Far away in the Barbarian Tribe, Su Xingyu slowly opened his eyes, a hint of fatigue flashing in them as he reached up to rub his temples.
"It was still a bit too much. I didn't expect the consumption to be so high; I almost couldn't hold on." In just a short while, the Divine Source he had accumulated for half a month was completely depleted. The consumption of this Divine Descent technique was outrageously high. Fortunately, he had seventy thousand Believers to support him and share the pressure; otherwise, he absolutely wouldn't have been able to intimidate those Metal Giants.
However, despite the high consumption, the effect was excellent.
Without losing a single soldier, he had taken down this Transcendent tribe of ten thousand people. The results were magnificent!
With the Metal Giants subdued, two of the three major powers on the Black Soil Plain were gone, leaving only the fiercest, the Jackalman Tribe.
The Jackalmen live in the Dark Valley and have nearly two hundred thousand Tribesmen. Although Jackalmen are not Extraordinary Species, they are inherently brutal and warlike, true Warriors by nature, and their strength should not be underestimated.
The Barbarians had thoroughly researched their two old rivals and possessed a great deal of intelligence.
For instance, the Metal Giants were quite laid-back, with no desire for expansion. They spent their days eating and sleeping, and their honest nature made them easy to fool.
The Jackalmen, on the other hand, were highly aggressive. They occupied the Dark Valley and did not allow any tribes to exist near them, making them true bully powers.
This was why Su Xingyu chose to deal with the Metal Giants first. These honest fellows held great reverence for powerful beings. As long as a Great Army pressed down upon them and a truly shocking Divine Descent occurred, these simple folk would likely surrender willingly.
As for the Jackalmen, forget it.
These inherently brutal creatures had no reverence whatsoever. They would dare to bare their teeth and bite even if a God descended.
Su Xingyu had no immediate plans to deal with the Jackalmen and intended to wait until spring.
After resolving the issue with the Metal Giants, Su Xingyu shifted his focus to the Barbarian Tribe.
Hundreds of thousands of people awaited his integration, which was no simple task.
To this end, he specifically transferred a group of experienced individuals from the Night Tribe.
Even so, this work proceeded with extreme difficulty. Ultimately, it was due to the low cultural level of the Barbarians, which meant many orders could not be executed after being issued.
Su Xingyu could do little about this. It wasn't just the Barbarian Tribe; even the current Night Tribe wasn't much better.
Ignorant Civilians were easier to fool, and converting them into Believers was simpler.
They were like a blank slate, having received no cultural education. As long as Su Xingyu instilled some knowledge in them, they could easily be transformed into Pious Believers.
It was just like the Primitive Tribes of today; they still worshipped strange Totems.
Similarly, Su Xingyu, who could display "Divine Miracles," only needed to appear a few more times, and these empty-headed folk would soon pledge allegiance to Him.
Conversely, the more educated people were, the less likely they were to develop Faith, or at least to worship strange Gods.
However, for the Tribe to develop, education was essential, and Su Xingyu had no intention of deceiving them forever.
Faith obtained through deception was ultimately false. True Pious Believers should be those who, after understanding the substance, still choose to follow.
To get back to the point, under Su Xingyu's tireless efforts, the entire structure of the Barbarian Tribe was rapidly changing.
The original structure of the Barbarian Tribe was too chaotic, with extremely low efficiency, which was detrimental to the Tribe's Development. Therefore, Su Xingyu abolished it directly.
Su Xingyu wasn't very skilled in systems and such, but it wasn't a big problem. As long as it worked, it was fine; mistakes could be corrected later.
He divided the entire tribe into a Production Department, a Manufacturing Department, a Culture Department, a Military Department, a Construction Department, and a Logistics Department. This was also the system currently in operation in the Night Tribe, with the only difference being the presence of the Elder Council in the Night Tribe.
Each department was responsible for its own duties and the tasks assigned by the City Lord. As for the first City Lord, Su Xingyu would have to serve in that role for now.
Su Xingyu planned to build the Night Tribe's second City here. After all, the nearby resources were so abundant that transporting them back was inconvenient; it was better to build a City here directly.
Under Su Xingyu's arrangements, the entire Barbarian Stronghold was bustling with activity: constructing a new City, building infrastructure, reclaiming land, and mining Ore Veins. With this wave of work, the hundreds of thousands of people were actually insufficient.
However, it wasn't a major issue. As the Barbarian Tribe submitted, the surrounding vassal tribes naturally followed suit.
Su Xingyu did not immediately relocate their populations but did conscript a significant number of young and strong individuals, further boosting the labor force of the Barbarian Stronghold.
As for whether these newly joined Tribesmen would have any objections to doing so much work?
Su Xingyu believed they wouldn't; at least, he hadn't seen anyone voice any complaints.
Working in the biting winter wind was indeed very difficult; the wind felt like a knife's edge when it blew. However, the hot soup, strong liquor, and meat-filled steamed buns provided by the Night Tribe were also incredibly delicious.
It's worth noting that in previous winters, they basically stayed at home, eating only one meal a day, and their survival depended entirely on luck. Unlike now, they had work to do even in the dead of winter, and it wasn't for free; they were provided with food and drink. This was simply wonderful!
The concept of money had not yet circulated here; they still used a barter system for trade.
The Night Tribe did have a monetary system, but it was only in its nascent stages and had not yet been fully refined.
Su Xingyu had no intention of introducing a monetary system to the Barbarian Stronghold anytime soon and planned to wait a while longer.
Under Su Xingyu's benevolent governance, the newly joined Tribesmen gradually pledged their loyalty and began to support the tribe that had defeated them.
Although they didn't understand much, they knew who treated them better.
Compared to the previous Barbarian Tribe era, the current tribe was clearly better. Under the leadership of that young ruler, the entire Stronghold was undergoing changes. Not only was there more food, but even the houses they lived in had improved.
And compared to the past complacency, where they were either at war or on the way to war, this tribe now had a greater vision. They couldn't articulate what was different, but they could feel that the entire Stronghold was filled with vitality.
Everyone was busy: the elderly helped with weaving and cooking, children were sent to a rudimentary Schoolhouse to learn, and adults worked to build their homes.
Yes, their own homes.
The ruler had clearly told them that they themselves would be the future residents of this City.
After the ruler took over the Stronghold, all the Tribesmen there began to live fulfilling lives. They worked every day, were very tired, but looking at the ever-higher City Wall, they felt an inexpressible sense of satisfaction.
Perhaps years later, when they grew old, they could point to that Towering City Wall and proudly tell their grandchildren, "See that wall? Every single stone on it was carried up by me, bit by bit."
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