"Now that the roland people have been defeated by you, we..."
Alesha organized her thoughts.
"We think we should first go and gather our clansmen who were scattered in the previous battle."
"They are still struggling in the wilderness, and their situation is very dangerous."
Ignis grit her teeth and took a step forward:
"Wu Liang! We did ask for help, and you did save us. We are very grateful!"
"But don't forget, our people also fought to the death in the Withered Wood Forest, buying time for your ambush!"
Suina also stood forward.
"We stand by what we said! We will honor the Black Rock Tribe as the strongest Tribe in the Great Desolate Mountain. Isn't that enough?"
"I..."
Hearing their words, Wu Liang couldn't help but want to laugh. He raised his hand to interrupt them:
"Enough, don't give me that useless talk."
Weren't they just trying to back out of the deal?
Sure enough, it was exactly as he expected.
These women and their little schemes; they never changed.
When they need you, they'll say anything and agree to anything.
As soon as the crisis is over, they immediately want to turn their backs and deny everything.
"Gathering your clansmen and rebuilding your homes is fine. I'll have the people of my Black Rock Tribe help."
"The Great Desolate Mountain isn't safe right now. These roland people were just a small part of those pursuing. I think it's very unsafe for you to stay outside."
"Everyone, come back to the Black Rock Tribe with me first."
After saying that, Wu Liang called Akomann to bring the Cavalry Battalion and quickly surrounded the Six Great Tribes.
"Wu Liang, what are you trying to do?"
Suina gripped her warhammer tightly, full of vigilance.
"Don't be so nervous. Go back to the Black Rock Tribe and rest for a few days. We'll settle our accounts slowly."
Having said his piece, Wu Liang turned and left, leaving a group of cavalry to "protect" the Six Great Tribes.
On the way back to the Black Rock Tribe, the Black Rock Army, having won the battle, escorted the roland people's prisoners and a large amount of captured supplies. Their morale was high, and their steps were light.
Meanwhile, in the middle of the procession, the two to three hundred people barely gathered from the Six Great Tribes were in a completely different state.
They were intentionally placed in the middle of the formation by Wu Liang, "protected" at a distance that was neither too close nor too far by Akomann and the Cavalry Battalion.
Faced with surveillance from both front and back, they had no chance of escape.
"It's all your fault, Florgloria! What 'feigned surrender'?"
"Now look, we've all fallen into that man's trap!"
Ignis lowered her voice and complained.
She glared fiercely at Florgloria beside her, as if she wanted to skin her alive.
Suina's warhammer creaked in her grip as she said in a muffled voice:
"What's the point of saying this now? Wu Liang has us right where he wants us. We'll just have to take it one step at a time."
"If he dares to force himself on me, it would just be another death!"
"Ignis, at least we and our clansmen survived."
Florgloria's voice was soft as she glanced briefly at the woman next to Suina.
Back in the Withered Wood Forest, facing the roland people's encirclement on three sides, she had seen no hope at all.
The despairing eyes of her clansmen were still etched into her mind.
Asking Wu Liang for help was the only way to survive.
"Survived? Living like this? What's the difference between this and being a prisoner?"
Ignis sneered.
"I would rather have died in the Withered Wood Forest!"
"Ignis, stop it."
Alesha, who had been silent, spoke up in a gentle voice.
"We all agreed to Florgloria's decision at the time. What right do you have to blame her now?"
"If it weren't for Wu Liang sending his troops, we would all be corpses by now."
Her words plunged everyone into silence.
That was the truth, and it was impossible to refute.
Wu Liang rode his horse at the front of the line, completely ignoring what those women in the back were thinking.
Mounted on his tall warhorse, he constantly replayed the battle with the roland people in his mind.
This victory seemed easy, but it was all built on the magnified effect of a surprise attack and the fact that the roland people's understanding of the Great Desolate Mountain Tribes was still stuck in the past.
The Black Rock Army was indeed stronger than the warriors of these Great Desolate Mountain Tribes, but the roland people were well-equipped and highly trained.
The enemy was also equipped with a certain number of Alchemical Firearms, though these roland people hadn't unleashed their true power.
Wu Liang noticed that those firearms were engraved with incantations, likely for magical enhancement.
He didn't know who had trained these guys, but they had distributed magically enhanced Alchemical Firearms to a group of soldiers who couldn't manipulate magic.
It was their bad luck, which explained why those Alchemical Firearms looked impressive but were actually quite lackluster during the battle.
In reality, they hadn't utilized the magical enhancement of the firearms at all.
Otherwise, the Black Rock Army's Spear and Shield Battalion would have been unable to resist; piercing tower shields would have been effortless.
This point was verified when Wu Liang conducted his tests.
Luck, surprise, and the enemy's underestimation were the key factors in this victory.
The training of the Black Rock Army needed more rigorous tempering. The captured Alchemical Firearms could be put to use, but he would have to select people with a magical foundation to form a Musketeer Battalion.
Once the industrial technology tree was developed, he could produce magically enhanced rifles, submachine guns, Maxim heavy machine guns... Thinking of this, Wu Liang couldn't help but smile. A group of primitive tribespeople from the Great Desolate Mountain would be wielding products that transcended their era and civilization.
Their power might be limited against strong individuals with magic, but against ordinary soldiers, they would be absolute harvesters of life on the battlefield.
As long as he conquered these six tribal leaders, his own technology tree would be updated.
He was one step closer to an industrial revolution.
Just as the procession was nearing the Black Rock Tribe's sphere of influence, a rapid sound of galloping hooves came from ahead.
It was a scout from the Black Rock Tribe!
Wu Liang's heart skipped a beat. Had something happened to the Tribe? Had another unit of roland people launched a sneak attack on their home?
His expression instantly darkened.
The scout urged his horse forward and arrived in the blink of an eye. He didn't even have time to rein in his horse before tumbling off and running to Wu Liang's mount:
"Lord Wu Liang! Leader Wei Xian... her water broke! She's about to give birth!"
"What?!"
Wu Liang's head buzzed.
Calculating the days, it was about time, but he hadn't expected it to be so soon.
"Akomann, I..."
Wu Liang was about to instruct Akomann to look after the procession while he rushed back ahead of them.
Suddenly, a system notification sounded in his head.
"[Ding! Congratulations, Host! Your first offspring has been successfully born!]"
"[Offspring bloodline rating detected: SSS-grade! Triggering 'Strongest Bloodline Feedback' mechanism!]"
"[Offspring has naturally awakened the 'Berserk Blood War God' constitution! (Effect: A natural-born warrior, born with strength a thousand times greater than an ordinary person. Can enter a berserk state during battle, with all attributes soaring a thousandfold and immunity to pain!)]"
"[Bloodline feedback in progress... Congratulations, Host, for simultaneously obtaining the Berserk Blood War God constitution! Your skill 'Beast Blood Burning' has resonated with the 'Berserk Blood War God' constitution and evolved into 'Berserk Blood Boil'! Level cap increased! Effects significantly enhanced!]"
"[Congratulations, Host! Your skill 'Bloodthirsty Berserk' has resonated with the 'Berserk Blood War God' constitution and evolved into 'Crimson Judgment'! Level cap increased! Effects significantly enhanced!]"
"[Issuing achievement rewards...]"
"[Congratulations! You have obtained: Mastery of a Complete Set of Basic Steam Machinery Theory and Basic Steam Machinery Technical Blueprints!]"
"[Congratulations! Your industrial technology tree module has evolved and updated. The Basic Steam Industry Module has been unlocked.]"
"[Rewards have been issued to the system space. Please check them yourself, Host!]"