After I finished breakfast and was on my way, Ada came over.
Seeing Ada looking so troubled, I felt a bit strange.
Ada was, after all, the most important warrior under Hu Tu, arguably the most prominent figure in the Du'an tribe, if not second only to him.
Yet, his face was etched with melancholy, as if something weighed heavily on his mind.
"Ada, what's wrong?"
As a brother who had fought alongside Ada through life and death, I couldn't just walk past him when he was in such distress. So, I casually asked.
"Ba Du, I'm fine. I'm worried about you."
Ada seized on my words and opened up.
Worried about me?
My eyes darted around, and I felt a sense of confusion.
What was Ada worried about concerning me?
If he was worried about me clashing with the High Priest, he should have mentioned it yesterday. Why was he looking so troubled after a whole night had passed?
"What is it? Did something else happen? Did the High Priest get too excited yesterday after I became the new Temple Guard Commander and suddenly kick the bucket tonight?"
Despite my internal musings, I still made a half-joking remark. After all, things seemed to be progressing in a positive direction.
"Alas, what kind of time is this to joke around," Ada said.
He was unmoved by my words and instead, patted my shoulder heavily with his palm.
"You don't know that after you became the new Temple Guard Commander yesterday, the Temple Guards under you have been plotting to give you a hard time today!"
Ada pulled me into a corner, glancing around to ensure we were alone, and deliberately lowered his voice.
"This is what I heard from one of my men who heard it from one of the guards yesterday. The two leaders are named Gu Li and Hu Tou. They were both the most loyal subordinates of Gu Du Si before, and are powerful warriors among the Temple Guards. They hold great prestige in the hearts of others."
"They have already rallied many of the Temple Guards, preparing to give you a big setback. While they won't dare to outright kill you, they can certainly make you a mere figurehead."
Ada's brow was furrowed as he spoke, indicating he hadn't devised a solution all night.
"My men heard about this yesterday and quickly reported it to me. It was too late then, so I didn't come to find you. This matter is very tricky, and my men are not under the command of the Temple Guards, so I can't help you much. I can only quickly relay this news to you so you can be prepared."
After hearing Ada's words, I couldn't help but drop my smile.
Damn it, I haven't even taken office yet, and people are already secretly plotting against me.
Gu Li and Hu Tou? It goes without saying that the High Priest must be behind these two. Otherwise, they couldn't have rallied so many people in such a short time and even incited their emotions.
Before I was stranded on the deserted island, when I worked in a company, I had overheard office gossip about a neighboring company.
My current situation was very similar. The former manager of that neighboring company had left. Everyone thought they would choose one of the two vice-managers, but the headquarters didn't choose either and instead sent a new manager from outside.
This made the two resentful vice-managers unite, and along with their subordinates, they conspired to sideline the newly appointed manager.
During that period, that company was a battlefield of open and covert struggles, a spectacle that fueled our daily lunch break gossip.
After a period of intense infighting, it eventually ended with the outsider manager's narrow victory. One vice-manager fled, and the other became completely inactive.
The company's performance plummeted as a result, eventually leading to its closure.
My current situation bore some resemblance to that of the outsider manager, and what was even more awkward was that while that company had its internal conflicts and power struggles, the worst outcome was closure.
However, if I failed, my life might have no continuation.
Moreover, both morally and logically, I couldn't just choose to give up and let these people sideline me.
Because on the surface, I now bore Hu Tu's mark. While Hu Tu appeared loyal and more humane than the High Priest, he was essentially a creature of power. Once I lost my value to him, he would no longer protect me.
And if I lost Hu Tu's support, before I could even find a way to remove the black spider mark on me, the High Priest's subordinates would crush me into powder.
Then, they would announce to all the Du'an tribe that I had died in an accident, and the name Ba Du would be forgotten forever.
If I win, I can continue with my next plan. If I fail, everything is over.
Therefore, I must fight them, and I must win!