Dual wielding volcanoes, killing through the west

"You don't seem to be very popular among them," Zhang Renfeng said with a hint of teasing.

“There’s nothing I can do, I’m fair-skinned.” Silver Frost shrugged. “It’s always been like this, I’m used to it.”

"The Eagles' group was actually considered better, because they were all 'locals' of Gaoshu. When they actually arrived at the camp, there were people from other tribes... Their habitats were destroyed by outsiders, and their brothers, sisters, parents, and children were hunted down like animals for their amusement. The blood feud was piled up together."

“Sometimes when I pass by them, the way they look at me is as if they want to tear me apart.”

"Ha, I never thought we'd end up like this." Mike squinted and said self-deprecatingly, "So this is what it feels like to be discriminated against because of your skin color."

Xiaomei's worries were more practical: "After we get to the tall tree camp, what if they sneak in at night and kill us all?"

“It shouldn’t be that bad. After all, you came back with Flying Eagle. As long as the King of the High Trees declares you as ‘guests,’ there won’t be any problem.” Silver Frost shook her head. “In that camp, there are no laws or regulations. He’s the one who decides everything.”

tribe?

Help the chief?

A tiny kingdom?

"The premise is..." Yinshuang glanced at Zhang Renfeng, somewhat worried, "You just said that the King of Tall Trees once sent someone to greet you, that's not made up, is it?"

“Of course not.” Zhang Renfeng shook his head. “It’s just that he didn’t come in person. Instead, he sent a group of Native American tribesmen to bring this message over.”

"Did he really live in the tree all this time?" Xiaomei asked curiously.

----

Before actually arriving at the Hightree camp, Silverfrost gave the three of them an emergency crash course on the knowledge about the King of the Hightrees.

First of all, "King of the Tall Trees" is just a title; the man's real name is "Flash." He is a mysterious and unpredictable man, wearing a wooden crown and a mask that partially covers his face. Even someone as close to Flash as she is doesn't know what his face looks like beneath the mask.

In the span of thirty years, it seems that only once did Shem publicly descend from the high tree and leave the tribe, and no one knew where he went. When he returned, he had a white-skinned baby in his arms. When asked, he said that the white people, fearing her potential, had abandoned her, and he had taken her in.

"With this child, the many tribes of Gaoshu can continue for another fifty years." — These are his original words.

Silverfrost grew up in the tribe, training under Flash's tutelage alongside his two sons. Yet, she displayed extraordinary talent. She had never seen Flash's face, only heard his voice—hoarse, rough, gentle yet resolute, like…

……

Yinshuang pointed at Zhang Renfeng, "Just like Zhang's voice."

As if she had suddenly solved a mystery, she slapped her thigh and exclaimed, "No wonder! When we first met, I felt that Zhang looked familiar. It was his voice!"

There are many people in the world who look alike, and it's not surprising that they only have similar voices.

"and then?"

"Several tribes lived there, each with its own unique customs and culture. The rule set by Shan was mutual respect and non-interference. Everyone used the forest as shelter, resting and recuperating there, and enjoyed several years of peace, until recently..."

Silver Frost's expression was somewhat somber. It was clear that even though she wasn't accepted by the tribe, subconsciously, the girl had already regarded the tall tree as her only home.

“Shem has two sons. You have already met the eldest son. Here he is, the one in front.”

"The second son... His second son has a very strange personality. Although we grew up together, I don't know him very well. He seems to like being alone and often thinks about things related to life and death. After he grew up, the second son did not stay in Takashu, but went out to travel the world."

“We would occasionally hear news about him, but it was always just a few words. It wasn’t until recently, when Gao Shu had an accident, that he rushed home.”

Chapter 650: He was just a little unwilling.

Within the High Tree, the system of chieftainships, formed by the loose union of several tribes, remained largely unchanged. Silver Frost dismissed this almost primitive social relationship with just a few words.

Simply put, they are roughly divided into two factions: one advocates fighting to the death, while the other argues that other approaches, such as negotiation, should be tried before engaging in direct confrontation. Both factions have their own reasons and are roughly equal in number, differing only in age.

Those who advocated for fighting were mostly young people in their twenties, full of youthful vigor and anger, and they gathered under the command of Flying Eagle.

As the main force gradually closed in, these young men began engaging in sabotage, such as intercepting enemy supplies. There were skirmishes and casualties on both sides, but no large-scale formal declaration of war had been made yet.

Those who advocated against fighting were the elders of each tribe, mostly in their thirties and forties.

They did not advocate complete non-resistance, but rather proposed that before engaging in combat, representatives be elected internally to conduct at least one round of negotiations and communication with the other side. Elderly people in this age group have witnessed many tragic examples of resistance and are unwilling to see such tragedies repeated. Armed resistance should only be used as a last resort.

Both sides had their own reasons, and the younger generation had a certain advantage in terms of numbers. However, within the chieftain's gang, older members naturally held more prestige and authority, making it impossible for either side to convince the other.

"Shouldn't the king make his appearance at a time like this?" Xiaomei couldn't help but ask. "Where is that king who lives in the tree? Isn't it irresponsible of him not to say anything?"

“Shan…you can’t say that. Perhaps he has his own considerations.” Yinshuang’s tone was somewhat complicated. It was clear that she had some reservations about her mentor’s role in this incident, but she tried her best to defend him in front of outsiders. “His attitude is almost final. It will directly affect the living conditions of more than 1,700 people. It’s normal for him to be cautious.”

"How many?" Zhang Renfeng asked in surprise. "Are there so many people living in this forest?"

“Even counting the tribes that came to join us, it’s not actually that many.” Silver Frost sighed, her tone becoming incredibly heavy. “Two years ago, in 1877, when the Nez Perth tribe surrendered, only about 400 people remained. One of their tribesmen wandered from a very far place, and we don’t know how far they traveled before they found the High Tree… There are many, many more tribes like that.”

"Because of their small numbers, the tribe's culture and customs have been completely eradicated. And once war is decided, their physical bodies may also be destroyed. Was all their wandering and hardship just for this outcome?"

"So, as a leader, Shan has to consider so many things. So many lives are in his hands. For the past few days, he's been staying in the treehouse, not seeing anyone. I didn't even know he was..."

……

"how about you?"

"?" Yinshuang was taken aback. She had actually understood the meaning of the question immediately, but subconsciously resisted answering it, so she frowned in distress.

Zhang Renfeng suddenly changed the subject, looking at Yinshuang, "What do you think is the right choice?"

"me……"

Yinshuang was caught off guard. She subconsciously glanced at Flying Eagle and the others walking at the front of the group, lowered her head slightly, and bit her lip. However, in that instant of hesitation, the trio of old, middle-aged, and young who had been observing her had already seen through her thoughts.

Her skin color already puts her in the minority among her peers, and deep down, she doesn't want her views to become a minority as well.

Unfortunately, one can never control the thoughts deep within one's heart.

“I don’t think we can win.” Silver Frost lowered her voice. “That’s an army. Their numbers, weapons, logistics, and mobilization capabilities are far beyond what we can match. If a direct clash occurs, many of us will die. Initially, we might achieve some decent results… but as time goes on, the scales of victory will tip in their favor.”

"The worst part is that 'High Tree,' the sanctuary of the Indian tribe, will also be completely destroyed. Those tribe members who did not die in the battle will be driven to the ends of the earth again. Without a home, there is no hope, and the tribe will gradually perish in the exhausting migration."

“A very practical consideration, Miss.” Mike looked at Flying Eagle riding at the front of the group, sighed, and said with some regret, “Unfortunately, their leader is too young and has been sitting in this forest for too long, so he doesn’t understand this principle.”

“…No.” Zhang Renfeng said in a deep voice, “I don’t think he understands. He actually knows very well.”

Under the cover of night, the eagle, sitting on its horse, still stood tall, its strong muscles wrapped in a sleeveless bison leather shirt, like a silent monument.

Zhang Renfeng's tone carried a hint of admiration, "He's just not entirely resigned to it, unwilling to have become someone else's stepping stone so quietly and without a trace."

"We are unwilling to let all of this, which originally belonged to them—the forests, the sunshine, the land, the homes—become meat on someone else's plate."

----

Those seemingly serious legends were often just fabricated stories to scare people. The group had already ventured deep into the forest and hadn't heard any whispers. This forest was also much more lively than they had imagined, with small animals like squirrels and rabbits darting about. Occasionally, a few birdsongs could be heard, making the oppressive night feel even more melancholic.

A babbling brook flows down from not far away, never turning back, into the gentle darkness.

However, some of those terrifying legends are true.

As Zhang Renfeng ventured deeper into the forest, he occasionally caught glimpses of human faces among the trees—a sudden glance could be quite startling. Upon closer inspection, the faces were all fixed on the bark, without any trace of human intervention, as if they had grown naturally from the bark. The facial features were drawn from hollows, and the aged bark resembled human skin.

The faces of these people were very calm, as if they were simply watching everything that was happening in the forest: the rain fell, the new buds grew, and today was just another ordinary day, exactly the same as every day for hundreds of years.

Several crows perched on the tree trunks and branches, cawed twice at them, and watched them walk by without moving.

……

"What...what's with those human faces on the trees?" Even with so many people around, Xiaomei was still scared, her voice trembling slightly. "Did you deliberately hollow out the tree trunks to make them grow like this?"

“I suggest you don’t dwell on this,” Silverfrost said in a deep voice. “...Many people have asked the same question, but they all get the same answer—those are the faces of our ancestors. I don’t know any more about these faces in the trees than you do.”

"Early people?"

“Perhaps they are the ancestors of the High Tree People, or something.” Silver Frost raised her arm and waved at the crows in the tree. “Oh, by the way, I know something more than you do.”

"Seeing them means we're almost home."

The crows in the tree flapped their wings and flew away.

Black feathers fell together with the green leaves.

Chapter 651: Peach Blossom Spring in the Woods

Pushing aside the last leaf blocking his way, the camp hidden deep in the forest finally came into view, prompting Zhang Renfeng to exclaim in amazement.

The obscure and difficult-to-understand "Peach Blossom Spring" came to mind, and at this moment, he finally understood the true value behind the phrase "sudden enlightenment".

The dense forest isolated it from all the noise outside, creating a completely new world.

The Hightree tribe's camp was hidden in a wide, open valley within the forest. This forest was dominated by towering pines and firs, their canopies blocking out the sunlight, and a stream meandered through the camp, providing the tribe with water and shelter.

From a high vantage point, it's easy to see that the campsite itself is circular in shape.

Located in the center is the origin of the name "Tall Tree"—an ancient, towering tree. Even from this distance, it still occupies a considerable portion of Zhang Renfeng's field of vision, and Mike and Xiaomei beside him couldn't help but gasp.

Perched slightly lower on a branch of the giant tree, stood a simple, square wooden hut, quite neatly constructed. The main entrance faced the camp, and in front of it was a wooden platform specifically for giving speeches. One could imagine the imposing presence and grandeur of the person standing there, raising their arms and shouting to receive thunderous cheers and applause!

The impression of the "King of the Trees" suddenly changed from a strange person living in a tree to a king in the true sense of the word.

Centered on a tall tree, the bark-covered longhouse spreads outwards in a fan shape.

In any structure centered around "people," there will be a hierarchy of status, and even in a tribal chieftain's community like this, it is not unavoidable. These longhouses are built with birch bark and pine wood, with moss-covered roofs for waterproofing, and animal hides and hay beds laid out inside.

In contrast, the white conical tents surrounding the longhouses were simpler, but more numerous. They were scattered on the ground, spaced five to eight meters apart.

At the edge of the camp, a deep pit was dug to store dried meat, smoked fish, nuts, and sun-dried berries such as blueberries and cranberries, and it was covered with stone slabs to keep wild animals away.

Around the camp, several hidden traps were set up, including snares and pointed stakes. They also built watchtowers in the trees. Since it was wartime, young soldiers took turns guarding the area each night. The horses were tethered together on the west side of the camp, in an open area near the stream, to prevent them from being raided at night.

Looking down from a high vantage point, one can see a strong sense of everyday life.

“As you can see, this is our home.” Flying Eagle gently tugged on the reins, stopping the horse, and turned around to say, “There are nearly two thousand people in the camp, and I don’t know which of your ‘friends’ you are talking about. Silverfrost, take them to find them.”

Before he finished speaking, not only the tribal warriors around Flying Eagle, but even Silverfrost himself was startled.

"Take them to find them"—such a casual remark, yet it implies that these three people have been granted the right to move freely within the High Tree Camp. To find someone, one must first set out on foot; the most primitive method is to search tent by tent.

Among these three outsiders, two were even white! Before this, the most they could tolerate was inviting merchants who traded with the tribe to visit Gaoshu.

The sudden shift in treatment left Yin Shuang feeling somewhat uncertain. In her memory, while Flying Eagle wasn't exactly an extremist, he was still a particularly hardline advocate for war. Why would he suddenly treat Zhang Renfeng and his group with such preferential treatment?

Xiaomei was also a little suspicious. She noticed that, seemingly at a certain moment, Flying Eagle's attitude towards them underwent a complete 180-degree turn.

It seems to be at...

He stared at Zhang Renfeng's face for at least fifty seconds.

Why? Could it be that our boss is truly the reincarnation of a Western succubus? Does that face alone have a charm value of 99?

The girl muttered softly, "Considering the past situation, it's not entirely impossible..."

……

"Flying Eagle, you...this..."

"Isn't this too fast? They are outsiders after all. Letting them wander around the camp like this, who knows what trouble they will cause! It would be better to have them describe what the person they are looking for looks like, and then have Silverfrost go and find that person. That way, at least we can keep them in one place."

"Yeah, the yellow-skinned one is fine, but those two white guys, if 'One-Eyed' sees them, they might..."

Flying Eagle waved his hand, clearly demonstrating his undisputed leadership within the group. This gesture immediately silenced the others, who all turned to look at him.

"It's alright, they'll handle it. If they can't even handle this little problem, there's no point in talking about anything else. They might as well get on the train and go back to their big city." Flying Eagle turned his gaze to Zhang Renfeng and said meaningfully, "Right?"

"...Don't worry." Zhang Renfeng smiled. "I'm best at reasoning with people."

----

"Strange, really strange..." Silverfrost muttered as she watched Eagle's departing figure. "The Eagle I know would never allow a white man he'd only known for less than an hour to wander around the camp like that. In fact, even the most conservative person wouldn't agree to such a thing. What is he thinking?"

“In my opinion, this kid just wants to test our abilities.” Mike’s expression remained calm. He had reached the age where he could calmly deal with anyone who tried to outsmart him. “Didn’t he just make it very clear: he knows someone will come looking for trouble with us, and he just wants to see if we can handle it properly.”

"Perhaps that's part of it, but I feel... it's not entirely like that..." Xiaomei's tone was somewhat uncertain.

"Let's not worry about that for now. The vast majority of people in the camp, I would say 99.9%, still have prejudices against white people, haha..." The thought of being white herself made Silver Frost feel like a cruel joke, and she couldn't help but laugh. "Anyway, to prevent the worst from happening, let's not go looking for people one by one. I'll take you to see someone who can speak to you."

When you arrive in a new territory, the first step is often to pay respects to the local authorities; this is a universal rule that applies across the country.

Fortunately, it was the middle of the night, and most people were asleep, so their passage through the camp did not attract much attention.

But Zhang Renfeng's mount was still too eye-catching—the Gaoshu camp also kept quite a few horses, but most of them were mixed-breeds left over from the Spanish colonial era, short and stocky, with the advantages of endurance and cold resistance. Compared with these horses, this majestic chestnut Turkmen warhorse had countless advantages and could immediately catch everyone's eye.

Following the horses, the three of them came into view. Some tribe members were initially shocked, but then began to whisper among themselves.

Under the spotlight, Xiaomei felt a little nervous and unconsciously tightened her grip on the reins. Several times, her horse lost control of the direction and almost broke out of the formation and ran into the camp.

"It's alright." Zhang Renfeng slowed down to ride alongside her, grabbed her reins to bring the horse back to normal, and smiled reassuringly, "You'll get used to it."

Chapter 652: Long Time No See, Hongzhong