Aztec Civilization: Destiny to Conquer America!

At the end of October, it was always solemn and scattered. It was the cold wind on the wilderness and the leaves floating everywhere in the long wind.

In the following days, nothing dramatic occurred. Over fifteen thousand southern Allied Forces impressively set camp outside the mouth of Pamus Valley. Thereafter, the Guamare legion continuously attacked the valley mouth, expending logs of wood and stone, and damaging the camp's fences. Meanwhile, the Imperial Guard Legion guarded the Black Wolf's flag and established the Mexica main camp on a fire-resistant, sparse hill.

At this moment, the King was seated in the main camp, organizing the register of different states with one hand while contemplating his next military move with the other. Although it was called a register, it was actually a genealogy of Otomi nobility/clans depicted with long flags, feathers, and family crests.

Bertade remained quietly standing with a serene expression. His gaze occasionally fell on the register, where many unusual symbols were marked, mainly red "X" and "O".

Xiulote opened the previous day's battle report, calmly marking an "X" over deceased nobility and an "O" over warriors who performed exceptionally. Beside him was another atlas, recording the landholdings and population figures of each nobility/clan. These figures were not precise and were merely complex, vague estimates.

Now, the three northern states had set up a new Chief Divine district and reported it to the Lake Capital City with the old High Priest Olte assuming the role of High Priest for the three states. The Church of the Primordial God was comprehensively adapting to merge with the Church of the Chief Divine. Soon, more priests from the Kingdom would be dispatched to various parts of the three states. They would preach deep within the tribes and gather more specific data on the arable land and population. If the Kingdom desired to govern the haughty tribes of the northern land, it would have to start with registration.

The tent was quiet for a long time. Suddenly, an intense disturbance rose from the periphery of the main camp, followed quickly by cries of attack.

Bertade instantly grasped his bronze sword, his eyes sharpening. He strode out of the tent to check and gave an escort gesture. Ters, followed by a dozen Personal Guard Warriors, holding great shields came in, shielding His Highness completely.

Sunlight fell from the tent's apex directly onto the King's desk. Xiulote's expression unchanged, continued to peruse the atlas. Soon after, the shouting outside quickly ceased, followed by several shouts and then sporadic screams.

After a moment, Bertade returned calmly from outside the tent, bringing with him a Warrior Captain in charge of managing captives.

"Hmm?"

"Your Highness, a band of Red-Haired Canine Descendants just infiltrated and attacked a captive camp, but were repelled by the Personal Guard Warriors,"

the Warrior Captain reported gravely.

"Oh?"

Xiulote put down the book he was holding and looked up.

"What is the situation now?"

Bertade patted the Warrior Captain, who immediately knelt on the ground, looking remorseful.

"Most High, two quarters of an hour ago, fifty-sixty red-haired burst suddenly from the eastern mountain forests, attacking the outermost captive camp. The captives in the camp also created a commotion. The warriors killed seven or eight red-haired, but four handfuls of captives managed to escape in the chaos."

"Which tribe do the enemies belong to?"

"The Red Frog Scouts identified the bodies, saying they're from the Red Crow Tribe."

"Again the Red Crows... How many casualties did our warriors sustain?"

"The enemy's attack was extremely sudden, and the warriors... also lost about ten,"

"Hmm... What are the follow-up measures?"

"A hundred-man squad has already taken up with the Priest Xiulote Itz Kunli, currently pursuing them in the woods. There are over two hundred captives in the camp, with four handfuls having escaped, thus four handfuls of barbarians were beheaded. The remaining captives were all whipped ten times!"

"Hmm. Very well, you may go,"

The Warrior Captain prostrated himself and respectfully left.

Xiulote stood up and slowly paced inside the large tent.

In the Mexica legion, the accompanying War Priests bred a few Mexican hairless dogs, known as Xiulote Itz Kunli (xoloitzcuintli). "Xiulote" designates the God of Death, and "Itz Kunli" stands for dog, thereby collectively termed as the "Dog of Death." Their combative abilities might not be outstanding, yet they hold a significant religious status. In Mexica mythology, they are guides to the underworld, able to lead the souls of the deceased, hence they are an integral part of sacrificial rites.

"Bertade, command the pursuing squad to return, do not fall into an ambush."

The King pondered briefly and calmly issued the order.

"Extract one thousand warriors from the Ototpan legion and immediately escort four thousand captives southward, all the way to Ototan Mountain City."

Over the past few days, the Allied Forces had moved northward. The main legion, guided by Pamus and led by Red Frog Scouts, cleared the forests along the path.

The Guajili Tribe, dispersed during the night raids, was largely captured, netting over four thousand Canine Warriors. These warriors were elite from the canine eastern parts, adept at surviving the wilderness and accustomed to bloodshed and murder. As they recovered from their fear of celestial fire, they became unstable elements within the camps.

Xiulote had no time to individually verify these warriors' identities and simply opted to send them all back south.

"As you command, Your Highness,"

Bertade immediately left the tent to arrange the personnel.

"Ters, you too, go out!"

"Yes, Your Highness."

The loyal Shield Guards bowed and returned outside to stand guard.

The King walked to a corner of the large tent, looking towards the earthen ground. There grew a Cactus, the most common sight in the wilderness. This cactus, having been chopped by a Canine Descendants' stone axe, was left with just a remnant of thorny stem stubbornly surviving. In the food-scarce northern lands, cacti were akin to tofu from home, the most mundane daily staple.

"The Canine Descendants of the wilderness are like the cacti of the northern lands, surviving on the barrenest soils. They are resilient and tough, possessing a strong vitality and prickly thorns,"

Xiulote observed for a moment and murmured softly.

"But once you harvest the cactus, remove its sharp thorns, and take a bite... only then can you realize how crisp and delicious it is."

Thinking of the taste of cactus, the King smiled and continued to sit cross-legged. He opened the atlas of the armies, tallying the troops at his command.

At the start of August when the campaign began, the Imperial Guard Legion was at its full strength of six thousand men. Over the next three months of campaigning, they had lost over a thousand. Most notably, when Black Wolf launched a fierce attack on Red Fox Valley, eight hundred were lost in a single battle. Subsequently, he recruited Otomi Warriors from three states and selected hundreds of Guajili captives, filling the legion's ranks once more.

Continuously engaged in battles, the Otomi legion from the three states also suffered significant casualties. Of the eight thousand Ottopan Warriors, only six thousand remained, and of the three thousand Pamus Warriors, only just over a thousand were left. Five thousand Guamare Warriors had left a thousand in Red Fox Valley, losing over a thousand, now fewer than three thousand remained.

Besides the loss of warriors, the nobility of the states also suffered heavy casualties, leaving vast hereditary lands vacant. How these lands were to be allocated was key to establishing the rule of the Kingdom.

"Buzz... thump!"

Xiulote was deep in thought when he was suddenly interrupted by a low buzzing sound. After listening for a moment, a smile appeared on his face, and he put down the atlas he was holding, patiently waiting.

Sure enough, moments later, the tent's curtain was again lifted, and Chalki Great Chieftain entered cautiously, bowing in succession to his Highness and the Head Warrior.

"Divine Revelation highness, greetings to you!"

"Chalki, how is the legion fairing?"

"Highness, twelve catapults have been assembled and are currently being tested."

Chalki knelt on the ground, his expression exceptionally respectful.

"What reaction does the guarding Red Monkey Tribe show?"

"Somewhat panicked. Their chieftain appeared in person and calmed the morale of the troops."

"Continue the tests, get familiar with the range. Later in the attack, catapults might be used."

Upon hearing this, the middle-aged chieftain paused slightly. He looked up at the highness and tentatively asked.

"Highness, you said 'might'?"

"Hmm, might."

The King nodded, his face confident.

"If we end up using the catapults, it will require more effort, lose more warriors, and capture fewer prisoners. If not, then the opposite will happen."

The legion still had enough gunpowder weapons for one more battle, enough to burn down the valley camp. Capturing the valley's mouth wouldn't be difficult as long as the Canine Descendants hadn't fully adapted to the thunderbolts and fire. The real challenge was how to prevent the tribes of Canine Descendants from scattering, to maximally deplete or capture the able-bodied from all tribes. To some extent, the Chichika Great Chief, who forced each tribe to fight to the death, had solved the most difficult tactical problem for the Allied Forces.

Chalki's eyes twinkled, pondering over the words of his Highness.

Xiulote, expression unchanged, asked again.

"Chalki, how is the legion doing?"

The middle-aged chieftain was briefly stunned, then realized. He lowered his voice.

"Highness, the legion has fought at the valley's mouth for three days, losing over a dozen nobles who refused to convert."

"Are the rest willing to convert?"

"Yes, they are."

"Very good. Then gather the Guamare nobility beside the catapults and hold a prayer ceremony to the Chief Divine. I'll send a War Priest to you, make it happen tonight!"

"I obey your command, Highness."

"Go prepare now!"

"Yes."

Chalki bowed respectfully and quickly departed.

Xiulote watched the middle-aged chieftain's retreating figure and slipped into contemplation once more.

After the northern campaign, he would designate direct-controlled territories in Ottopan and Pamus State, maintaining a garrison in each. As for the vast Guamare State to the west, it would largely retain nobility autonomy. Therefore, for the Guamare nobility, the only requirement was conversion, with no need for extensive purging.

The political objectives of the northern campaign were largely achieved by now. The nobility in the three states who resisted the Alliance and conversion were mostly cleared out. Chalki and Jiowar both controlled the situation, moving from titular leaders of the legion to its actual leaders. The remaining economic and military objectives were to capture as many Canine Descendant workers as possible to strengthen the Kingdom's foundations and establish forward outposts to manage the surrounding tribes.

Thinking of this, Xiulote looked beside him.

"Bertade, how is our Poet doing?"

"Highness, the Poet is still in the enemy camp, negotiating."

"Hmm. Convey my words through the Poet: 'The Chief Divine's wooden beasts have arrived, the Chief Divine's citizens will soon be slaughtered. The Chief Divine's fury is uncontrollable and will destroy everything... The terms of surrender are the same as for Red Frog, forming an independent army of three thousand men. Give him two days to decide, if no decision is made, the legion will call upon the heavenly fire and capture the valley camp. By then, everyone will be sacrificed!'"

"Your will is the destined future."

The Head Warrior bowed and silently departed again.

The King stood up and moved to the corner of the camp. He looked at the damaged cactus, then suddenly smiled radiantly.

"Someone!"

His trusted aides immediately rushed in, bowing their heads to listen to his command.

"Dispose of this cactus, use a copper pot to fry turkey eggs in oil, I want to eat it tonight!"