Chapter 227 Goodbye

The mighty night wind rose from the bonfire and merged into the vast dark sky. It flew northwest, passing through the Mexica camp where people were singing all night long, passing through hundreds of miles of silent wilderness, and arriving at the cold and chilling lake plains.

The night is deep and the night is getting brighter. Deserted villages were scattered across the fields, and a few torches flickered dimly between the villages, then slowly extinguished in the night wind. And on the distant skyline, there was finally a distant glimmer of light again, outlining the shadow of a majestic city.

Chihuaco, an old militiaman, stood in front of an abandoned house holding a spear. He looked absently at the twilight sky for a while, then silently looked at the Royal Capital in the sky, sighed thoughtfully, and then turned around and entered the house.

In the spacious house, there were more than a dozen warriors from the militia lying scattered about. Weezti was wearing a turban, sitting in the corner with his legs crossed, and nodded to his uncle with a low expression. Chihuaco said "Hmm" and looked around. Several other old brothers were also there, yawning, lowering their heads to adjust their leather armor, and then carrying their spears and daggers with them.

"Hurry! It's almost dawn! Brothers, get up quickly! Let's leave when we can see our feet clearly!"

The old militiaman greeted loudly and walked quickly to the center of the big house. Everyone got up and got busy, except the captain Puap who still had his eyes closed tightly, as if he was sleeping like a turkey. Chihuaco lowered his head and saw that the warrior master had sweat on his head and was humming and talking in his sleep, just like a stupid owl that couldn't wake up.

The old militiaman curled his lips and reached out to pat Puap's face. The warrior master shuddered, turned over suddenly, and shrank into a hedgehog again.

"Master, master! We are leaving! Wake up, wake up quickly!"

Hearing the sound, Puap shook his head in confusion. He raised his arms in his sleep, blocked his ears with his shoulders, and continued to huddle.

Seeing this, Chihuaco's face darkened and he frowned.

Yesterday, the Mexicans chased them all the way, and the few teams that were lagging behind were completely killed. The screams behind them continued all the way. Fortunately, everyone was from the militia and was used to walking in the countryside, so they could run very fast. After running away like a hare for half the night, the Mexicans were far behind. When it was completely dark, the torches in everyone's hands were burned out, and the road under their feet was completely unclear, they stopped to rest in a deserted village.

After running all the way, the brothers were so tired that they fell asleep as soon as they lay down. Only the samurai master sighed and muttered in a daze all night, talking about the king and the chief. He was not at all as smart and capable as usual, and he didn't know when he fell asleep.

The old militiaman glanced around and saw that the brothers had already packed up. He finally stopped waiting, raised his right hand, slapped the samurai captain hard, and then shouted loudly.

"Sir, the Jaguar warrior is catching up!"

"What? Jaguar?! Go, go!"

Puap suddenly woke up from his dream. He stood up from the ground like a rabbit and groped around in panic, looking for a personal weapon. The old militiaman forced a smile, stretched out his hand to shake the warrior master's arm, and said respectfully.

"Sir, it's almost dawn, and the Mexicans are right behind us. Let's go quickly!"

Puap looked around and saw a dozen well-equipped militia warriors, and then he breathed a sigh of relief. He raised his hand and was about to slap Chihuaco. The old militiaman took a step back and looked at him with a smile in his eyes, holding a sharp spear in his hand. Puap paused with his big hand in the air, turned his head and looked around, his pupils shrank slightly, then he put on a smile and patted the old militiaman on the shoulder affectionately.

"Okay, okay! Old man Qi, thank you and the brothers for this journey! When I return to the capital, I will definitely ask for your credit in person in front of the chief!"

Chihuaco nodded respectfully and said nothing with a smile. He looked at the surrounding militiamen and shouted sharply.

"You bunch of idiots, why don't you come and help me put on my armor!"

Under the leadership of several old brothers, the surrounding militiamen came as ordered and helped Puap put on leather armor. The samurai captain looked around. Most of his trusted samurai were separated at night, and the rest were militiamen who formed groups. He was stunned, then smiled and nodded to everyone, wisely remaining silent.

The sky gradually became brighter, and the remaining soldiers packed up their gear. Everyone gathered from the surrounding houses, and there were actually fifty or sixty people.

The old militiamen looked carefully and found that half of them were remnants of unknown units, and their armor was also badly damaged. Chihuaco thought for a while, then divided out a few subordinates, simply divided the remaining soldiers into groups, and roughly controlled them. Soon, as soon as it got light, the old militia asked Puap to raise the captain's flag and led everyone on the road quickly.

Outside the village, senior scout Nekali and several top soldiers were making a fire in the fields to cook and take a break. He is the most elite scout. He has no shortage of meat on weekdays and can also rely on the moonlight to identify the road. After the battle, the Mexica warriors pursued and killed them all night long. The reinforcements from the royal capital dispersed one after another, and most of them were captured like turkeys. Necali stayed up all night and made an assault all the way here.

The bonfire slowly simmered, softening the corn tortillas filled with water, and evaporating the smell of blood from the leather armor. Necali wiped her hands on the long grass, leaving a dark red stain behind. Then, he picked up the hot corn tortillas and devoured it, eating it in just a few bites.

Necali exhaled contentedly, bowed her head and licked the dewdrops on the grass in the morning, and stood up quietly on the grass. He took advantage of the faint morning light and looked around like a beast, looking for his next target. Soon, the senior scout's eyes narrowed, and the excitement before hunting appeared on his face again.

"Quick, eat quickly! There is a group of remnant soldiers outside the village in the northwest, let's go and eat them!"

Hearing this, several scouts looked northwest together. A scout swallowed his food, looked at his palm, and asked hesitantly.

"Boss, there are warriors with two palms and one palm there, but we only have one palm. I'm afraid we can't beat them, right?"

"No! These Tarasco troops are just hares running away in a hurry, and we are the cheetahs of Mexico! As long as we make a surprise attack, the hares will just like last night, shouting and fleeing, leaving the cheetahs to prey. !”

As he spoke, Necali narrowed his eyes and looked carefully. After a moment, raging anger rose from his heart. He saw a familiar figure, wearing a rare turban and carrying a common spear. The battle in Lake Eureria came to his mind again.

"Damn it, that cunning black fish and those cunning hares are still alive! Stop making noise and come with me!"

Necali suddenly pulled out his war stick and rushed towards the enemy in the distance first. The scouts were stunned, and had no choice but to take out their weapons, follow the captain's footsteps, and attack together.

"Ah! Mexica! The Jaguar warriors are catching up!"

The dark green uniform suddenly appeared on the field, catching the eyes of Tarasco's remaining soldiers. The scout warriors ran quickly and howled in terror. The two sides were still a mile apart, and the Tarasco militiamen were already in chaos. More than two dozen dispersed militiamen turned around and fled, while the rest were on the verge of disintegration.

"Old man Qi, the Jaguar Warrior is here! Let's go!"

There was panic among the remaining soldiers, and Puap's expression became panic-stricken. He grabbed the old militiaman's arm and urged him urgently.

Chihuaco felt uneasy in his heart, but his face remained calm. He stood on tiptoes and tried to look into the distance, clasping his fingers in his hands.

"Impossible, how can a Mexican run faster than a rabbit! Three Gods, there are simply more enemies than wolves! There are one, two, three, four, five, five of them. Huh?!"

The old militiaman was stunned and quickly clapped his fingers again. He straightened his back suddenly, pushed aside the panicked Puap, and shouted loudly to his brothers.

"Stupid idiots, don't panic! The enemy only has one hand, not a jaguar warrior! We can defeat him! Quick, form a formation, form a spear formation. Just like on the lake, just like the mouth of the river, form a formation and stab them to death!"

While talking, the old militiaman turned his spear and used the blunt spear shaft to beat the confused old subordinates head and face. Weziti also brought six old brothers to help with punches and kicks. Soon, the Tarasco militiamen equipped with more than twenty warriors formed a hasty spear formation, with dozens of spear tips flashing with cold light, and faced the Mexica warriors who rushed in front of them.

Seeing the enemies forming a formation, Nekali was stunned. He gritted his teeth and flexibly moved around to both sides, continuing to howl in a threatening manner. Several other scouts also arrived quickly and began to circle around the gun array, swinging their war clubs from time to time.

Puap stood dumbly behind the gun formation, and only then did he react. He looked at the end of the field and saw no more enemies. He felt ashamed and his face turned blue and red. The brave gray earth warrior glanced at the old militiaman who was commanding the gun formation, then suddenly let out a roar and killed directly towards the leader Necali.

On the other side, the old militiamen watched for a moment in the formation and then shouted sharply.

"Left front, progress, poke!"

Nearly ten militiamen turned to the left, thrust out their spears, and stabbed a scout to the ground with random shots. The loose formation of guns was slightly scattered. The remaining three elite scouts rushed in from the gap without hesitation, knocking down five or six militiamen with just one blow.

"Brothers, look for it, let's poke together!"

Chihuaco continued to shout, took the lead in thrusting his spear, and stabbed a scout in the thigh. The opponent immediately lost his balance and fell to the ground screaming in pain and bleeding. The other six brothers were also battle-hardened, and under the cover of the militiamen, they stabbed accurately. After just two back and forth, the other two scouts were also knocked to the ground.

"Gather around and help the samurai master!"

Chihuaco shouted again, and the remaining dozen militiamen waved their spears and surrounded Necali, who had already gained the upper hand.

"Cowardly samurai! Damn the hares!"

Necali brandished his war club and roared with rage. Under the command of Chihuaco, Tarasco militiamen gradually joined the battlefield. Puap took advantage of the situation and took a step back, gasping for air and wiping the sweat from his forehead.

The number of shining spears increased rapidly, gradually surrounding Necali. The senior warrior moved quickly, trying his best to wave the shield and war club in his hand to block the militiamen's thrusts, but the space for dodge was getting smaller and smaller. Finally, he roared in despair, looked in the direction of Chihuaco, and threw the copper ax in his hand with all his strength. But the opponent nimbly lowered his head and raised his shield, blocking it as steadily as a turtle.

The battle lasted only a moment, and Nekali was surrounded by more than a dozen bronze spears. The hunter becomes the prey in a blink of an eye, and death is just around the corner. The senior scout bit his lip angrily and shouted unwillingly.

"Damn turtle! I am a military noble of Mexico, and I am a direct warrior of the royal family! I want to have a sacred and honorable duel with your leader!"

"Stop! Stop! Stay alive!"

Hearing Necali's cry, Chihuaco was startled, and quickly raised his hands, and the militiamen stopped in unison. The sharp bronze spear tip was chilling and pressed against the senior scout's vitals, making him unable to even turn around.

"What did you say? You, a military noble? Have you seen the Marshal of Mexico?"

Chihuaco, the old militiaman, took two steps closer and gestured to Necali with difficulty in a dialect similar to that of the eastern mountains and Mexica people.

"Of course! I am a direct warrior of the royal family and have served the king for generations! I am the most outstanding scout. His Highness, who is good at fighting, often meets with me personally to listen to intelligence on the battlefield! Old warrior, are you their leader? I want to fight with you Fight!"

Necali glanced at the old militiaman and replied directly in fluent Tarasco Royal Capital.

"Okay! Mumu, except for his weapons, tie him up first!"

The old militiaman smiled and nodded, turning a deaf ear to Necali's request, and directly shouted orders. Vezti immediately obeyed the order and took action. He first hit the opponent's arm with a spear pole, then took away the shield and war club, and finally put the senior scout to the ground, tying his hands behind his back like a wild deer.

"Damn Heiyu, how dare you tie up your family... ugh... ugh!"

Beaten again by hooded militiamen, Necali's eyes burned with rage. He struggled hard and cursed angrily, and then there was a piece of gray cloth in his mouth, with a choking smell of sweat.

Chihuaco stood aside and thought for a moment, always feeling that something was wrong. So he scratched his head and walked directly to Puap.

"Sir, if the king dies, what will happen behind the capital?"

Chihuaco approached Puap and asked respectfully.

Upon hearing this question, Puap looked sad. He glanced at the old militiaman and replied lowly.

"The inherited cocoa tree fell suddenly, and the hummingbirds struggled feebly in the wind. The kingdom had no reinforcements, and the people of the capital were scattered and could not defend it for a long time. No matter how the chief maintained it, the majestic capital would be destroyed in a few months at most. The Mexica captured."

"And once the Mexica troops come to the city, those shameless nobles and incompetent priests will secretly scramble to send envoys. They will sell the capital to the Mexica His Highness in exchange for conditions to protect themselves!"

Hearing this, Chihuaco exclaimed in admiration.

"Master is wise! When the fox digs out the burrow, the rabbit will run around. The slower ones will become the fox's food. The black bear digs down the big tree, and the monkey will run around. Who will care about the fruits on the tree? ? All become food for black bears.”

As he spoke, the old militiaman was thoughtful. His eyes became deep, his voice gradually became deeper, and an inexplicable smile appeared on his face.

"Sir, the king is dead, the army is defeated, and the kingdom's road is coming to an end! This war will soon determine the winner. It is a king's war, a noble's war, a priest's war, but it is not Our war! It will destroy everything about the king, but it is our opportunity!"

Hearing this, Puap looked in surprise. Chihuaco paused and pointed to the barren fields, where weeds were growing lushly.

"Look, Master! The cocoa tree has fallen, the corn stalks have fallen, and the weeds have grown taller and taller, and they all look like small trees! Master, do you want to fall down, or do you want to grow into a small tree?" ?”

Puap's expression changed, but he didn't react as violently as last time. The seeds he planted had already sprouted in his heart. He once again looked at the spear that Chihuaco was holding tightly, then glanced at the several militiamen surrounding him, and asked cautiously in a low voice.

"Lao Qi, what do you mean?"

"In the face of danger, the rabbit has to run faster than others, but the black bear only needs fruit. Master, there is a suitable candidate in front of you!"

"Ah, this one runs fast and offers fruit? A suitable candidate?"

Hearing this, Puap's eyes flashed. He turned his head and looked at Necali who was tightly bound.

"You mean that's true. But the family has been passed down from generation to generation, and the chief treats me very well!"

"Sir, your family has been loyal for generations and cannot be cut off here! His Highness Mexica has always been clear about rewards and punishments, and prefers civilian warriors. With your talent, if you can achieve great achievements, you will definitely obtain a high position. And if you can obtain a high position, then you can There is a chance to take care of the chief family in the destined future. No matter what, it is better than letting the nobles and priests run ahead."

After Chihuaco finished speaking, the two fell silent. The long wind blows through the grass, making a rustling sound and bringing the breath of spring grass. After a while, Puap sighed.

"Oh! It's true. The chief treats me well. I always have to find opportunities to take care of the chief's family."

The old militiaman nodded calmly and asked in a low voice.

"Master, that's exactly what it is! Then, shall I go and talk to him?"

Puap was silent again. He lowered his head and thought for a while before speaking quietly.

"Yeah. When I return to the capital this time, I will try to guard the south gate. There will be the sound of the night owl at night. Forget it, things that are too troublesome are always easy to get wrong. This is my talisman."

Chihuaco listened carefully, and suddenly felt a cold feeling in his left hand. He looked up and saw that there was an extra jade talisman.

".The master is wise!"

A sincere smile appeared on the old militiaman's face again. He bowed respectfully, clenched the spear and jade talisman in his hand, and strode up to Necali.

Necali was tied to the ground, shouting "woo hoo". He looked at the approaching spear of the old militiaman and the ferocious smiling face of the other party. He struggled more and more fiercely and shouted hysterically.

The old militiaman stood firmly, smiled and poked the pattern on Necali's uniform, then used the tip of his spear to count the patterns of military exploits on it, and nodded with satisfaction. Then, he stared indifferently for a moment, until beads of sweat formed on Necali's head, and then waved his hand to let the militiamen in custody disperse. Then, Chihuaco lowered his head to the senior scout's ear and whispered a few words.

Nekali's shouting suddenly stopped. He stared at the old warrior in front of him with his eyes wide open in disbelief. Chivaco smiled, took the gray cloth out of Nekali's mouth, and untied the ropes on his hands and feet.

"You? You! Damn it! Did you really mean what you said just now?"

The senior scout shouted excitedly several times, then quickly calmed down and asked in a low voice.

"Of course! Since it's just a weed, you have to find a way to survive. Your Highness treats the people in the lake area better than these nobles. If you can hurry up and catch up with this year's spring plowing, the lake area can also save many people from dying."

The old militia was also a little excited, but he quickly lowered his eyes and sighed deeply. Then, he was silent for a long time, and then he stretched out his hand and shook Nekali's hand.

"Here, keep it."

"Is this a token?"

"Yes. It's also a token of trust from your Highness."

The two were speechless again. Nekali held the token tightly, remained silent, and slowly stood up from the ground. He looked at the scouts who followed him, now they had turned into cold corpses. He looked at the militiamen who fell nearby, also turned into cold corpses. He looked around again, under the bright sky, in the vast wilderness, there was only a lonely village. In front of the village, there were a dozen dusty militiamen, and himself, who was captured and released with sweat all over his head.

A ridiculous smile appeared on the face of the senior scout. He looked at the deep Chihuaco, and then at the wooden Vesti, with thousands of emotions surging in his heart, but he only said a brief greeting.

"Goodbye. Purépecha people."

"Goodbye, Mexica goodbye, the sooner the better!"

Nekali nodded, and the greeting words dissipated in the wind. The morning sun rose to the sky, and the two groups of people turned and said goodbye. They ran towards the end of each other's mind, and at the same time waited for a new starting point.