Not long after, I arrived at a wide open clearing where Da Zhi and the others were.
The situation in the field was grim. Several corpses lay scattered on the ground. Gui Li Chi still had three subordinates, while Da Zhi was left alone, struggling to hold on.
Da Zhi appeared completely exhausted, leaning against a tree, gasping for breath. His right hand was gone, leaving an empty sleeve, and his body was riddled with deep wounds.
Damn it, Gui Li Chi, that scoundrel, had struck first. If I hadn't arrived in time, Da Zhi and the others would have perished here.
My heart burned with rage. If looks could kill, Gui Li Chi would have been dead eight hundred times over.
At the same time, I couldn't help but feel some resentment towards Da Zhi. I had explicitly told him not to act rashly before I slept, yet he had still been tricked out by Gui Li Chi.
But that was all in the past. I had approached from the direction of Gui Li Chi and his men's backs, so they hadn't noticed me immediately. I seized this opportunity and cautiously crept closer.
One step, two steps. I drew nearer to Gui Li Chi and his men. The night wind howled, masking the sound of my footsteps.
As I got closer, I could hear Gui Li Chi's arrogant attempts at persuasion.
"Da Zhi, listen to me. We are both followers of the Shepherd God. Why shed blood for an outsider?"
"If you agree to help me eliminate Ba Du, I guarantee you will be unharmed upon our return, and the High Priest will value you greatly."
Perhaps feeling unburdened in this desolate wilderness, Gui Li Chi spoke animatedly, painting a rosy picture for Da Zhi.
"You are a good man. Why sell your life for Hu Tu? To tell you the truth, Hu Tu won't last more than a couple of days. He has been abandoned by the Shepherd God and is no longer a worthy leader."
I saw Da Zhi's head snap up at these words, his eyes wide with fury. The wounds on his face, which had begun to scab over, tore open again, bleeding profusely. The blood flowed to his lips and then dried, forming grotesque "tattoos."
"Ptooey!"
Da Zhi spat out a mouthful of blood, his eyes filled with undisguised killing intent.
"Shepherd God above, Gui Li Chi, you strike down your own brothers who fight alongside you. You will surely die a terrible death!"
Da Zhi stopped mid-sentence, his gaze drifting past Gui Li Chi and his men.
He had spotted me!
I was already very close to Gui Li Chi and his men. However, to avoid being discovered by them, I had proceeded with extreme caution and at a slow pace. I was still just short of being within striking range.
Since Da Zhi had seen me, I quickly gestured to him, signaling him to continue to distract Gui Li Chi and his men, and not to reveal my position prematurely.
Da Zhi understood my gesture. He paused only briefly before continuing, his voice full of hatred.
"You want me to be your lackey? You're not worthy! You're just a obedient dog raised by the High Priest! Hahahahahahahaha!"
Everyone has a sore spot they don't want touched. Da Zhi's words clearly struck a nerve with Gui Li Chi, whose face darkened, his hand instinctively going to his sword hilt.
"Da Zhi, you ungrateful wretch. I originally intended to spare your life. Since you court death, I shall oblige you!"
With that, Gui Li Chi drew his bloodied sword, preparing to kill Da Zhi himself.
Seeing Da Zhi about to fall under Gui Li Chi's blade, I was filled with anxiety.
While I wished for all the warriors of the Du An tribe to perish, just as Da Zhi had said, these were companions who had fought alongside me just yesterday. To see one die before my eyes was undoubtedly tragic.
More importantly, Da Zhi was a trusted confidant of Ada, a brother who had shared life and death with him. Even if I killed Gui Li Chi here, I wouldn't be able to account for myself to Ada upon my return. He might even harbor resentment towards me, which would greatly hinder my plans.
Fortunately, at this critical juncture, Da Zhi remained calm. There was no trace of fear on his face. He weakly raised his remaining right hand and called out to Gui Li Chi.
"Gui Li Chi, I am severely wounded. There's no need for you to dirty your hands. Before I die, I only wish to know one thing: why do you insist on eliminating Ba Du?"
Gui Li Chi actually paused at Da Zhi's question, trembling. Although I couldn't see his expression from behind him, I could sense the immense emotional turmoil he was experiencing.
"Heh, Ba Du! My finger was lost because of him!"
"Tell me, should I not kill him!"
Gui Li Chi roared, his voice filled with venom.
Damn it, if you hadn't tried to frame me and get me killed, your finger would still be on your hand right now!
I cursed inwardly, only to see Da Zhi shake his head.
"I know about that. I mean, when Ba Du appeared during the initial encirclement of Geng Hu, why did you want to eliminate him?"