Free Web NovelChapter 28: Chapter 23: The Shit-Stirrer
With Isabel’s return, Luh Yao finally had someone he could communicate with directly and give complex commands to.
The [Drifting Letter] now had only one page of paper left; once used, it would become ineffective. Luh Yao needed its output of +1 Faith per hour, so it was basically just a good-luck charm.
In the past, whenever Luh Yao wanted to issue a command, it had to be interpreted by the Prophet before being passed on to the tribe. But after being filtered through the Prophet’s interpretation and retelling, the message made Luh Yao, their God, seem even more obscure and inscrutable to the little tribespeople.
The whole process felt like trying to pick your nose with a thick glove on.
Both hand and nose felt wrong.
Through Isabel, Luh Yao, who was stuck in a fixed, top-down perspective, could finally find out what was actually happening in the pixelated game world.
"According to the Bedu Tribe, the bandits in the desert only started appearing in the last few years. And before the monsters attacked the oasis, something else happened."
Her report appeared above Isabel’s head.
"The Salt Pool Tribe once approached the Bedu Tribe. They wanted the Bedu Tribe to transport goods for them across the desert and allow them to establish a Salt Pool Tribe outpost at the oasis."
"The Bedu Tribe refused."
"Shortly after that, the desert monsters, which had previously stayed far from the oasis, suddenly went on a rampage, swarming toward the oasis in large numbers. The Bedu Tribe couldn’t fend them off, so they had no choice but to abandon the oasis and flee for the time being."
"While they were fleeing, desert bandits took the opportunity to strike, killing many members of the Bedu Tribe and stealing their camels and flocks of sheep."
"The Salt Pool Tribe is very dangerous," Isabel commented.
Luh Yao thought to himself, ’The inevitable has arrived.’
If the Garlic Tribe had refused to trade with them, they might have found themselves in a terrible bind, facing all sorts of unexpected trouble.
The Salt Pool Tribe’s tentacles reached far and wide; the Garlic Tribe had to be prepared to deal with them.
Luh Yao glanced at the eleven Salt Pool Tribe captives, and an idea suddenly struck him.
He typed quickly on the keyboard.
—Give all eleven of these captives to the East River Tribe as a form of aid.
"Yes, my Lord."
—Also, ask the East River Tribe about the state of their cooperation with the Salt Pool Tribe.
After receiving her orders, Isabel went to meet with [Grandmother].
"It’s the Lord Apostle!"
[Grandmother] looked extremely surprised, a question mark appearing above her head.
She thought to herself, ’Thank goodness the tribe has been praying and making offerings. Ordinary gods can’t have Apostles. It seems Yao God is a fearsome God on the same level as the Prayer God.’
This put Luh Yao on alert.
The Prayer God had an Apostle too. He would have to be extra careful if they ever met.
...
[The East River Tribe’s attitude has become Close.]
Gifting the captives had, as expected, earned the gratitude and goodwill of the East River Tribe.
Luh Yao then turned his attention elsewhere.
The arrival of the Bedu Tribe remnants brought a series of major changes to the Garlic Tribe.
[The Garlic Tribe has learned how to raise and use camels.]
[The Garlic Tribe has learned how to raise and use sheep.]
[The Garlic Tribe now possesses livestock.]
[The Garlic Tribe has discovered wool.]
Both species of fully domesticated livestock had their uses.
Once the Garlic Tribe began raising camels, the animals started to replace manual labor. They were used to haul heavy loads like wood, stone, and fish, greatly increasing the efficiency of transport and collection.
The little pixel people began riding camels to explore their surroundings. With this new mode of transportation, the villagers’ travel range expanded dramatically. They could now venture in and out of the forests and mountains in a short amount of time. The Garlic Tribe also set foot in the desert for the very first time, searching for any useful resources.
The introduction of sheep brought two more important resources.
Meat and wool.
In the past, the Garlic Tribe’s meat supply depended entirely on what their Hunters could bring back. Hunting was not only seasonal but also dangerous; even when equipped with bows and arrows, Hunters would still get injured from time to time.
Domesticating sheep provided a stable supply of meat.
Wool was an even more important material for staying warm.
The people of the Bedu Tribe were all expert animal handlers. They were not only skilled at raising camels and sheep, but had also mastered the techniques for spinning and weaving wool. As they integrated with the tribe, their skills became the Garlic Tribe’s knowledge, spreading and becoming common practice.
Luh Yao’s attention was focused on the leader of the Bedu Tribe remnants, Shahan. He was an old man with white-streaked hair who held the title of [Astrologer].
...
[Astrologer Lv. 4] Shahan
Attack 0, Defense 0, Knowledge 4, Mana 2, Luck 0, Morale 1
[Abilities]
Astrology Lv. 3: Divine changes in the heavens and predict fortune, both good and ill, by reading the stars.
...
The Shaman, Lie Chang, was somewhat similar to Shahan.
...
[Shaman Lv. 3] Lie Chang
Attack 0, Defense 0, Knowledge 2, Mana 2, Luck 0, Morale 1
[Abilities]
Healing Technique Lv. 2: Can treat various diseases and injuries. Healing effectiveness is dependent on skill level, Knowledge, and Mana.
...
The abilities of both the Astrologer and the Shaman were highly practical and useful.
After arriving in the Garlic Tribe, the Astrologer sat beside the Divine Hall. He pitched a sheepskin tent, making offerings to the God while observing the stars for Divination.
Most of the time, he served as the tribe’s weather forecaster.
"The rains will be plentiful. This spring is good for sowing."
"A great wind is brewing on the horizon. Everyone, pack up your things and take shelter soon."
"Wrath will erupt from within the mountains. Do not go into them."
...
Luh Yao made a point to verify this and found that Shahan’s predictions for major disasters like torrential rains, Earthquakes, and Hurricanes were highly accurate.
The Garlic Tribe integrated the Bedu Tribe, further expanding its borders and industries. With an even more abundant food supply, the little pixel people had smiling faces above their heads most of the time.
Meanwhile, the situation for the East River Tribe continued to worsen.
The Sea Monsters had been afflicted with a seemingly incurable disease, steadily growing weaker and dying off. Now, only two were left alive.
Isabel returned to the Divine Hall and reported, "My Lord, while in the East River Tribe, I used Mourning Prayer to awaken the spirits of the dead Sea Monsters as Undead. After questioning and investigating, I have confirmed the cause of their sickness. They were Poisoned."
"The Sea Monsters normally forage in the water, eating fish, shrimp, and shellfish. But over the past year, some very strange meat has suddenly been appearing on the riverbed."
"This meat is always fresh, and the Sea Monsters love it. Although they are massive, they aren’t very intelligent—about as smart as infants."
"After eating the meat, the Sea Monsters began to show various symptoms. Their Scale Armor would rot, their bodies would grow weak, and they’d become drowsy, wanting to sleep all the time. As the symptoms worsened, the Sea Monsters would eventually die."
The poisoning of the Sea Monsters was an attack targeting the East River Tribe.
This style of shit-stirring immediately brought a certain group to Luh Yao’s mind.
He typed on the keyboard.
—The Salt Pool Tribe.
"As expected, my Lord has already Seen Through it all."
Isabel continued to report her findings.
"I used Mourning Prayer to question the Undead in the East River. The spirits said that a group of secretive people took a boat out on the river after dark. They specifically went to a spot not far from the East River Tribe’s Ship Island and threw meat into the water. It’s been confirmed that it was the Salt Pool Tribe."
"According to the East River Tribe, they have a conflict with the Salt Pool Tribe. The Salt Pool Tribe has long wanted to trade slaves and salt in exchange for Sea Monsters, but the East River Tribe has always refused."
"The Salt Pool Tribe was very unhappy about this, viewing their refusal as a sign of betrayal and distrust. The relationship between the two tribes grew increasingly cold, and the volume of their Trade has been steadily decreasing."
Luh Yao understood now.
So the Mourning Prayer skill wasn’t just for summoning Undead to fight. As an intelligence-gathering tool, it was practically a Divine Skill.
He thought for a moment, then made his decision.
—Tell the East River Tribe the truth.
—Also, tell them that the Garlic Tribe is willing to offer them a piece of land by the river, so they can settle down and live on land. That way, they won’t have to worry about the storms and weather on the water. Being closer to the Garlic Tribe will make Trade more convenient, and our two tribes can look out for each other.
"Yes, my Lord."
Isabel accepted the order.
