Chapter 59: Giant Bone Wolf
After listening to Neville's report, Enzo remained calm.
He had anticipated this development.
However, Neville then handed over a stone to Enzo.
The stone appeared ordinary at first glance, but what made it unique was its impeccably smooth cut, without any signs of polishing.
Enzo's expression turned serious as he stared at the smooth surface and said, "Wind Blade!"
Neville was puzzled.
Wind Blade technique was the signature skill of Crue, the priest of the Chagga Tribe. It allowed effortless cutting of various materials with incredibly smooth edges. The stone exhibited characteristics perfectly matching those of Wind Blade technique.
If this stone was indeed processed by Crue, there was only one possibility—
Crue had allied with the tribes of Plata Plain!
Crue was highly familiar with the conditions of the jungle. If he revealed any information about it, it could lead to significant trouble.
Enzo sighed and looked at Neville, asking, "Are there any other discoveries?"
Just as he finished asking, he corrected himself, "Never mind, take me there. I need to see for myself what's going on."
Neville hastily called for someone to lead the way.
Several hours later, Enzo and his party arrived at the edge of the jungle and made a discovery.
The area where they stood had previously been a grassy patch, now strewn with chaos. The wild grass, once half a meter tall, lay flattened as if crushed by a heavy object, forming patterns resembling claw marks of a beast.
"These are the footprints of the Giant Bone Wolves."
Neville pointed out, explaining further, "They are known for their incredible speed and endurance, making them the best mounts in flat terrains. However, only the Thorn Bush Tribe and the Mpondo Tribe in Plata Plain know how to tame them."
Thorn Bush Tribe?
Upon hearing this name, Enzo paused slightly.
He remembered that the Red River Tribe, where Amy was from, had been destroyed by the Thorn Bush Tribe.
Apart from these observations, there were no other findings.
At this point, Neville suggested, "My lord Enzo, should we send people deep into Plata Plain to investigate the activities of the major tribes?"
Enzo shook his head. "Not yet."
Venturing deep into Plata Plain would be extremely risky.
If they were discovered by enemies in the open plains, escape would be nearly impossible.
Moreover, if Neville's analysis was correct and other tribes in Plata Plain were also becoming restless, even if the Crimson Star Tribe could defeat them, they would suffer heavy losses—an outcome Enzo wished to avoid.
For now, unity within the jungle was imperative.
As for how to achieve that unity, Enzo had a plan—establishing markets and introducing currency!
Whether it was the jungle or Plata Plain, they both adhered to the law of the jungle. Many people, out of fear of death, chose surrender when faced with unbeatable enemies. But such thinking was detrimental to the weaker side, unless there was something to temporarily overcome the fear of death.
And nothing motivated people more directly than self-interest!
After finalizing his plans, Enzo instructed Neville's team to continue scouting along the edge of the jungle while he returned to the tribal camp to handle affairs.
...
Meanwhile, in the central tent of the Mpondo Tribe...
Chief Reg sat with a fearsome expression, gripping a large bone club. He turned to Willa, captain of the Mpondo Tribe's Giant Bone Wolf Riders, and demanded harshly, "Willa, you lead our Giant Bone Wolf Riders, yet it's been seven days and you've brought back nothing of value!"
Willa remained calm. "We made a miscalculation. The person is in the jungle."
At this moment, another person in the tent, dressed in a gray linen robe, spoke up. "Reg, I'm quite certain that the person Freya seeks is highly likely to be in the jungle. Despite its barren reputation, exceptional individuals can still emerge from such places."
Reg scoffed at this suggestion.
He sneered, "Crue, just keep quiet! I don't know why you possess Lord Freya's token, but your interference is unwelcome!"
The speaker was Crue, the priest of the Chagga Tribe.
After admonishing Crue, Reg turned back to Willa. "Willa, this is your final chance! Go to the jungle again. Find that person this time, or if Lord Freya blames us, we'll have nowhere to hide!"
Willa didn't reply. She gathered a few team members and headed towards the jungle.
Meanwhile, Crue left the tent with a sinister smile on his face, contemplating some dark scheme...
...
On the other side, at the Crimson Star Tribe's camp...
Enzo returned around noon.
Fires had been lit in various places for cooking, though the fare was simple—boiled potatoes, grilled meat, perhaps with some vegetables. Despite its humble appearance, this kind of meal was a luxury compared to what many in the Crimson Star Tribe had ever imagined.
And it was all thanks to Enzo.
The tribal members expressed heartfelt gratitude before their meal.
In front of a bamboo hut, Amy, Tia, Clara, and Jessica, exhausted from Enzo's earlier activities, were still asleep. No one had prepared lunch for him, so he took matters into his own hands, starting a fire and skewering slices of meat and vegetables on bamboo sticks, readying salt and chili powder for a barbecue.
"Too bad we don't have any oil." Enzo muttered, feeling disappointed.
In cooking, oil was crucial, not just for flavor but also as a source of essential fats.
In the jungle, however, to extract edible oils, one must either extract them from animal fats or from certain oil-rich plants. But the predators in the jungle were constantly active, either moving extensively or evading pursuit by other predators, so their bodies did not store much fat.
Enzo abandoned the idea. Extracting oil from such wild animals would be too extravagant.
Of course, Betta the Giant Bear might be an exception.
It hardly moves, spending its days lounging around, and its massive body likely consists mostly of fat.
Thinking of this, Enzo recalled the boars they were raising. According to Ward's report, the young boars were round and docile, unlike their wild counterparts known for their ferocity.
However, the instincts of wild animals were ingrained.
With a little provocation and proper training, these boars could potentially become suitable mounts rather than just providers of wild boar meat.
Just then, Enzo heard a noise behind him.
He turned back to see what happened.
Jessica, wrapped in a blanket and still half asleep with her eyes barely open, stumbled out. Upon spotting Enzo, she yawned and couldn't resist asking, "Enzo, what are you cooking? It smells so good!"
Seeing Jessica in this enticing state, especially with a glimpse through her blanket, Enzo teasingly asked, "Jessica, are you trying to tempt me?"
Taken aback by the question and recalling last night's events, Jessica hurried back into the bamboo hut. After a quick wash and changing back into her original clothes, with her silver hair still damp, she squatted next to Enzo, eyeing the sizzling, oil-dripping skewers of meat.
Once cooked, Enzo handed her a skewer.
Jessica eagerly devoured it, ignoring the heat, and exclaimed between bites, "It's so delicious!"
Half an hour later, both were satiated.
Enzo picked a fruit from a black-striped Dragon's Blood Tree, along with one he had picked earlier, and carried them in his hand as he led Jessica towards the animal husbandry area.
Along the way, several tribal members were busy cleaning animal dung from the pens.
They greeted Enzo, addressing him as "Lord Priest."
Then they explained, "Lord Priest, Ward says animal dung can increase crop yields."
Enzo nodded approvingly.
While managing the tribe, Ward and his team had accumulated practical knowledge, such as which plants required more water or less, and how animal dung could accelerate plant growth. These insights were shared among tribe members.
Soon, Enzo and Jessica arrived at the boar-raising area.
With Ward busy managing other tasks, another tribe member, Watt, was now in charge of the boars. He seemed to enjoy his role, amusing the boars until they stirred, signaling someone's arrival.
Turning excitedly, Watt exclaimed, "Lord Priest!"
Enzo inquired, "How are things going?"
Proudly, Watt replied, "Lord Priest, each of these boars weighs more than their wild counterparts at the same age, and they show no hostility towards our tribe members. However, two offspring of the boar king still have quite a temper."
After listening, Enzo nodded and said, "Let me have a look."
Watt quickly opened the gate to the pen and cautioned, "Lord Priest, please be careful."
Of course, Watt's caution was unnecessary.
Despite being descendants of jungle beasts, the boars sensed Enzo's powerful presence and dared not attack. Instead, they cowered in fear, including two offspring of the boar king.
Enzo then took out the pulp of the Dragon's Blood fruit and tossed it before the boars.
Immediately, the boars went into a frenzy, scrambling to grab the fruit.
With their bloodline and size advantages, the offspring of the boar kings managed to secure the most pulp from the Dragon's Blood fruit. Their aura grew stronger, their eyes turning redder, and they swiftly approached each other, initiating mating right then and there.
Enzo was stunned.
This sudden scene took him completely by surprise, feeling somewhat uneasy about it.