Chapter 294 God Does Not Save the World
Chapter 294 God Does Not Save the World
The night was like a thick velvet cloth, swallowing up the last ray of sunlight in the sky.
In the forest, the light becomes thin and dim, and the shadows of the trees sway.
The air was filled with depression and uneasiness, and only the chirping of night birds could occasionally break the silence.
The fighting began in the pitch-dark southwestern forests.
The soldiers of the front army scouts cleaned up the spies of the Youyu tribe neatly.
They were dressed in dark armor and had camouflage painted on their faces.
Blending in with the surrounding environment, with eyes as sharp as an eagle, it shuttles through the dense forest.
With low, suppressed groans, one spy after another fell powerlessly from the tall treetops, hidden pits or dense bushes.
Their bodies convulsed, their eyes filled with disbelief and fear.
They cried out for help, but no one came.
I could only feel the blood gushing out of my wounds, staining the ground beneath my feet red.
A pungent smell of blood quickly filled the air, making people shudder.
The Yuyu tribe was well aware of everything that happened outside the fortress.
You don't even need to explore too much to know it.
They only need to raise their heads slightly, and their eyes will pass through the layers of houses in the fortress, across the dense forests and winding mountain roads.
You can clearly see the brightly lit camp on the southern hillside.
The members of the Yuyu tribe stood on the top of the city wall.
Staring at the dimly lit land, complex emotions and fear flashed in his eyes.
When the Ming people came, they didn't even bother to hide.
At this time, in the central square where a huge fish statue was placed,
Apuzha and several elders stood quietly, with their hands clasped together and their faces full of piety.
His lips moved as if he was whispering something.
Behind them were nearly a thousand members of the Youyu tribe.
They performed the same actions and worshipped the God of Swimming Fish.
The atmosphere should have been filled with holiness, but now it felt a bit more oppressive and awkward, as well as a hint of uneasiness.
The Jinchi Guard was breached.
The Ming army is coming.
Everyone knows what this means. The Yuyu tribe will become the next target of the Ming people.
It will become an isolated island in the southwest, and will be eroded by violent storms.
Sadly, the only ship they could rely on was in the East,
And the waves come from the south.
Although they closed their eyes, their minds had already spread to the city wall on the west side of the camp.
Today’s prayer is no longer for the health and safety of the Youyu Tribe and for the children to grow up quickly.
Instead, the city wall was moved to the south.
But God does not save the world.
The bell rang to signal the end of the prayer, and countless people looked up to the west.
They could still see the flames rising into the sky, and a hint of disappointment flashed in their eyes.
He couldn't help but grip the spear placed beside him, with a hint of determination in his eyes.
They were ready to fight.
Whenever they encountered difficulties over the years, they used the spears and swords in their hands to solve the problems, and today was no exception.
Their eyes were cast on the middle-aged figure in front of them.
For some reason, the patriarch who usually frightened them was now their only source of security.
They hoped that the patriarch would lead them to defeat the enemy as he had done in the past, even if there would be heavy casualties.
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Apza, who was at the front, slowly opened his eyes. There was no trace of emotion in his eyes, only peace.
"Blessing of the Fish God"
A hollow whisper came out of Apuzha's mouth.
Many tribesmen who were originally distracted also closed their eyes and looked sincere.
"Blessing of the Fish God"
The gentle whispers gathered in the sky and became a torrent, which was quite spectacular.
Apza turned around quietly and looked at the many tribesmen present with gentle eyes.
The fish-walking soldiers present also looked over, their eyes filled with a hint of enthusiasm...
The originally sacred atmosphere turned solemn and murderous in the blink of an eye, as if there was a fire burning.
They were waiting for the oracle from the Fish God.
Apza looked around with empty eyes and spoke softly:
"My tribesmen, go home and rest. The Fish God will protect you and grant you sweet dreams."
As soon as these words were spoken, the solemnity and murderous atmosphere in the scene disappeared instantly, and was replaced by astonishment.
The members of the Youyu tribe were all skinny and fierce-looking, with confusion on their faces.
How can they have a good dream when the enemy is just outside the camp?
"The Fish God will protect the tribe and keep them healthy. Disperse."
As he spoke, Apza's eyes were soft and his lips curled up into a smile.
He raised his hand gently and waved it slightly.
The strange thing is that the original uneasy and confused atmosphere not only did not disappear, but became even stronger.
Some of the tribesmen even pursed their lips and looked sad.
The clan leader has always been quiet and seldom moved.
Today's smiles and actions not only failed to ease their uneasiness, but instead made them realize the seriousness of the situation.
Apza didn't want to explain any further. His smile faded little by little and he slowly turned and left.
Wait until he completely disappears from everyone's sight,
The elders of the clan then spoke slowly, and their old voices echoed in the square:
"Children, go away. The Fish God will protect you."
Some tribesmen wanted to go forward and ask what was going on.
But when I saw the huge statue of the fish god standing in the center,
He swallowed the words back and could only leave unwillingly.
When the tribesmen dispersed little by little, the elders' relaxed expressions turned into solemn ones.
Everyone turned their eyes towards the unusually old man in the center with anticipation on their faces.
"Great Elder, the Ming army is outside.
It's past the time for changing guards.
But none of the spies in the southwest have returned, and the Ming army has already taken action! ! "
A skinny old man in his fifties looked anxious and spoke in a hurried voice.
He controls many secret sentries outside the camp and is the person with real power in the Youyu tribe.
The Great Elder is a white-haired old man in his sixties.
The exposed skin is dark and full of wrinkles, and the exposed hair is pale.
He cast his meaningful eyes over and spoke softly,
The voice was gentle and warm, bringing a soothing feeling to the heart:
"Elder Duolang, since the Ming army has come here in such a swagger,
The demise of the spy was something that could have been predicted long ago, so there is no need to panic."
Elder Duolang's eyes flashed with anxiety, and his voice was hurried:
“Great Elder, those people swore that the Ming army would attack from the east, but what about now?
The Jinchi Guards were lost, and the Ming army came from the south.
We haven't built many fortifications in the south, and we don't have any city walls to rely on, so it's too late to build any now.
If the Ming army really launches an attack, we won’t be able to stop them!!”
This time, the Great Elder did not say anything, but just stood there quietly, and the atmosphere became even more silent.
The shadow of death looms before us.
They were all older people in the Youyu tribe, and they remembered vividly how fierce and bloodthirsty the Ming army was.
The Ming army was the one they feared the most.
After an unknown amount of time, the elder with a white beard sighed softly:
"The Ming army is coming with such force that I have no other choice but to go see the clan leader and ask him to make the decision."
"Then please go quickly, Great Elder.
By tomorrow morning, the Ming army might attack, and it will be too late to prepare then!"
The great elder nodded slightly and walked away slowly towards Apuzha's house.
Apuzha's house is just on one side of the central square. When you open the door, you can see a huge statue of the fish god.
He is also the most devout person to the Fish God in the Fish Tribe.
The elder entered the house and saw Apuzha sitting at the head of the table.
He was currently holding a letter and looking through it carefully, his face looking deep and gentle.
As footsteps sounded, Apuzha raised his brows with a deep look in his eyes.
With a smile on his face, he put the letter aside.
"Grand Elder, please take a seat."
Apzha pointed to the seat next to him.
The Great Elder didn't hesitate to walk over and slowly sat down.
But when he sat down, he suddenly remembered something.
Lord Hanba was sitting here a few days ago.
Now that Jinchiwei has been breached, what about Lord Hanba?
The Great Elder did not dare to think deeply, and a trace of trepidation appeared in his gentle eyes:
"Chief, there are Ming troops outside the city. What should we do? How should we fight them?"
Concise and concise.
After hearing this, Apuzha laughed, shook his head gently and said nothing.
The Great Elder continued:
"Chief, even if the Ming army attacks from the south, our Youyu tribe still has a chance to fight.
The tribesmen are brave enough, and the people in Dali Prefecture have given us some new weapons.
We can beat the Ming army back and prevent them from invading."
The great elder's firm voice echoed in the bamboo building, adding a touch of solemnity to the somewhat stable atmosphere.
Apuzha's eyes were empty. He leaned back in his chair and shook his head.
"Great Elder, those people coming from the south are the troops that cleared out Si Yuanheng a few days ago.
They killed 99% of the more than 2,000 people who entered Dali.
Only a few of Siyuanheng's personal guards escaped. I'm sure the Great Elder knows their fighting power."
"It's them?"
The Great Elder cried out in surprise. After Si Yuanheng's guards escaped from Dali, they came to Youyu Tribe.
Resting and recuperating here, they also learned about the strength of the elite Ming army of Youyu.
Because of this, the Fishing Department set up many more traps on the east side.
At the same time, he rejected Lord Hanba's request that the Youyu tribe send people to the Dali Prefecture to cause trouble.
The Great Elder quickly realized the omission and asked:
"How did the clan leader know?"
Apuzha picked up the letter from the table on one side and handed it to him.
"This is the letter sent by the Ming army today. The Great Elder can take a look at it."
The elder's face was filled with astonishment, his expression changing back and forth. He gently reached out his hand and took the letter.
As the chief elder of the army, he didn't even know when the Ming army delivered the letter.
"The clan leader's control over the clan is beyond imagination."
Muttering to himself, the Great Elder opened the letter and read it carefully.
His expression gradually became more serious, and then became ugly.
Finally, the anger in my heart could no longer be suppressed.
But when he saw the seal of the Duke at the end of the letter, his expression suddenly became complicated.
The Duke of Ming is a symbol of power in the world.
He thought of Fu Youde, the Duke of Ying who pacified Yunnan.
At the command, the southwest was in chaos, and the flames of war stretched for thousands of miles.
The Ming Dynasty at that time was the one that the Youyu tribe feared the most.
And now, another duke has arrived at the southwestern border.
This time, it was not the remnants of the Yuan Dynasty that were pacified, but Luchuan to which they belonged.
A strong fear came over him, and the elder couldn't help but tremble in his heart.
Can Luchuan stop it? Can Youyu stop it?
The Great Elder thought for a moment, suppressed the fear in his heart, and looked at the letter in his hand again.
[To the chief of the Youyu tribe and all the soldiers and civilians:
I am Li Jinglong, Duke of Cao of the Ming Dynasty. I hold the military order, inherit the power of heaven, pacify the four barbarians and bring peace to the world.
In the past, the emperor’s grace was so great that it shone upon the whole world.
However, you, the Youyu tribe, live in a remote border area, do not obey the king's rule, and repeatedly violate the imperial order, which is truly disrespectful.
Recently, wherever the heavenly soldiers go, they are like autumn wind sweeping away fallen leaves, and they are invincible.
The strong city of Jinchiwei has been conquered by our army.
The city walls collapsed and the flags fluttered, demonstrating the might of the Ming army.
Then, on the west front of Luchuan, drums of war thundered and troops rushed out.
Thirty thousand rebels were turned into dust, blood flowed like a river, and the land was filled with wailing. This was the disaster caused by acts that defied Heaven.
Today, I come here to tell you by the order of the Emperor.
The survival of the Youyu tribe depends on a single thought.
Within three days, open the city and surrender, lay down your weapons and submit.
This can save the lives of the tribesmen, leave them a glimmer of hope, and allow their descendants to reproduce and avoid disaster.
This is truly the virtue of God who loves life, and also the magnanimity of the Ming Dynasty.
On the contrary, if one is stubborn and recalcitrant and resists the heavenly soldiers, he will surely incur the wrath of heaven and the resentment of the people and bring disaster upon himself.
Wherever our army goes, everything will be destroyed.
The land of Youyu Tribe will be turned into a scorched earth with no grass growing and all living things will be destroyed. No one, young or old, male or female will be left alive. It will be too late to regret!
I know that you are not plants or trees. You also have thoughts of family and love for your hometown. How can you bear to see your homes reduced to ashes and your relatives killing each other?
Therefore, I write this letter in the hope that you will think carefully and make a decision quickly.
Those who follow the will of heaven will prosper, and those who go against it will perish. This is the common sense of ancient and modern times. I hope you will be able to see clearly and not think that I did not warn you.
Li Jinglong, Duke of Cao of the Ming Dynasty.]
The bright red and elaborate seal of the Duke was engraved on it, which hurt the Great Elder's eyes.
The letter was a bit difficult to understand, but since he had dealt with Ming people for a long time, he could still discern a hint of its true meaning.
Whether to live or die, Mingren gave the choice to Youyubu.
He looked at the patriarch Apza who was sitting beside him, with an anxious look on his face:
"Chief, there are only three days left. What should we do?"
"To fight or to surrender, you decide."
Apza no longer had his usual calmness and there was a hint of mystery in his eyes. He spoke calmly:
"The Youyu Tribe has become an isolated force in the territory of the Ming Dynasty. Do we still have any choice?"
Apza turned his head, and the Great Elder could see a flash of unwillingness in his eyes.
"What do you mean?"
Apuzha slowly closed his eyes and sighed heavily:
"Since I took charge of the Yuyu Department, I have been strict with the people at home and aggressive with the people abroad.
It was due to numerous calculations that the Youyu tribe gained a reputation as a killing cult, which made people fear them.
But in the end, war is determined by strength, not reputation."
"The Fish God still needs our offerings, we cannot die."
Apuzha's voice became firmer.
The originally vague and inexplicable atmosphere disappeared, replaced by decisiveness.
The fierce look in his eyes disappeared, he took the letter from the elder and said calmly:
"I don't recognize some of the Ming people's writing. I hope the Great Elder can invite the owner of the Baiyan Caravan over. I have something to ask him."
The elder was stunned, a flash of enlightenment appeared in his eyes, and he asked tentatively:
"What about the rest of the Baiyan caravan?"
Apuzha smiled gently:
"Their children will be born in the Fish Tribe and raised by the Fish God, who will take good care of the women who have dedicated themselves to the Fish God."
The elder pursed his lips and nodded gently:
"Please wait for a moment, Chief. I will go and invite Manager Shi."
"Be polite."
"Yes"
The Great Elder slowly left the room, and after leaving the room, his face suddenly became solemn and murderous.
Seeing him come out, the elders who had been waiting at the door came over with expectant looks on their faces.
The Great Elder spoke calmly:
"Let's put the Ming people's war aside for now.
Invite all the men from the Baiyan Chamber of Commerce here and be polite. "
The northwest corner of the Yuyu Department is hidden among lush trees and winding paths.
There is a row of unique houses standing quietly, blending harmoniously with the surrounding natural scenery.
It is not a simple thatched hut, but a bamboo house made of high-quality bamboo, carefully woven and built.
There are about a hundred bamboo buildings scattered in this area, surrounded by mountains and rivers, enjoying the gift of nature.
Each bamboo building has an independent courtyard, where flowers that bloom all year round are planted.
Or there may be a small pond with fish swimming around in it.
This is where the vitality of the Fishing Department is nurtured.
Even though it was already night, there were still heavy guards here.
The patrolling soldiers looked extremely solemn, looking around vigilantly.
Any fish tribe member who came here at night,
They will all be sentenced to death and dedicated to the god of swimming fish.
The night is deep and quiet, with only the sound of the wind blowing gently.
At this moment, all the hundreds of bamboo buildings were emitting charming sounds.
Through the unextinguished candlelight, you can vaguely see the man and woman inside.
All caravans that come to the Yuyu Tribe must stay there for at least half a month.
During this half month, the men in the caravan would have sex with the women of the Youyu tribe and leave children.
This is the most important transaction for the caravan and also the most valuable business.
If you leave a child with the Youyu tribe, the tribe will give you a hundred taels of silver.
Shi Wenguang of Baiyan Chamber of Commerce is engaged in this kind of business.
A few years ago, he was a smuggler, selling some goods and scarce items.
By chance, he came into contact with the fishing business.
The foreign people in the southwest are physically weak, and the Youyu tribe envies the strong physique and tall stature of the Ming people.
The two hit it off immediately, and Shi Wenguang also relied on the business here.
From the initial caravan of more than ten people, it grew to more than a hundred people.
At this time, Shi Wenguang was in the bamboo building.
He leaned against the wall with his upper body bare, an indescribable smile blooming on his lips.
In his arms, there were two fair-skinned and beautiful women from the Youyu tribe, with flushed faces.
The air was filled with the smell of bloodshed after a great battle.
Shi Wenguang looked at the two of them, then looked at the stacks of banknotes on the table, and couldn't help but chuckle.
This is the best business in the world.
He can sleep with women and get money.
At this moment, faint footsteps sounded from the door of the bamboo building. From the door, one could see that the person was tall and attractive.
Shi Wenguang suddenly became excited.
"Dong dong dong."
There was a knock on the door, and a soft and charming voice came from outside the door:
"Manager Shi, can I come in?"
"Come in, come in, come in."
Shi Wenguang couldn't wait to speak, his eyes full of lust.
When the two women beside him heard the voice, they quickly and slowly stood up and stood aside with their shirts off.
The night is falling, the moon is shining like a silver thread,
The door was slowly opened by a slender hand, making a slight and long creaking sound.
A woman in her thirties appeared at the door.
She had a pretty face, just like a newly blossoming peach, with a sense of calmness and composure that came from having experienced the vicissitudes of life.
She exudes the charm of a mature woman.
There was a faint smile on her lips, and her long black hair was casually scattered.
A few strands of hair gently fall in front of the forehead, adding a touch of casual charm.
Even though she is wearing simple clothes, she looks more dignified and gentle.
Under the moonlight, her figure looked particularly slender, like a fairy under the moon, standing quietly at the door of the room.
Shi Wenguang's breathing had become extremely rapid.
With an unusually red face, he said impatiently:
"Miss Hongji, do you want to be with me?"
The smile on Hong Ji's face did not diminish. She glanced up and down at Shi Wenguang and chuckled:
"Is Shopkeeper Shi suffering from hysteria?"
Shi Wenguang's face froze, and he seemed to feel a little embarrassed, and laughed awkwardly twice.
"Miss Hongji...it's Meng Lang who is the one who is in charge."
Hong Ji no longer paid attention to him, but looked at the two women.
There was a softness in his eyes, and a bit of pampering, and he asked softly:
"Two days. How many times?"
"Reporting to Auntie, six times."
"Reporting to Auntie, five times."
The two women spoke one after another. Hong Ji glanced at Shi Wenguang with some contempt and said lightly:
"Shopkeeper Shi, the clan leader wants to see you."
Shi Wenguang was stunned: "It's so late, what's the matter?"
"Of course I have something important to discuss. Please leave quickly, Manager Shi. Your son is here too."
The voice was gentle, but it suddenly added a sense of solemnity to the room.
Shi Wenguang's eyes sparkled and a look of joy appeared on his face:
"Yuan Tao is here too? Okay, okay..I'll be right there."
(End of this chapter)