"Survive?"
"Still trying to negotiate terms at a time like this!"
Ada glanced at me, and we instantly understood each other.
"If you tell us everything, I won't kill you."
Ada nodded, his expression softening.
"I was sent by the Great King to treat you. I just heard Batu say the Great King is dead, and I couldn't accept it..."
Damn it, you're trying to dodge the important stuff, aren't you?
"Still not being honest!"
I have no patience for those who won't confess until they see the coffin. I raised my foot and stomped on the spot where the spear had pierced his back, grinding it fiercely.
"Ah!!!!!!!!!"
Anan let out a painful howl, his animal skin quickly becoming soaked with a large patch of blood.
"I'm asking you, did Hu Tu give you any other instructions when he sent you? How did Ada get sick? Why did you run just now?"
"We don't need to know any of that. Is this your last chance?"
Seeing that the time was right, I lifted my foot, pulled out my hunting knife, and placed it beside Anan's face.
"I'll talk, I'll talk!"
"Commander Ada isn't sick at all. He was poisoned by the Great King... no, by Hu Tu!"
"Hu Tu sent me to constantly monitor Commander Ada's physical condition, to ensure he wouldn't get better or worse, just stay in this state."
Anan could no longer endure it. He quickly started talking like a pouring bean, revealing everything he knew.
"This... is impossible..."
When Ada heard that Hu Tu had poisoned him, it was like a bolt from the blue. His body swayed, and if I hadn't supported him, he would have fallen to the ground.
"Sigh."
I sighed and patted Ada's shoulder forcefully, suddenly feeling a pang of pity for him.
Ada had told me during meals that he had followed Hu Tu, who had not yet become the tribal chief, since his coming-of-age ceremony. He had always regarded Hu Tu as his elder brother.
He probably never imagined that one day he would be betrayed by the leader he trusted the most.
"Why would Hu Tu do this?"
Although I had considered this possibility earlier, hearing that it was indeed true, I couldn't help but feel confused.
Even if Hu Tu had no feelings for Ada over the years and purely treated him as a tool, he was the most useful tool.
Why would he incapacitate Ada like this right before the Shepherd God's Blessing ceremony?
Was there some hidden secret involved?
The temple was now completely sealed, and Hu Tu was buried under the rubble. Even if I wanted to find the answer, I had nowhere to look.
"I was just following Hu Tu's orders. I have no way of knowing what Hu Tu was thinking."
Anan smiled obsequiously, his demeanor as humble as a lapdog trying to please its new master.
Seeing Anan's fawning expression, a thought suddenly struck me, remembering what he had just said.
"You said Hu Tu sent you to maintain Ada's current condition. Then you must have the antidote!"
I glanced at Ada, who was still lost in his thoughts, and pressed Anan further.
"I do have some antidote here, but not much. It will take some time to completely cure Commander Ada of the poison."
"This poison was concocted from a herb I accidentally discovered in the forest. I'm the only one in the entire Du'an tribe who can make it."
Although Anan's face was still contorted in pain, his pride when talking about the poison was undeniable. Perhaps this was the unique sense of accomplishment a shaman could achieve.
Damn it, still trying to negotiate at a time like this.
I stared at Anan, my gaze scrutinizing. I understood what he meant. He was afraid that once we extracted all the useful information from him, we would kill him.
His previous words were just to prove that he still had value to us, so that we wouldn't harm him.
"Alright, alright. As long as you can remove the poison from Ada, I'll spare you. Not only that, but I might even let you be the leader of the shamans later."
No matter how things developed in the future, at least at this moment, Anan was valuable to us. So, I threw him as many empty promises as I could. After all, I wouldn't be the one ruling the Du'an tribe in the future; the rest would be up to Ada.
"Thank... Commander Batu."
Anan let out a long breath. It seemed he had put a lot of thought into surviving.
I turned to look at Ada, who was still standing idly by. Seeing that he had no reaction, I clasped my hands around the spear piercing Anan's shoulder.
"Bear with it for a moment!"