The bright moon hung high in the sky, casting silvery light across the lush green grassland.
A brutal war was raging here.
Within a crude tribal village built of wood and mud, flames lit up the sky. The air was filled with the clash of weapons and cries of battle. Two opposing forces were locked in fierce combat.
One side wore black armor and wielded sharp blades.
The other side wore animal skins, carried various primitive weapons, and looked bewildered, as if they had just been roused from sleep and didn't yet understand what was happening.
The black-armored soldiers moved in perfect formation. Even in the darkness, they remained calm and disciplined, as though they could see clearly in the night.
In contrast, the warriors of the Beast Skin Tribe were disorganized and confused. Even though they were fighting on their own land and were more familiar with the terrain, they were rapidly losing ground.
It was clear the two sides were not on the same level.
In discipline, coordination, physical strength, and especially weapons and equipment, the black-armored soldiers far outclassed the tribal warriors.
With unstoppable momentum, the black-armored soldiers cut through the tribe like a blade through grass.
The battle raged for a quarter of an hour. Nearly a hundred members of the tribe had fallen.
"Your chief is dead! Lay down your weapons! Those who surrender will not be killed!"
A burly man, nearly two meters tall and clad in black armor, stood in the firelight, raising a severed, bloodied head high in one hand—it was the head of the tribal chief.
A wave of shock swept through the tribe, and the warriors' morale plummeted instantly.
The death of a tribal chief, usually a powerful and respected figure beloved by the people, was a devastating blow.
Already caught off guard and overwhelmed by the invaders' strength, the tribesmen now saw their leader slain. Their faces turned pale, and many looked ready to drop their weapons and kneel in surrender.
But then, they thought of the coming winter—and hesitated.
Winter was not far off.
If their food stores were taken, it would be impossible to gather enough provisions in time to survive.
Without food, they would die anyway.
Thinking of this, the smarter members of the tribe gripped their weapons tightly once more. They quickly explained the situation to those around them, preparing to fight to the death to protect their food.
At that moment, another black-armored soldier stepped forward. He looked to be only around twenty years old. Though not as tall as the previous warrior, he had a lean, muscular build—not rough, but strong and agile.
"Patriarch."
"Patriarch."
The black-armored soldiers around him respectfully stepped aside, allowing the young man to walk to the front.
Su Xingyu gazed calmly at the wary tribesmen, then smiled and said, "We won't take your winter food. As long as you surrender, I promise you will never go hungry again. From now on, you'll eat meat every three sunsets."
His words caused an immediate uproar among the tribespeople.
No food taken—and they'd be given meat? It sounded too good to be true.
The will to resist began to crumble.
Most of them had little loyalty to this tribe. Many were originally from other tribes and had only been brought here by force.
If the other side truly offered a chance at survival, surrendering didn't seem like such a bad option.
They had also heard of the Night Tribe's reputation—known for keeping its word and not deceiving others.
"Who are you? Can you represent the Night Tribe?" a sharp-minded man shouted.
"I am the chief of the Night Tribe," Su Xingyu replied calmly. "So of course I can speak on its behalf. If you surrender, we will become one family from this day forward. Look at the warriors around me—not stronger than you in body, but armed with better weapons and armor. That's what allowed them to win."
"As long as you join the Night Tribe, every brave warrior will be given a set of armor and a weapon. You'll be just as strong as them."
His persuasive words struck a chord with the tribal warriors.
They all yearned for strength, and the display of power from the Night Tribe's soldiers had left a deep impression.
They knew their physical strength wasn't much weaker, but the difference in equipment was overwhelming.
If they had the same weapons and armor, even if they couldn't defeat the Night Tribe soldiers, they wouldn't be defeated so easily either.
As for the ordinary tribespeople, they had only one concern—food.
In times like these, simply having enough to eat was already a blessing.
For a moment, everyone turned to the most respected figure in the tribe.
An elderly wizard looked into the eyes of his anxious tribesmen, then across at the black-armored soldiers. After a moment of hesitation, he followed his heart.
"We surrender… We only ask that the honorable Chief of the Night Tribe keep his promise and treat our people well."
Su Xingyu didn't correct the man's mistaken title. Hearing the wizard's words, he smiled, visibly relieved.
"Don't worry. The Night Tribe's integrity is known across the Black Earth Plains. Since you've surrendered, you're now our family. I will treat everyone equally."
With that reassurance, the warriors slowly laid down their weapons and waited for further instructions.
"Ye San, I'll leave this to you," Su Xingyu said.
Now that the matter was settled, he grew impatient and turned to a middle-aged man by his side.
"Rest assured, Chief. I'll bring them safely back to the Night Tribe," Ye San responded quickly.
Su Xingyu nodded. He had full confidence in this capable aide but still added a reminder.
"There's no need to rush. Take your time. Just don't lose anyone."
With the arrangements made, Su Xingyu mounted his black horse and galloped along the riverbank with a hundred soldiers.
Before returning to the tribe, he could no longer contain his excitement and opened the system interface to check his rewards.
[Red River Overlord]: Annex the Giant Tiger Tribe and the Barbarian Bull Tribe to become the largest tribe near the Red River. (Completed)
Rewards: 1,000 acres of spiritual fields (placed at a freely selected location), Gathering Spirit Tree seed, God's Domain Building: "Second-Level Cavalry Battalion Blueprint," God's Domain Building: "Second-Level Infantry Battalion Blueprint," "Dark Evil Knife Blueprint," and World Origin × 1000 units.
[System Prompt]: Congratulations on unifying the surrounding forces. You have unlocked the City of Gods, the Gods Communication System, and the Plane Detection System.
[System Prompt]: You are the 16,876th god to enter the Primary Realm.Rewards: Choose one of the following: Small Magic Crystal Mine ×1, Small Blood Crystal Mine ×1, or Small Dark Crystal Mine ×1.
[System Prompt]: As a first-time entrant to the Primary Realm, your plane will be protected for one month (in main world time). Other gods cannot invade your plane during this time.
Note: If you actively invade another god's plane, this protection will be lifted immediately.