BXBX NOVEL Chapter 46: The Exiles Fleeing
Before leaving, Douglas purchased some jerky with gold leaves, boosting Enzo\'s reserve to a thousand pieces.
These gold leaves were handed over to Amy.
Enzo, meanwhile, was deep in thought.
After contemplating the feasibility of establishing a market and implementing a currency, Enzo grew increasingly convinced of its potential. However, he faced challenges such as determining the material for the currency and ensuring it had anti-counterfeiting properties.
Issues that left Enzo feeling perplexed.
Moreover, the dampness of the rainy season added to his frustration.
Following Douglas\'s departure, the next five days were marked by continuous rain, with the sun appearing only once. The lake at the camp entrance rose by a meter due to the incessant downpour. Brian also returned with many tribe members from their original campsite, which had been submerged by the rising waters.
The only good news is that during these past days, Brian fired more than fifty pieces of colored pottery.
It resolved the stock for Douglas\'s next visit.
Additionally, there were numerous regular pottery pieces, enough to allocate one to each tribe member without issue.
However, the rainy season seemed unending.
Two weeks later, the sky continued to be veiled in persistent drizzle. Ward entered Enzo\'s bamboo hut and reported, "Lord Priest, many tribe members have eaten sprouting potatoes and are experiencing vomiting and fainting."
Upon hearing this, Enzo realized his oversight.
He instructed, "Ward, have the tribe members stop eating sprouting potatoes immediately. Plant them directly in the fields."
Ward nodded, taking notes, and added, "There\'s a large quantity of sprouting potatoes in the warehouse. The continuous heavy rain is making it difficult to dry them out. I fear that soon all the potatoes will sprout."
This was a serious issue.
Enzo didn\'t have a straightforward solution and could only hope for the rainy season to pass quickly.
Unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate.
The rain grew heavier, pounding the ground with a dull thud as if it wanted to break through the earth\'s surface.
Inside the two-story bamboo hut, Tia nestled in Enzo\'s embrace. Her amber eyes gazed through the window toward the distant mountains, lightning raging in the darkening sky, illuminating flashes of white light across the heavens.
Suddenly, Tia exclaimed, "Enzo, look!"
Enzo turned to see Clara and Amy also leaning in to observe where Tia was pointing.
A towering mountain peak.
However, at that moment, ravaged by the relentless rain, the mountain suddenly crumbled apart. It seemed as if a giant had pushed it over. Under the illumination of lightning, red-hued rocks cascaded down, obliterating everything in their path. The cries of wild beasts abruptly ceased, their sounds swallowed by the pounding rain, highlighting the insignificance of life in the face of nature\'s fury.
The power of the nature was terrifying.
Clara couldn\'t help but remark, "This rainfall is more intense than any we\'ve seen before. I wonder how many tribes will be destroyed in such downpours."
In the presence of nature, both humans and wild animals appeared incredibly vulnerable.
As everyone watched the distant mountain collapse, Rhode and Anse rushed over in distress. They urgently reported what they had discovered during patrol, "Lord Enzo, we found exiles in the northern jungle of the camp. There are over a hundred of them."
"Exiles?"
Enzo murmured, then asked, "Have you attempted to communicate with them?"
Rhode shook his head, speculating, "Lord Enzo, these exiles likely fled due to the heavy rains. Our camp is one of the few areas with higher ground, unlike the foothills of those mountains."
Enzo considered this assessment, recognizing its likelihood.
Tia felt a degree of sympathy towards the exiles, knowing that Enzo himself had been rescued as an exile. However, she remained pragmatic and suggested, "As long as those exiles don\'t enter the camp, we can let them stay outside."
Clara added, "We need to figure out where they come from and their intentions."
Amy remained silent, allowing the others to express their thoughts.
All eyes turned to Enzo, recognizing that he alone had the authority to decide how to handle the exiles.
After considering the situation, Enzo spoke, "Let\'s allow them to stay outside for now, without driving them away. Rhode, Anse, I want you both to take a few team members and negotiate with them, find out their situation."
Rhode and Anse immediately acknowledged, "Yes, Lord Enzo!"
As the two departed, Clara and the others couldn\'t help but discuss the implications. The appearance of such a large number of exiles made everyone realize the disaster this rainy season was bringing.
And yet, this was just the beginning.
Historically, the rainy season typically lasted two to three months.
...
Outside the camp of the Crimson Star Tribe.
Priest Neville of the Red Coral Tribe from Plata Plain wore a troubled expression. Rainwater trickled down from the leaves, splashing onto his face, but he paid it no mind, sighing heavily.
Nearby, other members of the Red Coral Tribe looked exhausted.
One member gazed towards the camp\'s perimeter fence not far away, then said,"Lord Neville, why don\'t we raid that tribe\'s food? I see they have patrols even during the rainy season, so they must have plenty of supplies."
Many eyes among the group turned covetous.
They had been on the run for four full days without eating.
The feeling of hunger was unbearable, akin to facing death.
However, Neville saw the situation clearly. Those patrols were all manned by the tribe\'s warriors. Raiding for food?
It would likely result in an immediate attack, and their own tribe members would be wiped out.
Yet, continuing to starve would only lead them down a path to certain death.
Neville\'s eyes were clouded, his gaze shifting constantly. He sighed heavily, picking up a bundle wrapped in animal hide and headed towards the gate left open at the Crimson Star Tribe\'s camp. Before he could take more than a few steps, a member noticed and cautioned him, "Lord Priest, these Red Coral slates are treasures of our tribe!"
Neville replied helplessly, "Right now, we need to survive!"
The other members remained silent.
In reality, everyone knew that raiding for food was just a joke.
They were all so weak they could barely stand.
Carrying the heavy bundle through the rain, Neville was fortunate to encounter Rhode, Anse, and their group of warriors. He quickly explained, "I am Priest Neville of the Red Coral Tribe. I have important treasures to offer to your Lord Priest. These are Red Coral slates containing hidden knowledge."
Rhode and Anse exchanged a glance and said, "Wait here, we will report to Lord Priest."
Anse returned to the camp to inform Enzo.
Shortly after, Anse returned and said, "Priest Neville, Lord Enzo invites you in."
Receiving this response, Neville felt somewhat relieved.
It seemed this tribe might not be hostile after all. Perhaps there wouldn\'t be a conflict, saving him and his tribe considerable trouble.
However, upon seeing Enzo, Neville\'s heart sank halfway.
The red coral slab recorded many secrets using the barren mountain script. Even he could only understand part of it, but he had still benefited greatly from it. Could this tribe\'s priest, being so young, recognize the value of the slab?
If not, they would be as worthless as ordinary stones.
As Neville scrutinized Enzo, Enzo also observed Neville, his eyebrows slightly furrowed.
Something was peculiar, very peculiar.
Though both were priests, Enzo could faintly sense a priestly lineage in Neville\'s aura, but it seemed disconnected from Neville himself.
In other words, Neville was not a priest.
Enzo didn\'t reveal his thoughts and instead asked, "Priest Neville, may I see the slates?"
Neville hurriedly placed down the animal hide bundle and retrieved three slates with red patterns. The slates were inscribed with twisted characters of the Barren Mountain script.
Enzo examined them carefully and quickly deciphered the information inscribed on them.
It was a peculiar log.
[Praise to the great Goddess of Life, your radiance is dazzling, your beauty unmatched. I offer a essence of supernatural beings, the water of life, three flame blossoms, and a...]
[... I beseech your merciful gaze, that I may create this magical potion!]
After reading the text, Enzo looked at Neville and said, "There are still missing one slab."
Neville, nervously excited, looked up and said, "Lord Priest, can you decipher the content on the slab?"
Amy, who was bringing hot soup, glanced over and noticed Neville\'s questioning look at Enzo. Annoyed, she said, "It\'s just the barren mountain script, nothing special about it."
Neville quickly tried to amend, "Lord Priest, I\'m not questioning you, I just—"
Enzo interrupted him, speaking calmly, "Neville, state your request."
Neville pleaded, "Lord Priest, I am willing to disclose the contents of the remaining slab to you, but in exchange, I ask that you provide us with enough food to survive through the rainy season."
Enzo refused.
Although there was ample food in the camp\'s warehouse, that wasn\'t the reason for denying Neville\'s request.
Neville was utterly bewildered and couldn\'t help but ask, "Why?"
Enzo sneered coldly, "Because from start to finish, you haven\'t told me the truth about the slate or even your Red Coral Tribe\'s escape. Plata Plain is far beyond the jungle, and it takes a long journey to get there. Yet here you are in the jungle right at the beginning of the rainy season. I suspect you\'re not fleeing because of the rain, but because... someone is hunting your tribe."
Upon hearing this, Neville turned pale, his face filled with sorrow and anger.
He hastily said, "Lord Priest, please forgive my concealment. The Red Coral Tribe is indeed being pursued by the Mpondo Tribe. They want not only the slate but also this—"
Neville took out a black seed.
Enzo took it, and as soon as he held it, the seed suddenly burst into a brilliant light.