Chapter 1436: A Point of Light Pierces Through the Clouds

Iron Tooth Star, Beibu Huangyuan, Keta Tribe.

The warriors in the Keta Tribe have all been conscripted, heading to the wilderness east of Wangzuo Ting to join the battle.

What remains are only old Orcs, female Orcs, cubs, and some who cannot go to the battlefield due to injury or illness.

In the open space in the center of the tribe, a simple Altar was piled up with stones.

The Altar is not high, only half a meter, with a diameter of about three meters, covered with hay and animal skins.

A wooden stake is stuck in the center of the Altar, with a Two-legged Sheep tied to it. It is a male Two-legged Sheep, not very old, covered in scars, and so thin it is skin and bones.

His eyes are closed, his lips are cracked, and his breathing is weak.

On the stone platform nearby are several red stones the size of fists, which can be used to communicate with the ancestors.

The old Priest stands beside the Altar, holding a Bone Staff in his hand.

A female Orc holds a cub in her arms; the cub is sucking its finger, eyes fixed on the Two-legged Sheep on the Altar.

"Priest, everyone has arrived, let us begin."

The Priest nods, raises the Bone Staff, and looks up at the sky.

He begins to chant ancient incantations; the surrounding Orcs fall silent, and even the cubs stop crying.

After finishing a passage, the Priest puts down the Bone Staff, walks to the side of the Altar, and picks up a red stone from the stone platform.

"Ancestors above! The warriors of the Broken Bone Empire have rushed to the battlefield! They are going to fight the Two-legged Sheep to the death! We must pray for them, so they may receive the protection of the ancestors!"

The Orcs raise their fists and growl in unison.

"Broken Bone is undefeated! Broken Bone is undefeated!"

The Priest places the red stone on the edge of the Altar, then picks up a second one, and a third.

Seven in total, arranged in a row.

He returns to the center of the Altar, raises the Bone Staff, and points it at the Two-legged Sheep tied to the wooden stake.

"The ancestors need blood! They need life! This Two-legged Sheep is the sacrifice offered to the ancestors! Use his blood to pray for our warriors!"

The Two-legged Sheep opens his eyes, looks at those Orcs, and his lips move, but no sound comes out.

The Priest draws a stone knife from his waist; he walks in front of the Two-legged Sheep, grabs his hair, and pulls his head back, exposing his throat.

The Two-legged Sheep closes his eyes, his body trembling.

A cub pokes its head out from the female Orc's arms.

"Do Two-legged Sheep feel pain?"

The female Orc strokes its head.

"What does it matter to us if Two-legged Sheep feel pain? They are Two-legged Sheep, they are livestock."

The cub nods and continues to watch.

The Priest's stone knife slashes across the throat of the Two-legged Sheep.

The body of the Two-legged Sheep twitches a few times and then goes still.

The Priest lets go, leaving the corpse of this livestock hanging on the wooden stake.

The Priest raises the Bone Staff and looks up at the sky.

"Ancestors! Accept this sacrifice! Bless the warriors of the Broken Bone Empire! Let them sever the heads of the Two-legged Sheep! Let them return with victory!"

The Orcs shout in unison.

"Broken Bone is undefeated! Broken Bone is undefeated! Broken Bone is undefeated!"

The Priest puts down the Bone Staff and turns to face the Orcs.

"The prayer ceremony is over, prepare to divide the sheep meat."

The Orcs cheer.

An old Orc leans on a cane, walks to the side of the stone platform, and looks at the pieces of meat.

"This meat is enough for us to eat for several days. When the warriors return, we will hunt a bigger one."

The female Orc nearby picks up a piece of meat and turns it over to look.

"This meat has been sitting for a while, it's a bit dry; if we roast it, it should still be edible."

The old Orc says.

"Spread plenty of fat when roasting; is there any oil left?"

The female Orc nods.

"Yes, there is still half a jar of sheep fat rendered last time."

The cubs gather around the stone platform, standing on tiptoes to look at the meat.

Some swallow their saliva, some reach out to touch it, but are slapped away by the female Orc.

"Don't touch!"

The cub pulls back its hand, eyes still fixed on the meat.

The Priest walks to the side of the stone platform and picks up the largest piece of meat.

"This piece is for the warriors."

He places the meat on a stone slab nearby and covers it with a cloth.

He then cuts up the rest of the sheep meat and distributes it to the Orcs.

An old Orc takes the meat and sniffs it under his nose.

"Fragrant. Once the warriors defeat the Two-legged Sheep, we will be able to eat even better meat. I hear the meat of those Two-legged Sheep is very tender, better than beast meat."

The female Orc nearby frowns.

"Two-legged Sheep meat is too stringy and lacks fat. Beast meat is still better."

The old Orc shakes his head.

"You haven't eaten good Two-legged Sheep; those young Two-legged Sheep have tender meat. Once they're old, it's no good."

The cubs were given their share of meat; some gnawed on it raw, while others waited to go home and roast it.

After distributing the meat, the Priest turned and said to those female Orcs.

"Don't waste the corpses; grind the bones into powder and mix it into the feed."

Several female Orcs nodded, walked toward the Altar, and began to process the scraps.

Several female Orcs were using wooden sticks to prop up a simple grill, with dry firewood piled underneath.

They cut the meat they had received into small pieces, skewered them with tree branches, and set them over the fire to roast.

The flames licked the chunks of meat, and the fat dripped down, sizzling.

The aroma spread, and the cubs gathered around, staring at the meat on the grill.

"Is it ready yet?"

The female Orc turned the meat skewers.

"Almost, don't be impatient."

The cubs swallowed their saliva.

As the mutton finished roasting, the female Orcs distributed the meat to the cubs, a small piece for each.

The cubs took the meat, not caring that it was hot, stuffed it into their mouths, and chewed until their mouths were full of grease.

"Delicious!"

One cub said indistinctly.

The female Orc picked up a piece of meat herself and took a bite.

"It's alright. Just a bit dry."

Another female Orc said.

"Next time, render some fat and rub it on the meat while roasting; it won't be dry then."

The smell of blood attracted several scavenger birds in the distance, which circled in the sky.

The Priest looked up at those scavenger birds.

"The ancestors' messengers have come."

He said in a low voice, and the Orcs nearby also looked up.

"They smell the blood; let them eat, the ancestors are watching us."

A scavenger bird landed on the edge of the Altar, tilting its head to look at the Orcs, and the Priest did not shoo it away.

The old Orc leaned on his cane, watching those scavenger birds.

"The ancestors' messengers coming in such numbers is a good omen, meaning the warriors will win the battle."

The female Orc nearby nodded. "Yes, we will surely win."

An old Orc walked over and sat down beside him.

"Priest, tell me, those Two-legged Sheep are so weak, why do they still fight us?"

The Priest said.

"Because they fear us; the Broken Bone Empire is too strong, and they fear that one day we will strike at their doorstep, so they strike first to gain the advantage."

The old Orc nodded.

"Arrogant; the Broken Bone Empire has never lost."

The Priest did not speak.

The firewood in the pile crackled, and sparks flew.

After the ceremony ended, the Orcs dispersed one after another.

Only a few female Orcs still roasting meat and a few cubs who refused to go home remained in the clearing.

The Priest turned around, preparing to return to his own shed.

At this moment, a roaring sound came from the sky.

The Priest looked up, the firelight shining on his face, as a point of light pierced through the clouds, dragging a long trail of fire.

The Priest's eyes widened.

"What is that?"

The point of light drew closer and brighter.

It crashed directly into the shed area on the edge of the Buluo, the ground shook, and the shockwave overturned several nearby sheds.

Debris flew, dust rose, and the torches were extinguished.

The cubs began to cry, and the female Orcs screamed.

The Priest looked at that red Drop Pod, watching the hatch open, and three figures in red Power Armor stepped out from the dust.

The Priest raised his Bone Staff.

"Ancestors... protect us..."