On the ground lay a trail of blood, originally covered by the white snow. Perhaps Gui Lichir had an exceptional nose, for he managed to uncover it again.
Upon seeing the bloodstains, Da Zhi quietly crouched down and scooped up a piece of congealed blood with his fingers.
"It's completely solidified. Looks like it's been at least half a day."
After examining it carefully, Da Zhi surprisingly put the blood clot into his mouth.
"It's human blood!"
You're so proficient at this! I thought to myself, but my expression grew increasingly solemn.
"Let's hurry to the outpost!"
This temporary outpost, established by the Duan tribe, was located in a hidden cave, serving as a resting place for tribesmen who were out hunting and couldn't return to the main settlement.
Led by Da Zhi, our group rushed to the cave.
As soon as we reached the cave entrance, my nose detected a strong stench of blood emanating from within.
Upon entering, the scene before me made my pupils contract.
The cave was in disarray. Splattered blood mixed with snow made the ground muddy. Three men lay on the ground, their fates unknown. On the wall, a line of text was written in blood.
"Quickly check if anyone is still alive!"
I called out to the others to examine the condition of the three men, while I walked to the wall and looked at the line of text.
"The gods have forsaken us, and we have forsaken the gods."
The writing was crooked, seemingly done in a moment of agitation. Yet, even so, I could feel the fierceness conveyed by the strokes.
These people are not to be trifled with!
I began to understand the feelings of these exiles. The gods they worshipped had not appeared during the darkest moments of their lives. Now, this group had emerged from the land of the forsaken, intending to exact revenge on their tribe and their gods.
"Batu, there's still someone breathing here!"
Da Zhi suddenly shouted. Upon hearing that there was a survivor, I quickly went to his side.
I looked at the man leaning against Da Zhi, his abdomen pierced by a long spear, impaled deep into the ground. Blood continuously flowed from the wound. The man's face was purplish-blue, and he was too weak to even lift a finger.
To my surprise, however, the disturbance caused by our arrival seemed to have stirred him. He was still conscious.
"Don't move now. We'll figure out how to get the spear out."
I was about to call for more help when the man on the ground weakly shook his head.
"I'm beyond saving. Don't waste your effort."
The man uttered a few words with difficulty, each seeming to drain him of his remaining strength.
"They are demons... They killed Duyi, they've come for revenge..."
He gasped, his eyes wide, staring at some point in the void.
"Stop them... they are over there... revenge..."
Watching the light fade from the man's eyes, I clenched my fists involuntarily.
Not a single Duan tribe warrior present, including Gui Lichir and his men, spoke.
I scanned the faces around me and saw fiery anger in their eyes.
"Everyone, the Duan tribe will have blood for blood!"
I suppressed the rage in my heart with all my might. Everything before me demanded a price!
...
The three bodies of the Duan tribe members in the cave were buried beneath the snow. Standing in front of the cave, I issued orders with a blank expression.
"Everyone is divided into four groups, taking turns to keep watch."
"No fires are to be lit. Tomorrow at dawn, the decisive battle begins!"
This night felt exceptionally long. I lay on the animal hide, unable to fall asleep.
I had initially thought this mission was a contest between the High Priest and Hu Tu, and a reckoning between Gui Lichir and myself.
But now, every time I closed my eyes, I saw that man's vacant stare. This had nothing to do with anything else; it was simply the sorrow of a life lost before my eyes.
Now, the Duan warriors in the cave, whether they were Ada's men or Gui Lichir's, felt a shared hatred after the man's death.
Gui Lichir and I had also tacitly ceased our open and hidden conflicts. But I knew this was far from the end.
Only one of Gui Lichir and I would return to the Duan tribe. After dealing with the exiles, it would be time for us to turn on each other.
I thought a lot that night. In a state between sleep and wakefulness, I seemed to see Luo Yaqin, Shangguan Yao, and the others waving at me. Xin, Ke Ya, Zhuo Ya...
I realized my heart was becoming colder, and at the same time, I was adapting better to the rules of this island game. These people were the only softness in my heart, the proof of my origin from that distant civilized society.
I don't know how long I slept. I only opened my eyes when someone gently called my name by my ear.
I looked at Da Zhi's impassive face, which managed a strained, grim smile. Seeing that I was awake, he quietly moved aside.
I sat up and looked outside the cave.
Daybreak had arrived!