Chapter 75: Summoning Successful!
The Four Submission Tribes, including the Naduo Tribe, were positioned in the four cardinal directions around the oasis.
The Naduo Tribe occupied the north, at the foot of Yin Mountain.
A century of strategic suppression had its effects.
Even auxiliary troops could eventually develop a proper military bearing.
Especially over the past twenty years, when the barbarian tribes had almost never organized a single counterattack against the Marquis’s residence, the people of the Naduo Tribe had grown increasingly lax.
And the Naduo Tribe’s “Young Chieftain,” Naduo Jiayang, controlled fewer than a thousand trusted men.
He had stationed them around one particular pasture inside the tribe’s territory.
He had never publicized what he was doing.
So the outer defenses of the Naduo Tribe remained as terrible as ever.
The tribal scouts sent out at night followed their usual routine: find somewhere sheltered from the wind, wrap themselves in sheepskin, drink a few mouthfuls of mare’s-milk wine, then go dream of the Barbarian God.
So when nearly twenty thousand troops from the other three Submission Tribes approached the Naduo Tribe’s outer perimeter, the Naduo Tribe still showed no reaction whatsoever.
What followed contained no surprises.
The riders removed the bits used to silence their horses.
They stripped away the cloth wrapped around the horses’ hooves.
Then they raised their curved sabers.
The three tribal chiefs rode at the very front.
They looked at one another.
All three knew perfectly well that after tonight, the Four Submission Tribes would become three.
To say they felt no sorrow at the death of their own kind would be impossible.
All three tribes had marriage ties with the Naduo Tribe.
But they had no choice.
On the perimeter, the Zhenbei Army’s iron cavalry was already watching like tigers.
And the Old Marchioness herself had come to oversee the battle.
The three chiefs had no road of retreat left.
Together, they raised their sabers.
Then brought them down.
“Kill!”
BOOM!
Ten thousand horses began to thunder forward.
The warriors of the three tribes released shrill, excited howls.
They did not possess the complicated thoughts of their headmen and chiefs.
They knew only one thing: tonight, everything belonging to the Naduo Tribe would become theirs!
The only pity was that the chieftains had specifically ordered them to take no prisoners.
A shame.
The Naduo Tribe had plenty of fine women.
The thunder of galloping horses rolled like an endless storm, shaking the entire Naduo Tribe awake.
Their defenses were lax.
That did not mean the tribe lacked brave warriors capable of fighting.
Many men understood what was happening the instant they opened their eyes.
For the first time in nearly twenty years, their tribe was under attack.
Some grabbed their sabers.
Others ran to fetch their horses.
Their reactions showed excellent discipline.
But against the sudden assault of three entire tribes, that discipline could no longer decide anything.
At that moment, when Naduo Anli, an elder of the tribe, hurriedly threw open the chieftain’s tent and rushed inside, he froze.
Even under this earth-shaking commotion, the chieftain was still lying on his bed, snoring heavily.
Beside the bed, a woman curled into herself and trembled.
Clearly, she too understood that something terrible was happening outside.
Naduo Anli looked at the sleeping chieftain.
Then at this newly favored concubine of the Young Chieftain.
The elder’s lips slowly stretched into a smile.
A desolate smile.
He understood.
The Naduo Tribe was finished.
Finished!
The Naduo Tribe’s fences and encampments could not stop cavalry.
Very soon, mounted warriors from the three tribes burst into the camp from three directions.
For a hundred years, they had served as the hunting hounds of the residence of the Marquis of Zhenbei, ripping again and again into their own barbarian brethren.
Tonight, they began tearing each other apart!
Under the extermination order, every living member of the Naduo Tribe was prey.
Not one was to be spared.
This was not annexation.
This was not a struggle over grazing land.
This was... extermination.
One sentence from the Old Marchioness, and tonight, a tribe with a population of tens of thousands would be erased.
The desert wind and sand would eventually wipe away every trace that they had ever existed.
Children crying.
Women screaming.
Men roaring.
Those sounds became the melody of the night.
The tribe had already suffered a sudden night raid.
Without the chieftain directing the defense, the Naduo Tribe was fragile as paper.
The scattered resistance groups hurriedly organized after the first attack were quickly swallowed beneath wave after wave of cavalry from the three tribes.
“Young Chieftain!”
“Young Chieftain, they’re coming!
“They’re killing their way over here!”
A Naduo warrior covered in blood stumbled toward this place.
He found Naduo Jiayang, dropped to his knees, and cried at his feet.
Dead.
Dead.
The people of the Naduo Tribe were disappearing beneath butcher blades at a terrifying speed...
“Who?
“Who attacked us?!”
Naduo Jiayang seized the tribesman collapsed before him and roared.
His location was in the open southern area of the tribe.
That was why the first wave of cavalry had not struck him immediately.
But he could already see flames rising from the tribal settlement.
He could hear screams that felt like hands tearing his heart from his chest.
“The Amo Tribe!
“The Gulun Tribe!
“The Caika Tribe!
“They attacked us!”
“How is that possible?
“How could they dare?
“How could they dare!
“Are they not afraid of punishment from the residence of the Marquis of Zhenbei?!”
At a moment like this, the Young Chieftain this descendant of the Barbarian God actually shouted those words.
“Impossible.
“Impossible.
“Impossible...”
Naduo Jiayang had completely lost his composure.
Nearly a thousand trusted warriors had gathered around him.
Some shouted that they should charge back into the tribe, drive out the invaders, and avenge their people.
Others were more rational.
They understood the situation had already become impossible to reverse.
They wanted to escort the Young Chieftain out before the cavalry of the three tribes reached them, preserving a surviving spark of the Naduo Tribe.
Naduo Jiayang stood there blankly.
His mind was in chaos.
He had no idea what to do.
He could not make a decision.
At last, his gaze landed on the nearby tent.
He swallowed.
Then rushed to the entrance and threw open the flap.
Inside, the High Priest had just finished chanting the final line.
The ancient jade-colored staff had turned scarlet.
It floated into the air, then descended into his hand.
Immediately afterward, the High Priest turned.
He saw Naduo Jiayang standing at the entrance.
“High Priest!
“The other three tribes launched a surprise attack against us.
“I...
“I...
“I...”
The High Priest drew a deep breath.
Naturally, he had heard what was happening outside while casting the ritual.
Fortunately, the entire summoning process had already been completed.
Shatuo Que Shi’s corpse would “awaken” and then charge back to the Royal Court on its own.
“Jiayang.
“I know.
“Do not worry.
“The Barbarian God will never mistreat those who remain loyal to Him.
“Now, gather every warrior under your command.
“We will break out first.
“Once we return to the Royal Court, I will recommend you for the office of Grand Protector and help you rebuild the Naduo Tribe!”
At those words, some color returned to Naduo Jiayang’s pale face.
He immediately agreed.
The slaughter inside the Naduo settlement continued to intensify.
Here, nearly a thousand Naduo warriors mounted their horses beneath the Young Chieftain’s command.
“Warriors of the Naduo Tribe!
“I, Naduo Jiayang, swear here and now: one day, I will lead you back!
“We will repay these three tribes with blood and fire!
“The Barbarian God above us will guide the tribesmen who died tonight back to the source of the Heng River back to our homeland!”
Some of the nearly thousand warriors wept.
Some clenched their teeth.
Some burned with rage.
But at a moment like this, they could only lower their heads and choose to follow their Young Chieftain, while escorting more than ten priests away with them.
The horses began to run.
Taking advantage of the fact that the three tribes were still slaughtering inside the settlement, Naduo Jiayang successfully led his thousand cavalry for dozens of li.
Then, on the low hills ahead, torches suddenly appeared.
One after another.
WOOOOOO...
WOOOOOO...
Desolate military horns sounded.
Black-armored cavalry began emerging ahead of them.
The Zhenbei Army!
A heavy shadow immediately settled over Naduo Jiayang’s heart.
He turned to one of his trusted men.
“Quickly!
“Tell the High Priest that Zhenbei cavalry have appeared ahead!”
The trusted warrior immediately wheeled his horse and rode back.
Not long afterward, he returned in panic.
His face was filled with agitation.
“Young Chieftain!
“Young Chieftain!
“The High Priest and the others are gone!
“They’re gone!”
Naduo Jiayang froze.
Then, CRACK!
His riding crop slashed across the trusted warrior’s face.
A horrifying bloody welt appeared immediately.
“Nonsense!
“How could the High Priest possibly abandon us?!”
Naduo Jiayang personally turned his horse around and rode back.
The dozen or so priests who had been surrounded and protected by the group were still sitting steadily on horseback.
Motionless.
Naduo Jiayang reached one of them.
He stretched out a hand and pulled back the black robe.
There was no person inside.
Only a straw dummy.
The robes of the other priests were pulled open as well.
Every last one contained straw.
At the sight—
Naduo Jiayang clutched his head in both hands.
Then released a roar of absolute despair.
“AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!”
...
Beneath the night sky, more than ten bare-chested priests rapidly crossed the desert.
They had no horses.
Yet they still moved extremely quickly.
The High Priest traveled in the middle of the group.
His expression was dark.
The attack on the Naduo Tribe proved that someone had already anticipated his plan.
Naduo Jiayang had become his shadow.
A decoy to draw away the pursuers.
But whether the priests themselves could successfully break out was something even the High Priest could not guarantee.
That Marquis’s residence.
That army said to eternally guard the northern frontier.
For nearly a century, they had been a nightmare hanging over the hearts of the desert barbarians!
“Continue using the curses to increase your speed!
“Once we cross the Heng River, ten thousand cavalry from the Royal Court will be waiting to receive us.
“Our mission will be complete!”
The High Priest encouraged the priests around him.
During the earlier summoning of Shatuo Que Shi, they had already consumed an enormous amount of vital energy.
In order to deceive Naduo Jiayang, they had also abandoned their horses.
Now, they could only rely on barbarian curses to strengthen their speed.
That created another immense drain.
Then, just as the Heng River came into view, the earth began trembling.
Black torrents tore apart the cover of night.
Across the desert, they revealed their claws without restraint declaring that *they* were the true masters of this yellow sand!
The priests stopped.
Despair appeared on their faces.
Holding the staff, the High Priest walked to the front.
His expression was grave.
“Li Chenghui, Regional Commander under the residence of the Marquis of Zhenbei, greets the High Priest.”
“Li Liangshen, Regional Commander under the residence of the Marquis of Zhenbei, greets the High Priest.”
Two Regional Commanders had personally come!
And with them were nearly ten thousand iron cavalry!
The High Priest laughed.
At that moment, he understood clearly that there was no longer any room for luck.
He raised his voice.
“The High Priest of the Royal Court’s Shrine greets the two Regional Commanders.”
Li Chenghui called back, “Our Old Marchioness came as well.
“She says she drank the scorpion wine the High Priest sent last year.
“This year, her rheumatism truly was easier to endure than before.”
The High Priest smiled.
“So long as the Old Marchioness found it useful.
“This year’s scorpion wine is already brewing.
“In another few months, my disciple will send someone to deliver it to the Old Marchioness.”
Li Chenghui spoke again.
“Our Old Marchioness also says:
The High Priest is already advanced in years.
You have spent your entire life laboring for the Royal Court.
Even she, a mere woman, finds it difficult to watch.
“The Old Marchioness says the Barbarian King lacks kindness.
“He does not know how to cherish his ministers.”
The old priest replied, “Many thanks for the Old Marchioness’s concern.
“These old bones of mine can still move.”
Li Chenghui raised his longbow.
He nocked an arrow.
Then shouted, “The Old Marchioness says she has always been curious.
“Does a Barbarian God truly exist in this world?”
The High Priest’s expression became solemn.
He replied, “Of course.
“The Barbarian God watches from above.
“That truth cannot be doubted.”
“The Old Marchioness says:
Good.
“Then please, High Priest ascend to heaven today and go ask Him on her behalf!”
...
“Hey!
“Did you seduce him yet?”
Feng Siniang sat on the ground and shouted toward Liang Cheng.
“The summoning on their side has already ended.
“They are only waiting for the corpse to finish absorbing baleful energy.
“Then the corpse transformation will begin.”
“This old lady is asking whether you can hook him!
“You’re supposed to be an ancient great zombie.
“You can’t even handle something this simple?
“Heh.
“Embarrassing.”
Liang Cheng drew a deep breath.
Calmly, he said, “No use.
“I mentioned Chongqing hotpot, Shaanxi minced-meat noodles, and Northeastern grand hodgepodge.
“There was still no response.”
“No response?
“Then try Shaxian snacks, Lanzhou beef noodles, and braised chicken with rice.”
“...”
Liang Cheng.
The eternally calm Liang Cheng a man who perfectly embodied the icy image of a zombie genuinely experienced the urge to curse:
*Are you fucking with me?*
But suppressing his discomfort, and suppressing his own standards of conduct, Liang Cheng closed his eyes again.
Then, following Feng Siniang’s suggestion, he sent the messages through.
“Shaxian snacks?”
“Lanzhou beef noodles?”
“Braised chicken with rice?”
He even added several of his own.
“Carp baked with noodles?”
“Buddha Jumps Over the Wall?”
“Whole roasted lamb?”
Still no response.
If the scene could be visualized at this moment, it would look like a vast expanse of white fog.
Shatuo Que Shi stood there with his eyes closed.
A short distance away, Liang Cheng stood reciting the names of dishes one after another.
Liang Cheng could swear never in his life had he done anything so absurd or so humiliating.
“Still nothing?”
Feng Siniang’s impatient voice sounded again.
Liang Cheng suppressed his urge to lose his temper.
“No.
“He has no interest in those dishes.”
“Heh.
“Then what do we do?
“Is there anything else that might interest him?”
“How would I know?”
Suddenly, Feng Siniang raised one hand.
She said, “Try shouting ‘Fan Li.’”
“Fan Li knows him?”
Liang Cheng was confused.
Fan Li had gone into the desert together with him and A’Ming.
Right now, Fan Li and A’Ming were still helping migrate the tribe.
“Uh... just try it.
“Right.
“Add a surname.
“Zheng Fan Li.”
...
Within the endless white fog, Liang Cheng hesitated.
Then shouted toward Shatuo Que Shi, who stood motionless ahead.
“Zheng Fan Li!”
Suddenly the corner of Shatuo Que Shi’s mouth lifted into a smile.
At that exact same moment the mutilated corpse hanging from the ceremonial archway of the Marquis’s residence showed a genuine smile!
...
“He...
“He...
“He responded!”
Liang Cheng felt his entire understanding of zombies being shattered.
Feng Siniang, the person who had suggested it, sat there with her lips slightly parted.
Clearly, even she had never expected it to work.
She lowered her head in disbelief and murmured, “My God...
“The one he’s interested in is actually...
Master?”
(End of Chapter)
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