Akomann was stunned; was he going to take her out?
"Don't think about running away."
Wu Liang seemed to know exactly what she was thinking.
"In this Tribe, you won't be able to escape."
Akomann fell silent.
She stood up silently and followed behind Wu Liang.
When the guards at the door saw Wu Liang bringing Akomann out, they simply saluted and did not stop them.
When Akomann truly stepped out of that room and re-examined this Tribe, the shock she felt was far more intense than that day on the battlefield.
Wu Liang led her toward the Tribe's work area.
The first thing that caught her eye was the Blacksmiths Workshop.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Huge piston bellows made a rhythmic sound, pumping a massive amount of air into the iron-smelting furnace.
The furnace fire burned fiercely, making the surrounding air shimmer and distort from the heat.
Several Female Warriors, drenched in sweat, were using iron tongs to hold a red-hot iron block on a massive anvil.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Another Female Warrior swung a heavy iron hammer, smashing it down onto the iron block as sparks flew in all directions.
Beside them, rows of finished iron spearheads, iron axes, and even some iron tools that Akomann couldn't name were already laid out.
The clanging sound of ironwork felt like heavy hammer blows striking Akomann's heart.
It was these things that had brought her Tribe to ruin.
"This is our Blacksmiths Workshop."
Wu Liang's voice rang out beside her.
"To master iron is to master power."
"Your Bloodfang Tribe is still using stone and bone; how could you possibly fight us?"
Akomann bit her lip hard, unable to speak.
Wu Liang continued to lead her forward.
They passed a construction site where a large number of women and some captured women from the Bloodfang Tribe were busy working.
Some were mixing mud, some were making yellowish bricks, and others were using those bricks to build walls.
Brick-and-tile houses, identical to the one she lived in, were rising from the ground.
"Do you see? We no longer live in animal-skin tents."
Wu Liang pointed at those houses.
"We live in these sturdy, clean houses that are warm in winter and cool in summer."
"They don't leak even when it rains, and we don't fear strong winds."
Akomann watched those warriors who once rode across the grasslands with her now working like slaves; her heart bled.
But she also couldn't deny that those brick houses were indeed ten thousand times better than the best tents in her Tribe.
Wu Liang then led her to the edge of the Tribe.
Here, some women were using a strange kind of Wheelbarrow to transport loads of stone and timber from outside.
That Wheelbarrow had only one wheel.
Yet a single woman could easily push a load several times her own weight; the efficiency was staggering.
"This is a Wheelbarrow; I designed it."
Wu Liang's tone was very flat.
"With it, our transport efficiency has increased by more than tenfold."
Akomann had become numb.
Ironware, brick houses, Wheelbarrows... everything in this Tribe exceeded her understanding.
"You must be wondering why your Bloodfang Tribe is still desperately raiding others just for the next meal,"
"While our Black Rock Tribe is doing these things and has grown powerful to this extent?"
Wu Liang stopped and turned to look at her.
Akomann certainly wanted to know; she craved an answer.
"Because raiding and plundering will always be the lowest form of survival."
Wu Liang's gaze became sharp.
"Even if you succeed in a raid, how much can you actually get?"
"A few bags of grain? Some worn-out animal skins?"
"And then? Once it's eaten and used up, you go raid again."
"Like that, you will only ever live in a cycle of hunger and killing, never making any progress!"
Wu Liang criticized and belittled Akomann's original primitive lifestyle, and then his tone became proud.
"But we are different."
"By smelting iron, we obtained more advanced tools."
"By firing bricks to build houses, we have more stable dwellings."
"We innovated our transportation, building our home more efficiently and making our Tribe stronger and harder to conquer!"
"Ake Man, what we have learned is a sustainable way of development, not acting like beasts to snatch things from others."
Every one of Wu Liang's words was like a needle pricking Akomann's heart.
The glory she took pride in—leading her Tribe to battle everywhere—became so ridiculous and barbaric in Wu Liang's words.
She had always thought that being powerful meant being able to defeat others and seize things.
But the man before her told her that true power lies in creation.
"You... who exactly are you?"
Akomann was somewhat despondent, her voice hoarse.
Wu Liang smiled slightly.
"You will get to know me; get to know me slowly, there's plenty of time."
After giving Akomann this 'baptism,' Wu Liang ignored her for the time being.
This woman still needed time to digest everything.
Slowly shaking her persistence, all that was needed next was for the core beliefs in her heart to collapse.
Wu Liang had more important things to do now.
Winning the war and establishing the Tribe's prestige was only the first step.
If a Tribe wanted to truly grow and prosper in the long term, military force alone was not enough; there had to be a stable and sufficient food source.
Relying on hunting and gathering was completely at the mercy of nature.
The only way out was to develop large-scale agriculture.
And now, his Agricultural Technology Tree had been unlocked; it was time to take action and clear the wasteland.
Knock, knock.
Wu Liang knocked on Eliza's door.
"High Priestess, are you home?"
Even as he called out, Wu Liang had already habitually pushed the door open and walked in.
"Wu Liang, are you looking for me?"
Eliza was currently organizing some herbs in the room.
Seeing Wu Liang enter, her movements paused, and a touching blush appeared on her face.
This High Priestess, who was calm and noble in front of outsiders,
Would only show this shy, young-maiden-like side in front of Wu Liang.
"My lovely High Priestess, what are you busy with?"
Wu Liang walked over with a smile and gently wrapped his arms around her slender waist from behind.
Eliza's body stiffened slightly before softening into his embrace, her long legs unable to stop themselves from trembling slightly.
The madness of that night was something she could never forget.
Smelling the masculine scent on Wu Liang that fascinated her, Eliza felt her heart skip a beat.
"No... nothing, just organizing some things for the rituals."
Her voice was as thin as a mosquito's hum.
"Those things can be dealt with slowly later."
Wu Liang rested his chin on her fragrant shoulder and whispered in her ear:
"I came to see you today because I have a more important task to give you."
"The most important?"
Eliza looked up curiously.
"Yes, it must be you!"