BXBX NOVEL Chapter 26: Priest Lucy's visit
Based on Heru's description and the information provided by others about the Chew Bone Tribe, it was easy to deduce their approximate strength... They weren't numerous, numbering only around a hundred or so.
But these individuals were all elites.
Among them were some with supernatural abilities, and not just one or two, but a sizable group.
This was an extremely terrifying force.
In a head-on collision, the Crimson Star Tribe stood little chance.
After lengthy discussions, no good solution was reached. So Enzo had to order an increase in patrols and expand their patrol range. Additionally, suitable tribe members were to undergo the baptism of the tribal fire to become tribe warriors.
After dealing with all this, dawn was fast approaching.
Enzo didn't feel tired at all. With the increase in totemic energy within his body, his physical fitness improved significantly, and even his mental strength was greatly enhanced.
At this moment, he took out the stone tablet and ore samples brought back by Heru and examined them.
Some of the minerals in particular surprised him.
They weren't rare ores, but rather chalcopyrite and hematite, which could be used to smelt copper and iron, greatly promoting the tribe's development.
Unfortunately, the looming threat of the Chew Bone Tribe needed to be addressed.
With that in mind, Enzo's joy was somewhat dampened.
He called for Brian to organize the members of the industrial zone to fully produce various weapons to counter the impending threat from the Chew Bone Tribe. Then, he summoned Amy and Tia, preparing to once again venture to the Venom Tribe to inquire about some matters from Priest Lucy.
As for Clara, she needed to stay at the tribe camp.
The Chagga Tribe members who had just joined the Crimson Star Tribe were not yet accustomed to the tribe's way of life, and they still turned to Clara first when they encountered any issues.
Just as Enzo was preparing to depart, Priest Lucy arrived ahead of him.
The members of the patrolling combat team spotted Jessica and the others she brought along and hurried to report to Enzo, saying, "Lord Priest, Miss Jessica from yesterday is here again, and she brought a few more people."
Upon hearing the news, Enzo rushed over.
Surprised to see the visitors, he asked, "Priest Lucy, you've come to the Crimson Star Tribe?"
Lucy replied with a smile, "Jessica mentioned that the Crimson Star Tribe is quite miraculous. So I thought I'd come and see for myself. Mr. Enzo shouldn't mind, right?"
Enzo couldn't quite grasp Lucy's intentions.
But for now, there was nothing worth hiding from the Crimson Star Tribe.
Due to the shortage of water, the firing of pottery and bricks had temporarily ceased. Only the irrigation of the fields continued, but this task didn't require much technical skill. Potatoes and sweet potatoes were considered precious, but Sovita arranged for tribe members to keep watch and drive away birds to prevent theft.
So, Enzo welcomed Lucy and the others inside.
Many of the newly joined Chagga Tribe members witnessed this scene.
After all, the giant bear, Betta, who came with them to the camp, was too conspicuous. Its massive size and sharp claws inevitably instilled fear, causing some of the new members to instinctively pick up weapons, looking panicked.
This reaction prompted laughter from the Crimson Star Tribe members.
They chuckled and said, "Relax, that giant bear is Lord Priest's pet."
"What, a pet!" they exclaimed in astonishment.
But what surprised these people went far beyond that. Everywhere they looked, there were pottery pieces, dishes with vastly different flavors, and sturdy brick houses... All of this made the Crimson Star Tribe truly stand out.
Priest Lucy felt the same way.
She prided herself on being well-traveled, but some things in the Crimson Star Tribe were beyond her comprehension.
How could houses be built like this?
With fired bricks and clay, wouldn't they collapse?
And growing wild vegetables in the fields, what a magical idea!
Priest Lucy's curiosity about Enzo grew, and she became even more pleased. Only someone like him, the offspring nurtured alongside Jessica, could be so outstanding.
Of course, she hadn't forgotten the purpose of her visit.
She smiled and asked, "Priest Enzo, I heard from Jessica that you can accelerate the condensation of her totem."
Enzo immediately understood Lucy's intentions.
He didn't hide anything but didn't directly confirm either. Instead, he vaguely replied, "My totemic power has some peculiarities, and it just happened to interact with Jessica's totemic power."
Priest Lucy didn't quite buy that explanation.
Still smiling, she handed Enzo several bamboo slips inscribed with text from the Barren Mountain. Then she said, "Priest Enzo, could you demonstrate your totem? These bamboo slips contain some knowledge about totemic power, which I believe will be helpful to you."
Instead of immediately accepting, Enzo asked, "Priest Lucy, may I know why?"
Lucy replied, "Just to verify a hypothesis."
After some thought, Enzo agreed but added a condition, "I can demonstrate the totem, but I need you to help me with something."
Priest Lucy nodded, "Sure."
With the agreement in place, Enzo extended his palm and condensed the shadow of his totem.
The intricate patterns on the emerald-green leaves became clearer, with every vein visible, brimming with vitality.
Lucy, however, felt somewhat disappointed after seeing it. Enzo's totem wasn't what she had expected, the one formed from the lost Barren Mountain scepter.
Nonetheless, it was still good news.
She might still have a chance to obtain that lost treasure.
She didn't express any suspicion about Enzo's displayed totem, speculating that it was the leaves totem of the Tree of Life. Despite mentioning the so-called sacred place and the ancient Seven Prime Creations to Jessica, she didn't believe it because no one had ever seen them in the long ages past.
Those things are just legends after all.
Then, Priest Lucy asked again, "Enzo, what do you need my help with?"
Enzo replied directly, "The Crimson Star Tribe's Vanguard squad encountered the Chew Bone Tribe. The Golden Beetle Totem has the ability to scout for information, so I'd like to ask you for help to see if we can find the Chew Bone Tribe's trail. By the way, the Vanguard squad encountered the Chew Bone Tribe at Bald Mountain."
Lucy nodded after hearing this and said, "I can give it a try. Is there any other information you can provide?"
After a moment of thought, Enzo didn't conceal anything and revealed, "The Chew Bone Tribe is capturing members of other tribes, seemingly for some evil sacrificial ritual."
"Sacrifice?" Lucy exclaimed suddenly.
Enzo's expression changed slightly, and he asked, "Priest Lucy, is there something wrong?"
Priest Lucy didn't answer.
Others might not understand the meaning of sacrifice, but she knew it all too well, especially since the Chew Bone Tribe had captured so many members of other tribes for this purpose.
Sacrifice, in simple terms, is offering sacrifices to powerful beings in exchange for protection or blessings.
It's an elaborate process, and complex sacrificial rituals can last for years, requiring a variety of offerings. What most tribes consider sacrifices are not true sacrifices but merely seeking comfort unilaterally, unable to communicate with those mystical beings.
Recalling the time when the Chew Bone Tribe appeared, Priest Lucy felt she had grasped an important clue.
She said to Enzo, "Wait a moment, I'll investigate the information."
With that, Priest Lucy tapped into her totemic abilities, communicating with the insects slumbering on the ground. Her consciousness spread continuously until it reached Bald Mountain. It was a barren stone mountain with no vegetation, and at the foot of it lay a cave. However, there were no captives inside the cave at the moment, only excrement covering the ground.
Priest Lucy continued her search.
The insects' perception abilities surpassed humans in many ways.
Therefore, without much effort, Lucy found the Chew Bone Tribe group hiding in a valley. The leader held an iron rod, wore a beast tooth necklace, had a deep scar on his forehead, and could see his skull. Several bone spurs were inserted into his arms, growing together with flesh and blood.
He is none other than the leader of the Chew Bone Tribe — Mog.
And before Mog stood a simple scepter, crafted from redwood, with a large aquamarine gemstone at its tip.
Lucy was filled with excitement, shouting in her heart, 'The barren mountain scepter!'
But the next moment, her perception was cut off.