Steel, Explosives, and Spellcasters-Chapter 534 - 98 Migration_3

Winters had a strange feeling: perhaps the strength of a person was found in the very act of "striving to live."

As Winters’s mind wandered, Little Lion came over.

Little Lion knocked on the carriage panel and asked with a smile, "How’s your first day following us? Getting used to it?"

Winters came back to his senses, "Riding in a carriage is more relaxing than on horseback."

"Hard to get used to the food? I felt the same when I just got home," said Little Lion, patting his quiver and talking excitedly, "I’ll go hunt you a couple of rabbits. Once your wounds are healed, we can have a real good time hunting with nets!"

"The rabbits can wait, I have something I want to ask you," Winters said, looking serious.

"We’ll talk when I get back!" Little Lion laughed heartily and leapt onto the saddle, galloping away.

...

When Little Lion returned, he brought not only the rabbits but also another person, though with evident reluctance.

The visitor was an older Herder with a weather-beaten face.

He brought two gifts: a bag of flour and a beautifully made curved knife.

Without the Red Plumed Feathers or the Green Plumed Feathers, Winters couldn’t distinguish the Herder’s status. But judging by the fabric and embroidery of his robe, he must have been a high-ranking chieftain.

Little Lion couldn’t be bothered to translate, and the man wasn’t upset; he called over Erhulan for help.

After a brief introduction, Winters learned that the man was named Tie Feng [Iron Fang], uncle to the siblings of White Lion and chieftain of the Eagle Forest Tribe.

Winters accepted the flour but left the curved knife untouched.

Tie Feng said something, and Erhulan translated it:

"Don’t worry about the seekers of vengeance. The Terdon Tribe and us are bonded by blood. You’re safe with us."

Winters didn’t speak.

The Herder chieftain didn’t beat around the bush and asked bluntly, "I heard you’re a ’Kota’ among the bipeds?"

When Erhulan translated, ’Kota’ was rendered phonetically.

But Winters knew that a ’Kota’ was a military noble in Herder society.

Little Lion had a furious argument with Tie Feng and stormed off angrily.

Then Tie Feng said something to Winters that made Erhulan freeze.

Tie Feng urged Erhulan.

"Uncle asks," Erhulan said quietly, "if you would train our new army. You can have anything you want. That even includes me."

Winters looked at Tie Feng expressionlessly. He didn’t need to speak; his body language was answer enough.

"Do you see now? If you truly manage to tie him down, I won’t utter a word," Tie Feng said to Erhulan, "The bipeds look down on us, no matter how hard you try, he simply doesn’t want you. The Fire Roaster has now proposed to White Lion for you for the third time. Red River Tribe is in its most dangerous moment, would you really let your brother lose his most important ally?"

After speaking, Tie Feng didn’t even glance at Winters again but turned and walked out of the felt tent.

To Winters, it seemed like Tie Feng had severely reprimanded Erhulan before leaving.

"Why did he treat you like that?" Winters asked softly.

"It’s nothing, really," Erhulan sobbed softly, "Now that we have flour, I’ll make you bread."

Before long, Little Lion came back, fuming. Seeing his sister crying, he understood everything.

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"Don’t cry! Erhulan, you should be happy," Little Lion said, thumping his chest, "As long as me and brother are here, there’s nothing to fear."

Erhulan dried her tears and went out of the tent with the flour.

"Do you think that my uncle and I are playing ’good cop, bad cop’ with you?" Little Lion scratched his head and asked with a wry smile.

"No, I’ve never thought that," Winters replied honestly, "Because you’ve got an even worse temper than I do."

"Let me tell you, I genuinely hope you’ll stay and help my brother," Little Lion said sorrowfully, "The situation with our Red River Tribe is probably still unclear to you. Alas, the tribes have won, but our Red River Tribe has lost."

Little Lion was wrong. Winters was very clear—for at least a third of the damage to the Red River Tribe could be credited to his ’achievements’.

Looking over the battles of the Great Wilderness, Winters nearly always faced the Red River Tribe head-on... as well as the Fire Roaster’s Terdon Tribe.

Everyone knew of his feud with the Terdon Tribe because of that battlefield duel.

But when Winters fought against the Red River Tribe, he was always in full armor, and three-quarters of all the Centurions in the legion looked practically identical.

Moreover, now that Winters was living among commoners, women, and children, it was even less likely that anyone would recognize him as "him."

"I want you to stay, but only if you’re willing. I’ll never force you to stay. As long as I’m alive, you’re safe," Little Lion laughed heartily, with boundless pride, "If you stay, you’ll command the infantry, and my brother the cavalry. Which of the tribes could match us then?"

"But..." Winters sighed, "I don’t want to fight any longer."

"Then what is it that you want to do?" Little Lion asked, puzzled.

What is it that you want to do? This question struck Winters’s inner world violently.

A "loyal successor," a man destined to be a soldier since birth, a man who entered the military academy at nine, a man who knew nothing but warfare, a man whose hands were covered in blood.

Aside from fighting, what else did he want to do? What else could he do?

He leaned against the pillow, staring straight up at the dome of the tent: "I want to lie down."