When a foreigner first arrives, he uses force to stop war.

With order initially established in the camp, survival was no longer an imminent threat, but the pursuit of development continued unabated. The hunting party, led by Hu Sanniang and Wang Ying, ventured further and further, attempting to determine the contours of the land.

One day, Wang Ying and a few others ventured deep into an unfamiliar valley inland. They stumbled upon some footprints that looked different from those of wild animals, as well as some abandoned, crude hunting traps. The fresh tracks suggested human activity nearby.

When the news reached the camp, it immediately attracted the attention of the top management.

"Finally, I met him." Zhu Wu twisted his beard, his expression solemn. "Whether it's a blessing or a curse, we still don't know."

Zhang Qing ordered to strengthen the security of the camp, and at the same time sent a capable team led by Yan Qing, led by the hunter who found the traces, to investigate. He urged them to be careful and not to use force unless absolutely necessary.

Yan Qing and others followed the trail and unexpectedly met the other party outside a dense palm forest.

They were a dozen dark-skinned, sturdy natives. Wearing only animal skins or grass skirts, they wielded wooden spears and stone axes, their faces and bodies painted with strange white patterns. Seeing Yan Qing and his "foreigners," with their distinct clothing and weapons, the natives grew visibly nervous and immediately adopted a defensive stance, uttering warning hoarse sounds and staring with wariness and hostility.

Yan Qing remembered the instructions and signaled his men to put away their weapons. He took a few steps forward, spread his hands to indicate that he meant no harm, and tried to communicate with simple gestures and a gentle tone. He took out the polished metal knife and several strings of colored glass beads (from the inventory of the "Four Seas Warehouse") that he carried with him, gently placed them on the ground, and then stepped back.

The natives gazed at the glittering objects in confusion, whispering among themselves. A burly man, seemingly the leader, cautiously stepped forward, picked up the knife and glass beads, and examined them carefully, a look of wonder in his eyes. He tried striking the knife with his stone axe, and the crisp metallic sound it produced amazed him and his companions.

The tense atmosphere seemed to ease slightly. The native leader put away his things, gestured to Yan Qing, pointed to the upstream direction of the stream, then pointed to themselves, and then quickly retreated into the forest with his people.

"They don't seem to be hostile at the moment, but they are very wary." Yan Qing reported to Zhang Qing and Qiongying after returning. "It seems their tribe should be somewhere upstream."

The initial contact was relatively peaceful, but everyone understood that this was only the beginning. With two vastly different civilizations suddenly colliding, friction was almost inevitable.

Sure enough, a few days later, trouble struck. Several women fishing downstream were surrounded by a group of natives. The natives, attracted by the women's iron pots and brightly colored cloth, attempted to steal them. The women's panicked screams attracted soldiers working nearby. Unable to communicate, a scuffle erupted between the two sides. While the natives were brave, their weapons were poorly equipped, and they were quickly dispersed by the "Discipline Squad" who arrived upon the scene. However, one soldier was lacerated on the arm by a stone spear, and two of the enemy were knocked to the ground.

As the news spread, the camp erupted in anger. The former Liangshan soldiers, already resentful of being forced to leave their homes by the imperial court, now eagerly petitioned to teach those "barbarians" a lesson.

"No!" Qiongying objected firmly in the meeting hall. "Once war breaks out, hatred will be difficult to resolve. We're new here, and our foundation isn't stable yet. If we get caught up in endless battles with the locals, how can we stay here long-term?"

Zhang Qing pondered and said, "Qiongying's words make sense. However, if we show too much weakness, I'm afraid the other party will take advantage of us."

Zhu Wu suggested: "We should use both kindness and force. On the one hand, we need to demonstrate our strength so that they will give up; on the other hand, we can also try bartering to establish a limited, peaceful relationship."

The plan was set. The next day, Zhang Qing personally led two hundred well-equipped, well-organized elite troops on an armed patrol through areas where the natives might be present. In the sunlight, the sharp swords and spears, the neatly arranged armor (some of which was captured from government troops), and Zhang Qing's signature stone-throwing technique (he demonstrated it by smashing a hanging fruit from a hundred paces away) astounded the spying natives.

After the armed parade, Yan Qing led the team again, carrying more metal tools, salt blocks and colorful cloths, to the palm forest where they met last time, arranged the gifts neatly, and then stepped back to wait.

This time, the leader of the native tribe appeared with even more of his people. Clearly having witnessed the formidable military might of these "foreigners," he was much more respectful. He accepted the gifts and ordered his men to bring out the tribe's "return gifts"—strips of dried meat, rare feathers, and several stones of unusual texture.

Through simple gestures and the exchange of goods, the two sides completed a primitive "trade." Despite language barriers, a fragile balance based on power and interests was temporarily established.

For a period of time thereafter, similar small-scale border trade occurred frequently. The camps traded surplus metal tools, salt, and cloth for fresh game, herbs, and other local products. While conflict was not completely eliminated, large-scale confrontations were avoided.

However, everyone knew that this balance was extremely fragile. The natives viewed these intruders, possessing "sacred artifacts," with a mixture of envy and fear, perhaps even deeper greed and hostility. Within the camp itself, not everyone agreed with this conciliatory policy, especially those who had been injured or lost loved ones in the conflict, who still harbored seeds of resentment.

That day, Qiongying, who was in charge of teaching the children to read, drew the characters "和" (harmony) and "争" (struggle) in the sand. She spoke to the children gathered around her, and to herself, saying, "We must remember that force can secure our foothold, but only understanding and tolerance can truly allow us to claim this land. Our path should not be one of slaughter alone."

The sea breeze blew through the school, bringing with it the scent of distant mountains and forests, but also uncharted challenges. In this new home, how to coexist with different civilizations will be a long-term challenge for them.