Chapter 746: One Battle Levels the Semi-Farming Tribe! The sun had risen a bit higher; the blood-red hue had faded, turning somewhat pale. It looked as if the endless, thunderous drumbeats from below, coupled with the bloody slaughter, had scared the very color from the sky. Amidst the thunder-like drumming, the chief of the Semi-Farming tribe gripped a thick wooden club—something commonly used for hunting—and roared as he charged toward the advancing Green Sparrow tribe. It seemed he wanted his roar to drown out that terrifying thunder, to bolster the courage of himself and the tribe members who followed him into the charge. Behind him, nearly thirty people ran through the snow, copying their chief, howling hoarsely, their shouts incomprehensible even to themselves. The Semi-Farming chief didn’t charge anywhere else; he aimed straight for the very center of the allied tribes’ formation. More precisely, he charged directly at Han Cheng, who stood on a sled beneath the Green Sparrow flag, continuously beating the war drum. Though the chief didn’t know Han Cheng’s identity, from Han Cheng’s previous actions and how everyone followed the drumbeats, it was clear that Han Cheng was the most honored figure here. If they could kill this person, their tribe would be safer, and more people would be able to escape. The importance of the leader’s role was something the Semi-Farming chief understood well, having led his people on many hunts. Also, in the middle of this position were those damned wolves. Regarding those wolves, the Semi-Farming chief looked on with particular envy. If it weren’t for those cursed creatures, how could he have failed to spy on the Green Sparrow tribe’s secrets? If not for those damn wolves, how could he have made the mistake of thinking the Green Sparrow tribe was just an insignificant minor tribe? His hatred for those wolves even surpassed that toward Han Cheng, who stood beating the drum. Han Cheng admired the tribe’s bravery to some extent, but his drumming never faltered. Because that bravery was aimed at his tribe! “Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh…” Without any command from Han Cheng, Green Sparrow archers unleashed arrows on the running Semi-Farming tribe members without hesitation. Some Semi-Farming warriors fell, struck by arrows and collapsing into the snow. But the Semi-Farming chief and the remaining tribe members ignored those losses, just charging ahead stubbornly. At this moment, all they wanted was to fight hard against those who had come to their tribe! While the Semi-Farming chief led the charge against the allied tribes, the Semi-Farming female shaman—unprepared in the chaos—grabbed some people along with hastily taken food and pelts, and frantically ran toward a gap on the eastern side of the allied forces. The female shaman shouted as she ran, urging those tribe members who hadn’t reacted yet to follow her. After all, staying behind in the tribe meant almost certain doom—the more who escaped, the greater the chance for their tribe to survive and rebuild. Those few members of the subordinate Sheep tribe, upon seeing the Green Sparrow flag fluttering in the wind and the many armed people closing in, were utterly stunned, frozen in place, unsure of what to do. They had smeared their leader’s blood on their faces in submission to Semi-Farming. Now, hearing the female shaman’s sharp cries amid the drums, and seeing so many Semi-Farming people running desperately toward the east gap, a flicker of clarity came to their dazed minds. Immediately, they snapped out of it and began running for their lives with the rest of the Semi-Farming tribe. The female shaman never felt she was running so slowly. Though she was faster than most tribe members, she still felt impatient with her pace. In this anxious and desperate run, she finally reached the gap and breathed a slight sigh of relief. If they could break through the encirclement here, the leaders and others waiting on the other side would ensure that not all of their tribe would be caught by these ruthless people. Their tribe was saved! In this critical moment, even someone as clever as her had no time to wonder why these ferocious attackers hadn’t completely sealed off their tribe, leaving this one escape gap. At the easternmost edge of the gap stood some survivors from the Sheep tribe, equipped with the Green Sparrow tribe’s exclusive bronze halberds and rattan shields. They wouldn’t miss avenging their leader by attacking the Semi-Farming tribe. So Han Cheng had brought them here. And since they had recently joined the Green Sparrow tribe, Han Cheng naturally didn’t skimp on their equipment—rattan shields and bronze halberds fully supplied. Because they were recruits without much training, mixing them directly with Green Sparrow warriors would lower the overall combat effectiveness. Hence, Han Cheng placed them separately on the eastern edge. Besides the reason above, there was another: the Sheep tribe harbored great resentment toward the Semi-Farming tribe for killing their leader. If that resentment didn’t get an outlet, then when the Semi-Farming tribe members became slaves, wandering under the Sheep tribe’s watchful eyes could cause trouble. Han Cheng predicted that most Semi-Farming escapees would try to flee through this gap. Placing the Sheep tribe people here gave them a chance to vent their grievances properly, and hopefully cause fewer problems later, just tending sheep quietly. Thanks to Han Cheng’s forceful, pushy teaching, the old Sheep warrior had learned some Mandarin. Covered in blood, the old Sheep shouted as he thrust his bronze halberd forward. A Semi-Farming tribesman, trying desperately to escape, was stabbed. That stabbed tribesman didn’t even manage a scream; he ripped the halberd out, covered his bleeding belly with his hands, staggered forward until pushed and trampled into a snow nest, bleeding out quietly. The old Sheep and others wasted no time thrusting their halberds again. Several more Semi-Farming fell. This wasn’t due to exceptional skill, but because the Semi-Farming were too chaotic and panicked, with no one fighting back or dodging well. This scene reminded Old Sheep of hunting sheep with his leader. Those sheep just ran blindly, careless of life. It was hard to imagine these panicked, sheep-like runners had once viciously killed their leader and attacked their tribe. After stabbing another Semi-Farming old sheep, the old Sheep suddenly understood. The vast difference between these people was due to the tribes they faced. When facing their fierce Semi-Farming tribe, they fought bravely, but in front of the stronger Green Sparrow tribe, they turned into fleeing sheep! So, there was a benefit to a tribe’s strength; weak tribes were more likely to be attacked by others. Not all big tribes were as kind as the Green Sparrow tribe! With this sudden realization, Old Sheep stabbed again and thought of joining the strong Green Sparrow tribe. From now on, he’d tend sheep well, let them multiply, and make the tribe stronger—so no tribe would dare bully them again! As the Semi-Farming female shaman led others through the gap and ran hard east along the valley, the Semi-Farming chief, after surviving two rounds of arrow fire, finally approached the advancing Green Sparrow battle formation. A feathered arrow stuck in his left forearm. But he seemed not to feel the pain anymore; exhausted by the arrow barrage, all he thought was to kill them all! Especially the man wielding two sticks, producing thunderous sounds—his primary target. But when he reached the front and prepared to smash this man’s head, he found that the man had, at some point, moved to the rear of the army, hidden behind rows of people wielding strange weapons. That shameless, cowardly rabbit! As a leader, he wasn’t at the front, but hiding behind—how despicable! At that moment, the Semi-Farming chief felt his chest about to explode with anger, almost stomping and shouting curses. Han Cheng coldly stared at the angry, towering primitive man, but kept drumming. He didn’t know what the Semi-Farming chief was thinking, and even if he did, he wouldn’t care. Gentlemen don’t stand under city walls. War and battle require brains, not reckless bravery. He wasn’t a great warrior; it made no sense to charge the front line. For him, rushing forward to kill two Semi-Farming would bring no benefit when victory was already assured. But if the Semi-Farming got lucky and killed him, the victory could slip away. Han Cheng wouldn’t take that risk. As for hiding behind and not inspiring morale, that was no problem. Everyone in Green Sparrow knew the “Divine Child” wasn’t much of a fighter. Yet, the “Divine Child” drummed at the rear, watching the battle personally—how could the warriors not give their all? That encouragement from the back was even more effective than the Semi-Farming chief’s front-line charge. Besides, Han Cheng had never actually fallen back; the tribe had moved too fast for him to keep pace. He could proudly say he hadn’t fled—just waited for the others to catch up. Seeing the tribe leader shamelessly hiding at the rear, and with his advancing forces quickly pierced by the glowing weapons—three or four fell immediately—and their attacks blocked by those sheathed in beast pelts, the Semi-Farming chief lost the will to fight close combat. Because he suddenly remembered his most important mission was to hold off these shameless, ruthless people as long as possible, buying time for the female shaman and others to escape. ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs, ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ ᴠɪsɪᴛ NoveI(F)ire.net Not to clash head-on. Their weapons were too long and too many. The dead had at least two holes each. Several attackers against one defender; worse, the defenders’ short weapons meant they could only take blows passively. The Semi-Farming chief had never faced such a frustrating battle. This shameless tribe reminded him of a curled-up hedgehog covered in spikes—impossible to bite into! This feeling was suffocating. He wildly swung his wooden club.