As soon as Rubaka Bloodwhip got out of bed, he heard the news that the small oasis in the northwest had changed hands.
"Really?" He frowned. Although he had seen the oasis on fire last night, he did not expect that the Howling Clan could not even hold out for one night. Was there a new clan with such a powerful force in the Silver Stream recently? Why don't I remember anything about it? "
Rubaka patted his concubine lying beside him and asked her to wrap herself up in a blanket. After that, he turned to his subordinate and said, "Tell me more."
"Yes. According to the report of those guys who escaped, the fire in the oasis was not set by the challengers, but by God Father's Heavenly Fire."
"Bullsh * t!" Rubaka spat. "Those cowards! Whenever they encounter something they can't solve, they blame it on the Three Gods. I'm going to hang them all at the gate of Iron Sand City!"
"But..." The subordinate hesitated for a moment. "My men went to the camp in the small oasis this morning and found that the scene there was quite similar to what they described... There were many pitch-black pits on the ground, and corpses and house fragments were scattered everywhere. It didn't look like a simple arson."
"House fragments?"
"Yes. It looked like a giant sandworm or an Earth-drilling Scorpion ran over the camp and tore them into pieces." The subordinate chose his words carefully. "Most of those who stayed in the camp were unlucky, while those who had fun outside organized a counterattack. But... they were defeated before they could even see their opponents."
"In other words, those idiots were ambushed and fled in panic before they could approach their opponents?" Rubaka began to doubt whether he had been too kind to the watchdogs. He had spent a lot of effort to win them over, but this was all they could do? Or was it that a long and stable life had eroded their strength more than he had expected? "And then? So far, they don't even know which clan occupied the small oasis. "
"My men are still asking around. We should be able to get the news soon," the subordinate paused and said hesitantly, "But some of the refugees said that they saw many Northerners."
"Northerners..."
This news made Rubaka take it seriously.
Naked, he walked to the window and looked towards the northwest. The fire had long been extinguished, leaving only a few wisps of black smoke.
Although the Howling Clan was the watchdog that Ironwhip and Chipped-Bone had recruited, he did not really care about their lives. The challenger system was not so much a qualification test, but rather a protective wall set up by the six clans for themselves. He only understood this after he settled in Iron Sand City.
The holy duel was only a small-scale fight, but the battle for the small oasis was an all-out war between the two clans. It was not uncommon for both sides to fight to the death. After all, even if they did not enter the Iron Sand City, the oasis was a place that every clan had to fight for in order to grow stronger. No matter which side won, they would usually have to pay a heavy price and would need a long time to lick their wounds.
During this period, it was not difficult for the big clans to turn the challengers into watchdogs, especially those clans who believed that the compromise was only temporary and that sooner or later, they would challenge each other to a duel. In the end, none of them managed to ring the sacred bell of Iron Sand City.
At that time, a new challenger would appear and sweep the watchdogs out of the game.
The large clans used this method to ensure that they wouldn't fall into a predicament where they would be badly hurt.
Now that Ironwhip had climbed to the fourth place, even if the challengers challenged him to a duel, they would not come to him. Therefore, it was not a big deal for the small oasis to change hands.
However, it was different for the northerners.
For example, the Queen of Clearwater had caused a lot of chaos in Iron Sand City. Many people yearned for the evergreen land in the north even though they had been reduced to slaves and thugs. The departure of the two potential challengers had emptied the small oasis, so the other challengers could easily challenge each other. Taking advantage of the chaos, Rubaka seized the opportunity and successfully became the fourth big clan.
Now, what tricks did they want to play?
"Keep an eye on those people and find out what's going on." He turned around and ordered his subordinates, "Which city did the northerners come from? How many of them are there? What kind of weapons they have and what they're planning to do!"
"Yes, Chieftain!"
Perhaps he should have a discussion with the other big clans.
According to the rules of the Southernmost Region, outsiders were not allowed to interfere!
...
In the afternoon, one of his subordinates brought back a piece of news that Rubaka Bloodwhip could not believe.
"What did you say? The Osha clan? "
"That's what they said. All the flags in the oasis have been replaced with the Osha clan's war patterns. I also saw the Osha princess who was sold as a slave! She has become a Divine Lady and is recruiting new clansmen. It seems that many of them have responded! "
"How... how is this possible?"
Rubaka was not ignorant of the northern kingdom. In the eyes of the people of Graycastle, the Divine Lady was completely regarded as an evil existence. If the Sand Nation slaves were already miserable enough, then a Divine Lady slave would never have the slightest chance to make a comeback. But now, how did she win the support of the northerners and lead them back to the Southernmost Region as an avenger?
He felt an indescribable sense of absurdity and panic.
The Mojins had been suppressed in the desert not because they liked the desert, but because they had never been able to confront Graycastle head-on. If the Mojins wanted to harm Iron Sand City, the clans might unite to fight against the outsiders. But if the Osha clan, who had the support of the northerners, only targeted his family, would the other clans still be closely allied with Ironwhip?
This was a question that almost did not need to be answered.
"Damn it!"
He smashed the wine glass on the table onto the ground and stomped on it, turning it into a pile of crystal fragments.
"If you want to avenge your father's death through a holy duel, come on!" Rubaka thought fiercely. "The northerners may be well-armed and numerous, but in a duel, the Sand Nation of the Mojins are the bravest warriors!" "I'll let you know the taste of despair!"
Just then, another subordinate entered the hall and said, "Chieftain, the Osha clan has sent a gift."
"What?" Rubaka felt the blue veins on his forehead throbbing. "A gift?"
"Yes, it's in the garden outside."
"Take me to see it," he said through gritted teeth.
...
It was a huge wooden box, about the length of a man and half the width of a man. It looked as if it had been pieced together by several ordinary wooden boards. There were iron nails at the four corners, and nothing unusual could be seen from the outside.
"Where's the person who sent it?" Rubaka asked.
"He's gone."
"How many of them?"
"Uh... only one person."
"One person?" He raised his eyebrows and stepped forward to kick the box. The wooden box suddenly rolled several times and made a clanking sound. It seemed that there were other things inside. But judging from its weight, it was almost hollow.
"Are they broken limbs, flesh, or skin peeled off?" Other than threats and bluffs, he couldn't think of anything else the other party would send over.
"Move to Stone Castle," Rubaka said coldly. "I'd like to see what tricks they have up their sleeves."
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