A quarter of an hour later.
The elders who managed the affairs of the Night Tribe had assembled. Some had just turned in for the night, while others were still working. Yet, when the chief's notice went out, every one of them rushed over without hesitation.
As per custom, once the patriarch finished his prayers, he would outline development plans and announce the tribe's goals.
Although a general direction had already been discussed a few days ago, there had been no detailed strategy or assignment of responsibilities.
Seeing that everyone was present, Su Xingyu motioned for them to sit. Ye Zhan, visibly impatient, was the first to speak.
"Chief, what oracle did the gods reveal this time? What's the next step for the tribe's development? We've already claimed the Red River and annexed several tribes. With our warriors growing in number, there's no one left nearby who can challenge us. Should we continue expanding outward?"
Ye Zhan was the First Warrior of the Ye Tribe and commander of its elite unit—the Eternal Night Cavalry. He held supreme authority over all legions during wartime and was revered as the tribe's greatest military force.
He was also a fourth-level extraordinary warrior, unmatched across the entire Red River region.
Hero Template
Name: Ye ZhanRace: HumanTalent: BloodbathLevel: 4Affiliation: Night TribeLoyalty: 95 (Fanatic loyalty threshold: 85)Command Value: 79
Strength: ★★★★★Constitution: ★★★★★Agility: ★★★★Spirit: ★★★(Note: The four basic attributes represent potential)
Talent Description – Bloodbath:As long as life exists, so does the will to fight. The longer the battle rages, the more powerful you become.
As the strongest warrior of the Ye Tribe, Ye Zhan's talent and potential were clear from his stats. The average human scores around three stars in each attribute. Ye Zhan had two five-star attributes, with agility at four. With strength and constitution maxed out, Ye Zhan could dominate any peer of the same rank—and even some above.
Su Xingyu glanced at Ye Zhan and smiled. "Don't worry about a lack of opponents. The Red River is only our starting point. Our Ye Tribe is destined for the world. It's going to be a long campaign, and along the way, we'll encounter enemies far more powerful than those we've faced. I hope when that time comes, you still have this same fearless spirit."
"Hahaha, that's what I wanted to hear!" Ye Zhan laughed, eyes blazing with battle lust.
"The warriors of the Night Tribe do not fear death! We will offer our enemies' heads to the gods in glorious sacrifice!"
Su Xingyu sighed inwardly. Why do they make me sound like an evil god?
In order to inspire his people to fight harder, Su Xingyu had once claimed that the gods rewarded bravery in battle and would grant the favor of Eternal Night to the fearless.
Things had quickly gotten out of hand.
Now, warriors roared chants like: "Sacrifice your head and blood to my god!" and "I offer the lives of my enemies to the king!" or "Death is not the end—if the body falls, the fight must continue!"
Even Su Xingyu had to admit, some of those lines were a bit... much.
"Alright, Ye Zhan, sit down and let the clan leader speak. Do you think war is easy?" the Seventh Elder, who was in charge of logistics, interjected with a frown. "Every time you go off to fight, we're the ones scrambling to prepare supplies. Sometimes we can barely eat ourselves and still have to deliver goods to your frontline!"
Ye Zhan rubbed the back of his neck and sat back down, grinning sheepishly.
Su Xingyu cleared his throat with two coughs. "Seventh Elder, please report on the tribe's current resources."
"Very well."
The Seventh Elder stood up and began, "Since unifying Red River, our stockpiles have recovered, especially our blood crystal reserves. We discovered a small vein beneath the Giant Tiger and Barbarian Bull Tribes. Even if we expand our army further, these resources should sustain us for quite some time.
"However, with more extraordinary warriors joining us, our food situation is growing dire. The food stores from the conquered tribes weren't abundant. If we want to survive the coming winter, we may need to butcher more livestock from the ranch…"
"No need to worry about food," Su Xingyu said, nodding. "During my prayer, the king was pleased with our sacrifices and has granted us enough provisions to last through the winter."
He paused, then added, "But farming efforts must continue. We've got plenty of manpower now, especially with the newcomers. We can't afford to let them idle. The Ye Tribe does not support the lazy. Reclaiming land, mining, construction—give them something to do."
The Fifth Elder chuckled. "Rest assured, clan leader. I've already made arrangements. They'll have so much work, they won't even have a quarter-hour to spare."
Su Xingyu then delved into specifics regarding construction, agriculture, and mining—before arriving at the real topic: expanding the military.
"There's no nearby force that can challenge us anymore. It's time to seize Bloodfang Forest. Ye Zhan, what's the status of the new recruits I told you to select?"
Bloodfang Forest, located across the river, was a treasure trove of spiritual herbs and rare resources. A mid-sized blood crystal vein lay within its depths. Su Xingyu had been eyeing it for some time.
Previously, the presence of rival forces had forced him to hold back. Now that the Red River was unified, he could finally move freely.
Beyond its resources, Bloodfang Forest also connected to the Blood Red Mountains—a strategic gateway to future conquests.
"We're ready," Ye Zhan said confidently. "The warriors from the Giant Tiger and Barbarian Bull Tribes are excellent material. With some basic training, they'll be battle-ready. Of course, to become elite, they'll need to face real combat. Only fire and blood can forge true warriors."
His voice rose with excitement.
"We've got 2,000 seasoned warriors from the Ye Tribe and 5,000 new recruits—a total of 7,000 soldiers, all under my command. Just say the word, and we'll march on Bloodfang Forest."
The Ye Tribe's method was simple yet effective: one veteran led several new recruits. Survivors of a few skirmishes usually made swift progress.
"Good." Su Xingyu gave a slow nod. "New equipment has arrived in the warehouse. Once the soldiers are outfitted, you can depart tomorrow."
"I won't be joining this battle. You'll have full command of the troops. Though we've scouted the forest, never underestimate the enemy. Stay sharp and don't get careless."
"Yes, Chief!" Ye Zhan roared, fists clenched in excitement.
After a few more reminders and tactical instructions, Su Xingyu dismissed him to begin war preparations.
Ye Zhan was more than pleased. He much preferred leading troops to dealing with the headaches of tribal administration.
Su Xingyu turned toward a middle-aged man at his side. "In addition to food and equipment, I brought back many other valuable resources. These must be used wisely. Ye San, how is the matter I asked you to handle?"
Ye San nodded. "All done, clan leader. I've registered and sorted the special professional talents."
These professionals—artisans, alchemists, breeders, medics—were experts in non-combat fields essential for the tribe's future.
In the past, the Ye Tribe had trained a handful, but limited resources had prevented expansion.
Now, with resources overflowing, Su Xingyu planned to cultivate a new generation of skilled workers.
For instance, in forging, he had spent a hefty sum to acquire several Forging Experience Books that contained techniques from bronze-level up to silver.
If the City of Gods had allowed the trade of living beings, Su Xingyu would have directly bought trained professionals. But for now, he would have to rely on internal growth.