Steel, Explosives, and Spellcasters

Chapter 808 808 76 Dead End

?Chapter 808: Chapter 76: Dead End Chapter 808: Chapter 76: Dead End The river water was rising, and the fish in the Panto River were the first to sense it.

Due to the viscosity of the fluid and its internal resistance, mere kilometers from the dam, the cresting waves were almost invisible.

But there was no doubt that the water level of the Panto River was rising—in a very unnoticeable way.

“Look! Nayen! Look at those fish!”

Tie Chi’s eyes widened as things like bubbles kept appearing in the river channel.

The undercurrent stirred up the silt from the riverbed, forcing the fish that hibernated in the deeper waters during winter to constantly surface for air.

Lacking landmarks and hydrological data, the Terdon Tribe found it difficult to determine whether the rise in water level was a normal fluctuation or…

“You’re saying the two-legged beings have built a dam?” Tie Chi asked sternly, questioning another one of his subordinates, “Why have none of you discovered it?”

The reproached Hong Lingyu was at a loss for words: “Nayen, the upstream area for hundreds of kilometers has been thoroughly searched by our scouts, but indeed no traces of a dam have been found!”

“Silence!” Tie Chi shouted angrily: “Could the rising water be due to the two-legged beings peeing into the river?!”

“Nayen…” Hong Lingyu licked his lips, struggling to speak: “Since the two-legged beings can build a city overnight, perhaps…”

Before he could finish, Tie Chi lashed out fiercely with his whip across the man’s face: “Silence!”

Hong Lingyu took a solid blow from the whip, the struck area burning with pain as he knelt on his left knee, not daring to speak any further.

If the enemy were to be broken by the force of the river water, the dam’s location would naturally be as close to them as possible. However, the closer it was, the more easily the dam could be exposed.

Choosing between the two options, Winters eventually decided to build the dam eighty kilometers upstream to intercept the waters of the Huiqing River.

At such a distance, by the time the water released from the dam reached the downstream, it came as undercurrents, with no waves in sight.

Sacrificing impact force in exchange for secrecy and suddenness.

As a tributary of the Panto River, the Huiqing River flowed to the north of the Panto River.

In other words, for the Terdon Tribe raiding on the southern bank, the Huiqing River was an “invisible river” hidden behind the Panto River.

The side paths of the narrow valley that once allowed four horses to pass side by side were narrowing to barely allow two.

If the water level of the Panto River continued to rise, this passage would revert to a narrow path that could only accommodate single-file passage.

Worse news followed: The two-legged beings had taken the ford, defeated the rear guard stationed at the entrance of the valley, and were building new horse-blocking walls, apparently to completely cut off the Terdon Tribe’s retreat.

At this point, Tie Chi knew they had fallen into a trap.

“Build a city overnight? Build a dam overnight?” Tie Chi’s face was ashen, his eyes glaring with rage, yet he couldn’t help but laugh: “Does the leader of the two-legged beings think I am a dull ox or a stupid donkey? He draws a path for you and me, and we are expected to obediently follow?!”

“Should we have the scouts turn back first?” An elder Green Plumed Feathers cautiously requested: “Even a rabbit knows to keep several secret passages. At least take back the valley exit first, secure the escape route, and then push forward?”

“Ha! Is there even time left?” Tie Chi’s son was uncontrollably furious: “This narrow path is not even as wide as a tripwire! How can our scouts maneuver? The only way now is to mount up on fast horses, charge forward with all our might, and break out from the other end of the valley!”

“Charge forward!” Tie Chi straightened his riding crop, his decision allowing no rebuttal: “Go to the ‘Curving River,’ once at the riverbank, there will be a way!”

“But what if?” The elder Green Plumed Feathers was reluctant.

“What ‘but if’?” Tie Chi glared fiercely, looking straight at him: “I have said, once at the riverbank, there will be a way!”

[Note: The ‘Curving River’ mentioned by the Terdon Tribe is known as ‘Big Horn River’ among the Paratu People.]
Seeing the Great Nayen so determined, the other Terdon chiefs all clasped their chests and agreed.

…

Below Iron Peak County, Blackwater Town.

The change of hands at the ford triggered a chain reaction.

According to the military orders from the Terdon Tribe’s council, those looting “that river” to the south were supposed to act as reinforcements, attacking the north bank in the second wave.

What the Terdon Tribe called that river was the Panto River; it might have had a name in the past, but as time passed, even the elders of the Terdon Tribe could not remember what that river was actually called, so they simply referred to it as “that river.”

Little did they know that as soon as the main forces crossed the river, the ford was taken over by the two-legged beings again.

The Terdon raiders who had entered Iron Peak County were split into two groups, unable to make contact with each other, and in the lower Iron Peak County among the Terdon people, rumors started to spread.

Some leaders were watching and waiting, some wanted to run away. There were also leaders who saw this as an opportunity for glory, urging their people towards “that river.”

Among the large and small leaders, [Blue Horse] and [Stone Arrow] could be said to be the most inconspicuous two.

For in terms of social status, they were not considered true “nobility,” they were enforcers for the nobility.

In the flattened Herder society, they stood between the nobility and the subjects. Better off than the latter, but still lacking compared to the former.

Right now, these two inconspicuous Terdon people were doing something they had never thought of before—they were beheading a “Bald Dog.”

The short knives carried by Herders were normally used for cutting meat, and thus were quite inconvenient for beheading.

Blue Horse and Stone Arrow fumbled with the task, sawing and prying; the two strong men expended much effort to completely separate the Bald Dog’s head from his body.

The tent was a mess, with plates and bowls turned over during the struggle, wine and blood splattered everywhere, turning the original clean fur rug muddy.

Gasping for breath, Blue Horse looked at the head of the Bald Dog and suddenly burst into violent sobs: “You bald cur! Gelding! Why did you force me and others!”

Crying, Blue Horse frenziedly used his knife to slash and stab, pouring out his grief and hatred, destroying the already savage visage of the Bald Dog into a pulpy mess.

Stone Arrow collapsed on the ground, looking at the crazed Blue Horse, utterly exhausted.

The two had come to bribe the Bald Dog but ended up in a deadly feud.

Ever since the Bald Dog had crossed the river, Blue Horse and Stone Arrow had been under close scrutiny.

The Bald Dog made no secret of his greed to swallow up the forces of Blue Horse and Stone Arrow, causing them trouble at every turn.

Especially after the Bald Dog’s old camp was raided and burned, getting nothing and losing many assets, he blatantly occupied the campgrounds of Blue Horse and Stone Arrow under the guise of a master.

Green Horse and Stone Arrow were fully satisfied with their haul and wanted nothing more than to return home quickly.

The Bald Dog’s attempt to drive the two men to “the river” escalated the conflict, and his blatant humiliation of Green Horse while accepting a bribe was the spark that ignited the flames.

In this internal struggle amongst the Terdun People, the temporary victors were Green Horse and Stone Arrow. After all, Bald Dog was decapitated, while Green Horse and Stone Arrow still had their heads firmly on their shoulders.

Next, without any surprises, Bald Dog’s Nakors would kill Green Horse and Stone Arrow and then divide the belongings of the three deceased.

“Stop it!” exclaimed an exhausted Stone Arrow suddenly.

Green Horse acted as if he hadn’t heard and continued to hold Bald Dog’s hair with one hand while desperately stabbing at Bald Dog’s face with a knife in the other.

Bald Dog’s eyes had turned into something resembling bloodstreaked cakes, nauseating to behold.

Stone Arrow stood up and heavily punched Green Horse: “Stop losing your mind!”

Green Horse fell hard into the blood-soaked ground, his normally fierce triangular eyes brimming with despair: “Why did he have to push me! Why…”

“Quiet!” Stone Arrow bared his teeth and kicked his companion fiercely: “Don’t alert Bald Dog’s personal guards!”

“Bald Dog’s personal guards?” Green Horse’s eyes suddenly turned fierce, grasping at the last straw, “Kill! Kill them all!”

“Have you gotten drunk on mare’s milk? Just the two of us, how can we possibly take them on?!”

Green Horse sprung up, intent on heading out: “Kill them one by one!”

“And what then after killing them?” Stone Arrow pushed his companion forcefully: “Can you and I escape?”

“Say it was the Two-Legs who killed them!”

“Who would that deceive?”

“What do you suggest we do?” Green Horse cried hysterically: “Then tell me, what do you propose we do?!”

“Shut up!” Stone Arrow forcefully held down Green Horse, biting his teeth: “We must run! Only by fleeing do we stand a chance to live.”

“How can we possibly escape?” near breakdown, asked Green Horse.

“Just the two of us!” Stone Arrow racked his brain, planning: “Apart from horses and provisions, take no other goods. Run day and night! If we make it back to the grasslands, we can live!”

“Even if we run back to the grasslands, there’s nowhere for us to go!” Green Horse lamented: “The fire tenders won’t spare us!”

Green Horse violently grabbed Stone Arrow, trembling in his shoulders: “Let’s surrender! To the Two-Legs! Better to be slaves or to be riders, the Two-Legs will give us a chance to live.”

“Don’t be foolish!” Stone Arrow’s mood gradually cooled: “The Two-Legs won’t give us a way out.”

“We could be picked on poles for a thousand arrows to shoot us to death, or be stuffed in hides for ten thousand horses to trample us to death…” Green Horse looked at the knife in his hand: “Better to end it quickly ourselves.”

“The Terdun Tribe can no longer accommodate us, and a lone horse cannot survive.” Stone Arrow had made up his mind, clutching his companion’s shoulders fiercely: “Red River Tribe! White Lion! Let’s go to White Lion!”

Green Horse’s body went stiff, shock rendering him speechless.

Somewhat later, the flames consumed the camp, and the remaining Terdun People were too busy salvaging their goods and livestock to notice that Stone Arrow and Green Horse had fled.

…

In Iron Peak County, within Niutigu Valley, on the East Bank dam of Panto River.

Enclosed by hopelessness, Stone Arrow and Green Horse abandoned everything for a slim chance of life.

And at that moment, Tie Chi could not even see that slim chance of life.

“We’ll find a way at the riverbank,” were Tie Chi’s original words.

The south of the Terdun People bordered the river, the North was the valley, beyond that the forests, and to the East, their escape route was already blocked.

Because of Tie Chi’s assurance, the chieftains of the Terdun Tribe suppressed their disquiet and fear, leading their people westward along the river valley.

The further west they went, the closer they got to the confluence of the Panto River and Big Horn River, the lower the riverbanks on both sides became, gradually enough to climb.

Tie Chi sent swift riders lightly up the mountains to scout for enemies in the North, while he urged his people to rush westward.

However, upon reaching the riverbank, Tie Chi had no plan—for across the waters, a flotilla patrolled back and forth.

The Terdun People had no boats, only rafts.

Whose small oared boats were on the river was clear without saying.

Tie Chi could feel the piercing stares stabbing into his back.

“A way?” Each Terdun chieftain asked with their eyes: “Where is the way?”

…

Niutigu Valley, the third line of defense.

Tamas received a letter—a letter sent by the Terdun People.

The letter was written with charcoal on sheepskin.

“What’s it written?” Tamas handed the letter to the captain of the fifth company, Lannis; he was illiterate: “Looks to me like Common Tongue.”

Lannis took the sheepskin, glanced over it briefly, and raised his eyebrows slightly: “It’s indeed the Common Tongue… There might be… one of our own amongst the barbarians.”

Because of an arrow wound, Tamas’s shoulder was swollen high, and lifting his arm was a struggle. He asked wearily: “What does it say?”

Lannis calmly rolled up the sheepskin: “The Barbarian Chief requests to surrender.

The letter was immediately sent to Winters and quickly returned.

No reply was written, only one more word added to the sheepskin:
“Denied.”