Aztec Civilization: Destiny to Conquer America!

Chapter 1390 - 945: The Tide’s Grand Momentum and the Seaside Alliance’s New Order

The moonlight fell from the clouds, casting a deep shadow over the forested mountains. A full squad, twenty Totonac warriors, raised burning torches, escorting the Maya merchant Tikalo, who claimed to be a "kingdom envoy," on their way to the main camp in Lake Sacrifice City.Tikalo glanced sideways, noticing that the morale and equipment of these Totonac patrol warriors seemed quite commendable.

They all slightly puffed out their chests, carrying sharp bronze axes, wearing dark green leather armor, with short spears for throwing and close combat on their backs. Upon closer observation, the foreheads of the warriors in this squad were uniformly tattooed with blood-colored sun hummingbirds. The lifelike emblem of the Chief Divine seemed like an imprint of the divine, carrying a mysterious aura. Whenever these warriors prayed, they would piously extend their fingers to touch their foreheads, as if to receive additional blessings and protection from the divine!

"Chief Divine bless! Bless the Seaside Alliance! And bless us too!"

"Chief Divine bless! It’s just the first half of the night, not yet time for the shift. Where’s your patrol squad from, and why are you heading back?"

A stealthy sentry of Red-haired Dog Descendants appeared from somewhere. The red-haired captain at the front looked on vigilantly, watching these friendly Totonac allies, with his hand silently resting on the bronze axe.

"By the Chief Divine’s witness, we come from the vanguard camp, a squad patrolling the coast! Our camp commander is Mu Xi Leader. We encountered two Mayans on the coast! They claimed to be ’kingdom envoys,’ bringing back very important information to meet the Black Wolf Legion Commander in Lake Sacrifice City!..."

"Mayans? Kingdom envoys?"

Upon hearing this, the red-haired captain looked cautiously towards the center of the group, at the two slender and frail Mayans. Such a weak and fragile build didn’t seem like that of lurking assassins... He pondered for a moment, then waved to give the order.

"Send someone to inform the Black Wolf Leader! I’ll take the rest of the squad to escort with you!..."

As the main base of the Black Wolf Army, the appearance of the red-haired sentries meant that the main camp of Lake Sacrifice City was close at hand. The group advanced with torches, and before reaching the city by the Great Lake, they first saw a vast expanse of dimly lit huts, thousands of Seaside tribes, and the surrounding large gatherings of firelight.

"Praise the Chief Divine! Capturing Lake Sacrifice City was indeed a sacred victory! Hmm, are these tribes all... newly converted tribes of Lake Sacrifice City?"

The Maya merchant Tikalo smiled gently as he quietly chatted with the escorting Totonac captain, Mao Li.

The name "Mao Li" is a very typical Seaside tribe name. Its meaning actually refers to the Mao Li tree (Ceiba pentandra), also known as the Great Kapok Tree, which is very common in the Seaside lands. It has a large canopy and a tall trunk. Many small Seaside tribes use the ample shade under this tree as a natural gathering square, the center of village activities. The trunks of these trees are often carved with patterns and scripts by tribal historians as memorial steles of the tribes. The bark and resin of these trees have certain anti-inflammatory and pain relief effects, usually used as simple herbs...

It can be said that the Mao Li tree is one of the most important and most common trees among the Seaside tribes! It has integrated into the lives of the Totonac people, becoming completely a symbol of tribal culture!

"Praise the Chief Divine! Haha! Capturing Lake Sacrifice City, our vanguard camp has made great contributions! Tribes in the city resisted desperately, refusing to surrender at all! The army besieged front and back, fought for over a month, the Red Hair almost ran out of arrows. In the end, it was our camp leader who brought forth the Divine Power Globes, stormed the city with all their might, and hurled the Chief Divine’s Thunderbolt!... That’s how we captured Lake Sacrifice City!"

Recalling the siege of Lake Sacrifice City, Totonac captain Mao Li’s expression was somewhat sentimental and a bit wistful.

The Black Wolf Legion Commander organized a vanguard of five hundred throwing warriors, and in the end, more than a hundred survived, each promoted to a third-level warrior, granted large tracts of land and agricultural slaves, and even the possibility to become captains of banners! Though he wasn’t chosen, initially he felt fortunate, but seeing the rewarded warriors lately, his heart was both envious and regretful...

With this in mind, Patrol Captain Mao Li glanced at the Maya merchant beside him.

The other party walked with composure all the way, continually praying to the Chief Divine, clearly a pious kingdom envoy, unlike a spy from the East... he wondered if bringing this envoy to Lake Sacrifice City, would the Black Wolf Legion Commander offer any rewards?... And if the envoy could put in a good word or two...

Patrol Captain Mao Li pondered for a moment, then broke into a smile, speaking up to claim credit.

"Praise the Chief Divine! Ahaha! Our squad patrols the Seaside, fighting for the Chief Divine and the Seaside Alliance!... Those enemy ships at sea always ambush our rears, like vengeful crows, such a headache! But, our patrolling warriors are brave and pious, daring to fight fiercely. After several losses, they’ve come less frequently!..."

"Ahem! Captain, you have truly worked hard. Hmm, may the Chief Divine protect you! ... After the siege of Lake Sacrifice City, how did the esteemed Black Wolf Commander arrange things?"

"Uh? ... After the city fell, the Black Wolf Legion Commander ordered, as before, the sacrifice of all Divine Descendants, nobility, and those Elders and Priests. Then, there was a grand Holy Conversion Ritual! That vast number of tribes, one group after another, knelt by the Sacred Fire, and it went on for a full four days! ..."

"Next, the tribes that completed the conversion were ordered by the Black Wolf Legion Commander, led by our Vanguard Camp, to migrate batch by batch to the west to Ke Shi City, to prepare for this year’s garrison! Damn it! In Lake Sacrifice City, that Elder Priest set himself on fire, also burning the granary! The subsequent grain transport ships were not smooth either, and not many people could be left on the front lines ... Now it’s already March, wait for the flag teams to be established, then settle them one by one, burn the wilderness, and start new land cultivation ... it’s just about April or May, time to start farming! ..."

As he spoke, Totonac Captain Maoli pointed with a finger towards the dense tribal grass huts not far away. He slightly raised his head, and announced loudly with the posture of a victor.

"This large area of grass huts here is full of tribes from Lake Sacrifice City! They will migrate west tomorrow! Most tribes in Ke Shi City have been moved to Coyote City. That large piece of good land near the river is empty now! ... May the Chief Divine protect! If I can make a contribution and get assigned to a small flag team as a Flag Captain, then I would be a small Chieftain in charge of hundreds! ..."

As Captain Maoli spoke, he turned his eyes to Maya merchant Tikalo and flashed a friendly smile. He clearly felt honored by the Kingdom’s conquest, fully seeing himself as a member of the Seaside Alliance. When talking about the newly established flag teams and Flag Captains, his eyes revealed anticipation and desire.

Seeing his expression, Tikalo raised an eyebrow, seemingly pondering. The Kingdom had clearly established a new order in the Seaside Lands. And the form of this new order seemed to be called the Seaside Alliance... He mused for a while, then smiled and asked.

"Praise the Chief Divine! These migrating tribes, numbering in tens of thousands ... how many people would it take to guard them! Aren’t you afraid they will escape?"

"What? Escape? ... Witnessed by the Chief Divine! They won’t escape! ... The slaughter on the front line is so fierce, with small squads of Samurai patrolling everywhere in the jungle. Given the identities of these tribes, if they encounter any Samurai from either side, it won’t end well! ..."

"Hmm? You mean... the Totornak Alliance in the East would also attack these tribes?"

"Of course! They’ve all participated in the conversion ritual, worshipped the Chief Divine, and even carved the Sacred Emblems! ... Even if they escape back to the tribes in the East, they’ll be sacrificed and killed, sent back to the battlefield, or demoted to Agricultural Slaves... After all, the Divine Descendants in these tribes are all dead. Ordinary tribespeople, what status do they have? Ugh! I spit!"

At this point, Captain Maoli shook his head, suddenly spat as if in disdain. For the past twenty or thirty years, he always believed that it was only natural for the Divine Descendants and priestly lords to rule the tribes, deciding the life and death of Samurai and tribespeople. But now, he had changed his mind, wanting to speak for himself with the axe and spear in his hands!

"Ha! Those lords hiding in Hidden Serpent City! They will eventually be sent to the altar as well! ... When the sea rides a great tide, who would still walk into the sea? Isn’t that seeking death!"

"Ahem! Praise the Chief Divine, He is supreme and great! Hmm... won’t these tribes escape to the jungle inland? Like seeking refuge with those deeper in the jungle tribes..."

"How is that possible?! Who would leave a good life behind to live a hard life?"

Captain Maoli turned his head in surprise, looking at Maya merchant Tikalo’s bald head as if he were looking at a fool.

"Heading west, migrating to the city-states of the Seaside Alliance, joining a flag team, that’s a good life, under the protection of God of Death, His Majesty! Those lords’ good lands have been distributed to the flag teams. The Priests of the Chief Divine can even perform various spells to increase the yield of the fields. Moreover, there are farm tools distributed and people to help build straw huts...

"As for losing the Divine Descendants and Priests, without bloodlines or heritage. In this situation, escaping to deep in the jungle, seeking refuge with other tribes... Ha! Even if they don’t starve to death, they would become the most humble insect people in those tribes!..."

"There are so many witnesses! In the flag team, as long as one works hard farming, they can have something to eat, not even needing to worry about the spring famine! Last year’s spring famine provisions and seeds were all brought by His Majesty from the west! There was no such good thing before! ... Ah! Praise the Chief Divine! May the Chief Divine protect the Seaside Alliance!"

"Ahem! Praise the Chief Divine! May the Chief Divine protect the Seaside Alliance!"

Maya merchant Tikalo touched his bald head, and followed with a devout prayer. His eyes flickered, seeing the outline of Lake Sacrifice City already appear ahead, he quickly asked the last, and also the most concerning question.

"Honorable Patrol Captain... in that Seaside Alliance... hmm... who is really in charge? Is it the Black Wolf Legion Commander?"