I'm involved in poverty alleviation in a primitive tribe.

Just as the hunting party of the Jiang tribe had reached the mountain pass and was about to enter the Jiang tribe's settlement, a person suddenly appeared in the forest.

He carefully observed the surrounding movements before walking over to the person on the ground, nudging him with his foot, and asking, "What did they just say?"

The person on the ground didn't move; he just lay there talking to the people who came from behind.

Their voices were very soft, and the surroundings were so open that no one could hide, so only they could hear each other.

Evening, inside the council chamber.

Jiang Ning leaned back in her chair, clasped her hands together, and closed her eyes, as if she were asleep.

Hongfeng stood in front of Jiang Ning and reported to her: "That person lay on the ground for a while. After a while, someone darted out from the forest, said a few words to the person on the ground, and then left alone. Our people were worried that getting too close would disturb them, so they didn't hear what they said. The person on the ground lay there for a while longer, and then a tribe hurriedly came and took him away."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning opened her eyes and asked, "Which tribe?"

Hongfeng respectfully replied, "Yingcao Tribe."

Jiang Ning muttered the name of the Yingcao Tribe, feeling it was somewhat familiar, as if she had heard it somewhere before: "Yingcao Tribe? Didn't they cause trouble in the trading area before?"

Dozens of tribes, large and small, flocked to Jiang's trading area, and naturally many of them caused trouble. Outside the post station, many corpses were hung as a warning to future generations.

Hongfeng nodded in agreement: "Not long ago, a level three warrior from the Yingcao tribe harassed our tribe's winter grass, but was stopped in time by the Cliff Vine. Since the matter was not serious, he was only punished with some beast cores. Captain Huarong was also there at the time, and she said that the Yingcao tribe was acting strangely."

Jiang Ning also remembered this: "And then?"

Hongfeng said, "Later, I stayed in the tribe to keep an eye on them. In the following days, they didn't cause any more trouble. They bought some things from the trading area and then left. The people who came this time were not the same group as last time."

Jiang Ning asked, "How strong is the Yingcao tribe?"

Because of the trading area, Hongfeng learned a lot about the surrounding tribes: "Yingcao Tribe is a lower tribe with only a little over a thousand people. Their battle pets are all kinds of strange plants."

After thinking for a moment, Hongfeng added, "I always feel that the battle pets of the Yingcao tribe are a bit strange..."

Jiang Ning looked at her: "What's strange?"

Hongfeng said somewhat uncertainly, "Their tribe's warriors and battle pets seem to be quite strong..."

"Our True Bone Hunting Team has thirteen level four warriors and seventeen level three warriors. However, we only have eight True Bone battle pets and eleven Pure Bone battle pets. Apart from the Black Scale Tribe's trading team, I haven't seen any other tribe's warriors and battle pets develop as well. But Captain Hua Rong himself said that their trading team members were specially selected."

"But the Yingcao tribe only has a little over a thousand people. The two teams that came were all level three or four warriors, and their battle pets were at the same level as them or even higher. Does their tribe place more emphasis on training battle pets?"

Jiang Ning's fingers tapped unconsciously on the table as she silently pondered this strange Yingcao tribe.

Although the Jiang tribe currently has more than 5,000 people, it is composed of various small tribes and has only been established for a short time. It has very few high-end combat forces, and most of them are only level two or three warriors. Their battle pets are also far from being fully developed.

Even the Sirius tribe wouldn't abandon training its own people and prioritize training its battle pets, so what's going on with the Yingcao tribe?

She thought for a moment and then instructed, "Keep an eye on them and see what they're up to."

Jiang Ning quickly found out what the Yingcao tribe was up to.

Shortly after the sacrificial ceremony, Lianwu arrived at the island in the middle of the lake to report to Jiang Ning that the Yingcao tribe was requesting an audience.

Jiang Ning was also curious about what they wanted to do, so she agreed.

Chief Yingcao and her team waited anxiously outside Lotus Lake, wondering if this decision was the right one.

Before she could feel anxious for long, someone quickly came to pick her up in a bamboo raft from the lotus lake.

The visitor said that Jiang Wu only needed to see the leader of the Yingcao tribe, and that others did not need to enter. The Yingcao chief had no choice but to agree.

Red Maple led Chief Yingcao through the trading area and across the inland river, eventually bringing him into the council hall.

Chief Yingcao left the trading area for the first time and even entered the inner ring. Fearing that it would displease the Jiang tribe, she kept her head down and followed Hongfeng's footsteps, not daring to look around.

It wasn't until Captain Hongfeng introduced Chief Yingcao to Jiang Ning that Chief Yingcao raised her head and greeted Jiang Ning.

Outside the council chamber, tall trees stand tall, sunlight filtering through their dense foliage and casting dappled patterns of light.

The wide-open window seemed like a gateway to the outside world, and the light spots danced through the window frame, gently reflecting on Jiang Ning's face.

Light and shadow intertwined on her face, creating a series of enigmatic patterns that made her expression indistinct and unclear, making it difficult to discern her true thoughts.

She sat there quietly, letting the light and shadow dance on her face. Chief Yingcao had seen Jiang Ning a few times from afar in the trading area. At that time, she spoke to the Jiang tribe members with a gentle expression. No matter who spoke to her, she responded with good temper.

Unlike now, when it's impossible to read the expression on her face.

Jiang Ning gestured for the chieftain of Yingcao to sit down opposite him before asking, "What does the Yingcao tribe want to say to me?"

Chief Yingcao glanced at Lianwu next to Jiang Ning, then at Hongfeng beside her, her expression seemingly hesitant.

Jiang Ning reassured them, "They are all from my Jiang tribe. Chief Yingcao, please speak your mind."

Chief Yingcao hardened her heart. Since the shaman had already made his decision, and she had come this far, how could she go back on her word?

She raised her head and looked directly at Jiang Ning: "Our Yingcao tribe hopes to join the Jiang tribe and work together for development."

Jiang Ning chuckled lightly: "Work together for development? Why didn't Yingcao Wu come to tell me?"

Chief Yingcao replied, "Our shamans are in poor health and cannot travel long distances often. If Shaman Jiang agrees, we shamans will come to present the shaman's seal."

Jiang Ning shook her head: "I disagree."

Chief Yingcao became anxious: "Why doesn't Jiang Wu agree? Our Yingcao tribe is very strong. You won't suffer any losses if you accept us."

Jiang Ning looked at her and slowly said, "Whom do you want to take in? The Yingcao tribe? Or... the Zhong tribe!"

Hongfeng and Lianwu were both shocked by Jiang Ning's words and stared at Chief Yingcao, as they both knew about the Zhong tribe.

Chief Yingcao was struck dumb. She stood up abruptly, knocking over the chair behind her. "Jiang Wu must be mistaken. The Zhong tribe has long been extinct. How could we be the Zhong tribe?"