CH 8

The shouts of war echoed throughout  the plains, taking away the tranquility of nature. This scared off the fauna and groups of snakes frustratingly slithering away.

Zhong Yu’s battle between his soldiers and the savages was a frontal and brutal head-on assault. Regardless of injuries, they all went berserk in killing the other. While the few with a hacked off limb would be wailing or crawling on the ground in agony, leaving behind a trail of blood.

The lush and vibrant vegetation had now taken a dark-red tint, one of blood. This gave the feeling of a used torture chamber or a sea of blood.

Zhong Yu stood back on the slope whilst he overlooked the butchering with callous indifference. His men had the numerical advantage, hacking the life of one savage after another. The killing field brought no remorse in him. It was the opposite, filled with a sickening morbid elation.

Why was he like this? Was it after the brush with death with the wolf? The grip of death filled him with an overwhelming yearning for power that pushed aside every other feeling. All he ever cared for now was his own life. Only by having lost something, one realized its value. He had those savages be the sacrifices of his new life.

The savages lost one man at a time. From their eleven fighters, six had died, marking their surrender. This was the outcome of Zhong Yu’s very first battle, a win. Was it perhaps a glimpse into what future battles would hold, the same happy conclusion?

Nonetheless, the savages’ fate was foreordained. With no guards, oblivious to the dangers, going off with their lives in the middle of the plains, they were practically begging for a raid.

It carried many names. The law of the jungle, survival of the fittest or natural selection, it was a code by which everyone abided since time immemorial.

It made a sharp contrast how careful he was with his fifty men while the weak savages had no care in the world.

Their end was just deserts. ‘I need to take this lesson to heart, to exercise caution above all else until my power is guaranteed.’

As the battle came to a close, it was crucial to sort the discarded weapons, inspect his troops and ignore the savages’ camp. 

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There was nothing to loot here. They used stone weapons, ate roasted meat with not so much as salt added and they wore animal skins. What could they possibly have he’d need? Population, that was all they were; a headcount, a statistic.

The battlefield echoed with pained voices and laments. The soldiers and savages too far gone from the wounds were culled to end their suffering. It was typical of any battle.

A truth that had not changed since the dawn of time. The useless were abandoned, not out of human nature, but as a reality. Reality helped us assess that a couple of heavy wounded would drag down the rest to their doom. No society, or group would allow it. The standard by which the whole was maintained was self-interest.

After a moment of silence for the departed, the army shook off the sadness. The dead were gone, while the living still had to think about tomorrow. Filled now with hope for their lord since he expanded his power and domain, translating in a better life for them. 

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A battle always had gains and losses. One soldier died, two heavy wounded – soon to follow the first – and three light wounded, needing but a few days to get back in action.  

On the savages’ side, six died and two heavily wounded. That left three adult males, twelve female adults and six children; all in all, 21.

Three men died in exchange of 21. Statistically speaking, it was a tremendous win. The losses were kept to a minimum and the people would bring him six homes closer to a hundred.

Zhong Yu walked among his men, glancing at the shuffling captives. They had tall builds, with blond or blue or seldom red hair, and green or blue eyes. All wore bulky and soft leather. From their faces, he took them as Europoids.

‘This world must be set in western medieval fantasy. A world with nobles, might, magic and maybe even elves, dwarfs and dragons.’

Learning from failed escape attempts, the savages kept to themselves. The fear from the battle still weighed too heavy on their minds to rebel.

They buried their resentment deep within. It might bloom one day, or it might just be doomed to be left unheard, turning into their master’s new lapdogs, killing their own kind to earn his favor.

The rest of the road to Luoyang was uneventful. Returning to the imposing mansion, Zhong Yu’s unwound. Thrilled as he was from the slaughter, as a neet accustomed with peace and flat life, change didn’t come overnight. 

Zhong Yu had the male savages split in the jail from the women and children. With a little training, a dash of intimidation and a promise filled with grace, they’d be turned into full citizens given enough contributions. With this, he’d have them form the vanguard in battles, cannon fodder.

‘Though how many would survive to see it?’ Most savages were women and children unable to escape, their future was that of slaves. Was this a cruel fate?

At the end of it all, no one minded the dead, all anyone cared was his kin, or relations that brought benefits. But with how these savages had their kin turned slaves and everyone they knew were powerless, no one could help them out.

‘And I have their wives and children to threaten them with. They will give their lives for me no matter what, and have no chance of resisting.’

As for the single women, they didn’t fare any better, given to the most outstanding soldiers. At least they barely knew how to resist, turning obedient having grown accustomed to a world where natural selection reigned.

The weaker complied with the stronger, the loser obeyed the winner. It was an unwritten law everyone understood. These soldiers weren’t much keen on savage women, but they’ve gone too long without a woman to matter.

Even a pig was a beauty in the army, was how a saying went. With no place to release their desires, they’d go for the first woman they’d see.

They accepted them gladly and their loyalty for such a considerate lord would skyrocket since Zhong Yu was rewarding them based on merit.

‘With the first skirmish a win, I should pick up the pace. I guess I was paranoid about my force.’

Zhong Yu had a wry smile and an insidious gaze looking at the plains. His aura was surging hotter and hotter, wanting to burn everything to cinders.