"Didi! Didi! Didi!..."
The sound of the conch horn of the samurai squad rang not far from the mountains. Chihuaco stopped, listened for a few breaths, and his expression relaxed slightly. He signaled the sailors to speed up, and after passing two mountain passes, the bloody battlefield suddenly appeared.
!
On the yellow-brown ground, more than a dozen corpses were lying around, turning into pools of bright red. And where the corpses were concentrated, two wounded Prepecha warriors were squatting on the ground, anxiously checking something.
"Damn it! It must be Sri Dog!"
When he saw the team being attacked, Huitu Puap roared and became furious. After searching eagerly for a while, he found a corpse with an arrow in the eye. That was the captain of the reconnaissance team.
"Chikari!"
Puap's heart trembled. He let out a scream, staggered, and ran towards his fallen cronies.
He was demoted to the seaside, with only a dozen of his trusted subordinates, dozens of capital warriors, and three hundred surrendered southern warriors following him. Since going to sea, he had already killed two of his trusted subordinates, and now another one died here.
, it really hurts my heart.
You know, these battle-hardened cronies are the backbone of his army and the capital for future resurgence! This trip to the sea to explore, even if it is closely along the coast, is still a big deal!
"Damn it... Sri Dog!"
Puap cursed angrily and suddenly paused. When he spoke the second half of the sentence again, he changed his name.
"Chikari..."
Seeing the tragic state of the corpse, Chihuaco's eyes jumped. In the Prepecha language, "chkari" means log, which is somewhat similar to the meaning of his name. The old militiaman pursed his lips and stepped forward.
Go and ask the two remaining wounded warriors.
"What just happened? Was it an attack by the Sris?"
"We encountered a group of Sri tribal warriors, who may also be hunters, and then we were attacked by them!"
The young archer gritted his teeth and said with hatred. In many hunting tribes, warrior and hunter are often the same word, because bow and arrow are essential skills for survival.
"We couldn't understand what they said at all. The captain lowered his weapon and expressed goodwill to them, but was shot to death by the leader of the Sri people! Then, the Sri people came directly to kill him... There were more than a dozen of them
, there were only four of us, but we still beat them!”
"Hoo!... Praise the Lord God! You are all brave warriors! May the souls of the deceased fly to the resting kingdom of God... Anyone who died for exploration, I will report back to Your Majesty and ask for generous compensation!"
Chihuaco looked serious, said a rare prayer, and made a solemn promise. Then, he asked in a deep voice.
"I remember you, your archery skills are very good! Your name is... Kexi? The toad who is good at water?"
"Yes! Captain!"
Kexi nodded in surprise. His name is Kexi Koki, which is a common toad in the countryside. In the custom of the Celestial Dynasty, it is called Ergou or Goudan. In traditional beliefs, such a name means that it is easy to make a living with a nickname.
, on the other hand, it also communicates with divine animals to resist the invasion of monsters in the world.
Chihuaco knelt down and saw a middle-aged warrior on the red ground who was not dead yet, but his face was red and he fell motionless into a coma.
"What's up with him?..."
"During the battle, a Sri man shot a red arrow, which should be poisonous. He was hit by two arrows, and soon..."
"Red arrow?"
"That's it!"
Kexi took out a bone arrow, and the arrowhead was surprisingly dark red. Chihuaco frowned and smelled the arrowhead carefully, only smelling a faint hint of blood.
"Mountain bird, what kind of poison is this?"
The young Shanniao was staring blankly at the tragic battlefield, his hands and feet trembling slightly. Chihuaco asked twice before Shanniao came back to his senses. He took the bone arrow, looked at it carefully for a while, and couldn't make up his mind for a while.
.Subsequently, he recalled the songs his mother had sung, and he suddenly understood.
"...The powerful tribes in the desert raise poisonous scorpions and rattlesnakes. The warriors shoot dark red arrows, like the rays of the setting sun, taking away the enemy's light... These are the arrows of poisonous scorpions and rattlesnakes!
"
"What? Scorpions and rattlesnakes?"
"Chief, the Sri tribe lives on hunting and has a small population. They have neither forging skills nor materials to exchange. Their bone arrows, the arrowheads come from coyote teeth, and the arrowheads come from the stems of vegetation.
The stalks and feathers are taken from seabirds. When fighting against hostile tribes, such bows and arrows are difficult to cause fatal damage. In order to enhance the power of arrows, larger tribes will tame scorpions and rattlesnakes. They will throw the thin prey into the scorpions.
Put it in a cage with a snake and let the poisonous beast bite it. Then, take out the poisonous liver of the prey, pierce the arrow into the liver and soak it for a few days, then take it out and dry it in the shade. It will be a good poisonous arrow that can be stored for a long time!"
"Make poison arrows..."
Chihuaco blinked, understanding more about the dangers of the desert safari tribe. Then, he asked eagerly.
"Shanniao, is there an antidote for such poison? Can he still be saved?"
"Uh... scorpion venom and snake venom..."
Yamatori looked into the eyes of the unconscious warrior, and then touched the warrior's feverish face. He hesitated for a moment, then answered hesitantly but firmly.
"This poisonous arrow is very new... He should be... hopeless..."
"...Hey! Blind God!"
Chihuaco looked sad and sighed heavily.
"To die in this barren land, thousands of miles away from home... It's really the end of the world..."
After sighing for a moment, he suddenly paused, thought of something, and asked sharply.
"Shanniao, you said this poisonous arrow is new?! How long can this kind of arrow retain its poison?"
"...Poison arrows are most toxic just after drying in the shade. At this time, the arrows should be wrapped and inserted in the quiver, out of sight. Within four or five days, the poisonous arrows will be very toxic. As long as the skin breaks, they will be dead...
After that, the poison will dissipate inexplicably, and it will gradually no longer hurt people. After two weeks, it can only be used to hunt birds and small animals."
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! "If you break the skin, you will die...Then these arrows were newly made within four or five days!"
Chihuaco's face was solemn and he murmured to himself. Thoughts flashed in his mind, and the omen of danger came to mind again.
"So, a hostile Sri tribe is just three days away from us... No, the hunting team will not go in a straight line, it should be within two days' distance!"
"In two days? Hostile Sri tribe?"
Puap had just arrived. When he heard this, he showed ferocious murderous intent.
"Let me take the sailors to find this tribe!"
"Lao Pu, don't be impulsive!"
Chihuaco shook his head. He looked to the east of Shantiao Island, across the strait of just a few miles, to the edge of the continent. The continent to the east was full of gray and yellow, with deserts extending from north to south, and the Gobi becoming increasingly desolate.
"Look at the eastern coast! Do you want to lead your men and go deep into the unfamiliar desert to look for hostile tribes somewhere?"
"But..."
Puap was speechless for a moment. He looked at the continent to the east and asked bitterly.
"The Sri people attacked for no reason and killed and injured the kingdom's warriors! Are we just going to let it go?"
"never mind?"
Chihuaco bit his lip, worry appearing on his face.
"Hey! The Sri people attacked so resolutely and escaped a lot...I'm afraid they will come back again!"
"Hmph! Damn Sri Dog! If they come to your door again, I will cut off their heads with my own hands!"
Puap clenched the bronze dagger and pressed it against his leather armor, his face full of murderous intent.
Chihuaco sighed lightly and looked at the archer again with joy.
"Toad, do you still remember what the other party said?"
"Well..."
Kexi scratched his head with his bloody palm and dyed his hair red, looking honest and fierce.
"Captain, I don't remember... There seems to be something, something... Itako!... By the way, there is another sentence, Tahyok, Hunter!"
"Taha? Isn't this the name of the island? What do Itaco and Khante mean?"
Chihuaco was a little confused and looked at the mountain bird Cavado who was following him.
Cavado thought for a moment and answered hesitantly.
"Itako... should kill, kill them! As for Hante, it seems to be land, soil... or it can be the ancestral land of the tribe!"
"Well..."
Chihuaco frowned and was silent. After a while, he whispered to himself.
"Shanniao Island is so special. If it is the ancestral land of the Sri people...then it will be troublesome!"
"What's the trouble? They're just some savage tribes with crude weapons, half-clothed bodies, and some bravery!"
Puap's face was sullen, murderous intent boiling in his chest, and the dagger in his hand was not loosened at all. He had already checked the corpses and equipment of the Sri soldiers, and found that there was not even decent cotton armor, nor sharp obsidian weapons. These savages
There are only flint spears, flaccid hunting bows, and at most a poisoned bone arrow.
"I will kill as many as they come!"
"Let's go! Take the seriously wounded and the bodies of the warriors and return to the camp at the landing site."
Chihuaco lowered his eyes and gave the order calmly. Then, he looked at the body of the Sri man, paused, and said again.
"As for the bodies of these Sris..."
"Damn it! Cut off all their heads and place them on a pile of guano to warn the Sri Dogs!"
"No! Dig a big pit and bury them all properly. Put up a wooden board, draw the runes of the main god, and leave a sun hummingbird talisman!"
"Old man Qi, you!...Hmph!"
Puap's eyes widened and he looked at the serious look on the old man Huiqi's face. He snorted, but said nothing more.
Everyone quickly followed the captain's instructions and hastily buried the dead Sri people. Then, they hurried back to the ship with the bodies of the seriously wounded and warriors.
"Dong dong dong!..."
The gathering war drums beat quickly and continued for a long time. In the evening, all the warriors who had been scattered for reconnaissance returned and were on guard. They generally surveyed the island and found no Sri village, only desolate and uninhabited villages.
Mountains, and a long river running north to south. Only the priest Mecat was left in the fleet, who still stayed on the mountain to measure the angle of the North Star.
The night was dark and the moon was dim; the early sun was faint and the afternoon sun was bright. At noon the next day, the comatose warrior finally couldn't hold on anymore and breathed his last breath. Soon, the prepared fire was raised on the seaside.
, the three corpses were thrown into the fire. The faint black smoke dispersed and rose into the vast sky, accompanied by low prayers.
The fleet was thousands of miles away from the kingdom, and all they could bring back was a pile of warm dust.
Mecat arrived in time and presided over the funeral ceremony, allowing the warrior's soul to go to the Kingdom of God. When the black smoke dissipated and everything returned to dust, he reported it seriously.
"Captain, our current position is between 28-30 degrees from the North Star...about 29 degrees."
"North Star 29 degrees..."
Chihuaco nodded heavily, pretending to understand.
"Well, what, how much was it when we set off?"
"The mouth of the Tulsas River, about 18 degrees North Star."
"That is, sailing more than ten degrees north?"
Chihuaco pulled his hair and grumbled.
"It took three months to travel ten or so degrees... This is too slow! Do we still need to continue walking north?"
The old militiaman thought for a while and was a little undecided. He asked again.
"Priest Mecat, not long ago, where was the location where we met the Yorem tribe? I remember Chief Deer Head said that there are many small islands with birds to the west of there."
"Yoremmen...Mayo people..."
Mecat took out a roll of precious hemp paper from his arms, on which all the astronomy and hydrology along the way were recorded with dense symbols and figures.
"Captain, it's Beixing 25-26 degrees!"
Chihuaco nodded again. He thought for a while and asked uncertainly.
"Priest Mecat, based on what degree can you find our previous location?"
"Captain, the degree of the North Star can only determine north and south, not east and west. However, there is another marker for east and west, and that is the coast in the east. As long as you follow the coast, you can roughly find the previous location!"
"Very good! How wonderful! The stars in the sky can actually help navigation. Your Majesty is truly inspired!"
The old militiaman nodded repeatedly, looked happy, and praised him sincerely. Then he put away his smile, looked majestic, and made the leader's decision.
"In the afternoon, we will dig out some stones, gray and brown, hard and soft... pile them in the bottom cabin and bring them back to His Majesty! After finishing, everyone must be careful tonight and spend the night on the boat.
!Praise the Lord God, He will protect us!”
"Praise the Lord God! May God bless you!"
Everyone responded in unison and looked at the sun on the zenith. The devout prayers spread far and wide among the towering mountains, startling large numbers of birds and disappearing into the endless sky. The sea and sky in the north are so vast that they seem to last forever.
The end!
This chapter has been completed!