Supreme of the Desert

The group continued on.

Hao Nhien walked near the front. His dusty gray cloak shifted behind him in the wind, and he had yet to remove the scarf covering his face. Lanh Hoa kept to his left, one hand always near the hilt of his sword while his spiritual awareness continually swept the surrounding area. Hoa Linh Nhi followed not far behind them. Her face was still slightly pale, but her steps were far steadier than before.

After nearly half an hour, Luu Thanh finally caught up from behind.

As soon as he drew close, he looked Hao Nhien over from head to toe, barely able to conceal the excitement on his face.

"Brother Hao Nhien, this time I truly have to admit defeat. At first, I only thought we could get our Fire Qilin people out of the city. I never expected more than a thousand others to walk through the gate with us."

Luu Thanh seemed ready to say more, but when he turned and looked at the long column of people stretching behind them, the smile on his face naturally faded.

"More than a thousand people... from now on, that becomes a different problem."

Hao Nhien remained silent for a moment before nodding. That was exactly what he had been thinking.

He had won one exchange against Duong Quang in the square, but that victory brought him no relief. The people behind him had left behind walls, clean water, and work to step back into the desert. Each of them had their own reasons and had ultimately made their own choice, but Hao Nhien understood that his words had played an important part in giving them the courage to walk through that gate.

If he made the wrong decision, the freedom they had just reclaimed could very quickly become a road to death.

The Heavenly Eye would certainly not pretend that nothing had happened today, and Duong Quang would be even less likely to ignore the man who had disrupted his first public gathering in front of tens of thousands of people.

Hao Nhien looked toward the horizon, wavering beneath the heat.

"First, take everyone to the shelter point we chose. We can deal with everything else afterward."

The excitement vanished from Luu Thanh's expression.

"All right."

By the time night fell, the group finally stopped near an old oasis hidden behind a low ridge of rocky hills, far enough from Heavenly Eye Forward City that its lights had become nothing more than a faint glow on the horizon.

This was a place Luu Thanh had once heard transport crews mention during the days he spent gathering information. The water source had been declining for years and was no longer suitable for a large tribe to settle permanently, but a small underground spring still emerged between the rocks. Lanh Hoa had later marked it on the map as an emergency stopping point in case their group was forced to leave the city.

Several natural rock walls blocked most of the night wind, and the open ground below was wide enough for temporary tents. The pool of water was not large, but it could at least keep the group going for a short time.

As soon as they arrived, those accustomed to life in the Western Wastes naturally divided the work among themselves without needing many orders. The elderly, children, and injured were moved to places sheltered from the wind. The stronger people erected tents, dug shallow trenches against drifting sand, and searched around the oasis for dry wood and dead cactus to use as fuel.

Before long, small fires began to glow in the darkness.

No one beat drums or celebrated loudly. They had only just left the Heavenly Eye's territory, and no one wanted sound carrying too far across the desert. Even so, conversations gradually rose around the fires, along with a few quiet laughs and even muffled sobs that people tried to hold back.

It was not the joy of an army that had just won a battle.

It was simply the relief of people who had finally found time to sit down after a day in which, only a few hours earlier, even they themselves had not known whether they would have the courage to step through the city gate.

In the widest clearing between the rock walls, several people stacked flat stones into a low platform. When Hao Nhien stepped onto it, the conversations around the camp slowly faded.

More than a thousand pairs of eyes turned toward him.

Hao Nhien did not speak immediately. He looked over the faces coated in dust, the children sleeping in their mothers' arms, the elderly still gripping their water bags, and the young men whose hands had yet to leave their weapons.

After a moment, he infused a small amount of spiritual power into his voice, just enough for his words to carry clearly across the camp without creating a sense of pressure.

"You walked out of Heavenly Eye Forward City by your own choice, but crossing a gate does not mean everything is over. Before each of you decides where to go next, there are several things I want to make clear."

The surroundings gradually fell completely silent.

"The first concerns the Heavenly Eye. I do not know the full extent of their true intentions, nor am I going to claim that everything they offer is false. The Forward City has water, work, walls, and an order that many people in the Western Wastes genuinely need."

Some people below shifted slightly. Hao Nhien did not avoid the reaction.

"But what I know suggests that the Heavenly Eye may not be the end of this road. There may be larger aims behind them, perhaps even involving the use of the Western Wastes as a foothold for a conflict we do not yet fully understand."

He paused briefly before continuing.

"I am not asking you to believe that immediately. I only hope that from this day forward, before entrusting your lives to any power, you first understand what you are giving in exchange."

His words did not produce cheers, but some people in the crowd slowly nodded.

Hao Nhien looked toward the families sitting close together.

"The second matter concerns all of you. Not everyone here needs to remain with me. The elderly, children, the injured, and those who are not ready to step into a conflict all have the right to choose a safer path."

Quiet discussions immediately spread through the crowd.

Hao Nhien allowed them to continue for a moment before speaking again.

"I will write to Lieu Thien Van, City Lord of Tam Thành, and ask him to receive everyone. If he agrees, those who wish to go can travel to Tam Thành together, find a new place to live, find work, and begin their lives again without having to swear loyalty to the Heavenly Eye."

That caused even more discussion to spread through the crowd. For most of the people who had just left the Forward City, their greatest concern was not whether they would fight the Heavenly Eye immediately. It was where they would live tomorrow after stepping through that gate.

Hao Nhien looked around and continued.

"I am not asking all of you to go to Tam Thành. Those who wish to return to their own tribes, search for family members, or already have somewhere else to go can decide for themselves. You just left the Heavenly Eye in order to preserve that right to choose, so I have even less reason to decide your next path for you."

Some people slowly nodded. Others who had been anxious began discussing the matter with their families, because at least they no longer faced only two choices, returning to the Forward City or wandering aimlessly through the desert.

Hao Nhien continued.

"What everyone needs to do now is stabilize your lives. Those who go to Tam Thành can begin again there. Those who return to their tribes can tell their people what you witnessed today. As for confronting the Heavenly Eye, that is not something that can be solved by a crowd that has only just walked out of a city. To reach that point, we need more time, more people, and enough strength that those who trust us do not become sacrifices."

He looked across the faces illuminated by firelight.

"I will continue searching for the Fire Qilin people and investigate Duong Long, Duong Quang, and what the Heavenly Eye is doing in the Western Wastes. If the day comes when we truly have to confront them, we will do it with preparation and strength, not with momentary anger."

Hao Nhien continued.

"But that is a matter for the future. Tonight, anyone who wishes to leave can begin preparing. Those who remain will establish watch posts around the oasis and make sure everyone has enough time to move away from this area safely."

The camp remained silent for quite some time.

There was no applause, nor were there any thunderous vows like those in the square.

An old man holding his young grandchild was the first to rise. He cupped his hands toward Hao Nhien.

"I will take the child away."

Hao Nhien nodded.

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"Take care."

Another woman stood up.

"My parents are with a wandering group to the east. I want to go back and find them."

"Then go. You do not need my permission."

The answer caused quite a few people to look at Hao Nhien.

He continued.

"You just walked out of the Forward City to preserve your right to choose. If you have to ask my permission before deciding where you may go the moment you leave, then what was the point of everything we did today?"

A few soft laughs rose from the crowd, easing the heavy atmosphere somewhat.

After the people dispersed, Hao Nhien began assigning the necessary duties for their first night.

He looked toward Luu Thanh.

"Choose people familiar with the desert and establish several layers of watch posts. One close to the camp and another on the more distant dunes. If anyone follows us from the Forward City, I want to know before they get close."

Luu Thanh nodded.

"I'll do it immediately."

Hao Nhien turned toward Lanh Hoa.

"You will take charge of those who intend to remain and fight. There is no need to turn them into an army yet. For now, divide them according to weapons, experience, and ability. If something happens, we should at least know where everyone stands and who is responsible for each group."

"Understood."

"Van Phong, find those who know how to treat injuries or recognize medicinal materials. Gather the injured in one place and check what supplies are still usable."

Hoa Van Phong immediately replied.

"I understand."

Finally, Hao Nhien looked at Hoa Linh Nhi.

"Linh Nhi, help organize the elderly, the children, and the families preparing to leave. Do not let anyone be left outside simply because they are not strong enough to fight."

Hoa Linh Nhi nodded seriously.

"I will."

Everyone quickly dispersed.

Hao Nhien remained in the middle of the camp for a while longer, watching the groups begin to move. A handful of simple orders could not possibly turn more than a thousand people into an organized force, but at least the initial chaos had begun to settle.

It was much later that night when Hoa Van Phong came to the place where Hao Nhien was resting.

He was not alone.

Behind him were the twenty Fire Qilin tribesmen who had once hidden in the abandoned forge inside Heavenly Eye Forward City.

On the road out of the city, Hao Nhien had allowed Hoa Van Phong to explain his identity to this group. Lanh Hoa had also personally confirmed that Hao Nhien was the one acknowledged by the Fire Qilin Jade. That information was limited to the core group of Fire Qilin tribesmen and had not been revealed to the other people of the Western Wastes outside the tent.

When they entered the stone shelter, Hoa Van Phong was the first to kneel on one knee.

"Greetings, Clan Head."

The twenty people behind him saluted together.

"Greetings, Clan Head."

Hao Nhien looked over them once, then raised a hand.

"Stand. There is no need for lengthy ceremony right now."

Everyone rose and sat in a circle around the rug in the middle of the shelter. Lanh Hoa sat to Hao Nhien's left, while Hoa Linh Nhi, having just finished helping organize the weaker families, sat closer to the outer edge.

Hao Nhien went straight to the matter at hand.

"I want to know how many other Fire Qilin groups you can still contact."

Hoa Manh, the man in his forties who had temporarily been making decisions for the group, answered first.

"There is no exact number. After the tribe scattered, everyone split into many groups. Some fled deeper into the Western Wastes, some blended into labor districts, and a few groups left this area entirely."

"Does anyone know where they are?"

Two people in the group looked at one another.

A thin old man spoke first.

"I know of a group of more than thirty who once hid in the red-stone region to the west. I do not know whether they are still there or have already moved."

A young woman seated on the other side added:

"I have relatives in another group near the southern caravan route. If they have not moved, I have a way to leave them a signal."

Hao Nhien thought for a moment before looking at the two of them.

"Then the two of you will not remain here."

Both were slightly startled.

"Go find them. Tell them that the person acknowledged by the Fire Qilin Jade has returned to the Western Wastes, that Lanh Hoa has also returned, and that we are searching for tribesmen who have not followed Duong Long."

Their expressions immediately changed.

"Once you have delivered the message, return if it is safe. If the situation is dangerous, preserve your lives first. Right now, the Fire Qilin Tribe needs living people more than anything else."

The two cupped their hands at the same time.

"Understood, Clan Head."

Of the twenty people, two therefore received missions to carry messages, while the remaining eighteen became the first core group of Fire Qilin tribesmen around Hao Nhien.

He looked at the faces before him.

"I do not need any of you to prove your loyalty by throwing your lives away. The first task of the Fire Qilin Tribe is to find our scattered people, understand what truly happened back then, and survive long enough to return one day."

Hoa Manh nodded solemnly.

"We understand."

"Tomorrow, Lanh Hoa will divide everyone according to experience. Those who have hunted beasts, those who have served as guards, those skilled with bows, and those familiar with desert routes will each have their own roles. Eighteen people is not many, but if each of you can find a few more tribesmen, that number will gradually change."

The atmosphere inside the shelter slowly grew heavier.

The initial excitement of meeting the person acknowledged by the Fire Qilin Jade faded, replaced by the realization that a long and difficult undertaking had truly begun.

Hao Nhien asked several more questions about the scattered Fire Qilin groups before allowing everyone to leave and rest.

The two assigned to carry messages would depart after sunrise.

The camp never became completely quiet that night.

Groups continued packing their belongings in preparation to leave. Others sat around the fires and spoke in low voices. Some of the younger men were still excited by what had happened in the square, but most of those who had lived in the Western Wastes for many years understood that the following morning, once their emotions had settled, each person would have to decide which path they truly wished to take.

Hao Nhien sat inside the stone shelter without lighting a lamp. Firelight from outside slipped through the entrance in faint streaks.

After a while, Lanh Hoa entered and sat across from him.

"Clan Head, things outside are more settled now."

Hao Nhien nodded.

"How many have definitely decided to leave?"

"We have not counted everyone yet, but quite a few."

"Let them go."

Lanh Hoa remained silent for a moment before saying:

"This subordinate is only concerned that if the number drops too quickly, those who remain may waver."

Hao Nhien looked toward the opening of the shelter.

"Enthusiasm is like a newly kindled flame. It can burn very brightly, but without strength, real results, and a path clear enough for people to see, it will die out quickly. I do not want them following me simply because of one speech in the square."

Lanh Hoa looked at him.

Hao Nhien continued.

"Those who need to leave should leave. The people who are still here after a full day and night, after clearly seeing the price they may have to pay and still refusing to change their minds, are the people we can begin building a force around."

"And the Heavenly Eye?"

"For now, we absolutely cannot confront them directly. We are not qualified to do so yet."

Lanh Hoa nodded slightly.

The two then reviewed the escape routes from the oasis in case the Heavenly Eye pursued them, the placement of sentries, how to respond if someone tried to incite the crowd into returning to the Forward City, and the order of priority if the camp had to move in haste. The elderly, children, and injured would always be evacuated first.

When Hao Nhien stepped out of the shelter, he looked at the fires scattered across the night. Some people were laughing, some were embracing one another and crying, while others sat in silence for a long time before deciding which direction they would take the next morning.

He did not regard the sight as a victory.

What Hao Nhien felt most clearly was only that the weight on his shoulders had grown heavier.

Lanh Hoa stood beside him for a long time without speaking. From that silence, Hao Nhien guessed that he too understood that escaping Heavenly Eye Forward City had only been the first step.

By the following afternoon, when the sun had begun sinking westward, the camp had thinned considerably.

Those with family elsewhere left in small groups. Some returned to their old tribes, some planned to follow the caravan routes toward Tam Thành, while a few agreed to carry news to wandering groups that were still uncertain about the Heavenly Eye.

No one was stopped.

Some cupped their hands and thanked Hao Nhien before leaving. Some promised to return after settling their families. Others simply looked at him from a distance, bowed once, and quietly disappeared into the yellow sands.

Of the more than one thousand people who had left the city, only around five or six hundred remained.

But those who remained were different.

They were no longer a crowd swept along by the emotions of the square. After spending a full day and night watching others leave the camp, considering the price of standing against the Heavenly Eye, and realizing that Hao Nhien had never promised them an easy victory, they still chose to stay.

Some were cleaning swords, some were repairing cloaks, while another group redistributed water bags and checked weapons. Those with hunting experience had already begun gathering under Lanh Hoa's arrangements, while several people familiar with caravan routes sat with Luu Thanh and marked possible communication lines.

Hao Nhien walked into the open space at the center of the camp.

The conversations gradually faded.

He looked at those who remained and said:

"Yesterday, you walked out of Heavenly Eye Forward City while your emotions were still running high. Today, after having enough time to think, you are still here. These are exactly the kind of people I need."

Several faces that had shown some unease gradually relaxed.

Hao Nhien continued:

"But I must say this one final time. Right now, we are not strong enough to confront the Heavenly Eye directly. Not fearing death does not mean throwing your lives away for nothing."

He looked across the groups that had already begun to take shape.

"We need a safe place to gather, recover, train, and wait for responses from the other tribes. I will therefore send a letter to Lieu Thien Van and ask Tam Thành to receive everyone for a time. If he agrees, you will have a more stable place to reorganize."

No one objected.

"Luu Thanh will travel with you and handle communications. While waiting for an answer, divide yourselves into groups, record names, train those capable of fighting, and maintain contact with those who have already left. There is no need to turn five or six hundred people into an army immediately. First, we need to know who we have, what each person can do, and who truly wants to continue along this road."

Standing beside him, Luu Thanh nodded seriously.

Hao Nhien looked toward Lanh Hoa.

"As for me and Lanh Hoa, we will continue deeper into the Western Wastes, search for the remaining Fire Qilin tribesmen, and continue investigating Duong Long, Duong Quang, and the Heavenly Eye."

He paused briefly before continuing.

"When we have enough people, enough strength, and enough allies, we will reunite. At that point, we will no longer be thinking only about how to escape the Heavenly Eye. At the very least, we must possess enough strength to decide for ourselves which path the Western Wastes should take."

The evening wind swept across the camp, carrying sand over the fires that had already begun to burn lower.

Hao Nhien took a sealed letter from his storage ring and handed it to Luu Thanh.

"This is a letter for Lieu Thien Van. Take it to Tam Thành. Before receiving his answer, do not bring everyone too close to the city. Find somewhere safe outside the areas that might draw attention and wait for news."

Luu Thanh accepted the letter with both hands.

"Understood."

He then turned toward the five or six hundred people standing behind him.

No one needed to shout first.

One by one, they slowly cupped their hands, and their voices joined together into a single response.

"We obey."

The reply was not as passionate as the cries that had once shaken the square in Heavenly Eye Forward City, nor did it carry the excitement of a crowd that had only just walked out of the city. Precisely because of that, however, it carried a different kind of weight.

Those who spoke those words had been given a full day and night to leave.

And they had still chosen to remain.

Hao Nhien looked at the faces before him and gave a slight nod.

From this day onward, in the eyes of these people, he was no longer merely the man who had forced the Heavenly Eye to open its gates. They had begun to see him as someone who could lead them along the road ahead.

Hao Nhien had no throne, no crown, and not even a city of his own. Beneath his feet there was only the yellow sand of the Western Wastes, above him stretched the vast sky, and along the road ahead still stood countless people far stronger than he was.

Yet within this land, something that had never possessed a clear form was beginning to take shape.

It was not a dynasty, much less a dominion.

It was simply the belief that the people of the Western Wastes could still choose their own path.

And for the first time, Hao Nhien stood at the center of that belief.