Chapter 504: Sacrifice Ceremony, Population Migration

A grand sacrificial ceremony was held outside Shuigu City. The war priests set aside a sacrificial area and built a altar for the main god. They sang ancient songs, lit blazing holy fires, prayed on high altars, and sacrificed the heads of their divine enemies.

The firelight shines and the ritual songs echo. Shulot was wearing the sacrificial robes of a black wolf, holding the "Death Skull" scepter, and stood at the highest point of the several-meter-high altar. He lowered his eyes and looked down. Tens of thousands of Legion soldiers were cheering and praising just outside the altar, like bees all over the mountains and forests. And thousands of Tlaxcala prisoners were crawling at his feet, like a colony of ants covering the field!

".Under the guidance of the gods, I climbed up the sacred mountain and found the ancient temple! The Lord God protected me, and the God of Death gave me a divine object! That is, the head of the mythical black wolf with blood tongue, the skull of the God of Death with divine power '!"

Shulot looked down at the crowd in front of him, feeling the power of divine authority that pointed directly at people's hearts. He held up the brand new scepter in his hand, revealing the black skull on the top of the scepter, declaring his divinity to rule all living beings!

Soon, low exclamations sounded from all directions, accompanied by devout prayers. The Tlaxcala people present were all horrified and confused. They have all heard the myth and legend of the "Death Skull" and believe in the lofty divinity on the sacred mountain. But, why did such a heritage artifact fall into the hands of the Mexica commander?

"I control a powerful legion, and control the power of volcanoes and death! I am named by the God of Death, and I am blessed by the God of Death! A few days ago, on the sacred mountain, the God of Death gave me the god of the Tlaxcala people, which is to Tell you!"

Shulot said one sentence at a time, with strong confidence, like a god.

"From now on, you tribes in Tlaxcala must also obey my guidance! I am inherited from the oldest god of death and am the most noble descendant of gods in the world! You must obey me and surpass those weak snake descendants! "

".ah."

The captured Tlaxcalans fell into silence and panic. They looked around but could not find the guidance of the tribal priests. Because the nobles in the tribe who have the right to speak have long been wiped out by the Mexica people. The surrounding Mexica warriors and Ares priests all gave thunderous cheers in the same language.

"Praise the Supreme God! Praise the Lord of Death!"

"He is the descendant of the God of Death! He is the sun designated by the Lord God!"

Divine smoke rises everywhere, bringing the aura of the Kingdom of God. The scene of the sacrificial ceremony was crazy, with the priests shouting and praying, arousing the emotions and will of all people. And this group fanaticism gradually spread, and finally infected the captured Tlaxcala people, causing them to shout surrender.

"Praise. Respected. Under the Temple of Death!"

Shouts of awe came from the crowd of tens of thousands of captives. Then, the sound gradually became louder and more intense, turning into a chaotic and loud roar.

"Praise be to the mighty Death Temple!"

"He is the descendant of the God of Death!"

“Pray to Him and surrender!”

Shulot raised the skull staff and opened his arms vigorously to welcome the sun rising into the sky! He chanted the prayer aloud in a priestly tone. Afterwards, hundreds of priests of the main god sang loudly together!

"Praise the Lord God! He blesses people! Praise Your Highness! He rules all living beings!"

The grand sacrificial ceremony lasted for a full day. It wasn't until all the Tlaxcala prisoners were exhausted from shouting, and a new sense of awe and obedience was imprinted in their minds, that Shulot announced the end of the ceremony with a hoarse voice.

He didn't know exactly how strong an impact such a sacrificial ceremony could have on the hearts of the captives, and how long it would last. But he knew clearly that in the name of the gods, the seeds of obedience had been planted and a new assimilation was beginning.

In mid-April, the first batch of young captives from Tlaxcala, numbering ten thousand, began to be transported from Water Valley City to the rear.

Under the escort of thousands of Prepecha warriors, they first spent four or five days traveling more than a hundred miles south to the fortress group at the mountain pass. Then, they will walk along the southwest mountain valley road, passing through the Yunshan Village controlled by the South Army Corps. They will travel 200 miles in seven or eight days and walk to Babai Town on the north bank of the Talsas River.

The kingdom's southern navy has been waiting outside Babai Town for a long time. All the Tlaxcala prisoners would board the boats here and turn west. Afterwards, they will go down the long river of Talsas for about 20 days, traveling 800 miles! After passing through Seven Hundred Towns, Six Hundred Towns, Four Hundred Towns, and Two Hundred Towns, we finally entered Atoyak Lake and landed on the south bank of Purple Grass City!

During the entire transfer process, which takes about January, there will be military towns for rest and supply along the way. And Etalik, a veteran of Zicao County, is ready to take in the young and strong prisoners who are constantly being transported. Afterwards, the captives who arrive at Purple Grass City will be split into two. Half of them went west to Apa County to set up village flag teams and develop the vast Apa plain. The other half will retain Zicao County, organize the residents into households, and develop the western lakeside of Zicao County. In fact, it is also the edge of the Apa Plain.

"Now, in the hands of the main force on the South Road, including the transactions with the army commanders of various city-states, a total of 40,000 young men and women are moving to the kingdom!"

Shulot sat cross-legged in the big tent, flipping through the latest records. Every day, personal guards would come from the logistics camp to report the number of prisoners traded that day.

In the hands of the kingdom, there were already 20,000 captured militiamen, who were the first to begin their transfer. In the past half month, the kingdom has obtained more than 20,000 women and children from the three city-state legions, using precious stones and bronze equipment.

At this moment, the three city-state legions have spread out over dozens of miles nearby, searching for the Tlaxcala tribe day and night, and sending back captives continuously. The chief of the Panmang tribe even sent an envoy to recruit a new batch of 3,000 militiamen from the nearest Gaoshan state.

"The Southern Shipbuilding Department has only been in operation for a year and a half, and the kingdom's southern navy is relatively weak. The transportation route is too long, and even if it is transported in sections, only more than 10,000 captives can be transported each month!"

Thinking of this, Xiu Luote frowned slightly and thought carefully.

At this point in the Eastern Expedition, the pre-made plans were all being implemented. The Southern Legion plundered and traded captives, and transported young and strong people to the hinterland of the kingdom along the organized water transport channels to consolidate the foundation of the kingdom. However, the number of Tlaxcala captives captured exceeded the kingdom's expectations. And the actual efficiency of water transport was lower than previously estimated. This was mainly due to the obstruction of the two hundred miles of dangerous roads, which increased the walking distance.

The combination of the two caused a backlog of captives in the Southern Legion.

"Too many prisoners are captured. It's a happy trouble! Fortunately, the army seized a large amount of food in Shuigu City, which can support 40,000 people for a year. If there is no such seizure."

Xuluot smiled, and he had a better impression of the escaped Black Snake.

"Well. The army in Black Wolf's hands has rested and will go east 130 miles to attack the Mountaintop City. There are nearly 100,000 Tlaxcala people in the area of ​​Mountaintop City. The number of prisoners captured by then"

Thinking of this, the king finally made a decision and looked at the samurai leader standing by.

"Bertard!"

"Your Highness."

"Record the royal order."

"Yes!"

"It's already halfway through April, and spring plowing is about to begin. In addition to the 20,000 people who are being transferred, the remaining 20,000 young men and women must cultivate the land in the south of Shuigu City! Let the southern shipyard step up its efforts to manufacture low-cost, easy-to-transport catamaran canoes!"

"At the same time, let Ezpan and Etalik be prepared to incorporate the young and strong people who have migrated into the village flag team as soon as possible, and distribute seed grain and farm tools. They should give priority to replanting corn, and if they don't have time, they should replant pumpkins to fill their stomachs!"

Bertard wrote quickly, and in a moment he drafted a royal order and handed it to His Highness for stamping. Then, several guards entered the tent, took the order with the ink not yet dry, and left in a hurry.

"Your Highness, after August, we can't plant any crops. How should we arrange for the people who move back to the kingdom after that?"

"Yes. For the people who move back after August, we will arrange to build huts, clear the mountains and forests, drain the swamps, and dig canals. In short, tell the two full-power county magistrates not to let the men idle while ensuring food!"

There is a climate advantage in colonizing Central America, that is, there is no need to consider winter and prepare warm thick houses and thick clothes.

"I obey your will!"

Bertard smiled quietly and wrote again.

Xuluot was thinking, but a messenger hurried over. He was sweating all over and his face was as red as a shrimp.

"Your Highness! Urgent military information!"

"Speak!"

"The Mixtecs are moving again! There are thousands of new warriors in Xiaoliu Village, 160 miles to the south!"