Aztec Civilization: Destiny to Conquer America!
Chapter 973 - 575: The Flower of Death, The Blood of the People in the Rain_2

Chapter 973: Chapter 575: The Flower of Death, The Blood of the People in the Rain_2

"Woo~woo~Rain Divine... I beg you... save us... ah!"

Hearing the cries in the wind, the Samurai of Divine Stone City, with blood-red eyes from the slaughter, finally regained some sense. Samurai Captain Ñuu, holding a long spear, came in front of Camp Commander Rich. He glanced at the chieftain’s head in Rich’s hand, thought of the opponent’s bravery in battle, and slightly restrained his murderous intent. Ñuu lowered his long spear and bowed his head.

"Leader Big Bird, the Mexica Legion Commander said that the spoils of the Divine Water Tribe belong to us!"

Samurai Captain Ñuu lifted his head, looked reverently at the Wolf Banner of the North. The powerful Mexica army in the North had indeed not moved at all, without any attempt to seize the spoils. Seeing this, a strong yearning welled up in his slightly red eyes, and he swallowed hard.

"Praise the Chief Divine! Praise the generous Mexica Legion Commander! The Divine Water Tribe, occupying the Divine Spring, has always been very wealthy. Their Divine Descendants are aloof and never glance at the ordinary tribespeople... Leader, the Vanguard warriors are having fun, let’s hurry over too! Haha, I’ve never tasted the Guardian Saintess of the Spring before!..."

"Tears of the holy Rain Divine, revered Guardian Saintess of the Spring..."

Upon hearing this, Woodpecker Lichi suddenly opened his eyes. His expression was complex, locking gaze with Samurai Captain Ñuu’s unabashed face for a long while.

There was a fierce look on Ñuu’s face, with greed flickering in his eyes. When he mentioned the supreme Rain Divine, his former reverence and fear had disappeared. What remained was a wolf-like wildness, freshly broken from the shackles of the people of the rain, revealing a savagery like the Wilderness.

"Leader Big Bird?"

"Ñuu... Palm Trees in the Rain..."

Woodpecker Lichi softly called out. The meaning of Ñuu was "Rain Tree," a tree in the rain. From the plain name "Tree," it was evident that Ñuu was likely a samurai from a small tribe. The title "Rain" was likely granted for bravery, awarded by the tribe’s Priest.

In the ancient traditions of Mistec society, a samurai of such humble origin, no matter how battle-hardened, achieving a "Rain" title and leading several dozen men was already the pinnacle. Throughout his life, he might at most marry into a family of minor nnobility, barely squeezing into the upper echelons of the tribe. As for the lofty, naturally extraordinary divine-descendant women, such thoughts were beyond reach...

"Ñuu, today’s battle saw the Mexicans pressing our camp, fighting desperately forward, retreating even a single step meant death. Out of three thousand in the camp, over a thousand were killed before finally breaking the Divine Water Tribe! ...With such fierce fighting, do you still wish to continue battling for the Mexicans?"

"Hmm?"

Upon hearing this, Samurai Captain Ñuu’s pupils shrank, and he looked around warily. There were merely a dozen or so people in the vicinity, all trusted warriors. Ñuu slightly exhaled in relief and asked cautiously in a low voice.

"Leader Rich, you... what do you mean? Do you have any plans?"

"...Though the Divine Water Tribe is rebellious, it is also a great ancient tribe of the Valley. They have guarded the Divine Spring for generations, inheriting the teachings of the Rain Divine. Though we from the rain often fought amongst ourselves, we would never, like the Mexicans, eradicate the divine legacy, sacrifice all divine descendants, or even massacre revered priests!..."

Woodpecker Lichi pursed his lips, his words somber. Coming from a tribal family of minor nnobility, though not a divine descendant, he had received the Priest’s teachings. With destiny bringing him to this point, the temple in his heart had gradually collapsed, but the tradition of Mistec nnobility still lingered, comprising the recognition of the divine, of the tribes, and a subconscious acknowledgment and adherence to the order of hierarchy.

Samurai Captain Ñuu thought for a moment, not quite grasping Camp Commander Rich’s meaning. He glanced at the fire in the south and suppressed the surge of desire within, cautiously asking.

"...Leader, do you still have contact with Divine Stone City?"

In Ñuu’s view, no matter how strong and invincible the Mexica legion was, they would eventually leave. As for defectors like them, if there was a chance, a way to stay in their homeland would be an option. Of course, the premise was there should be a way, and no reckoning after the fact to settle the blood on their hands.

"...No." Woodpecker Lichi remained silent for a moment, then shook his head. The Family Head Blue Snake Koo was killed outside the city, Divine Stone City lost three thousand elite troops and the Cloud Temple. Recently, the chieftains within the city were likely scared witless, and their military strength was very limited. They were focused solely on holding out, waiting for reinforcements from other city-states, with no concern for the tribes outside the city, much less contacting defectors.

"Is it the Cloud Mountain City from the South that has given you promises?"

Hearing this, Woodpecker Lichi fell silent again and shook his head. He knew that the reinforcements from Cloud Mountain City had arrived in the vicinity and had encountered their scouts in the mountains. However, they were few in number and dared not advance northward, and they were very wary and resentful of defectors.

"... No, it hasn’t."

"Ha! Then what are you talking about?"

Warrior Captain Nu’u stomped his foot and raised his long spear again. He cast a cold glance at the Woodpecker leader and sneered disdainfully.

"Big Bird Leader! In the Divine Stone City of the Mexica legion, you were merely a Rain Divine Warrior leading a hundred men, and I was just a leader of twenty! But now, in the warrior-cherished Mexica legion, you are a Camp Captain of three thousand men, and I am a Warrior Captain of two hundred!"

"In the Divine Stone City, the Divine Descendants sat high on their palanquins, never sparing us a glance. But with the Mexica legion, we can trample the Divine Descendants underfoot and subjugate the noble ladies beneath us! And this is merely the beginning! Many Tlaxcala warriors joined the Mexica’s regular army early because of their military achievements, rewarded with lands and titles!... "

"... Leader, we are like ants in the rain now, out of the nest, with no retreat! Live each day to the fullest! If we die in battle, and the Rain Divine does not accept us, we will go meet the War God!... Awoo!... "

After shouting these words, Captain Nu’u turned away, brandishing his bloodied long spear, and ran towards the village of the Divine Water Tribe. As he ran, he howled like a wolf, heading towards the red sunset, across the blood-stained fields, and into the scarlet flames.

Dozens of Divine Stone City warriors followed him, letting out excited and wild howls. They eagerly pounced on the villages of the Divine Water Great Tribe, like tigers and wolves attacking their prey.

Watching this scene, Woodpecker Lichi felt a bit dazed. He looked at the dimly lit mountains on either side, at the blood-red colors blossoming around him, and at the gradually boiling slaughter and flames.

"Where exactly am I? Is this the prosperous and orderly Mistec Highlands of three thousand years of heritage, or the legendary desolate, vast, and cruel Northern Wilderness?... "

The sunset slowly descended, and the afterglow spread across the sky. On the broken post-battle mountain pass camp, only a few dozen Mistec trusted aides remained. The other warriors and militia had vanished into the southern valley, joining the unrestrained plunder. The defector camp was newly established, and those truly loyal to Camp Commander Rich, who could suppress their desire for slaughter, were these few dozen trusted aides only. The trusted aides glanced at each other and, after a long wait, finally someone spoke.

"Camp Commander? We?... "

"Hoo!~ Awoo!... "

Rich let out a long breath, then suddenly howled like a wolf. It seemed he wanted to shout out his spirit from his chest and inhale a new wolf soul. Then, pressing his lips together, he gritted his teeth and turned away.

"Let’s go!"

"Ah? Commander, that’s the North!"

"Yes. Let’s go, to meet the Commander-in-Chief of the Mexica. I have some suggestions on military reformation that I want to propose. And in this army, the only one whose word truly matters is the Black Wolf Commander!... As for you, if you want to head south for plunder, you can go on your own."

"...

The trusted aides exchanged glances, hesitated in their steps, but eventually grasped their weapons and followed their distinguished, yet somewhat unconventional camp commander. Behind them, the sun sank into the horizon, its vivid red swallowed by darkness, concealing the Mistec people’s slaughter, while the southern chaotic flames gradually vanished beyond the camp.

Soon, small campfires appeared before them. Patrolling warriors clad in armor, wielding copper weapons, exuded the unique grimness of the Mexica. A dark wolf banner fluttered in the night breeze.

The great black wolf stood alone, gazing at the bright moonlight in the sky, overlooking the burgeoning flames below. In the eyes of this black wolf, there were no remnants of northern resistance, nor the so-called southern slaughter. It simply followed the will of the western Sun, looking towards the rising Moon in the East.