?"
Chiwaco lowered his old face, imitating the call of a night hawk, letting out a hoarse growl.
"Hiss!"
"Tweet!"
The bird shivered instantly, flapped its wings without looking back, and flew away.
"Ha ha!"
The old Militia laughed heartily. For so reason, he was in an exceptionally good mood today. He eagerly walked to the stone pile, picked up a small stone, and pinched it a few tis. The stone crumbled into smaller fragnts.
"Not hard, very brittle, sowhat soft..."
Chiwaco stared at the crumbs in his hand, pondering for a mont, then lowered his head to taste it. But then he thought of sothing and imdiately stopped.
"No. If it really is... It’s best to let Old Pu... give him the credit, I don’t want to go back out to sea... Old Pu, Old Pu!"
"Huh? Old Chi, why are you calling ?"
Puap raised his head at the call. He was sitting cross-legged on a stone, nibbling on a cactus fruit. The sweet and sour taste made him feel refreshed.
"Co here, quickly, there’s urgent business!"
"Hmm?"
Puap scratched his head, quickly finished the fruit in two bites, and walked over with long strides.
"Old Pu, hold out your hand, catch this... taste these crumbs!"
"What?"
Puap reached out, bewildered, and took so gray and yellow crumbs.
"Taste it?"
"Yes! Lick it, see if it dissolves and what it tastes like."
"???"
Puap was confused. He lowered his head, just about to lick, when he suddenly realized.
"Damn it! Damn you, Old Chi! What is this? Isn’t it dried bird dung?"
Chiwaco stifled his laughter, shaking his head, and told the truth.
"I don’t know either, that’s why I asked you to try it."
"No way, I won’t taste it even if you kill !"
Puap’s face turned angry, and he was about to throw the crumbs away.
"Old Pu, if this is the bird guano rock that His Majesty is looking for, it would be a great rit!"
"Huh? What? Great rit?"
Puap paused, then clenched his hand and brought it back. He suspiciously looked at the unremarkable crumbs in his hand.
"This is what His Majesty is looking for? The legendary bird guano rock blessed by the Chief Divine, which can make farmland more productive? But aren’t these stones all over the island? Do they all have these divine powers?"
"How would I know? His Majesty’s Divine Revelation is sothing only he understands. He just pointed to the Northwest, and we’ve traveled thousands of miles to reach the edge of the world..."
Chiwaco shook his head with a serious face. Then his old face showed a slight smile as he whispered.
"Well, Old Pu, are you going to taste it? If you don’t, I will! Then the credit for discovering the Divine Stone will be mine..."
"I’ll taste it!"
Puap quickly opened his mouth and poured the crumbs into it. Then he paused, his face turning bitter.
"Ugh! Ptooey!..."
"Wait! Don’t spit it out yet, carefully discern the taste, so you can report it to His Majesty!"
"..."
Puap imdiately closed his mouth, his face turning into the color of liver. After a while, he spat out forcefully.
"Ptooey, ptooey! Damn it, it’s all dissolved in my mouth!"
"Ha ha!"
Chiwaco couldn’t help but laugh.
"What does it taste like?"
"Ptooey, ptooey! It’s salty, astringent, and bitter! But at least it doesn’t stink..."
"Huh? No foul sll in the bird guano rock?..."
The two looked at each other, both uncertain.
"Old Chi, is this really the bird guano rock His Majesty is looking for?"
"Old Pu, if you ask , who should I ask? Why don’t you taste so other rocks?"
"Ptooey! Again, you want to taste?"
Puap showed his displeasure. Then his eyes glead as he looked towards the East coast.
"Old Chi, do you think the nearby Sri people know? If this can fertilize the fields, wouldn’t they be using it?"
"The Sri people only hunt and fish, they don’t farm, what would they know?"
"Humph! How about we capture a few Sri people and ask them! They’ve lived here for hundreds of years, they must know sothing..."
In front of the bird-resting stones, the two were discussing in low voices, uncertain of their next move. Suddenly, a sharp horn sounded not far away, echoing over the entire island, startling a flock of birds!
"Toot toot toot! Toot toot! Toot!..."
"Short horn blasts, there’s an enemy situation!"
"Damn!"
In an instant, the old Militia Chiwaco had a sturdy long spear in his hand. Huitu Warrior Puap gripped a bronze dagger tightly. Both wearing Leather Armor, though they had been chatting and laughing, they maintained the vigilance of old soldiers.
In no ti, dozens of sailors gathered, wearing Cotton Armor and Leather Armor, holding Long Spears and Longbows. After a brief gathering and preparing for battle, they rushed towards the direction of the horn’s sound!
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