Chapter 1148, The Story of Two Tribes

Translator: Silavin

“That is right. Your Tribe will be the first pilot.” Su Bai nodded.

He had originally intended for the Flame Dragon Tribe to serve as the first pilot, but upon reflection, the Flame Dragon Tribe was already more or less a city as it was.

The Flame Dragon Tribe could now be said to be approaching the scale of a Large Tribe. There had already been many reforms.

It was already quite outstanding on its own. Carriages, paved roads, cement houses…all of these were things that put it ahead of every other Tribe.

“Shaman, why our Tribe? The Flame Dragon Tribe is so strong in every respect. Why not choose the Flame Dragon Tribe itself?” Pi didn’t understand.

Of course, he did not know what pilot meant, nor did he know what Sun Dish City meant.

All he understood was that they were being made the first subject of an experiment. But Pi had a feeling it must be something good, which was precisely why he asked why the Flame Dragon Tribe had not gone first.

“Your Tribe has three sides surrounded by mountains and one side along the river. It is one of the best Tribes for developing quietly away from outside attention. Our Tribe already counts as a city. It simply hasn’t changed its name yet.”

Su Bai sat up straighter and continued: “If your Tribe’s reforms succeed, then other Tribes will follow one by one and change their names as well.”

He still had not decided what he wanted to rename the Flame Dragon Tribe, which was why that part of the plan had been left aside for the time being.

He was thinking, though, that the formal renaming would happen in the spring of the following year.

By then the other Tribes would all learn that the Flame Dragon Tribe had changed its name, and it would naturally spread to more and more people.

“I understand. What do you need our Tribe to do?” Pi asked.

He did not understand what a city was, exactly, but he understood that if it meant becoming something like the Flame Dragon Tribe, that was plainly an extraordinary gain.

The Coiled Goat Tribe had always looked rather poor and rundown. Were it not for the natural protection of three sides surrounded by mountains and one side along the river, they would likely have been seized by other Tribes long ago.

Pi began to imagine in his mind if the Coiled Goat Tribe could have the same stone houses, paved roads, and carriages, that would truly be a transformation from top to bottom.

“Nothing is needed yet. The reforms will wait until after the snow season. But before that, your Tribe must sign a Contract with me.” Su Bai said each word slowly and deliberately.

“A Contract?” Pi blinked in confusion.

“Once the Contract is signed, you will be people of the Flame Dragon Tribe. Should you go against it, there is only one road: death.” Su Bai’s brows lowered slightly as he said it.

“Understood.” Pi straightened immediately.

He did not understand exactly why, but he understood that unconditional obedience was the correct response.

And though Pi did not know what a Contract was, anything the Shaman spoke of was bound to be extraordinary.

Since the other man had said that signing the Contract made them people of the Flame Dragon Tribe, it meant that once it was signed, they would have no grounds for resistance at all. They would simply always be loyal to the Flame Dragon Tribe.

“By the way, what is the matter between you and the Horned Goat Tribe? That I am quite curious about.” Su Bai shifted the topic suddenly.

The grievances between these two Tribes ran deep. They had originally been one, and he didn’t know the details of why they had split.

“The Horned Goat Tribe are despicable, cunning people. If not for them, for what they did, we would never have lost so many of our people.” Pi’s teeth almost ground together at the mention of them.

“What happened? What is this about losing so many people?” Su Bai asked.

It was plain from the other man’s expression, as though he wanted nothing more than to put the Horned Goat Tribe in the ground, that this was going to be a long story.

“Long ago we were all one Tribe. But the people who would become the Horned Goat Tribe colluded with outsiders and began slaughtering our people…” Pi began to recount the story, his voice heavy.

It was not an especially short story, though not a particularly long one either. He spoke through clenched teeth the entire time, his expression utterly grave.

“I think I have a sense of what kind of story this is.” Su Bai listened to the end and gave a slow, thoughtful nod.

The shape of it was clear enough. The Coiled Goat Tribe had suspected the Horned Goat Tribe of colluding with outside forces, and as a result their Tribe had suffered devastating losses and many deaths.

What had once been quite a big and flourishing Tribe was reduced overnight to something small, its survivors scattered and wounded, barely managing to hold together as a Small Tribe.

“Those despicable people from the Horned Goat Tribe then turned around and blamed us for it. They did something so wretched and then claimed it was us who had colluded with outsiders.” Pi’s eyes had gone red.

One could imagine how deeply this had marked the Coiled Goat Tribe. It was hardly surprising they had such a burning hatred for the Horned Goat Tribe.

“So, you’re saying the Horned Goat Tribe claimed it was your people who had colluded with outsiders? That is interesting.” Su Bai’s brow arched slightly, and he continued. “And they refuse to have anything to do with you either. There must be more to this than what’s on the surface.”

Having heard the whole story, he found it quite clear to him. If things truly were as the Coiled Goat Tribe described, then the Horned Goat Tribe was guilty of something truly terrible.

But if it was as the Horned Goat Tribe described, then wasn’t the Coiled Goat Tribe simply crying thief while being the thief itself?

And of course there was a third possibility: neither Tribe had done it, that both sides had simply misunderstood one another, and the true hand behind it all belonged to someone else entirely.

“Shaman, whatever the case, the Horned Goat Tribe deserves what’s coming to them. Our people have no objection to going to war with them again.” Pi was seething.

“In the past I might not have involved myself. But you are part of the Flame Dragon Tribe now, so let me handle this.” Su Bai found the direction of this story increasingly interesting.

“Shaman, have you also formed a partnership with the Horned Goat Tribe?” Pi asked with particular curiosity.

“A partnership? Hardly. The Horned Goat Tribe is already part of the Flame Dragon Tribe as well.” Su Bai said it without any particular expression.

Both Tribes were no match for the Flame Dragon Tribe whatsoever. There had never been any need for a partnership.

“This…” Pi was struck completely speechless for a moment. He had no idea what to say.

“Any other questions?” Su Bai asked, crossing his legs comfortably.

“Shaman, the Horned Goat Tribe is a very cunning Tribe. They will certainly mean harm to the Flame Dragon Tribe. You must carefully ponder over this.” Pi said urgently.

He felt that now that he had joined the Flame Dragon Tribe, he had a responsibility to look out for it.

In Pi’s mind, the Horned Goat Tribe was without a single redeeming feature. He could not stand by and watch the Flame Dragon Tribe be poisoned by them.

“I have said this matter is mine to handle. I will give your Coiled Goat Tribe a satisfactory answer. For now, go back and prepare.” Su Bai raised his hand to settle him.

He understood the other man’s feelings. But whether things had truly happened as they said still required careful investigation.

“Yes, Shaman.” Pi did not dare say more.

He bowed once more in respect, then turned and led the other two Totem Warriors out of the Yong’an Building.