The moment I saw the leading warrior dodge too late, about to perish under Geng Hu's claws, I knew the opportunity I'd been waiting for had arrived.
While the savage warriors on this island were brutal and cruel, they were also straightforward, adhering to the law of the jungle where the strong prey on the weak.
If I had simply offered myself to the Du'an tribe, I would have been captured and enslaved on the spot, or at best, held in low esteem.
Therefore, saving this leading warrior from Geng Hu's clutches was the perfect stepping stone.
I darted from the forest, knife in hand, like a ferocious tiger, slashing viciously at Geng Hu's face.
The beast, caught off guard, was struck by me. A deep, bone-g \%$, scarring appeared on its previously terrifying tiger face.
Strike while the iron is hot.
Before Geng Hu could react, I rooted myself to the ground, my waist and hips moving as one. With a sideways twist, a fierce whip kick landed squarely on Geng Hu's nose.
The beast, already severely injured, let out a pained cry upon receiving my whip kick and collapsed to the ground, unable to rise.
My sudden appearance startled all the other Du'an tribe warriors on the scene, who froze in place, stunned.
I knew that monsters like Geng Hu had thick hides, but its vital points had been critically injured by my surprise attack, yet it was far from finished.
"What are you waiting for? Hurry and finish this beast together!"
Seeing that no one was acting, I quickly shouted in the barbarian language.
The others on the scene then snapped out of their daze. They shouted to each other and, using the ropes they had just broken free from, recaptured Geng Hu.
Seeing that the beast was under control and could no longer cause trouble, I breathed a sigh of relief and turned to offer a hand to the warrior who had fallen earlier.
"Can you get up?"
"I'm fine."
My appearance had clearly confused the fallen warrior. Hearing my question, he instinctively replied, then grabbed my hand and stood up.
"Who are you?"
The warrior, who introduced himself as Ada, thanked me first, then looked at me with a suspicious gaze.
Success!
Seeing the warrior's reaction, I rejoiced internally, knowing that half of my plan to infiltrate the Du'an tribe had been achieved.
However, I maintained a calm exterior, extending my right hand and hitting my chest firmly.
"The Shepherd God above, let's deal with Geng Hu first before discussing other matters."
Ada blinked, then nodded. He picked up the stone axe he had dropped earlier and walked towards Geng Hu.
As the saying goes, a good warrior can't withstand a pack of wolves. Geng Hu, having suffered repeated heavy blows, was now at the end of its strength and bound.
Seeing Ada approach with the stone axe, it could only let out threatening roars, unable to do anything else.
Ada was not one to dither. He walked up to Geng Hu and brought his axe down, strike after strike, until Geng Hu's head was completely severed.
I watched the entire process from the side and couldn't help but admire Ada.
Ada had almost died at Geng Hu's hands just moments ago, yet he had managed to compose himself and kill the beast so quickly, demonstrating his incredible mental fortitude.
Once everything was settled and the other Du'an warriors were expertly dismembering Geng Hu's body, Ada, with his stone axe tucked behind his back, walked over to me.
"You are a brave warrior. Thank you for saving my life just now."
Ada did not immediately press for my origins but thanked me for saving his life.
I smiled and did not decline. The rules of survival on this island were different from the outside world, lacking any pretense.
"It is only that the Shepherd God could not bear to see a valiant warrior return to the divine realm so soon. To be able to lead men to hunt Geng Hu, that is remarkable!"
My flattery clearly pleased Ada. The tall warrior rubbed the back of his head with his palm, looking somewhat embarrassed.
The reason I hadn't stepped in to finish Geng Hu earlier was precisely this.
Having the life-saving debt owed by Ada was enough to infiltrate the tribe. This hunt was originally Ada's undertaking, and taking all the credit would have been counterproductive.
"Hahahaha! Brother, you suit my taste. Where do you come from?"
Here it is!
My heart tightened. Now was the time for my acting skills.
"My name is Bada. I am a warrior from the Kehun tribe from beyond the mountains. A few days ago, the Kasa tribe attacked us..."
My expression turned somber, and I repeatedly touched the Xuanniao mask on my face.
This story was one that Koyan and I had meticulously refined. The information within was a mix of truth and fabrication, making it difficult to verify.
The Kehun tribe did exist. They rarely interacted with other tribes and had disappeared months ago, possibly wiped out by beasts.
By using the name of the Kehun tribe, I ensured there would be no witnesses to contradict me.
The persona I crafted was that of a warrior whose tribe was annihilated by the Kasa, seeking refuge with the Du'an tribe for revenge.
"Brother Bada, you have suffered greatly..."
My tearful performance clearly moved Ada. However, before he could finish, a sinister voice interjected,
"You're a spy from the Kasa tribe!"