Chapter 38 Infrastructure: Challenge from the Giants

After the solemn and ancient kneeling prayer, Xiao Yun, who was revered as the "Son of Saint" by the Sioux tribe, walked through the cheering crowd, accompanied by Sioux warriors led by Suti and the accompanying Maga Knights, and came to the circular open space where the tribe held various ceremonies.

In the center of the open space, a square tent that could accommodate fifty people had been built using logs and animal skins, imitating the customs of the nobles of the Western Continent.

Xiao Yun walked into the tent and saw that the four corners were decorated with colorful Sioux wood carvings. On the long wooden table were hand-polished wooden wine bowls, pottery jars filled with Sioux homemade fruit wine, a variety of fresh and dried fruits from the dense forest, sizzling roasted rat meat, and shiny black skewers of poisonous insects...

Both rows of chairs were covered with whole wolf skins, and at the top was a slender human-shaped wooden sculpture wrapped in giant python skin. According to Suti, the human-shaped wooden sculpture represented the god "Kang", a common belief of the barbarians, who represented mutual understanding and equal covenant.

(Given the Sioux's level of civilization, the furnishings of this four-cornered tent are already very luxurious. It is clear that they have taken this negotiation very seriously from the beginning and hope to reach a reconciliation with me, the newly arrived Marquis of Gaura.)

(They now firmly believe that I am the "Son of God" in their mythology. The subsequent negotiations should go smoothly...)

…

The Sioux people were not thinking about the hospitality at all at this time.

After briefly introducing to Xiao Yun and others that the god "Kang" is the common belief of the jungle barbarians, Su Ti looked solemn.

According to Sioux records, in the past ten years alone, black demons from the Sun Empire have repeatedly invaded the dense forests, slaughtered our people, and robbed our property, women, and children. We were forced to unite with the Shem people, taking advantage of the darkness to storm the fortified castle and rescue our people.

Great Son of God, please use your wisdom to tell us why the black demons cannot show mercy to us? Why can't we and the Am live in peace? We have lived in the dense forest for generations, born here, and died here. We have never voluntarily left the dense forest, nor have we ever attacked the Am living by the river.

"Because the world is undergoing tremendous changes, the six thousand year curse that has shrouded the Gola region is about to disappear."

[Is the curse of Gora about to disappear?]

"Six thousand years of curse?"

The Sioux and the accompanying Maga Knights exclaimed together.

Xiao Yun nodded: "Six thousand years ago, Gaola was the most prosperous city in the Eternal Empire after the capital, until the day of heaven's punishment."

That Day…

"Heavenly punishment is coming..."

The Sioux and the Knights of Maga both recalled the ancient legend.

"The capital of the Eternal Empire became a three-thousand-mile-long desert of death. Gaola City was also affected by the divine punishment and reduced to ruins that day. The inhabitants of Gaola forgot their language and civilization, becoming barbarians living in the dense forests. After a thousand years of silence, the outside world, led by the Holy Family—the 'Son of God and Son of Saints' in your myths and legends—emerged from darkness and rebuilt civilization."

"A month ago, my brother told me that the orbits of the stars were shifting, and the six thousand year curse that had enveloped the Gola region was about to dissipate. He hoped that I could fulfill the mission passed down through generations of our family and bring you back to the civilized world after being separated for six thousand years."

[So… So…]

The Sioux people stared at Xiao Yun with bated breath, their lips trembling violently and tears glistening in their eyes.

"In short, if you believe that we brothers are the 'Sons of God and Sons of Saints' in your myths and legends, please accept me and, under our guidance, walk out of the jungle, encounter the outside world, and together find a way to coexist peacefully with the world outside the jungle."

As soon as the words fell, the chiefs of the eight Sioux tribes all looked at the Marquis of Gola, who was standing next to the statue of the god "Kang" and had a glittering beauty that was exactly consistent with the description in the myth.

[You mean…]

Just as Su Ti was about to express his thoughts, there was a sudden commotion at the side of the tent. Then a young Sioux ran into the tent and reported to everyone:

[The Shem chieftain has arrived and demands to see the 'Son of God' immediately.]

[It was pretty fast.]

Suti nodded and asked the young man to bring the chief of the Semitic tribe here.

After the young man left, Su Ti explained to Xiao Yun:

[Of the four tribes of the jungle, the Sioux are the most numerous, and the Shem are the strongest and most skilled in warfare. Although they, like us, believe in the spirit "Kang" and the legends of the "Son of God and the Son of Saint," they have their own interpretations of the myths.]

[They only believe what they see and hear.]

"Understood."

Xiao Yun nodded, realizing that the next battle would be a tough one.

…

…

Most of the Sioux warriors were tall and strong. Even a minor like Suna, who had not yet fully grown, was about 1.8 meters tall. But when they stood together with the Semitic warriors—

The group is over two meters tall, and each member of the team has an incredibly strong and sturdy build. They wear rough clothes made from whole animal skins. Their arms are as thick as ordinary people's thighs, and their thighs are thicker than the slender waists of the dancers in the royal capital. Their bodies are covered with strong and angular muscles like rocks, as if they are descendants of giants in myths and legends.

Because they firmly believed that hair and beards were the source of strength, all Semites had long hair, and men also had long beards. They braided their long hair and beards, and decorated the ends of the braids with sparkling gold and silver rings.

(As tall as a giant, but dressed like a dwarf...)

(These people are of unusual height and build. If I can subjugate the Shem Tribe, I can form a giant sword unit and train them to cooperate with the magic troops. They will surely be invincible and unstoppable.)

Xiao Yun commented secretly.

In this era before the invention of firearms, greatsword warriors with an average height of two meters are recognized as the strongest individual combat force.

[Habbia——]

Su Ti greeted the leader of the Shem tribe and tried to introduce Xiao Yun and others to him.

[This is——]

[I refuse to talk to women!]

He is not—

[I know he's not a woman!]

The leader of the Shem tribe, Habib, looked disdainfully at Xiao Yun, who was too petite and slender for him, who was nearly two meters and three meters tall.

[My thirteen-year-old daughter is more manly than this Marquis of Gaura!]

[Perhaps, those conceited pointy-eared Ya tribe members will accept him as their companion.]

[Habia, what you said...]

Suti looked very unhappy.

[He is——]

"Although you're full of disparaging remarks and even mock me for being a woman, the fact that you've appeared here with your people shows that deep down you already recognize my identity and are willing to negotiate with me."

Xiao Yun raised his head and looked at Habib with confidence.

[you--]

Habib's face froze.

Although they had learned from the young Sioux who led them that the young and beautiful Marquis Gaola was likely the "Son of God" in the legend of "Son of God and Son of Saint", and they also knew that Marquis Gaola could not speak the language of the jungle but could understand their words and possessed the miraculous ability to make them understand the common language of the Western Continent that he spoke -

But when he stood in front of him, whose height barely reached his chest, and looked at him with confident eyes, Habib discovered that the Marquis of Gaura not only possessed the same glittering beauty as described in the myth, but also exuded an extraordinary aura, which made people involuntarily believe that he was a great being who had descended to the earth from myth.

(Is this the power of the "Son of God"? Even though this is our first meeting, and his figure and appearance are more feminine than those of Semitic women, I instinctively believe that he is the great leader given to us by God, and that we are destined to follow him and reach the end of our destiny under his leadership...)

Habib thought uneasily.

After a brief exchange with the tall, thin black figure beside him—

"Great Marquis Gaura, I understand your intentions. I appreciate your kindness and am willing to negotiate with you. However, if you insist on claiming to be the 'Son of God' as told in the myths passed down through the jungle generations, and demand that we and the Sioux submit to you, I will challenge you according to Semitic tradition!"

[As long as you can defeat me and knock me down in front of everyone, the entire Shem tribe will follow you!]

Habib added disdainfully.

"Because I'm weaker than your daughter?"

Xiao Yun asked back.

The Semitic warriors suddenly burst into laughter.

Even the tall, thin black figure beside Habib couldn't help but sneer in a hoarse, low voice: "Grand Marquis Gaura, compared to the delicate and noble Holy Grand Duke like Rosamari, you are already healthy and strong enough, but now standing before you is a Semitic warrior who can tear apart wild beasts with his bare hands!"

"Are you a magician?"

"you--"

The tall and thin black shadow was stunned for a moment.

Xiao Yun said calmly, "Since you are a magician, you must have seen my brother's messenger."

"Your brother conveyed two requests to me through the 'Dark Night Mentor'. First, to restrain the tribes of the jungle and prevent them from crossing the border. Second, to facilitate peace talks between you and the tribes of the jungle as much as possible."

As he spoke, the shadow took off his hood, revealing an old and hairy face.

"Grand Marquis Gaola, I'm not some Em Mage who's secluded myself in the jungle to unearth the Eternal Empire's magical heritage. I was born in the jungle and am a native Semitic. The interests of all the tribes in the jungle are my sole concern as a mage."

"Before the challenge officially begins, I need to confirm a few questions with you in person."

[Sage—]

Habib clenched his fists.

[Don't worry, I know what I'm doing, and I believe that the Grand Marquis of Gaura, as a direct descendant of the precious Holy Family, possesses the noble character commensurate with his bloodline.]

After saying that, the Shem sage walked up to Xiao Yun, half-opened his eyes, and looked him over and over again.

"You... you smell of destiny... a strong, irresistible smell of destiny... Tell me, what fate will you bring to the Shem people?"

"I have no idea."

Xiao Yun said truthfully: "Perhaps you will die under my leadership."

"Everything dies."

The sage spoke slowly, with a sense of fate. "Besides this? Besides death, what else can you bring us?"