With the setting sun disappearing and night approaching, the starry sky shone with a brilliant light. Jiang You and his four companions returned to the Barbarian Region with the carcasses of the remaining forest wolves.
The bonfire on the cliff was already ablaze, and the plump thick - skinned wild boar was being roasted on the grill. The hawkmen gathered around the bonfire, forming a circle. Looking at the roasting wild boar, they all showed eager expressions. Some of the young children of the hawkmen were already drooling.
The thick - skinned wild boar was the fattest and most delicious prey in the Whispering Forest. Even for Jiang You and his group, it was a rare encounter. This time, they happened to come across the wild boar being besieged by wolves and got a bargain, which was unprecedented.
When the roast was finished, Jiang You received a large piece of wild boar meat. After all the hawkmen had eaten and drunk their fill, a gray - feathered, hunched - over old hawkman stood up tremblingly, walked to the bonfire, and said to all the hawkmen with a solemn expression.
"Everyone, all the young and strong men of our tribe, led by Chieftain Yi, have gone to the Hanlin Forest to participate in the war waged by the Thunder Titan. It has been a few days."
"They haven't returned yet, and they must have died long ago!"
"You all know that, right?"
The old hawkman's words were like a freshly torn wound, and the hawkmen in the tribe lowered their heads one after another. Soon, Jiang You heard the sound of crying around him.
The combat strength of the hawkmen was extremely weak. Besides being able to fly, they were almost useless. In such a grand battle, they were like cannon fodder. Slightly affected by a powerful force, they would be wiped out in large numbers.
"Well, it has happened. Our children have become a little more capable. They can help their mothers hunt. Especially You, he even has the ability to kill a forest wolf alone."
The old hawkman continued.
Jiang You had once killed a lone wolf by himself in the past few days.
"Among the wolves, there is always a leader. A tribe cannot be without a leader."
"I propose that You inherit Yi's position and take on the role of chieftain of our Barbarian Region hawkman tribe!"
The old hawkman finally revealed his intention.
He was old, and the tribe was in a difficult situation. Only Jiang You could take on the role of chieftain. Although he was still a young hawkman, he was no worse than an adult hawkman.
As soon as the old hawkman's words fell, the first to support were the young hawkmen around Jiang You's age.
They had long been convinced by Jiang You's ability.
With the support of the young hawkmen, their mothers would not object either. For the sake of the whole tribe, almost half of the hawkmen supported Jiang You as the chieftain.
Moreover, even if there were people who didn't express their opinions, few would object.
Thus, it was settled!
The old hawkman comforted Jiang You with a smile and walked up to him, asking.
"You, are you willing to take on the future of the Barbarian Region hawkman tribe?"
He asked while secretly observing Jiang You's calm expression.
Jiang You didn't hesitate. He replied seriously.
"Elder, I am willing to be the chieftain!"
In this ancient and wild era, there were many dangers. Without extraordinary power, only the strength of the tribe could ensure survival.
He was no longer playing a game. This was reality.
Becoming the tribe's chieftain was also his sincere wish.
After getting along for a few days, he was not heartless. How could he be indifferent?
"Very well, I will change the fate of this tribe of hawkmen."
Jiang You thought to himself.
...
Late at night.
The moonlight shone on the ground.
Jiang You lay on his back on a large bluestone on the cliff, feeling the breeze of the starry night.
"Let me think."
"Regarding the turtle's task, it really didn't mention how to avoid being burned by the Titan's blood."
"But since it was an ordinary turtle, how could it survive bathing in the Titan's blood without leaving the battlefield?"
Thinking of this, Jiang You's eyes lit up!
"When the human empire first rose, the turtle was able to inherit the power of the Thunder Titan. If it had any special abilities, it must be that it was bathed in the blood of the Thunder Titan."
"And the Thunder Titan has always been the nemesis of the entire hawkman race."
"Turtles like water. The secret of the turtle being able to bathe in the Titan's blood without being harmed must lie in the water!"
"Then where is that water? It must be in the Hanlin Forest!"
"To make the Thunder Titan giant bleed, it must be his enemy, the Blue Dragon King, Alator!"
"Only in their battle, a large amount of Titan's blood would be spilled in the forest and fall on the turtle."
"So, the problem is clear. I only need to find the small stream or river where the turtle lives, find the turtle, and understand the secret of how it can bathe in the Titan's blood without being harmed."
"Thus, awaken the extraordinary!"
Jiang You's mind suddenly became clear, and he continued to think.
"However, the Hanlin Forest is not an ordinary place. It is the borderland of the territories of the Titan giants and the dragons, with a large number of powerful subordinate races of both sides stationed there."
"Extraordinary beings of all races are everywhere!"
"If I go rashly, I will surely be killed!"
"No one would care about a hawkman! Even if he is on the side of the Titans."
"There is only one way to go there, and that is to respond to the hawkman royal court's conscription like the fathers in the past few days and go to the Hanlin Forest as part of the hawkman army!"
"I only need to set off quickly after receiving the conscription order and reach the Hanlin Forest as soon as possible."
"The hawkmen are like cannon fodder soldiers. If I go early, I will surely be selected for the reconnaissance team. By then, I will be able to find the hiding place of the turtle."
As his thoughts progressed step by step, Jiang You came up with a preliminary plan in his mind.
"The royal court seems to conscript hawkmen soldiers from each hawkman tribe every few years."
"So, I only have seven years. I must seize the opportunity!"