Chapter 266: The Liar

"As for performance, our Baifeng Tribe does not keep idlers. The tribespeople we want must possess a solid skill, or in other words, powerful combat capability. I see that the people of your tribe indeed have excellent swimming skills; placed in our Baifeng Tribe, they wouldn't be considered poor."

"I can give you the status of Free Person, let you live in the Baifeng Tribe, and work for the Baifeng Tribe. We will provide you with food, supplies, and protection, and will not overly restrict your freedom. As long as someone among you makes a sufficiently large contribution to the tribe, you can become Baifeng tribespeople with the same treatment as them, never having to worry about food or drink again, and no longer needing to fear the cold or enemies. How about it?"

The people of the Zisheng Tribe listened with burning hearts. For them, being able to multiply in the Dahu until now was already a matter of extreme luck, and the future was still unclear. They felt that the words spoken by the Tribal Chief of a large tribe should be like an oath, trustworthy enough.

But Zisheng, considering the entire tribe, naturally had to ask clearly, "You speak of making a contribution to the tribe; what kind of thing is called a contribution? We only know how to catch fish; how does that count as a contribution?"

Baifeng smiled slightly: "The contribution we speak of is not that strict. For example, a slave in our tribe previously just discovered a type of wild grass with a higher yield for our Baifeng Tribe, and now he has gone from a slave to a Leader governing over a thousand people."

"There are many ways for us to change status. If your martial strength is great, then go compete, defeat others, and become one of the strongest Soldiers; you will obtain a higher status. If you only know how to work, then work more than others, and we will also give you rewards. In our Baifeng Tribe, what is lacking is people with ability and skill, not 'people'."

After listening, Zisheng nodded: "Your meaning is, even if my tribespeople only know how to catch fish, they still have the opportunity to obtain a higher status and position?"

Baifeng gave a solemn promise: "Of course. However, if you want to make a contribution through fishing, that would likely require catching some special fish, or coming up with a better fishing method; otherwise, just relying on how you fish now, it is still quite difficult. Of course, you can also become Soldiers; in that case, the opportunities are more numerous than fishing."

The people of the Zisheng Tribe were all somewhat excited, but they dared not make a firm decision, so they had to fix their gazes on their own Tribal Chief.

As Tribal Chief, Zisheng also found it difficult to make a decision. After all, this was a great temptation for them, but the risk was also great. Finally, he could only say: "Tribal Chief Baifeng, it is indeed very difficult for us to make a decision right now. I believe that with your wisdom, you surely know what such a decision means for a small tribe like ours. So, can you give us a period of time to consider?"

Baifeng would not urge them, so he nodded and agreed.

"Why don't you go to the shore to set up camp and rest, then discuss it slowly. Our Boat here currently has no extra space for you to come up, and you cannot keep soaking in the water like this. Go to the shore; we can protect you from here, so go with peace of mind."

Zisheng expressed his thanks, then led his tribespeople to swim toward the shore, while also grabbing some more fish in the water along the way, intending to take them to the shore to roast.

Baifeng estimated that the work of winning over this tribe was basically secure. Even if they were truly unwilling to come, leaving a good impression meant that when they had nowhere else to turn, they would still think of the Baifeng Tribe.

As long as they were by the water, even if the Suiren Clan mobilized the same level of troops as they did to attack the Xin Tribe, they would have no way to wipe out the entire Zisheng Tribe. Swimming ability was the Zisheng Tribe's greatest reliance, and Baifeng also urgently needed such people. In the future, the Baifeng Tribe's Boats would be built larger and larger, and more and more. Not only in this inland area, he also wanted to go to the seaside to take a look; the ocean was a giant treasure house that humanity had yet to develop.

As for the Suiren Clan, their attack had once again seen no results, so they decided to slow down the attack because a long time had passed, and the Soldiers were both physically and mentally exhausted and needed a good rest.

The camp was established on the ruins of the Xin Tribe, using the Xin Tribe's Tents and eating the Xin Tribe's grain. The captured slaves were all tied up with ropes and surrounded within a Crossbow fence.

The Suiren Clan already had very few slaves, and these people could just happen to fill the labor shortage of the Suiren Clan.

Baoxi was discussing with his small Leaders how to fight the next battle. Attacking such a large tribe was a first for them, even though the Xin Tribe and the Suiren Clan were still a grade apart.

Wangzuo's status in the Suiren Clan was becoming higher and higher. His divination, conversely, was no longer that important. It was not that Baoxi discovered his calculations were inaccurate, but that he felt he could not be apart from a person like Wangzuo for even a moment. Thus, Wangzuo was constantly running around with the various miscellaneous affairs of the Suiren Clan, while the matter of divination was returned to that former Sage of the Suiren Clan.

Regarding this war, Wangzuo proposed using the fire attack that the Suiren Clan was most skilled at, but Baoxi felt that fire was not under human control and did not really want to use it. However, the fighting was very difficult now, so he let Wangzuo perform a divination to see if they should use fire this time.

But Wangzuo had brought nothing, yet if things continued like this, if fire were not used, he feared he himself would have to take a Weapon and charge into the fray.

After so long, no matter how high his status was, Wangzuo was clear about his own position—a liar, not a Soldier, nor a Sage. Therefore, he had to find a way to make Baoxi use fire to attack.

Thus, Wangzuo considered it for a moment, then said to Baoxi: "I did not bring the things for divination. Why don't I perform a sacrifice to ask the gods to see if they are willing to let us use fire?"

Baoxi let him decide for himself, as long as he could obtain a result.

Seeing that the matter was doable, Wangzuo lit a bonfire in an empty space in the camp and had the Soldiers bring two slaves of the Xin Tribe as sacrifices.

After he finished speaking some vague words to the fire, he had the Soldiers cut off the heads of the slaves.

Blood sprayed into the fire pile, almost extinguishing the fire, which frightened Wangzuo so much he nearly thought something had gone wrong. Fortunately, after crackling and popping in the fire for a while, it burned again, and only then did Wangzuo breathe a sigh of relief and begin the next step of his actions.

He danced a dance he himself did not know what was, chanted strange lyrics in his mouth, and stirred his hands about wildly; in reality, he was reaching into his bosom to take the thing he had been secretly hiding.

Fire Essence—as a former person of the Chinv Tribe, he naturally knew what it would be like after Fire Essence burned. But he did not believe in the Fire God, because even when he carried Fire Essence, he had never received the protection of the Fire God, or rather, he did not believe in any gods at all.

He took out a handful of Fire Essence, covered it with his long sleeves, and then scattered it into the fire. When the flames turned blue, he moved out of the way and shouted his sacrificial chants louder, as if he were truly communicating with the gods.