I listened expressionlessly as Bizaro finished his account, without speaking, and continued to look at him quietly.
Under the pressure of my gaze, Bizaro's previously calm face gradually showed signs of unease.
After all, his life or death rested entirely on my whim. The space between life and death holds immense terror, and no one can face it with composure.
This old man was still hiding something.
My sixth sense had always been accurate, but I didn't intend to interrogate him further.
After all, I was merely a spy undercover in the Du'an tribe. Their lives or deaths had nothing to do with me. All I needed to do was take this old man back to Hu Tu, and my mission would be a complete success.
With this thought, I patted Bizaro's shoulder, picked up the animal skin I had thrown aside, and stuffed it back into his mouth.
"Old man, you're lucky."
It was now high noon. After a fierce battle, everyone was exhausted. Since the task was completed, I asked Da Zhi to start a bonfire, preparing to deal with the white tiger meat on the spot.
If one were to talk about appreciating fine food, I would bet my life that no one understands it better than the people of my great culinary nation. However, when it came to roasted meat, that was another matter.
Upon hearing that they were going to roast fresh white tiger meat, two Du'an tribe warriors immediately volunteered.
I had people clear the snow in front of the cave to serve as the dining area. Then, I found a large blue stone to sit on, and watched the two warriors perform with keen interest.
They skillfully stripped pieces of meat from the white tiger with small knives, washed them with clean water, and threaded them onto picked branches one by one.
The key to delicious roasted meat lies in two things: heat control and ingredients.
Both of them were experts in roasting meat, so heat control was naturally not an issue. As for the ingredients, the white tiger was so difficult to subdue, its meat must have been extremely firm.
The wait for the delicious food to be ready was always the most agonizing. About half an hour later, as the white tiger meat gradually roasted, a peculiar aroma of meat filled the air.
Tender and springy, it was like delicious little bombs exploding on the tongue. I was amazed that such delicious meat could exist in the world.
Damn it, I've been living all these years in vain!
Although we hadn't brought any wine on this outing, everyone was very happy. With the delicious white tiger meat for company, some were even singing the little folk songs of the Du'an tribe.
This gourmet tasting session lasted for a full three hours. We managed to eat all the meat from that white tiger, leaving only a majestic tiger skin and head to present to Hu Tu upon our return.
After we were full and had had our fill of drinks, I no longer restrained everyone's actions. As long as they didn't stray too far, they could do as they pleased.
I returned to the cave alone, leaned against the wall, and prepared to have a good sleep.
I hadn't slept long before Da Zhi woke me up.
"Batu, Gui Lichia and his men are secretly plotting. I think they're preparing to get rid of you."
I let out a big yawn, rubbed my drowsy eyes, and looked at Da Zhi calmly.
"Hahahaha, if they weren't plotting, why would I have deliberately stayed here for another day."
"Before we leave, we must eliminate the threat of Gui Lichia. Don't rush, I'll sleep a bit longer. We'll have plenty to do tonight."
I turned my head away, no longer paying attention to Da Zhi.
Actually, it wasn't Da Zhi's fault. If he had come from modern society like me, he would have heard of a term called "entrapment."
Striking first is called brawling; striking second is called self-defense.
Only when Gui Lichia made the first move could I stand on the side of justice. This way, even if the Great Priest knew what was going on, he would have to swallow his grievances.
When I woke up again, the sky outside had already darkened. Many warriors were resting in the cave, but Gui Lichia and his subordinates were nowhere to be seen.
This immediately made me sober. I looked around and found that Da Zhi was also not in the cave.
My expression instantly turned serious. I turned and asked a few warriors in the cave, and they all said they hadn't seen Da Zhi.
Could it be that they had already made their move?
I rubbed my throbbing head, quickly put on my animal skin, and walked out of the cave.
The moon was exceptionally round tonight, but a dark cloud was quietly approaching it in the sky not far away.
I inexplicably remembered an ancient poem I had seen in my childhood.
On a dark and windy night, it's time for murder and arson!
The bright moonlight sprinkled on the white snow, as if a thick layer of salt had been spread across the earth.
In the vast white world, only one person leaned on his saber, advancing slowly.
That person was me.
After leaving the Shandong area, I searched the vicinity but found no trace of Gui Lichia or Da Zhi.
This cast a shadow over my heart. When I woke up earlier, I had discovered that the other Du'an tribe warriors in the cave had all been drugged.
And the missing people were precisely Gui Lichia and his subordinates, as well as Da Zhi and a few warriors belonging to Ada's faction.
A picture began to form in my mind. These two groups disappearing simultaneously on this night of killing could only mean one thing: Gui Lichia couldn't wait any longer and had made his move.
Since I couldn't find anyone nearby, I had to search deeper into the forest.
I walked through the snow, my feet sinking with each step. Wherever my gaze fell, it was a vast expanse of white.
Huh?
As I walked, my keen sense of smell suddenly detected a hint of blood in the air.
On such a cold night, nocturnal animals in the forest would not come out to hunt, so it must have been Da Zhi and his group!
My heart leaped, and I quickly followed the scent of blood into the forest.