I turned my head and saw Hu Tu walking towards me from behind the Pagma.
Today, Hu Tu was completely different from his usual unkempt appearance. His face was smeared with ink, forming a mark of a giant deer, and he wore a clean, white deerskin coat adorned with feathers that were spotless.
For a savage tribe like the Du'an tribe, a piece of clothing could basically last from birth to death. I hadn't seen such a clean deerskin coat since I arrived here.
Huo!
One might think Hu Tu was invited by the high priest to preside over the Pagma's blessing ceremony!
I grumbled inwardly but still had to show Hu Tu some respect, so I thumped my chest towards him.
"King, you're here so early."
Hu Tu walked up to me with a smile, his eyes holding a meaning I couldn't decipher. He even deliberately brushed off the dust from my shoulders, showing affection.
"Batu, today is your Pagma's blessing ceremony. As the tribal chief, of course, I had to come early."
No!
The ceremonial closeness didn't make me feel relaxed; instead, it set off my "suspiciously scheming old man" radar.
When things are out of the ordinary, there's usually a reason. Batu never treated me this intimately before, even when being friendly, he still maintained his status as a leader.
My intuition told me that Batu was likely setting me up, or perhaps he had already joined forces with the high priest.
Despite my wariness, I forced a fake smile.
"King, it's great that you're here. I just arrived and was told by these Pagmas that the guards are no longer the temple guards. Is this a joke!"
I spoke with such agitation that I nearly pointed at their noses and spat in the face of the leading Pagma, wanting to let them know who the new commander of the temple guards was.
"I am now the commander of the temple guards, and today is my Pagma's blessing day, yet my subordinates can't even get close to the temple. How can this be?"
As I spoke, I observed Hu Tu's expression and noticed no surprise when I mentioned this matter.
Damn it, it seems Hu Tu knew in advance that the high priest intended to have the Pagmas handle security!
My heart sank, but I maintained an air of righteous indignation and fervor, looking to Hu Tu for a decision.
"Batu, the high priest's sudden decision is indeed irregular. How about this: the outer perimeter of the temple will still be guarded by the usual temple guards, while the inner part will be handled by the Pagmas."
Hu Tu appeared to be on my side, but he handed over the crucial inner guard duty to the high priest's Pagmas.
A flicker of confusion crossed my eyes. Brother, the high priest is clearly trying to get rid of you too, why are you betraying me now?!
However, since Hu Tu had offered a compromise, I couldn't argue with him further and could only nod.
"It shall be as the King says."
Seeing that I agreed, Hu Tu clapped me heartily on the shoulder.
"Batu, you go arrange your men first. I'll be waiting for you in the main hall."
With that, Hu Tu turned and walked into the temple, followed by the Pagmas who had been waiting outside.
Watching Hu Tu's retreating back, I turned to Hu Jialuo and gave him orders.
"Hu Jialuo, take the brothers who usually guard the temple to stand watch."
Before Hu Jialuo could reply, I leaned in and whispered into his ear.
"Be sharp today. Once you see the signal I give, rush in immediately. I fear things might change."
Hu Jialuo nodded and thumped his chest with his fist.
"Don't worry, Commander. If even a resurrected god appeared before me to stop us today, I would still fight my way in to protect you!"
Hu Jialuo was someone I had promoted myself. In ancient China, this would be known as the grace of recognition. I had complete confidence in his loyalty.
This was also one of my contingency plans.
After giving instructions to Hu Jialuo, I gave a subtle glance to Mr. A, who was hidden among the temple guards. Then, I took a deep breath and turned to walk into the temple.
The architecture was familiar, but compared to my last visit, the guards were clearly much more numerous. There was a Pagma every ten steps.
As I walked further in, I calculated how much time I would have to escape if a fight broke out. By the time I reached the entrance of the main hall, I had a final answer.
If there were any interceptors, it would take me at least five minutes to reach the temple entrance.
This answer made me feel a bit disheartened. Damn it, the interior of the temple had become a solid iron cage, one that could only be entered, not exited.
Mr. A, it's all up to you!