BXBX NOVEL Chapter 52: Battle in the Wilderness
The team didn't understand the reason behind these actions.
After all, once the halite ore was broken and placed in water, it quickly dissolved.
Enzo offered no explanation.
This was a simple filtration of halite ore.
Now observing the surroundings, Enzo called out to Heru, "Heru, take a few people and search the nearby area. Places with halite ore should attract many animals seeking salt, but it's too quiet here."
Heru nodded and couldn't help but ask, "Lord Priest, could it be because of the rain?"
The prolonged rainy season had brought disaster not only to the tribe but also to the animals.
Enzo smiled and replied, "Then you haven't noticed, what about the birds?"
Heru's expression changed abruptly, and he quickly called several Vanguard squad members to begin searching the area.
Moments later, Heru shouted, "We've got something!"
Hearing the commotion, Enzo hurried over.
It was an enormous python, easily ten meters long with a body as thick as an adult's thigh, currently coiled up and staring coldly with vertical pupils fixed on Heru and his team.
Supernatural creature!
Enzo's heart leaped with joy at the sight of it .
He hadn't expected such an unexpected bounty.
Opting not to intervene personally, Enzo saw the supernatural creature as an ideal opportunity for Heru and his team to gain combat experience.
Understanding Enzo's intent, Heru directed his team to engage.
However, the python, being a supernatural being, had impenetrable scales that thwarted their attacks completely. With a slight twist of its body, the python easily knocked back the tribal warriors.
"It's no use!"
Enzo sighed inwardly.
He realizing the tribe's weapons were too primitive for such adversaries.
"Heru, fall back!" he called out.
Following his command, Heru ordered the team to retreat.
Yet, the python showed no mercy, swiftly pursuing Heru and his group until it laid eyes on Enzo.
The beast's instincts warned of danger emanating from this human.
The evolving instinct urged it once again: by devouring and digesting this human, it could become even stronger. Thus, the giant python launched a direct attack on Enzo.
In the next moment, vines suddenly shot up from the ground, piercing straight through the giant python.
Heru and his companions were utterly shocked.
Instant kill!
Is this the current strength of Lord Enzo?
They looked at him with awe and admiration, their eyes filled with fervent worship, until Enzo gave them the order to clear the spoils.
Members of the Vanguard squad tore off the python's skin, while Heru personally extracted the supernatural essence of the giant python and handed it to Enzo, feeling ashamed yet unable to contain his admiration. He sighed, "Lord Enzo, if not for your reminder, Vanguard squad might have suffered casualties again."
Enzo's expression was grave.
He solemnly said, "During operations in the wilderness, vigilance is paramount! Furthermore, from now on, regardless of the circumstances, always assign guards. Heru, I hope this kind of situation occurs only once! You are the captain of the Vanguard squad. If anything goes wrong, I will hold you accountable!"
Heru replied firmly, "Understood!"
After finishing, he glanced again at the skinned supernatural giant python, its essence extracted, yet large chunks of its meat left on the ground.
Supernatural creature meat was valuable stuff.
Heru asked, "Lord Enzo, should we have someone transport this snake meat back to the tribe?"
Enzo frowned slightly and replied, "No need. Take some for food. This time, we're here to collect ore, not hunt supernatural creatures. Let's not confuse our objectives."
Heru nodded solemnly.
However, wasting so much snake meat seemed a pity.
Enzo turned directly to Betta and said, "Betta, the rest is yours."
Betta wasn't thrilled. Despite being an omnivorous Huge Silver Backed Bear, after so long by Enzo's side, it had grown accustomed to daily feeds of totem power and wasn't particularly fond of supernatural creature meat. But this was Enzo's order, so it gulped it down reluctantly.
Meanwhile, several shallow water pits were dug out.
As fragments of halite ore were continuously added and under the blazing sun, the water in the shallow pits evaporated, leaving behind salt deposits that covered the surface in a thick layer of pale yellow grains.
Members of the Vanguard squad exclaimed excitedly, "It's salt!"
Someone added, "Just like the salt Douglas traveling merchant brought last time!"
Heru also gazed in astonishment at the salt crystallizing in the shallow pits.
He remembered vividly that in the original Crimson Star Tribe, a traveling merchant had come before, and Priest Sovita had exchanged a few animal skins for a small amount of salt. It was the tribe's first taste of something other than gamey flavors.
Despite its saltiness, it was a delicacy.
Now, they were producing salt themselves, which seemed utterly incredible to him.
Heru was engulfed in a profound sense of happiness at this moment.
Until Enzo's voice broke through, "Put the salt from the shallow pits into bamboo baskets. Four baskets should be enough for the tribe to use for some time."
Salt was valuable, but individual daily needs weren't substantial.
Consuming too much could be detrimental.
Hearing Enzo's orders, everyone became enthusiastic and swiftly loaded the crystallized salt from the shallow pits into bamboo baskets, then onto the cart pulled by the yak.
However, this slowed down the yak's pace considerably.
Moreover, evening was approaching, and they needed a safe place to rest.
Traveling at night, especially in a dangerous place like the jungle, wasn't a wise choice.
Before long, darkness enveloped the surroundings completely.
Enzo's group departed from the halite ore pit and continued for another seven or eight miles. Heru, leading the way ahead of the group, suddenly turned back and shouted, "There's a fire ahead!"
Enzo looked over and suddenly realized that the Vanguard squad had unknowingly stumbled into a small tribal camp.
Sensing movement, the people of the tribe emerged, clutching wooden clubs, their faces filled with alarm as they looked at Enzo's group. They were emaciated, many with their bones visible beneath their skin.
Clearly, they had been starving for a long time.
However, Heru and his team were muscular and healthy-looking.
The difference between them was self-evident.
Due to this, the tribe did not launch an attack. After a brief exchange with Heru, they immediately knelt down and pleaded, "Respected powerful ones, please grant us some food."
Heru looked towards Enzo.
In the past, the Crimson Star Tribe had faced similar situations during flash floods, stirring Heru's sympathy, although he knew that sympathy was a weakness in the jungle survival.
Enzo understood Heru's thoughts and nodded silently.
Heru let out a sigh and instead of directly distributing food to the tribe, he directed his team to arrange stones and set up clay pots. They cooked a large pot of python stew with potatoes. Once it was ready, Heru called the people of the tribe over and distributed the food, saying, "This food is bestowed upon you by Lord Enzo."
The gratitude from the people was overwhelming.
Enzo took the opportunity to observe the tribe, noting that only a little over ten people remained.
There were eight women, six able-bodied men, and an infant.
It was truly miraculous that such a group had managed to survive.
After distributing the food, Heru brought a bowl to Enzo and said, "Lord Enzo, I hope I haven't disappointed you."
Enzo smiled and replied, "Heru, you weren't like this before."
Heru fell silent for a moment and responded, "At the moment my arm was broken, I felt hopeless, thinking it was the end of my life. But Lord Enzo, you gave me a new lease on life. When Sovita Priest was killed, I was once again lost. That's when I realized that life is the greatest miracle. Now, I fear death—not for myself, but for the people of my tribe."
Enzo listened quietly, reflecting on the challenges of leadership, especially for a priest.
Not only must he address various issues within the tribe, but he also need to provide psychological counseling to their people and bear various pressures.
However, Enzo was somewhat surprised by Heru's mindset.
When he accepted the Priest inheritance power, in addition to gaining the leaf totem of the life tree, he also acquired knowledge about potential candidates for Priest inheritance. Heru's current state of mind perfectly aligned with the qualities of a Priest candidate.
Should Enzo try to guide Heru to obtain the Priest inheritance?
The power of the totem, combined with the priest's inheritance, seemed to have never appeared on this land before. Perhaps it could bring some new discoveries.
As for Enzo himself, his understanding of his own power wasn't comprehensive. The time when Bookstaver forcibly infused power into him had only resulted in a quantitative change in strength, without altering his essence.
However, Enzo quickly let go of this matter and looked towards a nearby direction.
The people from those tribes walked towards him, holding a piece of animal skin in their hands. As they approached, they whispered among themselves, seeming reluctant.
One of them spoke, "Lord Yara, do we really have to offer this treasure?"
Yara's gaze was resolute as he made his decision, "Shut up! This is our only hope for survival!"
With that, Yara took the animal skin and walked towards Enzo with determination.
This scene intrigued Enzo deeply.
What exactly was this animal skin that made these people so solemn? His own totem sensed a longing akin to when they obtained the golden crystal from the Giant Mountain Turtle last time.