Aztec Civilization: Destiny to Conquer America!
Chapter 849 - 471: Exploration of the Kingdom of the Lake, The Old Militia’s First Voyage!

Chapter 849: Chapter 471: Exploration of the Kingdom of the Lake, The Old Militia’s First Voyage!

In mid-December, the exploration fleet was assembled. Everyone set off from Tarsas River estuary, traveling along the southeastern coast, heading towards the northwest. They stopped twice for supplies at coastal villages of the southern Tekos Tribe.

This was the border of the Fire River Plains, only a hundred and twenty li from Fire River City. Hearing the news, an envoy from Fire River City hurried over, traveling day and night, to inquire about the fleet’s purpose. Chiwaco responded briefly, saying they were going out to sea to find the Sacred Land of the seagulls, and left under the uneasy gaze of the envoy.

Afterwards, the fleet continued northward. At the year’s end, cold winds from the northern continent blew in. The journey was difficult, relying almost entirely on rowing as the wind power was nearly useless. The crew rowed the large oar-sail ship, preserving strength, rowing only 8 hours a day, covering approximately 120-140 li each day. Accounting for rest and resupply time, it wasn’t until early January that the fleet traveled 1400 li, reaching the Lerma River estuary.

The Lerma River surged forward, creating a broad floodplain at the estuary. This fertile land was populated with villages and a small Tekos town near the coast, known locally as Three Rivers City.

Because there were three rivers from south to north dividing the fertile floodplain, the town surrounded by these three rivers was naturally called Three Rivers City.

The fleet anchored at the bustling Three Rivers City for two days, trading gemstones and cloth to replenish their food supplies and recruiting a warm-hearted Tekos guide.

Once resupplied, the fleet soon encountered sudden strong winds and huge waves after setting out to sea. The low oar-sail ship was instantly overcome by waves, bobbing up and down, almost capsizing. The old militia, encountering such a storm for the first time, was so frightened that his soul almost flew out of his body, and he hurriedly led everyone to the shore to anchor.

On the day of anchoring, the newly recruited Tekos guide disappeared. The old militia searched for half a day but found no trace, feeling an ominous foreboding. They camped on the high ground by the coast, resting for two days as the winds slightly diminished and the waves calmed a bit.

By noon on the third day, the old militia grew increasingly uneasy. He thought over and suddenly realized that it would take about three days to sail back to Three Rivers City from there!

"Everyone on board! Everyone on board! Push the ship back to the sea, and move all the stuff back onto the ship!"

The Huitu Puapu were puzzled but chose to follow the anxious and uneasy old militia.

"After all, Old Qi has a knack for sensing danger faster than anyone else!... According to His Majesty, it means being favored by unforeseeable fate."

Sure enough, by evening, the missing Tekos guide reappeared with three to four hundred Tekos warriors. The warriors, armed with long spears, javelins, and even rarely seen hunting bows, saw the fleet and charged with fervor, waving their weapons and yelling.

"Feathered Warriors of the Tarasco Kingdom! Where do you think you’re escaping to? Leave your heads!"

"Damn Divine Eagle Tribe! Extending the hands of evil all the way here, we must cut off their hands and feet!"

"Yes! And the gemstones, the gemstones! Leave the ship’s gemstones, that’s the chieftain’s order!..."

Chiwaco was utterly shocked by the sudden appearance of enemies. He immediately abandoned the remaining food and water on shore, retreating with the crew back onto the ships. Then, he ordered the Huitu Puapu, familiar with the Tekos language, to raise shields and shout loudly.

"Warriors of the nearby Tekos tribes, we mean no harm... This is a misunderstanding! A misunderstanding! We are not the Feathered Warriors nor the Divine Eagle Tribe... We come from the Lake Tribe, from the Mexica Alliance!"

Hundreds of enemies surged to the shoreline, their faces gruesome, trudging through the water towards the anchored oar-sail ships. Their numbers were three to four times that of the expedition fleet. Some warriors hurled their javelins at the ships, while others drew their hunting bows to shoot at Chiwaco’s position.

Arrows and javelins whizzed through the air, injuring three or four sailors in an instant. The Prepecha warriors aboard drew their greatbows and decisively retaliated.

Seeing the shouting and killing enemies, Chiwaco finally realized that all negotiations were futile. The true goal of these enemies was likely the treasures and gemstones on the ships. The old militia, looking at the still-wavy sea and the frenzied enemies, had no choice but to order loudly.

"Set sail! Row with all your might, head northwest!"

The kingdom’s exploration fleet braved the waves, sailing at full speed along the coastline towards the northwest. The Tekos warriors chased along the shore for a full day, roaring in anger, but were eventually left far behind by the fleet.

After this encounter, Chiwaco dared not recklessly resupply in the northern Tekos tribes’ villages. If food was really scarce, they would seek out smaller village tribes, making quick trades and then leaving swiftly.

Even so, they were still attacked by the Tekos once. A village elder on the shore, outwardly friendly yet secretly in communication with nearby villages, not only planned to launch an assault ashore but also organized an attack with over twenty canoes.

Seeing that the trade had dragged on, Chiwaco decisively led the crew away. They boarded the ship, avoiding the Tekos warriors onshore and engaging in a fierce battle with the Tekos on the water. The Tekos abandoned more than a dozen small boats and left behind fifty to sixty bodies, while the exploration fleet suffered the loss of over a dozen men.

The exploration fleet departed from Three Rivers City, rowing against the north wind, frequently stopping to evade storms and defend against Tekos attacks. It took more than half a month to travel a thousand li, finally reaching the estuary of a large river. To the east were towering mountains, with only the coastal plains suitable for farming. A clear river flowed from the desolate distant mountains, bringing green life along its path.

The local tribe called themselves the Totorames. They had a small population, living along the coast, planting corn, beans, and chili peppers, catching fish, shrimp, clams, and oysters, and producing sea salt. They established a large village at the river’s estuary, called Fish Mountain Village.

Chiwaco anchored at Fish Mountain Village for two days, offering the Totorames some cloth and a few gemstones, and replenishing corn, beans, salted fish, and water. The Totorames lived in a narrow coastal area, with limited food reserves but abundant salt. Their language was similar to the Guajili people, and somewhat resembled the Mexica language of the alliance. It seemed that the tribes on the entire northwestern wilderness spoke similar languages.

The old militia inquired about the northwest, and the elder of the Totorames told him.

"Rowing many, many days further northwest, you’ll reach the land of the Mayo people! The Mayo people are numerous, with many powerful tribes and hundreds or even thousands of warriors! My friends, they know a lot and can surely help you!"

In late January, guided by this information, the kingdom’s exploration fleet set off again. After months of sailing, their experience gradually grew. They all had experience with inland waterways and, having adapted to coastal conditions, the supply of food and water became more orderly, and they handled occasional storms without mistake.

In fact, this vast coastal area was shielded by the long peninsula extending from Northern California, so the waves weren’t too high and were far from matching the real ocean.

At night, the onboard Priest MeKate would use a strange compass to measure the angle between the bright North Star and the sea. It was said that this was a divine revelation personally guided by His Majesty, bestowed upon the shipyard. As the fleet continued northward, the measured angle of the compass grew larger. Initially, it was only about ten degrees, and now it was over twenty degrees.

Besides, MeKate also used divine arts to indicate direction. He hung a special thin needle on a fine line to indicate the direction. The needle, ground from the Divine Stone of Black Rock Mountain, would point north and south as soon as it was hung.

Chiwaco marveled at this, contemplating deeply but failing to grasp the principle, ultimately praising the Chief Divine.

At the beginning of February, the exploration fleet managed to travel another seven to eight hundred li, reaching this river estuary and encountering the Great Tribe of the Mayo people, the Yaolem tribe, with thousands of people. The kingdom’s exploration fleet anchored at the estuary, offering the Yaolem Tribe a large bag of cocoa, ten rolls of cloth, and a small bag of Lake Gem.

The chieftain of the Yaolem Tribe, Kalan, received the gifts and led over a hundred trusted aide warriors, personally arriving at the coast. He was greatly astonished by the enormous oar-sail ships, the sturdy leather armor of the lake warriors, and their strange metal weapons. He then had bonfires lit, warmly inviting the lake envoys’ leader to a gathering witnessed by the ancestors.

Chiwaco pondered for a long time, observing the relaxed and curious expressions of the opposing warriors before leading everyone off the ship. In this distant place, two to three thousand li from the Kingdom of the Lake, they represented the southern Kingdom of the Lake, meeting the leader of a Great Tribe for the first time!

Memories of the past months’ hardships flashed through the old militia’s mind. At this moment of celebration, he smiled, even smoothing the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes. Looking at the deer-headed chieftain Kalan, he raised the gourd bell in his hand and, with a clear "ding-ling", clinked it heavily with Kalan’s.

Then, he took a deep breath and asked in a solemn voice.

"Frog, Chieftain. We, friends! We, brothers! I, Great Chief, sent me to find seagulls. Seagulls, they fly, have feathers, many seagulls. In the northwest, small islands, where?"

"Hmm? You’re looking for... the small islands with many seagulls in the northwest?"

Chieftain Kalan was stunned, eyes flashing as he repeatedly considered the leader’s question.

After some interaction, he was convinced that these elite warriors were indeed from afar, not belonging to any nearby Great Tribe, nor harboring ill intent. It now seemed they were sent by the Great Chief of some lake tribe to find beautiful seagulls and feathers.

If the lake tribe could afford to disregard the lives of a hundred elite warriors, traversing such a distant journey just to find seagulls, there could only be two possibilities...

"Either they are very powerful, like us Mayo people, with thousands or even tens of thousands of warriors! Or, in their faith, the feathers of seagulls are extremely important tribute, and the islands of seagulls are sacred. Judging by their solid large ships and vibrant feather crowns, it’s likely both! ... And a powerful yet devout distant tribe..."

Chieftain Kalan pondered for a long time, a friendly smile spreading on his face, with certain thoughts flashing in his mind. Then he looked northwest, nodded slowly, and spoke affirmatively.

"Ahahaha, my friends! I know the place your lake chieftain seeks!"