Chapter 688, Living Off the Sea

Translator: Silavin

 

Su Bai took a sip of tea and asked: “How is the selection of soldiers going? How many people have been selected?”

 

These past couple of days he had observed Yan Hua constantly busy with this matter, and it seemed today there was finally some progress.

 

“We recruited a total of…” Yan Hua lowered her head, counting on her fingers, then continued: “A total of one hundred and twenty people.”

 

Yan Hua momentarily failed to react properly and needed to calculate specifically to remember.

 

“Over a hundred people, huh? It isn’t that many, but acceptable.” Su Bai said mildly.

 

This number represented a good start for the initial establishment of soldiers, though he had originally anticipated perhaps two or three hundred.

 

Currently the Flame Dragon Tribe’s Warrior numbers have not reached particularly high levels. The Warrior Trainees and Totem Warriors combined totalled over three hundred.

 

Yet the Flame Dragon Tribe’s population had reached over a thousand, making it a Medium Tribe.

 

No longer the Small Tribe of before. Though compared to other Medium Tribes, the Flame Dragon Tribe’s current number of Warrior remained relatively few. Typically Medium Tribes maintained Warrior numbers around four hundred.

 

However, this still depended on the Tribe’s specific population.

 

Having over three hundred Warriors was not bad, and this did not even account for the power of their weapons.

 

“These people were all carefully selected by myself and Ah’Lan. They can withstand the pressure.” Yan Hua declared confidently.

 

Yan Hua was prepared to train those soldiers properly, ensuring their strength could assist the Tribe.

 

“Indeed, more than half of them are those unable to awaken as Warrior Trainees, yet their abilities aren’t poor.” Sha Lan added.

 

“Very well, you handle the oversight. Don’t train them too intensively from the start.” Su Bai instructed.

 

He worried about overwhelming those people immediately, which would cause the soldier plan to collapse.

 

“Shaman, I shall maintain order, keeping everything within their limits of physical endurance.” Sha Lan nodded.

 

Yan Hua brushed back her hair and said. “Shaman, Father actually very much wants to help.”

 

Yan Hua could see Father’s keen interest in this project. Who would not want to train from scratch a force of soldiers capable of assisting the Tribe?

 

Moreover, the word ‘soldier’ remained foreign to them, naturally arousing curiosity, especially since he was the Flame Dragon Tribe’s Chieftain.

 

“When you’re occupied, you can have the Chieftain assist. I believe it would benefit the soldiers.” Su Bai said gently.

 

The Chieftain’s willingness to help was naturally beneficial, allowing the soldiers to learn more.

 

To become a Tribe’s Chieftain required considerable personal strength and broader experience, naturally enabling him to teach those soldiers more.

 

“Understood. Once their stamina improves, I’ll have Father assist.” Yan Hua said.

 

She worried that involving Father from the beginning might easily overwhelm those soldiers.

 

This could result in several days of full-on training, which would be excessive.

 

“Also good. Once their overall fitness improves, they can handle more pressure.” Su Bai nodded.

 

“Shaman, recently many of our goods have been traded away.” Sha Lan suddenly remarked.

 

These past few days, she had found time to check the Central Market and observe the shop conditions.

 

Every response indicated extensive trading. Visitors would exchange for anything that caught their eye. Most were perfectly willing to use several bags of dried meat for a single item, with only a few considering it slightly expensive.

 

However, after careful consideration, those individuals still made the trade. None could resist these goods’ allure.

 

“It is as expected. Trade for more dried meat, this way the Tribe’s Hunting Team can rest properly.” Su Bai smiled.

 

Once the Tribe secured dried meat sources, the Hunting Team need not constantly leave the Tribe to hunt.

 

How much prey they could hunt was secondary. Most importantly, each expedition was dangerous and could easily result in losing Warriors.

 

Training a Totem Warrior was not easy. With the Tribe’s food supplies being abundant, such risks were unnecessary.

 

The dried meat exchanged over recent days could easily last through the rain season. Dried meat had exceeded all expectations for the Flame Dragon Tribe.

 

Previously, one bag of dried meat might be divided among several people over several days. Now, it was different.

 

Now, one person could receive a large bag of dried meat every two or three days, provided they worked diligently.

 

“Shaman, if the Hunting Teams stop, what should they do? If we don’t hunt, they would have nothing to do.” Yan Hua asked curiously.

 

“They can train the Warriors or soldiers, plus various other work. There is no shortage of tasks.” Su Bai said gently.

 

The Flame Dragon Tribe was in its development phase.  There was much to change and create.

 

The first step required dissolving unnecessary labour, which the Hunting Team bore the brunt of it.

 

Outside the snow season, the Hunting Teams need not enter the Hunting Ground.

 

Food traded from the Central Market alone could sustain the entire Tribe, with surplus remaining.

 

“Shaman, do you mean the Sea Fish Tribe?” Sha Lan guessed.

 

The Flame Dragon Tribe was now stable. The primary concern was the recently captured Sea Fish Tribe.

 

That Tribe lacked Warriors, with only one person sent as Chieftain, making development naturally difficult.

 

“Indeed. Warriors can be stationed there, plus some of our traded dried meat can be transported there.”

 

Su Bai set down his teacup and continued. “This way, both Tribes can operate normally.”

 

“I heard Shaman had the Sea Fish Tribe people dry salt. If they do this, won’t they tell others of this method?” Sha Lan worried.

 

“Yeah, they must feel very uncomfortable being ruled by us.” Yan Hua agreed repeatedly.

 

“Rest assured, with Co Co there, I believe there won’t be any problems.” Su Bai smiled.

 

“Shaman, should the Sea Fish Tribe build cement houses? Otherwise, some people won’t know how to do it.” Sha Lan asked curiously.

 

“No, the Sea Fish Tribe doesn’t need to build cement houses right now. We’ll discuss it when they completely belong to us.” Su Bai shook his head and continued. “Since they’re by the sea, there’s much work available to them.”

 

He actually had ideas already. Being near the sea naturally meant living off the sea, with salt drying just one task among many.

 

“Shaman, are you going to have them go fishing?” Sha Lan could only think of this.

 

After all, the Sea Fish Tribe’s Warriors were gone. The Warriors there now were from the Flame Dragon Tribe.

 

Surely the current few people could not hunt in the forest. Not only would the Tribe be endangered, but those Warriors they sent over as well.

 

Once anyone coveted the Sea Fish Tribe, they would attack at this moment.