I don't know how long I slept. Surprisingly, I didn't dream at all, but found a sense of peace, like when I slept soundly in my mother's arms as a child.
"Water... I want water..."
My eyes gradually perceived light. I wanted to lift my heavy eyelids, but after struggling for a long time, I could only manage to open a slit. My mouth felt dry, and I let out a sound instinctively.
Someone nearby must have heard my plea. My lips were gently pried open, and life-saving clear water was poured in.
I was too exhausted. After drinking the water, I fell into a deep slumber again.
It wasn't until a long time later that I heard Ada's voice.
"Is Batu still not awake?"
"He showed signs of consciousness just now. He should wake up any moment."
Did I win against Gui Dusi?
I desperately tried to recall, and memories of the death arena gradually surfaced in my mind.
The voice I heard...
Gui Dusi was killed by me?!
But... before I lost consciousness, I thought I saw Pan Lili next to the High Priest?!
Suddenly, I snapped out of my daze and, with a surge of strength from nowhere, opened my eyes!
"Ada... Ada..."
I weakly called out Ada's name. Hurried footsteps approached, and Ada's familiar big face appeared before me.
"Brother, you're awake!"
I was lying on a bed made of animal hides. I struggled to get up and only then realized I was wrapped all over in white cloth, looking like a mummy.
"How long was I asleep?"
"What happened to me?!"
Ada, facing my questioning gaze, shifted his eyes uncomfortably.
"Brother, you fainted after killing Gui Dusi. I brought you back immediately."
As he said this, I saw a trace of lingering fear on Ada's face.
"You have no idea how badly you were injured. Four ribs were broken, and your entire shoulder was ruined!"
"Anyone else would have been dead by now!"
"You've been in bed for three days, burning up as if your body was on fire. Thankfully, you pulled through!"
Hearing Ada say this, I realized I had narrowly escaped death.
I instinctively tried to move my body, and a searing pain shot through me, almost making me pass out.
It took me a while to recover slightly and let out a helpless sigh.
"Gui Dusi is dead..."
I didn't have a bad impression of Gui Dusi. After all, he was completely different from his brother.
Although I almost died at his hands, I considered him a worthy opponent.
"Yes, Gui Dusi was beaten by you into an unrecognizable state! You don't have to fear retaliation from anyone. There's no warrior in the tribe who can fight better than you now! Even if someone wanted revenge, the King wouldn't allow it."
The "someone" Ada mentioned was undoubtedly the High Priest!
After hearing Ada's words, I felt a sense of relief.
Undoubtedly, by personally killing Gui Dusi, the High Priest's most prominent fighter, I had presented the best token of allegiance to Hu Tu!
From then on, I was truly accepted by Hu Tu, becoming one of his most important forces, and I was one step closer to finding a way to eliminate the black spider on my body!
"Brother, now that you're awake, I can rest easy!"
"You should rest well. I'll come back to see you tonight."
Ada gently patted my exposed hand and turned to leave.
I had intended to continue resting, but suddenly a serious problem dawned on me.
My final burst of strength was thanks to the power of "that voice," which allowed me to defeat Gui Dusi.
If nothing unexpected happened, the owner of this power was the black spider on my body!
The High Priest and Hu Tu must be familiar with this kind of power. When I was bandaged, my clothes must have been removed, and the black spider would have been seen!
The entire Duan tribe are followers of the Shepherd God. Clearly, the black spider on my body would be considered a blatant heresy to them!
A cold sweat broke out on my forehead. I was completely defenseless now, a lamb to the slaughter. If Hu Tu or the High Priest decided to make a move against me, I would have no strength to resist!
I struggled to sit up, but the pain overwhelmed me, and I slumped back down powerlessly.
I shook my head, forcing myself to calm down. After carefully analyzing my current situation, I temporarily breathed a sigh of relief.
If the black spider on my body had been discovered, they would have dealt with me long ago while I was unconscious. They wouldn't have given me a chance to wake up.
Either my black spider was deliberately concealed by Hu Tu's men, or, for some unknown reason, the black spider had disappeared!
Connecting this to Ada's unnatural expression earlier, I felt that things were not that simple!
Lost in thought, I unknowingly fell asleep again.
Until Ada woke me up once more...