"He's born!"
A look of pleasant surprise appeared on Wu Liang's face.
At the same moment the system notification rang, he immediately felt the feedback effect from his bloodline.
He could clearly feel his strength, speed, and constitution skyrocketing at an incredible pace!
Following that, a vast torrent of complex knowledge flooded into his consciousness.
Boilers, pistons, connecting rods, crankshafts... from the most basic principles of the steam engine to the manufacturing techniques of high-pressure boilers, everything poured into Wu Liang's mind.
"Steam technology—with this, the productivity of the Black Rock Tribe will be further liberated!"
Wu Liang's eyes were glowing.
Although he had long been expectant, he hadn't anticipated that the bloodline feedback and rewards from his offspring would be so generous.
"I wonder if it's a boy or a girl..."
Wu Liang murmured.
"Wu Liang! What's wrong?"
Beside him, Akomann noticed his strange behavior and asked nervously.
Wu Liang pulled himself out of his joy and raised his hand, indicating he was fine.
"Akomann, I'll leave things here to you. Escort the prisoners and the spoils, settle the people from the Six Great Tribes, and return at full speed!"
"I understand. Leave it to me, rest assured."
Akomann nodded understandingly.
"Good, I'll head back first!"
Wu Liang squeezed his horse's flanks with his legs, and the warhorse neighed, galloping off toward the Black Rock Tribe.
Soon, the tall city walls of the Black Rock Tribe appeared on the horizon.
"Lord Wu Liang is back!"
"Quick, open the city gates!"
On the city wall, the sentry on duty spotted him immediately.
The city gates opened quickly.
Wu Liang didn't slow down at all, rushing into the city like a whirlwind and heading straight for his residence.
The Tribe was a hive of activity. When the tribesmen saw Wu Liang return, they stopped and bowed respectfully.
Wu Liang had no time to worry about them; he dismounted and tossed the reins to a warrior who came to meet him.
"Liang! You're finally back!"
Seeing Wu Liang return, Eliza, who had been waiting at the door for a long time, immediately came forward.
"How is Wei Xian? And the child?"
"Don't worry, both mother and child are safe!"
A smile also appeared on Eliza's face.
"It's a boy, very healthy. His cry was exceptionally loud when he was born."
"Although Wei Xian is exhausted, she's in good spirits."
Hearing this, Wu Liang's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled.
He strode into the house, where several maidservants were busy tidying up.
"I'm back."
Wu Liang walked quickly to the bedside, his voice filled with tenderness.
On the bed, Wei Xian looked exhausted, her hair damp with sweat and clinging messily to her pale cheeks.
She looked weak to the extreme, but the moment she saw Wu Liang, her bright eyes shone with a gentle light.
"Liang, this is our child."
Wei Xian looked at him, her eyes slightly reddened, but her lips wore a happy smile.
Wu Liang carefully took the child from her arms.
The little guy was sleeping soundly. His tiny face, not yet fully formed, was flushed and wrinkled.
But no matter how Wu Liang looked at him, he found him pleasing to the eye.
This was his son, the continuation of his, Wu Liang's, bloodline.
The little guy seemed to sense his father's presence; he smacked his lips in his sleep and waved his tiny hand, grabbing one of Wu Liang's fingers.
"Haha, good boy, he takes after me."
Wu Liang laughed heartily.
"Give him a name."
Wei Xian said softly.
Wu Liang held the child and pondered for a moment.
"Let's call him Wu Qi."
Wu Qi—it symbolized a new starting point for everything since his arrival at the Black Rock Tribe.
"Wu Qi... a good name."
Wei Xian repeated it softly, a gentle smile appearing on her face.
A short while later.
The clamor of the main army's return came from outside the city.
Akomann sat on her horse with a cold expression, directing the Black Rock Army to handle post-war matters in an orderly fashion.
The roland people prisoners were disarmed and tied together in a long line, walking dejectedly toward the prisoner-of-war camp specially prepared for them under the escort of soldiers.
The captured weapons, armor, and supplies were piled up like mountains, being counted and recorded into the warehouse one by one by logistics personnel.
As for the remaining two or three hundred soldiers of the Six Great Tribes, they were politely invited to a newly cleared open space.
Temporary tents had already been set up for them, with Black Rock Cavalry patrolling leisurely around the perimeter.
The six Female Leaders were brought to a relatively spacious brick house.
The room had simple tables and chairs, beds covered with clean animal skins, and water and some fruit were also prepared.
But none of the six were in the mood to touch those things right now.
The door closed behind them with a thud, although it wasn't locked.
However, the two fully armed Black Rock soldiers standing at the door already explained everything.
"Bastard!"
Ignis could no longer restrain herself and kicked the stone table, making a loud noise.
Her heroic and spirited face was full of humiliation and anger.
"What is this? Are they locking us up like criminals?"
"Florgloria! Is this the 'feigning surrender to gain a chance at life' you talked about?"
"Now look, all of us have fallen into the pit he dug!"
She glared at Florgloria, her eyes almost spitting fire, as if she wanted to tear the woman who had proposed the plan into pieces.
Florgloria's expression was calm, but her plump body tensed slightly.
She didn't argue, only saying faintly, "At least we and our tribesmen are still alive."
"Alive? Living like this?"
Ignis let out a cold laugh, looking around the room.
"What's the difference between this and being a prisoner? I'd rather have died in the Withered Wood Forest than suffer this kind of humiliation here!"
"What's the use of saying this now?"
Suina, who had been silent, finally spoke. Their weapons had long since been confiscated.
"That bastard Wu Liang had bad intentions from the start; he's got us where he wants us! We are now meat on the cutting board, at his mercy!"
"If he dares to force himself on me, I'll just die!"
A flash of determination crossed Suina's eyes.
"Ignis, stop it."
The gentle Alesha sighed softly.
"Back in the Withered Wood Forest, we all agreed to Florgloria's proposal."
"Now that things have turned out like this, how can we push all the responsibility onto her alone?"
"That's right."
The always timid Lolia also plucked up her courage and agreed in a small voice.
"If Lord Wu Liang hadn't sent troops, we might all be..."
She didn't dare continue, but the meaning was clear.
Sa Lan leaned against the wall with her arms crossed, her brow furrowed.
"Enough!"
Ignis irritably interrupted them.
"I don't want to hear this! What should we do now? Just sit here and wait for death, waiting for that man to come and 'enjoy' us one by one?"
Ignis walked to the door and pounded on it.
"We want to see Wu Liang! Tell him to come here!"
The guard at the door was expressionless, but his tone was polite:
"Leaders, I am very sorry."
"Lord Wu Liang is currently with Leader Wei Xian, who has just given birth."
"He has ordered that no one is to disturb them."
"What? Wei Xian gave birth?"
The six women in the room were all stunned.
"Yes, Leader Wei Xian has given birth to a healthy baby boy for our Black Rock Tribe."
The guard's tone was full of pride.
"Then... then when can we see him?"