Chapter 755: The Everlasting Hero of the Green Sparrow! Inside a relatively secluded stonemasonry room in the Green Sparrow Tribe, the old stonemason Mu Tou was squatting and diligently hammering away at a large stone. This time, the stone was massive—over three meters tall, nearly half a meter thick, and just as wide. It was a significant project. And since the Divine Child was urging for speed, besides Mu Tou, who was a veteran stonemason, several other stonemasons he had trained from the tribe were also participating in the work. Amidst the rhythmic clanging, Mu Tou inspected the gradually forming stone stele, then carefully placed a sheet of paper with characters written by the Divine Child onto it. With great care, he ensured the markings were imprinted on the stone surface. Then, holding a hammer in one hand and a chisel in the other, he began carving. Stone carving required skill—Mu Tou had to do it himself. Meanwhile, the other apprentices continued tapping around the edges of the stone to refine and beautify it, striving for a clean, orderly finish. The Divine Child had said this stele was extremely important. In the carpenter’s room, Lame (the limping man) was also busy, working with his apprentices. According to the Divine Child, it would be used to transport the giant stele outside. On a hill behind the Green Sparrow Tribe that extended about half a li (about 500 meters) to the east, there was a modest mound. Most of its trees had been cut down, and young mulberry saplings had been planted in their place. Later on, once another batch of mulberry saplings cultivated by the tribe matured, the remaining trees here would also be felled, and the entire mound would be planted with mulberry trees. Beside the hill was a flat open space, which the diligent people of the Green Sparrow Tribe had turned into farmland two years prior. Now, part of the snow-covered ground had already been cleared. Fires were lit on the surface to soften the frozen soil, which was then dug up with hoes and copper shovels. Sleds pulled by deer were coming and going, transporting stones from the tribe’s northwest area. Under the guidance of the Eldest Senior Brother and other expert builders, the hauled stones were mixed with lime and used to construct a structure. They were building a stone wall—not a long one, just enough to enclose about one mu of land (roughly 666 square meters). The wall wasn’t very tall either—about a meter above ground when complete. After finishing the wall, the craftsmen began constructing a stone platform five meters directly in front of the gate. In its center was a rectangular hollow, meant for erecting the stele. The days passed quietly amid such busy work. As the overall commander, Han Cheng—the Divine Child—frequently patrolled and gave instructions. When the stele was finally completed, and the low-walled courtyard with the stone platform was also ready, Han Cheng gave the command. Wrapped in undyed linen, the massive stele was carried out of the workshop amidst the unified shouts of the people and placed onto the large sled. Four donkeys—not often used for pulling loads, mainly for riding or carrying items—along with four deer led by Elder Deer Lord, pulled the sled. They pulled the stele out of the tribe to the newly constructed stone platform. With ropes tied to the top and wooden poles secured around it, the people strained together, using both arms and shoulders to maneuver the massive stele into place atop the platform. Half a day later, the stele—still wrapped in white linen—stood upright at the site. Many from the tribe looked up at the towering stone, curious about the inscriptions on it, though they couldn’t see anything due to the covering. Back in the Green Sparrow Tribe, the corpse of the slain warrior from the Sheep Tribe—which had been buried under snow and ice—was retrieved. He had been dressed in new clothes and his face had been carefully tidied. He lay on a stretcher-like contraption, surrounded by a circle of green leaves. Most of his body was covered with an old Green Sparrow banner, with only his chest and face exposed for mourning. As for the Sheep Tribe leader, whose remains were reduced to bones, he was placed in a ceremonial urn, also treated with the same respect. Following Han Cheng’s order, the women of the tribe all neatly combed their hair and wore their cleanest clothes. The men shaved their beards with warm water and bronze blades, and also cleaned and straightened their garments. Han Cheng then distributed strips of white linen to everyone. The Fire Tribe had brought the linen. Though somewhat coarser than previous supplies, it served its purpose when torn into strips. Many tribe members were puzzled and uncertain about the purpose of the linen strips. Without further explanation, Han Cheng calmly tied a strip around his left arm in full view of everyone. The others followed suit. After tying his own, Han Cheng solemnly walked among the people, helping those who hadn’t tied theirs correctly, adjusting them with care. He remained solemn and silent throughout. This somber atmosphere soon settled over the crowd. The earlier whispers faded. Standing in the central plaza, the people became as silent as sparrows. ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ noᴠelfire.net The sky was overcast. Unnoticed at first, snow had begun to fall. Han Cheng did not seek shelter and continued his duties in the open. The others followed his example, solemnly standing still in the snow. After everything was ready, Han Cheng returned to where the bodies lay and gave a firm command. The designated bearers lifted the two stretchers, both covered with Green Sparrow banners. Han Cheng climbed onto the sled pulled by Elder Deer Lord, drumstick in hand, and struck the drum hard. The muffled thunderous sound echoed outward. Tie Tou led Elder Deer Lord forward. The shaman and Eldest Senior Brother stood atop the sled with Han Cheng. Behind them, the stretchers bearing the dead followed. The rest of the Green Sparrow people, all with white linen tied to their arms, followed silently. Snowflakes drifted down. The world turned white. The procession moved slowly forward, solemn and speechless, broken only by the occasional rumble of the drum. That same drum sound, once thrilling during the attack on the Semi-Farming Tribe, now sounded only heavy and mournful. Among them, Old Yang and others from the former Sheep Tribe suddenly found their vision blurred by tears as they walked…