Steel, Explosives, and Spellcasters

Chapter 491 83 Uneven Combined Military Forces_2

It wasn't the type of blanket commonly seen in Herder homes, with fur and hide intact, but a blanket woven from wool.

The woolen blanket slowly unfurled in the center of the felt tent, as long and wide as a man, with a map embroidered with golden thread on top.

A map—this was no trifling matter.

Nowadays, with the tribal territories limited, maps were memorized mentally; there was no need to transcribe them.

And the large maps from the era of Khan Queye had always been treasured by the tribal chieftains, hidden away as precious secrets not to be shared with outsiders.

"Open the roof hole!" Grey Eyes ordered the guard outside the tent.

The leather covering the tent was removed, and sunlight poured into the felt tent, illuminating the map.

The chieftains gathered around the map, being very careful not to step on it.

"Isn't this G?lán Lake?" a chieftain squinted and asked, pointing to a corner of the map.

G?lán Lake was situated far to the west, where the tribes living there were deemed savages by the eyes of the Herder tribes and were known as "Wild Herders."

"This is a map drawn by the Paratu People." The White Lion articulated each word, "To the south, it reaches Golden Summit Mountain, to the north, Sheltering Mountain, to the east, Kingsfort, and to the west, G?lán Lake.

"As you fight for power among yourselves, little do you know that the Paratu People have long been contemplating how to exterminate us all. If we do not unite, the day will come when our tribal heartfires will be stamped out by the Paratu, and the heads of our tribes will be scattered like ashes."

The tribal chieftains fell silent.

"That's all I have to say." The White Lion sat back down.

A robust chieftain stepped on the map, his face flushed with anger, pointing at the White Lion, he asked, "Then what do you propose we do?"

"I have only one thing to say." The White Lion responded calmly, "Since the robust chieftain was elected war leader, then let everyone obey him. If he commands the tribes to wade through a sea of fire, so must they wade. If he commands the tribes to climb the snowy mountains, they must climb."

Below the tent's dome, there was an uproar; this was not the answer the chieftains wanted to hear.

"When the Paratu People go to war, they too argue. But once the military order is issued, no one hesitates—everyone charges into battle at the command. Even if the order is mistaken, it is followed to the letter. That's how the Paratu can defeat Herder forces twice, even three times their size. If you and I cannot do the same, we will be doomed to suffer defeat forever." The White Lion spoke firmly, "Since the robust chieftain was elected, we must listen to him, just like that!"

The other chieftains were silent, with Little Lion showing a look of dissent.

"Very well! Let's do it this way!" the man who stoked the fire roared, "But if you issue an order that sends the Terdon Tribe to their deaths, I won't follow it! Robust chieftain!"

"I agree," nodded Grey Eyes.

After a noisy discussion, the chieftains chaotically agreed to follow the robust chieftain's command.

"If you are willing to listen to me," the robust chieftain said loudly, "then join me in toasting."

Amongst the Herders, every great council participant would share a drink as a sign they held no further dissent, known as 'joining cups.'

Joining cups marked the end of the great council, and the robust chieftain's call to do it now was clearly irregular.

"Agreed." The White Lion stood up, the first to consent.

Guards brought in strong liquor, the chieftains respectfully saluted the spirits, and began to take turns drinking and swearing their oaths.

"Robust chieftain, you are not yet the Khan. If you plot against the Terdon Tribe, I won't obey you," the man who stoked the fire was the last to join cups. He growled these words before drinking the strong liquor to complete the ceremony.

So, following Herder tradition, the robust chieftain divided the Herder tribes into two wings and a central army.

The Suz Tribe and Haidong Tribe formed the central force, the Terdon Tribe and the Red River Tribe the right wing, with the other tribes merging into the left wing.

The robust chieftain also understood that the Herder tribes were a loose collection of forces—one tribe might be commanded but many tribes conglomerated could hardly execute overly complex orders.

"Pack up tonight and march out when it's time for the bipeds to embark tomorrow," the robust chieftain ordered the tribal chieftains, "The central army will attack their central force, the right wing their rear guard, the left wing their vanguard. If the tribes unite, they will surely be unable to withstand us."

While the robust chieftain was still setting the time for the rendezvous, a scout from outside suddenly brought a report: the Paratu People were burning their camp and had escaped into the night.

"Tribes, hasten back and gather your troops!" The robust chieftain made a decisive call, "Catch up with the bipeds, and don't let them slip away!"

The chieftains dispersed in agreement, stepping out of the felt tent one after another.

Outside the felt tent, Haidong tribe members were already stringing bows, donning armor, and preparing horses.

The camp was alive with the cries of men and neighs of horses.

As lords of this region, the Red River Tribe brought along some tents with the army.

The Haidong Tribe, having traveled from afar, had brought hardly anything at all.

Carrying less baggage meant they could move more swiftly.

Mounting the warhorses, leading the packhorses, carrying bows and swords, the Haidong tribe quickly switched from an encamped state to marching order.

The tribal chieftains left the Haidong Tribe's camp to find their respective tribesmen.

On the way back to camp, Little Lion was still sullen: "How can you listen to that worthless robust chieftain? They are just taking advantage of us! The blood is all spilled by the Red River Tribe! Yet now he acts as if he were the Khan!"

"Every word I said to the robust chieftain is the result of my years of contemplation," the White Lion patiently explained to his brother, "The lion has our throat in its jaws, the wolf has our wrists in its teeth. Do we deal with the lion first, or the wolf first?"

"But we shouldn't..."

The White Lion cut in directly, "If the robust chieftain can lead us to victory against the Paratu, I am more than willing to endorse him as Khan."

Little Lion scratched his head: "What if he can't win?"

The White Lion retorted to his brother in the common tongue: "[In common tongue] What do you think of the robust chieftain compared to me?"

Taken aback, Little Lion replied in the common tongue: "[In common tongue] How could he possibly be better than big brother!"