16: Chapter 16 Are you scared now?

Inside the Island Chat Channel

【Jackal (09 Tribe): Yo, it's dawn! Are the "heroines" of 01 Tribe awake?】

【Keyboard Warrior (Tribe 07): @Xia Jin (01 Tribe) are you there? Come out and walk a few steps?】

【Keyboard Warrior (Tribe 07): Let the brothers see if your butt is swollen from a beating and you can't walk, or if you were 'cared for' by the brothers of Tribe 14 so much you can't get out of bed?】

【Fun-seeker (Tribe 07): Ladies of the beauty Tribe, if you surrender now and go find a strong Tribe to seek 'protection', it's not too late!】

【Opportunist A (09 Tribe): @01 Tribe, if anyone is still watching the channel, listen to my advice. Apologize publicly immediately, maybe you can get lenient treatment.】

【Opportunist A (09 Tribe): Our 09 Tribe has always advocated peaceful development. If you are afraid, bring your remaining resources and come to us, our leader might be willing to mediate for you.】

Taunts, sarcasm, schadenfreude, and all sorts of voices filled the morning channel. The Tribes mocking the most were 09 Tribe and Tribe 07.

No one noticed that Tribe 14 only had 13 people left.

【Xia Jin (01 Tribe): 09 Tribe, Tribe 07, this is the last warning. If you don't shut up, you will be the next Tribe 14.】

【Jackal (09 Tribe): Laughing to death, I'm so scared. The next Tribe to "take care" of the sisters? Hehe.】

【Keyboard Warrior (Tribe 07): Oh my! Scared the baby! "The next Tribe 14"? Who do you think you are?】

【Keyboard Warrior (Tribe 07): Are you hiding in some rock crevice shivering right now? Do you want me to come 'find' you and 'comfort' you?】

【Fun-seeker (Tribe 07): Wow! Dying struggles' harsh words sound the best! Continue, continue! I just love seeing beauties acting tough! Don't cry too ugly when you get caught later!】

【Fun-seeker (Tribe 07): The people from Tribe 14 haven't spoken since last night.】

Some people subconsciously stopped typing their new taunts.

Right, ever since they "declared war" last night, until just now, the people from Tribe 14 really hadn't said a single word.

Given the arrogant and domineering nature of that group from Tribe 14, having been publicly declared war on, they should have been roaring, threatening, and showing off their power in the channel long ago. How could they be so silent?

This wasn't normal.

【Keyboard Warrior (Tribe 07): @Tribe 14, brothers, why have you had no movement since you declared war yesterday?】

【Fun-seeker (Tribe 07): Is it fun watching us help you scold these ignorant little girls? Come out and say something!】

【Daxi (Tribe 03): They seem to only have 13 people left.】

Dead silence.

Almost at the same time, everyone "watching" the channel subconsciously went to check the survival numbers of Tribe 14.

13.

Cold, clear, glaring.

And almost at the same time as realizing this number, many people's eyes uncontrollably and hurriedly glanced at another number.

01 Tribe (surviving members): 30.

One Tribe, population plummeted from 30 to 13, losing more than half.

The other declaring Tribe was still at full capacity of 30.

This... what did this mean? Did 01 Tribe awaken some heaven-defying profession?

The members of 09 and Tribe 07, who were just clamoring to "pick up the scraps" and "comfort" them, were now as if strangled by an invisible hand, unable to utter a single word.

The next Tribe 14?

Xia Jin's warning still rang in their ears.

【Keyboard Warrior (Tribe 07): No, impossible! It must be a display bug! Tribe 14 has so many people, and the leader is a rare profession, how is it possible...】

【Opportunist A (09 Tribe): It shouldn't be a bug, how could it show 13 for everyone at the same time.】

【Jackal (09 Tribe): Maybe they ate the wrong thing themselves, or encountered a herd of beasts!】

【Fun-seeker (Tribe 07): But... but this is too coincidental, right after declaring war.】

They were panicked, but what was happening before their eyes was too unbelievable, and the people of Tribe 07 and 09 Tribe subconsciously refused to believe it.

【Daxi (Tribe 03): We are not far from Tribe 14, I can go take a look.】

【Keyboard Warrior (Tribe 07): Thanks Brother Da, go and come back quickly.】

【Jackal (09 Tribe): Thanks Brother Da, go and come back quickly.】

【Fun-seeker (Tribe 07): Thanks Brother Da, go and come back quickly.】

After Daxi's "I can go take a look", the channel fell into an anxious wait.

Everyone who was still paying attention to this matter, whether they had participated in the mocking before or were just watching coldly, were holding their breath at this moment, waiting for that answer.

The people of 09 Tribe and Tribe 07 did not send any new taunts.

Those few scattered remarks trying to deny or find excuses hung alone in the information stream, looking exceptionally pale and weak.

Time passed, second by second.

It felt like a century had passed.

Finally.

【Daxi (Tribe 03): Image uploaded.】

No extra text, just a simple system prompt and an image attachment available for everyone to "view".

Then, everyone, with all kinds of emotions, "clicked" on that image.

The perspective of the image seemed to be taken cautiously from behind a bush.

In the center of the screen, it exceeded everyone's expectations.

It was hell.

In the center of the clearing, in front of the thatched huts, piled up were bodies that had clearly lost their lives!

Some were lying on their backs, eyes wide open, freezing the final terror; some were curled up on the ground, with large patches of dark brown dried blood beneath them.

The corpses far exceeded the imagination that the number "13" could bring; many of the corpses were unrecognizable, all indicating what kind of fierce and cruel battle had taken place here.

However, the most glaring, the most soul-chilling thing was not the corpses all over the ground.

It was on the outer wall of the largest thatched hut.

Painted with dark red, viscous, not yet completely dry liquid were two huge numbers:

01

That was what Xia Jin had painted last night.

The picture was clear, cruel, and unquestionable.

【Keyboard Warrior (Tribe 07): ...】

【Fun-seeker (Tribe 07): ...】

【Jackal (09 Tribe): ...】

【Opportunist A (09 Tribe): ...】

In the channel, there was no longer any mocking, teasing, or even the slightest disrespect towards 01 Tribe.

Some people were glad they hadn't followed the trend to mock 01 Tribe, some Tribes that had mocked a sentence or two were now shivering, fearing that 01 Tribe would turn their spearhead towards them.

【Wang Kui (Tribe 07): @Xia Jin @01 Tribe I am the leader of Tribe 07.】

【Wang Kui (Tribe 07): Misunderstanding, it was all a misunderstanding. I represent 09 Tribe, and on behalf of our members, I extend my most sincere apologies for their previous inappropriate remarks. We have absolutely no intention of being enemies with your Tribe.】

【Wang Kui (09 Tribe): @Xia Jin @01 Tribe As the leader, I failed to discipline them properly. I extend my most sincere apologies to your Tribe, and I will severely punish those who spoke rudely to your Tribe.】

Xia Jin watched this dramatic scene in the channel.

Apology?

Know to apologize now?

Before, when your people were barking like mad dogs, using dirty language to insult and provoke us, where were you "leaders"?

Thinking that because it was a group of "women" and "one man", you could manipulate them as you pleased?

Now, seeing the fate of Tribe 14, you know to be afraid?

Seeing the corpses all over the ground and the blood-written characters on the wall, your legs have gone soft?

Want to use a few light, responsibility-shifting apologies to brush this off?

【Xia Jin (01 Tribe): Misunderstanding? From last night until just now, why didn't I see the two leaders speak up to stop it.】

【Xia Jin (01 Tribe): I warned you one last time, I gave you a chance.】

【Xia Jin (01 Tribe): Apologies need to have sincerity. Empty words are worthless. I don't mind painting numbers on the wall again.】

【Xia Jin (01 Tribe): Tribe 07, 09 Tribe, each hand over 30 stone, 10 animal skins, 20 units of food, and I can forget about this matter. I will give you ten minutes to consider.】

【Xia Jin (01 Tribe): I don't mind painting numbers on the wall again.】

There was a gasp in the channel. These conditions were too harsh! 30 stone was almost all the resources a Tribe could obtain in half a day, not to mention the preciousness of food and animal skins.

Many people felt that 01 Tribe was too overbearing.

The two Tribe leaders now had the urge to kill the people who had loose mouths.

But thinking of the mountain of corpses in the picture and the wet blood on the wall, they didn't dare to refuse.

With the strength shown in that photo, 01 Tribe had the power to take it themselves.

【Wang Kui (Leader of Tribe 07): Fine. The conditions... we accept. The supplies... we will do our best to gather them. We will initiate the trade within today.】

【Zhao Tianlei (Leader of 09 Tribe): Our Tribe also accepts. We will surely provide the full amount.】

【Xia Jin (01 Tribe): Before 1 PM.】

After sending the last message, Xia Jin ignored any possible reactions in the channel and closed the interface directly.

She turned her head, looked at the brightening sky outside the door, and then looked at the unconscious Qi Yun and the busy girls inside the room.

Qi Yun's almost crazy lone battle last night, the blood he shed, the injuries he sustained.

Everything exchanged at the cost of his life was reflected vividly at this moment.

The public concession and compensation from the Tribe 07 and 09 Tribe, the fierce reputation and supreme might of 01 Tribe.

From now on, on this cruel island, no one would dare to easily question or provoke them again.

The dignity forged in blood was more powerful than any words.