The sky was clear, and a gentle sea breeze blew across. Between the beach and the tidal flats, palm leaves swayed with the wind. Birds soared between the sea and the sky, and trout gathered and scattered by the sea. In tropical coastlines, January presents such a warm and comfortable scene.
Three thousand Canine Warriors rested for a day in Neshpa and then continued their march eastward. As the warriors progressed along the coast, they raised clouds of dust. News of the northern invasion spread gradually, and many villages up ahead had been abandoned, leaving only their modest buildings behind. Villages that dared to resist had been conquered, each turned into a torch by the seaside.
Half a month had passed without a major battle, and Black Wolf’s mood had relaxed. With no pursuers from behind and no enemies ahead, plus the supply of food and fodder for several days via canoe, the dangerous enemy rear sweeps had become easy armed marches.
The troops slowed their pace, covering only seventy-five miles in four days, arriving at the small village where trusted aide Mavik was from, Trout Fish Village (now La Mira).
From here, only about twenty-five to thirty miles remained to the mouth of the Tarsas River. And from the mouth of the river, running upstream for another hundred and fifty to two hundred miles, lay the vast Atoyac Lake. In other words, the Kingdom was not far off.
Black Wolf stood with his chest puffed out, wearing light leather armor, clutching a sharp bronze sword. He stood on a highland and issued a harsh order to the two thousand Canine Warriors in the center legion.
"The central army will form teams of three hundred and procure provisions from nearby villages for two days, until we reach the Tarsas River!"
"Howl! Black Wolf Chieftain, great chieftain!"
Upon hearing this, the Canine Warriors collectively howled with high spirits.
The surging Tarsas River flowed rapidly from the north, gradually widening at the mouth to form a vast fertile floodplain. The fertile soil, ample water supply, and suitable temperature revived the population here, making the villages prosperous and even allowing them to cultivate cotton fields.
Having trekked a long distance, the Canine Descendants were dazzled by these flourishing villages. The raid was about to end, and there were almost no enemies to face in their upcoming journey. This would likely be their last plunder before returning to the Kingdom.
Although Snake City was richer, it was the midpoint of the expedition. After the city fell, most of the wealth was abandoned, and only some food was taken. The ordinary fishing villages that followed mostly had food, with hardly any wealth to plunder. But the villages here were evidently brimming with riches.
Whether only a piece of cloth or a few pottery jars were raided, it would still be better than the harvest from farming!
Listening to the Canine Warriors’ howls, the village chief of Trout Fish Village, Maho, shivered. The nearby villages all belonged to the same tribe, connected by blood and friendship. He hesitated for a moment but ultimately didn’t dare speak up, instead secretly instructing a swift relative.
"Hurry to the Rivermouth, find the newly arrived Samurai Great Master! Be very careful on the road."
Black Wolf arranged the legion’s campsite and sent out envoys to check the status of the five hundred vanguard and five hundred rear guard. An army’s deployment was bound to involve positioning scouts ahead and guards behind. After becoming busy, he enjoyed lunch in the village, accompanied by Mavik.
Mavik returned home filled with emotions and exuberance. He adeptly started a campfire and set up a pottery jar. Inside the jar, he cooked silverfish soup with fresh mushrooms and dried seaweed from the sea.
"Boss, this is mushroom seaweed silverfish soup, just one word, fresh!"
Black Wolf sniffed and nodded, as the smell was indeed very appealing.
"Boss, since our village is called Trout Fish Village, it naturally abounds in trout. Let me prepare a salt-baked trout for you!"
Having said that, Mavik went to get some fresh trout from the house of the village chief, whom he’d never gotten along with, along with preserved oranges, and the precious passion fruit and chili peppers. The village chief, Maho, barely dared make a noise and was even called by Mavik to help in the kitchen.
Soon after, the two men lit a small fire in the stone pit stove, chopped the oranges and spices into small slices, stuffed them into the belly of the trout, rubbed the fish with sea salt, and wrapped it in palm leaves, then placed it over the pit stove to bake.
Before long, the delicious aroma of the food wafted through the air. Black Wolf was highly intrigued and couldn’t help but laugh and curse.
"Mavik, you sure know how to whip up a meal!"
"Ha ha, boss, I grew up by the sea, making food is second nature to me! It’s just these spices that I couldn’t easily get before."
Mavik laughed heartily, cheerfully replying. Then, he turned his head, with a mischievous smile, and kicked Maho lightly.
"Chief, watch the fire. It mustn’t be too high or too low. If it gets burnt, I’ll hold you accountable!"
Chieftain Maho frowned as he tended to the two men. He had to stir the fire when it became too big and blow on it when it was too small. Maho was covered in soot and his hair was singed yellow. It wasn’t until Mavik smile in satisfaction that he turned to Black Wolf and said,
"Commander, the fish is grilled to perfection, and the soup is ready as well. Please try the delicacies from our seaside!"
Black Wolf filled a bowl with fish soup, blew on it lightly, and couldn’t wait to take a sip. The fresh flavors of mountain delicacies and seafood resonated instantly in his mouth. Tender silverfish swam on his tongue, crisp seaweed crunched between his teeth, and delicious mushrooms went straight to his stomach. In an age without MSG, only by the seaside could one enjoy such freshness and fragrance!
Black Wolf’s eyes lit up. He gulped down the hot soup, feeling a warmth rising from his spine, making his entire body feel thoroughly comfortable and extremely refreshed.
"Good, very good! Truly delicious!"
Next, Black Wolf reached out and peeled off the palm leaves, grabbed the fragrant grilled fish, and chewed heartily. Trout, like turkey, can be somewhat dry, but the grilled fish at that moment was just perfect. With each bite, crispy skin and slippery flesh revealed the locked-in, overflowing fish juices.
Black Wolf’s eyes widened, and he paused, stunned. After taking a few more bites, he found the fish juices warm and sweet, having blended with orange juice. The fish flesh was salty with a hint of spice, and spicy yet aromatic, tender and smooth. The combination of fish juices and fish flesh, sweet and spicy, was utterly delectable and left one longing for more.
"Good, very good! Truly a delicacy!"
Black Wolf ate several grilled fish in succession and drank another bowl of fish soup, thoroughly relishing the meal. He was in high spirits and smiled at Mavik saying,
"This seaside is really nice, to be able to eat such delicacies every day! It seems that being a village chieftain here isn’t too bad after all!"
"That’s right, after fighting wars for so many years and crawling out from piles of dead. If one can return to their homeland and become a village chieftain who bullies the weak and fears the strong, that would indeed be a blessing from the Chief Divine!"
As Mavik chatted away, he glanced towards Chieftain Maho. Mavik was all smiles, but Maho felt a chill run down his neck. He silently grumbled to himself.
"Eat every day? This meal of fish, even I as the village chieftain can’t afford it more than twice a month!"
"Haha! Stick with His Highness, and the best days are still to come!"
Black Wolf was unbothered. To him, nothing was more satisfying than the thrill of battle. Having eaten and drunk his fill, he felt a surge of spirit and remembered the plans forged along the way.
"Mavik, the grayish-black Divine Mountain you spoke of, is it in this area?"
"Yes, Chief. That Divine Mountain is just over ten miles to the northwest, close to the northern mountains. I visited a few times when I was a child and even picked up some reddish-brown chert there—vivid memories. However, there are village priests living there, worshiping the Mountain God generation after generation, they are quite fierce. They wouldn’t let me stay long and even planned to sacrifice me!"
Mavik remembered this with gritted teeth. Now that he had brought a great army back to his homeland, it was naturally time for revenge and settling old grudges for peace of mind.
"Ah!... This, this, this Great Master... That’s the village’s Divine Mountain, with the Mountain God there, how could we possibly offend..."
Upon hearing this, Chieftain Maho turned pale with fright. He finally spoke, stuttering a few words of advice, but Mavik pushed him aside with one hand.
"Chieftain, serve your leader well and you’ll have your rewards! Don’t meddle in other matters!"
Maho felt a chill on his neck, stepped back two paces, and dared not dissuade further, merely muttering under his breath.
"Offending the Divine Mountain and priests, the Mountain God will be angered..."
"Mavik, lead me there now!"
Both men were decisive and quickly prepared to leave with over a hundred warriors. At that moment, a Vanguard Scout hurried over, calling out urgently.
"Chieftain, Black Wolf Chieftain! Hundreds of Samurai are approaching from the east!"
Upon hearing this, Chieftain Maho showed a gleam of joy, while Black Wolf and Mavik exchanged glances, their expressions solemn.