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

Chapter 449 The Return of the Sorcerer

“Some of them may not have personally taken up arms, but they are also beneficiaries and your accomplices!”

"If we're talking about innocence, weren't the Black Rock tribe, whose entire clan was wiped out, innocent? Aren't all the other tribes you attacked at the foot of the snow mountain innocent? Didn't they beg you for mercy? Did you let them go?"

The otter witch's body trembled violently, as if those words had struck a nerve. Her lips trembled slightly, wanting to refute, but she found herself speechless.

She knew that Mingyue was right.

“We…we were forced by the Tao tribe! Yes! We were forced by the Tao tribe! We had no choice! That’s the Tao tribe!” The otter shaman’s voice was tinged with a desperate sob. She was like a trapped beast on the edge of a cliff, desperately searching for a lifeline in her despair.

Unfortunately, the straw seemed unable to support her heavy body.

Seeing that the otter shaman remained unrepentant, Mingyue's face turned completely cold: "How far is the Tao tribe from the otter tribe? It can't be closer than the Tao tribe from the hemp tribe, can it? The hemp tribe can refuse the summons, but what about you?"

“I…I dare not…” the otter shaman murmured.

Mingyue mercilessly ripped away her last pretense: "It's not that you're afraid; you're willing to do it. After all, if you succeed, you can control the entire snow mountain. Now, all you're saying to me is that you want to try again on a different mountain. Since that's the case, you should accept the outcome."

Despair filled the otter witch's eyes, as if she could see her own fate. She broke down and cried out, "No...no...how could this be...wasn't Jiang witch supposed to be the most merciful? Is this her mercifulness?"

Mingyue scoffed, "Being merciful to the enemy is not mercy, it's stupidity."

Mingyue ignored her dying struggles and turned to order, "Take her away..."

Zhao looked at her with bright, adoring eyes.

Mingyue paused for a moment, then instructed Hongfeng beside her: "Execute the otter shaman. Anyone belonging to the otter tribe who resists shall be executed."

With a swift and decisive stroke, Red Maple took away the otter witch, whose face was filled with resentment.

Until the very last moment, she could not accept that she had ended up like this.

All the scheming and calculations of a lifetime have ultimately turned into a handful of dust.

Mingyue paid little attention to Otter Witch; her gaze swept across the distant mountain ridge.

There lies the dividing line between the north and the east, an endless expanse of snow-capped mountains.

The snow-capped mountains gleamed coldly in the sunlight, like a giant beast lurking in the shadows, ready to pounce on their home at any moment.

She must become strong as soon as possible before the storm arrives.

Soon, Red Maple returned with the White Bear Tribe and many other tribes that had been captured by the Otter Tribe.

Their steps were heavy, their faces bearing the complex emotions of exhaustion and relief after surviving a catastrophe.

"Thank you, Jiang Wu and Ming Wu, for letting us go. This incident has made us realize our weakness and incompetence. If it weren't for Jiang Wu's kindness, we would probably have been forced to serve the otter tribe for generations, and we would never have had the chance to regain our freedom and return to the tribe."

The White Bear Witch was a burly, resolute middle-aged man, but at this moment he had his head down and looked dejected, clearly having suffered a great blow.

The White Bear tribe is actually quite strong. In a one-on-one fight, they have never been afraid of anyone in this territory.

However, the otter tribe was too large, and the otters' reproductive capacity far exceeded that of the polar bears. Those small but agile enemies surged in like a tide, wave after wave, seemingly without end.

Although the warriors of the White Bear tribe were brave, they were ultimately no match for the sheer number of people in the tribe and were eventually driven and enslaved by the Otter tribe.

Recalling what they had endured these past days, the White Bear Shaman's voice was hoarse: "Our White Bear tribe, and all the tribes that were captured by the Otter tribe, hope to join the Jiang tribe. We beg for the protection of the Jiang Shaman, and we are willing to offer our loyalty and strength, and defend the glory of the Jiang tribe with our lives!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the other tribal shamans behind him bowed and pleaded in unison, "Please, Shaman Jiang, protect us!"

Mingyue's gaze swept over everyone. After a moment of silence, she slowly spoke: "The Jiang Clan welcomes you, but joining the Jiang Clan is not something that can be done just by saying it. You must abide by the rules of the Jiang Clan. If you have any disloyalty, the Jiang Clan will never tolerate it!"

The White Bear Shaman stepped forward and solemnly said, "Please rest assured, Shaman Ming, since we have chosen to join the Jiang tribe, we will never do anything to harm the interests of the Jiang tribe!"

The Jiang tribe and the Tao tribe will inevitably clash sooner or later. When that happens, small tribes like theirs will inevitably be affected. Rather than being passively drawn into the war, it's better to choose sides now and seek protection.

As for who to choose, is there even a question?

Their tribe has fallen to this state entirely because of the Baita tribe and the powerful Tao tribe behind it.

Even a clay figure has a temper. Not to mention the many benefits one can gain by joining the Jiang tribe, the Jiang tribe also has the Fish Tribe and Elephant Tribe backing them up. No matter how you look at it, the Jiang tribe has a greater chance of winning.

Whether from an emotional or practical standpoint, they could never again pledge allegiance to the enemy who had brought them endless suffering.

Qi Wu led his people to the Nu River Basin once again. This time, he had no scruples. A ferocious beast of the Barbarian Bone level appeared domineeringly at the Jiang tribe's dock with generous gifts.

When this large group of people appeared on the dock, the entire dock was shaken.

The Jiang tribe members had already noticed the approaching group. The guards gripped their weapons warily, their eyes fixed on the ferocious beasts, fearing they might suddenly attack and harm them.

However, someone soon recognized Qi Wu's familiar face.

Upon receiving the notification, Hongyue guessed Qiwu's intention and made no attempt to conceal it. She personally led her people forward, her face beaming, and said, "Qiwu! It's been a long time!"

Qi Wu still had that same smiling face, his expression calm and gentle: "I am here on behalf of the Fish Tribe to present Jiang Wu with a congratulatory gift for breaking through to the Heavenly Witch realm. Jiang Wu's advancement to the Heavenly Witch realm is not only a joyous occasion for the Jiang Tribe, but also an honor for our East. The Fish Tribe naturally cannot be absent."

Hongyue couldn't help but throw her head back and let out a hearty laugh. Ever since Wu successfully broke through to the Heavenly Witch realm, everything had undergone almost earth-shattering changes.

Needless to say, those tribes that were already on good terms with them are now sending teams with generous gifts to show goodwill, even those tribes that used to ignore them or even secretly sabotage them. Their attitude has completely changed.

The trading area, which used to be noisy and chaotic, with people often deliberately causing trouble, has recently become unusually quiet, making things much easier for the patrol team.