The person outside was indeed Garlo.
After more than a month without seeing him, he looked much more disheveled, no longer as spirited as before, appearing utterly exhausted. Under the dim moonlight, his mustache had grown longer, and his cheeks were covered with dark stubble.
Recalling what Yeli had said and considering the weather here, it was clear that Garlo had endured great hardship during this time.
Indeed, among the men she had encountered, only Xi Yi showed no desire to compete for anything beyond her. The others, however, were driven by ambition—for status, leadership, and dominance. Garlo, in particular, thrived on chaos, so his current state was hardly surprising.
The thought made her chuckle.
Garlo shot her a glare, pushed Xi Yi aside, and unceremoniously plopped himself down in a spot.
This action clearly displeased Xi Yi, but he said nothing and didn’t kick Garlo out despite his irritation. Instead, he glanced back at her, and seeing she didn’t react much, he secured the door again.
Perhaps assuming Garlo had urgent business, Xi Yi quickly retrieved a few pieces of preserved meat from their stored food, wrapped them in large leaves, and tossed them to Garlo.
However, the gesture was unmistakable—speak your piece, take the food, and leave.
Uncharacteristically, Garlo didn’t fly into a rage as he usually would. Instead, after eyeing the generous portion of preserved meat, he grumbled irritably, “In this kind of weather, you expect me to go outside and drill wood to roast meat? Where’s your advanced stuff? Can’t you spare me one? We’re on the same side—is this really necessary?”
Listening to this, Sha Yi suddenly felt that Xi Yi’s decision to give him food was a mistake.
No matter how many hardships or unexpected situations he faced, Garlo would never willingly change his ways—unless he desperately desired something, which might make him slightly more restrained. But when it came to common struggles for power, expecting him to learn from his mistakes was like asking for the moon.
Perhaps only someone like Saina would continuously improve and correct himself based on external circumstances. Garlo, on the other hand, was stubborn to the core—even if a volcano erupted again, she doubted he’d change.
Right now, it was obvious he was targeting her. Not only that, but he also seemed to consider himself part of her and Xi Yi’s inner circle, even expecting her to hand over a lighter.
His presumptuousness was baffling, but at this point, they were indeed on the same side.
Ever since his second visit, when he seriously informed her of their intention to merge, there had been no major conflicts between their groups. Now, with a common enemy looming, uniting was both necessary and inevitable.
So, she didn’t argue. After all, she believed he wouldn’t side with Yeli either. Without a word, she took out a lighter and tossed it to him.
Catching the lighter from a distance, Garlo pressed it several times. With each click, a small blue flame flickered to life, and his previously sullen face lit up with excitement.
The expression looked utterly bizarre against his tattered bird-feather-and-hide outfit.
What puzzled her even more was that, at this time of year, even Xi Yi was bundled tightly in fur, yet Garlo was still dressed as if it were the rainy season. From what she knew, Garlo’s original territory was warmer than this region, but now he seemed more cold-resistant than Xi Yi—something that defied logic.
Staring at Garlo’s odd appearance, Sha Yi pondered for a while before finally asking, “I heard you were captured by Yeli and then escaped? After disappearing for so long, why suddenly show up now? And why bang on doors and windows in the dead of night—are you here to eavesdrop again, or just asking for a beating?”
At this, Garlo immediately pocketed the lighter and retorted, “Who do you think I’m doing this for? It’s not like—”
He cut himself off, glancing up at Xi Yi, who was glaring at him. After a pause, he awkwardly continued, “It’s… for the sake of both groups, isn’t it?”
The transition was forced, especially since it contradicted the first half of his sentence.
Sha Yi frowned, not having noticed the icy exchange between the two men. Unable to make sense of it, she chalked it up to Garlo’s usual incoherence and motioned for him to continue.
But now he seemed unwilling to elaborate. Instead, he widened his eyes, giving her a deeply resentful look before tucking the lighter into his chest.
Sha Yi couldn’t take it anymore—and neither could Xi Yi, who pointed at the torn hide on Garlo’s chest and remarked dryly, “That’s ripped. Where exactly are you planning to stash it?”
To her surprise, this half-sincere, half-exasperated comment instantly provoked Garlo. “You see it’s torn and still won’t give me a new one? Do you have any idea how hard this journey has been? After everything I’ve sacrificed, is this how you treat me?”
Sha Yi had long grown accustomed to Garlo’s shamelessness and sense of entitlement. “If you’re already aware of your condition, why not just go back to your own side? What’s the point of coming here in the middle of the night? Tugo would’ve given you fur clothing without hesitation. Why bother us?”
“I came here to annoy you!” Garlo snapped, once again speaking without thinking. “If I have to suffer, you might as well suffer too!”
Sha Yi rolled her eyes and retreated into her furs, done with this fool.
Back when he first captured her, their communication had been smooth, albeit with some minor scheming. But ever since he demanded she join his group and fought with Xi Yi, their exchanges had become increasingly disjointed, often veering off-topic and wasting time.
Xi Yi, however, seemed to have figured out Garlo’s dilemma. Calmer than her, he cut to the chase. “You wouldn’t come here in the middle of the night without a reason. If you don’t speak now, I’ll throw you out.”
She agreed with Xi Yi’s assessment.
Garlo’s nocturnal visit meant he didn’t want others to know his whereabouts. The fact that he came to them instead of Tugo spoke volumes—he no longer trusted his own group, especially with Manlun among them. Given the urgency of Yeli’s threat, sharing information was the wisest course of action.
Understanding the gravity of the situation, and with Xi Yi prioritizing the bigger picture, Garlo finally dropped his theatrics and got to the point. “Do you know how I escaped?”
“Given Yeli’s personality and caution, if he caught you, there’d be almost no chance of escape.” Sha Yi shook her head, peeking out from her furs. “Frankly, we don’t doubt Yeli’s capabilities. But you did escape—that’s something we can’t explain.”
“Someone from Yeli’s group let me go,” Garlo admitted, looking frustrated. “A woman named Kapa.”
“That’s unexpected. Do you know why she helped you?” Xi Yi interjected.
“Why does it matter? None of your business!” Garlo snapped at Xi Yi before turning back to her, his anger fading. “Originally, I planned to scatter their Terror Birds with the forest fire and retreat. But then I saw Manlun telling Yeli everything he knew about us. I wanted to kill him!”
“So you just charged in? Just to kill Manlun?” Sha Yi’s voice rose in disbelief. “That’s insane!”
Garlo grinned. “I did. Even when Kapa freed me, I still wanted to go back and finish him off.”
Before she or Xi Yi could interrupt again, Garlo pressed on. “Remember when I stabbed Xi Yi with a bone spear because of Saina’s scheme? You know how much of an advantage Terror Birds give in battle. If they summon them again, they’ll not only arrive sooner but also crush us!”
Sha Yi countered, “But you said the Terror Birds were hibernating—that this would be their last flight this winter.”
“True, but if you force them awake, those birds won’t stay asleep.” Garlo smirked. “Just like how you were sleeping, but here I am, inside anyway.”
“Devious!” Sha Yi scowled, recalling Garlo’s earlier comments about the Terror Birds’ habits. His deliberate omission was infuriating.
“Driving off the Terror Birds doesn’t stop them from being summoned again. Manlun lived with us for years, and those birds are native to our territory.” Ignoring her anger, Garlo continued, “He had a bird-call reed to summon male Terror Birds. I couldn’t kill him, but I destroyed his reed. That’s why they couldn’t call the birds a second time!”
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