CHAPTER 184: CHAPTER 182 DON’T FIGHT FIRST_1

The rapid shift in the direction of the talks had left the Lianzu Chieftain momentarily unable to respond.

He had thought that this human-led Werewolf Tribe could be persuaded to become an ally... or at least, that he could purchase weapons from them. But unexpectedly, before he’d even exchanged a few words, how had it come to them forbidding us from attacking the Werewolves on Blood Crown Mountain? On what grounds!

The Lianzu Chieftain, who had been wearing an apologetic smile, suddenly scowled. He said to Yan Xing, "Knight Yan Xing... are you threatening us?"

Yan Xing had his subordinates pour a cup of wine for the Lianzu Chieftain, then said, "If you think this is a threat, then it is a threat. If you think this is advice, then it’s advice.

"Before seeing you, I had just met with the envoy from the Werewolves. My attitude towards them is the same as it is towards you. I will reiterate one last time: I have no interest in your conflicts! All I want is to take what belongs to me. This request is not excessive, is it? I even refused Chief Qiao She’s suggestion to use the gemstones from Blood Crown Mountain as payment for the goods. This clearly demonstrates my stance towards both of you. I also ask for your understanding. The slingshots I sold to the Werewolves weren’t free, so please, both sides, just wait a moment... Wait until I’ve collected my money, then you can fight!"

What was this supposed to mean? The Lianzu Chieftain was so angry he felt his stomach churn. This is a warzone! It’s one thing for you to come to a battlefield to demand payment, but on what grounds do you tell us to wait until you have your money before we can fight? Besides, we aren’t the ones who owe you!

But the fact that Yan Xing mentioned Chief Qiao She’s suggestion forced the Lianzu Chieftain to suppress his anger and not lash out.

Using the gemstones from Blood Crown Mountain to settle the debt... Isn’t that just asking the Eternal Werewolf Tribe to help them win the war, seize Blood Crown Mountain, and then pay up? Yan Xing’s current refusal implied he could accept the offer at any time. This was definitely unfavorable for the Lizardmen. The Eternal Werewolf Tribe had to be kept on side. After all, by blood, they were closer to the Werewolves attacking Blood Crown Mountain, and they couldn’t risk provoking Yan Xing into siding with the enemy.

"Knight Yan Xing..." the Lianzu altered his tone, "Regarding your request, I need to report back to King Red Eye and King Green Tail and let them make a decision. I believe they will surely look after your interests and make a decision that satisfies everyone."

Yan Xing picked up his wine glass and said to the Lianzu, "Let us toast to King Red Eye and King Green Tail. Additionally, I wish to remind you of something."

The Lianzu raised his wine glass and asked Yan Xing, "What is it?"

Yan Xing casually said, "It’s nothing major. Since its formation, my army has been conducting drills and exercises every day. So, if there’s any major commotion here tomorrow, please don’t be too alarmed. I also sincerely hope the Lizardmen send a military observation group to watch our training and exercises. Likewise, we will extend an invitation to the Werewolf side to observe."

The Lianzu understood training. But exercises? What were those? Still, since the other party had invited him to observe, he might as well go.

"Tomorrow, I will definitely come."

"Cheers!"

"Cheers!"

Olaf escorted the Lianzu Chieftain from the camp.

Yan Xing was very satisfied with his own performance in dealing with the envoys from both sides. He had distanced himself from the Werewolves deep in the swamp, slightly improved relations with the Lizardmen, and secured a neutral stance for his Eternal Werewolf Tribe. As long as he didn’t show bias towards either side, they wouldn’t dare to deal with him using excessive methods.

So... just drag it out. See who could outlast the other. Once they were exhausted, negotiations would be easier. Of course, they couldn’t just sit around glaring at each other all day. If this standoff dragged on for too long, the pressure would only intensify, and there was no telling if someone might make a rash, desperate decision. They needed an outlet for this pressure, some kind of spectacle. The Eternal Domain’s base camp at Blood Crown Mountain would have to shoulder this important task.

「On the second day after reaching Blood Crown Mountain」

Yan Xing’s Blood Crown Mountain camp, hastily constructed, had already achieved a decent scale.

At dawn, the blare of loud bugles shattered the swamp’s silence.

A large group of Werewolf and human warriors, fully armed, ran out of the camp gates in neat formations.

"ONE, TWO, ONE, TWO..."

Military boots struck the ground in rhythmic unison as they chanted the same cadence.

The powerful military aura exuded by their disciplined formation immediately alerted the Lizardmen on the mountain and the Werewolves below. All the Lizardmen and Werewolves came out to watch this army run from the southern to the northern end of Blood Crown Mountain, astounded by the formidable power the troops emanated.

Compared to this army’s equipment, what the Lizardmen and Werewolves wore in their standoff looked like beggars’ rags. The disparity in equipment and weapons was one thing, but the spirit and bearing of these soldiers were entirely different. It was something the scattered groups of mud-caked Lizardmen and Werewolves, with their dull, vacant stares, could not hope to match.

The confidence and pride unconsciously displayed by the warriors of the Eternal Domain were the result of high-standard treatment and rigorous training. And the Werewolves and Lizardmen facing off at Blood Crown Mountain could hardly be called qualified soldiers. Poor logistics, poor military discipline. They claimed that every citizen was a soldier, but when faced with real soldiers, the gap was immediately apparent.

A month of intense training in Stenchwater Forest had been very effective indeed.

This would show these two mobs what a professional army truly looked like.

However, Yan Xing didn’t let the morning runners go too far. A brief demonstration was enough before they returned to camp. It was best to be cautious on this first occasion; they could gradually increase the distance once both sides grew accustomed to it.

One morning run certainly wouldn’t achieve Yan Xing’s purpose.

After bringing the Lianzu Chieftain and Chief Qiao She over, Yan Xing took them up the watchtower at the camp gate and announced the start of the exercise. The mutually hostile Lianzu and Werewolf Chief Qiao She stood on either side of Yan Xing, ignoring each other. They had both witnessed the morning run of the Eternal Domain army in their respective camps, and it had made a deep impression on them. It was strength from the inside out.

They were now eager to understand this army, to see what Yan Xing had meant by "exercise" the day before.

Yan Xing first had the Werewolf laborers set up the exercise field outside the camp. Then, he said to Chief Qiao She and the Lianzu Chieftain, "Today’s training exercise is a squad-level offensive drill simulating an encounter in an uncharted jungle swamp. The obstacles in the exercise field represent trees, shrubs, mud pits, and other common features of jungle swamp terrain. Those upright wooden boards will represent enemies in the jungle. Our squad’s combat objective is to eliminate all enemies within it. The exercise field couldn’t be set up on a large scale on such short notice, so let’s start with something simpler for now."

After the exercise field was set up, Yan Xing declared the exercises to begin.

A standard jungle warfare squad entered the training field.