Chapter 231: Chapter 227 Wild Mane Tribe
While Perfikot was deeply engaged in researching the physical structure and movement patterns of snakes, the native girl Lili also returned to her tribe.
The Wild Mane Tribe is a local indigenous tribe living in the Northern Territory, renowned for taming horses. They worship the Ancestral Spirit, which is also the soul of a chestnut wild horse. The most common decoration is to hang a strand of horse mane on their bodies, and the whole tribe gets its name from this.
Lili’s status in the Wild Mane Tribe is somewhat special; she is the tribe’s Shaman, but not yet fully trained, merely an apprentice.
Although their lifestyle still lingers in a primitive tribal society, the indigenous tribes of the Northern Territory are not without the Extraordinary.
Through worshiping the Ancestral Spirit, they gain power from it, enabling them to acquire some animal traits.
For instance, tribes that worship fierce beasts like bears and tigers become physically stronger on the battlefield, while the Eagle Tribe gains acute vision.
The warriors who gain the power bestowed by the Ancestral Spirit are known as Ancestor Warriors. Among them, the most powerful can even partially transform into animals for a short period.
For example, upon donning a bear hide, the Ancestor Warriors of the Bear Tribe can make their bodies as robust and strong as a bear. Simultaneously, they grow sharp claws on their hands, resembling powerful bear paws.
The Wild Mane Tribe also has Ancestor Warriors. However, because their Ancestral Spirit is a horse, the warriors’ primary ability is to run exceptionally fast, which somewhat pales compared to the stronger tribes.
As a result, the Wild Mane Tribe is not a significant tribe. After the Victor Empire gradually occupied the New Continent, the Wild Mane Tribe was also forced to move north constantly. Originally living in forests closer to the plains further south, they now have to delve into the forests of the Northern Territory to make a living.
As for their original territory? It was taken over by other tribes driven out by the Victor Empire.
In a sense, the Wild Mane Tribe is relatively lucky. Although they lost the land left by their ancestors, they at least did not face the direct onslaught of the Empire’s army, unlike some powerful tribes that had a large portion of their population massacred, with even their Ancestral Spirits destroyed by the Empire.
Though the Ancestral Spirits and Ancestor Warriors are not weak, they still fall short against the Empire’s muskets and cannons.
Because the Wild Mane Tribe is not good at fighting, they avoided these things. Although they suffered some losses in strength, it was not significant. After migrating north to the Northern Territory, their lives gradually returned to peace.
Though life is slightly harsher than before, it is still manageable. Moreover, the Northern Territory is rich in resources. After merging with a small tribe, their population even increased slightly, and their size expanded significantly.
This is also why Lili’s attitude towards the White Bear Knight is not hostile and why she would actively step forward to save him.
If it were tribes like the Bear, Tiger, or Eagle, they would probably not save people but instead prepare to battle the White Bear Knight.
However, similarly, if they were to battle the White Bear Knight, unless they were powerful veteran Ancestor Warriors, they would have no chance of winning against the fully armed Imperial Knight. They would only face one-sided slaughter by the White Bear Knight.
This is not to say that the White Bear Knight is overwhelmingly powerful; there is no obvious physical disparity between the two. Indeed, the Ancestor Warriors, due to years of hunting and fighting, possess even more ferocity and stronger bodies.
But the Imperial Knights learn human combat skills from a young age, and their equipment represents the industrial strength of the Empire, practically armed to the teeth.
Not to mention, the White Bear Knights have the Steam Knight armor, which completely creates a generational gap.
And the Ancestor Warriors? Lacking iron smelting technology, they typically wield more primitive stone axes, and having a crude iron axe is a big deal.
As for armor? Unfortunately, their usual defensive equipment is animal furs, tanned and worn on the body to provide some protection.
After all, when facing off against the local people’s stone axes and poor iron axes, it’s not a big problem.
But facing the sharp swords made from rapidly iteratively improved metal formulas and forging techniques of the Empire’s industrialization, furs? Even if made into leather, it’s hard to withstand.
Let alone the Imperial Knights sometimes wield weapons called musketry; the Ancestor Warriors have to combat the Empire’s muskets and cannons.
So when Charlie offered his dagger to Lili, even though the girl did not want Charlie’s gratitude, she still accepted this rare weapon, which was invaluable to her and even the Wild Mane Tribe.
Lili, carrying the dagger back to the tribe, found her father, a seasoned Ancestor Warrior of the Wild Mane Tribe, and proudly displayed the dagger to him, hoping he would accept this weapon.
"Lili, where did this come from?" As an Ancestor Warrior, her father naturally discerned that this was not something Lili could obtain, so he quickly questioned her.
Lili explained to her father that it was a thank-you gift for saving a white warrior in the forest, and simultaneously asked, "Dad, is there a problem with this? I know I shouldn’t take things from white people, but your axe has been used for many years, it’s time for a new weapon."
"Silly girl, the white people haven’t been to the Northern Territory before, especially not in this season! Their presence in the Northern Territory, I’m afraid the tribe will have to migrate again." Lili’s father’s brow furrowed heavily, clutching the dagger, which was akin to a divine weapon for them, in uncertainty.
Lili’s father, unlike Lili, did not lack experience with white people and the Empire. In his youth, he witnessed how the Empire’s army suppressed tribes daring to challenge the Empire.
He clearly knew what the presence of white people in the Northern Territory signified.
"Lili, tell me again where you encountered that white warrior." Lili’s father seemed to have made some decision, asking Lili to detail where she met the White Bear Knight, then instructed her to stay in the tribe while he took the dagger to the tribe’s Chieftain and Shaman.
After explaining the situation to the tribe’s Chieftain and Shaman, he also expressed his concerns about the white people’s arrival.
Faced with this sudden news, the Chieftain and Shaman fell into distress and anxiety; after thinking for a long time, they decided to let Lili’s father take people to investigate.
At least they needed to understand how many white people there were and what their purpose in coming to the Northern Territory was.
Lili’s father accepted this task, gathered a few skilled members and some young people from the tribe, and together they left the tribe, heading toward the position Lili mentioned.