Zhao Hai's performance left Mendez with an incredibly good impression. Adding that to how Zhao Hai saved Wales before and even helped out after that, Mendez's impression of Zhao Hai was much better than those of the other human merchants.
After some laugh-filled conversation, Zhao Hai spoke to Wales, "Wales, my brother, what are you going to do now? Food isn't an issue, but if you want to overthrow Gasol, you must have a chartered course. Moving on without thinking isn't going to work."
Wales did a double take at that. To put it seriously, he still didn't have a specific plan laid out. He just wanted to use grains to pull in the other branch races, and there wasn't a more detailed plan of action after that.
Zhao Hai glanced at Wales and said, "My brother Wales, I think that you should have a more detailed plan, but I can't help you much when it comes to this matter. You too know that I'm a human, and I don't know you herculean bulls well enough. If I help you too much, it might have the opposite effect, so this matter is up to you yourselves. But after you plan things out, then you can tell me how to proceed. If you don't want to attract attention, we can proceed separately. You just need to tell me where to deliver the food."
Wales glanced at Zhao Hai, "My brother, the timing of your reminder is too perfect. I do have something to discuss with you right now. I hope you can agree to it."
Zhao Hai asked with incomprehension, "What's the matter, brother Wales? If it's something I can do, I will do my best to help."
Wales looked at Zhao Hai with a stern expression, "My brother Zhao Hai, I wish to conduct a Beheading Blood Oath with you."
Zhao Hai was startled and he looked at Wales with confusion. Laura and the others were also confused. Mendez and Yale looked at Wales with shock.
The Beheading Blood Oath was a very special oath among beastmen. This oath wasn't made by 1 person, but 2. Using Earth's words, it was called 'bond swearing'.
Only, the beastmen treated this oath with even more importance, because once 2 people made this oath, they would be like born siblings. Neither one could betray the other, or there would be disdain from all of the beastmen. Even more severely, the betrayer would be hunted down.
The Beheading Blood Oath wasn't something that required your own blood. It required the 2 people who were making the oath to cut down the head of an argali together at the same time, and then collect the goat's blood with a bowl before drinking it simultaneously. None of the 2 would be able to betray the other. When the other was in trouble, one had to do their best to help. Even if it meant bankrupting the family fortune or shattering the body, there must be no regrets.
Do not assume that this blood oath would be done willy-nilly. According to the beastmen, this blood oath was done under the witness of Beast God. If someone broke the oath, they would receive punishment from Beast God.
As for the importance the beastmen placed on the Beheading Blood Oath, it could be seen that, even though the argali was just a level 1 magic beast, it was the most important magic beast for the beastmen. That was why they wouldn't easily make this oath with others. Even with one of the same race, not to mention someone of another.
On the Beastmen Prairie, it had been a long time since it was last heard that someone had made the Beheading Blood Oath, and that was between 2 beastmen. A Beheading Blood Oath between a beastman and a human had never been heard of.
It was exactly because of this that humans had never heard of the beastmen's Beheading Blood Oath, as not even their records would detail it. Because such an oath was absolutely meaningless to humans, Laura and the others had never heard of this oath.
Wales knew that Zhao Hai and the others had never heard of what the Beheading Blood Oath was about from the looks on their faces. He explained, "My brother, the Beheading Blood Oath is the most important oath us beastmen can swear. Once the oath is made, we become true brothers…" And then he explained the meaning and process of the oath to them.
Zhao Hai and the others listened to Wales quietly. The Beheading Blood Oath was a bloody oath. In reality, the weight of the oath might be heavier than the beheading.
Beheading was simple. Countless people would be decapitated in a single battle, but very few people would stake their own lives to help their own friends when in trouble. The weight of the oath could be seen from this.
Zhao Hai went silent for a long while after Wales finished explaining. He understood that the Beheading Blood Oath was equal to Earth's bond swearing, like 'the oath of the peach garden'.
If there was a country on Earth that saw the most importance in oaths like these, it would be China for sure. Not the modern China. It was ancient China.
The oath of the three men in the peach garden was fabled to this day, which surely had its own logic to it. Perhaps only that oath could compare to the beastmen's Beheading Blood Oath.
The oath which the beastmen put so much emphasis on made Zhao Hai feel very bewildered. He didn't know what to do, because he really didn't want to enter a conflict between beastmen. But if he really became brothers with Wales, sworn by blood, then he wouldn't be able to avoid doing so. This went against his original intentions.
Laura and the others didn't speak either. This situation made them feel awkward as well. If Zhao Hai didn't agree, the cooperation between them and Wales would be hard to progress. But if he agreed, they would have to involve themselves in the succession conflict. This wasn't a good thing to them.
Zhao Hai raised his head, only to find that Wales was staring at him with very sincere eyes. This made it even harder for Zhao Hai.
The relationship between Zhao Hai and Wales wasn't even at the point of making such an oath, to be honest. But now that Wales suggested it, if Zhao Hai didn't agree, it would be too hurtful to Wales.
Wales' personality was different from his. Zhao Hai didn't have any grand ambitions, while Wales did. He wasn't proud, while Wales was. The 2 of them didn't seem to have a lot in common, but circumstances had put the 2 of them together.
Zhao Hai suddenly wanted to laugh when he looked at Wales. Bond swearing? He never thought of such a thing before, even on Earth. He didn't expect that a bull-headed person would seek to form a bond after he came to another world. This was too interesting.
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Zhao Hai's mood suddenly became better when he thought of this. If he really wanted to calculate, he wouldn't have much of a loss either. If he swore with Wales, then he had to do his best to help Wales become the Herculean Bull Tribe's chieftain. Even if he didn't swear, wasn't he helping Wales to become chieftain anyway? What was the difference between bonding and otherwise? Maybe it was just a formality.
Zhao Hai suddenly laughed loudly and stood up after an exhale, "Then what are we waiting for, my brother Wales!"
Wales let out a sigh of relief when he heard what Zhao Hai said. He laughed, "Good, my brother! I've been waiting for those words of yours! 6th brother, teacher, let's make preparations."
Mendez and Yale heeded with a sound, and walked out of the tent. They were still somewhat confused about Wales' actions, but they didn't object.
Actually, the rite didn't need preparations. Beastmen didn't have as many customs as humans did. For the beastmen, it was too troublesome to have so many customs, so they didn't need them.
After Mendez and Yale walked out of the tent, Wales dragged Zhao Hai out of the tent as well. By the time Wales did so, Mendez and Yale had prepared the things. There wasn't a lot to prepare, actually. Yale brought a bowl, Mendez pulled an argali over, and an escort brought a flying axe.
A flying axe was a small axe to the beastmen, but don't forget that it weighed 10 kilos as well. For beastmen, who had great physical strength, it wouldn't be a problem to decapitate the head of an argali.
With those 3 things, it was time for the rite to begin. Zhao Hai and Wales arrived next to the argali. It was a large one, so it was an adult. It was being pressed down to its knees by 2 escorts.
Wales turned to Zhao Hai and said, "My brother, according to the rules of the oath, we must both chop down its head at the same time. But from what I'm seeing, I don't think you can lift an axe, can you?"
Zhao Hai made a bitter smile, "My brother, not only can I not lift an axe, I can't even chop a goat's head off. I think we should leave the head chopping to you, while I get the blood. How about that?"
Wales laughed candidly, "Alright, my brother! Let's do that!" He then grabbed the flying axe with one hand, while Zhao Hai took the large bowl and stood next to the argali under Mendez's instruction.
Zhao Hai had never taken a life this violently before, so he didn't didn't know how to catch the goat blood. Mendez had done it before, but had never done so during a Beheading Blood Oath.
Soon, they were all prepared. Wales shouted and swung the axe down toward the argali's neck like a lightning strike. The flying axe was too sharp, and with Wales' brute strength, it was like it met no resistance. Just a single chop was enough to cut the head of the argali clean off of its body.
The head flew far away because of the blood pressure, which caused the blood to spray out like a geyser. Mendez was indeed experienced, as the position which he had instructed Zhao Hai to stand at was enough for Zhao Hai to avoid the blood splattering. Not a single drop of blood fell on Zhao Hai as it happened.
Zhao Hai didn't immediately collect the blood. Instead, he waited until the blood wasn't spraying so fiercely. He then moved the bowl to fill it completely with goat blood.
Wales then handed the flying axe to his subordinate, while the 2 escorts who held down the argali moved it away as well. They were going to 'process' it immediately in order to eat it after a moment.
Just then, Wales walked to the bowl of goat blood which Zhao Hai had put on the ground. He and Zhao Hai knelt down together, and he spoke out loud, "Magnificent Beast God! Under your witness, I and Zhao Hai swear the Beheading Blood Oath! Starting from today, we are brothers tied by blood! If I violate this oath, I shall be trampled by 10000 beasts and become puree!"