Aztec Eternals

The sun shines on the earth again. The ground is not much different from yesterday, except that there are more extinguished bonfires and shallow soil bumps. The traces of death have been buried in the ground, and the living continue to conquer.

After a breakfast of corn tortillas and black beans, warriors took up their shields and clubs.

The relics of the warriors of both sides were collected. Otomi's samurai suffered many casualties, and many samurai's equipment was left on the battlefield.

The excess weapons were carried by the warriors. Then the excess leather armor was handed over to more than a hundred Otomi militiamen to carry it. The lucky ones were promised release if the equipment was returned to the Mexica camp.

Next to them are the escorting jaguar warriors, throwing guns in their hands, watching out for the movements of the captives,

This is an era of extremely scarce productivity, every pair of leather armor, every obsidian baton is precious. Damaged equipment will not be discarded at will, but must be brought back to the camp for repair.

The legion captured a total of 3,000 Otomi prisoners, 1,000 warriors, and 2,000 militiamen. The Mexica warriors took out the prepared sisal ropes, connected the hands of the captives, tied them into a string of twenty, and escorted them to the middle of the team.

The captives have to go through a long journey, through mountains, through forests, through rivers, through lakes, and finally reach the capital of the empire, waiting for the end of everything.

The army is packing up and will be leaving soon.

At this time, more than a hundred warriors automatically gathered in front of Shulot. They knelt down on one knee and bowed their heads to Shulot. Shulot has seen these people before. They are the warriors who donated their hair at the end of yesterday's sacrifice.

The leader is a middle-aged man with a vicissitudes of life and a calm expression. He is wearing a yellow-patterned battle armor and a feathered beast helmet. He has a burly figure, thick knuckles, and red-patterned armbands on his arms. This turned out to be a senior fourth-level warrior, qualified to join the Eagle and Jaguar battle groups, and only a short distance away from the first-level military nobles.

The man walked to Xiulot, knelt down on one knee again, and lowered his head deeply. Shulot subconsciously imitated his grandfather's movements, and the boy put his hands on the samurai's hair.

"Under the witness of the patron saint Vitzilopochtli, holy, victorious, merciful coyote priest. I, Berthard, warrior from Tenochtitlan, will guard you and fight for you until the last drop of blood is shed."

The sudden allegiance made the young man at a loss.

Shulot stood for a while, collected himself, and asked, "Berthard, can I ask you a question?"

"Follow your will, and I will tell you everything."

"We've only known each other for two days, why do you want to be loyal to me? Is it because of the sacrifice last night."

"Thank you for your kindness in guiding my brother's soul to the realm of the dead."

"Is there any other reason?"

"Under your leadership, we achieved victory yesterday."

"Isn't that so?" Xiulot didn't know how to reply. Yesterday he just stood on the top of the mountain, as a priest watching from the sidelines, watching the battle start, progress, intense, climax, until the curtain call.

"Also, you were born holy, born not long after the great Montezuma I passed away." At this moment, Bertard raised his head, with a touch of excitement on his quiet face, but his voice became low, until finally there were only two people heard. "I remember that night, when the evening star shone in the sky, and death brought new life."

Shulot was shocked. He remembered that in Teotihuacan, the king and grandfather, who also spoke of Montezuma I and the Evening Star, believed that his birth was due to the blessing of the tengu Xolotl. Then he was given the Tengu Sacrificial Clothes and was taken away by the king. Not long ago, the king asked himself about the sun and the earth.

All these things are connected like lightning and flint, and at the end Avitt smiled meaningfully: "You have passed the test."

Xiulot was silent for a moment, his body stiffened slightly. There is no real boy in the boy's body. For the first time, his face took on some depth.

So, he also said in a low voice: "Then, Bertard, are you willing to walk down with the newborn sun?"

Seeing the change in the boy's expression, excitement spread across Bertard's face. "I would."

"Whatever the road ahead?"

"No matter what the road ahead is!"

"Until when?"

"Until the old sun sets and the new sun dominates the sky!" Bertard's face was already frenzied, "and Montezuma returns to his throne!"

Intense dialogue is stealthy and swift. After completing the etiquette of allegiance, Berthard looked as usual, stood up and retreated quietly.

Next, more than a hundred warriors paid homage to Shulot in turn and swore to follow him.

Most of the samurai were relatives and friends of the war dead and expressed their gratitude for yesterday's funeral. Others believed that, as a priest, he had the blessing of the gods and brought victory to the war. There is no further mention of the astronomy of his birth.

Maybe it's not knowing, or maybe it's just buried in my heart.

Soon the army set off and embarked on a journey back to the besieged camp of Xilotepec. There are still a few days left on the way back, and the large group of people have to go through the mountains and forests, which is destined to be more difficult than before. Especially for captives.

The warriors escorted the captives and pulled out a long queue among the mountains. Avet was always at the front of the queue, discussing with the commanders the delivery of the prisoners and the handling of the spoils.

Shulot walked behind, chatting with the first group of warriors who followed him.

He found that the samurai who followed him had relatively simple clothes and decorations, and most of them were born in ordinary civilian families. Their promotion is not easy. Although they are proficient in martial arts and good at fighting, they stop at most at the fourth level of senior fighters.

But it is extremely difficult to go up to another level, become a first-level military nobleman, and have land privileges in the city-state. Luck, strength, and background are indispensable.

In other words, the reason why the warriors spontaneously followed him was because of belief and emotion on the one hand. On the other hand, it is a desire for the future in my heart.

Xiulot has a clear understanding: belief and reality, both parallel and equal, are the foundation of loyalty.

And communicating with experienced samurai is actually a very interesting thing.

Shulot listened to the warriors talking about the life of the city-state, such as the kickball game that was popular in the city-state. Everyone competes for a rubber ball in a flat rectangular field. Then, like playing squash, throw the goal high up on the wall. Often, the losers were reduced to slavery, and the victors were rewarded with wealth and honor.

The losers of the competition on the sacrificial day will become the sacrifices of the ceremony. This is the famous "Human Sacrifice Stadium".

There is also a mirror made of obsidian, which can see the face of a person like the surface of water. It is expensive and is especially sought after by nobles.

There is also the cochineal, a small red insect parasitic on the cactus, which secretes white hairs, as small as dust, feeds on the juice of the cactus, and grows into a fat round shape.

If the adults are ground into pulp, it will be the most magnificent carmine. It is the finest dye, so precious that it is used in the finest robes.

Shulot also listened to the people talking about the capital of Tarasco, Chin Tson Chan, a city built on copper mines. Qin Congcan strictly restricted the outflow of copper mines in the city-state, and also controlled the sale of copper wares.

The people there made not only hard copper daggers, spears and axes, but also copper helmets and leggings. It appears that the Tarascos had mastered the method of making bronze and began to make copper armor.

"Actually, copper mines are not only found in Qincong, which is tightly controlled by the Tarascos." Bertard, who had been silent all the time, suddenly interjected, "As a scout, I used to go along the Balthus River west where the Chuntals settled. Down, through the highland forest, and a month's walk westward, you will be able to penetrate into the southern territory of the Tarasco, the Wetamo region."

Shulot's spirits were lifted, and he heard new information about the metal mine.

"There are undulating mountains and dense forests, and there are many small city-states of the Tarasco people with strong autonomy. These city-states are also using copper, and most of the copper comes from the mountains. There are many open-air rocky mountains where the vegetation cannot grow. There are a lot of granite, and the surface of the stone is gilded with patterns, some of which are like golden lines, shining brightly in the sun."

"A large porphyry copper mine can be mined in the open pit. And it is not tightly controlled by the Tarascos." Xiulot quickly captured three key points.

"Dear priest." Botard suddenly saluted Xiulot formally, and said for the first time: "The copper equipment is hard and durable, and it will be of great help to your future. With a bronze spear, even a militia can threaten a warrior."

"When this war is over, I am willing to sneak into the south of Tarasco for you and buy this important ore from the local village Tubang."

Seeing Bertard's quiet and serious speech, Shulot told himself the importance of copperware, and wanted to laugh at first. But hearing that he was willing to take great risks to sneak into the territory of the Tarascos for the source of the ore, he felt a little moved.

He nodded vigorously, stood on tiptoe, and patted Bertard's shoulder.

The warriors continued talking and laughing until the sun set and a dark cloud came from afar.

Avitt just showed up at this moment. He came with a smile, was stunned for a moment, then narrowed his eyes, and carefully took a look at the calm and vicissitudes of Berthard who was guarding beside Shulot.

Then he looked at the more than one hundred warriors clustered behind Shulot.

Finally, I saw Xiulot who was also smiling, and said with a smile:

"It seems that you have gained a lot from this expedition."