Buoyed by their Lord's might, the farmers were spirited and triumphant.
This display utterly crushed the werewolves' morale.
One by one, they drooped their ears, tucked their tails, and looked like dogs that had lost their homes.
Yan Xing gestured for the farmers to stop chanting, then called Eddie over. "Take a few strong farmers back to Gao Sipa. Dismantle our camp there and move it here."
He then said to Lao Hansi, "Establish watchposts on the surrounding high ground. We've captured these werewolves, and their tribe might come looking for them. The sooner we spot them, the sooner we can prepare for battle."
Eddie and Lao Hansi each led a group of farmers away.
Yan Xing turned back to the Great Werewolf. "Although you provoked this by capturing my people, there have been no casualties on either side, so I don't wish to create unnecessary enmity between us. I bear no ill will towards you or the tribe you belong to. Tell me where your tribe is located and who your chieftain is. I will immediately send a messenger to your tribe so they can come and retrieve you."
The Great Werewolf now believed Yan Xing to be a powerful Knight and Mage, and his attitude towards him changed significantly. However, when Yan Xing inquired about his tribe, the Great Werewolf remained wary.
"Respected Knight, I apologize for our offense," the Great Werewolf said. "As you said, it is most fortunate that there were no casualties between us. If we can reconcile, there's no need to deepen the animosity between us. I implore you to be magnanimous and let us go. We will certainly convey your goodwill to our chieftain, and you will gain a friend in Thunderous Swamp."
Because farmers possessed the 'Taxation' talent, the werewolves hadn't harmed those they captured after attacking the huts.
When Yan Xing had attacked the werewolves, he hadn't initiated a direct battle.
The werewolves had been poisoned and paralyzed, but not fatally. After some time, they all recovered.
For Yan Xing, establishing his territory on the grasslands near the swamp meant that one less enemy from there would translate to more security.
Yan Xing was genuinely intent on peacefully resolving this dispute.
But one must always be cautious of others.
He couldn't just naively release this group of captured werewolves without knowing what kind of Swamp Tribe he was dealing with. These werewolves knew the location of the huts. What if they were treacherous by nature, like the infamous Wolf of Zhongshan, and led the Great Army of the Swamp Tribe here?
"You don't trust me, and I don't trust you. That complicates things..." Yan Xing stood up from his camp stool, put away his weapon, and brushed the grass and twigs from his clothes. Gazing out over the beautiful, sun-drenched wilderness, he said, "I don't have time to persuade you either, so for now, you'll remain my prisoners. As long as you don't try to escape or harm my people, I won't make things difficult for you."
However, the Great Werewolf's words carried a veiled threat as he said to Yan Xing, "Lord... if our tribal chieftain discovers we're missing, he won't ignore it. A rescue party will soon come looking for us. I acknowledge your strength, but against our tribe, you stand no chance. I once again implore you to release us; this will surely be a friendly beginning for both our sides."
Standing up, Yan Xing surveyed the surrounding plains. What a 'fine' place, he mused, so easy to attack and hard to defend!
But the farmers' huts were here.
Recruiting farmers for free each week meant a weekly increase in tax revenue.
He couldn't leave this place unless it was absolutely necessary.
Besides, relocating wouldn't necessarily be any safer.
Yan Xing said to the Great Werewolf, "It will undoubtedly take some time for your tribe to realize you're missing and then to locate this place. By the time they arrive, they will find a fortress here. If your chieftain wants peace, I will give him peace. If your chieftain wants war, I will make your tribe shed its last drop of blood right here."
Yan Xing, full of swagger, counter-threatened the Great Werewolf.
In his evening conversation with Lao Hansi, Yan Xing had gained a basic understanding of the Swamp Tribe.
The Swamp Tribe were fishers and hunters, considered barbarians even by the Orcs, which spoke volumes about their level of civilization.
The primary intelligent species of the Swamp Tribe were Werewolves and Lizardmen.
Lizardmen dwelled deep within the swamp, while most Werewolves were found along its periphery.
The Swamp Tribe was not a unified society. Instead, they were scattered throughout the swamp region in different tribal groups, often fighting amongst themselves over territory and prey.
The deeper one went into the swamp, the stronger the tribes; those at the swamp's edge were generally weaker.
This suggested that the Werewolf patrol he had captured belonged to a weaker tribe living on the border between the swamp and the grasslands.
Yan Xing felt that with his own strength and his farmers, soon to number over forty, taking on this Werewolf Tribe wasn't out of the question.
He would fortify the area around the farmers' huts and clear the surroundings. As long as they could keep the enemy outside their defensive perimeter, a Werewolf Tribe that couldn't even feed itself properly wouldn't have the stamina to wear them down.
Ultimately, Yan Xing decided to stake everything on this place.
If I win... I'll establish a foothold here, a sustainable base for development. I'll raise farmers, accumulate Gold Coins, return to Zhehai City, buy a house, a car, and date some models.
If I lose... it'll just be a total wipeout. My Lordship will hide out in Zhehai City for a while, then come back still a force to be reckoned with!
Facing the defiant Great Werewolf, Yan Xing thought, Win or lose, I might as well indulge in some trash talk first and show off my Lordship's valor.
Yan Xing found a few strong farmers to watch over the werewolves and then swaggered off.
Mounting his farm tricycle, he sped across the plains like a victorious general surveying his domain.
Seeing their Lord ride such an impressive 'steed,' the farmers raised their pitchforks and cheered.
HAHAHAHA...
Yan Xing laughed heartily, selected 'Exit,' and returned to the small grove in reality.
Driving the farm tricycle, he once again visited the braised meat shop from the previous night. The proprietress, seeing her major customer return, immediately beamed and greeted him at the door.
"Young man, I knew you'd come back! My braised meat is absolutely delicious; many people from the city drive all the way out here just to buy it."
Yan Xing hopped off the tricycle and looked at the shop's sign, which he hadn't noticed the previous night:
Xu's Old Shop
"How should I address you, ma'am?"
Sensing a potentially large order, the proprietress's smile widened. She ushered Yan Xing into the shop, saying, "Just call me Auntie Li. You're such a fine, capable young man; I can tell you're going to be a big boss. Come in, come in, have some water... What should I call you? Have you had breakfast?"
It suddenly dawned on Yan Xing that after ensuring both the Werewolves and the farmers were fed, he himself was starving.
"My name is Yan Xing. Auntie Li, you can just call me Little Yan. I've been busy all night and haven't had a chance to eat breakfast yet..."
Before Yan Xing could finish, Auntie Li interjected, "Little Yan, you'll eat here. My stewed meats are delicious, but my other dishes are just as good. I just steamed a few baskets of soup dumplings this morning. I'll go make you a bowl of duck blood soup too... You have to try my cooking!"