Chapter Fifty-Six: The Deer Cavalry

"What did you just say? You don’t want me to join the battle?"
Sun Licheng thought he must have misheard and asked again.
"That’s right. It’s best that you do not take part in the fighting."
Little Cabbage bit her lip, nodded fiercely, her determination unmistakable.
Only now did Sun Licheng truly take a good look at Little Cabbage. Goblins were all ugly by nature, and since she was not blessed by the gods, not even her gender stirred any interest in him. He had never bothered to look at her carefully before. But now, the solemn expression on the female slave’s face gave him the strange illusion that he was standing before a superior. A deep sense of perplexity welled up inside him.
"Are the goblins really that powerful?"
He stared into Little Cabbage’s eyes for a long time and, seeing no sign of panic, asked in a low, steady voice.
"The goblins are far stronger than you know. The fact that they defeated the Full Moon Tribe this time means they may have a powerful figure among them. This war is extremely dangerous."
Her voice was clear, her expression calm and unwavering, but her words were firm.
"Can you tell me why? At least as of now, the Silver Moon Tribe is unaware of this. What secret are you hiding?"
Sun Licheng’s expression grew ever more serious, his tone unconsciously severe.
"I’m sorry, chief. This concerns the secrets of the goblins. I have already sworn before the God of Oaths, so I cannot tell you. But everything I’m saying is true. Some gnomes certainly know this, but as for why the Silver Moon Tribe doesn’t, I have no idea."
Little Cabbage showed not the slightest sign of nervousness; her tone was gentle, her eyes limpid as spring water.
"Very well. I understand."
At this point, Sun Licheng knew Little Cabbage would say no more. He did not wish to force her to break her oath. In this world, the Wheel of Order was far too powerful; an oath was not something one uttered carelessly, as on Earth. Violate it, and the punishment spelled out in the oath would descend upon the speaker.
Besides, after all he had experienced, Sun Licheng’s heart had grown more tranquil. He was unwilling to force others to do what he himself would not, and making Little Cabbage break her oath was one of those things.
He waved her away and sat back down, tapping the wooden table as he sank into contemplation.
"This world is far more complicated than I imagined. Damn, weren’t primitive people supposed to be simple?"
He sighed to himself as his thoughts wandered.
……
The next day dawned bright and cloudless. The tribe was alive with the shouts of people and the barking of dogs as the gnomes preparing for the campaign began to assemble.
Sun Licheng brought Wolf King and Dog Meat to the square. At that moment, Christina came running over.
Today, Christina was clearly dressed with great care; her fur clothes were brushed spotless, and atop her head she wore a garland woven from the most beautiful flowers picked at dawn.
"Brother Sun Licheng, you must become a true hero—defeat many enemies, make your name resound throughout the entire Moon Alliance, and let little Christina be proud of you!"
The girl’s voice was as clear as a silver bell, stirring a touch of heroism in Sun Licheng’s heart.
Just as he was about to chat with her longer, Wal’s voice echoed from afar: "Time to depart…"
At once, the gnome warriors, in two columns, pushed the supply carts out through the gates, cheered by their families as they set off.
Sun Licheng adjusted his clothes, swung up onto Wolf King’s back, and turned to Christina. "Don’t worry. Not only will I take care of myself, I’ll look after Wal and the others. Wait here for our good news."
With that, he nudged Wolf King with his legs, and the great beast bounded after the marching column, Dog Meat trotting merrily behind, while Christina waved them off until they were out of sight.
The journey from Cloud Mountain Pass to the Music Tribe was about six days—six moonrises, as the gnomes reckoned time. Sun Licheng still wasn’t used to this poetic yet cumbersome way of counting days. Regardless, the trek was far.
This time, the Silver Moon Tribe had mobilized many strong warriors and prepared more supplies. To reduce fatigue, Sun Licheng had donated all his wagons and had even helped them make a few handcarts. Though these handcarts, due to limited materials and craftsmanship, were nothing compared to the rubber-wheeled ones of the future, they were far better than carrying loads on their backs.
Thus, the entire column stretched for hundreds of meters, advancing at a respectable pace.
Since Wolf King was pulling a cart, Sun Licheng chose to walk with the others. At his side was Wal, clad in new gear.
Wal wore a full suit of vine armor, a helmet of woven vine, and bronze plates in his armor gleamed gold in the sunlight. With the great bronze sword at his waist, he cut an imposing figure, truly resembling a general.
Sun Licheng was pleased with his handiwork, but after a while, he felt something was missing. Suddenly, he slapped his thigh. "If only you had a horse, the effect would be perfect."
"What’s a horse? Is it one of those large creatures that run on the mountains?"
Wal was puzzled; after all, there really were no wild horses here.
"Do you gnomes have cavalry? Warriors who ride animals into battle, like me?"
Talking about mounts piqued Sun Licheng’s interest.
"We do have cavalry; they ride large elk. In the heyday of the Silver Moon Tribe, there were many elk-riders. Sadly, in recent years, as the tribe declined, the elk were all eaten as food. What a pity…"
Wal sighed at the memory.
He went on to explain about the elk cavalry. Their mounts were a special breed of elk, standing at least one meter sixty at the shoulder, swift of foot, and their antlers a formidable weapon. However, elk were gentle creatures; these cavalry could not serve as a shock force, only for communication, scouting, and harassment. What’s more, raising an elk was expensive—most tribes could not afford it.
"I see," Sun Licheng said, suddenly enlightened. He guessed the gnomes hadn’t invented saddles; the elk cavalry’s combat effectiveness was likely limited. Still, in this sparsely populated land, having a mount would save a great deal of time.
Thus, chatting as they walked, they soon covered half the journey. By then, Sun Licheng and his group were already encountering reinforcements from other tribes.
There were many tribes in the Moon Alliance, all converging on Cloud Mountain Pass from different directions. Whatever their differences in peacetime, now they stood united against a common enemy. Soon, the Silver Moon Tribe joined two more tribal contingents, bringing the force to over seven hundred.
These two tribes were also from the north, their situation only slightly better than the Silver Moon’s. The warriors’ clothing was threadbare, their weapons crude, mostly stone and bone, with only a few pieces of metal. Even so, their morale was high, and they seemed confident about the coming fight.
"Perhaps war is just part of daily life for them."
After Wal’s explanation that the war between gnomes and goblins had raged for thousands of years, Sun Licheng began to understand, sighing softly.
The two tribes were amazed at the Silver Moon Tribe’s wealth. Not long ago, their own strength had far exceeded the Silver Moon’s, but now, seeing the Silver Moon warriors fully armored, each with metal weapons and many vehicles, they felt both envious and curious.
When they caught sight of the powerful Wolf King and the iron-beast-like Dog Meat, their interest grew. Some reckless soul even tried to touch Wolf King, only for Wal and his companions to pull him back in alarm. They knew all too well how fearsome that beast could be.
After introductions, the two tribal chiefs soon became cordial with Sun Licheng, though mostly out of politeness—after all, he was only one man.
When they all promised to share any information they learned, Sun Licheng realized just how limited his own power was. Here, population equaled strength; no matter how formidable a lone individual, to the tribes he was just a wanderer.
Over these days, Sun Licheng had come to feel that without companions, he could not possibly complete his exploration of the surrounding lands. If he was to fulfill the task set by the Earth God, expanding his group was a necessity.
At that thought, he remembered the two divine lords and could not help but fume.
"Damn those stingy gods! Why can’t they give me more support? What rotten luck…"
Sun Licheng cursed heavenward in his heart.
……
On the fifth day, Cloud Mountain Pass was in sight, and Sun Licheng saw ever more gnome forces.
Just as he was watching the steady stream of marching gnomes with interest, he noticed a small, special squad approaching from the opposite direction.
What made them special was not only the two towering bear-gnomes in their ranks, but also the fully armored elk-rider in the lead.
His elk stood at least one meter eighty tall, strong and graceful in stride—a rare and magnificent steed.
As the squad drew near, Sun Licheng saw that their gear was top-notch: everyone wore leather armor, all wielded metal weapons, and the leader’s saber at his waist looked to be made of iron. In this primitive land, such equipment was incredibly rare!
Soon, Wal and several other chiefs halted the column and hurried over to greet the newcomers.
The elk-rider swung down from his mount, exchanged polite greetings, and soon everyone was laughing heartily, clearly delighted.
After a few words, Wal and the others led the gnome squad to Sun Licheng.
"This is Martin Star Moon, eldest son of the Star Moon Tribe’s chief," Wal introduced.
"Greetings, Lord Martin Star Moon. I am Sun Licheng, from the northern snowfields," Sun Licheng said politely.
Martin returned the courtesy, but his gaze lingered on the Silver Moon warriors, visibly stunned by their excellent equipment. Every man wore armor and carried a metal weapon, almost as well-armed as his own elite squad. With such gear, they could easily conquer a small tribe.
Yet only recently, the Silver Moon Tribe had been a pack of paupers! Where had they found such riches?
Then his eyes alighted on Wolf King, and he was instantly captivated. Even hauling a cart, the wolf’s massive size, fearsome fangs, and powerful claws made its ferocity obvious—a beast far superior to his own elk.
"Whose wolf is this?"
Martin asked politely, though a peculiar glint shone in his eyes.