Chapter 1082, The Lush and Green Tribe

Translator: Silavin

 

Zi Yun led the two female Totem Warriors off the ship, each of them carrying a portion of the goods.

 

They set off in the direction of the Red Horse Tribe and arrived at its entrance before long.

 

The Red Horse Tribe had Totem Warriors on Patrol at the entrance, and they stopped Zi Yun and the others at once.

 

“Who are you? You look like Totem Warriors. What is your business here?” The lead Totem Warrior demanded.

 

The Totem Warriors of the Red Horse Tribe immediately had their guards up, as though any movement from the Flame Dragon Tribe’s people would draw an instant attack.

 

The Patrol consisted entirely of men, except for the one leading them, who was a woman.

 

“We are from the Flame Dragon Tribe. We have come to trade.” Zi Yun’s tone and mannerism were perfectly composed. She extended the goods in her hand forward.

 

“These are the goods from our Flame Dragon Tribe. We have no hostile intent whatsoever. Besides, there are only three of us. We could not possibly be a threat to you.”

 

Zi Yun spoke and moved as though she had rehearsed it many times over.

 

“The Flame Dragon Tribe? I believe I have heard of you.” Ai Ma lowered the weapon in her hand.

 

She was the leader of this Patrol Team, with particularly striking red hair. She was not especially tall, but looked quite tough. The weapon in her hand was a long stone blade, honed to a very sharp edge. One slash from it and the blood would not cease bleeding out.

 

“Since you have heard of our Tribe, you likely know that we have a Central Market. We have come simply to discuss cooperation.” Zi Yun pressed again that there was no hostile intention.

 

The unicorn girl could see that the other woman had let her guard down a little. One more push and they would be inside.

 

“But as far as I know, it takes a very long time to travel from your Tribe to ours. You don’t look the least bit like someone who has just walked through the forest.” Ai Ma frowned.

 

She had been nearly convinced, but then she looked at the other woman. Clothes impeccable, face all fresh, hair entirely undisturbed. How was this someone who had travelled here from afar?

 

Everyone knew that reaching the Red Horse Tribe from the Flame Dragon Tribe took a lot of time. After such a journey, a person ought to look exhausted and dishevelled. This one looked precisely the opposite, as though she lived nearby.

 

“Our Tribe has a transportation vehicle. The journey did not take long.” Zi Yun gave her violet hair a toss. “That is in fact why we were able to come and visit your Tribe in person.”

 

“What is a transportation vehicle?” Ai Ma frowned, turning the unfamiliar word over in her mind.

 

As she thought, she was also scanning the surrounding area, looking for any sign that Flame Dragon Tribe people might be concealed nearby.

 

In the primitive era, caution was simply how one survived. One never knew what another Tribe had in mind.

 

Too many Tribes had entered others under the guise of cooperation or seeking help, only to break them apart from within.

 

Ai Ma was the leader of this Patrol Team. She was more careful than most when it came to outsiders.

 

“Don’t worry. There is no one from our side nearby. If you don’t believe me, send your people to look.”

 

Zi Yun raised a hand and pointed toward where the ship had stopped. “Our people are on a ship not far from here. Without your permission, we will not come anywhere near your Tribe.” She had to be clear about where Qing Yan was, so the Red Horse Tribe would not think she was lying if they found the others.

 

“A ship? Is that what you meant by transportation vehicle?” Ai Ma frowned again. “What exactly is a ship?”

 

“You will find out in time. All I can tell you now is that our Tribe has no intention of invading yours.” Zi Yun did not want to say more about the ship. “If you trust us, take these goods to your Chieftain to check. If you don’t trust us, we will simply go to the next Tribe.”

 

She finished speaking and turned away. If they still would not trust her, there was no point wasting more time here. Besides, taking herself and the other two Totem Warriors into an unwelcoming Tribe might be dangerous.

 

Zi Yun had kept Hu Shi’s advice firmly in mind: trade second, personal safety first.

 

“Fine. You’re few enough that you can’t cause much trouble anyway. Come inside.” Ai Ma relented.

 

She told the rest of the Patrol Team to continue their rounds, and led the Flame Dragon Tribe’s people inside herself.

 

*Step step step…*

 

Zi Yun followed Ai Ma’s footsteps into the Red Horse Tribe.

 

Up close, the settlement felt even more overwhelmingly green than it was from a distance.

 

It was not just the fencing and the rooftops that were layered with leaves. Even the clothes the people inside were wearing were made from leaves.

 

Some patches of ground were also carpeted with them, giving the whole place the feeling of an enclosure for animals.

 

That was Zi Yun’s first impression, because back in the Flame Dragon Tribe, the pens for the cattle and sheep were always lined with green plants.

 

Beyond the leaves everywhere, the rest of the Red Horse Tribe was not so different from how the Flame Dragon Tribe used to be. Wooden houses and some dry-grass shelters, and dirt underfoot everywhere.

 

“What goods has your Flame Dragon Tribe brought?” Ai Ma suddenly asked.

 

She was walking ahead, but kept glancing back at Zi Yun.

 

There was no other reason for it. She was genuinely interested in the other woman’s clothing.

 

Ai Ma had quietly concluded that this was probably someone of high standing in the Flame Dragon Tribe. Why else would her clothes be so fine? It was linen, after all. Not many Tribes could afford to wear linen.

 

And as far as Ai Ma knew, the Flame Dragon Tribe was not a Large Tribe, and certainly not one known for producing linen. That was why she had settled on the idea that Zi Yun was someone of importance.

 

“You will find out when you see our Chieftain. I believe your Tribe will like what we have brought.” Zi Yun looked entirely confident.

 

She had also noticed the other woman check up on her, and thought she was probably still not fully at ease.

 

About ten minutes later, Zi Yun was led to a wooden house carpeted in leaves.

 

Even the surrounding walls of this hut were draped with green leaves, which she found genuinely difficult to make sense of.

 

“Wait at the entrance. I will go in and report.” Ai Ma knocked and went inside.

 

Only then did Zi Yun allow herself to look openly around, taking in the interior of the Red Horse Tribe with some care.