Dual wielding volcanoes, killing through the west

……

The soldiers under his command were terrified. They were not afraid of war, but their original tactical objective was to wage war far from home, on the grasslands beyond the forest, to annihilate the enemy in one fell swoop through a surprise attack by fast horses.

Now, two horns sounded outside, and the entire tribal camp stirred. The prospect of being forced to fight to the death on their homeland in Hightree, a sense of impending war and destruction, caused many Native Americans to develop PTSD.

"Don't panic." Flying Eagle took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down as quickly as possible. He knew he was the first line of defense, and too many eyes were watching him. No matter how panicked he was inside, he couldn't show it.

"Gather your strongest men, grab your weapons, and assemble under the tall tree!"

----

The two horn calls threw almost the entire Hightree camp into chaos.

Amidst the chaos, Flying Eagle made a relatively accurate assessment. He mobilized all the capable young men, preparing for a desperate fight against the enemy. But upon arrival, he discovered there seemed to be no enemy at all; all the faces were familiar. Everyone had come out armed, and they looked at each other, their faces showing only bewilderment.

"Who?" Flying Eagle looked around but saw no enemy. Realizing he'd been tricked, his tone grew angry. "Who's blowing that horn? Don't they know what time it is? Is this the kind of joke you can just throw around like that?!"

“Don’t be angry, Flying Eagle,” the chief stepped forward. “We have our reasons for doing this.”

"what?!"

If this were a comic book, Flying Eagle would definitely have three black lines appearing on his forehead right now. If you really delve into the nature of this matter, it's no different from the story of the beacon fire that summoned the feudal lords; as the highest leader of the tribe, he cannot tolerate such a meaningless event.

Before he lost his temper, Zhang Renfeng replaced the chieftain. With his face on the table, Flying Eagle had to give him some face and temporarily suppressed his anger.

“Alright…” he said with a grim face, “Can you explain this?”

Zhang Renfeng didn't mince words. He took the horn from the chief, walked directly to the crowd, and said loudly, "Please calm down, everyone. First, please recall what exactly caused this conflict to break out."

……

What is it?

In fact, most of the young people who were clamoring to fight hadn't even considered this question. In their eyes, white people were heinous devils, and who cares about their motives when they're devils? They only knew that the white people were stationed outside and could invade at any time, and that as courageous members of their tribe, they had to fight them to the death—that was enough.

However, from Zhang Renfeng's perspective, this matter was full of mysteries from the very beginning.

Ryan Childer's train was hijacked, and he disappeared, his fate unknown. It was widely believed he had been abducted by Native American tribes, a claim the military neither confirmed nor denied.

He had spoken with the chief privately, but who exactly kidnapped him remains undetermined—because no one admits to doing so. What is certain is that Ryan is not at the Hightree camp; even if he was kidnapped, he is probably being held captive somewhere in the forest.

The question is, is that really the case?

"When I blew the horn just now, everyone rushed over immediately. I looked around and saw that everyone instinctively chose firearms."

"When we came here, we met several passing merchants who were traveling with us. I asked them about the situation. They said that at the scene of Ryan's train hijacking, many of his personal guards and security personnel were killed by arrows and blowguns. The arrowheads and blowguns were coated with poison, making them fatal with a single shot, and the deaths were extremely gruesome."

"Huh?" The tribespeople were completely bewildered.

The eagle seemed to be deep in thought.

Peregrine listened from afar, his expression already somewhat grave. "The advantage of a bow and arrow lies in silently killing the opponent, which is very useful in infiltration situations. But... if it really comes down to hijacking a train with security, it's definitely not as effective as bullets."

"You mean..."

Since the start of the High Tree War, the surrounding paths have been blocked by the army. They have had no chance to contact the outside world, and naturally, it's impossible for them to obtain this crucial information. Until just now, Flying Eagle thought that the one who hijacked the train and started this war was some hot-blooded tribal youth.

In retrospect, this may have been just a pretext. Everything, from the disappearance to the deployment of troops, was orchestrated by the Cheder family!

The train attack on Lane merely gave his son a pretext to mobilize the army. And this pretext was plausible from any angle; who could blame a son for his urgent desire to rescue his father?

"It's been about two weeks since Ryan Childer went missing. During this time, Jaworth's army has remained stationed outside, showing no sign of panic, and hasn't sent anyone to negotiate with you, as if they already knew Ryan would be safe and sound. Taken all together, all of this..."

Zhang Renfeng emphasized, "Isn't it obvious enough?"

……

“But it doesn’t make sense…” Flying Eagle’s tone was already wavering. “If the whole thing was staged by them, then what about the guards who were killed? Weren’t they their own people too?”

“I’m sorry, Eagle, you’re still thinking too highly of them.” Mike shook his head, seemingly unsurprised. “As long as the final result is in their interest, what does it matter if a few people die? They have plenty of money. They can recruit any kind of person who can fire a gun. There are plenty of people willing to risk their lives for them.”

"Their own lives are the most precious thing."

Chapter 670: Just keep moving forward boldly

“I don’t understand. What’s the use of knowing all this?” Flying Eagle’s tone was somewhat confused. “Whether this is a trap they set or not, the army is still stationed outside. Even if we know all this, it won’t solve our current predicament.”

Zhang Renfeng and Mike exchanged a glance, both seeing a hint of regret in each other's eyes.

pity.

Flying Eagle's micro-management was indeed excellent, and they believed he was a valiant and skilled tribal leader. Unfortunately, he was ultimately a self-taught individual with no real combat experience. Lacking a strategic overview of the entire battlefield, he was basically stuck in the high-tree area.

In terms of tactical design, he might be able to take advantage of the forest's favorable terrain to launch frequent surprise attacks and catch the enemy off guard, but he could never break through the army's encirclement.

On the other hand, Jaworth was a level above him. He adopted a strategy of encirclement without attack, blocking all the key passages around the tall tree to ensure that supplies from the outside could not get in.

If the authorities know you have a terrain advantage, then the best course of action is to avoid entering your advantageous terrain. With Cheder still alive, the production of supplies in New Elizabeth Oblast can be mobilized under his command and continuously transported to the front lines.

They are far superior to you in terms of logistics and supplies. When your food supplies run out, you will have no choice but to rush out of the forest to fight them. At that time, you will face a complete fortress, outposts and trenches.

As Sun Tzu's Art of War says, "Those who first occupy the battlefield and await the enemy are at ease, while those who arrive later and rush into battle are weary. Therefore, the skillful strategist brings the enemy to his own ends rather than being brought to his own ends."

Zhang Renfeng recalled the military books he had studied in the past. After all, even a martial arts champion needed to be tested on some professional knowledge; it couldn't all be about wielding swords and spears. For a time, he memorized military books every day, and "The Art of War" by Sun Tzu could be considered the foundation of many strategic theories.

Now, the opportunity to put it into practice has finally arrived.

"What I mean is that in war, the side that gets into position first will have a greater advantage. The side that gets into position later will be passive in every way, exhausting themselves, and most likely will not have a good ending." Zhang Renfeng turned around, faced the crowd, and explained with neither arrogance nor servility, "A truly excellent strategist should be more concerned with manipulating the enemy than manipulating himself."

His demeanor, expressions, and small gestures were all full of confidence, and such confident speaking made it easy for him to gain people's trust.

Xiao Mei stared blankly at his back as he talked eloquently.

"I am not very talented, but I have led troops and fought battles, so I know a little about the ins and outs of it."

“Right now, they hold the initiative on the battlefield, and we must take it back! There is no future in continuing to cower in this forest. They know very well that the forest is the territory of the High Tree Tribe, and fighting you here will be much less effective.”

"So, how do we get Jaworth to willingly lead his team in? We need to have a sufficiently substantial bait, or bargaining chip."

So, what should this bargaining chip be?

It’s so hard to guess.

“But they’ve built fortresses and outposts outside, and there are soldiers guarding them.” Eagle understood what he meant and began to consider the feasibility of the plan. “If we want to get out… we have to go around through the forest paths, which might allow us to avoid their sight.”

This matter cannot be delayed; the sooner we act, the better. The plan was proposed by Zhang Renfeng, who naturally also drafted the candidates.

A small team isn't needed; just enough shrewd individuals will suffice. He, Mike, Xiao Mei, and Flying Eagle are enough to form a surprise attack team. As for Gao Shu... seeing that Jaworth doesn't seem inclined to fight, and things remain at a stalemate, with Flying Eagle gone, his brother will take charge, so there's no need to worry.

"There's no need to take the forest path; it's a waste of time."

Before they set off, Shan suddenly appeared out of nowhere and whispered some instructions.

Based on his previous experience, Zhang Renfeng felt that perhaps he had always been there, but hadn't made a sound, so no one noticed him.

"Then, according to your opinion..."

"You should just go west," Flash said calmly. "The western side of the forest is safe; just head straight out."

“Father,” Flying Eagle reminded him, “they have also set up outposts as a defensive line in the west. I went to scout ahead before, and their numbers are around 300. It probably won’t be that easy.”

"It's alright, just go ahead. Your brother and Silverfrost are here, nothing will go wrong." Shan waved his hand, leaned on his ram's head cane, and slowly left. "This trip is not just about capturing people, but also about observing and learning carefully."

"Gao Shu's future still rests on your shoulders."

----

Knowing that Ryan Childer was still alive, Xiao Mei was undoubtedly the most excited, her dejected mood since Brightlight City vanished, and her expression relaxed considerably. Eagle, on the other hand, looked solemn. Since birth, he had never left the grasslands of High Trees, and this was his first time going to the territory of "civilized people," so naturally he was experiencing some culture shock.

They traveled lightly, riding through the dense forests of the tall tree area. Upon reaching the grassland, they saw a makeshift outpost erected by the army on the horizon. It must be said that this enemy was different from those before; they were indeed a professional army. Even from several hundred meters away, the scale of the outpost was still quite formidable.

Flying Eagle frowned. Seeing that this bridgehead was right in front of his house and could launch an attack at any moment, he naturally felt a strong threat, as if a sharp blade was hanging over his head.

“It’s so quiet.” Mike’s brows were also furrowed, but for a completely different reason. “Are you sure there are 300 people inside this fortress?”

“At least that’s how it was when I came to scout last time.” Eagle nodded.

“That’s a bit unusual. It’s not that late yet…” Mike turned around and glanced at the setting sun still hanging on the horizon. “At this hour, soldiers should be drinking, playing cards, and chatting and bragging.”

He himself had served in the military and knew the ins and outs of it.

In most armies, "military discipline" is basically just for show. Even when fighting breaks out, soldiers may not be able to completely obey orders, let alone in peacetime. Three hundred young and strong men, crammed into one space, and with no real fighting yet, will inevitably find various ways to relieve pre-battle tension.

There's hardly any cover on the grassland, so logically, it should have been a huge commotion by now.

But now...

The fortress, like the broken corpse of a giant, stood on the grassland, casting a huge shadow.

Dead silence.

Only the whistling sound of the wind blowing through the sea of ​​grass could be heard.

"As expected, Father's prophecy has come true once again." Flying Eagle was not surprised at all, and even had a hint of pleasure. "It seems that the western defense line may have collapsed on its own due to the plague or something, so they withdrew their people!"

"How amazing!" Xiaomei exclaimed, gazing at the empty fortress in the distance. "The King of the Tall Trees truly possesses magic!"

……

Zhang Renfeng stared blankly in that direction, somewhat lost in thought.

Is it really just a "withdrawal"?

In his eyes, a layer of bloody aura lingered faintly above the outpost, refusing to dissipate.

Chapter 671: Within Three Steps, There Will Be a Guardian Angel

"what is this?"

Flying Eagle's eyes widened as he stared at Zhang Renfeng's waist lamp, exclaiming in astonishment, "It...it clearly has no flame, so how is it glowing!"

This was probably the farthest Flying Eagle had ever traveled. Long, long ago, the Tall Tree tribe had settled here; the forests and grasslands provided for almost all their needs for survival. He was like a child venturing out of his home for the first time, curious about everything, especially the lantern that, though clearly without a flame, emitted light, displaying a strong curiosity about it.

In most parts of the tribe, torches and candles were still used for lighting; kerosene lamps were still novelties. Seeing an electric light for the first time was like an Earthling seeing alien technology—it was utterly unbelievable.

Flying Eagle squeezed the horse's belly with its legs and spurred forward, catching up with Zhang Renfeng. He stretched out his hand and hovered it over the light emanating from the lantern for a moment, surprisingly not feeling any heat, which further astonished him.

“This is an electric light.” Zhang Renfeng couldn’t explain the principle behind it either, but he said, “It’s powered by electricity and doesn’t need fire.”

"Electricity," the eagle murmured, repeating the word as it looked up at the sky. "Is it lightning?"

"Almost the same thing, essentially the same thing."

“But, that lightning thing…” Eagle’s pupils dilated slightly, his eyes filled with disbelief. He gestured the shape of lightning. “How did you put it inside?”

“I don’t know either. This lantern was a gift from Tao. Forget about the principle behind it, even if I took it apart, I couldn’t put it back together.” Zhang Renfeng shrugged. “I guess that’s why I’m just a bounty hunter, while he’s a scientist.”

“You should go to school,” Mike quipped. “Once you finish your studies, you’ll understand everything.”

"School?" Flying Eagle had no concept of that and looked completely confused. "What's that?"

“Sigh…” Zhang Renfeng saw a hint of sadness in his reply and couldn’t help but sigh. “No joke, this place really needs to be rectified. Otherwise, even if you get through this time, there will be a next time.”

When he first took over Sanma Town, he felt it was very backward, still using the slave-labor plantation economic model. In Igor's words, these were things that "should have been thrown in the trash long ago." In order to change the status quo, Igor invested some of his funds in infrastructure, wanting to build clinics, railways, schools, and other basic infrastructure.

But good and bad in this world are all relative.

Sanma is located at the southernmost tip of America. Compared to the major cities in the north, it is indeed backward, but compared to Takagi, it is considered developed.

This person is even more significant, still clinging to the primitive tribal system, as if separated from everything else in this country by an invisible barrier.

In the same war, the productivity and mobilization capacity of a primitive tribal community and an industrial city are simply not on the same level.

Even if they were lucky enough to survive this invasion, as long as this land still exists and the Native American tribes living here remain disconnected from the outside world, there will be another invasion, and another after that.

Those "civilized people" would never consider this land to belong to the Native Americans who have lived on it for generations.

To avoid this tragic fate, change is necessary.

For Flying Eagle, who didn't even know what a "school" was, how easy was it to make such a change?

----

In every town's tavern, the atmosphere is always the same when you push open the door—loud laughter, vulgar and offensive talking, the clatter of glasses against the table, and the screams of gamblers, some frustrated, some excited. For Eagle, these were all precious "first-time" experiences. Back in the tribe, no one would shout or howl like that, which made him very uncomfortable, and he frowned.

He saw several people lying on the ground, completely drunk, in the corner of the tavern, and his heart grew heavier.

The Gaoshu tribe rarely had the opportunity to drink "wine," as wine is brewed from grains. Their tribal hunter-gatherer civilization simply didn't have enough grain to do that.

That's why when the young people in the tribe tasted whiskey and bourbon from outside, they had little resistance and became addicted as soon as they tried it.

Whenever they traded with merchants from outside, cigarettes and alcohol were always the best-selling items. But why would they sell the truly good cigarettes and alcohol to them? Flying Eagle knew perfectly well that these were all inferior goods left over from outside, some even already opened, but the young people of the tribe still regarded them as a godsend.

Seeing these people so drunk and disheveled, Flying Eagle was even more convinced that alcohol was no good. Once he became the King of the Tall Trees, he would definitely issue a strict prohibition on alcohol throughout the tribe.