The Quest for Immortality Chapter 2860: Brutal Battle (part 3)

Even if the Wujiu Tribe temporarily broke through the defense line, they would soon be forced to retreat again.

The struggle between attack and defense never ceased.

And soon, the Wujiu Tribe also realized that their casualties had already been substantial.

In the life-and-death battle, people from the Shugubu were dying.

And the Barbarian Soldiers of the Wujiu Tribe were also not immune to death.

In fact, because the Shugubu primarily defended and the Wujiu Tribe spared no effort to attack, they actually lost more people than the Shugubu.

Therefore, after repeated fierce assaults failed, the Wujiu Tribe’s fervor for battle faded, and as they weighed the gains and losses, they gradually lost heart.

Their casualties had exceeded expectations.

If they continued fighting this way, even if they annihilated the Shugubu and devoured Mo Hua’s forces, it would likely be a loss rather than a gain.

Moreover, given how things looked, the Shugubu’s resistance was extremely tenacious, and whether they could conquer them remained uncertain.

If a forced attack fails, it would be a heavy loss, both men and horses lost, and they would have no way to explain to the Young Master.

The Wujiu Tribe had no choice but to slow their offensive.

Meanwhile, Mo Hua’s side gained a brief respite.

Afterwards, both sides continued symbolic attacks and defenses for a while, with the Wujiu Tribe still unable to break through the Shugubu’s defenses, yet seemingly reluctant to retreat.

Because the "sunk cost" had already become very high.

Retreating now would mean that their previous sacrifices were all in vain.

These were tangible troops and lives.

But staying stuck in this quagmire and continuing to fight would just make the losses grow larger, like a frog being boiled slowly.

The reluctance to abandon sunk costs would only worsen the situation.

Mo Hua and the Shugubu had no choice but to grit their teeth and fight to the end.

After exhausting a while longer, both sides each lost some troops, some lives perished, and finally, the Wujiu Tribe withdrew.

Firstly, because their food supplies were running low.

It was a year of disaster, famine was rampant, and not only local tribes like the Shugubu, but even the Wujiu Tribe was short of food.

Due to the large number and strength of the Wujiu Tribe’s Barbarian Soldiers, the consumption of food was greater.

Previously, they fought while plundering.

If they won a battle, they would burn, kill, and loot the enemy completely, venting their hatred and replenishing military supplies this way.

But the problem now was that they hadn’t won.

From Mo Hua’s hands, they gained no advantage; they didn’t break through the Shugubu’s defenses, so naturally, there was nothing to loot.

No looting meant no resupply, making it impossible to sustain this stalemate.

Secondly, they also faced raids from other tribes.

The Barbarian Soldiers of the Wujiu Tribe roamed the Vermilion Bird Mountain Realm, destroying countless tribes and killing many people, naturally making many enemies.

Earlier, this Wujiu army, bearing the Wujiu Tribe’s banner, had such a grand presence and strong forces that no one dared provoke them.

Now, after the battle with the Shugubu, having consumed much of their troops and facing food shortages, they became targets for some scattered tribes.

These tribes were not strong enough to annihilate this Wujiu army.

But they had no problem causing trouble, killing some people, and stealing some resources.

Facing internal shortages and external threats, and seeing that they couldn’t conquer the Shugubu, the Wujiu Tribe had no choice but to order a begrudging retreat.

The threat to the Shugubu was thus relieved.

However, the grudge between the two sides was solidified and deeply rooted.

The Wujiu Tribe lost many people, and they blamed it on the Shugubu’s stubborn refusal to submit, not allowing them to burn, kill, and plunder.

They believed it was entirely the Shugubu’s fault.

As for the people of the Shugubu, there was no need to even mention their feelings.

They were attacked and surrounded without reason by the Wujiu Tribe, losing many of their own, accumulating a bloody debt.

Mo Hua was also filled with hidden resentment.

His forces were hard to maintain, yet suffered significant losses in battling the Wujiu Tribe.

One day, he vowed to make the Wujiu Tribe pay a heavy price.

At the same time, Mo Hua suppressed his anger, endured the grief in his heart, and tried his best to summarize the gains and losses of this battle.

He had to find a way to make more thoughtful strategies and amass greater power.

Such battles in the future could never be fought like this again.

He could not allow so much bloodshed again, nor let so many people die...