"Since there are no suitable livestock right now, you people from the Bloodfang Tribe will take their place!"
"Don't feel insulted by us. Not killing you is already a great mercy!"
"As captives, you should have the awareness to demonstrate your value!"
Eliza finished speaking and immediately announced the start of the reclamation work.
She had the strong Female Warriors of the Tribe work in pairs to operate an Iron Plow.
Meanwhile, the captives from the Bloodfang Tribe were grouped in tens.
Harnessed with ropes by the Female Warriors of the Black Rock Tribe, they stood in a row, pulling the plow like oxen in front.
At first, the captives were quite reluctant.
Kayla walked over without a word, carrying a water-soaked leather whip.
Crack!
With one lash, a bloody gash opened on a captive's back.
The captive screamed in pain and didn't dare to slack off anymore, pulling forward with all their might.
The effect of 'killing the chicken to warn the monkey' was immediate.
Looking at the blood-dripping whip in Kayla's hand, the remaining captives were all as quiet as cicadas in winter, exerting every ounce of strength they had.
"Heave-ho! Heave-ho!"
Accompanied by the rhythmic chants of the Female Warriors, dozens of Iron Plows pierced into the hard ground simultaneously.
The sharp plowshares easily broke through the soil, turning over the black earth.
Straight furrows continued to extend across the wilderness.
The women of the Black Rock Tribe, who had originally thought it would be a chore, soon discovered the fun in it.
They only needed to hold the plow, controlling the direction and depth; most of the heavy labor was done by the captives in front.
In just one morning, a large area of land, equivalent to dozens of tents, was completely overturned.
Looking at the results of their labor, the women all had excited expressions on their faces.
"Heavens, it's so fast!"
"Yeah, I thought it would take us a month to work such a large piece of land!"
"This Iron Plow is truly divine! And these captives are so useful!"
They looked at the captives of the Bloodfang Tribe, who were panting on the ground like exhausted dogs; there was no sympathy in their eyes, only a sense of entitlement.
Eliza looked at the bustling scene before her, her heart filled with a sense of accomplishment.
Wu Liang stood under a large tree not far away, quietly watching it all with a satisfied smile on his face.
Captives didn't deserve sympathy; sometimes, they needed to be squeezed to a certain extent before they would become submissive.
The prerequisite for giving a sweet date is to give the big stick first!
After all, in this primitive Tribe, they believed only the strong were fit to control everything!
On a hillside further away, Akomann was brought out by two Female Warriors to watch this Grand Reclamation Ceremony.
Her former subordinates were now tied by their necks with ropes, driven in the fields like livestock.
She wanted to close her eyes, unable to bear the sight.
But she couldn't control herself; her gaze was drawn to the overturned black earth.
She was attracted by the smiles on the faces of the Black Rock Tribe women and the bustling atmosphere of construction.
The entire Black Rock Tribe, from the leader down to the common tribespeople...
...were all invested in this vigorous production movement.
This was a kind of cohesion Akomann had never seen before.
"Do you see it?"
The Female Warrior escorting her was none other than Kayla.
There was a hint of showing off in her tone.
"We don't need to plunder; we can grow more food than we can eat ourselves. While you people can only pillage and rob everywhere like locusts."
Akomann's lips moved, but she couldn't say a word.
The facts were right before her eyes; any defense seemed pale and powerless.
After the land was reclaimed, it was time for sowing.
Eliza directed the women to evenly scatter the selected wheat seeds Wu Liang had given her into the soft soil.
When the last seed fell, Wu Liang came to her side.
"Hard work, my Goddess of Harvest."
Wu Liang pulled her into his arms and said with concern.
"It's not hard."
Eliza leaned against Wu Liang's solid chest, a satisfied smile on her face.
"As long as I can see them sprout, it's all worth it."
In the following days, Akomann would be "invited" to the hillside every day to watch the daily life of the Black Rock Tribe.
That evening, Wu Liang came to Akomann's room again.
He didn't bring any food, just sat quietly opposite Akomann.
Only a dim oil lamp was lit in the room, its bean-sized flame flickering, casting their long shadows onto the wall.
"Have you seen clearly?" Wu Liang was the first to break the silence.
Akomann looked up, her eyes filled with a trace of complexity and confusion.
After a long silence, she spoke hoarsely:
"How... how did you do it?"
"Knowledge changes destiny!"
Wu Liang said with a smile.
"While you all are still stuck in the most primitive stage."
Wu Liang walked up to Akomann and looked down at her.
"Tell me, Akomann, do you think the way of life of your Bloodfang Tribe still has a future?"
Akomann's body trembled; this question was like a sharp knife stabbing straight into her heart.
Future?
The Bloodfang Tribe is gone; what future are you talking about with me?
"You either die in battle or are torn apart by wild beasts while hunting."
"Even after a year of hard work, you might not be able to support yourselves."
"This! Is your destiny."
Wu Liang's voice was cold and cruel.
"No... it's not..."
Akomann refuted weakly, but even she felt she lacked confidence.
"Is it not?"
Wu Liang sneered.
"Then let me ask you, if it weren't for us, after you finished plundering the Black Rock Tribe, who would be your next target?"
"After you've plundered all the Tribes, what would you do then?"
"As a leader, besides leading them to their deaths and repeating this meaningless slaughter, what else can you bring them?"
Wu Liang's questions were like heavy hammers, striking deep into Akomann's soul one by one.
She couldn't answer.
She couldn't even guarantee that her Tribe could safely survive the next winter.
"You..."
Akomann looked at Wu Liang.
"What exactly are you trying to say?"
"I want to give you, and your people, a choice."
Wu Liang squatted down to look her in the eye.
"A choice to live, and to live better."
His gaze was full of aggression, as if he wanted to see right through Akomann.
"There are two paths before you."
"The first path: continue being my prisoner like this."
"I will erase every trace of the Bloodfang Tribe's existence in this world."
"In less than half a year, your tribespeople will completely forget about you as their leader."
"They will eat the food of the Black Rock Tribe, wear the clothes of the Black Rock Tribe, and fight for the glory of the Black Rock Tribe."
"And you will only stay in this dark room, lonely until you die!"
Akomann's face turned pale instantly.
She had no doubt that Wu Liang could do such a thing.
"The second path..."
Wu Liang's tone suddenly became full of temptation.
"Submit to me, and become my person!"
Akomann looked up abruptly, a look of mockery on her face:
"Are you trying to persuade me to surrender?"
Wu Liang laughed.
"You can understand it that way, but let me finish what I have to say first."
"As long as you submit, not only can I keep the name of the Bloodfang Tribe and let you continue to be their leader..."
"...I will even give you land, give you tools, and teach you how to farm and build."
"Akomann, I will let your tribespeople be well-fed and warmly clothed, just like those of the Black Rock Tribe."
"And live in sturdy houses, with a bright future."
"And you will no longer be a leader who only leads her people to their deaths; you will become the hero who leads your people toward the light."
Ake Man's expression shifted slightly: "Then what is the price?"
She raised her face, looking miserable.
"Of course there is a price!"
Wu Liang extended a finger, pointing at Akomann's head.
"The prerequisite for all this is that you must acknowledge me as your master; your Tribe will become my vassal."
"And you, Akomann..."
Wu Liang reached out, gently tilting her chin up, his thumb rubbing against her lips.
"You will become my woman."