The night falls from the clouds, covering the undulating forest sea and the whereabouts of the hunters.
In the continuous mountain forest, an Otomi warrior was trekking westward with difficulty, rushing to the mountain camp two days away. His steps stumbled a bit, the cotton armor on his body was damaged, and there was a bandaged wound on his leg. Faint
The bloody smell spread from the wound, drifting far into the night forest full of murderous intent.
More than twenty meters behind the warrior, a black beast sneaked quietly. With smooth black fur and perfectly streamlined muscles, this was a jungle panther about one and a half meters long. It tracked all the way and observed this
A bipedal beast for a long time.
Bipedal beasts are usually very dangerous. They have extremely large numbers and have extremely sharp long claws. There are some very powerful individuals among the adult animals, and they are also very vindictive. Therefore, bipedal beasts are usually not found in jaguars (i.e., American jaguars).
Leopard) is within the hunting range. But today is an exception. It has been hungry for two days before encountering this lonely two-legged beast. The other animal seemed to be injured and seemed to have an opportunity.
The jaguar slowly approached, its black spotted fur blending into the night, and its soft paw pads made no sound. Seeing that it was already within ten meters of the prey, it opened its mouth slightly, revealing its sharp and thick premolars.
, the sharp gaze has already rested on the neck of the prey.
Under the faint moonlight, the two-legged beast in front suddenly turned around. Years of fighting on the battlefield always give people a keen sense of danger.
Otomi warrior Osina crossed his left arm and protected it in front of his neck. He pulled out the dagger from his waist with his right hand and looked at the nearby mountains and forests with vigilance. He scanned carefully inch by inch. His aristocratic family allowed him to have enough animals.
Ingested by the liver, it enables vision at night.
The forest became quiet for a moment, and the jaguar lowered his body and waited quietly. Under the faint moonlight at night, Oceana tried hard to identify the faint shadows in the forest. He always felt that something was wrong, until he saw something was wrong.
A few small black shadows in the distance.
Oceana suddenly let out a huge roar, deliberately imitating the sound of a jaguar. The small black figures were suddenly frightened, and hurriedly jumped out of the grass and ran. It turned out to be several furry-rumped agoutis. They have 60
It has a centimeter-long body, a small tail, and its three-pawed hind feet move rapidly.
Oceana just breathed a sigh of relief when he saw a black lightning flashing across his eyes. The black jaguar pounced on the nearest agouti at a pounce speed of 80 kilometers per hour. It opened its mouth and bit, with a bite force of 560 kilograms.
Falling down in an instant, the agouti only had time to let out a half-whining cry before it died immediately, and the rich blood immediately dispersed in its mouth.
Holding the food in his mouth, the jaguar gave the two-legged beast in front of him an elegant and dangerous look, then quickly turned away and disappeared into the dark forest. It wanted to enjoy tonight's food. Now that it has appeared, it is easier
To deal with the target, it no longer has to take the risk of injury to attack the bipedal beast with sharp claws.
Cold sweat broke out on Oceana's back. He nervously watched the Jaguar leave. Convinced that the danger was far away, he quickly turned around and staggered towards the camp in the west. He wanted to rush the Mexica Army again
News of the westward advance was reported to Commander Giovanni.
This is the truest law of the jungle. The hunting of ferocious beasts always gives priority to targets that can be easily defeated to ensure 80% certainty and prevent themselves from being injured. Because in the dangerous jungle, no matter how ferocious the beast is, it will change once it is injured.
Become the prey of other ferocious beasts.
Civilizations and civilizations, countries and countries, and armies and armies also follow the laws of the jungle.
Just like the Portuguese at this time, they brutally plundered the ignorant tribes on the Gold Coast, but maintained respect and courtesy to the Kingdom of Songhai and the Kingdom of Congo until one hundred and fifty years later.
Just like the tribute wars of the Mexica League in the past, they always bypassed the troublesome Tarascos in the west and the dangerous Tlaxcalans in the east, and tended to hunt the loose city-states in the north and south.
And going on further, it is the mission of the Shulot Legion this time, to try to hunt, or to negotiate peace.
Under the same night, beside a warm campfire, Xurot had just finished eating two corn tortillas and drank some water with tequila. He had just had a detailed chat with Parramo and was convinced that this was a
Talent.
During the siege of the Otomi people, Páramo took the initiative to restrain the warriors and maintain a similar food supply to the militia. Then, with the warriors as the backbone, he organized a brave and strong elite militia, equipped with two hundred spare pairs of cotton armor and
With war sticks, they defended the camp layer by layer and repelled several attacks by the Otomi people.
"That's right! Born as a commoner, he can win the hearts of the people, is good at calculations, um, he can also recite poetry."
Shulot still wore the majestic helmet. He thought for a moment and looked at Paramo who was looking down.
"Paramo, are you willing to follow me?"
Paramo's melancholy eyes lit up instantly. He smiled brightly and made an elegant gesture.
"I swear to you, my Commander-in-Chief, that I will give you all I have in the world, and that will be perfect, my devotion to you."
Under the helmet, the young man couldn't help rolling his eyes. He waved his hand and decided to let Paramo fall under the control of Quartermaster Bergere. He threw the poet warrior to the logistics camp for a while to polish it and handle the complicated general affairs.
He also allowed the three hundred warriors under his command to take a good rest and strengthen the defense force of the logistics group.
Then, Kuruka came back to report again. He had interrogated the captured Otomi warriors and learned that outside the first camp in the west, the Otomi people had gathered a total of seven thousand warriors and at least ten thousand militiamen.
Xiulote calculated in his mind that even if the reinforcements from Guamare and Parmus were included, the number of warriors in Otopan City would only be over 10,000. Now there are 7,000 in the first camp and 2,000 in the second camp. This time they are all out.
, and must have the intention of consuming manpower. The native dog finally got out of the hole, but unfortunately the hunter had to go home quickly.
Hulot ordered the Mexica warriors to treat the nine hundred captured warriors kindly, and treat the slightly injured warriors, so that they could be kept useful. Then he went to look at the hundreds of captured militiamen. The militiamen were all sallow, thin, and hungry.
As skinny as firewood. These militia prisoners are of no use, and the nobles of Otomi don't care about their lives or lives at all.
After thinking about it for a while, Xiulote let the militiamen have a good meal first, and then released them directly. He didn't like meaningless killings. Looking at the backs of the militiamen as they thanked and hesitantly left, the young man knew,
Without food, only 30% of the people who can truly leave the mountains and forests return home.
In the warm night breeze, the young man laughed at himself: "Let me seek some spiritual comfort in my hypocrisy."
Early the next morning, Bertard hurriedly arrived with three thousand troops from the rear army and the first batch of food from the quartermaster. Xiulote spent another half day preparing, leaving Parramo and the militiamen to continue to garrison the camp. Then the front army
Four thousand, three thousand in the center, three thousand in the rear, a total of ten thousand Mexica warriors gathered together and rushed toward the first camp.
Facing the large number of Otomi people, Mexica's 10,000 troops could no longer separate, and their whereabouts could not be hidden. The forward jaguar scouts quickly got into hands with the Otomi people's sentries. In order to protect the precious
Jaguar warriors and Shulot sent out a thousand warriors from the front army, completely controlling the scout battlefield twenty miles ahead.
The army marched westward for two days in a mighty manner. The Otomi army gathered again and retreated, cautiously keeping a day's distance from the Mexica army. Barda finally made contact with Casal in the camp.
One day later, in the scarred first mountain camp, Shulot finally met the camp's commander, Casal, again.
Since the expedition to the banks of the Leman River in May, the two had not seen each other for half a year. When they met again, they were speechless for a while.
The Kasar in front of him looked thin and pale. His appearance was much older, his body was slightly stooped, and he lacked the vitality of a warrior. Obviously, the difficult siege and Tisok's death had brought a huge physical and mental blow to him.
It was difficult for Hulot to connect the old and depressed middle-aged man in front of him with the high-spirited, confident and arrogant legion commander when they first met last year. After looking at each other for a moment, Hulot took off his helmet and revealed the young man's gentle face.
In the eyes of old friends.
Kasar's expression suddenly became excited. His throat vibrated several times and he opened his mouth to shout, but only made a sound of unknown meaning, which then turned into a long sigh. He took out the talisman from his arms with a desolate expression and threw it to Shuluo.
Special body, and then left the camp without saying a word.
Shulot shook his head. After all, Casal was a high-ranking commander born into a noble family. Tisok was dead, so there was room for compromise with Avitt. The young man sent a hundred city-state warriors unfamiliar to Casal.
, the escort also escorted him towards the city of Xilotepec.
Seeing his old superior Casal leaving, Barda was slightly at a loss. He was dazed for a while, but then came to Shulot.
"Dear priest commander, there are still 2,300 direct warriors, more than 6,000 militiamen, and a week's food for 10,000 people in the camp."
Shulot put on the face-covering helmet again. He pondered slightly and made a quick decision.
"The two thousand and three hundred warriors are handed over to you. Let's rest in the camp first. You hand over the one thousand former troops in your hand to Kuruka and stay in the camp to clean up the commanders at all levels. You must completely control this army!
Let more than 6,000 militiamen begin to retreat eastward."
Barda lowered his head, loudly accepted the order, and went to summon the warrior commanders and captains in the camp.
The warriors rested in the camp for a day and replenished the food and grass in the lower camp. Later, Shulot received the latest batch of information: Otopan's army gathered to camp one day away, and together with the remnant soldiers,
Eight thousand warriors and 12,000 militiamen have gathered. The 20,000-strong army is ready for a decisive battle. In the second camp at the rear, the Otomi guerrillas who have been harassing have once again appeared.
Xiuluo nodded. This is the usual tactics of the Otomi people: concentrate the main force to attract the main force of the Mexica army, and then the guerrillas repeatedly harass the grain roads in the mountains and forests. Once the Mexica army advances westward, the main force of the Otomi people
They will definitely continue to retreat until they reach the city of Otopan. The elongated food road in the mountains and forests will become a fatal weakness for the attackers.
Shulot first sent a negotiating envoy to the Otomi people, allowing the militiamen to embark on the road back east. The army rested for another day, and then the 12,000 warriors began to break out of their camps one by one, preparing to retreat eastward.
Shanshan's reply came from the Otomi people. The two sides agreed that the commanders of the two armies would each lead 500 men to formally negotiate within half a day's distance of the army.