The Monster is Coming

Chapter 465 Sunset in Star Valley, Legacy of an Era

As dawn broke, the Rongling people embarked on their journey back to their homeland with an almost pilgrimage-like feeling.

After passing through the burned-to-the-ground territory of the fierce tribe, the view ahead suddenly opened up.

Upon seeing the scene before them, even the youngest Rongling let out an instinctive gasp of amazement.

This is a beautiful scene, like a painting.

The fertile black soil in Xingxing Valley looks like it could be squeezed to extract oil, the winding streams are crystal clear, dotted with colorful berry bushes like stars, and the distant mountains surround it like a natural barrier.

The air quality here is better than in Yongquan Basin, and every breath makes Tu Hu feel refreshed.

The valley was silent, with only the sounds of wind and birdsong, proving that this place was now unclaimed.

"We...are back." Alan's voice trembled as it bent down and gently touched the land that bore witness to the blood, tears, and glory of its people.

This time, they were no longer fleeing in panic, but returned to their homeland as conquerors and inheritors.

In the days that followed, there was no rest.

Under Tu Hu's overall planning, the Rongling people have shown unprecedented enthusiasm for building this long-awaited homeland.

The mountains surrounding Xingxing Valley are rich in mineral resources of excellent quality, far exceeding those of Yongquan Basin.

Tu Hu personally surveyed several mineral veins, and new mining sites were quickly established.

He improved mining techniques by using supports to facilitate tunnel excavation, which greatly increased mining depth and safety.

At the foot of the mountain, several larger and more robust blast furnaces rose from the ground.

Tu Hu designed a combustion enhancement system that utilizes the constant wind direction of the valley. Through the design of pipes and chimneys, the furnace temperature can be maintained at a stable level without the need for frequent manual ventilation.

When the first batch of molten iron, gleaming with a cool, silvery-gray luster, flowed out and was poured into a pre-made sand mold, cooling and solidifying into a perfectly formed metal spear, all the Rongling involved cheered.

This metal spear produces a clear and resonant sound when struck, and its strength and toughness completely surpass any previous metal weapon.

Next, metal farm tools were also created, which greatly increased the efficiency of reclaiming wasteland.

Faced with vast fertile land, Tu Hu planned the land into neat grids according to the terrain and water veins, realizing crop rotation and fallow, and maximizing the preservation of soil fertility.

During this period, he led the Rongling people to dig deeper and wider main irrigation canals using metal tools, and used waterwheels for the first time. By utilizing the natural power of the streams, they pumped water to higher-lying fields, achieving large-scale gravity irrigation.

The variety of crops also greatly increased during this period.

In addition to the stable and high-yielding "Golden Ear Valley", cold-resistant "Ground Bean" and a variety of medicinal plants have also been successfully planted.

A-Fen spends almost all her time in the experimental fields, recording the growth data of different crops, her face beaming with satisfaction.

Several years have passed in the blink of an eye.

A brand new clan territory has sprung up in the core area of ​​Star Valley.

The city wall was built on a foundation of huge stones and the wall itself was constructed using a mixture of fired bricks, making it far taller and thicker than ever before.

The city walls also had watchtowers and firing ports.

The city is laid out in an orderly manner, with clearly defined residential areas, workshop areas, storage areas, and even learning areas for the cubs.

The "archives" managed by A-Lu have also been upgraded into a sturdy two-story stone and wood structure, which stores material data and maps. It has also begun to systematically collect various knowledge summaries recorded by the intelligent younger generation, based on Tu Hu's oral accounts, forming the prototype of a knowledge base.

On this thriving land, the arrival of new life brings boundless joy.

Alan and Afen's first child was born. It was an exceptionally strong male cub that inherited Alan's deep blue scales and a brighter diamond-shaped mark on its forehead. Tu Hu named it "Lanxing".

Not long after, A-Lu also mated with a like-minded female Rong Ling and gave birth to a cub with dark black scales.

Tu Hu named himself: Mo Tong.

A new generation is arriving one after another.

The children's cries and playfulness added new vitality to the bustling Star Valley.

Tu Hu looked at Lan Xing, who was babbling around A Fen, and at Mo Tong, who was being held in A Lü's arms and quietly observing the world... Looking at this valley that was becoming more and more prosperous and constantly iterating its technology, Tu Hu felt an indescribable sense of satisfaction.

Although the wine pouch at his waist continues to open frequently, the pain within his body can never be completely eradicated.

But the hope in my heart, like crops growing vigorously in the valley, spreads wildly under the golden sunlight.

In the years to come, may hope, like a seed, take root, sprout, and grow strong in the fertile soil of Star Valley.

The Rongling ethnic group is growing in size, with the loud cries of newborns echoing everywhere, and newly built houses springing up like mushrooms after rain in the well-planned streets.

But prosperity also brings new desires.

Although the valley is rich in resources, they are ultimately limited.

To support an ever-growing population and continuous technological innovation, acquiring more resources has become essential.

Tu Hu led the Rongling tribe to set their sights on the even more expansive Blackthorn Forest beyond the valley.

Exploration teams composed of elite warriors and skilled craftsmen, carrying metal weapons and sturdy tools, as well as maps drawn by A-Lu, extended the tentacles of civilization in all directions.

They went down the river and set up fishing camps in river bends rich in fish.

Deep in the northern forest, they discovered a limestone mine of excellent quality in an exposed rock formation and established a new quarry.

The team, trekking eastward, discovered an open-pit salt mine with astonishing reserves on the edge of a vast grassland, and quickly assembled mining and transportation teams.

But pioneering is not always smooth sailing.

When they built the quarry, they disturbed the Stone Roaring Beasts that originally lived there.

This is a creature that resembles a giant ape and can shatter rocks with sound waves.

Their power is astonishing, and they have the advantage of terrain.

In the initial conflict, the exploration team suffered losses, with several soldiers injured by the shockwave.

When the news reached Xingxing Valley, Tu Hu did not go there personally, but left the matter to A Lan to handle.

Learning from past experience, Alan did not choose to launch a direct attack.

The soldiers used metal tools to dig dozens of deep pit traps overnight around the area where the Stone Roaring Beasts were active, with sharpened iron spikes buried at the bottom.

In this battle, the Rongling tribe, through their wisdom and at the cost of no casualties, reclaimed the precious quarry.

Similar conflicts occur frequently in various places.

Sometimes it involves encountering ferocious new predators, and sometimes it involves friction with certain territorial groups.

But the Rongling people always manage to use their wisdom to find ways to defeat their enemies.

Each victory brings with it the addition of new resource points to the territory, further enriching the clan's foundation.

Abundant resources have also enabled the younger generation of soldiers to grow rapidly.

The workshops within the city operated day and night, the sounds of hammers striking and bellows beating intertwining to create the prelude to civilization.

Crops are plentiful in the fields, and warehouses are overflowing.

The number of animal skin scrolls in the archives continued to increase, and the amount of knowledge recorded expanded along with the territory.

But the journey of pioneering also had its setbacks.

When the Rongling tribe's exploration team headed southwest into a dark region filled with pale purple miasma, they encountered an unprecedented adversary.

This is an intelligent race that they call the "Shadowclaws".

They inhabit vast fungal forests, are slender and agile, with sharp claws and teeth, and are adept at using their environment to camouflage themselves and launch surprise attacks.

In their confrontation with this group, they demonstrated cunning and efficient combat wisdom.

The initial contact quickly escalated into a bloody ambush.

The Shadowclaws utilize miasma and complex terrain to appear and disappear unpredictably. Instead of directly confronting the Velvet Spirits' sharp weapons, they target their weak points, using poisoned blowguns to harass and attack lone individuals from a distance.

Like a venomous snake lurking in the shadows, every attack is precise and deadly.

An exploration team of fifty elite warriors barely managed to break through the encirclement after losing nearly two-thirds of its members, and fled back to Star Valley in a sorry state.

Besides the devastating news of casualties, what they brought back was an unprecedented sense of defeat.

The individual strength of the enemies may be far inferior to that of the ferocious beasts, but their combat techniques sent a chill down the spines of the Rongling warriors, who were used to winning by relying on equipment and formations.

This crushing defeat was like a bucket of ice water, waking Tu Hu from his reverie of technological prosperity.

On this day, Tu Hu, A Lan, A Fen, and A Lü gathered on the city wall, the atmosphere heavy.

“Our weapons are sharp enough, our walls are strong enough, but when the enemy doesn’t confront us head-on, when we are in unfamiliar environments, our warriors hesitate and feel fear… We lack something, something that allows us to grit our teeth and fight to the very last moment, even in dire straits,” Alan said in a heavy tone.

Ah Fen looked down at the wounded receiving treatment, tears welling in her eyes, but remained silent.

A-Lu unfolded the map and drew a black mark representing danger and the unknown in the dark southwest region, then said in a deep voice:
"Technology makes us powerful, but without the fighting spirit and skills to match it... we have been complacent for too long."

Tu Hu listened in silence, tilting his head back to gulp down a large mouthful of strong liquor; the scalding liquid seemed to ignite the flames in his eyes as well.

He spoke slowly, his tone carrying an undeniable decisiveness:
“You are right. In this barbaric world where the strong prey on the weak, wisdom and weapons alone are not enough for us to stand firm. We need to engrave the will to fight deep into the blood of every member of our race, making it a part of our breath.”

He looked at Alan:
"From today onward, we need to establish a growth system that hones our willpower."

His gaze swept over the three leaders, and he announced, word by word:

"First, the adult trial. Every adult Rongling, regardless of gender, must enter a hunting area with a designated danger level alone, successfully hunt a designated beast, and bring back its fangs or claws as proof. Only by experiencing the test of life and death can one hone their fighting will."

"Second, hold an annual duel tournament. After the harvest season each year, hold a clan-wide fighting tournament according to age groups. This is not a game. What I need is the closest to real combat training. I want the competition and sense of honor to drive the clan members to constantly break their own limits, and make the winners proud of themselves. All participants must learn how to fight, how to endure pain, and how to respect their opponents."

"Third, the inheritance of combat skills. We will summarize and refine our experience in fighting against the Fierce Tribe and the Shadow Claw Clan into a systematic set of combat skills, which will be taught by the best warriors, starting from the basic training of the cubs and progressing step by step."

Upon hearing this, Alan's eyes blazed with fighting spirit, and he pounded his chest heavily:
"It should have been done long ago. True warriors must be tempered in blood and fire. The new generation is born into comfort and is too fragile."

Ah Fen wiped away her tears, her eyes hardening:
"I will prepare more potent healing and recovery medications to ensure the success of training and trials."

A-Lu picked up the charcoal pencil and began to record on the new animal skin scroll:

"I will improve this system, record the trial results and combat performance of each soldier, establish files, and track their growth."

As the meeting concluded, a somber atmosphere replaced the usual tranquility, permeating Xingxing Valley.

The lights of civilization still shine brightly, and the iron will necessary to survive in this cruel world is being forged.

What Tu Hu wanted to cultivate in the Rongling tribe was a fighting spirit.

The goal is to instill in the Rongling people the idea that combat is essential for survival, not something that only erupts in times of crisis, but rather something that is integrated into their daily lives.

Let them respect power, and even more so, revere death.

Through the hunting trials, each member of the tribe truly experiences the feeling of taking lives and understands the boundaries of power, so that in real battles, they can make the most effective choices without hesitation.

Secondly, they hone their fangs in the annual competition, constantly unleashing their wildness within the rules.

The annual tournament is a whetstone for Tu Hu; if the tribesmen want to gain glory, they must maintain training in their daily lives.

It allows the tribespeople to experience the pressure of life-or-death struggles in a controlled environment, learn to keep thinking amidst excruciating pain, and draw nourishment from failure.

Then, experience is passed down, and scars are etched into genes.

Make sure that every lesson learned from bloodshed becomes a cornerstone for growth.

What Tu Hu wanted was not a group of killing machines, but a race that internalized the will to fight as the cornerstone of civilization.

They can build cities, cultivate fields, and pursue knowledge.

But when shadows fall and powerful enemies surround them, they can instantly shed their civilized facade and reveal their formidable fighting instincts.

In the future, this fighting spirit will be the solid barrier they build for their brilliant civilization in a brutal world where the strong prey on the weak. This is not about abandoning civilization, but about giving it the fangs to survive in the darkness.

In the days that followed, willpower tempering training became a daily part of the new generation of the Rongling people.

The adult trials and annual competitions have honed a new generation of warriors with sharp eyes and agile skills.

When the Shadowclaws ambushed them again in the Miasma Forest, they no longer faced opponents who could be distracted by poisoned arrows and trickery.

Having just passed the adult trials on Blue Star, he leads a small team of peers on a reconnaissance mission.

They calmly identified the cleverly disguised trap and, using improved metal netting and precise spear throws, trapped and killed the Shadowclaw attackers.

Mo Tong then analyzed the previously captured poisoned arrows and prepared an antidote in advance.

In this battle, the Rongling tribe annihilated most of the Shadowclaw tribe's elite forces at minimal cost.

Ultimately, the Shadowclaw Clan was completely defeated by the main force personally led by Alan.

This cunning tribe eventually became another stepping stone on the Rongling tribe's path to rise, and their territory was incorporated into the Rongling tribe's territory.

The series of victories boosted Xingxing Valley's confidence to unprecedented heights.

The workshop's furnaces burned day and night, new veins were constantly being discovered, and the scrolls in the archives grew ever more numerous.

All of this indicates that a powerful civilization is rising irresistibly on this land.

But true destruction may also stem from terrors beyond our comprehension.

The catastrophe struck on a night when a storm was about to break.

The animals kept in the valley began to squeal and screech restlessly.

Then, the earth trembled, causing all the downy creatures to feel a strange palpitation.

Tu Hu decisively rushed out of the house and climbed the city wall.

At the edge of the horizon, there was a moving steel jungle: the Rock Armor Clan.

They are large, averaging over three meters in height, and covered with thick bony armor.

Upon entering Star Valley, they took heavy steps and launched an unstoppable charge.

They filled the pit with their bodies, the lassos snapped instantly on their hard bone armor, and the falling rocks left only shallow white marks on their shields.

"Fire the arrows!" Alan roared from the top of the wall.

The dense barrage of metal arrows rained down like a storm, but most of them only managed to create sparks on the opponent's bone shields and armor, failing to penetrate them.

Occasionally, arrows would pierce through the gaps, but the damage they caused was extremely limited.

boom!
The Rock Armor warriors used their massive bodies as battering rams, beginning to pound the city gates and walls.

The massive stone walls trembled violently and cracked under their relentless, fearless impacts.

The city walls can no longer be defended.

Alan turned around and glanced at Tu Hu and A Fen, who were organizing the women, children and the younger generation to evacuate through the secret passage at the rear. A resolute look flashed in her eyes.

He abruptly raised the spear that had been with him for many years, his voice tearing through the rain:

"Warriors of the Rongling tribe, behind us lies our homeland, our children. The city walls may fall, but we cannot retreat!"

"For the future, follow me, charge!"

He was the first to leap off the crumbling city wall, followed by all the Rongling warriors who could take up arms.

Undeterred, they shouted slogans for their people and transformed into a torrent of defiance, charging into the steel jungle.

This is a clash between flesh and steel.

The warrior's metal spear struggled to find gaps in the bone armor, leaving white marks on the thick bone armor.

A Velvet Spirit warrior often has to pay the ultimate price to barely drag a Rock Armor warrior to the ground, where a companion can then use a short blade to stab the relatively vulnerable joints or eye sockets.

Like a blue whirlwind, Alan's spear pierced the throat joints of one rock-armored warrior after another with pinpoint accuracy.

But he was quickly surrounded by several rock-armored warriors, and heavy bone hammers slammed into his shoulder armor, the sound of bones cracking clearly audible.

Despite spitting blood, Alan fought on relentlessly, buying every second to escape.

In the end, the seriously injured Alan was escorted back to the city by his tribesmen at great personal risk.

When Tu Hu saw A Lan again, he was covered in blood, and the metal spear in his hand was bent.

Breaking free from the clansmen's control, it staggered back to Tu Hu's side, grabbed his arm with astonishing strength.

His eyes held a mixture of pain and pleading.
"Tiger, take the children and go. They are the future of our people. Star Valley may fall, but the flame must be kept alive. Go!"

After speaking, he shoved Tu Hu hard, then turned around to face the rock-armored giants surging out of the breach in the city wall like a tidal wave. Trembling, he raised his bent spear and, with his last strength, let out the loudest and most tragic roar of his life.

They launched a desperate charge.

Tu Hu was heartbroken, but he also understood that in the face of an irreversible defeat, he had to ensure the safe evacuation of the new generation.

But during the evacuation, another unexpected event occurred.

A massive figure of a rock-armored warrior burst through the street corner, its heavy footsteps shaking the ground, as it charged straight towards the chaotic evacuation team.

A resolute glint flashed in A-Fen's eyes as she followed the retreat. She suddenly pulled a bottle of dark purple medicine from her waist.

This is her latest potent numbing agent.

Without hesitation, she charged towards the behemoth, deftly dodging its punch the instant it came down, while simultaneously slamming the potion into its bone-armored face.

laugh!
Acrid smoke rose instantly, and the rock-armored warrior let out a deep growl, his movements noticeably stiff, his body swaying precariously.

Just as Ah Fen breathed a sigh of relief and turned to rejoin the team, she caught a glimpse of a pale white figure rapidly enlarging out of the corner of her eye.

Another rock-armored warrior in the distance hurled a giant bone spike.

puff!

The bone spur pierced through Ah Fen's fragile chest from the side, carrying her petite body backward for a distance before crashing heavily to the ground.

She didn't even have time to cry out in pain; her body convulsed violently, and blood gushed from her mouth.

Her unfocused gaze turned towards the group, looking at Lan Xing, who was being held tightly by Tu Hu and was turning back to let out a heart-wrenching roar. Her eyes were filled with endless longing and unspoken entrustment.

Ultimately, it faded into obscurity.

Almost at the same time that Ah Fen fell, a violent explosion was heard from the direction of the archives.

Inside the archives, A-Lu faces her final decision.

He frantically stuffed scrolls of animal hide containing core knowledge into a specially made fireproof leather bag.

The shouts of battle and the sounds of impact outside grew closer, and the building groaned under the weight of the rock-armored warriors' attacks, cracks spreading everywhere.

"Quick, Xiaotong, take this and go from the back." A-Lu shoved the most stuffed leather bag into her daughter's hand, her voice urgent.

"Father, let's go together!" Mo Tong cried as she grabbed his arm.

"No!" Ah Lü abruptly shook off her hand, her eyes as stern as knives.
"And most importantly, the map. Hurry up, remember, as long as knowledge exists, the community has a future."

He stopped looking at his daughter, turned and rushed to the innermost stone platform, where several scrolls painted with special pigments, concerning the future of the tribe, were placed.

at this time.

Boom!

The archive door, along with the surrounding walls, collapsed with a deafening roar, sending debris flying everywhere.

A massive figure of a rock-armored warrior blocked the exit, its blood-red eyes fixed on Green inside.

Faced with a desperate situation and with no way out, Ah-Lu roared and launched a charge without hesitation.

On the other side, Tu Hu coughed up blood as he repelled one Rock Armor Clan warrior after another.

The old injuries in his body erupted due to overuse of his strength.

He fiercely protected the escape route at the back of the valley, repelling the rock-armored warriors who attempted to pursue him.

When he successfully led the remaining dozens of new generation members and children into the dense forest behind, he looked back and saw the walls of Xingxing Valley collapsing completely amidst a roar.

The torrent of the Rock Armor Clan has submerged the land to which they had poured countless efforts, and the angry roars of their people in resistance are being rapidly silenced.

They fled all the way, not daring to stop, until they could no longer hear the shouts and roars behind them.

On a cliff overlooking Star Valley, the survivors stopped helplessly.

In the distance, their former home has been reduced to ruins.

The enormous figures of the Rock Armor Clan could be vaguely seen moving within, like beasts crawling on corpses, heralding the end of an era.

Tu Hu silently untied the wine pouch from his waist, poured the last mouthful of spicy liquid into his throat, and then forcefully threw the empty pouch into the depths of the valley.

He turned to face the survivors.

The young spirits' faces were covered in mud and tears, and the leader, Lanxing, clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug deep into his palms.

Mo Tong buried her face in the few remaining scrolls, her thin shoulders trembling uncontrollably.

“Look at me,” Tu Hu said in a hoarse voice.

The spirits raised their heads.

Tu Hu then bent down, picked up a broken iron spear from the ground, walked over to Lan Xing, whose body was trembling violently with anger and sorrow, and shoved the broken spear heavily into his hand.

He then picked up a trampled herb bag from the ground, patted off the dirt, and placed it in the arms of Mo Tong, who was tightly clutching the few remaining scrolls and whose tears were flowing like a spring.

The rain fell silently as Tu Hu looked at the remaining troops.

The oldest had just passed their coming-of-age ceremony, while the youngest still needed to be held in someone's arms.

His voice was hoarse, like a broken bellows, yet it carried an unwavering resolve, a severing of the past.
"Remember the enemy that devoured our homeland."

“Our homeland has turned to ashes, and your elders have all perished, but we are still alive.”

Tu Hu took a deep breath, and each word he uttered was etched into the hearts of every survivor like a brand:

"Next, we will wander to reclaim everything we have lost, until we return with the flames of vengeance, making our enemies pay for their crimes in blood!"

"From today onward, every step we take will be our journey home."

In the swaying rain, Tu Hu dragged his crumbling body and led the small team that carried the last embers of the Rongling tribe into the vast wilderness.

The oldest warrior walked at the front, shielding the cubs from the wind and rain with his body.

The boys helped the wounded as they trudged through the mud.

Behind them, the embers of their homeland flickered in the rain.

Tu Hu walked at the back of the group, looking back one last time. Rain dripped down his chin, indistinguishable from tears.

Then he resolutely turned around, followed the unsteady but determined figure ahead, and together they merged into the deepest darkness before dawn.

As their figures were finally swallowed by the shadows of the wilderness, the last embers of Star Valley were extinguished in the rain.

The blood and dreams of the first generation have sunk into the cold, damp earth.

The torch of civilization is passed to the muddy, tender hands of children.

　Here's another chapter updated ahead of schedule.
　　
　
(End of this chapter)