Chapter 296: Setting out for battle
Chapter 296: Setting out for battle
In the next few days, under Han Cheng's leadership, the focus of work for the people of the Green Sparrow Tribe shifted entirely to preparing for the capture of the Bone Tribe.
Han Cheng continuously pondered their possible situations and the corresponding strategies. Occasionally, he would consult with the Eldest Senior Brother and Shaman and call the others together to make arrangements.
Some of the Green Sparrow Tribe members were busy repairing weapons, and those who frequently participated in training sometimes conducted attack drills as per the requests of the Shaman.
Time passed by in this atmosphere, second by second, until the five days had passed in the blink of an eye.
The eastern horizon began to glow with the dawn, gradually dispelling the darkness. After a night of deep sleep, everyone's spirits were replenished, and they were now fully awake.
The atmosphere in the Green Sparrow Tribe was different from before. There was an indistinct air of solemnity in the tranquil and quiet ambiance.
The fortress's gates were open, and thirty people stood in four rows in front of the gate, each under the leadership of their respective captains. They were the warriors of the Green Sparrow Tribe who were about to set out for battle.
Standing in front of the formation was Han Cheng, the one in charge of the armed forces. There was a half-filled basin of warm water on a makeshift table made of stones and wood.
A wild chicken with fluttering wings had its neck slit with a stone knife, and its blood dripped into the water, blossoming like peach blossoms.
After a stir with a long-handled ladle, bowls of warm water tinged with a faint red hue were handed to each person preparing for battle."Safety first. I will prepare a feast to celebrate your return," Han Cheng said, not particularly inspiring but practical, before raising the bowl of water mixed with blood and drinking it down.
With no wine available, they had to make do with this.
The warriors preparing for the expedition also raised their bowls, imitating the Shaman's actions and drinking down the contents. However, they drank too carefully, without a drop spilling down their chins, lacking the heroic spirit.
"Snap!"
Han Cheng slammed his bowl down after finishing, and the others, subconsciously following his lead, also smashed their bowls onto the ground. Many regretted their actions afterward, trying to salvage their bowls, only to find them shattered beyond repair.
What was supposed to be a solemn and stirring ceremony was somewhat botched at its climax.
Han Cheng felt like laughing but managed to suppress it forcefully.
"Go!"
After waiting for a moment, he raised his arm and shouted.
The warriors preparing for the expedition were infected by this unprecedented ceremony. They felt their blood boiling, devoid of fear except for their somewhat regrettable bowl-smashing.
After Han Cheng's shout, the people of the Green Sparrow Tribe turned away and headed toward the direction of the Bone Tribe, armed with weapons and provisions.
Han Cheng, Shaman, and others who stayed behind watched them leave until they disappeared from sight. Only then did they pack up their things and return to the tribe, firmly closing the gate behind them.
From today onwards, until the return of the Eldest Senior Brother and the others, the gates of the Green Sparrow Tribe would not easily open, and no one would be allowed to leave without reason.
With thirty people going out, the fighting strength of the Green Sparrow Tribe was greatly diminished. Compared to when Han Cheng and the others left, they were even weaker, so they had to be on high alert.
Han Cheng stood on the wall, gazing at the direction in which the Eldest Senior Brother and the others had departed for a long time.
Although he knew that this trip was almost a sure victory, with the Bone Tribe basically unable to escape, he couldn't help but worry.
He didn't know how many of these expeditionary warriors would be injured or might not return.
In this attack on the Bone Tribe, Han Cheng originally intended to lead the team himself. However, the Shaman and the Eldest Senior Brother disagreed, saying Han Cheng was too young and unsuitable for such a task.
Upon careful consideration, Han Cheng realized there was some truth to their words. His presence might indeed be distracting, so he decided to stay behind.
As time passed, Han Cheng began to feel his decision was wrong. Waiting in the tribe without knowing anything was genuinely agonizing.
If only they had a cell phone, or even a telegraph, to get information about the situation ahead. Of course, this was wishful thinking; they couldn't produce such things even if they tried.
A more practical idea would be to make simple wired telephones using two small pottery bowls with holes at the bottom, strung together with a rope.
When Milk Tea Sister covered her right ear with a small bowl and widened her eyes with a look of surprise and disbelief, she heard Han Cheng's singing from the ship's bow.
The Divine child sang the song, but at this moment, he was inside the house with the door closed, and the small bowl and rope were threaded out of the window.
Milk Tea Sister tentatively removed the pottery bowl from her ear, and she could faintly hear the Shaman's indistinct singing from inside the house. Placing the pottery bowl back over her ear, the song became clear again.
This miraculous device quickly caused a sensation in the Green Sparrow Tribe. Not only did the children love playing with it, but even the adults wanted to experience the magic of this device themselves.
Watching the children happily playing with the telephone bowls on the wall, Han Cheng couldn't help but smile.
With everything that needed to be done already completed, all that was left was to leave it to fate and endure the long wait. Finding other activities to pass the time and ease the tension during the long wait was also a good idea.
The women's hairstyles in the Green Sparrow Tribe had significantly changed.
The catalyst for this transformation was the appearance of two braids on Milk Tea Sister's head.
When Han Cheng first arrived, everyone in the Green Sparrow Tribe had messy hair. However, after his intervention, they all sported uniform ponytails, albeit somewhat messy ones.
At first, everyone liked the new ponytails, but after some time, they started having other ideas, especially the women.
The appearance of Milk Tea Sister with two braids inspired them.
Without Han Cheng's knowledge, braids began to trend throughout the entire Green Sparrow Tribe.
When Han Cheng discovered this, he was both shocked and amused. It was understandable if Star, Little Beauty, Little Lily, and the other young girls wore braids, but why were Chen, Xi, and the other boys joining the fun?
Han Cheng couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by the sight.
Without much thought, Han Cheng, feeling shocked and irritated, immediately instructed these individuals to untie their braids. He felt like he would go crazy if this continued.
Seeing these guys dragging their feet, unwilling to untie their braids, Han Cheng wanted to kick them with his foot.
Unable to stand the resentful looks from these guys any longer, Han Cheng immediately made some regulations regarding their hairstyles.
Girls would wear two braids until they reached adulthood, then switch to a single braid. Boys would keep their hair short and tie a small braid on their heads, resembling seventh-grade sesame officials.
Adult men would tie up their hair using a tree branch as a hairpin for fixation, exuding a bit of ancient charm.
Han Cheng was the only exception, still sporting a ponytail.
These new hairstyles immediately delighted everyone, and they abandoned their attachment to braids. Han Cheng was relieved to be rescued from the overwhelming visual impact.
This was also good in another way; with fixed hairstyles, it was easy to distinguish between men and women of all ages. Unlike before, when one wasn't familiar, telling men and women apart required getting up close to look at chest sizes.