Aztec Civilization: Destiny to Conquer America!-Chapter 1476 - 1028: The Grandmother’s Inquiry

"Hmm? A ten-day raid, crossing the peninsula, and battling the invading Rokube?"

Outside the Mountain Part winter camp, Exploration Captain Zuwaro’s eyes flashed. He vaguely sensed something, but it wasn’t clear. Hunting Team Leader Mukun, however, did not give him time to think and pulled Zuwaro by the hand, leading him to the ranks of the tribe’s able-bodied men.

"Come! Leader of the Sea Tribe, look at our warriors from the Hot Spring Mountain. They are all skilled hunters! Four teams of a hundred hands, the tribe has a full ten teams! Whether it’s the Rokube coming south from the North or the Island Tribe harassing from the South, they cannot compare to the powerful Mountain Part!..."

Listening to Hunting Team Leader Mukun’s words, Zuwaro pursed his lips and also seriously assessed the warriors of the Hot Spring Mountain. He looked at their round and honest faces and then at the compound bows behind these warriors, feeling a slight shiver in his heart.

"Oh Chief Divine! 200 warriors and 20 elite Hunters! And look at those tribal people with the reindeer... three people per warrior, this Mountain Part between the Hot Spring Mountains might have over 800 people!... To think that in such a harsh and cold place, such a large tribe of the Northern Land could gather?... On our journey along the Far North Coast on the east of the island chain, we’ve never seen such a Great Tribe!..."

Exploration Captain Zuwaro smiled and nodded friendly, walking past the solemn rows. The warriors in the ranks of the Mountain Part whispered to each other and curiously eyed the envoys from the Sea Tribe. Facing envoys from unfamiliar tribes, the Mountain Part’s people’s faces not only showed curiosity but also unmistakable vigilance! Such vague vigilance and caution rarely appeared on the faces of the simple tribes on the Northern Continent.

"Chief Divine as my witness! These Jiao People tribes across the ocean, with deep and numerous thoughts, are clearly different from their brethren on the Northern Continent. Their equipment is more refined, their warriors more orderly, with many reindeer and dogs; their production and organizational capabilities are on a different level... Even in a colder climate without the warm ocean currents of the Far North Coast, they’ve gathered close to a thousand people in this Great Tribe! And looking at their camp, those neat rows of tents and pits seem filled with people and dogs..."

Exploration Captain Zuwaro looked around the camp, observing the Mountain Part’s construction levels, his eyes flickering with thought. All of this should also be what the Mountain Part’s old Chieftainess wanted him to see.

In the Mountain Part’s camp, there were many gray-yellow leather tents, almost forming a contiguous sheet. The simple pits were merely for emergency use and storing food, whereas the leather tents were the main residences for each family. The tribespeople first used sturdy short branches to form a mutually supporting circle, creating the tent’s peak and frame. Then, they delicately covered the frame with large pieces of deer skin, bear skin, and seal skin, forming a waterproof and cold-resistant layer. The naturally formed tent peak and small hole provided an air channel for ventilation.

"Hmm, the Mountain Part lacks wood, which is why they use such light and warm leather tents. These tents are easy to move, and apart from consuming a lot of hides, they have no shortcomings... Hm, the Mountain Part seems to have abundant food resources; we might find a way to trade some!..."

Next to the leather tents were some robust female tribespeople processing food for the winter. Their physiques were as robust as the male tribe members. They skillfully wielded stone knives, processing old, frozen, or injured reindeer, paying no mind to the bloodiness and cries. They carefully peeled off complete deer hides and cut out large pieces of deer meat. Then, with strong arms, they hung the fresh meat pieces on drying racks, letting sunlight, cold, and snow make them into stored durable jerky.

Soon, the female tribespeople saw the returning empty-handed Hunters and continued working while loudly greeting and calling out! They took on the presence of family heads, questioning the men about their excursions’ haul, while the previously proud elite Hunters suddenly became bashful, appearing sheepish. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

"Ancestor as witness! This time, we weren’t out hunting; it was the old Chieftainess’s command to bring back important ’guests’!... Uh, I need to take the ’guests’ to meet the old Chieftainess, and won’t be back for dinner! ... What! Where’s our daughter? Never mind, this is the Chieftainess’s arrangement! ... Uh! Don’t intimidate me, if I don’t come back, I don’t come back! I’m to keep watch for the Chieftainess tonight..."

Hunting Team Leader Mukun was also scolded a few times, fully illustrating who was really in charge at home. He awkwardly glanced at Zuwaro, who didn’t understand the language, pointed to the warmest large tent in the mountain hollow, and soberly spoke.

"The ancient merciful reindeer watches over us! Leader of the Sea Tribe, come with me! The old Chieftainess is in the Shaman’s tent, waiting for you! Her title is Mulu Mountain Mother, mother of the tribe’s merciful reindeer and the Divine Mountain..."

Exploration Captain Zuwaro nodded slightly, taking a last look at the busy winter scenes in the valley, and headed towards the deepest part, the Shaman’s large tent.

Upon nearing the tent, Zuwaro smelled a pungent aroma, a mix of herbs, bloodiness, and pinewood. When he lifted the tent flap and stepped inside, he saw an elderly, weathered old Chieftainess sitting cross-legged on rare white deer skin, glaring sharply at him.

"Chief Divine bless! The Mountain Part’s Shaman Chieftain, praised be the immortal Divine, guiding our meeting!..."

Exploration Captain Zuwaro bowed his head in salute, his face beaming with a sincere smile. The elderly Chieftainess did not immediately respond, only squinting her eyes and keenly observing the "guest" in front of her. Her gaze swept over the "guest"’s bronze weapons, sturdy leather armor, as well as their golden amulet and obsidian jewelry. After a moment, she spoke with a deep, aged voice.

"Leader of the Sea Tribe, the Mountain Part welcomes your arrival! The Mountain Part and the Sea Tribe are same clan through generations of marriage, long-separated brother tribes... come, sit across from me, and let’s have a good chat!..."

Exploration Captain Zuwaro raised an eyebrow, nodded slightly, and cautiously sat across from the old Chieftainess.

"Ancestor bless! Leader of the Sea Tribe, the towering Divine Mountain is not only the boundary of the sea but also the most prominent marker on it. I believe it also guided your large ship to the Mountain Part’s territories. When you met Mukun under the Divine Mountain, you both expressed friendly gestures and greetings and shared a brother’s reindeer blood... It was the Divine Mountain that brought us together, and informed us of its enlightenment!..."

The old Chieftainess Mulu Mountain Mother spoke in the dialect of the camp closely related to the language of the Unangas. Her voice was aged yet clear, deliberate and paced, making it easier to translate, carrying a flavor of the northern ice and snow. And upon closer examination, she wore a ceremonial deer skull cap, a robe engraved with patterns, and beside her were a deer bone staff and a short stick made from woven reindeer tail hair.

These ancient relics were inherited shamanic artifacts. The deer skull cap and deer bone staff came from the mythical merciful reindeer. The old robe was passed down from the earliest ancestors and shamans. The short stick of reindeer tail hair represented the blessings of the Divine Mountain and sky, accepting the souls of the deceased. Thus, the merciful deer ancestor, Divine Mountain, and sky were the divine elements the old Chieftainess carried on, forming the original basis for her authority and esteem.

However, after leading the Mountain Part for a whole twenty years, the old Chieftainess Mulu Mountain Mother’s authority and influence came more from her wisdom, decisiveness, and ruthlessness rather than the connection to these ancient artifacts...

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, the old Chieftainess Mulu Mountain Mother calmly opened her mouth. She observed Zuwaro’s youthful face and candidly asked the main question.

"The merciful reindeer is the master of the tundra, our Mountain Part’s ancestor and origin. This tundra and mountain range of reindeer are the territories passed down through generations for our Mountain Part!... Leader of the Sea Tribe, you brought a large ship’s warriors and suddenly appeared before the long winter in our Mountain Part’s territory, not far south from the tribe’s winter camp..."

"Leader of the Sea Tribe! Our Mountain Part does not like conflict, yet we never fear it and are well accustomed to it... But before sharing the intimate deer’s heart blood with you, I need to, on behalf of the tribe’s ancestors, earnestly ask you: why have your Sea Tribe warriors come from the distant East across the sea, braving storms and cold to arrive here, and what is it you wish to achieve?"...