October came from the smoky sky with endless flames and landed in the Sierra Madre Oriental Mountains in the north. This is the time when the vegetation is withering, the leaves on the mountains are falling, and the pine needles are covering the ground in the forest. Once the terrifying mountain fire ignites, it will spread rapidly along the mountains, with the momentum of devouring everything!
The fire burned along the mountains and forests, and no one could stop it. Ozoma and Massat kept moving, leading more than 2,000 soldiers to escape from the Red Monkey Camp to the Red Stork Camp. They then took the Red Stork tribe with them and fled to the Red Dog Main Camp, which had been built for a long time.
Before Red Dog Chief Chichika could scold him, a fire head more than ten meters high came straight towards him. Thousands of canine descendants had no choice but to abandon the dangerous and complete main camp, discard the messy stacks of supplies, and continue to flee in panic. Then, the ferocious mountain fire engulfed the red salamander camp again, burning out twenty miles of white land before stopping in front of the turning mountains, and then gradually stopped.
Here, the mountain road extending eastward suddenly turns north and merges into the main vein of the Sierra Madre Oriental. The mountains in the main vein are steeper and more steep, with large areas of exposed brown rocks and the forest becoming very sparse. Fifty miles further north is the Palms Valley, the home base where tens of thousands of dog descendants gather.
The terrible fire finally stopped! The five major tribes and thousands of canine warriors all breathed a sigh of relief. Everyone was disgraced and had a psychological shadow burned by the wildfire. People in the fire were panicked, and many ordinary tribes were demoralized and fled in random directions.
Fortunately, the canine descendants always run fast and don't carry much luggage. The five major tribes each gathered their defeated troops and rested in newly built camps in the rear. Although the terrain of this new camp is dangerous, it has just been built and is the last line of defense against the Southern Allied Forces.
Chief Chichika settled down in the camp, tired from his travels. Then, he immediately counted his personnel, summoned the leaders of various tribes, and held a tribal military meeting.
"...So, of the seven thousand soldiers in each camp, there are only five thousand gathered in the new camp right now?!"
Chief Red Dog clenched his fists, anger seemed to be burning in his eyes. When he went on this expedition, he brought nearly ten thousand soldiers with him, and everyone's morale was high! Even if the three tribes of Red Dog, Red Deer and Red Monkey fought one after another, more than 2,000 people were lost, and at least 7,000 were still left. As a result, after a fire, only five thousand soldiers were left. Most of them were demoralized and panicked, as if they were defeated soldiers.
Hearing this, Chief Ashulote coughed and explained to the leader in a low voice.
"Big leader, the elites of each tribe suffered very few losses. The two thousand warriors who escaped were mainly tribesmen recruited from ordinary tribes. At that time, the fierce mountain fire struck and the tribes lost restraint, so the tribesmen took the lead to escape. They were all the way. He ran along the mountain road, probably straight back to the valley."
After hearing Ashulote's words, Chief Chichika showed no expression on his face and just loosened his fist.
It is worth mentioning that in the Nahua language, Xolotl is the black dog, representing the god of fire and thunder, death and rebirth. The meaning of Axolotl is the salamander in the water. The two names are so similar. Because the salamander can regenerate after severed limbs, symbolizing the power of death and rebirth, it was also endowed with divinity by the Nahua ancestors.
Among the major tribes, the Red Salamander tribe was the first to submit to the leader of Chichika, so it was arranged in the rearmost camp to take charge of logistics affairs. Ashulote witnessed the entire rout with his own eyes and knew the situation of each department well, so he was not anxious at this time. He smiled and continued.
"Big leader, although the mountain fire was fierce, it burned in a straight line, leaving enough way to escape. There are very few soldiers who were actually killed in the fire. As long as you send an envoy back to the valley, you can bring them back. Recruitment! The food stored in each camp is less than half a month, and the luggage is very small. Even if it is burned by the fire, it will not be a pity."
"What's more, this fire cut off the entire mountain road and resisted the Southern Allied Forces for ten days! Maybe the cactus warriors on the opposite side have been destroyed in the fire. It's autumn harvest now, wait for them to attack again , all ministries have finished harvesting corn, and there is no longer any worry about food shortage!..."
Chichica listened sullenly for a moment. He nodded in affirmation first, then shook his head in silence. Then, Chief Red Dog picked up a tough bullhide whip and walked towards the dejected Ozoma.
"Ozoma, do you know your guilt?"
Chief Red Dog spoke in a deep voice, his voice as cold as a cold wave.
Ozoma raised his head, met the eyes of leader Chichika, and his whole body trembled.
"Chichika, I'm not guilty! The mountains and forests in autumn are flammable. In order to rely on the mountains and forests for defense, there are hidden dangers in the positions of each battalion! Although I took the initiative to set the fire this time, causing the army to collapse... But if Ah When the Ztecs attack the main camp, if they set a fire in the forest, we will all be dead!..."
Ozoma kept shouting. He thought about it for a long time in the past few days before he found some excuses. The locations where each battalion was stationed were exactly what Chichika had chosen.
"Ozoma, do you know your guilt?!"
Chichika was furious. His eyes were like knives, containing sharp killing intent, and the whip in his hand was clenched tightly, making a creaking sound.
"I...I didn't..."
Massat secretly stretched out his foot and kicked Ozoma's knee. Chief Red Monkey wakes up. He looked around the big tent. Chief Red Salamander and Red Stork had lost their camp for no reason, and they were all sneering at him. The other little leaders all looked dissatisfied. Under the anger of the whole house, if he was ordered to be executed by Chichika...Ozoma was shocked, his knees weakened, and he knelt down.
"Big Chief, I am guilty!... The Red Monkey Tribe first set up an ambush in the forest, and then fought the enemy to the death in the camp. They killed thousands of enemies and suffered heavy casualties themselves. Please consider the merits of the soldiers and forgive me. My fault!"
Seeing Ozoma kneeling down, Chichika's expression softened slightly. He suppressed the murderous intention in his heart and shouted angrily.
"Ozoma, you made a big mistake and caused the alliance to lose three camps! As a leader, thinking of your achievements in fighting to the death, I will spare your life! Now, take off your wolf robe, turn your back, and receive fifty lashes !”
"Ah? Fifty lashes..."
Hearing this, Ozoma knelt on the ground, his face pale. He looked at Chief Red Deer across from him for help.
Massat's brows trembled. If it takes fifty lashes, I'm afraid Ozoma will be whipped to death! The leader of Chichika is making use of the topic, intending to kill the monkey to establish his authority. He hesitated for a moment, sighed in his heart, and then stood up.
"Dear Chief Chichika! The Southern Alliance attacked fiercely, but Chief Red Monkey resisted resolutely. He set up an ambush in the forest, rescued me, and made great contributions to the alliance! This time the fire was set because the Southern Alliance attacked too hard. I had to use fire to stop the enemy... Please forgive me, big boss!"
"When we set up an ambush before, the Red Deer tribe surrounded and killed the enemy generals and got a precious pair of thick leather armor! It is invulnerable to arrows and spears and is extremely strong. Only real warriors can wear it. Big leader, I would like to donate the thick leather armor." Here you go, please forgive Ozoma’s sins!”
Having said this, Chief Red Deer knelt down on one knee and bowed his head respectfully.
"Huh? The thick skin of the Cactus Warrior?"
Chichika was a little surprised. He looked at the submissive Chief Red Deer and was silent.
Among the various tribes in the valley, the red salamanders and flamingos are the most submissive, followed by the red deer tribe. The red monkey tribe is the strongest and has always been the most unruly. Therefore, during this expedition, he arranged the red deer and red monkey tribes at the forefront to fight the enemy first.
Although this wildfire broke out suddenly, the result was not unexpected. The Red Monkey Tribe lost 800 warriors and fell to the bottom of the Five Tribes. The Red Deer Tribe lost 600 warriors and was only slightly better than the Red Monkeys. The two troops suffered heavy losses, and the chiefs became docile. If the drive can be subdued, there is no need to kill Ozoma.
Thinking of this, Chichika's expression softened slightly.
"Masat, bring me your thick leather armor!"
Chief Red Deer nodded and asked his bodyguard to present the treasure armor. Chichika stretched out her hand and touched it, feeling happy in her heart. He grinned and nodded slowly.
"Killing the enemy leader and seizing the thick leather armor can indeed offset part of the fault! Ozoma, for your first offense, I will punish you with twenty lashes! Are you convinced?"
Ozoma gritted his teeth and lowered his head to hide the hatred in his eyes. He whispered back.
"Dear Chief, I am convinced that your rewards and punishments are fair!"
"Okay, turn around."
Chichika smiled fiercely, raised the whip in his hand, and whipped it down mercilessly!
"Bah bang bang!..."
"Ahhh!..."
Ozoma knelt on the ground. At first he gritted his teeth and endured the torture, but in the end he couldn't resist anymore and screamed miserably. When many leaders heard the screams, they were shocked at first, then showed mockery on their faces and sneered in low voices.
"Ozoma screamed like a monkey, really embarrassing the warriors in the wasteland..."
"With such a weak chief, no wonder he can't withstand the attack of the Otomi native dogs..."
After twenty lashes, Ozoma could no longer hold on. He was covered in blood and fell limply to the ground, like a dead monkey, losing all dignity.
Chichika put down the bloody whip. He slowly squatted down, reached out and held Ozoma's hair, stared into the eyes of the Red Monkey Chief, and said coldly.
"In the tradition of the southern tribes, there will be a big leader who manages all the tribes. He is supreme and accepts the surrender of all ordinary leaders. The ceremony of accepting submission is to hold the opponent's hair... Now, Ozoma, Surrender to me!"
"Big Chief, I...I...I surrender to you..."
Ozoma was hoarse from screaming. He opened his mouth and replied with difficulty, not daring to show any dissatisfaction.
"Okay! The big leader is majestic and just. He punishes the leader who makes mistakes and rewards the warriors who have merit. Ozoma, I have punished you for your mistakes with my own hands. Now, it is time to reward your warriors for their achievements!"
Seeing Ozoma's awed expression, Chichika nodded with satisfaction. He stood up, paused, a flash of physical pain flashed across his face, and then became majestic. Then, Chief Red Dog picked up the heavy bronze cloth mask with one hand and placed it next to Ozoma.
"Ozoma, I will reward you with this thick leather armor captured by Chief Red Deer!"
"Ah! Thick leather armor?"
Massat let out a low breath. He looked at Ozoma on the ground, who was touching his thick armor with a look of disbelief on his face.
"This...this...thank you, chief!"
Ozoma was in a daze for no reason. Gritting his teeth, he climbed up from the ground and saluted the leader of Chichika, feeling truly in awe.
"That's right! Ozoma, you were able to stand up even after receiving twenty lashes from me. You are a tough warrior!"
Chichica grinned again. He waved, and the bodyguard presented him with a clay pot. Then Chief Red Dog helped Ozoma up and thrust the clay pot into his hands.
"This is a precious herbal medicine prepared by the tribe's witch doctor! It can heal wounds and will not be infected by the magic of death. This jar is all for you! Ozoma, you can rest in peace in the back camp for a few days. Red Monkey Warrior We have suffered a lot of losses, and after escaping all the way here, our morale is quite low, and we need to rest again!”
"Thank you...big boss..."
Ozoma took the clay pot containing the herbs, listened to Chichika's comfort, and responded in a low voice. At this moment, an absurd sense of gratitude arose in his heart. Afterwards, Chief Red Monkey gritted his teeth secretly, trembled, and began to think wildly.
"Damn Chichika, are you using witchcraft on me? Why should I be grateful to him..."
Chichika smiled and nodded, then looked at Chief Red Deer beside him.
"And you, Massat, the Red Deer Tribe fought hard and suffered heavy casualties. You also took the tribe to the back camp to rest for two days. Once the Cactus Tribe is defeated and we return to the valley, I will make up for your casualties!"
"Thank you, respected chief! The Red Deer Tribe is willing to fight for you!"
Massat was very grateful and also bowed and paid homage.
Chichika nodded with a smile and shook Massat's hair. Between punishment and reward, he showed the majesty of a great leader. The leaders of the various tribes in the tent looked in awe, and they all bowed their heads in submission.
Amosi stood in the corner of the tent, watching everything silently. The newly-promoted Chief of Red Crow looked deeply and memorized the scenes in his mind. During these days of following Chief Chichika, the door to a new world was slowly opening to him, allowing him to undergo a silent transformation.
After a moment, he looked outside the camp in silence. Although the huge mountain fire is gradually extinguished, the flame in my chest has just ignited.
"The truly powerful warrior is the leader who rules all warriors, the wolf king who drives the wolves!..."
Not long ago, wildfires hit and there was chaos. Amosi thought about leaving during the chaos, but failed in the end. Because the red-haired warriors of the tribe have been staying in the back camp of the army, including Alan. They acted at the same time as the Red Salamander warriors, and they were in a mess with each other, making it difficult for them all to escape. Since he saved Uman last time, the leader of Chichika did not vent his anger on Amosi. Instead, he began to trust his abilities and intentionally promoted and cultivated him. He was also able to attend this important military meeting.
"My chiefs, my warriors!"
After rewarding and punishing the two chiefs, Chichika stood tall. He shouted to everyone confidently in an exciting tone.
"Although our camp was burned down in the wildfire, we bought precious time! Now, this newly built camp controls the valley road. The mountains are majestic and towering, and the terrain is even more steep! As long as we hold on here, no matter how weak we are, The Otomi dog, or the brave cactus warrior, they are all helpless!"
"Our old camp, Pamus Valley, is just fifty miles behind the camp! Now, we are no longer short of food, and we have harvested a lot of corn. You all heard from the tribe's messenger that the yield of farmland in the valley is far better than that in the wasteland! It is so rich. We must keep our land and make it our own!"
"When the wildfires hit, the soldiers were a little demoralized, but the southern tribes were also suffering in the wildfires and suffered heavy losses! Now, I have sent envoys to recruit the soldiers stationed in the valley and summoned 10,000 reinforcements! We have enough With enough food and brave warriors, we can defend this stronghold until the enemy dies of old age!"
"...Warriors, I won't say any more nonsense! As long as we repel the cactus tribe, our brave Guakili people can stay in the fertile valley and establish a powerful city-state alliance! At that time, all ministries will All losses can be made up from looting. I will take you to the south to grab more food, skilled craftsmen, and fair southern women! Ouch!!"
"Listen to the chief! Defeat the enemy and occupy the valley! Wow! Wow! Wow!!"
Upon hearing Chichica's war mobilization, demons suddenly danced in the tent. The chiefs of the flamingos and red salamanders were the first to shout in agreement, followed by the red deer and red monkeys. The leaders of each tribe were howling loudly, and even the punished Ozoma roared hoarsely.
"Robbing food, robbing craftsmen, robbing southern women!!"
Fanatic shouts echoed in the big tent, and even the shadows swayed in the bonfire, changing into greedy shapes, like fish hooked by desire.
A shadow was cast on Amosi in the corner, covering his face and making him lower his eyes. He thought of Kakalo again and the old chief's words when he was leaving.
"Asimo, the world of the wasteland is vast. Tribes are constantly migrating, and eagles are flying away. Everything is for life and hope, for inheritance and continuation... We can't resist the shadow, so it's time to leave. Already..."
