"Luwei, my silly daughter...remember what dad said. You just hide in there tonight and don't come out! No matter what you hear, don't come out!"
The old militiaman Chihuaco squatted in the corner of the hut and whispered repeatedly. He stretched out his hand toward the ground, and his palm disappeared.
The fire pit inside the house flickered dimly, illuminating the simple hut and outlining the shadows in the corners. It turns out that at some point, a small hole appeared on the dirt ground. There is a small figure hidden in the hole. The old militiaman touched the figure's head lovingly and couldn't help but say it again.
"Don't come out! Wait until dad comes back."
In the small hole, Little Reed nodded timidly. Beside her were a jar of water, a few corn tortillas, and a small basket of dried fruits. Chihuaco squatted and looked at his daughter for a while, and then he remembered the gift he had brought back. He reached out and groped in his arms for a while, took out a rare piece of dried venison, and carefully handed it into the hole.
Smelling the aroma of dried meat, Little Reed's eyes lit up. She took the dried meat from her father's hand and started to chew it. This piece of dried meat is very thin and the meat is not too hard. The small reeds are thin and chewy in the mouth, like a chewing hamster.
A gentle smile appeared on Chihuaco's face. He looked at his daughter for a while, then couldn't help but reached out and pinched Luwei's little face before sighing.
"Luwei, daddy is leaving. Daddy has to do a lot of things today... I want to avenge you, your brother, and your mother... If I can't come back, you have to take care of yourself... "
Little Reed shook her head and freed her little face from Chihuaco's hands. Then, she continued to chew the dried meat happily, not knowing whether she heard her father's words.
Chihuaco sighed again. How could such a young daughter take care of herself? He looked at it for a while, then reluctantly got up, brought two bundles of hay, and covered the entrance of the hole, leaving a hole for ventilation. Then, the old militiaman looked around the simple home, threw the pottery pot to the ground, smashed it, overturned several pots, and kicked the straw bed everywhere.
After showing signs of being looted, Chihuaco took one last look at the direction of the cave. Reed was obedient and hid inside without making any sound. Only then did the old militiaman smile. He put out the fire in the firepit, opened the door, and left with the door open.
At the door, Wezti was wearing a turban and holding a spear, staring blankly at the moon. More than a week has passed in May, and the incomplete half-moon hangs in the night sky like a half-eaten pancake. The old militiaman stepped forward and patted the dumb guy on the shoulder.
"The wood has been packed away?"
"Yeah. Nothing to clean up."
Vezti replied in a muffled voice.
Chihuaco nodded, then held the spear and strode towards the south of the city.
"Let's go. It's time to hit the road!"
Soon, the remaining old brothers also gathered one after another. The group of people didn't speak, and walked forward quietly under the faint moonlight.
The capital city at night is like the waning moon in the sky. The half near the city gate is a civilian area, which is desolate and desolate, with few fires. The inner half is the aristocratic area, which is bustling with lights and still noisy.
Further away, the tall "House of Wind" towers tall, and the eternal holy fire shines in the sky. The simple and sacred hymn came faintly in the wind. The priests prayed all night, praying for the gods' blessings and victory, and also praying that the majestic capital would never fall.
As the priest sang, a sneer appeared on the corner of Chihuaco's lips. Soon, the sneer turned into a side smile. A group of patrolling warriors passed by. The leader of the nobles asked them carefully before waving their hands to tell the militia warriors to "go away."
The group of people continued to lower their heads and arrived at the South City Gate in silence. Puap had already brought a dozen warriors and was waiting here impatiently.
"Old man Qi, have you made all arrangements?"
"Well, yes. Where are you, sir?"
"Ha! What can I do to make arrangements? If I die tonight, will my mother-in-law and children survive? Besides, there are many people in the family. If we really make arrangements, I'm afraid the news will leak out."
"The master is wise and courageous, and he is a man who does great things."
Chihuaco whispered a compliment. Then, he looked at the city wall not far away and asked cautiously.
"Sir, where are the militiamen guarding the city wall?"
"They are all in the house. Today I went to get a batch of fruit wine, and then I found an excuse to gather the militiamen together. They drank wine all night, and they are probably sleeping soundly in the house now."
Puap was visibly agitated. He followed the old militiaman's gaze, looked at the few sparse figures on this section of the city wall, and spoke impatiently.
"Don't worry, these people on the city wall are all our people. The secret doors under the city wall have also been cleared. Now we are waiting for the Mexica people to come!"
Chihuaco nodded. He turned to Yauli, the youngest.
"Xiao Yayuli, you are the most flexible. Take the token of the joint and wait outside the city first."
Yayuli blinked and walked towards the secret door. Chihuaco looked around for a while, then walked to the shadow of the wall and began to wait calmly.
Puap looked at the dark sky and then at the firelight of the palace in the distance. He paced back and forth uneasily for a moment, then couldn't help but speak.
"Why haven't you come yet?"
The old militiaman raised his head and looked at the direction of the moon before answering patiently.
"The moon has not reached its zenith yet. Don't worry, the Mexicans will come... They are more anxious than us."
The night wind blew, and a dark cloud slowly drifted in, covering the dim moon, making the sky darker. The sound of wind whistled through the city wall, like a low elegy. Suddenly, several deep night owl sounds came from outside the city.
Puap perked up. He looked towards the city wall and saw a torch on the wall swaying and circling it several times.
"The Mexicans are finally here!"
Not far outside the city, Nekali lowered his body and raised his head, also looking at the shaking torches on the city wall. Then, he turned around and shouted to the elite scouts behind him.
"That's it! Stay close to the city wall and don't make any sound."
After speaking, the senior scout half-hunched over and took the lead in approaching the edge of this section of the city wall. The city walls, which were heavily guarded during the day, were now empty. A large pile of stones and ash bottles were placed at the top of the city. Necali's palms became sweaty when he saw them. Beside the equipment used to defend the city, a few defenders poked their heads out. They looked at the Mexica scouts who were approaching quickly and just nodded happily.
"Come on, the secret door is here!"
A thin figure suddenly appeared from under the city wall. Xiao Yauli waved his right hand vigorously, holding a red wooden sign. Necali pulled out the copper ax from his waist and stepped forward quickly. He looked at the shape of the wooden sign and made a gesture behind him again.
The moonlight was dim, and the Mexica scouts followed Yauli's figure to a rough wall. Yayuli squatted down and disappeared from the sight of the scouts. Necali hurried forward and leaned over to check. Only then did he discover that there was an inconspicuous hole at the base of the wall. The hole leads to the side and downwards at an angle, and is extremely narrow, barely enough for even one person to pass through.
"I hate burrowing like a hare!"
Nekali shrunk and crawled into the hole, muttering bitterly. What kind of secret door is this? It's clearly a narrow tunnel! The walls on both sides were pitted and uneven, scratching the leather armor on his body. After climbing for a while, the senior scout's forehead started to sweat again. In this kind of terrain, he couldn't even stand up straight. If there were two people blocking the other end, it would be like poking fish on land, and one of them would die.
After crawling hard for dozens of breaths, the hole on the other side was clearly visible. Necali held her breath and carefully reached out her hand to explore. Another pair of big, calloused hands grabbed him and pulled him out of the hole with a strong pull.
"God bless us! We meet again, Mexica!"
Chihuaco had a smile on his face.
"Yes. God bless you! Thank you for your help, Prepecha man."
As soon as Necali stood still on the ground, he looked around impatiently. The tall stone wall was so indestructible, but it was already behind him. And in front of him was a magnificent and prosperous capital city! The majestic pyramid lit the sacred fire, and the towering Palace of Winds was illuminated by candlelight. And on the streets in the center of the city, there are countless dots of lights. The firelight flickered in the noble garden, like the stars in the sky at night!
Seeing all this, Necali's face showed a wolf-like smile. He looked at it greedily for a while, then turned around and helped the scouts behind him enter the city. The old militiaman looked calm and watched as more and more Mexican warriors gathered. These warriors wear Tarasco-style leather armor and have lightweight copper axes tied to their waists. They look strong and resolute, just like the former copper ax guards.
The moonlight flows quietly. About two-quarters of an hour later, more than a hundred Mexica elites had gathered at the tunnel, each wearing armor and holding axes, with murderous intent in their eyes. Looking at these strong and indifferent Mexica warriors, Puap shuddered and suddenly felt regretful.
Seeing Puap's expression, Nekali tightened his grip on the copper ax in his hand and grinned.
"Hey, Prepecha's partner. Next, it's time for us to open the city gate!"
Huitu Puap gritted his teeth and shook his head.
"Wait a minute... There is a lot of digging noise. If it attracts the attention of the patrol... we don't have enough people. By the way, the defenders of this section are my men, and they are all arranged in the big room in front. , we also need to deal with them as much as possible. You bring some warriors and join me to capture them first..."
Hearing this, Necali frowned. he asked doubtfully.
"You can't control your men?"
"I haven't been in charge of this unit for long, and I don't have many reliable cronies. The fewer people who know about things like tonight, the better..."
"Okay! Lead the way."
Necali nodded expressionlessly. He looked around, estimated the number of people on the inside, and began to take the initiative. The senior scout made a few gestures, and nearly a hundred Mexica warriors followed Puap and the old militiamen to a row of large houses not far away.
"Which houses are occupied?"
"In order to defend the city, all the residents close to the city wall have been moved away by the chief. There are only militiamen stationed here. Starting from here, all the way to here... When you block the door, I will send people to call them in batches. Wake up and force them to join..."
"No need to bother!"
Necali interrupted Puap coldly. A cruel smile appeared on his face.
"Are all your people here?"
Seeing Nekali's cold smile, Puap felt a chill in his heart. He glanced at the old militiaman subconsciously. The other party sighed and lowered his eyes, as if he didn't hear anything.
"Yes...but..."
"Go in and leave no one behind!"
Necali looked at the Mexica warriors beside him and issued an order coldly. Hundreds of elite warriors held axes in their hands and nodded solemnly to obey. Soon, one after another, like a pack of hunting wolves, they disappeared into the big house ahead.
"Damn! You..."
Puap opened his mouth to speak, but met the cold eyes of the senior scout. He felt the undisguised murderous intent in the other person's eyes, and wisely closed his mouth.
The dark night is full of tranquility, and the warm wind carries the fragrance of wine. Soon, a faint noise sounded in the house, accompanied by the sound of blood flowing after the ax blade penetrated the flesh. Several muffled screams came out, but there was a bit of sadness in the silence. Puap sniffed hard. He smelled the strong smell of blood, as if coming from his own hands.
Chihuaco shuddered when he smelled blood in the wind. He raised his head and looked at Vezti beside him. Silly wood stared blankly at the cold Nekali, thinking that he had beaten him twice...he couldn't help but shudder.
Feeling the gaze, the senior scout tilted his head sharply and smiled coldly. Vezti immediately lowered his head quietly. Necali curled her lips and continued to wait patiently. After a while, the house quickly became quiet, and groups of warriors walked out of it one after another. Their expressions were still calm, but the copper axes in their hands hung low, with blood dripping down.
"Are you all cleaned up?"
"Yes, clean, Captain."
Necali nodded with satisfaction. He looked around and counted on his palms that there were more than two hundred elite warriors entering the city.
"It's almost time. Come here and take us to the city gate!"
Facing the large group of Mexica elites and feeling the boiling murderous intent, Puap remained silent and could only nod silently. He led Necali to the city gate. All the nearby torches had been extinguished, and only the faint moonlight fell from the sky, falling on the cold warriors.
"These are prepared stone shovels...mainly the outermost layer...the inside is actually half-empty..."
Under the moonlight, Necali looked at the city gate that would be blocked and frowned again. He pointed to both sides, and nearly half of the scouts spread out to the outside, blocking the vicinity of the city gate.
"How long will this take?"
"Three quarters of an hour. There are enough people and strength. If you work hard, it will be about two and a half quarters!"
"Okay. Start working and hold on tight!"
"The moonlight is quite dark, can you see clearly? If not, light a torch."
Puap asked hesitantly.
"It's not necessary. The people here are all elite warriors who can fight at night... Before the city gate opens, the less noise there is, the better."
"You're right!... Captain, there will be patrols at night... There are enough people here. We'd better go there and watch at the intersection in advance."
Chihuaco looked up. He pointed to a big house half a street away and suggested with a smile.
Necali looked at the location of the big house and nodded slowly. A group of dozens of people walked towards the big house together. The fire pit in the center of the room had already been lit, and there were a circle of pottery bowls, some cakes and fruits, and two open jars of fruit wine around it. After dozens of steps, there was an alluring aroma in the air.
"Hey, that's so clever! Whose idea was this?"
Necali suddenly understood. He looked at everyone with a smile, and the old militiaman also smiled. Everyone sat down in the house and poured wine into bowls. From a distance, a group of people were having a drinking party, and it looked like a harmonious atmosphere.
The firelight flickered, time ticked, and the ticking sound sounded far from the front. Under the deep night, a group of warriors who had been patrolling all night finally strode towards this side holding torches!
