Chapter 144: Chapter 132: Inheritance Treasure Pearl
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Following the footsteps of Prophet Bai Shuang.
The Wolf Hoof Leader walked all the way, constantly observing the sights of Frost Leaf Town.
He had never seen what a small town in the Broken Rock Empire looked like, and his heart was full of curiosity.
So when he saw Luo De’s Frost Leaf Town, he was as shocked as a pauper entering a noble’s garden for the first time, his eyes wide open, mouth slightly agape, almost forgetting to breathe.
Though the Wolf Hoof Leader was born a Wildman, he was smarter than most Wildmen.
What shocked him the most were the people still busy in the winter.
In the tribe, everyone would hide indoors in the winter to reduce food consumption.
Inactivity, lying in bed to minimize heat loss, sometimes eating only one meal a day.
Only the young men who went out to find food would eat full meals daily to maintain strength for activities.
Not only the Wolfhoof Tribe, but many Wilderness Tribes were like this.
But in Frost Leaf Town, people came and went.
Not only men, but many women were busy outside, and some were even leisurely wandering after eating!
This scene was unimaginable for the Wolf Hoof Leader!
How much food would this waste!
He increasingly believed what Prophet Bai Shuang said — this was the place of the Saint Master!
It’s worth mentioning that this time, only a small conflict occurred in the negotiation between Prophet Bai Shuang and Uss.
The Wolfhoof Tribe Leader did not resist much, because, to be honest, they were too hungry to offer resistance.
In the Wilderness Tribes, people always die every winter, an unavoidable natural law.
But when the Wolf Hoof Leader saw Prophet Bai Shuang and those Wildmen wearing thick animal skins, he was stunned.
They had rosy cheeks and were full of energy, clearly living quite well.
Unlike his people, who could only chew on some jerky and eat a few chestnuts to barely survive.
At that moment, the Wolf Hoof Leader thought, joining Prophet Bai Shuang’s tribe might be a choice.
But unexpectedly, Prophet Bai Shuang and their tribe were already entirely under the command of the Master of the Holy Land.
"Stop looking."
Prophet Bai Shuang gently reminded, his eyes shining with wisdom.
"Remember what I said, when you meet the Saint Master, maintain a sense of respect and reverence."
"You must have heard of the prophecies of the Saint Master, right? There should be legends of the Saint Master in your tribe, right?"
Prophet Bai Shuang spoke with a hint of seriousness,
"Remember not to be disrespectful, otherwise, I can’t help you, and then your tribespeople will continue to starve."
"That’s an outcome we all want to avoid."
"But... will our Wolfhoof Tribe be broken up?"
The Wolf Hoof Leader showed a worried expression,
he had already inquired these days.
Those Wildmen who sought the Saint Master’s protection no longer lived together and did not survive as tribes anymore.
"With the protection of the Saint Master, do you still need a tribe?"
Prophet Bai Shuang asked forcefully, "Tell me, is the Master of the Holy Land greater than our ancestors?"
"Yes, of course."
The Wolf Hoof Leader lowered his head, his voice becoming respectful.
"Legend has it that the Master of the Holy Land was the master of all our ancestors, ruling over all the Wilderness Tribes."
"Then, with the Master of the Holy Land here, is your so-called tribe still important?"
Prophet Bai Shuang’s tone carried a trace of pride,
"We are all under the protection of the Saint Master, without needing to divide into tribes, just like our ancestors once gathered to form the strongest Wilderness Tribe!"
"Do you know what this is called?"
Prophet Bai Shuang asked.
The Wolf Hoof Leader slightly shook his head.
A look of reverence appeared on Prophet Bai Shuang’s face,
"The Saint Master said, ’Many rivers make a vast ocean,’ understand?"
The Wolf Hoof Leader’s eyes lit up, and he nodded solemnly in response.
"But now these are all your assumptions."
Prophet Bai Shuang’s tone shifted slightly to coldness,
"Whether or not the Saint Master will accept you is another matter."
Meanwhile, Prophet Bai Shuang and Urs led the Wolf Hoof Leader to the manor gates.
The Guard went in to report, and after a while, they were allowed to enter the manor.
In the hall, Luo De was already seated in the main position, scrutinizing the newcomers.
Wolf Hoof glanced once and quickly lowered his head again.
He saw the handsome young fair face and felt a vague fear in his heart.
"Good day, great Saint Master."
Prophet Bai Shuang bowed deeply, showing utmost respect.
"Who is this?"
Luo De slightly raised an eyebrow, looking at the unfamiliar Wilderness Chief.
"Wolf Hoof Leader Oras."
Prophet Bai Shuang introduced, his voice clear and respectful,
"He represents the Wolfhoof Tribe to seek your protection."
"Great Master of the Holy Land, the Wilderness Mountaineers greet you."
The Wolf Hoof Leader knelt to the ground, his forehead nearly touching the floor, his voice trembling with devotion.
Luo De nodded slightly, looking expressionless at the kneeling Wilderness Chief.
"I am only willing to protect those tribes with pure hearts, willing to contribute to me and bring value."
Luo De said indifferently.
It wasn’t that Luo De was being arrogant.
After Man Xiu sent over more than four hundred slaves last time, the population of Frost Leaf Town has surpassed two thousand.
The town is gradually becoming more populous and is no longer as empty as before.
And the food Luo De had prepared is expected to sustain only about three thousand people until next autumn’s harvest.
If he economized a bit, it could barely support three thousand five hundred people.
Therefore, when Luo De is considering taking in more citizens, he must ponder many factors.
Of course, if they are citizens of the Empire, Luo De would still be willing to accept them.
But for these Wildmen with language barriers, Luo De naturally has to consider how much benefit they can bring to him.
"Speak, what value do you have?"
Luo De, without hiding his intentions, asked directly.
Luo De’s words made the Wolf Hoof Leader’s heart tighten, his face turning slightly pale.
He hastily replied, "We have very few elders, a lot of strong adult men."
Prophet Bai Shuang added from the side, "It should be eighty-four people."
"We have one hundred and nine women."
The Wolf Hoof Leader continued to report the composition of his tribe.
"What about children, how many children do you have?"
Luo De squinted slightly, asking a crucial question.
"About..."
The Wolf Hoof Leader looked towards Prophet Bai Shuang, who helped him answer, "Seventy-four."
The Wolf Hoof Leader had the common flaw of the Wildmen, only able to count up to twenty.
"Hmm, the number of your children is indeed not many."
Luo De looked somewhat surprised, frowning slightly.
"I only allow the women in the tribe to have a second child after resting for a few years after giving birth."
The Wolf Hoof Leader explained, his voice tinged with pride.
"This reduces the tribe’s pressure, and the women have more time to recuperate."
Upon hearing this, Luo De was a bit surprised, and his impression of this Wolf Hoof Leader improved.
A bit of wisdom, knowing how to command his people to overcome some fundamental human desires, understanding how to control population growth to adapt to limited resources.
"Sounds alright... but how are you different from other tribes?"
Luo De’s fingers gently stroked the armrest of his seat, his voice carrying a hint of curiosity.
"Prophet Bai Shuang mentioned that there are many other Wildman tribes in the Blade Mountain Range."
"Compared to other tribes, what advantages do you have, why should I choose you?"
"Because our tribe has the ability to tame wolves."
The Wolf Hoof Leader straightened his back, answering with a determined tone,
"Our Wolfhoof Tribe possesses the werewolf bloodline."
"Oh? Mixed blood of an alien race?"
Luo De curiously looked at Prophet Bai Shuang,
"Have you encountered the wolves of the Wolfhoof Tribe?"
Before Prophet Bai Shuang could answer, the Wolf Hoof Leader spoke first, "Our wolf-taming ability has been lost for many years."
"Then what are you telling me?"
Luo De frowned, coldly questioning, "Are you teasing me?"
Luo De stared at the Wolf Hoof Leader, his tone becoming serious, "Are you joking with me?"
"Of course not, great Master of the Holy Land."
The Wolf Hoof Leader, looking solemn, hurriedly took out a white pearl from his bosom, respectfully presenting it to Luo De with both hands.
"This is our tribe’s legacy artifact."
The Wolf Hoof Leader explained, "Every leader or chief of our tribe can comprehend this legacy artifact to gain the ability to activate the Bloodline Power."
"Once acquired, it can awaken the beast-taming power among our people."
"Thus, the people of the Wolfhoof Tribe can have the talent ability to tame wild wolves."
Luo De was half-believing, half-doubting, "So it seems you haven’t gained that ability?"
"Yes, great Master of the Holy Land."
The Wolf Hoof Leader, sounding a bit bitter,
"But everything I said is true, great Master of the Holy Land. Our Wolfhoof Tribe was at its peak when we even had wolf cavalry!"
"Wolf cavalry?"
Luo De smiled and shook his head, his eyes full of disbelief,
"How can a wild wolf, with its thin body, bear the weight of a human, let alone serve as a mount?"
The Desert Wolves of the Northern Wasteland are somewhat larger but still within the range of large dogs; the largest are only similar to Tibetan mastiffs.
Such wolves as mounts?
Gang Le could squash them just by sitting on them!
"Noble Saint Master, those were mutant wolves."
The Wolf Hoof Leader explained,
"After taming them, some wolves would also gain the awakening power, transforming into giant wolves, possessing certain intelligence, as long as horses, and very fierce."
"The giant wolves and Wolf Lords were connected in spirit; they had formidable strength, "
"We once became the strongest tribe with the help of the wolf cavalry. Later, the wolf-taming power was lost, and our days worsened..."
The Wolf Hoof Leader’s voice grew smaller, tinged with melancholy.
Luo De became interested, his gaze falling on the white legacy artifact,
"But if you can’t awaken it, what’s the use?"
"You are the Master of the Holy Land; you will surely gain the ability to activate the bloodline!"
The Wolf Hoof Leader answered earnestly,
"And under your protection, our Wolfhoof Tribe will once again flourish, opening new territories for you!"