Chapter 91: Chapter 89: Investigation
Concerning the reform of the Dragon Nest Tribe’s Beastman Legion, it has been underway for a while. With the full operation of the Goblin Manufacturing Workshop, the equipment for the three major legions was nearly complete after a dozen days.
The Wooden Spears, needless to say, are the main consumables of the Dragon Nest Tribe daily. The Manufacturing Workshop is already very familiar with the production process of Wooden Spears, so it is not too difficult.
The issue lies in the Wooden Shields used by the Minotaur Gun Shield Soldiers. Lacking suitable knives and axes, these Wooden Shields were mostly rough, irregular, thick planks simply shaved and then bound with vines in large loops to hold securely at the back.
Lizardman Rodney, captured during a cold winter, contributed an Iron Axe, reportedly looted in the chaos when a Great Tribe was overrun. However, amidst the heavy workload, that Iron Axe had deteriorated significantly and could only just about chop wood.
Without that severely damaged Iron Axe, completing dozens of Wooden Shields in a short time would have been impossible, and more refined work was clearly out of reach, making these Wooden Shields particularly coarse.
These Wooden Shields, as always, are simple and rugged in style, but quite effective defensively. They are decent defensive tools amidst the chaos of Orcs using mainly Wooden and Stone Spears in warfare.
In terms of arrow shafts, basically, every Centaur was equipped with two arrows made of Arrow Wood. Ordinary arrows are not yet equipped, and the idea of smearing ordinary arrowheads with poison mushrooms is still being tested.
Moreover, besides bows and arrows, the Centaurs are also equipped with a Wooden Spear for close combat or when serving as cavalry charging.
With equipment in place and after a period of training and coordination, the three major legions have taken shape. As for their combat power, it’s still undetermined without actual combat, but with the orderly division of legion assaults, it’s far better organized than before.
Currently, the Dragon Nest Tribe is well-armed with bows and steeds ready, and the Beastman soldiers are fervent and eager, fully prepared for war.
However, Austin did not immediately dispatch troops but had the three major legions continue rehearsals in the square.
Austin is not a rash dragon; before deploying troops, he had to at least gather intelligence on the enemy.
After deciding on the expedition plan, Austin took to the air from the Dragon Nest, heading toward the Centaur Tribe to the north.
He didn’t bring along any other Beastman Clans, believing that flying alone gave him more advantages for reconnaissance. Bringing Beastmen would only be a burden.
Even though Austin acted independently, it didn’t mean the ground Beastman Legion was idle. At least the elite Ratmen scouting team Austin meticulously selected had already set out, exploring toward the Jackal Wolfman Tribe.
After all, the Beastmen, unlike Austin, are constrained by terrain when marching.
Thanks to their timid and cautious nature, the Ratmen are best suited as scouts to detect danger.
Flying northward, Austin kept a constant watch on the forest movements below. After over an hour, he finally neared the Jackal Wolfman Tribe’s territory.
While it only took Austin a little over an hour to fly, it would take the Beastmen at least a full day of marching.
Upon nearing the Jackal Wolfman Tribe, Austin didn’t immediately land but instead hovered and flew above, observing the tribe from the air.
Ahead, on the vast plain of mountains, there was a large section of trees missing in some area; that spot was where the Jackal Wolfman Village was located, surrounded by wooden walls as primitive barricades.
Inside the walls, a chaotic mix of wood and straw houses stood haphazardly, varying in height, creating a mess of a village. Despite the disorder, the number of these structures reached almost a hundred, with the center being a massive stone house constructed from stone, exuding an aura of rough intensity and dominance.
Centrally located around the giant stone house, other houses radiated outward, and the outermost wood-straw houses were the most disordered.
Judging by the number of houses, the Jackal Wolfman Tribe’s population wouldn’t be less than a thousand. Moreover, in this Kawa Great Forest, each tribe could become combatants with a Wooden Spear, meaning Austin must face over a thousand enemies if he attacked the Jackal Wolfman Tribe.
"What’s going on here?"
Circling from a distance, Austin’s sharp vision allowed him to notice the Jackal Wolf People moving in and out of their homes, arousing confusion in him.
The sense of incongruity grew stronger.
Those Jackal Wolf People in the village were mainly adults, robust and tall, with no signs of any children or elders. Furthermore, the tribe was not just Jackal Wolf People; there were many Half-Beastmen of various other races, all strong and powerful, upper-ranking within Beastmen races.
The Jackal Wolfman Tribe seemed not focused on production. Most members engaged in construction and transporting materials using giant beasts resembling rhinos.
To Austin, the whole tribe resembled... a military fortress!
Harboring many doubts, Austin turned and swiftly approached the Jackal Wolfman Tribe, especially targeting the transport convoy to get closer and gather intelligence.
In nearly primal Kawa Great Forest, plenty of giant beasts occasionally soar through the skies, so the Jackal Wolfmen paid little attention to Austin swooping from a distance, unaware it was a Blue Dragon.
But as Austin got closer, he instantly alerted the Beastman below.
"Dragon! Dragon! A dragon is attacking!"
With a chilling shout, the entire tribe instantly descended into chaos, like a flock of panicked sheep.
Some Beastmen scattered in all directions, while more raised their weapons, hurling them skyward.
Austin didn’t initially worry about the power of these projectiles, as over half of them fell before reaching his flying height, and those that did were weak and ineffective after traveling such a distance.
Yet the next moment, an eerie light flared in the Beastman crowd, and a ripple of Magic Power spread. A sense of foreboding suddenly surged through Austin.
"Not good!"