CHAPTER 40: CHAPTER 40 ARMED DUAN’ER TRIBE_1

Yan Xing picked up a thin pancake, placed spring onions, pickled vegetables, and duck meat dipped in sauce on it, then rolled it up and took a bite.

"As I was saying," he spoke between mouthfuls, "I have no interest in the things from your territory. You also lack any other means to pay the war reparations, so labor is likely the only valuable thing your tribe has to offer...

"If they come to work for me, they’ll certainly be well-fed.

"Of course, if you have any other compensation plans, I’m willing to accept them as long as they can reimburse me."

"No, no, no, I have no other compensation plans," Duan’er hurriedly said. "Let’s do as Lord Yan Xing says, and use our labor to pay for your war damages."

With such a good offer of essentially free food right in front of him, Duan’er wouldn’t dare suggest any other compensation.

Even Duan’er felt he was getting a great deal.

It’s just work, isn’t it?

His clansmen toiled all day in the Red Mud Wetland, and nine times out of ten, they couldn’t fill their stomachs, not to mention the various dangers they faced.

Working here for Lord Yan Xing... not daring to hope for the same food as the subjects of the domain, just having enough nutritious, ready-to-eat rations would be a luxury beyond his wildest dreams.

Seeing Duan’er agree to pay reparations with labor, Yan Xing asked, "Clan Leader Duan’er, how many werewolf laborers can your tribe provide me?"

Duan’er calculated in his mind. Although it was good to work and eat in the Eternal Domain, he couldn’t just abandon his old lair at Red Mud Wetland. The She-Werewolves and cubs could all come to the Eternal Domain... but doing so seemed a bit improper. It would be better to send another thirty Werewolf Warriors over. This way, eighty Werewolf Warriors would still be left to defend Red Mud Wetland. Without the burden of the females and young, he, leading eighty Werewolf Warriors, would be more than enough to defend their home. The food produced in Red Mud Wetland would also be sufficient for the warriors staying behind. Actually, the werewolves staying behind could rotate regularly with those working here. They could rest, have a few good meals to treat themselves, and improve their diet.

After considering, Duan’er said to Yan Xing, "My tribe can provide a total of one hundred and thirty werewolves as laborers for your domain, My Lord. Although most of them are She-Werewolves and cubs, we werewolves all enjoy labor and guarantee that our work will not be inferior to your farmers."

Yan Xing hadn’t expected Duan’er to be willing to provide so many laborers, sending almost half his tribe. This would significantly alleviate the labor shortage for the Eternal Domain’s development.

Yan Xing asked Gao Sipa to pour wine for Duan’er, then raised his glass and invited, "Clan Leader Duan’er is indeed forthright and sincere. One hundred and thirty werewolves need only work for two months in my domain, and our war reparations debt will be considered settled.

"Come, let’s drink to our friendship."

With the war reparations agreement reached, Duan’er was naturally very happy too, and he picked up his glass to join the toast. However, upon hearing the latter part of Yan Xing’s words, he was stunned. At that moment, Duan’er was in no mood to drink.

"Only... only two months of work, and... everything’s repaid?"

Yan Xing said, "After all, neither of us suffered significant casualties, so for the reparations, a symbolic gesture will suffice. We are neighbors, after all, and harmony is paramount.

"We can’t always dwell on this war, can we?

"Drink up, drink up."

Only two months! How could the war reparations be settled with just two months of work? That’s nowhere near enough!

Clan Leader Duan’er, holding his drink, said expectantly to Yan Xing, "Lord Yan Xing, could you possibly extend the reparation period a little longer?"

Yan Xing laughed heartily and replied, "Clan Leader Duan’er, even if I extended it by another two months, or even two years... won’t it eventually come to an end?"

Duan’er’s expression immediately became crestfallen. Yes, indeed! The reparations would eventually end. These hundred-odd werewolves would ultimately have to return to the Red Mud Wetland...

But Yan Xing didn’t let Duan’er feel disheartened for too long as he said, "Clan Leader. The two months of labor as reparations ending doesn’t mean your tribespeople can’t continue to work here for me."

Duan’er’s expression suddenly lit up. "Lord Yan Xing, are you saying that after two months, my tribespeople can still continue to work for you?"

"Why can’t they stay here?" Yan Xing smiled. "My domain can’t be built in just two months. Your tribespeople can work for me indefinitely, and I will pay you appropriate remuneration for your work. You can drink this wine with an easy mind now, right?"

"My mind is at ease, completely at ease... Lord Yan Xing is truly generous and compassionate!" Duan’er’s smile broadened, and he drained the entire glass of red wine in one gulp before saying, "To work for Lord Yan Xing, we don’t want any remuneration. As long as my tribespeople have enough food, let them keep working here."

Encountering such a good opportunity that could completely solve his tribe’s food issues, Duan’er was very astute at this moment.

However, Yan Xing said, "So, Clan Leader Duan’er isn’t interested in remuneration... and here I was thinking of using weapons, armor, and slingshots as goods to pay your tribe.

"Since the Clan Leader doesn’t want them..."

"We want them, we want them, we want them!" At this moment, Duan’er just wanted to slap his own face. Curse my big mouth! How could he not want these things? He had always coveted the equipment of the Eternal Domain Soldiers. If his Werewolf Warriors could wear this gear, they could swagger about the edges of the swamp region. They could truly beat up anyone they pleased!

"HAHAHA..." Yan Xing laughed out loud.

The Duan’er Tribe from the Red Mud Wetland was considered settled this time.

By sending his tribe’s women and children to work in the Eternal Domain, Duan’er was essentially, and imperceptibly, shifting his homeland toward the domain. Once the women and children from the Duan’er Tribe grew accustomed to life in the Eternal Domain, how could they be willing to return to a harsh life in the swamp? Gradually, they would come to see themselves as part of this domain and become fully integrated into it.

As for arming the Duan’er Tribe, Yan Xing had his own considerations. According to the previously established strategy... the Red Mud Wetland must be brought under his control. With Duan’er leading armed werewolf elites stationed in the Red Mud Wetland, it would be like establishing a forward operating base for the Eternal Domain in the swamp region, disguised as a Werewolf Tribe. This would create a large buffer zone. As for whether arming the Duan’er Tribe would pose a threat to him? Yan Xing wasn’t particularly worried. With the logistics for food, supplies, and weapons in his own hands, Duan’er and his warriors, once fully militarized and detached from production, wouldn’t dare to turn against him easily.

Subsequently, all misgivings between Yan Xing and Duan’er vanished. They discussed their cooperation even more deeply.

The Eternal Domain would provide a batch of remuneration in advance to arm the Duan’er Tribe.

The first item was the slingshot that Duan’er had always coveted. Yan Xing decided to equip every werewolf with one. However, there weren’t enough in the Eternal Domain’s storehouse at the moment, so he would need to return to the real world to procure them. Furthermore, based on feedback from the actual combat use of slingshots, Yan Xing also decided to make special requests to the slingshot manufacturer: increase the size of the slingshots and the pull strength of the bands, and also increase the weight of the projectiles to achieve higher lethality. He would order a thousand sets to start, storing the excess in the warehouse for emergencies.

He would provide twenty steel chain maces. The steel pipes, iron chains, and iron balls could be custom-ordered separately from different manufacturers; by welding fasteners to the connecting parts, they could be transported back in batches for self-assembly.

As for armor... Yan Xing only agreed to give Duan’er one set to begin with.

Ancient laws often banned armor but not weapons, which highlighted the importance of armor in cold-weapon warfare. Before the Duan’er Tribe truly integrated into his Eternal Domain, the Eternal Domain must maintain military superiority over them.