Chapter 1576: The Discovery on the Mountaintop

The vegetation on the hillsides here is relatively sparse. Due to the precipitation, the trees here grow quite slowly. A willow tree that might shoot up rapidly in a year in the south will remain the same after three or four years here, and its height is also restricted; even without human interference, it only grows to that height.

Only tree species like poplars and Huai Shu can grow quickly, becoming tall and sturdy, which leads to a relatively monotonous and sparse distribution of tree species in these areas.

If you walk into a forest in the south, it is difficult to move forward without a bush Knife. There are tangled roots and vines everywhere, and they even block your sunlight. A hill that doesn't look high is extremely difficult to climb.

But the west is different. The further northwest you go, the more arid it becomes. The forest looks lush and dense from a distance, but once you enter, you find it is very sparse. The distance between each tree is very large. Not only will the trees not become an obstacle to climbing the mountain, but they will actually become a help.

In places with even less precipitation and lower temperatures, various shrubs grow, primarily a type of bush that bears extremely sour, tiny yellow berries. This is also an important food source for them; although sour, it is food nonetheless.

If you are lucky, there is a relatively larger, red, sweet kind, which is a better wild fruit.

There are also many wild fruits like goji berries growing everywhere. It grows almost savagely in any place; even a plant not as long as an arm can bear fruit. It is not poisonous, but it does not taste good—sour and bitter—but it is enough to fill one's stomach.

This is the food that these herdsmen can find on this wilderness. Wulian has lived by the Shenhu since childhood, but he actually knows little about these things because he has never seen these plants.

He is just climbing toward the highest mountain peak. The sparse trees cannot block his vision at all; instead, they can provide shade from the scorching sun. One can also see many bird nests in the trees and hear sounds, and he climbs up with his bare hands in a few steps.

There are no eggs in this season, just some half-grown birds that have already hatched. However, Wulian and his men are not picky; any bit of meat counts. They just twist the neck, pluck the down, and stuff it directly into their mouths, chewing it raw—it is quite crunchy.

As for the taste... a group of savages, what is there to say about taste? For them, as long as there is a salty flavor, it is a delicacy; as long as it is not so bitter that it cannot be eaten, it is edible. Eating raw meat, what does that matter?

Catching a few birds to satisfy their craving is just incidental; there are not enough for the few of them to share. Fortunately, none of them care; they are just thinking about how to find Huaxia. Otherwise, how can they return to Shenhu, and after returning, how can they answer to the Tribal Chief?

It took the few of them more than two hours to climb to the top of the mountain, which could be seen at a glance. Before they could even catch their breath, a Soldier pointed in surprise to the distance and told Wulian to look quickly.

Wulian turned his head to look, and sure enough, a few mountains away, he could see a group of people. The number was very large, and he did not see a single cow or sheep.

Here, Wulian cannot think of any other possibility for people traveling in such large numbers without herding, other than Huaxia.

This discovery is undoubtedly a pleasant surprise, because their mission now has a chance to be completed. As for whether they can win, Wulian did not consider it and is not worried at all. Anyway, at least in terms of numbers, his side is clearly larger than Huaxia, and that is an advantage. Why consider anything else? The primary problem now is to stabilize those tribes and let them fight alongside him.

He had asked for three days, and now, in just one day—no, half a day—he has already achieved his goal. This speed can be said to be exceptionally fast.

He is also not worried about Huaxia seeing them, because the distance is truly far enough. They can see Huaxia because Huaxia has a large number of people and a large target, which can be seen at a glance.

And they are on the mountaintop; even if they stood straight for Huaxia to see, Huaxia might not be able to see them. Besides, there is no need to fear; they are lying directly on the ground. Unless Huaxia can fly, it is impossible for them to be seen.

"Division Commander! We have already come here for the second time. I even know where the Grass grows here. Do we really have to keep wandering around aimlessly like this?"

Facing the doubt of his Regimental Commander, Zhang is also very helpless: "I can't just kick the Wulenge Tribe out of the world. The world is so big, and a Wulenge Tribe is so small; not finding them is normal. Let's just follow the original plan, climb to that mountaintop tomorrow, and observe the surroundings. If we can't find the enemy's tracks, we will return along that line to the southwest to the Western Development Group for rest."

"Division Commander, do you think we are unlucky this year? The King and the others went to fight the Shennong Clan. Those who followed the King must have Military Merit everywhere this year. I'm afraid that when they return, their clothes will be covered in medals."

"Look at us again. It has been so long, and our food has already reached the red line, yet we haven't even seen a shadow of the enemy, let alone Military Merit. How can we face the King when we go back!"

Zhang cannot stop his Soldier from complaining. After all, wandering around so confusedly for so long without finding the enemy has caused the army's morale to drop significantly. Not finding the enemy is also related to his own command errors; after all, where to go is all up to him. Zhang must look for his own reasons and cannot blame his Soldiers.

"We still have plenty of time, so don't worry. Since we were able to find the Wulenge Tribe last year, we will definitely be able to find them this year. They cannot just swallow such a big loss and endure it. When we conquer the next tribe, we will interrogate them to see if they know where their Shenhu is located. We will go there directly, strike their nest, and wipe out the Wulenge Tribe."

"We don't have that many people to share the credit; we will definitely be able to let you get the Military Merit you want."

"Division Commander, this flatbread is so dry. Can I have some water to drink?"

Zhang was speechless: "You have no sense of propriety, mind your attitude when speaking!"

The term "drawing a big cake" (making empty promises) had already been spread by Baifeng and was widely used, so everyone understood what it meant.

Zhang has a very good relationship with the Regimental Commanders and Brigade Commanders under his command. Their actual ages are about the same, and they are very familiar with each other; it is just that their personal luck is different.

Unlike those new recruits, where a private fears the Squad leader, the Squad leader fears the Platoon Leader, and the Platoon Leader fears the Company Commander, because in this generation, the seniority is quite different. The relationship between a Company Commander and a Regimental Commander is more relaxed. Further up, like them, they can even joke with each other without fear. After all, they are people who grew up together and are quite familiar with each other.