The man speaking was the mysterious figure who had been constantly by Pan Lili's side. Seeing me return, he greeted me with an unhurried demeanor.
"What do you want?"
I responded verbally, but inwardly, my guard was immediately raised.
This fellow, no doubt of the same "scheming old fox" ilk as the High Priest, was even more terrifying because I had no idea of his origins or his true intentions. I had to be constantly vigilant when dealing with someone like him. After all, such a person wouldn't seek me out for idle chatter; he would undoubtedly have an agenda. If I were deceived by his harmless exterior and let slip anything, it would be too late to cry.
"Commander Ba Du, shall we go inside to talk?"
I nodded, pushed aside the tent flap, and entered. This was my current dwelling. Compared to the cramped temporary tent before, this one was incredibly comfortable, only slightly smaller than Hu Tu's royal tent. It was a significant upgrade.
I took the main seat without hesitation, and the mysterious man sat to my left.
"Commander Ba Du, what are your thoughts on the High Priest?"
The High Priest? My heart skipped a beat, and my eyes narrowed as I quickly pondered. This guy had dropped a bombshell right out of the gate, something difficult to answer. While the High Priest and I were now irreconcilable enemies with little hope of reconciliation, some things could not be said openly. Especially with this individual whose intentions were unclear and who had likely reached some secret agreement with the High Priest. It would be foolish to blurt out my true feelings.
"The Shepherd God above, the High Priest serves the tribe wholeheartedly. May he have a long life."
My eyes darted, and I offered a bland, perfunctory statement, then fixed my gaze on the mysterious man, waiting to see how he would respond.
"Hahahaha!"
To my surprise, the mysterious man seemed to have merely asked the question in passing and did not pursue the topic further. Instead, he engaged me in aimless, meandering conversation, even discussing the weather for a considerable time. Facing someone who came to play word games and avoided the main point for so long, I felt nothing but annoyance, and my attitude grew increasingly distant.
Perhaps sensing my impatience, the mysterious man did not stay long and rose to take his leave. Before departing, he left behind a cryptic remark.
"The Shepherd God watches over all his followers. Those who overstep their bounds, whoever they may be, will face retribution."
With that, the mysterious man turned and left.
What was he trying to tell me? I rubbed my temples forcefully, filled with frustration. Why did I encounter riddles everywhere I went? Why couldn't people just say what they meant? Must I always guess?! But I had no choice; my curiosity had been piqued by the mysterious man, so I had to carefully consider his intended meaning.
The statement was quite famous, originating from an ancient animal hide scroll compiled by the Shepherd God's followers, holding a status akin to God in the Bible. This was undoubtedly a warning, but the target was left open to interpretation. Who had overstepped? Me? Hu Tu? The High Priest?
On the surface, the statement seemed directed at me. However, considering our initial conversation about the High Priest upon my arrival, it also seemed to imply the High Priest was the subject. I was certain the mysterious man hadn't come just to tease me; his parting words must contain information he wished to convey.
If I assumed the target was the High Priest, the statement became quite intriguing. Had the High Priest overstepped? A jolt went through me, and a daring conjecture surfaced in my mind. Was this mysterious man trying to tell me that the High Priest was planning a major move? The High Priest was already the Shepherd God's representative in the Duan tribe, wielding as much power as Hu Tu. If he were to do something exceeding his bounds, what would it be?
After ruling out all impossible assumptions, a thought, both unexpected and logical, took root. The High Priest intended to kill Hu Tu, install a puppet, or seize power himself to become the sole ruler of the Duan tribe! This audacious speculation, once it entered my mind, refused to leave.
My brows furrowed, a sense of impending doom washed over me as if I were about to be swept into a maelstrom. Damn it, I was in for trouble! Historically, internal power struggles, once they escalated to bloodshed, left no room for retreat. And without exaggeration, I was now a thorn in the High Priest's side. If he truly moved against Hu Tu, I would undoubtedly be the first to be purged.
At this very moment, I had only just dealt with the internal matters of the temple guards and had yet to discover a way to remove the black spider from the temple. If the High Priest were to stir up trouble now, I would be in a dire predicament.
Perhaps I was mistaken? The thought arose but was immediately dismissed. I always prepared for the worst-case scenario. After much deliberation, I decided to inform Hu Tu of this news. After all, I was now marked as his ally. If he were eliminated by the High Priest, I wouldn't fare any better.
Without further delay, I pushed aside the tent flap and walked out.