Chapter 2712: I Haven't Talked Yet

The Scale Stone Tribe Chief, having utterly no choice, was simply brought before Qi Wu of the Flame Martial Tribe.

While passing through the Black Mist Forest, even the last trace of scheming in the Scale Stone Tribe Chief's heart disappeared.

The rumors were not false in the slightest; they were even more outrageous than he had imagined.

This wasn't just some casual alliance; the whole Black Mist Forest gave Qi Wu the feeling of being completely submissive to the Flame Martial Tribe.

Had the Flame Martial Tribe directly subjugated these Tree Ghosts of the Black Mist Forest?

Full of surprise, he arrived at the Flame Martial Tribe and saw Qi Wu, who, to the Scale Stone Tribe Chief, was merely a junior.

Logically, since he came in person, he should have been personally received by the Elder Clan Chief of the Flame Martial Tribe.

But times have changed; even facing this junior Qi Wu, the Scale Stone Tribe Chief could only suppress his anger and act with utmost respect.

「Scale Stone Tribe Chief, we haven't seen each other in a long time. 」

Upon seeing the Scale Stone Tribe Chief, Qi Wu didn't even rise, remaining seated high in his chair as he spoke down.

Faced with Qi Wu's attitude, the Scale Stone Tribe Chief had no recourse but to force a smile.

After all, the life and death of the entire Scale Stone Tribe now lay in the other's single thought; the Scale Stone Tribe Chief truly dared not offend.

「Young Clan Chief, your bearing remains as splendid as ever. 」

「Please, have a seat. 」

He made a gesture of invitation, and after the Scale Stone Tribe Chief sat down, Qi Wu then leisurely began to discuss the matter.

「Back when you were at the Fire Spirit Tribe, the things your Scale Stone Tribe did were truly chilling. 」

Hearing this, the Scale Stone Tribe Chief's heart sank; from the start he knew that resolving this matter this time could not be as simple as before.

Given Qi Wu's character, if he doesn't ruthlessly bleed them out, the other side surely won't let it rest.

But since they can't win in a fight, they can only yield.

So, upon hearing Qi Wu's words, the Scale Stone Tribe Chief didn't think much and immediately expressed his willingness to give the Flame Martial Tribe an explanation.

Hearing this, Qi Wu's smile grew even brighter; he had been waiting for just this sentence.

If you hadn't said that, how could I possibly open my mouth wide like a lion?

Immediately afterward, Qi Wu indeed did not disappoint the Scale Stone Tribe Chief; the conditions he laid out made the chief's eyes widen in shock.

This is basically trying to crush them to death.

Submission and handing over people are certain; besides that, the Scale Stone Tribe must also each year present an extremely costly tribute to the Flame Martial Tribe.

Furthermore, in the future, when the Flame Martial Tribe wages war on other tribes, the Scale Stone Tribe must be ready to come at a call and fight upon arrival.

In plain terms, they're just cannon fodder.

Faced with these conditions set by Qi Wu, the Scale Stone Tribe Chief naturally had ten thousand reasons not to agree.

With such an unequal treaty, how could he possibly agree?

However, Qi Wu's attitude was also firm; he bluntly said that this was merely the most basic condition, and if even this the Scale Stone Tribe refused to accept, there would be no point in continuing negotiations.

Qi Wu refused to yield in the slightest; though the Scale Stone Tribe Chief felt immensely unwilling, he had no recourse.

Finally, after several rounds of back-and-forth, under the pressure of circumstances, the Scale Stone Tribe Chief ultimately nodded and gritted his teeth to accept Qi Wu's conditions.

Seeing this, Qi Wu finally changed his previous stern demeanor, suddenly breaking into a grin as he looked at the Scale Stone Tribe Chief and said.

「Haha, good, from now on we're one family; those people from before at the Fire Spirit Tribe, please have the chief quickly release my Flame Martial Tribe's people—I really miss them. 」

「Yes. 」

Qi Wu laughed unrestrainedly, while the Scale Stone Tribe Chief responded with a bitter smile and a nod.

With the matter settled, the Scale Stone Tribe Chief had no mood to linger in the Flame Martial Tribe; after all, his heart at this moment felt utterly ill at ease.

Since Qi Wu wasn't sincerely trying to detain him, the Scale Stone Tribe Chief hastily led his people away.

However, before leaving, he indicated that upon returning he would immediately send the people Qi Wu demanded.

Qi Wu smiled and nodded, sending personnel to safely escort the Scale Stone Tribe Chief's party out of the Black Mist Forest.

Nowadays, to safely leave the Flame Martial Tribe, one certainly needs a tribesperson of the Flame Martial Tribe to lead the way.

Otherwise, those Tree Ghosts in the Black Mist Forest won't care who you are; they only recognize the Flame Martial Tribe.

Others who dare enter the Black Mist Forest still face the same near-certain death as before.

And the direction of departure was the same as when they came, perfectly avoiding that Stone Tribe elder once again.

All that could be seen was that elder waiting outside the Black Mist Forest, having waited and waited until his eyes were strained, yet still not seeing a single Flame Martial Tribe member.

However, the chief had given an order, and he couldn't just turn back, so he could only grit his teeth and continue waiting.

His heart was filled with frustration; burdened with an important task, yet he still hadn't even entered the person's gate, while the chief was still awaiting his news.

This elder was anxious in his heart, unaware that at this very moment the Scale Stone Tribe Chief in his thoughts had already reached an agreement with Qi Wu and returned to the Scale Stone Tribe.

The Scale Stone Tribe Chief did not go back on his word—or rather, he dared not.

He clearly understood that if he went back on his word, the consequences would be dire; by then he might not even have a chance to negotiate, and those Tree Ghosts would immediately trample his Scale Stone Tribe.

Thus, upon returning to the tribe, he immediately gathered those who had previously gone to the Fire Spirit Tribe and sent them all together to the Flame Martial Tribe.

As for the first year's tribute, the Scale Stone Tribe Chief still needed some time to raise the funds, after all this was no small sum.

Those tribesmen were directly treated as expendables, the tribe not even offering a word of explanation—this truly is the sorrow of a small tribe.

Being weaker, you don't even have the right to choose.

And this time, this batch of expendables, being escorted to the Flame Martial Tribe, happened to encounter that elder by coincidence.

The two met outside the Black Mist Forest; upon seeing tribespeople arrive, the elder initially felt a joy, since having kin nearby brought some peace of mind.

But when he saw that batch of expendables, the elder blinked in confusion, wondering how they had come.

Going to the Flame Martial Tribe—isn't that seeking death? Moreover, why are they all bound up tight?

The elder felt suspicious, for a moment unable to comprehend what was happening.

He hasn't even finished negotiating yet—how could the tribe have already sent these people over? Could it be that the chief couldn't wait?

You.........

At the moment of doubt, this tribal elder opened his mouth to ask, after all it wasn't time yet, but before he could speak.

Earlier, in the Fire Spirit Tribe, the tribal elder in charge of leading the team had a face as dark as iron, his expression full of surging hatred as he cursed.

You wretched thing, you spineless coward, I am truly ashamed to be associated with you, using our lives to exchange for a chance to survive, right? You really are like a fawning dog.

The Flame Martial Tribe must really like having a loyal dog like you.

Huh?