Clang, clang, clang!
The triple toll of a dull bell pierced through the Gu Yuan Tribe's space, unsettling the formerly peaceful Tribe.
Today was the day the Gu Yuan Tribe held their clan meeting, and also the first official gathering of clan stewards since Xiao Chen assumed his role as clan leader. Hoping to leave a good impression on Xiao Chen, the stewards had already arrived at the central assembly hall of the tribe.
The tribal assembly hall was constructed in the grand and robust style typical of the continent. It was about five to six meters high, with a depth of tens of meters, appearing as if it was randomly pieced together from giant stones. Inside the hall were more than a hundred stone chairs arranged on either side, guarding a towering green-colored seat at the center.
Xiao Chen was now widely regarded in the tribe. The thrilling tales of Xiao Chen's exploits, described in vivid detail by the rescued ladies, had already been spread throughout every corner of the tribe.
In addition, his decisive action against the traitors and his reluctance to implicate the innocent had won him the support of the majority of the tribe's people.
The Gu Yuan Tribe was a multi-surname alliance tribe. Not only was this true of the Gu Yuan Tribe, but most of the tribes in the ancient wilderness were formed by alliances of several clans. The Gu Yuan Tribe consisted of over thirty clans, but after more than eight hundred years of intermarriage and procreation, the entire tribe had already become inseparable.
"The leader is here!"
At the sound of a loud cry, the attendees, who were previously engaged in casual conversation, quickly found their own seats, appearing very formal and serious.
Xiao Chen, dressed in his military uniform and carrying an air of authority despite his youthful appearance, strode through the main entrance and took his seat in the center of the hall.
The onlookers marveled at the imposing figure of Xiao Chen on the main seat, an era belonging to Xiao Chen was about to dawn for the Gu Yuan Tribe!
With Xiao Chen's Martial Arts prowess at the Blood Refining Realm, his position as tribal leader was unshakeable. Also, his thundering tactic of ruthlessly executing hundreds of traitors had greatly deterred those mischief-makers within the tribe.
"We acknowledge the Leader!"
Seeing Xiao Chen sitting confidently on the main seat, all the attendees stood up and roared together. The unrelenting cries seemed to pierce the heavens, reverberating three times around the great hall.
After the ceremony, everyone took their seats, waiting for Xiao Chen's next words. Several pairs of eyes focused on him in sync.
Seeing everyone looking at him, Xiao Chen didn't feel the slightest bit nervous. Over half a year of living in this world, combined with being the tribe's top warrior, had all contributed to his confidence.
In this world where martial power was supreme, having strength was synonymous with having authority. Glancing at the people below, these were the bedrock figures of the entire tribe. After all, the future development of the Gu Yuan Tribe couldn't rely on Xiao Chen alone.
"Fellow tribesmen, as the new incumbent leader, I fear I can't safeguard the ancestral property for the next eight hundred years, nor protect every man, woman, and child of our ten-thousand-people tribe without your help. I am here to give my thanks to you all."
"We dare not accept such praise, leader. All the credits go to you as our leader, we've merely made insignificant contributions," they politely protested.
Xiao Chen didn't pay heed to the flattery. He knew that most of them were merely acknowledging his strength. An understanding that even a fierce beast could dominate the forest if it possessed sufficient strength.
"You all know that yesterday we purged a group of treacherous insiders who had sowed discord in our tribe over the past year, causing chaos and public suffering. Therefore, as your tribal leader, I need to review the current state of our tribe's assets."
Xiao Chen's words were somewhat cold, making those present unconsciously tighten their clothes. The blood of the traitors outside had yet to fully dry, and they deeply feared that this young tribal king might find another reason to use them as further examples.
Not long after Xiao Chen's words fell, an elderly tribesman, who was slightly trembling as he stood up, revealed that he was Xiao Tan, the administrator in charge of the livelihood of the tribe, and in fact, he had some blood relation with Xiao Chen.
"Chief, our Gu Yuan Tribe currently has a population of thirteen thousand and seven hundred. Of which, there are five thousand three hundred and twenty-three adult males, four thousand eight hundred and twenty-six women, one thousand one hundred and twenty-six children, and one thousand eight hundred and thirty-two elderly and disabled. As per your instructions, the original unit of eight hundred Clan Soldiers has now reached over one thousand five hundred soldiers."
After the elderly Xiao Tan clearly reported the population situation of the Gu Yuan Tribe to Xiao Chen, another person stood up and continued, "Because our tribe has been squeezed and exploited by nearby tribes this year, our food reserves can only barely last about three months, and also...."
.......
"Where is the caretaker of the weapons depot? What condition are our tribal weapons and equipment in?" Xiao Chen impatiently interrupted their ongoing descriptions of various aspects of the tribe.
This was not to say that those things were unimportant, but the Gu Yuan Tribe was now facing a large enemy. Xiao Chen believed that Xiong Li of the Black Mountain Tribe would surely pour all his efforts into revenge against Gu Yuan. This day would not be far away. Only by fully preparing for battle, managing the crisis, and looking beyond the day of the old clan leader's departure, could the Gu Yuan Tribe truly enter the era of Xiao Chen!
Seeing Xiao Chen's impatient tone, everyone ceased speaking. Lin Shan, with his distinct throaty voice, began speaking, "Chief, our tribe's equipment losses this year have been massive. Especially since those animals secretly sold the weapons to other tribes, the situation is desperate. We now have fifty sets of low-grade leather armor, over nine hundred inferior armors, twenty low-grade war bows, and a combination of over a thousand and three hundred other weapons like long spears, and war sabers."
Bang!
Hearing Lin Shan's report, Xiao Chen's anger surged from his heart, causing him to involuntarily stand up and smack the armrest of his stone chair, "These dogs who betray our tribe deserve to die a thousand deaths!"
The Chief's thunderous fury instantly made the temperature in the hall plummet below zero. His angry roar caused the tribe people present to be silent in fear. They all cast down their heads, lest they upset the young chief.
It is said that one's temperament and attributes are greatly influenced by their environment and strength. Now Xiao Chen, being a warrior of the Blood Refining Realm, is truly the leading figure in the Gu Yuan Tribe, holding great power. His words can dictate the life and death of thousands. It's only natural for the tribe's people to fear him.
While Gu Yuan Tribe may not compare to other higher-ranking tribes, it has an eight hundred years old legacy. However, after this legacy was passed down to Xiao Chen, the tribe's weaponry saw massive losses, leaving only these damaged items, let alone high-grade weapons which were already scant.
The weapons of the ancient wasteland are also divided into grades such as low, middle, and high. Each weapon bearing a grade is very precious. As for the Gu Yuan Tribe, the number of classed weapons produced each year never exceeds a hundred, not only because of difficulty in manufacturing but also due to the rarity of the materials.
Seeing the reaction of the crowd, Xiao Chen took a deep breath, forcibly suppressed his displeasure, and realised that the shortage of weapons had to be made up in other ways. "In that case, immediately after the clan meeting ends, allocate these equipment to all the Clan Soldiers so they can adapt to their weapons as soon as possible".
After observing for a few days, Xiao Chen discovered that the Gu Yuan Tribe's management level was very chaotic with entangled and overlapping functions between departments.
To seize the power of the tribe and prevent others from being obedient in appearance but inwardly rebellious, a reappointment of the management layer is needed. Xiao Chen, earlier didn't possess the power and reputation to do this, but now was the right time, to tackle the problem head-on.
With this in mind, Xiao Chen interrupted their noisy arguments and said "Everyone, calm down and listen to me. Yesterday, we cleaned up a group of traitors from the tribe, and this has left some positions vacant. There is also some overlap in tasks, therefore, we need to reshuffle."
Without considering the expressions of the others, Xiao Chen continued, "Starting from now, the person known as 'Iron Stone' will be appointed as the Great Elder in charge of the clan's teaching. Lin Shan will be appointed as the 'Second Elder' responsible for the tribe's defense. Xiao Tan will be appointed as the Elder in charge of the tribe's internal affairs. Mu Qing will replace the Old Ancestor as the Tribal Doctor, and in charge of tribe's medical affairs. Ding Shan will be appointed as the commander of the Clan Soldiers and will control compulsory military service. The Clan Soldiers will be divided into two parts, each managed by Lin Shan and Ding Shan. In peaceful times, they will guard our tribe and during war, they will unite to fight against other tribes under my command. All elders can choose their assistants from the tribe."
Without asking anyone else's opinion, Xiao Chen unilaterally made a massive reshuffle in the tribe. All major posts were replaced with people loyal to him. Sometimes, nepotism can be a necessary method to quickly seize power and concentrate strength.'
Xiao Chen's move undoubtedly caused an uproar among the tribe. Even though there wasn't much change in middle management, these shifts had given Xiao Chen tight control over most crucial positions, which truly made some of the tribe people's faces turn sour. However, they were deterred by Xiao Chen's strength and didn't dare to revolt.
For those who were disoriented, a moment of disdain flashed in Xiao Chen's heart. "Fence sitters never end well. When the tribe encounters a disaster, one should think about fighting for the clan rather than waiting for changes in the tribe and then shift sides. Humph! Do you think it's that easy?"
One could imagine how Xiao Chen's move would cause big waves in the tribe. The tribe's senior members ended the meeting under Xiao Chen's strong and unstoppable attitude. As for who was happy and who was gloomy, that was not something outsiders needed to concern themselves with.