I am a Primitive Man
Chapter 857 – The Death of the Black Stone Tribe’s Chief
Because of Shu Pi’s advice and the Black Stone Tribe’s chief’s ruthlessness, what had initially seemed like a somewhat relaxed battle suddenly became fierce.
Driven by fear of death, by yearning for life in the Green Sparrow Tribe, and by blind hope, the attackers surged toward the Green Sparrow Tribe like madmen.
Carried on by this momentum, these people who just moments ago were still thinking of running away became savagely ferocious, crazily pushing toward the palisade of Copper Mountain’s settlement.
Feathered arrows fell like raindrops, stones pelted down, screams filled the ears, and blood stench hung in the air. This bred terror in their hearts, yet at the same time made their assault on Copper Mountain’s gate all the more frenzied—utterly reckless, throwing their lives away.
Because only by forcing open the mouth of this strange cave, only by breaking into it, could they escape the deadly rain of attacks and perhaps survive.
In front of the Copper Mountain settlement’s great gate, many people were already pressing against it, trying to shove the tightly closed wooden doors open.
The ones at the very front had their arms braced against the wood, but the tremendous pressure from behind snapped their arms like twigs. Their bodies were crushed flat against the gate, faces grotesquely deformed.
Some screamed miserably, thrashing to try to break free.
But it was useless—those behind continued to shove forward with all their strength.
The Copper Mountain settlement’s wooden gates were an improved version, built after the tribe’s carpentry had advanced. Compared with earlier ones, they were far sturdier, yet still not made to withstand such crushing force.
As more and more people were squeezed to death, the doors groaned under the strain.
Moments later, with a thunderous crash, dust billowed as the Copper Mountain settlement’s gates were forced down.
Stones on either side of the doorway were dragged down as well.
And at the instant the gates collapsed, the mob, shoving forward, toppled uncontrollably.
Those farther back fared better—most just stumbled, a few fell but could scramble up.
But those in front were unlucky: many were knocked down and buried under layer after layer of bodies, their lives snuffed out immediately.
Some of the fallen struggled to rise, but before they could, the surge from behind trampled and crushed them back down…
“#￥56!”
At the rear, the Black Stone Tribe’s chief saw the forced-open entrance and roared in excitement.
At the same time, he turned and smacked Shu Pi’s head hard, showing his encouragement.
“#￥56!”
The rest of the Black Stone tribesmen echoed his shout, their voices brimming with irrepressible excitement.
They raised their wooden shields over their heads, clutched their obsidian weapons, and charged for the wide-open gates of the Copper Mountain settlement.
Their countless past victories had taught them: once the blocked mouth of a tribe’s cave was broken, the tribe could no longer withstand their fierce assault.
Even if this tribe before them seemed unusually strong and troublesome, the result would be the same.
The sight of the toppled gates not only whipped the Black Stone Tribe into a frenzy but also drove the other tribes forward, all howling to rush into this wealthy settlement, to slaughter its people and seize everything for themselves.
Their hearts burned with greed—many even worried that if they entered too late, the best spoils would be stolen by others, leaving them with nothing.
However, those who rushed through the breached wall did not find themselves snatching at treasures as they had imagined.
Many, thrilled with joy, dashed into the passage thinking their good life was about to begin. Yet moments later, they discovered—it was the beginning of a nightmare.
A burly man kicked aside someone who had fallen at his feet and struggled to run deeper inside.
Today, he would be the first to enter this wealthy tribe!
Not only would he be revered as a great warrior, but as the first into the Green Sparrow Tribe, he could seize countless riches!
Elated, he charged forward—after two steps, the ground suddenly vanished beneath him. He plummeted.
Before he could react, searing pain shot up his thigh.
Fear and agony instantly engulfed him. He clawed at the ground to get up, desperate to escape what felt like the maw of a demon.
But just as he pushed himself slightly up, another man crashed down onto him, smashing him back into the earth.
He screamed hoarsely, arms straining madly to shove the wretched man off him—but before he could, another weight slammed down, crushing him again, half his face buried in dirt.
His dream of storming into the Green Sparrow Tribe shattered into pieces, buried beneath terror and suffocation…
The sudden collapsing ground, the bodies impaled in the trench of spikes—these sights chilled the raging hearts of those who had believed that once the Green Sparrow Tribe’s gate was breached, they could run rampant.
What had happened was too horrifying.
To them, the ground had always been solid and unshakable. Yet now, without warning, it collapsed.
Such fear of the unknown—greater even than the strange weapons of the defenders, greater even than the rain of arrows loosed from within the “strange cave.”
“Loose arrows!”
Within the Copper Mountain settlement, men with bloodshot eyes screamed the command. Archers drew and loosed furiously, arrow after arrow pouring down like they cost nothing.
Others with rattan shields and long spears lined the edge of the pit, forming a wall of men and weapons. They sealed the gate area, waiting for any invader to cross the trap zone—so they could be slaughtered.
This human wall was far deadlier than the wooden palisade.
Seeing the bristling spears, the endless rain of arrows, comrades shrieking and collapsing around them, and the treacherous earth suddenly giving way—
Those in the vanguard felt their frenzy utterly extinguished.
The “cave mouth” they had broken into revealed not food, warmth, or riches, but only boundless fear and death.
The Black Stone chief’s promises were lies!
“#￥5GT!”
Someone screamed in terror, trying desperately to push back out.
But it was not so easy.
He had seen the horror; those behind had not. They kept surging forward. Though he fought to retreat, he was shoved forward uncontrollably.
In his desperate cries, an arrow thudded into him.
Terrified, he ignored the pain, shoving frantically to get out.
But it was futile. Moments later, the collapsing earth swallowed him whole.
In despair, a strange smile crossed his face—as he stopped struggling and tightly clutched another fleeing man in his arms…
“￥%6#3!”
As time passed, more and more realized the terrors within.
Compared with the Black Stone chief’s threats, the nightmare inside this “cave” was far more horrifying.
So the crowd began fleeing.
Just as desperately as they had craved to enter moments ago, now they craved only to escape.
They ran, screaming in panic. Even in the chaos, their cries carried far, spreading the fear.
“Forward!”
Inside the Copper Mountain settlement, a bloodthirsty order rang out.
At first, the Green Sparrow defenders had hoped to take many captives. But once their gate had been smashed and swarmed, their fury ignited.
No more thoughts of slaves—only to wash away humiliation in blood.
Bronze-studded rattan shields advanced, men pushing along narrow safe paths toward the fleeing enemy.
The terrified Black Stone coalition dared not resist, their only thought now to escape as far as possible from this nightmare tribe.
Food and warmth no longer mattered—life itself was all.
And when two slower men were skewered into bloody sieves by the bronze spikes, the rest fled all the faster.
“#￥5S!”
The Black Stone chief’s face twisted in rage and fear.
He could not understand: they had already breached the Green Sparrow gate, so why retreat now like wailing ghosts?
Didn’t they know that retreat meant they would never again break in? Didn’t they know that retreat meant the good life they had almost grasped would vanish?
He dismissed their terror as cowardly excuses.
In all his experience, once a gate was breached, the enemy tribe was doomed—either they surrendered their wealth, or they died.
Roaring threats, he hacked down deserters with his obsidian blade. But those who once trembled at his glare now ignored him completely.
Though he and his tribesmen slew many fleeing men, the rout only grew.
Meanwhile, thunderous drumming rumbled again atop the “strange cave.”
With each peal, arrows and stones rained down faster and deadlier.
Arrows even hammered into the planks before the Black Stone chief—three shafts in an instant.
He could no longer stay.
Especially when he saw Green Sparrow warriors emerging from the shattered gate, he knew he must withdraw.
He signaled his tribesmen to fall back—not from fear of the pursuing Green Sparrows, but because he saw opportunity.
To him, their failure had been caused not by strength, but by that cursed cave and by cowardly allies.
If it came to open battle, the Green Sparrow Tribe could not match them.
Now, since their enemies had left the cave to chase them, this was his chance!
In direct combat, with obsidian weapons, they had never feared any tribe.
So he ran with the others—intending to lure the pursuers away from the gate’s defenses and slaughter them outside.
But when they reached the range where arrows could no longer strike…
“￥%6E!”
The Black Stone chief suddenly shouted—but instead of turning to fight, he bolted even faster than the others.
For he had just seen with his own eyes how those golden-hued weapons sliced through men as easily as his obsidian.
These were the same deadly tips as those terrifying arrows.
They were sharper than obsidian.
Seeing that nearly every pursuer wielded such weapons, his courage evaporated.
So, the man who moments ago butchered his own deserters now fled quicker than all.
Many saw this and cursed him furiously in their hearts.
With the Green Sparrow Tribe’s terrifying might unveiled, the Black Stone coalition utterly collapsed.
Unlike last time, this time the Green Sparrows did not let them escape. They pursued relentlessly.
“Go! Hunt them down!”
From the wall, Shang flung down his bow and shouted.
Leaving ten to guard the wall and ten more with shields at the gate, he led forty Green Sparrow warriors out, chasing north along the corpse-strewn path.
The coalition scattered—most bolted north, some veered sideways, including clever ones like the Grass Tribe’s chief, who remembered how prey scattered under attack.
She led her people northwest, hoping to slip away.
For a time, it seemed to work—no pursuers followed, and she exulted in her wisdom.
But suddenly, thunderous drums boomed ahead.
Green Sparrow warriors burst out from an ambush, weapons gleaming. Beside them stood scarecrows made of straw, branches, and hides, cleverly mixed among the real fighters.
Terrified, the Grass Tribe turned back in panic, realizing they were the only ones trapped.
The same happened on the eastern flank—ambushes drove the scattering fugitives back toward the main rout.
The coalition, like a panicked herd, was herded north toward the “Eight Character Ridge.”
There, Eldest Senior Brother and his men had long lain in wait.
When the fugitives gasped in relief that no one barred their path, the Black Stone chief even thought the Green Sparrows were foolish to leave it undefended.
But this was not Huarong Road, and he was no Cao Cao.
The ambush snapped shut.
Suddenly, the leading fugitives fell into hidden trenches, swallowed up like by a demon’s maw.
Then Green Sparrow warriors leapt out, blocking the exit, while others closed from behind.
High ridges lined with thorny plants sealed both sides.
“#￥5EE!”
The Black Stone chief roared, raising his obsidian weapon high to rally a final charge.
But before his cry had even faded, searing pain stabbed into his body…